Huntress and the Thorn Court: An Urban Fantasy Shifter Romance (The World of the Hunter Order Book 1)

by D. C. Gambel

  “After meals?” Adam offered. “Everyone is distracted. It’s why she was attacked on the full moon, but we can’t wait weeks for that opportunity. Meals give the renegades three daily contingencies.”

  Adam’s pitch made a lot of sense. We all agreed. We had the bait. All that was left was to lay the perfect trap.

  It was around lunchtime when I left Gideon’s office. Through the throne room I exited the door I’d entered earlier. The person who’d escorted me in was nowhere to be seen. Probably off to lunch, I mused.

  I was retreating from the throne room into the hall when I heard someone stumbling towards me.

  “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the little hunter who killed my son,” he slurred. My stomach dropped. It was like looking at a ghost. The man was the spitting image of Malcolm.

  He staggered across the floor, obviously drunk, which was a feat in itself as werewolves’ metabolisms burned at an accelerated rate. He had to have knocked his drinks back quickly, and frequently, to maintain his inebriated state.

  “What?” he spat as I regarded him with unease. “Not even going to speak to me?”

  I stood still not wishing to do anything to trigger him. In his compromised state, he wouldn’t have much control on his wolf. I already had the blood of his son and brother on my hands. I didn’t want to add his too.

  “You hunters are too puffed up for your own good. Thinking you’re better than us, but we let you run the show, so we don’t have to. We’re better.” He jabbed his finger into his chest emphasizing his point. “In fact we could take you.”

  I saw his swing coming a mile away. If he hit me then I’d have the right to defend myself. My instinct was to fight, but I didn’t want to hurt this man whom I’d already taken so much from. I stepped back and watched his fist fly past me. He’d put so much force into it that he pivoted with the swing when it connected with only air. Twisting, he fell on the floor sliding a few feet into the throne room through the door I had yet to close.

  “Bitch!” he hissed stumbling to stand. I wanted to help him but figured my aid was the last thing he needed. “Fight me!”

  “Abe?” a deep voice bellowed. I glanced up watching Gideon saunter out of his office as Abe made it to his feet. “What are you doing?”

  “She started it,” Abe declared childishly.

  Gideon glanced at me, but I did nothing more than shift my eyes to stare at him, not wanting to make the situation worse by calling the drunken wolf a liar. The Alpha’s mouth twitched as if he saw what he needed to know. He moved putting his body between us shielding the other wolf from my presence. “You’re drunk. Go sleep it off.”

  “You’re taking her side?” Abe appeared hurt by the implication.

  “No,” he stated coolly.

  “Then punish her for attacking me!”

  I tensed preparing to break my silence. As if sensing it, Gideon reached behind him, giving my arm a gentle squeeze to keep quiet. His hand was surprisingly warm. I had to stop myself from both pulling away and placing my hand over his.

  “If I punish her, then I’d have to punish you too.”

  “Me? But I’m the victim.”

  “That may be but I’m sure you’ve heard my edict that she was not to be touched. Are you claiming that you just lay there and took a beating from this hunter?”

  I struggled not to smirk. Either he broke Gideon’s rule, which was a punishable offence, or he was a victim that got beaten up by a girl.

  It took a moment for his intoxicated brain to jump to the same conclusion. When he did, Abe bowed his head to Gideon. The man was a dominant wolf. It would be a blow to his pride to have others believe he’d done nothing to defend himself.

  “I did not think. I simply defended myself.”

  Gideon placed a hand, the one not touching me, on Abe’s shoulder. “I can’t fault you for that, for I would have done the same, but you understand that it’s still punishable.” The other wolf tensed, but Gideon sighed. “This one time I will dismiss the penalty, for both of you, as is only fair.” Abe tilted his head up trying to peer around Gideon to glare at me, but Gideon shifted blocking me from view. “Do yourself a favor, Abe, and avoid the huntress until her sentence is complete. I do not wish to punish you for defending yourself, but I will. I won’t risk war with the hunters over one wolf’s scornfulness, no matter how justified.”

