CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER THREE

HUNTER’S POV

Nightfall approached quicker than I had anticipated and from where I sat peeling a tangerine while watching crackles of the open fire I’d built outside the house; I couldn’t help but think about her rather beguiling yet strange and dangerous predicament. It was almost suicidal. My eyes involuntarily settled on her face across the fire. The flames caressed her face and once again, I found myself clawed with a certain hunger. Fuck! She was not mine and I knew better than to cross that damn alpha. She had her knees drawn up against her, hugging them while staring into the flames, a distant look in the green of her eyes. Maddison Brown was known among all the wolf packs in Pearl town and beyond as the mate to the ruthless Rowan. Sure, I’d not recognised her at first but I’ve heard of her name; most people have. I’d heard rumors of her beauty but I’d not believed it until I saw her. From what I had heard, an alpha of some small pack had commented on Maddison’s beauty while drinking with buddies. Let’s just say; he didn’t make it to the next morning alive.

Tales of the Alpha’s heartlessness had spread far and wide, making him the most feared Alpha at the moment. No one, not even me, would ever dare cross him and having Maddison here, certainly meant I was looking for trouble. Maybe Rowan’s men had not exactly caught my face when I attacked them to save her since I had a hoodie and a mask on but they definitely knew I was a hybrid. Soon enough, that fucking Alpha would be sending his hounds all over to sniff out all the hybrids until he finds her.That didn’t bother me for a second because being hunted was actually what consisted of my everyday life. I’d stopped looking over my shoulder at every stop and instead, settled to always expecting trouble. If you expect it, then you never get surprised and you actually get to enjoy life a little.

“So what now?” She eventually broke the pin-drop silence, raising her gaze to look at me. She looked lost. Not in the physical sense. But more like someone who has reached their complete edge.

“Maybe we could start with the exact reason why you are running away from your mate,” Her hands clenched instantly, the fear radiating from her, nothing close to subtle. Just what exactly did Rowan do to make her like this? It disturbed me to a great length, more than I cared to admit. As much as he was ruthless, he was known to adore his mate to a great deal. He was admittedly very protective and possessive of her.

“Why are you hell bent on figuring that out? Are you really not working for Rowan?” She questioned, narrowing her eyes.

“If I worked for him then I wouldn’t bother asking your reason for running, now would I?” I heaved a sigh,” Look, I’m the one here risking my life to save yours. The least you can do is actually let me know what the hell I’m getting myself entangled in,”

A shadow of emotion crossed her eyes, making her shut them briefly before opening them and this time she looked much more in control of her emotions. She rose up silently, walking into the house before she came out holding three apples.

“I hope you don’t mind if I borrow these,” She said, gesturing at the apples in her hand.

“What do you mean borrow?” I questioned, a little surprised.

“Look, stranger, whatever your name is. I appreciate your help if it's as genuine as you claim but if you know me and you know the kind of person Rowan is, then you’d know enough people have died for me. I can’t let you die for me too,” she said.

“Your wound is not healed,” I countered defiantly after realizing she was actually leaving. Just how careless was she with her own life? What was the point of running away from Rowan, if she was going to die from an infected wound?

“It will heal on the way. My wolf was temporarily paralyzed but now its recovering. By sun down I’d probably be all healed but right now, I need to be on my way. Rowan won’t stop looking for me and the longer I stay here, the slimmer my chances of escape grow,” she pointed out.

“Fine,” I rose up to,” I’ll drop you to the next town,”

“What? Didn’t you hear me when I said I don’t want anymore people dying for me?” She pointed out and this time, she was the one who was surprised.

“You are hurt, you have no money, no transport and possibly have no idea where you are headed. You clearly only have basic werewolf training which makes you so damn vulnerable too. I have a friend who drops cleaning supplies all over the neighboring town from New York and well, tomorrow he will be making a drop at Crest Falls. If we can make it there by sunrise tomorrow, he’ll get you far away from here,”

“Um…Thank you so much…” she drawled to a stop.

“Hunter,”

Her eyes suddenly flooded with recognition,” Hunter, one of the last surviving hybrids?”

“So you’ve heard about me,” I was quite surprised. Hybrids were a greatly endangered species and considered sort of a taboo by both wolves and vampires. I had no idea whether it was because we posed a threat or they were intimidated by us being a tad bit more powerful. Either way, they killed us whenever they got the chance and so it was no surprise that we were almost extinct at this point.

“Of course. Rowan would never shut up about how elusive you are. He hates it when things are not in his control,” she pointed and was that hint of amusement in her voice?

“Well, if you have heard about me then you’d know he has absolutely zero chance of finding me,” I said, walking into the house, grabbing my bike keys and two of my hoodies which I gave one to her.

“Thank you,” she murmured, wearing it.

“Don’t thank me yet until I get you safely away from here,” I pointed out, getting on the bike while I waited for her to join me.

She got on the bike and her smaller hands found their way around my waist, gripping tightly. Was that the loud sound of my heartbeat speeding up? What was this craving coursing through me?

Get a fucking grip Hunter.

“You know I’m curious, Hunter. Why are you helping me? Your kind has been murdered endlessly by wolves and vampires and yet here you are, risking your life for me,” She whispered.

I blew out a wisp of breath out of my lips as I started the engine, navigating on the deserted main road.

“Maybe because there is just something about you Maddison and I can’t quite put my finger on it,” I answered and that was absolutely no lie.

Because for the longest time I’ve lived, I’d learnt to tame my vampire side, never drinking from a human and only when deemed necessary, would I drink from a blood bag. Yet, she suddenly made my vampire side impulsive for some reason. She awakened my vampire part with desire intertwined with hunger, a very lethal combination for me. I wanted to drink straight from her vein and possess every inch of her. This sudden longing and intense craving was not normal; certainly something I hadn’t felt in ages.

“Can I trust you to keep a secret?” She suddenly whispered above the whirring of the wind.

“Only if you think I’m trustworthy enough,” I replied, focusing on the road ahead. There were barely any cars driving around and that just made my job easier. If we got to crest falls, a human town, we would have a better chance of escape.

She clutched on me tighter, the side of her face falling against my back, “Rowan is a psycho. I maybe his mate and he makes everyone know that, but he certainly doesn’t treat me like one. He doesn’t like when other men look at me,” she paused, “And he doesn’t like a no from anyone. So when he wanted my birth pack and my parents, who were still Luna and Alpha of the pack, refused, he killed them all,” There was a pause, which was followed by a sniff and tears wetting my back.

“You don’t have to tell me, you know,” I told her. It was breaking me hearing her say that. Maybe Rowan was more demented than I thought.

“Yes, I do,” she sniffed once more, “Then he rejected me in front of my pack the day before yesterday, and he had me locked up out of spite. It was fucking horrible. Just when I thought things wouldn’t get worse, I found out I was pregnant with his child,” She paused, her voice growing a little hoarse, “I knew I had to get away. Luckily his beta has always had a soft spot for me. Since his wife was the doctor who figured out I was pregnant, he helped me escape. I didn’t get far. Rowan found out and somehow he found the pregnancy test too. I tried to fight him but instead I got a knife in my tummy,” There was a longer pause before she eventually spoke again, “His beta intercepted him and I ran as fast as I could out of that pack house. I don’t know if Norman is still alive or not, but I can’t let his sacrifice and that of my family and friends go to waste. You understand, right?”

“Yes, I do,” I answered simply.

I knew whatever had her running, had to be something worth giving her life for and I was right. She was carrying his baby. And I had to make sure that damn Alpha did lay his hands on her again.