The Chase: Book 2 in The Hunt Series

by Alainna MacPherson

  Pushing the doorbell, I didn’t have to wait long before her bodyguard answered the door.

  “What do you want?”

  “I need to speak with her majesty. I have information she’d be interested in hearing.”

  He eyed me up and down, skeptical that I’d have anything that would be of interest to his queen. Still, he stepped to the side, allowing me entry.

  When he shut the door, he waved me into the sitting room, as he had before, which I promptly wandered in, hands in my pockets. She came around the corner before I could even eyeball the new painting above the fireplace.

  “I’m surprised to see you so soon again, Alistahr.” Her voice sent a hum throughout my body, reacting to her royalty and connection to the goddess.

  Quickly, I bow at the waist. I’m sure not many made house calls to the queen’s residence, rental or not. I lifted my head. “Your majesty. I’ve recently spoken with Druid Manahan.” Her brows raised and I knew I wasn’t off base by coming here. “He believes he’s found the person in the prophecy, both druid and wolf.”

  Her eyes widened, not even trying to hide her surprise. “Is he sure?”

  I started to shrug, but caught myself, not wanting to lose my head for wasting her time on an assumption. “He seems to be, your majesty.”

  Without another word, she started to pace before me. I wasn’t sure if anyone had ever witnessed the queen in such a state. I tried not to stare, but it was impossible not to. The way she glided, her skirt hardly moving as she did, was so magical, it reminded me of old times, when our magic was plentiful.

  She stopped after her fifth turn around, pinning me with her silver gaze. “Do you know where Manahan is now?”

  I could only nod. The power emanating from her was strong and rendered me speechless. I could only imagine now, my memories so old to remember clearly, what she was like at her full power.

  “Take me to him.” At that, she turned and breezed out of the room, speaking to her guards as she did. In under five minutes we were all piled into her black town car and headed for Port Bell.

  Chapter Thirty

  Maeleigh

  Luna stretched in my mind, making her presence known. She wanted at the forefront, to take the reins. But no way was I letting her take over, at least not in human form. As unpredictable as she was, I knew that would just complicate things.

  “They have to pay for what they did,” she rumbled.

  “We’ll get them back.”

  “Justice.”

  I didn’t want to argue with her even though I wasn’t sure myself if that’s what I wanted. I wanted Jerry’s family safe, yes, but did I want an all-out war. Brianna had said something about a war to Gearden earlier. Would it be us who started it though, by going into their territory to retrieve those that they assume as theirs? No matter who initialized it, a war is what we were in. Justice? I just wanted to survive. I wanted everyone in my pack to live.

  The darkness started to wane; morning was getting closer. Liam was talking with Danny, getting the plan situated. Gearden and Bri were there as well, but they seemed to only be taking in information, not playing a part in the execution of things. I didn’t like not knowing what was being said in their group. Something in me was demanding that I be a part of that group right then. That I had a right to be. I turned away from Kassady and Caleb and marched over to the leaders pow wow.

  You know how people wait on the outskirts until someone has invited them to be included? Yeah, I didn’t do that at all. I shoved myself between Gearden and Bri and turned to watch Liam. When he stopped speaking to look down at me with bewildered eyes, I met his gaze. Not to challenge him, but as if to ask, “Do you object?” Before he could answer I caught a smirk creeping up Danny’s lips. I looked at him to smile back and he winked at me. Not wanting to get distracted, I turned back to Liam to see him nod his approval, then went on with whatever he was saying before I had arrived. Ignoring the stares, I knew I was getting at my back from the rest of the pack, I kept my focus on Liam. I’m sure it’s not every day that someone imposes themselves into their higher circle.

  “We’ll have to run there. They watch the roads,” Liam said.

  When he opened his mouth to speak again, I spoke up. “Can we all make it that far?”

  Danny didn’t blink an eye when he touched my arm to turn my attention to him to say, “All of us wolves can make it, even you.” He said something more, but I didn’t catch it.

  “What did he say?” I asked Gearden.

