Chapter Thirteen: The Hunt
1998 Words
The hunt started at noon.
Damien stood at the gates with thirty warriors. Silver eyes. Cold face. Sword at his hip.
“Kael is in these woods,” he said. “We do not return until he bleeds.”
Elena stood beside him. No veil. No fear. Blade at her waist.
“You are not coming,” Damien said.
“I am,” Elena said. “He wrote my name. I end this.”
Damien’s jaw clenched. “If you fall—”
“I won’t,” Elena said. “Not with you.”
He stared at her. Then he nodded. “Behind me. Always.”
The gates opened.
North woods. Dead trees. Fog low on the ground.
The pack moved in a line. Silent. Hands on weapons.
Rowan led the trackers. “Scent is fresh,” he said. “Two days old. He’s circling.”
“Then we cut him off,” Damien said.
Hours passed.
No Kael. No traps. Only silence.
Elena’s hand never left her blade.
“Alpha,” Kiera said. “He wants us tired.”
“I know,” Damien said. “Keep moving.”
Afternoon.
They found the first sign. A tree with claws. Deep. Fresh.
_Mine._ Carved in bark.
Damien’s hand went to his sword. “He’s watching.”
Elena looked up. “Where?”
“Everywhere,” Damien said.
They spread out.
Elena walked with Kiera. Back to back. Eyes moving.
A twig snapped.
Kiera turned. “Who’s—”
An arrow flew.
Damien moved faster than sight. He caught it. Mid-air.
The forest went still.
“Out,” Damien roared.
Shadows moved.
Five rogues. Kael’s men.
Steel out.
The fight started.
Damien was a blur. Sword red in seconds.
Elena fought with Kiera. Fast. Sharp.
A rogue lunged at her. She ducked. Blade to his throat.
He fell.
Another came. Damien ended him before he touched her.
“Stay close,” he said.
“I am,” Elena said.
They pushed deeper.
More signs. More carvings. _Yours. Ours. Mine._
Kael was leaving a trail.
“Arrogant,” Rowan said.
“Confident,” Damien said. “He thinks we won’t find him.”
Night fell.
They made camp. Fire low. Guards up.
Elena sat beside Damien. Back to a tree.
“He’s playing with us,” she said.
“He’s afraid,” Damien said. “If he was strong, he’d face me.”
Elena looked at him. “You think he’s alone?”
“No,” Damien said. “He has men. Not pack. Mercenaries.”
Elena’s hand found his. “Then we cut the head.”
Damien’s thumb over hers. “Yes.”
Silence.
Kiera brought food. “Luna, eat.”
Elena did.
Damien did not. His eyes never left the dark.
“Rest,” he told her.
Elena lay down. Head on his leg.
He did not move.
Dawn.
They moved again.
The trail led to a ruin. Old stone. Broken walls.
Kael’s scent was strong here.
“Inside,” Damien said.
They entered.
Empty.
But on the wall, a new note.
Black cloth.
_You are late, Alpha._
Damien crumpled it. “He was here.”
Elena touched the stone. Cold. “He’s ahead of us.”
“Then we run,” Damien said.
They ran.
Through woods. Through streams. Through rain.
The pack was tired. Elena was not.
“Alpha,” a warrior called. “Tracks split.”
Damien stopped.
Two paths.
“Left,” he said. “He goes for high ground.”
They went left.
The trees thinned.
A cliff ahead.
And Kael.
Standing on the edge.
Alone.
Wind in his hair. Knife in his hand.
“Alpha Damien,” Kael said. “You’re slow.”
Damien stopped ten steps away. Warriors fanned out.
“Kael,” Damien said. “End this.”
Kael’s eyes moved past him. To Elena.
“There she is,” Kael said. “The reason for all this trouble.”
“Don’t say her name,” Damien said.
Kael smiled. “Elena. Pretty name. Pretty neck.”
Elena’s blade was out. “You don’t get to speak.”
Kael laughed. “Fierce. I like that.”
Damien stepped forward. “Last chance. Kneel.”
Kael shook his head. “I don’t kneel. I take.”
He dropped the knife.
Hands open.
“Come get me, Alpha.”
Damien’s sword lifted.
Kael did not flinch.
“Your Luna is brave,” Kael said. “Shame she will die screaming.”
Damien charged.
Kael turned and ran.
Off the cliff.
Damien stopped at the edge.
Below, rocks. River. Fog.
No body.
“He lives,” Kiera said.
“For now,” Damien said.
They searched the cliff. Rope marks. Fresh cuts.
“He had a way down,” Rowan said.
Damien turned. “You knew?”
Rowan’s face went pale. “Alpha, no—”
“Don’t lie,” Damien said.
Rowan’s hand shook. “He had my sister. He said if I helped him, he’d let her go.”
Silence.
Kiera’s sword was out. “Traitor.”
Rowan dropped to his knees. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want—”
Damien’s face was stone. “You chose her over your pack.”
Rowan looked up. “I had no choice.”
“You always have a choice,” Damien said.
He drew his blade.
Rowan did not run.
Steel met steel once.
Rowan fell.
Blood on stone.
Damien stood over him. “Why?”
Rowan coughed. “He... promised...”
He died.
Damien closed his eyes.
Kiera stepped forward. “Alpha.”
Damien opened his eyes. “Burn him. No name. No grave.”
Kiera nodded.
They returned at dusk.
No Rowan. No peace.
The pack was silent.
Damien stood in the hall. Blood on his hands.
“Rowan is dead,” he said. “He betrayed us to Kael.”
Gasps.
“Kiera is Beta now,” he said.
