Un.Bridled (Claimed Series #2)

by Reese Morgan

She nodded, resolute. “Don’t follow me.”

  Without waiting for an affirmative, Hayden turned her heel and sprinted north. Werewolves could cross distances faster than humans, but fifteen miles was a jaunt Hayden had yet to accomplish. It might take her thirty minutes, maybe less or more depending on the terrain.

  Reaching the rogues before the Hunters was vital, so was arriving before the full moon rose. Sunset was fast approaching and Hayden knew she was competing against time itself. Already, the impending full moon was pulling at her frayed nerves, setting her further on edge.

  Hayden cocked her head to the side when she detected the hurried footsteps following her. “I told you not to follow me!” she growled at the persistent male behind her.

  “I’m not leaving you alone.” Asher caught up to her. “Let’s add some liveliness to this escapade, shall we?” Keeping stride with her, he motioned to the endless stretch of woods before them. “We should race. Make it a competition.”

  Her initial reaction was to reprimand him for thinking so immaturely during such a grim situation. But then her anger fell way to wary amusement. Asher was never one to take things too seriously. It was why she enjoyed being around him.

  “Racing.” She pretended to mull it over. “Alright.”

  Expectedly, Asher took off before she fully agreed. Unwilling to waste her energy chastising, Hayden sprinted after him. With the full moon so near, her legs seemed stronger, faster. Although she had enough speed to pass Asher, she deliberately stayed equal with him. They were covering good distance and she didn’t want to get too far ahead. The unknown waited at the end of their destination, it was best to stick together.

  The longer she ran, the more she thought about Cole’s reaction. He’d be furious. Not only would he think little of her decision to warn the rogues, but he’d also be disappointed that she left the pack during the full moon. But ultimately, even if she were faced with Cole’s unbridled temper, Hayden wouldn’t regret her decision of saving lives.

  “What do you plan to do exactly?” Asher broached the subject after a long stretch of silence. His breathing wasn’t labored, but his words were heavier than usual. “You haven’t really sold me on a clever plan.”

  Hayden didn’t have any clever plans. Her only allies were hope and desperation. “They’ve been in the same area for a few weeks, haven’t they?” At Asher’s nod, she continued. “The Hunters know exactly where to find them. If we can warn them in time, and send them running away from town, they can escape.”

  “Until the rogues become a problem elsewhere,” Asher pointed out. “It’s an endless cycle, Hayden. Hunters will always hunt them. Traditional Alphas will always be leery of them. And who knows, if you make them scatter, Nicolas may find and recruit them. You can never save them totally.”

  “Maybe not,” Hayden responded faintly. “But at least I can buy them time and give them a chance.” She veered away from a tree and leaped over a fallen log. “Who knows? Maybe I can bring them home with me.”

  The look Asher flashed her was almost comical. “Yeah, and I’m sure Cole would appreciate you bringing strays home.”

  “He brought me home,” she muttered.

  Asher suddenly threw his hand out and stopped her midstride. Expression grim, he slowed to a steady walk with Hayden following suit. Their footsteps were silent as they trekked over the snowy ground and toward the edge of a hill.

  Much to her dismay, the forest began to darken and uncanny shadows traveled across the ground, deepening the alcoves and niches nearby. The clouds were thick, but Hayden could feel the exact moment when the moon awakened and reached across the night with a satisfied stretch.

  They were too late.

  “There,” Asher whispered. He too, struggled to resist the moon’s call. Curling a hand around Hayden’s wrist, he drew her closer and pointed across the endless stretch of trees. “They’ve moved closer since the last scout.”

  Relief washed through Hayden when she spied a group of people congregated in a valley below. They were a good distance away, but her sharp eyesight could pick them out clearly. There were about ten werewolves, all varying ages. Dismayed, Hayden even spotted a couple of young children dispersed throughout the group.

  Living in the forest for weeks would make anyone haggard, but the group appeared dead on their feet. Their faces were worn and pale, their bodies horribly frail and weary. Some were even coughing throatily, their lungs full of liquid. Two women and three men were lying prone on the ground, not moving a muscle when their neighbors accidently nudged them in passing. Clearly, they’d been dead awhile, otherwise the living rogues wouldn’t be as comfortable with the corpses as they were.

