Shallow Bay

Chapter One

Chapter One

Harley closed her eyes and gave all of her concentration around her. She secretly smiled when she felt the cold wind against her skin, as if the wind was hugging her. It felt like nature wanted them to become one and Harley happily accepted it, feeling every beat of it.

When she opened her eyes, she smirked at her opponent in front of her. She shook her head when the man taunted her to come closer by using his forefinger. "Come on, baby girl."

Harley shut her mind off. She blocked everything and charged towards the man. She threw a punch but the man blocked it with his arms. Harley threw another punch and when she knew that he was distracted, she stuck her knee up and aimed for his family jewels.

The man saw it coming. He hiked his knee up and blocked Harley's knee. He chuckled when he saw the irritated look on her face. He got the chance to throw a punch when Harley took a step back. Harley ducked just in time the punch touched her jaw. She took hold of his arms and spun behind him so quickly that she even surprised herself. She twisted the man's arm angrily.

The man reacted instinctively. He took hold of her free hand and used his back to haul Harley forward.

Years of training taught Harley to be alert so when he hauled her, she made sure that her feet landed equally on the floor and her balance maintained. She let go of his arms and spun around, shifted her body to the side and rammed her fist to his ribs.

He took steps backward and was forced to let go of Harley's arm. He grunted and bent slightly forward. Harley took the chance and kneed his junk.

"f**k, not my balls, Harley!" he grunted.

"You said I just need to take you down." In his position, it made Harley's plan to be played. She lowered her body and did a perfect side kick which landed on the man's back knee. "You didn't say that I need to play fair, Thomas."

Harley grinned at Thomas and then took hold of his hair, raised it up and struck her knee to his nose. She watched as Thomas grunted and landed on the floor stomach first. Her ragged breath and his grunts was the only thing that could be heard.

"I'm f*****g done." Thomas said between lungful of breath and rolled on his back.

Harley couldn't help but chuckle when she saw the blood trickling down his nose and lips.She drop on the floor, arms on either side of her and closed her eyes. Goosebumps racked her body when a gust of wind passed by.

They were in the forest, doing their weekly routine. Every Sunday, she and Thomas always spar at the clearing in the middle of the forest before the daily training starts. As one of the best hunters in their community, Harley was assigned to be the trainer of the new recruits.

Hunter. Oh yes, she was a werewolf hunter and so was most of the population in their town.

"Come on, baby girl. We need to go back before dad sends a search party for us." She heard Thomas said after a grunt. Harley opened her eyes and saw that he was already on his feet and was extending his hands to her.

She rolled her eyes at him and took his hands.

Thomas was Bernardo's son from his late wife and with five years gap, he treated her as his little sister. Ten years ago, on that rainy night, Bernardo took her in not knowing a thing about her except for the necklace she was holding. He treated her as if he were his own child and gave her the name Harley. She wouldn't accept any name except for that.

But there was a catch, she needed to call him 'dad' which she always forgot.

"STAND UP! STAND UP, NEWBIES!" Harley's voice boomed all over the hall.

The recruits stood up quickly and lined themselves in a single line. Harley c****d her eyebrow and smiled.

"Today, I will use a regime similar to the last group." She was referring to the recruits two months ago.

She was about to announce the new routine when Harley sensed someone coming closer. She turned where it was and found Yves, his father's assistant, standing there and looking at her. One nod and she already knows what Yves means. She nodded back and called Callie, one of his top students, to give her the routine and lead the class.

On the way to her father's study, she met some of the hunters and smiled on some who greeted her. As the daughter of the current head of the Were Hunters, Harley was respected. But not only because of that. She was one of the top hunters. Their family comes from a long line of hunters and they pass down their knowledge generation to generation. There were werewolves in the world who were looking to destroy it. They hurt innocent people and would kill anyone who stands on their way. And it's the Hunters job to stop these threats and annihilate anyone who spreads evilness.

She untied her hair and tied it again in a high ponytail. When she knocked and heard the deep voice of his father, she entered and met Bernardo's eyes.

"Morning, Ber—" she was cut off.

"Dad, Harley." Bernardo said. "How many times do I need to remember you to call me that?"

Harley smiled sheepishly, "Sorry?"

Bernardo shook his head and smiled.

"You called for me, dad?" Harley said who emphasized the word dad and sat on the chair in front of her father's office table.

