Chapter 12

12

HUNTER

Earlier that day

The wind shifts the tall pines around me. The creaking is an ominous sound. I start to swing slowly. I blink once, twice. A third time. Why the fuck am I moving?

“Oh, shit,” I mutter. I’m sprawled out on Emma's porch swing. I curse my wolf, who I know can hear me now. “Asshole, what if she saw us? What then? Do you think she'd be okay with a giant fucking wolf curled up on her porch?”

My wolf doesn’t give two shits about any of that. I know in his mind he was keeping her safe. He was protecting her. He understands she's not ready for him, but he’s not straying far from her. I feel the same way.

That's when I heard it. It's shocking how I missed the sound before—soft sobbing carrying through the pine trees. Without a thought, I shifted and ran toward my girl, the only woman who could be out there.

A soft citrus smell wafts through the pines, distinct from anything else in the area. My wolf doesn't hesitate to pull me forward while we are shifted, and for the second time in my life, I can see what's going on. The wolf stays in complete control as he races through the woods. His thoughts are like an oath pushing us on.

She's mine. It takes mere minutes to catch her. Now, we stalk our girl through the trees. We watch in awe as her curves maneuver effortlessly. My instincts driving me forward, pulsing through my body, with a need to ravage and claim her. It is so strong nothing else could matter.

I have waited thirteen years for her.

She was a child when we found her. Playing with her family by the lake. It wasn't our time yet. We would wait.

The human thought we were broken. His pain was nothing more than the smoldering of our mate bond that carved itself out of our souls that day.

I howl at the memory. Her beautiful green eyes locked on ours. She felt it too. Her hands trembled at seeing us but she wasn't scared. She knew we were fated. Leaving her is what caused the ache. Leaving a piece of our shredded soul with our mate that broke us because I couldn't tell the human.

Hold her. Claim her. Keep her.

She's stopped. My steps are nimble. Her hands tremble once more. My eyes flick to her perfect face, and the sadness there sends a whimper through my body.

I need the man. She needs him now.

After returning from the forest, I quickly got Emma to bed and grabbed clothes from my house. Now my mind recounts this morning's events as I sit in the chair at her bedside for the second time in a week. My hands rake roughly through my hair as worry and frustration war inside me. I want her to feel safe. At the same time, she put herself in danger by running into the forest.

To make myself useful and burn off the simmering anger, I head to the kitchen, carrying several cups that litter her bedside tables and two small plates. Her phone sits on the floor next to the couch, and after depositing the dishes in the sink, I innocently pick it up. The motion causes the screen to light up. There, staring at me is a man with sharp cheeks, slicked-back blonde hair, and a sinister look in his eyes.

Then I look at the background and see my red truck and Emma’s house.

Oh, fuck. My instincts flare to life, a corrosive pulsing rage under my skin. The urge to crush her phone tingles in my fingers as I set it down on the counter, afraid I might shatter it.

“Hunter?” Emma's voice is soft and hopeful. The sound is like a cold bucket of water on the anger rolling through me.

“I'm in here, sweet girl.” The nickname comes out naturally as I grab the glass of water I made and head back into her room.

“You stayed?” Her question holds a thread of hope.

Handing her the water, I nod. “Emma, there is something you need to know, and I know the timing is shit…” I run my hands over my head, breathing deeply, thinking of the image I just found. “I saw your phone.”

She blinks as her eyes squint angrily, “why would you go through my phone?”

Annoyance coats my thoughts because you're my mate, but I try to keep my tone even, “It was on the floor. I didn’t go through it. Who was that man? In the picture?”

Her mouth purses to the side as if trying to find an excuse. I press, “Was he the man who bruised your wrist?”

Her eyes catch mine, and she drops her head, “Yeah, that’s Cole, my psychotic ex. He is determined to ruin my life, my career—he's stalking me now, too.” She rubs at her wrist softly, “As I was leaving to come here, he attacked me, pinning me to my car, telling me I was his. Luckily, someone stepped in or...I don't know what would have happened.”

I can’t stop myself from sitting on the edge of her bed, my hands tied together in my lap, desperate to touch her, console her, and tell her I’m sorry. She scoots further into her bed.

I feel like there is another side of myself I need to divulge. “Wolves have mates; in our history, we are also blessed to have fated mates.”

Her brows lift in question.

“Well, Emma Jean, you're my mate.”

She shakes her head. “Hunter, I’m not a wolf shifter…”

I hold my hand up. “I know, Emma and I realize this isn't something you feel like I do, but I have to say something after what I just saw on your phone.”