  Abe dropped his head in a single curt nod, before brushing past Gideon, who turned keeping his body between the angry wolf and me. Walking straighter than I thought he should in his drunkenness, he retreated back down the hall.

  Gideon stood there with his back to me for almost a minute, staring down the hall, waiting for Abe to put distance between us before he spoke. “Did he attack you?” He twisted to face me.

  I shook my head. “He took a swing, but didn’t hide his intention well.”

  “I apologize for him. His son—”

  “I know who his son is—was,” I corrected.

  “He doesn’t believe the recount. I knew that. I should have had someone watching him. I won’t make that mistake again.”

  “Do you?” I asked. He’d manipulated the system to get me here. Was it all self-serving or did he think I really deserved punishing?

  “Do I what?” he seemed confused by my question.

  “Believe the recount?”

  Gideon stared off down the hall, gathering his thoughts. “If I didn’t before I would after seeing you train, minus the attack on me.” He returned his focus to me. There was a glint of amusement in his eye. How many hunters, women, would have attacked the most powerful Alpha in the continental US. “You’re not the bloodthirsty type of hunter. If you were, you’d have seized the opportunity Abe presented here tonight.”

  I snorted. “I don’t know about the bloodthirsty part. It was more guilt that stopped me.”

  “Either way, I’m thankful you did.”

  It was the first time that I could recall Gideon saying something kind to me. It threw me. He was a proud man and it took great humility to offer recognition, especially to someone you disliked. No sarcastic comment came to mind as a rebuttal. Instead I simply accepted his appreciation. “You’re welcome.”

  9

  I could feel eyes on me as I left the dining hall. It’d been weeks and still no interruption in my unguarded walk. After each meal, I took a different path. Breakfast, I headed to my room, lunch, to the gym for training the Omegas, and dinner, I walked through the first floor, working off my meal, before heading up to my room.

  Since it was dinner, I took the same imprinted route. I’d pass by each of the highest-ranking wolves, who’d all grabbed their meals while I was within the safety of the dining hall and would devour them and take their positions before I left.

  I’d already passed by Adam and was making my way through the area Trey guarded. I wondered if he was slipping up because I felt his eyes. If I did then any potential threat might sense him too.

  As I exited Trey’s area, the feel of being watched faded away. I breathed a sigh of relief, followed by one of disappointment. It was another wasted opportunity to be attacked and gain my freedom.

  I paused on the outskirts of Gideon’s domain and forked to the right instead of the left. It would be a few minutes before Gideon realized I was off track and might venture to look for me. With how obvious Trey was being, I couldn’t help but think the entire ruse was a wasted effort and perhaps a bit of improv was necessary.

  Over the years I had mastered the appearance of relaxed while being on guard and I rallied that talent to me as I moved down the hallway past the gym. A low whistle caught my ear just in time for me to stop short as a blade whooshed past me into the wall.

  Spinning, I tried to see where it had come from when I was tackled to the ground. I elbowed then slammed my head back hearing the satisfying crunch of bone. Whoever was pinning me grunted, then vanished. I flipped onto my back seeing a man in a dark gray hoodie, race off. I was so focused on trying to detect some i
dentifying factor that I didn’t hear the second blade fly.

  It whizzed toward me. My heart skipped. I barely had a moment to register what was coming when out of nowhere someone stepped in front of me taking the hit. I was both relieved and shocked when I found myself unscathed. The man hissed. Leaning down he snatched the blade from his leg, before grabbing my arm wrenching me to my feet.

  “Move,” Gideon barked. He dragged me along refusing to give me an opportunity to fall behind. I struggled to keep pace with him. He opened a door then another before practically tossing me inside. “What the hell happened?” he boomed.

  Glancing around I realized we were in his office. Adam and Trey were both there. Adam looked at me sympathetically while Trey stared on with distain.

  “Why weren’t you on the path?”

  Panting heavily from the attack, I tried to catch my breath. “Because it was never going to work.”

