The Hunt Begins
1136 Words
Kael's POV
Claire looked fragile.
Not weak, just fragile in a way I had never seen before.
She laid on the hospital bed, her skin pale, her breathing slow and uneven.
I looked closely and for a moment, she looked like the same woman I had thrown into the rain seven years ago.
Broken and Tired.
“She is waking up,” Damien murmured beside me.
I did not respond. My eyes were fixated on her. I watched her lashes slowly flutter and then her eyes opened.
Her gaze hastily moved around the room quickly, calculating, searching until it landed on me.
She got off the bed and snapped at me. “My children—”
“They are safe.”
I watched how my words carefully made her body relax. She sat on the bed and released a heavy sigh of relief.
She eyed me in disdain and I knew I deserved that.
“What happened?” I asked.
She furrowed her brows in confusion, her breathing quickening.
“I-I” She stuttered. “I don’t know.”
Of course she did not! I mentally scolded myself. It was obvious she had used her strength to protect her children so she had lost a chunk of her memory.
“Can you try to remember?” I pressed, my voice low but firm. “There were signs of a struggle at your home. Broken entry. Blood.”
Her expression tightened, frustration creeping in.
“I can’t.” she whispered.
Suddenly, the door opened behind us and small footsteps followed.
“Mum!”
A little girl rushed in first, her face lit up with excitement.
A little boy followed closely behind, he was slightly taller and his expression far more controlled.
They halted when they saw me.
The little girl instinctively moved closer to Claire’s side while the boy
did not move. He just watched me, studied me.
He was smart, very smart for a seven year old. He reminded me so much of myself.
Although, the little girl looked more like me, she had my exact hair color and face structure.
“What happened?” I asked again, this time directing it at them.
The girl held Claire tight while the boy cleared his throat to speak.
“They came for us,” he said calmly.
Claire snapped her head towards him. “Asher—”
“They were wolves,” he continued, his voice steady.
The girl nodded quickly. “They broke in and tried to take us.”
"Ava--"
Silence fell between us. I watched Claire closely, she avoided my gaze and that was when realization hit me.
“They are not normal,” I said quietly.
Her eyes snapped to mine. “Don’t.”
“They are powerful,” I continued. “More than they should be at their age.”
“Stop." she snapped at me in a sharper tone. Her composure cracked.
“I know they are special,” she said finally, her voice quieter now.
“Not just special, Gold-tinted wolves." I mumbled and Claire did not argue.
Damien rose from his feet and excused us. He could tell this was a serious matter that needed to be discussed now.
“Claire, they need protection. They are going to continue to be hunted. There is only one place they will be safe.” I said.
She already knew what I was going to say. “No.” she spoke too soon.
“You can not protect them alone.”
“I have been doing just fine.”
“You almost died.” I pointed out. "They almost got taken.” I added, my voice colder now. “And next time, you might not be fast enough.”
“That is not true.”
“It is.”
The tension in the room thickened.
“You need protection." I argued. “Real protection.”
Claire scoffed at me in disbelief. “And you think that is you?”
I did not hesitate. “Yes.” I nodded my head in agreement.
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “You are the last person I would ever trust.”
Fair but this was not a matter of trust. The kids needed protection and that was all that mattered.
“You do not have to trust me.” I said calmly. “You just have to accept reality.”
“And what exactly are you offering?" She raised a brow at me.
“My pack.”
Claire's expression darkened instantly at the mention of my pack. “No.”
“It is the only option.”
“I will never go back there.”
“You will.” I pressed further. “if you want them to live.”
Ava held onto her mother's hand and Claire squeezed it tight.
Asher on the other hand did not move but his gaze was calculating.
Claire looked between them and then back at me.
“I will protect them,” she said finally, her voice firm but I knew that was just conflict speaking.
“You can’t.”
Her eyes flashed with anger. “Watch me.”
It was as if the universe heard her and decided to challange her, Damien suddenly rushed into the room fast. “They are here, they found us." He said under his breath.
Ava gasped in fear.
“No!” Claire snapped, pulling them back.
Screams echoed down the hallways, accompanied by loud footsteps. There was a pandemonium.
My body stiffened.
"What do we do?” Claire cried out in fear.
“We leave." I hastily helped Claire off the bed. At first she hesitated but then she slowly nodded.
We moved fast after that. Too fast for hesitation and doubt.
Damien handled the perimeter while the twins stayed close to Claire. We were able to rush to the parking lot where the car was waiting.
I fought a few wolves that tried to come close while Claire and the children rushed into the car.
Just as I was about to rush into the driver's seat, I felt a presence, a familiar one.
The familiar scent hit me from behind, I turned around and my eyes settled on a familiar face.
A faint smile settled on his lips as he stood a far distance away from us.
"Come on Kael! Drive!" Claire yelled.
They were in the car so they could not see who I was seeing.
“Well…” His voice rang out loud even though he was far away from me. “This is interesting.”
My body went completely still. I watched him tilt.his head slightly, his gaze sharp and knowing.
“You finally found them, Kael.”
There was a pause.
Then—
His smile widened.
“Too bad they belong to me now.”
- Writer
