Luna's Outcast

Chapter16

Madeline’s pov

I watched Hunter silently from where I sat on the floor and my fingers played with the little pendant of the necklace he had given me.

He was in one of his irritable moods and screamed at everyone to run or steer clear if they didn’t want to get hurt in the tide.

“Just forget it. Take today off, we’ll train tomorrow,” he finally announced, and my eyes shot up in surprise. Hunter never canceled training, that was his way of letting out whatever pent-up anger he had.

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong or are you simply going to keep growling at everything and everyone?” I questioned as I rose to my feet.

“Just go in, Madeline,” he muttered as he turned away from me and I glared at daggers at his back.

Sometimes I wondered what Hunter was thinking about, I wondered about the thoughts swirling through his head and I wondered if I would ever understand him.

I turned away and made my way back to the cottage. A familiar smell filled the air seconds before I heard loud footsteps in the distance.

My brows furrowed as I turned to the woods and I let out a scream as someone gripped my hand from behind.

“Calm down,” Hunter told me as I turned to him.

“Go to the cottage now and lock the door. Don’t come out.” He ordered just as I heard the leaves rustling.

“What are you?”

“Just go,” Hunter pushed me in the direction of the cottage, but before I could take two steps, adorni came bursting out through the woods.

I stumbled backwards and Hunter caught me and stepped in front of me.

“s**t!” he whispered as he drew out a dagger.

“Do you have your dagger?” He asked without turning to me and I nodded even though I knew he couldn’t see me.

“Stay close to me, if any of them come too close, scream and get my attention.” He announced, and before I could respond he rushed forward and stabbed one of the adorni.

The others attacked in outrage and I rushed forward as I knew there was no way Hunter could take them on alone. Some wolves attacked the adorni as well, while others scrambled for safety.

I blocked the attacks of the adorni and moved out of the way when he attempted to grab me.

“You’ve gotten so much stronger, Madeline,” the Adorno commented with a smirk on his lips and my brows furrowed as I wondered exactly how the adorni knew who Madeline was and what connection she had to them.

I slashed the arm of the adorni, and he groaned in pain as he gripped his bleeding arm, and before he could recover, I stabbed him in the abdomen.

I pulled out my dagger as I watched the adorni crumble to the floor and a scream left my lips as someone grabbed me from behind.

I twisted out of the adorni’s grasp, but before I could attack, he nipped at my shoulder with his silver blade and searing pain shot through me.

I groaned as I tried to ignore the pain and I tightened my grip on the dagger as the adorni attacked again.

Before he could reach me though, he groaned and stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened, and I glimpsed the blood staining his armor before he fell forward, and I had to shift out of the way.

“I told you to scream if they got too close to you.” Hunter glared at me and I bit my lip.

Hunter grabbed my arm and pulled me to his side.

“A hunter protecting a wolf, I don’t know what to make of this,” the adorni commented as he c****d his head to the side and stared at Hunter and me.

“What do you want?” Hunter asked stoically.

“The girl, hand her over,” the adorni replied, and Hunter’s hold on me tightened.

“Why do you want her?” he inquired.

“I don’t think that’s any of your concern, little hunter. The girl has unfinished business with the King, and he is very angry,” the adorni announced, and my brows furrowed in confusion.

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” I responded, and the adorni’s eyes turned sharp.

“We aren’t here to retrieve you, at least not yet. The king wants what is his that you stole. He is giving you a month to return it or else the next visit won’t be so friendly,” the adorni announced before he turned away with his remaining men.

“And you will pay for the men you killed here today,” the adorni added without turning around as they disappeared into the woods.

We all stood motionless for a moment as we processed what had happened.

“We need to get your wound cleaned,” Hunter muttered as he steered me towards the cottage and I followed him mutely.

I groaned as Hunter dabbed some cotton pads dipped in spirits on my shoulder. My flesh burned and throbbed all at the same time.

“You should have called out to me the instant he got too close,” Hunter muttered as he glared down at my wound as he cleaned it.

I remained silent as I watched his face, which was pinched in concentration.

“What do you have that the adorni wants?” he suddenly asked, and his eyes met mine.

“I don’t know. I have no idea what that adorni was talking about.” I told him honestly and his eyes searched mine for a moment before he nodded.

“Thank you… for saving me,” I muttered when he was done bandaging my shoulder and he straightened.

I gulped as I noted how little space there was between us.

“You’re welcome,” Hunter responded in a thick voice, and I watched as his Adam apple bobbed as his gaze dropped to my lips.

Hunter’s head bent and my heart hammered against my ribcage as I was sure he was going to kiss me.