  It was an alarming sight.

  Hayden knew the rogues were not full-fledged werewolves until they had their first full moon, but she didn’t think werewolves—in any stage of the transformation—should have experienced sickness severe enough to cause death. She gazed down at the prone figures, feeling an overwhelming sense of unease.

  As a result of the rising full moon, a few of the rogues began shifting and convulsing. Their transformation was beginning whether they were ready or not.

  “Can you hold off your transformation?” Hayden whispered.

  Her fists clenched and unclenched at her sides. Hot flashes swept the length of her body, causing sweat to form at the back of her neck. Her wolf stirred, eager to run, but Hayden forcibly pushed her back down.

  Cole had held off his transformation during Hayden’s first full moon, at least long enough until she had transformed fully. Surely she could accomplish the same thing.

  “For a little bit,” Asher grounded out roughly. The beta shuffled next to her and peered down at the valley. “They don’t look right, Hayden.”

  She didn’t have time to discern what was wrong with them. She knew they would look a lot worse if she didn’t act now. “They’re already turning. I have to get down there and lead them away from here. They’ll follow me, I’m sure of it.”

  As she made a move to descend the hill, he grabbed her arm roughly. His fingernails were elongated and his eyes flashed amber. Asher and the term ‘aggressive’ had never gone hand-in-hand until now. “That’s reckless and you know it. I can’t let you do that—”

  Whatever he intended to say was cut short by an ear-splinting bang. Hayden and Asher dropped to the ground on instinct. When their mind caught up to the situation, they peeked over the edge of the hill and down into the gully. Through wide eyes, Hayden watched as a wolf collapsed to the ground, a prominent dark stain spreading on the snow beneath him.

  Asher slapped a hand over her mouth, muffling a scream Hayden hadn’t realized she produced. He huddled closer to her and pressed her further into the ground. As he stared at the scene below, his face steadily grew ashen and horrified.

  Both the full moon and the deplorable situation caused her heart to race abnormally fast and hard. Straining her eyes below, Hayden caught sight of the Hunters. They were stealthy and quick for humans, possessing supernatural-like abilities as they emerged from the trees and frozen underbrush. With their ability to emerge stealthily, they also harbored the ability of camouflage. They blended against the dark trees and remained hidden until an unsuspecting wolf ran past.

  Their rifles were large but the Hunters’ movements were not burdened. In fact, they were in their element as they quickly dodged and pivoted through the snow, cornering another large werewolf. One man took aim at the lunging werewolf before pulling the trigger. The sound of gunfire echoed thunderously across the forest just seconds after a bullet struck the wolf in the head.

  It couldn’t have been a normal gun. On impact, the bullet exploded the back of the wolf’s head, sending a spray of thick gore fountaining behind the fallen werewolf. Asher flinched alongside Hayden, his body coiled but too frozen to move away.

  The rogues, who were mostly all transformed by now, were cornered. Their cries were high-pitched and desperate, effectively tugging at Hayden’s heartstri
ngs. She jerked toward them, her wolf eager to help a comrade in trouble. Only, Asher’s arm was heavy and inflexible around her waist, forcing her to stay immobile.

  Guns weren’t the only weapons of choice for the Hunters. Some men wielded swords and were paired with at least two men carrying rifles. As soon as the riflemen distracted the werewolf long enough, the swordsman swung powerfully and beheaded the confused wolf.

  The carnage was horrifying and Hayden couldn’t look away even if she tried. Her heart mourned for the deaths and the horror they must have felt. The wolves were people, people who’d been sick and defenseless in their human skin. Just because they turned into canines during the full moon did not make them any less human.

  Before long, the pristine snow was muddied with blood and carnage. The rogues who had transformed were all dead and lying unidentifiably on the ground. Besides the five human casualties that transpired before the full moon, a few more humans were just as motionless, not having survived the transformation.

