The Bite of Revenge

Chapter 7

The following morning, I got up exceptionally early so that I didn't have to rush like I did yesterday and when I came downstairs, Taylor and Alison were already sitting at the dining room table enjoying bacon and scrambled eggs. "My dad told me to tell you that the intermediate combat class is going to be at the firing range today," Taylor said as I joined them at the table, "but don't worry, it's on the way to the gym, so we can all walk over together."

"They let us use guns?" I asked incredulously. "I thought bounty hunters were trained to apprehend, not kill."

"Oh they are, but Peter's adamant that you learn how to use one for your own protection and self-defense," Taylor answered with a shrug, "personally, I think werecreatures and hellhounds using guns is kind of redundant, considering that we have our own weapons already." She then flashed her claws to prove her point.

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe a gun shot wound would be easier to explain than claw marks?" I asked, glaring at her, "or did you forget that humans aren't supposed to know that we exist?"

"Anna's right, Taylor," Alison said as we cleared the table, "as far as humans are concerned, there's no such thing as supernatural creatures."

"Fair point," Taylor conceded, "honestly, I didn't even think of that." When we had finished clearing the dishes, Taylor, Alison, and I headed out the door and when we reached the firing range, I said goodbye to Taylor and Alison and then headed inside to find four other students hanging out in front of the cubicles to the targets.

"You must be Anastasia," a girl about my age greeted me when I joined them, "I'm Malia and this is Scot, Isaac, and Liam."

"Nice to meet you," I said, shaking each of their hands in turn, "and you guys can just call me Anna."

"Is it true that you wrestled Peter to the ground while you had him in a headlock?" Liam asked excitedly, "everyone's been talking about it since it happened." Before I could answer, Peter had joined us.

"Yes, Liam, it's true," he said with pride, "and I expect all of you to remember that."

"Which part?" Malia muttered with a snicker, "the part where a one hundred pound girl brings down a grown-ass man twice her size, or the part where Derrek practically doubled over in laughter every time he retells the story to anyone who will listen?"

"Anastasia's a true fighter," Peter retorted, "so I suggest you learn from her Malia." He then looked at Scot, Isaac, and Liam, "and that goes for the rest of you as well." After that, he had us do some practice shots on non-moving targets, which I found fairly easy if I kept my mind focused on my target. It was like my eyesight was hyper focused, and I was seeing everything through a powerful camera lense. I pulled the trigger and managed to hit the middle of the target.

"Well done Anastasia," Peter said from behind me, "I wasn't kidding when I told Mr. Harrison that you have real potential."

"Thank you," I said, turning around to face him, "I appreciate the opportunity to be in your class."

"Feisty and polite," Peter said with a smirk, "I like that in a woman." Before I could tell him how inappropriate his comment was, Peter had walked away, leaving me with my mouth hanging open in shock.

"What the hell just happened?" I thought, still in shock, "did Peter Hale just blatantly flirted with me knowing that the others could hear him?"

"You okay over here?" Malia asked and seeing my face, she smirked, "my dad doesn't usually flirt with students, but judging by the look on your face, he's taken a liking to you."

"Peter's your dad?" I asked once, I had gotten over my shock, "and why do you mean by, 'taking a liking to me'?"

"You should hear him when he talks about you at home," Malia said, rolling her eyes, "he never shuts up about you."

"But I've only met Peter a couple of times," I protested as we packed everything up, "and no disrespect to your dad, but he's twice my age, also I'm his student, and he's my instructor."

"I know," Malia said as we headed outside, "I tried to point that out to him last night, but he wouldn't listen to me. I will say this though, my dad really admires you. Why do you think he agreed to accompany you and your friends on your camping trip?"

"I just figured that Mr. Harrison asked him to, and he was just following orders," I said with a shrug, "and besides, Derrek's going as well, so I don't see what the big deal is."

"You don't know much about men, do you?"

"With everything that's been going on, I haven't had much of a dating life." By now we were standing out front of the shooting range. "I understand that your dad and cousin don't get along, but why would you be concerned that both of them are coming on this camping trip?"

"I shouldn't be telling you this, but both my dad and Derrek have feelings for you." Malia answered, "but i have my suspicions that Derrek has bad intentions."

"Why are you telling me this anyway?" I asked curiously, "you don't even know me."

"If what my dad says about you is true, then I don't want to see you get hurt," she answered seriously, "Derrek may be my cousin, but he'll do anything to get to the top, even if it means playing with someone else's feelings." After that, Malia turned and walked away just as Taylor and Alison joined me.

"What did Malia want?" Taylor asked, nodding towards Malia's retreating back.

"She was just giving me some pointers on aiming," I lied quickly, "how was class?"

"Surprisingly, it went okay," Taylor answered with a shrug as we started walking, "but then at the end of class, Derrek asked about you and I told him that you were placed in the intermediate combat class."

"Why would he ask about me?" I asked, shocked.

"No idea," Taylor answered, shrugging, "but you should've seen his face when I told him you were placed in the intermediate combat class. It was like a god-damn traffic light. It changed colors so quickly."

"That wasn't even the weird part though," Alison piped in, I raised my eyebrows questionably at her, and she continued, "the guy reeked with jealousy, I mean it was potent to the point of toxic waste." Both her and Taylor looked at me questionably, but I just shrugged my shoulders and quickly walked ahead of them, which gave me time to think about what Malia had said.

"Looks like Malia was right," I thought as I made my way back to the house, "it does seem like both Peter and Derrek have feelings for me, but I hardly know either of them." I then contemplated whether to tell Taylor and Alison about Malia's warning, but then thought better of it, I couldn't risk getting either Peter or Derrek in trouble. "I'll just have to make it very clear to both of them that I'm a student, and it wouldn't be appropriate." I thought. By now I had reached the house and Taylor and Alison were practically jogging to keep up.