  Quickly, he reiterated. “We’re going to the edge of our territory by car, then we’ll park somewhere and shift to walk from there.”

  I took his word for it, his and Danny’s. They knew way more than I did, and Luna didn’t seem to have a problem with the idea of running all that way.

  I nodded and let him get back to listening. They needed to learn how to sign, because this was getting old.

  “When we get there. Maeleigh,” Liam pins me with his scrutinizing eyes. “You’ll stay with Gearden. Follow his lead. Understood?”

  I did. I glanced at Gearden and nodded to him.

  “What about the hunters?” My question had everyone looking to Liam for an answer.

  His features grew dark. “Be prepared for anything.”

  Liam broke the meeting with instructions to load up the cars. Looking out at the twenty or so people, mostly older men and young adults, I assumed, the other women were home with the younger children. The sun was cresting over the horizon now. It’s funny, I always associated werewolves with darkness and things from nightmares. But this, my people, we weren’t that at all. We didn’t need the night for stealth. The fear wasn’t in the shadows, it was in the pack. We were deadly, no matter the cover of the moon or the sun.

  I knew Luna played a big part in my thinking right then, and I didn’t fight it. In fact, I welcomed it. She would help me get Jerry’s family back.

  Piling into cars, filling nearly every seat in each vehicle, we headed out. I rode with Gearden, Bri and Ro, following close behind Liam’s luxury car, with Jolleen, Danny and Sally. She’d arrived last, having only just returned from her meeting out of town. Racing over to me, she gave me a quick hug before asking, “READY?” I nodded before we both climbed into our respective vehicles.

  We drove for about thirty minutes before pulling over onto a nearly non-existent dirt road. It looked like an entrance to someone’s abandoned property. Parking behind a line of overgrown trees, hiding us from the traffic of the main highway, we all climbed out. We shut our doors gently and moved clear of the other cars pulling in. Liam spoke with Jolleen briefly, but Gearden nodded to me. “We’re going to shift,” he said and started to undress. Quickly, I did the same. Letting the worry for Jerry’s family keep me from worrying about getting naked in front of all these people again, I soon found myself in just my underwear as Gearden’s tail brushed against my knees. I ignored him though and finished stripping the last piece of clothing and let Luna take the wheel. As the last car pulled in, I felt my body begin to shift. It wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as the first time, thank goodness. Maybe because I gave myself over to Luna beforehand?

  Fully transformed, I turned looked over to see the druids pile into a passenger van I didn’t know anyone owned. Liam kissed Jolleen goodbye before she climbed in and they drove off. Liam transformed then, giving his body a good shake before trotting over to the front of the pack gathered near the trees. With a yip, the black wolf called Danny and Gearden to stand with him, looking like a force not to be reckoned with. A commanding bark had everyone moving into groups, a natural flow, as the leading three headed out. At first, we all went the same way, through the thick trees. Every now and then I caught the blink of lights from cars driving along the parallel highway. After what seemed like twenty or thirty minutes, the lights disappeared, and the woods grew thicker. Glancing to my side, I noticed that Danny’s group had branched off. Just as I tried to find them through the brush, Liam led his to the right, leavin
g us to take the center.

  We’re close, Luna said. I could feel her tuning into everything around us. I took care to step on clear dirt. At first, I thought it was to conceal my steps, but then I realized I picked up more vibrations around me if I didn’t have leaves interfering between the pads of my paws and the ground. I felt like I could smell everything. I couldn’t tell you how many rabbit burrows we passed on the way, or what animals were residing in the oaks and maples above. The leaves were all discolored now, Autumn in full swing, but that didn’t mean the creatures of the forest were tucked in for the winter just yet. Bri bumped my shoulder, gaining my attention as she jogged up to Gearden. Ro hung back, coming up to my side. Glancing over at him, he pressed his body against mine briefly. I can’t explain it, but I knew he was telling me to stick close to him. I nodded my wolf head. This was so odd, but I didn’t fight it. Luna knew what she was doing, and I trusted that.

