THE BOUNTY HUNTER LUNA

CHAPTER 4 - AINE'S POV

''He... killed your family?'' Alex asked me, as he stepped closer to me, and looked at the X on my throat, ''Does... that still hurt?''

I slapped him hard across the face, and he gasped in pain, ''What the hell, Aine!?''

''Does that hurt?'' I asked.

''I get it!'' He said angrily, ''I won't ask about the scar, you could have just told me you didn't want to talk about it.''

''Don't you have some pup to look for?'' I asked as I looked around at the dead Lycan's on the ground.

''Emmet!'' Alex said quickly, as if he'd forgotten.

I shook my head at the fool, and followed him into the tent. The handsome man from the sketch was lying on the ground, his arms and legs bound. He was unconscious and had several large injuries over his muscular chest and face that were still healing. He was even more handsome in person. Dark black wavy hair that fell just past his ears, tanned skin, broad shoulders and tall. He was exactly my type.

''EMMET!'' Alex shouted, as he unbound his friend's arms, ''WAKE UP!''

''He's been drugged, he can't hear you.'' I rolled my eyes again, and knelt beside the man.

I frowned when I felt a strange pull towards him, and before I knew it, I was reaching out to brush his hair from his face, but just before I touched him, Alex spoke.

''What are you doing?''

My hand froze midway, before I pulled back, ''Nothing... I...'' I shook my head, and pulled out a few other vials from my suit, exhaling in annoyance when I realized one was cracked and leaking everywhere. I tossed it aside, and uncorked another one, ''This should wake him.''

I grabbed the Alpha's chin, but gasped and fell backwards onto my bottom.

''What's wrong?!'' Alex asked, from Emmet's feet, where he was unwinding the binds around his ankles.

''I...'' I stared at the man with wide shocked eyes, as something deep inside me, felt like it was waking up, ''Mate.'' The words left my lips before I could stop them, and Alex's eyes widened.

''What did you say?'' He whispered, as he looked from me to Emmet.

''I felt the bond,'' I answered, as I moved onto my knees, ''This can't be happening. I can't be mated to a family member of the man who destroyed my entire family!'' I shoved the vial into Alex's hand, and stood up, ''Give that to him, he'll start waking in the hour!''

I rushed from the tent, my heart racing in anger, and something else... Excitement? No.... It wasn't excitement. I didn't want a mate. Especially not one who was going to be King. I walked over to the nearest tree and punched it, breaking the bark, as I screamed in rage.

I needed something to do. I needed a distraction. I looked around at the bodies, and started moving them into a pile, making sure to kick scar face along the way, before I began to place twigs, logs and dried leaves on top of them, and started a fire. I was staring into the flames when Alex came out.

''He's waking up.'' He told me, but I just nodded, ''You... should go back. If you really are his mate, he'll smell your scent once he's awake, and want to see you.''

''Don't tell me what to do,'' I said in warning, and didn't move, ''I was paid to get the Alpha, and I have, I never agreed to being someone's mate.''

''Are you going to reject him?''

Reject him? I didn't know. I had no idea what I wanted. I remembered back to my parents. They loved each other more than anything, and I'd always wanted that for myself, but now....

''That's between me and Emmet.'' I responded, ''Go away.''

''Yes Luna.''

I spun around, my hair whipping behind me, ''Don't you ever call me that!''

''I'm sorry, but that's what you are, at least... until you reject him,'' He said, bowing his head.

''Or he rejects me.''

''He won't.'' He said confidently, ''We were both raised to respect the bond more than anything, and he's always talked about getting his mate. He's been waiting for you for a long time. He'll never reject you.''

''In that case, he doesn't need to know about me,'' I pointed out, ''I could leave right now, he doesn't need to know.

''No, you can't go,'' He rushed over to me, his face pleading, ''Please stay, we can't get back without you anyway. I'll get lost in the mist, and I can't carry him back alone. Besides, I'll tell him about you anyway, and I know where your tavern is.''

I exhaled in frustration, ''Okay fine, I'll stay!'' I responded and crossed my arms, ''Now go away.''

''Yes, Luna.'' He bowed and went back to the tent.

''Stupid frustrating dog!'' I called after him, before I went back to the rocks we'd originally ducked under and retrieved my bag.

I pulled out some food and sat down eating jerky as I continued to go over the situation in my mind. Would it be so bad to have him as a mate? He's hot, and strong. Sleeping with him wouldn't be so bad, and Alpha's are wild in bed. But... If I accepted him, I'd have to be Queen, not to mention help him get the throne back in the first place, and I didn't want to go to war. What a hassle.

I leaned back against a tree trunk and glanced at the mist a few feet away. It was late now, and I didn't want to navigate it in the dark, so we'd have to sleep here the night. I rolled my eyes at that thought, yay, I get to sleep in the same tent with my injured mate and his annoying Beta. What a fun sleepover.

When I was drinking some water, washing away the jerky, I heard a man's weak voice, flowing out from the tent flap that was wide open, and my stupid heart began to flutter. I'd never heard a more attractive voice.

''Alex?'' He said, sounding confused, ''What happened? Wait... What's... that smell?''

''Easy, don't get up,'' Alex responded, sounding like he was struggling, ''You've been unconscious for days, the men have been killed, and you're safe, but you're badly injured.''

''What's that smell?!'' He asked again, this time more urgently, ''It's.... MATE!''

''Emmet, stop, lay down!''

''Where is she? Get off me!'' Emmet argued. ''I need to find her!''