"What's up with you today?" Alison asked, "you've been acting weird since we told you about Derrek."

"I've just had a lot on my mind," I answered quickly, "it was my first day in a new class and meeting new people cut me some slack."

"Girl, you're lying through your ass right now," Taylor said with a laugh, "now spill it. I sighed, and rather reluctantly, I told them what happened in class and what Malia had told me about both Peter and Derrek having feelings for me, but I did leave out the part about Derrek having bad intentions towards me, not wanting to worry them. "Those two men have serious issues," Taylor said when I had finished telling them everything, "but it would explain why Peter was so eager to have you in his class and why Derrek reeked of jealousy when I told him about it."

"But this could be a serious problem though," Alison said worriedly, and seeing my confused look, continued, "you do know what happens when two male wolves are interested in the same she-wolf, right?" I shook my head no. "They tend to fight over her and it usually ends bloody."

"Alison's right," Taylor said as we entered the house, "when two male wolves are actively looking for a mate, sometimes it can lead to them being interested in the same she-wolf and both of them will do anything to impress her so that the she-wolf will have to choose between one or the other."

"But what happens if I don't choose either of them?" I asked, "I literally just got here, I'm not exactly ready for a relationship right now."

"Unfortunately, that's not going to matter to them," Taylor answered with a sigh, "when a male wolf sets his sights on a possible mate, instinct takes over and knowing the Hale men, they'll do anything to win your heart.

"If that's the case, how the hell do I choose?" I asked, by now we had all sat down in the living room, "I don't exactly know either of them very well."

"It depends on what kind of man you're interested in," Alison said with a grin, "Peter is charming, and I've been told he's a gentleman and Derrek's more uptight, but I don't think he knows how to talk to girls very well."

"Why do you say that?"

"The guy's intimidating as hell and just doesn't come off as a people person," Alison answered with a shrug, "if I had to choose, I would go with Peter just because he's more polite than his nephew."

"I think I need to sleep on it," I said with a sigh, "but I appreciate your guys' advice."

"Good idea," Taylor said, "and it's not like you have to make a decision now anyway, but you should probably avoid being in the same room as both Peter and Derrek, though, the last thing we need is a bloody brawl on our hands." I nodded, got upend headed upstairs to bed. When I arrived in my room and I had closed my door behind me, I noticed a not on pillow. I went over and picked it up.

"How the hell did this get here?" I thought as I unfolded the note. It said:

Anastsia-

since there are no classes tomorrow, it would give me great pleasure if you would join me for an afternoon in Griffith Park. I'll pick you up at noon.

-Peter

I was so shocked that I almost dropped the note on the floor, but I managed to compose myself before I completely freaked out and did a thorough search of my room using my sense of smell and damn, it definitely smelled like a man had been in my room, but was definitely not there now. "Crazy son of b***h," I muttered as I put the note in my bed side stand drawer, "did you have to touch everything in my room?"

"How else was I supposed to make my presence known?" said a voice near my ear. I looked around, there was nobody there, so I smelled the room again and realized that the voice came from outside my window. I then opened it and looked downand saw Peter leaning against the house next door with a cocky smile on his face.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I whispered, "you do realize that breaking and entering is illegal, right?"

"I won't tell if you don't," he said, still smiling, "besides, I can't help myself when it comes to an amazing creature such as yourself."

"That charm of yours is going to get you in trouble," I said, rolling my eyes, but I couldn't help but smile, "nobody likes a cocky smartass."

"And yet you're still talking to me," Peter said. I could tell he was really enjoying himself, "and I must say, you do have a lovely smile, Anastasia." He then took a running leap and I had to get out of the way as he climbed through my window.

"No offense, but you really shouldn't be here," I said as Peter made himself comfortable on my bed and I sat in my desk chair, "I don't think your boss will be too happy to know that you're fraternizing with a student."

"What Mr. Harrison doesn't know won't hurt him," he said offhandedly, "besides, I rather like it here." Before I could say anything, there was a knock at my door.

"Anna? is everything okay in there?" Taylor asked from the other side of the door, "we heard voices."

"I'm just listening to an audiobook," I lied, I could feel my face getting hot, and I heard Peter laughing quietly behind me, "don't worry, I'm fine." I then listened carefully as Taylor and Alison walked away and once I knew that they were in their rooms, I turned around to find Peter standing right in front of me.

"You're absolutely adorable when you blush," he said with a smile, "but you're a very bad liar, I like that."

"Who says that I was blushing?" I asked, glaring at him.

"Well, first it starts at the base of your neck," Peter said as he put his hand on the back of my neck, "and then it goes into your hair line, then the tips of your ears and finishes in your face." As he's saying this, Peters traces the nape of my hair line with his hand until he's cupping my face in his hand, and before I can protest, he leans down and slowly kisses me on the lips. I take a surprised intake of breath and Peter deepens the kiss before pulling away. "Mine," he whispers, and kisses me one more time before heading back to the window.

I was so shell shocked that I didn't realize he was gone until I felt the breeze from the open window and when I finally came back to my senses, I quickly go to the window and close it firmly. "What the hell just happened?" I thought as I finally started getting ready for bed. "And what did Peter mean when he said 'mine'?" I then decided that tomorrow I would go to the library and do some research on wolves and their instincts because clearly I was uneducated in the subject. As i was getting ready for bed, I couldn't help but think about that kiss. Was it so wrong of me to admit that I enjoyed it and that I hoped that Peter would kiss me again? "Get it together, Anna," I thought angrily as I got into bed, "he's twice your age and you're his student." But part of me didn't care, and it wasn't like anyone would find out, right? If only I was that lucky.