Kiera knelt. “Alpha.”
Damien looked at Elena.
“Take her to bed,” he said.
Elena shook her head. “Not yet.”
She walked to him.
In front of all of them, she took his face.
“You are not alone,” she said.
She kissed him.
Hard.
The hall was quiet.
When she pulled back, Damien’s eyes were wet.
“Mine,” he said.
“Yours,” Elena said.
Night.
His chambers.
Door locked.
Damien’s hands on her shoulders. “He’s still out there.”
“I know,” Elena said.
“Then stay with me,” he said.
Elena nodded.
He pulled her close.
No more words.
Only them.
He buried his face in her hair. “I thought I lost you today,” he said. Elena’s arms around his neck. “You didn’t.” Damien held her tighter. “Never leave me.” Elena’s voice was soft. “Never.”
He lifted her. Carried her to bed.
Lay her down.
His forehead to hers. “Say it again.”
“I’m yours,” Elena said.
Damien’s eyes closed. “Good.”
He did not sleep.
He watched her.
All night.
Because Kael was still breathing.
And the war was not over.
Morning came slow.
Elena woke in his arms.
Damien was already awake. Watching her.
“You didn’t sleep,” she said.
“No,” Damien said. “I couldn’t.”
Elena sat up. Hair messy. “Because of Kael?”
“Because of you,” Damien said. “If he comes tonight, I need to be ready.”
Elena touched his face. “Then rest now. I’ll watch.”
Damien caught her hand. “No. We watch together.”
Kiera knocked. “Alpha. Pack is waiting.”
Damien stood. “Tell them we meet at noon.”
Kiera left.
Elena stood too. “What now?”
“Now we hunt smarter,” Damien said. “Kael wants me to chase him. I won’t.”
Elena frowned. “You’ll wait?”
“I’ll set a trap,” Damien said. “And you’ll be the bait.”
Elena’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“Only you,” Damien said. “He wants you. So we give him you. With me behind you.”
Elena stared. “That’s dangerous.”
“I know,” Damien said. “But it’s the only way to end him.”
Elena was quiet.
Then she nodded. “Fine. But you don’t let go.”
Damien’s hand to her cheek. “I won’t.”
He pulled her in. Kissed her forehead. “We end this together.”
Elena nodded. “Together.”
Damien’s plan was simple. Dangerous.
“Bait,” he said at noon. “Elena walks the east wall alone at dusk. Kael comes for her. We take him.”
The hall went quiet.
Kiera stood up. “Alpha, no.”
“Yes,” Damien said. “He won’t resist her. He’s obsessed.”
Elena’s hands were steady. “I’ll do it.”
“Are you mad?” a warrior said.
Damien’s eyes cut to him. “She is not mad. She is Luna.”
Elena looked at them all. “Kael wants me. So I’ll give him me. But he won’t leave alive.”
Dusk came fast.
Elena walked the east wall alone. No guards in sight. Blade hidden. Heart loud.
Wind moved her hair.
She stopped at the broken tower.
“Kael,” she said. “I know you’re watching.”
Silence.
Then a laugh.
He dropped from the shadows.
“Elena,” Kael said. “You came.”
“I did,” she said. “Where’s your Alpha?”
Kael smiled. “Not here. Just you and me.”
He stepped closer.
“Back up,” Elena said.
Kael’s eyes were black. “You’re mine now.”
He lunged.
Elena drew her blade.
Steel met steel.
She was fast. Stronger than before.
Kael was surprised. “You’ve been training.”
“I have,” Elena said.
She cut his arm.
Kael hissed. “Damien made you this?”
“No,” Elena said. “I did.”
They circled.
“Why me?” Elena asked. “Why not Damien?”
Kael laughed. “Because hurting you hurts him more than any blade.”
Elena’s jaw tightened. “Then try.”
She moved.
Kael blocked.
“Enough,” a voice said.
Damien.
From the shadows. Sword out.
Kael turned. “Alpha.”
Damien’s face was ice. “You touch her again, you die.”
Kael backed up. “Two against one? That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair,” Damien said.
They fought.
Damien was faster. Angrier.
Kael was good. But tired.
Damien’s blade found his shoulder.
Kael screamed.
Elena moved in.
“Stop,” Damien said.
Elena froze.
Damien’s sword at Kael’s throat.
“Beg,” Damien said.
Kael spat blood. “Never.”
Damien’s hand tightened.
“Damien,” Elena said. “Wait.”
Damien looked at her.
“Kill him,” Elena said. “But not for me. For the pack.”
Damien nodded.
Steel moved.
Kael fell.
Silent.
Damien dropped his sword.
Elena ran to him.
“It’s over,” she said.
Damien pulled her in. “It’s over.”
Warriors flooded the wall.
Kiera knelt. “Alpha. It’s done.”
Damien didn’t look away from Elena. “Burn him. No trace.”
Night.
Hall quiet.
Damien sat on his throne. Elena beside him.
“Pack,” he said. “Kael is dead. The threat is gone.”
Cheers.
Damien’s hand found Elena’s.
“Tomorrow,” he said. “We bond.”
Elena’s breath caught.
The pack roared.
Later.
Chambers.
Fire high.
Damien turned to her. “No more waiting.”
Elena nodded.
He pulled her close.
Lips to hers.
Slow. Deep. Final.
His fangs came out.
He bit her neck.
Elena cried out.
Bond snapped into place.
Hot. Bright. Unbreakable.
Damien pulled back. Blood on his lips.
“Mate,” he said.
“Mate,” Elena said.
He held her till dawn.
- Writer