  “You don’t know that. You just jeopardized weeks of—”

  “I do know it!” I cut him off. “If I—a non-werewolf— could feel myself being watched then you can bet your ass that the actual werewolves were aware of it too. You think it’s a coincidence that they just happened to choose tonight to attack? You think if I’d stayed on path then they would have? If so, then you’re delusional.”

  It was deathly quiet as Gideon’s glare bore into me. “Leave,” he hissed. With an aggravated exhale, I moved to do as he asked. “Not you,” he spat halting me. “You two. Out.”

  The two wolves stood without a reply. They moved past Gideon whose frame was in front of the door almost as if he was blocking me from escaping. As the door closed behind them, I saw Adam give me a supportive glance, which I returned.

  Gideon stepped closer. The domineering way he moved, and the intensity he fixated on me would have made lesser beings tremble, but I refused to recoil. I had to look up at him when he stopped.

  “You will never speak to me like that again,” he demanded in a hushed voice that was more daunting then if he yelled.

  “What, like you’re an idiot?” I sneered. His jaw clenched and his nose flared as he breathed out, struggling to remain calm.

  With the adrenaline still pumping through me from the attack, I didn’t see how provoking him could end badly. All I could think was I wasn’t in his pack. He didn’t control me.

  “If you act like an idiot, then I’ll talk to you like an idiot.”

  “You think you’re brave, don’t you?” he stepped forward. I had no choice but to retreat in order to maintain what little space there was between us, but Gideon continued his advance until I was stuck between him and the wall. I could feel the heat of his body radiating off him. His scent filled my lungs, as my breathing grew heavier from his nearness. “But you’re foolish. You risked your life and everything I’ve built, war between our two clans, for what, to prove you were being watched too closely? Well congratulations.”

  “You arrogant, egotistical bastard,” I spat putting as much hostility into the words as I could. How dare he make me feel guilty for attempting to do the very thing he’d asked me to?

  “You naïve, incompetent princess,” he growled.

  We stood there glaring at each other. I don’t know who moved first but without warning Gideon’s lips were against mine.

  I shoved him away. Staring into his green eyes, I saw something more than anger there. Clutching the fabric of his shirt around my fingers, I yanked him back to me hungrily. Gideon growled slipping his tongue past my lips, greedily exploring my mouth. His hand glided down my backside. Cupping my ass, he lifted me effortlessly like I weighed nothing. The move had me moaning. Never had a man handled me in such a way.

  He walked me to the couch that sat in the corner, laying me out. Our lips broke apart just for a moment as I adjusted against the cushions before he was on me, settling smoothly between my thighs. My hands explored the planes of his chest having wanted to feel the ripples of his defined muscles for some time. Gideon’s hand slipped under my shirt palming my bare breast. His thumb swirled over the tender peak causing me to arch into him, groaning for more. He never broke from our kiss as his fingers fumbled with the button of my jeans, positioning his hand to slip inside. What I was doing finally caught up to me. He was a werewolf, and not just any, but the Alpha. And I was a hunter. It didn’t matter how much I was enjoying his touch, and I was thoroughly enjoying it, it could not happen.

  Shoving him away, I reared back and slapped him. He sat back on his knees momentarily stunned as I scrambled off the couch adjusting my clothes.

  “How dare you assume that that was okay?”

  “Assume?” he spat confused by my sudden shift. “I’m pretty sure those were moans of pleasure I heard, Isabel.”

  I shook my head, unable to reply because he was right. “It can’t happen. I refuse to be just another notch in your bedpost. I won’t be your bragging rights.”

  “My bragging…? What are you talking about?” He stood moving toward me, but I scurried away, too worried that if he got close, I’d find myself under him again and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop the next time.

  “The werewolf that bedded a hunter? Oh I’m sure your pack would love that story while my reputation would be tarnished.”

  “Tarnished?” His eyes narrowed as he spat the word. “Because sleeping with me will sully you.” He ran his fingers through his untamed hair. “Of course it would because I’m nothing more than an animal. We’re lesser beings to you hunters.”

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I didn’t force you here, Isabel. I can smell your arousal. You want this.”