  “God…” Asher breathed in horror, reaching over and attempting to cover Hayden’s eyes. “Don’t look, Hayden. Don’t look.”

  She couldn’t imagine something worse than what they’d just witnessed. But something had scared Asher enough to warrant his panic. Over his groping hands, she saw the source of his terror.

  A young girl, perhaps twelve or thirteen, twitched on the ground, still fighting the transformation. With the other rogues dead, the Hunters congregated towards her, standing over her and waiting. If she survived the transformation, they’d shoot.

  What a cruel fate. The child had been alive to witness the brutal scene of her companions; she’d know what waited for her once she turned. Not only did she have to face the unknown, but she had to do it alone.

  Hayden lunged, but Asher caught her, wrestling her further away from the ledge. They scratched and traded hits with one another, Hayden too lost in her grief and Asher desperately preventing her from doing something stupid. Her fingernails scraped his wrists as he straddled and held her down.

  Suddenly, a murky cloud invaded her senses and slowed her limbs. At first, she fought against it, not realizing what it was. But when her panic and terror tempered into soothing reassurance, Hayden fell limp with comprehension. It hadn’t been a physical attack on her person, but a mental one.

  Cole.

  Even thousands of miles away, he’d felt her fear. Through their bond, Hayden felt his desperation and confusion, though he tried to smother it, trying to be strong in lieu of her distress. He wasn’t anywhere near, but he wanted—needed—to be with her.

  “A clean shot.”

  She jerked at the quiet, mournful statement coming from the Hunter. Clearly, the child had successfully transformed. Staring up at Asher, Hayden saw her devastation mirrored back at her. A moment later, a single gunshot sounded, echoing eerily across the woods as it ended a child’s life.

  Hayden arched her back and neck. Tears escaped freely from the corners of her eyes as her body began to transform. She was no longer mentally capable of preventing her wolf from taking over. It reared forward and Hayden did nothing to stop the change.

  Rolling on all fours, she began running far away from the destruction. Asher was hot on her heels, a constant shadow, and a constant companion.

  6. Chapter Six

  Through the greasy film of melancholy, Hayden registered Cole’s arrival. Leaning her head against the wall, she listened as the pack raced through the halls to greet him. He was back a day early, and Hayden felt a stab of guilt knowing she was the reason.

  Bowing her head, she raked her fingernails against her scalp, trying to regain her bearings. Dwelling in isolation for hours had been her own decision, but it was far from healthy. Within the confinements of her room, she’d been forced to relive last night’s events and this morning’s heartbreak involving Asher.

  Blake’s voice suddenly drifted up the stairs, startling her from her thoughts. “She’s been in her room all day. She hasn’t talked to anyone and she hasn’t eaten.” He wasted no time getting Cole up to speed. “She and Asher spent the full moon together and arrived home at dawn.”

  Hayden stiffened as they approached her bedroom. She preferred not speaking to anyone, but she knew Cole wouldn’t take no for an answer. He’d be angry, she knew, and she was dreading the imminent confrontation. She had no fight left. She’d be unable to stand tall in the face of his anger.

  “I’m sorry.” The beta’s voice sounded further away, as if he stopped in the middle of the staircase. “I should have known she’d do something reckless after hearing about the rogues. I just didn’t think Asher would be so senseless.”

  “You did exactly what you were expected to do. You stayed with the pack.” A fool would miss the underlying message in those words, a message that was clearly meant to be overheard. “You leave me to deal with Hayden.”

  Hayden winced at both the tone and the words. Cole had expected her to stay with the pack alongside Blake. In fact, he’d stressed his confidence at her competency just days before he’d left. If she hadn’t come to terms with it earlier, his disappointment would have stung more than it had.

  As her bedroom door opened, Hayden pulled her legs against her chest and hugged them close. She hadn’t felt this vulnerable in a long time. With Cole’s ability to see past her defenses, Hayden doubted she could build a believable façade.

  The dark room was hardly an obstacle for Cole. His gaze found her instantly. Wedged between the bed and the dresser, she wasn’t the easiest object to spot, though he didn’t seem to think so. He flipped on the lights, bathing the room in illumination.