  We must have been walking for a total of forty-five minutes before Gearden slowed, belly closer to the ground as he did. His shoulders protruded above his ears as he lowered his head menacingly. Following the leader, I did the same, so did the rest of us. Aside from Ro and Bri, there was also Jackson and Shane in our group. When we stopped behind a line of trimmed bushes, we rested our chests on the cold tall grass there. Peeking through the tiny leaves, I saw what Gearden did. From this side, we were on the Western side of a large house. There were seven or eight smaller shacks in a haphazard circle around a large firepit. Beer cans and paper plates could be seen around it, as if a frat party had come through last night. The main house’s lights were on and the court was bare, as if it were night. I would have assumed everyone was sleeping but the sun was fully risen. I estimated it to be around eight o’clock now.

  Gearden turned his head and huffed through his nose. Be cautious.

  I felt the longer hairs on my coat come to attention, like it was trying to reach out to sense any danger.

  Carefully, I sidled up to lay on the other side of Gearden, Ro following close behind. Taking another good look at the compound, a low growl tickled the back of my throat. “Where is everyone?” I asked him.

  Keeping his eyes straight ahead, he replied. “I’m not sure. I don’t like it though.”

  “Think it’s a setup?”

  “I think it’s safe to assume it is rather than not. Stay close to Ro.” He turned to pin me with a hard look, with no room to naysay. But a fight with him wasn’t anywhere near the forefront of my mind.

  “I will.”

  “Thank you. I need you to stay safe.” I heard the desperation behind the words, and I realized I felt the same. My gut clenched at the thought of him getting hurt, too. Not wanting to get distracted, I pushed the thought away.

  Looking back, Gearden jerked his head to Shane. Whatever message was conveyed through that, Shane picked up on it. He nodded and crawled through the brush, once through it, he slowly straightened to walk farther into the enemy’s den. He made it to the center where the firepit was and looked back to us. I swear to Danu—hey, it really did have a nice ring to it—he gave a wolf shrug.

  Just then, Zeke came forward to meet his son, the same cautious body language.

  Gearden looked at me, “Stay here.” Then turned to Bri and Jackson and proceeded to follow Shane’s steps. Ro stepped forward but didn’t go any further. His body was a statue, a wall of wolf protector. The message was loud and clear, Gearden didn’t trust me to just hang back, he left his brother behind to make sure of it.

  Alright, I’ll play nice. Though it ticked Luna off, I laid back down, paws forward, ready to leap up if necessary.

  Sudden movement to the left caught my eye. When I jerked around to look for it, I spotted a wave of wolves. They looked like they were starved, snarling bared teeth, saliva collecting on their jaws as they charged the center…and Gearden.

  I started to get up, ready to help, but Ro jumped in front of me, his eyes willing me to back down, follow orders. I could see the doubt he had in his eyes, but I relented. Watching, I saw Gearden and the others turn and take defensive stances; heads lowered, at the ready. The Westboro’s didn’t slow. Within seconds they were upon my pack. I felt the ground vibrate as two wolves, Bri, I think, and a reddish looking wolf, collided and fell together to the ground, teeth grasping for purchase on the other, hind legs kicking up to scratch at the bellies of their opponent. Going in to help, another group of McIntires came in from the left, Danny’s group. So far, Liam’s group had stayed back, and I had yet to see any of the druids.

  Providing back-up, the new wolves in the game evened the odds, making it at least one-on-one now. The twisting in my stomach lessoned when I saw that help had arrived. Maybe I could stay and keep my word to stay back.

  That feeling was short lived, as yet another surprise attack from behind the main house flooded the clearing. Some wolves leapt over the firepit, eager to get into the fray, to be a part of the bloodying that was happening. I couldn’t stand it any longer. Pushing up again, I was ready for Ro this time. Feigning to the left, I dodged around the other way just as he made to block me. As I cleared around him, I bound for Gearden who was in the process of ripping one wolf off his back while another went for his throat. Before its jaws had a chance to tear at his vulnerable underside, I pounced on top of it, not hesitating even for a millisecond as I went for the kill, my own teeth finding the artery at his throat and tearing it open. I didn’t wait to watch the life fade from its eyes, instead I leap off my kill and turned to pick out my next prey.

