The Scarred Huntress

Elsa's POV I fall through the shadows and the ground catches my feet. I roll forward and continue running. A thick fog covers everything, almost blinding, but I only need to smell him to know I'm getting close. I leap over a dumpster and latch onto the walls, speed-climbing. The night air is cold and slaps my face in a refreshing haze. I skid to a halt, and my breath catches at the shadow that blurs by. Icarus Morvan. He barrels across the rooftop and I break into a sprint, my breathing sharp and heavy, faster as I near his tail. He leaps across and lands in a rough roll on the adjacent building's rooftop. Keeps going without looking back. Tonight, this madness will end. Because I am not just going to catch him and toss him in prison—no. I've been too lenient. I finally catch up, and I am disgusted at my self. Here is an ex-alpha who kills wholeheartedly and cold-bloodedly, and yet every time I'm close, I start to salivate. Not from nausea, I wish. Far from it. He should reek of death and decay, of the blood of his victims. But no. He smells alive, so alive it's intoxicating and makes me believe he has a heart. I reach and miss his shoulder by a hair's breadth. He rockets high up, and I stop, watching him travel across rooftops with a speed that's insulting, especially since my chest feels like it's about to burst. I don't see him again. He's probably hiding in one of his shadows. As much as I want to rip him apart, I know best to save energy and wait. I can lure him to me instead, and I do just that by calling him a dickless, murderous asshole. The night echoes back my insult. It is silent for three beats before his laughter breaks it. I strain my ears to pinpoint exactly where he's hiding, but it's impossible because the laughter seems to be coming from all directions. I curse. I don't find him in the end. He comes to me. Stalks over like I'm the prey instead of the predator, moonlight painting his naked flesh. He stops an arm's length away. Eyes golden sharp, flickering with mockery and something else that causes my lungs to misfire. My wolf crawls under my skin, demanding I let her out so she can face him. I tame her down. "Still pretending this is about justice, ey Huntress?" "We had a deal," I say. "Escaping prison and going on a rampage was never a part of it." "The deal was you survive me and then do your job. You broke it the second you kept coming back for more." His voice drops. "You're a pawn in their game, Elsa. The big dogs don't actually want me dead — they want me contained. One rogue alpha doing their job is bad for business. But if I live… if I keep killing the bastards who murdered the only woman who ever cared about me… maybe you'll finally admit what your wolf already knows." He reaches out to touch me but I smack his wrist away. He continues, undeterred, "You don't want me dead. You want answers. And you want them while I'm still inside you." My fist shakes. I should kill him. Right now. But the selfish, shameful truth claws up my throat: I can't. Not until I understand the part of me that aches for the monster I must destroy. I lunge. He evades, and I might've overpushed, because now I'm about to tumble over the roof's edge. My eyes widen as I tip over, and the wind kisses my face and hair as my eyes shut. I wobble my arms to keep balance, but it's too late. Until a strong hand catches my wrist. I let out a gasp when I'm pulled back, and my back slams into something hard as his arms envelop me. "Watch your step, Huntress." His breath tickles my ear. He shoves me, and I stumble. I snap to face him. His head is c****d to one side, a daring twinkle in his eyes. Sweat beads my forehead. I want to attack, but every cell inside of me screams that that would be a terrible move right now. So I wait for him to attack. He sighs instead, then starts to walk away. Annoyance twists behind my ribs. I bolt towards him, ready to carve five crimson rivers across his back. He backhands my face and I fall on my butt. The world shakes as I pick myself up. The night is dead silent as he stares me down. My ear rings, and my face stings. I glare at him. "You've hunted me across every rooftop in this city, yet you still can't finish it." A grin breaks across his face, threatening laughter. "The Jackals are laughing in their little hideout right now, Huntress. They think you're the one who'll keep me leashed. Ha!" His words scatter the last sane part of me.