  Hayden furrowed her eyebrows, squinting past the onslaught of light. When her eyes finally adjusted, the door was already closed and Cole was halfway across the room. His face was unreadable, but the sharp angles of his face were hard and unrelenting.

  Without so much as a greeting, Cole stooped down low and curled a calloused hand around her ankle. A sharp tug found Hayden sliding cleanly across the floor and into the middle of the room. It was unsurprising that Cole would force Hayden out of her comfortable niche and into the open. He didn’t tolerate moping.

  Unconcerned whether she adjusted to the sudden exposure or not, Cole fisted her shirt and hauled her to her feet. “If you can disobey my orders, you can stand on your feet and face the consequences like a proper Alpha, like an adult.”

  Blood raced through her numb legs, reviving the feeling in her appendages that she’d lost hours ago. She swayed, but Cole’s heavy palms cupped her throat, holding her up by the neck. No matter how threatening his expression was, Hayden couldn’t be intimidated. After what she witnessed with the Hunters, everything seemed harmless in comparison.

  Cole tightened his hold and angled nearer, as if bracing his weight against her. His eyes were a turbulence of stormy emerald. “When I considered all the stupid things you would do in my absence, I was imagining provocative nights with Asher or exploits that took you past the town’s borders. By no means did I ever devise the possibility of you running headlong into a group of rogues and Hunters.”

  “Nothing happened to me,” she said softly.

  Cole shook her fiercely, a predator ring of amber encircling his pupil. “What were you thinking?” he growled, shocking her with the volume. He hardly ever raised his voice.

  “We’re not mated.”

  Cole blinked and appeared speechless at her unexpected statement. “What?”

  She exhaled through her nose. “We aren’t mated. If something happened to me, you wouldn’t be adversely affected through the bond.” Hayden glanced down at his shoes. “I understand now, more than ever, why you wanted to refrain from completing the bond. I tend to do stupid things and it would be unfair to you.”

  The hands abruptly released her throat. “You think that’s what I’m angry about?” If anything, he seemed angrier than before. “Has it ever occurred to you that I worry about your wellbeing because I care about you, not about our b
ond? I couldn’t care a less about our status as life mates. Contrary to popular belief, two people can have a strong relationship without it being sexual.”

  Hayden looked up at the declaration. Through the numbness and hazy melancholy, she felt a flicker of surprise.

  Resembling a caged animal, Cole began to stalk the length of the room. He seemed distracted, but not distracted enough to overlook Hayden’s reaction to his statement. He turned to her, his dark eyes expressive but ambiguous. “I want a relationship with you,” he stressed, either to convince himself, Hayden, or both.

  Maybe they weren’t thinking along the same lines, because Hayden could never imagine Cole admitting to wanting that kind of relationship aloud. He probably meant establishing a bond like the one she shared with Fergus, Blake, and Addie. Hayden quelled her disappointment at that thought.

  Blake once mentioned that she needed to talk to Cole about these issues. The prospect seemed daunting and not something she wanted to undertake at the moment.

  Folding her arms over her chest, Hayden forced herself back to the current situation. “I thought you were angry that I left the pack last night, or that I keep reminding you of the reason why we can never be a ‘we’.”

  “Hayden, there are many reasons why I’m angry.” Stepping in her direction, Cole reached for her, but his fingers fell short of touching her jaw. “But my most prominent concern is your safety. You couldn’t fathom how helpless I felt when I was in New York and you were here, in trouble. I was powerless to help you.”

  Underneath Cole’s obvious anger, Hayden finally noticed the faint pulses of panic channeling through his side of the bond. Ashamed, she offered a semblance of an apology. “I didn’t mean to worry you. It was reckless, I know.”

  He dropped his outstretched hand, his fingers curling into fists. Whatever gentleness he had once possessed was now gone. “You knew it was going to be reckless and you decided to go through with it anyway? Or you realized it was reckless after the fact?” Cocking his head, he squinted mockingly at her. “I’d very much like to know the answer so I can analyze your state of mind and prevent it from happening again.”