Rescued By The Beta

Chapter 19

CLAIRE

“I will give you two some privacy.” Hunter said, pulling away, and walking out of the room.

Left alone with Freya, who I have nothing personal against but I couldn’t ignore the fact that Dane Grayson was a huge part of what the predicament we found ourselves in today. Maybe Jet got the rest of the Pack to forget she’s his daughter, I’m never going to.

Removing her hat, she placed it under her arm. “When Jet told me you were back, I couldn’t stay there any longer. How are you feeling?” Her eyes roamed over my body before staying on my face.

“I’m certain the others fill you in on how I’m doing.” I responded in a dismissive tone.

She nodded, looking around the room. “I will leave you to get some rest, I hope we can talk later.”

For a split moment, I almost felt bad for how I was acting towards her but the feeling was gone before I could soak it up. Now that she is back, I believe we will have no problem, as long as she keeps to herself and does not interfere.

Back at the training ground where I have spent the last half an hour training, using the rage and pain I have taken from Hunter earlier. The more I let the rage consume me, the stronger and after I felt. Suddenly sensing a presence behind me, I swing my sword at them, without fully turning back.

Hunter catches the sword mid-air before it touches him. Even though I was impressed by his skills, I tried not to show it as he approached me. Without saying anything, he handed the sword back to me, reaching to take another one from his weapon rack.

“What was that about?” He asked, getting into a fighting stance.

I followed suit. “What was ‘what’ about?”

“You didn’t seem very happy to see Freya and I think she sensed it too. She’s a werewolf now…”

I cut him off. “Half.” I corrected, invading his first attack with my sword.

“Half…” he agreed, also invading my attack. “Does it bother you… the fact that she’s human or half werewolf?”

I stopped, caught off guard by his question and how much it hit close to home. Using my temporary distraction, he won the first round. Once I recovered from the temporary distraction, I was annoyed with myself for the little slip up so I fought harder in the next round.

Hunter easily fends off my sword, wrapping one of his hands around my neck and pointing the end of his word to my side. “Anger makes one slip, Claire, you need to be more strategic if you want to win a fight.”

Instead of responding to his words, I crossed one of my legs over his from behind then held onto the hand that’s currently wrapped around my neck. Once I balanced my stance, I turned myself over, flipping him to the ground and knocking the sword out of his grip.

“Claire…” He lets out a chuckle. “I think I won that round already, I already had you restricted”

“No, the rule was to disharm me, you might have restricted me but apparently you haven’t disharmed me.” I cockily pointed out. “You’be forgotten something Hunter, I always play dirty.”

His eyes darkened, as he flips over on his feet. The air suddenly thickens between us as he approaches me, but the sound of someone clearing their throat from behind, made us pause.

Glad for the distraction because things have gone south for a minute there. The last thing I wanted was to give Hunter any hope that we are rekindling our mate bond.

“Kale, what do you want?” I asked, wondering what he was doing here.

“I was coming down here to get into training and Jet asked me to fetch Hunter, I think he got a new lead on Heather.” He responded, picking up the sword Hunter had dropped.

As Hunter walked away, he stopped to cast a look over his shoulder at me. I flushed at the intensity of his gaze, knowing what it meant, I quickly looked away.

Jet was who everyone thought would be the archery but after the death of his parents, weapons became useless to him and he passed his bow to Kale… also everything his trainer taught him. The memory of removing arrows from my door on some mornings, sometimes a fruit I was about to eat.

It was a fond memory but I didn’t think it was funny there, I’d be running all the way to Luna Muna room to tell on him. Kale picked up the bow and started to position about three arrows on it, his mind somewhere far away.

“What happened in the human territory that make you look so lost?” I inquired, casting a brief look at his target.

He looked at me, his mouth stretching into his signature smirk. “When Hunter vowed he would bring you back before we left, I trust him to keep his word. It still feels unreal to have you here…”

“Oh?” I said, because that wasn’t what I was expecting his answer to be.

“It also made me realize how real and losing we could lose one another. How many people have been lost? We have been fortunate so far but until when?” He asked, more to himself as he aimed.

“Fortunate?” I scoffed, causing him to pause. “How have we been fortunate Kale? My birth parents are dead, Lady Muna and Alpha Jordan are dead too. Your parents, Hunter's parents, Morgana… we’ve lost too many people. We are not fortunate at all, I believe we possess the most bad luck.”

He lowers his aim, laughing at my statement.

“How is that funny?”

“It’s not.” He replied, even though he had laughed. “I have missed you, it’s good to listen to you talk again.”

I smacked him, rolling my eyes.

He laughed again, shaking his head. He aimed again, sending three arrows to his target but only two sticks. I glimpse the anger and frustration in his eyes as he approached the dummy to take out the arrows.

Frowning, I followed him across the room. “Kale, what happened in the human territory that made you immediately jump back to training after just arriving a few minutes ago? One would think you would be cooking up your next prank.”

“You have no idea Claire…” Freya answered, announcing her entrance.

Trisha was also with her and she looked baffled as well.

“Kale? Could you do me a favour by bringing some of the items I bought Claire? She will be so excited to see them.” Freya assured him.

Kale gave her a look that screams he was offended. “Freya, just ask me to excuse you ladies next time. I’m not a kid…” he grumbled, taking his weapons along with him.

“I have only told Jet a fraction of what I’m about to tell you right now. I didn’t go to the human territory just to mourn my mother like I told everyone. Only Trisha, Kale… and Hazel knew I went there to investigate the mafia empire Grayson left behind.”

“So…that’s the secret you and Trisha have been keeping from Jet?” I inquired, frowning slightly.

“Yes, because Jet wouldn’t let her do that by herself. But she told him now… boy, is he pissed.” Trisha laughed, then stopped when she saw Freya wasn’t laughing.

“I broke a promise to my mate, we have ‘a no secrets’ agreement but once he calms down he will come to agree that it’s more of his fault than I. He has control issues and he needs to let go sometimes, that aside…” Freya took a deep breath. “Katie, my cousin, took over the empire and she’s working with the council.”

“Oh wow, she’s continuing the family legacy.” The sarcastic remarks slipped out before I could control it. I knew how much Freya hates to be acknowledged as Grayson’s daughter but it doesn’t matter how much she hates him or the fact that she is his daughter.

It doesn’t change the fact.

“So what is Hunter and Jet going to do about it?” I asked, for the first time in a while, happy that something that would distract those two finally came up.

“Sadly, they cannot give top priority to that. We need to face the battles going on here, and I will see if I can arrange a meeting with Katie.”

“Something I completely agree with Jet on that. Asking to meet with that cousin of yours is a sucide mission. Have you gotten the fact that she worked with Jacob Xavier? That lady hates your guts.” Trisha chimed in.

“I agree with them.” I also added my cents, in reality I didn’t care what happened or did not happen to Freya. She’s just another human but if this means Hunter and Jet will be distracted, then I was willing to pretend to care.

“They are right Freya, these humans will never be really safe until we bring down the mafias. Hunter and Jet should focus on that, let’s make that a top priority.”

Freya looked uncertainly between us. “But what about the councils? Sophie might be chained up but something tells me the council wouldn’t let that go on for too long. She’s one of their strongest witches, frankly I think she’s the strongest.”

“You think the council will show up to rescue her themselves? Then perhaps we should use her as bait then.”

“About that… that’s the other part we have been wanting to tell you, that we haven’t told anyone yet. Freya and I have a theory about who the council are…” Trisha declared!