"Oh, yes, sweetheart," Her father captured her eyes and looked at her seriously.

Harley frowned when she saw the look on her father. She watched as the frown made its way on his face. "Dad?"

He sighed, "I need you to do something, sweetheart."

"What is it, dad?" Harley asked. She crossed her arms and sat up straight.

"There's a report that a rogue is killing women in the bars of the north. The said rogue already killed three hunters of our own." He explained.

"And?" Harley asked.

"I need you to do the mission.Truthfully, I don't want you on the mission, you're my princess," Bernardo sighed, "but you're also one of the best hunters, sweetheart and I have trust in you."

Pride and love swelled in Harley's heart at her father's words.

"Love you too, dad," Harley muttered and smiled. Bernardo smiled and softly looked at Harley.

Bernardo rummaged in his table until he found a white folder and extended it towards Harley. She took it and opened. A picture of a middle aged man was on the left part of the paper.

Mario Smith. Male. 27 years old.

"I need you to be careful, Harley." She looked up and smirked at his father. "Don't you smirked at me, young lady. I'm serious here,"

The serious look on Bernardo 's face made Harley look at him seriously. She looked at him straight in the eyes and said, "Don't worry, dad. I'm your daughter. I won't be one of the best hunters for nothing."

A knock resonated around the room. Both of them looked at the door when it opened and a jet black hair came out behind the door. From the hair, to his body built, the smirk and the arrogance aura from the man, she knew without a doubt that this was the man she hated.

"What are you doing here?" Harley asked him but Aidan just smirked and shrugged at her. He sat at the chair opposite of her and smirked.

Aidan. Her arch nemesis. From the first moment he saw her, he hated her to death and she didn't know why.

"Harley," She stiffened when she heard her father's warning voice. With one last glare, Harley looked back at his father.

"No offense, sir, but are you sure she can do this mission? I mean, look at her,"

Irritation filled Harley when she heard that. "The ne—"

"She can do it." Bernardo interjected. Their eyes met and Harley's confidence skyrocketed with the look on his father's eye.

"If you say so, she better be that good for you to recommend her as my partner." She frowned at the last part. Partner?

"Right." Harley frowned at her father. "Sweetheart, I forgot to tell you that you'll have a partner. Don't frown at me."

"I thought you trusted me?" She asked.

"Yes, I do, sweetheart but this rogue already killed three hunters. It's better to be safe than sorry,"

"Fine," Harley grudgingly agreed.

"I expected him to be dead before sunrise." She nodded at her father.

"Yes, boss," Aidan said. She rolled her eyes at Aidan.

"Now, go and get ready," Harley and Aidan both stand up and walk out of the office.

She could hear Aidan calling her name but she did not look at him. She could hear him chuckling not far from her and that irritated her. When she got on the corner before her room, she quickly turned and went to her room. Blocking Aidan out.

Harley walked towards her closet and reached her hand out to the back wall. She removed a thin piece of wall to reveal her beloved possessions. She picked up a dagger and caressed the blade with her finger tips, not even flinching when the dagger made a small cut with her finger.

She spun around when her door suddenly opened with a force. 

"What are you doing here?" She asks Aidan after a few seconds of silence. "What?" She snapped when he still didn't say anything and kept staring at me.

"Just wanna inform you that we will be going to a bar. Wear something sexy. I'll wait for you in the car." She heard him loud and clear.

Without sparing him another glance, Harley slipped in her bathroom and took a bath. Harley tied her hair in a tight high ponytail. Opted to make her make up as natural as she could with soft smokey eyes, a light blush on and a simple lip gloss then finally, pulled the dress on.

Harley had chosen a black, long sleeved knee length cocktail dress and matching black color pumps. She looked at the small mirror she had on the bathroom, the dress looked like a second skin to her. It was long enough to hide some of her daggers between her thighs. She grabbed the hand bag on the vanity table and put her gun inside.

She gritted her teeth when a car honks impatiently outside. She hurriedly scurried out of her room, out of the house, only to find Aidan sitting in his car with his forehead resting against the wheel. She slammed the car door with enough force to make the car shake when she got in. Aidan's head turned to her, his eyes that were full of annoyance and irritation.

"Close it more gently next time, will you?" Aidan said irritated.

Harley just rolled her eyes.