I exhaled and stood up, and started walking towards the tent, when the Alpha stumbled out. He was holding his weight on one leg and wincing in pain, but his eyes were wide, and his mouth opened slightly as he looked at me.

''Wow. So beautiful,'' He gasped and tried to take a step, but he groaned and fell forward.

Before I even knew what I was going, I rushed to Emmet and caught him, but I'd underestimated his weight, and I fell back, with Emmet on top of me.

''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you!'' He said quickly and tried to get up, but his injured arm made him groan again, and fall back down, crushing me a little. ''I'm really sorry. I swear, I'm not doing this on purpose.''

''Damn, you weigh a tone,'' I giggled and tried to push him back, ''Get over here, and get your Alpha off me!''

''Yes, Luna,'' Alex said quickly, and helped Emmet up.

''Stop calling me that!'' I ordered again, as Emmet put his arm over Alex's shoulders and started carrying him back inside.

''Are you coming? Don't go!'' Emmet said quickly, and reached for me.

''So needy,'' I shook my head and followed after him, but I couldn't help smiling.

His dark green eyes were so lovely and warm looking, and his scent of honey and biscuits was amazingly comforting. Reminding me of nights by the fire with my family during the winter.

''Sit down, Em,'' Alex ordered, and practically had to push him back down on the cot one of the abductors was going to use.

''What's your name?'' Emmet asked me.

''Aine.''

Emmet smiled, ''Beautiful.'' He said as his eyes moved over my body, ''Like you.''

''Oh yes, I'm extremely dreamy.''

Emmet laughed softly, and cringed as he held his ribs, ''Is there water?''

''Here.'' Alex said, as he lifted a jug and poured a glass for him.

''I can't hold it, can you do it?'' He asked me, and I frowned.

''What? Is your arm broken?'' I snapped, and folded my arms, ''Do it yourself.''

''But my arm is broken,'' He pouted, and I nearly caved.

''You heard your Alpha, help him drink.'' I ordered, and Alex nodded and lifted the glass to Emmet's lips, but he growled in frustration and took the glass.

''Oh would you look at that, its a miraculous recovery.''

Emmet laughed as he looked at me and then Alex, ''She beautiful and funny. I like her.''

''Yeah, try spending a few days with her.'' Alex mumbled and glared at me, while Emmet took a few sips of water.

''What have I missed?'' Emmet asked, and Alex filled him in.

''You promised her how much gold?!'' Emmet snapped, once Alex was finished speaking, and I laughed this time.

''Don't even think about backing out, that gold's mine.''

''But we're mates,'' Emmet pointed out.

''You're right, we are, so technically your gold is already mine,'' I said, in a calculating tone, and looked at Alex, ''So I guess you're paying me out of your pocket.''

''What? No I'm not!'' He argued, but I just laughed and held up my hand.

''I'm kidding, however, as I got to kill scar face, I'll accept 50 more gold coins, and we'll call it even.''

''Deal.'' Emmet agreed, and passed his glass back to Alex, who looked relieved. ''You're one of the half-breeds?'' Emmet pointed out, and I saw his eyes moved to my throat.

''Shh, don't ask about it.'' Alex warned him quickly. ''She'll hit you.''

I glared at him, ''Do you want me to hit you again?'' I asked, and he stepped back, ''I really do prefer it when you're quiet.''

''Alex, can you give us a few minutes of privacy?'' Emmet asked him, and he nodded and quickly left, making sure to close the tent, and I saw the shimmer of the privacy spell move through the air.

''You don't have a Lycan?'' Emmet asked me.

''I do,'' I admitted, and shrugged, ''She's just dead. Anything else you want to know?'' Emmet looked at me with pity and I exhaled angrily, ''Don't look at me like that, I don't need your pity!''

''I'm sorry, I wasn't looking at you like that. I was feeling guilty,'' He told me, and I frowned, ''It's my family who did this to you.''

''I'm aware of that,'' I responded, and sat down on one of the other cots, ''Although, I know he killed your family too, so I don't hold it against you. You don't have to feel guilty.''

''I'm going to make him pay.''

''We'll see.'' I leaned back on my elbows, ''But I'd like to point out that your first fight ended with you being drugged and abducted, sooo...''

Emmet looked offended, ''I was outnumbered, and they had...''

''I know,'' I cut him off, ''You don't need to defend yourself.''

''I do if my mate thinks I'm weak!'' He said angrily, and I smirked.

''I don't think you're weak,'' I told him, and he relaxed a little, ''Just... inexperienced. But starting a war will fix that.''

''I didn't start this war, but I will end it.''

''Do you really want to be King that badly?'' I asked him, ''Because it's not going to happen without a lot of bloodshed.''

''There's already been bloodshed, I'm trying to stop that.''

I smirked, ''You really have been sheltered your whole life, haven't you?'' I asked, and sat up again, ''You have no idea what you're talking about. Your pathetic uncle has a large following. They're winning. You'll just get yourself killed.''

''Then I'll take him out with me.''

''So naive.'' I said as I stood up.

''Where are you going?!'' He started to panic, and reached for me, locking his hand around my wrist, and the bond started to get stronger. ''I'm sorry I upset you, let's change the subject. I just found you, don't go yet.''

''I've been traveling and fighting all day, I need to wash up,'' I told him, and pulled my wrist free, ''And there's a small river down one of that paths. I need to get water before night really sets in. And you need to rest.''

''So, you'll come back?''

''I will.''

I walked towards the tents entrance when Emmet called out, ''I want you.'' I paused and looked back at him, ''I want to accept you, and I hope you'll accept me too.''

I smirked and nodded, ''I'll think about it.'' I told him and walked out.