  I shook my head again trying to convince myself that he was wrong. “I can’t—”

  “Can’t with a werewolf.” When I didn’t respond, he nodded taking my silence as a confirmation. “You can see yourself out. Forgive me if I don’t wish to corrupt you with my presence any longer.”

  I stood there for a moment. I felt bad over his reaction, but I didn’t know what to do so I did as he asked. Opening the door, Adam was still there. If he hadn’t heard the exchange, I was sure that the blush that spread across my cheeks would have alerted him to some indiscretion.

  Even as I headed to my room, I knew I had done the right thing. If word ever got back to the hunters—to my father—I’d be ruined. There would be no living down the scandal. Yet I somehow felt like I’d already screwed up.

  10

  The next day was one of the longest of my life. I woke late, missed breakfast. Training the Omegas, I strained my back using a poor technique when lifting, which was something that had never happened. I knew what I was doing but the universe seemed against me. I skipped dinner even though I was starving because I refused to be around the werewolves when I was vulnerable.

  Exhausted, I slipped into the shower, letting the heated spray knead my aching muscles. The steam flourished around me, cocooning me in a veil of warmth. I didn’t want to leave, but I was too tired to stand there all night. My bed was beckoning.

  Out of the shower, I quickly toweled off then tugged on a pair of panties that were a bit more risqué than I was used to, but hey it was something to wear and they fit, so I wasn’t going to complain. I was just glad to have underwear even if none were my style. I pulled on a t-shirt that barely covered them. Crawling into bed, I didn’t even have the energy to cover myself with the bedding before drifting off to sleep.

  I don’t know how long I slept before my door swung open startling me, but it felt like mere minutes. Rolling out of bed, I was on my feet in a defensive stance before I even registered who was in my room. My muscles screamed at the maneuver, but it’d been instinct.

  “Don’t you knock?” I scolded Gideon as I righted myself struggling not to wince. I didn’t want him aware that I was hurt. His green eyes raked over me like a burning caress, marking my skin. I realized how exposed my bottom half was. Refusing to be bashful—he’d seen me in less—I placed my hand on my hip looking every bit as annoye
d as I could muster. “Well?”

  “What are you doing?” he demanded with a quizzical brow.

  My nose wrinkled as I narrowed my gaze puzzled by his question. Hadn’t he just barged into my room and still not answered my inquiry. Did he think this was some elaborate seductive method of mine? “I was sleeping.”

  Taking in his attire, I noticed he was shirtless. The jeans he wore hung off his hips revealing the defined V that was barely hidden, making it obvious that he was commando. My lips parted hungrily. Perhaps he did think I was attempting to seduce him and he’d come to finish what we started. Had I even seen him since our kiss? Just the thought of said incident had heat rushing to my face. It had been an amazing kiss, but it was terribly impulsive.

  “You can’t stay here tonight.”

  “Why?” I barely heard the word over my own pounding heart. He had to know I wouldn’t change my mind about sleeping with him no matter how delicious he appeared. There was too much at risk for me.

  “Didn’t Eleanor tell you?”

  My brow knitted just as Eleanor came scurrying in. “I’m so sorry, sir. I meant to catch her at dinner, but she skipped it.”

  “You skipped dinner?” he asked.

  “I wasn’t hungry,” I lied.

  Gideon’s eyes narrowed just briefly. If he caught the lie, he didn’t mention it. He faced Eleanor who, God bless her, didn’t let her eyes wander over him like he was a piece of man candy. Perhaps she was immune to his unearthly physique. “Take her down then bring her something to eat. I need to get out there.” He glanced back at me inspecting my barely covered body once more. “Go with her,” he demanded of me. “It’s for your own safety.” Then he was gone.

  I gawked at Eleanor. Nothing over the past few minutes made any sense. I was beyond confused.

  “It’s the full moon,” she replied answering my unspoken question. She exited my room expecting me to follow. Glancing down at my exposed legs, I quickly grabbed the pants I’d been wearing earlier that day and stepped into them before limping after Eleanor. With Gideon gone, I didn’t feel the need to put on airs that I was fine.