The Rogue and His Hunter Mate

Chapter 3- The Hunters Proposition

Jake POV

“I have a proposition for you.”

Before I can do or say anything, I feel a dull thud at the back of my head before I fall into darkness.

Two Days Later

When I woke up, I discovered I had been hit on the back of the head. The fact that my head was killing me and there was a bandage wrapped around it told me that the hit was deliberate and very well executed; for a human to knock out a werewolf is impressive. The first thing I remember when I woke up was an amazing scent. The scent brought me comfort. Every morning the scent would be stronger, but during the night, I could not stay awake long enough to find out who it belonged to. Eventually, I just thought I was going crazy, as no one came into this room, according to the guards.

I woke up to a grey room. Everything in the room was grey—the bedding, the walls, even the ceiling and floor. It started driving me a bit mad, but then I started to get visited by people. The first that came was a doctor, at least I think it was a doctor, as they treated my head wound and then re-bandaged it.

I discovered that I was being held in a silver-lined room. The silver was interwoven within the wallpaper and the door. This meant that for the last two days, I had been unable to talk to my wolf, let alone shift. It also meant that while I was in this room, I was defenseless. No weapons or anything that could be made into a weapon had been left in here. Yet, they had not harmed me, which confused me.

What surprises me the most is those that came into this room did so with food and drink, but that’s about it. There is a toilet and a shower connected to the room that I can use, so it’s not as if I am being treated like an animal or anything. In comparison to how I have been living since my mate died, this is bordering on luxurious.

If it hadn’t been for hunters getting me, I would have thought that I had died and gone to a weird sort of grey heaven. Instead, I am wondering what the hunters want with me. From previous experiences, hunters normally just kill their victims; they don’t take them or talk to them. It is a simple kill shot or execution, depending on the situation. It has never been known for them to take a live victim.

Therefore, while I am enjoying being able to be clean and have running water without going to a stream, and a proper bed to lie in with an actually comfortable mattress rather than one made of straw and leaves, I am also scared for what is going to come.

On the morning of my third day, two men walked into the room. They approached me, and as one pulled me up, the other strapped a silver bracelet onto my wrist.

“We are not taking any chances,” the man said to me when I gave him a confused look.

“But I can’t shift,” I argued.

“It’s this or we cage you. Your choice,” said the second man.

I was not given time to react. The second man grabbed me and dragged me out of the room and down the hallway. As they dragged me, I stumbled a few times as I tried to get my feet back under me and keep up at their pace. As we travelled, I noticed a lot more doors like mine; some even had names on the doors or simply ‘experiment’ and then a number.

A part of me was curious and wanted to know what was happening behind the doors, but a much bigger part of me wanted to stay oblivious.

The hallway was long and winding, and it took about five minutes before we walked through a door. When we did, I saw a group of hunters surrounding the room, and in the middle was the man from the other day who said he has a proposition.

I was then pushed forward into the room. I was marched to stand in front of the man before the two men from before forced me to kneel, making me look up at the man in front of me. The man looked down at me, no emotion in his face whatsoever.

“My name is Bradley. You are in hunter territory with no means of escape, and I want you to work for us,” the man said to me, surprising me. I knelt there for what felt like hours but must have only been a few minutes. I guess he is a man of few words.

“What?” I asked.

“Are you deaf? I said I want you to work for us. All you have to do is prove your loyalty to us here and now,” Bradley went on to explain.

“How?” I asked, confused.

“You have to bow and consent to work with us and take a blood oath. Well, what I actually mean is you will do what we tell you,” Bradley said. For us, our weakness is that once we bow and consent, we cannot go back on our word. It is not our human side that is like that, it is our wolves. They are full of pride, and to go back on bowing and consenting is the biggest insult a wolf can do, and the quickest way to get kicked out of a pack. But a blood oath? Only Alphas demand that of new members.

“You mean become your slave?” I asked, appalled. Whenever this was requested in my pack, it meant being stripped of everything you had and then becoming a slave, lower than an Omega or a servant. Literally the bottom of the food chain. It is the second worst punishment, being banished being the worst.

“No, become our little mole. We have jobs here that we cannot do, but you can get us the information and resources we need,” Bradley explained.

“How do you know that I could do them?” I asked, confused.

“You think we have been idle while we held you here for the past two days? No, we looked into your background, and you fit the bill perfectly,” Bradley explained.

“What do you mean?”

“A lone wolf. One that no one wants or will miss. I mean, it’s not like you really have any other option right now. From what I hear, no one and no pack wants you. Even your family threw you away,” Bradley said, no emotion in his voice at all. Just cold, hard facts, which made his words all the more painful to hear.

“What would I have to do?” I asked. I did not want to do anything illegal or harmful.

“Whatever we tell you to. But you would be greatly rewarded as well as also being free again,” Bradley explained.

“But what would I have to do?” I asked again.

“Whatever we want you to. Just know that if you work for us, you would be safe(ish),” Bradley responded vaguely.

“So what does that mean for me?” I tried again, but with different wording.

“It means protection from us. As long as you deliver results, then we will happily turn a blind eye regarding what you are,” Bradley said.

“And if I refuse?”

“Then we will have target practice tonight. Right boys?” Bradley raised his voice to the group, who started to cheer and laugh.

I swallowed nervously as I looked around. It appeared I had no other option. As much as I would like to fight back or escape my predicament, I had no strength, no wolf, and no way out. They had me right where they wanted me, and the worst part is they knew it.

“I consent,” I said, bowing to them, binding my wolf to the deal and holding out my hand for them to slice and bind me with the blood oath.