  The next thing I know, the number of wolves multiply, and I see the last group finally join in. Still no druids though. There wasn’t time to consider anything else other than survive, myself and my packmates. After knocking down my third wolf, Ro finally made his way to my side. I don’t have to be hearing to know he was growling at me even as he faced off with a Westboro himself.

  Then, as if someone flicked a switch, everyone halted. The Westboro’s turned and high tailed it back to the main house. I shit you not, there was a dog door in the front for easy access. I guess it made sense, but for real, a dog door? Mentally shaking myself and thinking we had gotten the upper hand; I turned to give Ro a sloppy dog smile. My first win in a fight…well, sort of. When I see his face though, I realize that something had happened. Something more than just the bad guys turning tail and retreating. Around me, everyone was on edge, watching the trees, checking the shacks, the bushes. Something was coming. But…from where? I looked around, too, not even sure what the hell I was looking for. The moment I started to look to Gearden for more information, Zeke falls to the ground as the same time a reverberation flows through the ground. Something loud. Gunshot?

  “Maeleigh, get out of here!” Gearden pushed me through the throng of wolves, trying to get me back to the cover of the woods when Jackson falls, along with another echo through the earth and then everyone freezes, their heads turning to the main house. Following their gazes, I saw a large tattooed man holding a young girl in front of him. Growling I took note of the sun glinting off the blade he held at her throat. He was saying something, but he was too far for me to make it out. Soon, more movement from a couple of the shacks, had me backing up against Gearden. His strength at my flank acted as a conduit to my own. At least six men in military gear exited the shacks, rifles aimed at us. Hunters. I’d recognize them anywhere. My dreams wouldn’t let me forget.

  I felt a rumble from Gearden, then, “What is it?”

  At first, he didn’t answer, but I wasn’t going to let him cut me out. I got the feeling this was all still about me, which just pissed me off.

  “Gearden, what did he say?”

  “He wants to trade.”

  I looked back to the young girl acting as a shield in front of the monster who held her by the hair. She squeezed her eyes tight, her fear permeating the air, I could smell it. I could sense Gearden’s mind was whirling with a new plan. But it wasn’t necessary.

  “Tell him to bring out the others.”r />
  “What?” Gearden shoved himself in front of me, glaring. “Tell me you aren’t seriously considering giving yourself up to him.”

  “We have to get them out of here, Gearden. Once they are, we can better fight them.”

  His scowl deepened. If I ever thought that dogs were expressionless in the face, I was dead wrong. Because right now, I felt every drop of the disdain in Gearden’s features, hating my idea. I was right though. I think that’s what really made him mad.

  No matter the reasoning of it, he still pleaded with me not to do what I had already set my mind to do. “Don’t.”

  Before he could try and pin me, like I knew he would, I bounced up on my agile legs and hopped over Ro, feet already running as I land, stopping when I’m far enough from them that I know they can’t follow. Glaring at Vic—who else could he be? I could smell his evil heart all the way from where I stood twenty yards from him—I paced in tight circles, keeping a watchful eye on him.

  I can’t speak like this. I couldn’t hear him either. He knew he’d had the upper hand as being human. Damned coward had the hunters with their guns to fight his battle for him.

  Resolved, I took a slow step towards him, head down and teeth bared. Before I took another step though, a shot of blue electricity zapped through the clearing. Surprised, all eyes went to the trees where it originated from.

  Jolleen. Beside her was Caleb and Dad. Lifting my head, I met Dad’s worried gaze and nodded to him. I was alright, but there were others hurt. He spotted the two wolves lying still on the ground. I had no idea if they still lived or not. Please, Danu, let them still be alive. The ache in my chest told me it didn’t matter that I didn’t know Jackson and Zeke, they were pack. I hated that I couldn’t communicate. Wolves used mostly body language but how the hell was I supposed to communicate with our Druids or that lowlife?