I have to turn away as my eyes shift, and anger threads through each vein. She stays quiet, watching me. “Emma, I will need to stay here…with you.” This is the only idea I could come up with so quickly.

She shakes her head. “I don't want you here. I don’t need you going through my phone or trying to be chivalrous.” The words sting. She continues, “Hunter, I'm already dealing with an overbearing, possessive, probably psychotic ex. I don't need you to move into my house.”

How do I tell her I need this? My wolf needs this. I place my hand near her thigh, trying to grasp my emotions. “I know the girls have told you about the pack and my role. I brought you here and I’m responsible for your safety when I found out you were my mate. Fuck, Emma. I can’t leave you defenseless, helpless…” Her mouth opens, but I continue, “I don't have to stay in your room. I can be out on the couch but need to sleep here. I need to know you're safe.” My hand balls up the fabric with each statement.

“Hunter, I don’t understand. Why does it mean you have to stay here?”

“When a wolf finds its mate, it will stop at nothing to defend her, to keep her safe. The instinct is so ingrained into the bond that it physically hurts me to fight it.” I place my palm up next to her, hoping she takes it so she can feel this pulse between us. “I thought I was broken for so many years, Emma, but…” I shake my head, my voice hoarse. How the fuck do you explain a soul-deep ache. “But it was you all along…I can feel your emotions so acutely they feel like my own. My wolf is so attuned with you as our mate that I couldn’t live without you.”

Her hand slowly slides on top of mine. “I’m not sure it's a good idea for you to move in here,” she says as her fingers slowly thread between mine.

“I can’t go anywhere else, Emma. You are it for me, even if it means I get my camping gear and sleep on the porch. My instincts, my wolf, demand I protect you at all costs.”

“Okay.” She finally says.

“I'll be back tonight, then.” To ensure we are on the same page about me sleeping inside, “Do I need to bring my camping gear over?”

She shakes her head and bites her lip to hide her smile.

“Good, I’ll see you then.”

Pulling myself away from Emma is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but knowing I’ll be back later tonight eases some of that ache.

Jackson called while I was with Emma and asked to meet at the Lodge, pushing into the front door. My brother is standing near the front windows of the library. “Took you long enough.”

I clear the space between us. He is my twin, which is rare in wolves, but looking at us now over thirty, you would never know we were twins. His brown hair is grown out on top whereas mine is cut short. He has a cleanly shaved beard, whereas I have a few days stubble. His blue eyes appear lighter than my dark, stormy ones. We both stand at six foot five, and our builds are similar, though his dark olive skin is littered with scars from his service in the military for the last fifteen years.

We hug each other tightly, “Hey, brother.”

“Missed you, Hunt.”

I nod, choking back any emotion, “Let’s kick Dad into retirement.”

He lets me go just as Will comes in the doors and gets his hug.

We all head to the main office, and Jackson breaks the silence, “Alpha, we’d like to talk to you about stepping down.”

My dad's eyes widen as Will shuts the office door behind him.

“Son, I’m not sure you know about everything happening.”

“Hunter’s kept me plenty informed. Now I think it's time we take a stronger approach to keeping the pack safe.”

Our dad shakes his head, “You have had three years to return and never did. That was our agreement. You could go, live for twelve years, do whatever you needed, and return at thirty to take over.”

Jackson’s head shakes as he steps forward. “I had a responsibility to my team. There are things you wouldn’t understand I needed to take care of.” My brother's voice falls off, and I watch as emotion filters through his expression. His firm voice is filled with ire, he directs towards our dad, “Is that why you are bitter and angry? Taking it out on the pack. On Hunt, because I’m three years late.”

Jackson pushes out of his seat and paces the room, “I had people who relied on me. I needed to ensure they were taken care of before I could return. I’m fucking here now, and I don’t want to fight you for the seat, Dad, but I fucking will. Are you going to step down?”

My dad stands and walks up to Jackson, a snarl pulling at his upper lip. “You should have been here, Jackson…”

Will and I stand intent on ensuring this does not go into a fight.

My dad pushes into Jackson’s chest, “I’ll step down, but I’m not moving out of the Lodge. This is my home, and until everything is settled, we are staying here.”

“That’s fine. I would never want you and Mom kicked out, but this is now my office and my rules. Welcome to my pack, Dad.” Jackson pushes my dad back with just a finger.

The tension slips from the room as both men step back and breathe in. My dad pulls a chair to his side of the desk next to him and begins going over the formalities of taking over.

“I need to head out. Emma was waiting for me.” I say to the two men.

“That sounds good, Hunt. I'll be in touch tomorrow.” As he shakes my hand, Jackson says, “I’m glad you called.”