Hale's Sword

Chapter Two

I woke to something unknown. I didn't move or open my eyes. I listened quietly to the sounds of the house around me. The sound of my teams breathing were all I could here. I opened my eyes and looked around my room. Nothing was out of place. Nikko's soft snores next to me told me he didn't feel what I felt. The change in the air was intense on my skin. I could feel eyes on me as I slowly slid out of bed. I glanced once more at Nikko's sleeping form before silently slipped out of my room. I made my way down the hall and into the living room. the hair on the back of my neck was standing tall. Eyes followed my every move as I stepped outside into the night air. A heart started racing in anticipation. 

I stretched out my tired body and ignored the presence I would feel. I stepped into the soft grass and looked up to the sky. Sunrise was starting to light the sky. 

A twig snapped in the distance. I felt the presence's attention leave me to see what the new movement was. I silently slipped into the woods at the edge of my lawn. I took to the trees quickly to get a better vantage of my unknown guest. 

As I got closer, I could make out that my guest was a man. Roughly six foot tall. He was frantically looking around for me. Another twig snapped as a herd of deer began making their way across my yard. I could feel the predatory smile stretching across my lips. I leapt from my post in the tree onto the man. I wrapped my arm around his neck and cut off his air supply. His hands slapped at me as he tried to get me off. He threw himself backwards farther into the woods. My back slammed into a tree in his final attempt to get me off his back. His body went limp under me. We slid down the tree to the ground as he passed out. The bark tore at my skin and left a dull burn. I lifted the unknown man over my shoulder and made my way back into my house. 

The sounds of sleep let me know that none of my team had woken while I was out. I put the man in one of the kitchen chairs and duck taped him to it. I slipped back into my bedroom and grabbed some clothes out of my duffel bag. I walked back into the kitchen before sliding the tank top and short over my naked flesh. 

I looked in the fridge to see what the twins had gotten from the grocery store. I grabbed out everything I needed for breakfast and got to work.

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By the time I placed bacon on the griddle and pancakes in the skillet, my team started to rouse. 

The twins were the first to come into the kitchen. Jasmine's eyes shot to mine. Jasper walked to our guest and sniffed at him.

"Half breed bear." 

I nodded. "I gathered the same."

Ian came in with our squad medic, Samuel. 

Samuel look at me. "I smell your blood"

I shrugged, flipping a pancake. "Got a back scratch from a pine tree."

He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it shaking his head. "I assume you didn't ask questions."

"Nope. Figured if he was sneaking around I would ask questions later." 

Samuel scoffed and moved to check the man over.

"The bruising on his neck suggests you squeezed harder than you should have had to. You could have broken his neck Katerina. What were you thinking?"

I slowly turned to look at him. I knew my anger was rising to my eyes. Samuel met my stare head on. My beasts rose to the challenge. Each took a turn looking at our medic.

Samuel's gaze flicked behind me. A hand rested on the small of my back.

"Now Sammy boy. You know better than to rile the alpha." Jake slipped around me and sat at the table. He winked at me before looking back to Samuel.

Samuel's lip lifted in disgust. Of all my squad, I could never get along with Samuel. He did not believe that a woman should be alpha. Wanting either Jake or Nikko to take that position. Being a half breed druid, he didn't understand hierarchy the way shifters do. 

"Don't you Sammy boy me child. I am your elder and you will learn to respect that." Samuel's voice got louder as his face turned red.

"What is going on in here?" 

Nikko's tall frame filled the doorway. His eyes touched everyone in the room before resting on me. Our eyes met and he knew how close I was to the edge.

Jasmine edged closer and took my hand. Calming waves made their way through my body. I squeezed her hand in thanks before looking once more. 

" Do you value your life Samuel?" I asked.

His scowl stayed in place when he looked to me. "Of course I do you bloody fool."

"What if our guest here had attacked instead of watching?" Jasmine's fingers glided up and down my arm.

"Then you may have been killed. We would have been fine should you have died. Nikko or Jake would have stood in your place." He met my eyes once more.

I stepped towards him. Under my breath I began to mutter a spell. A loud pop sounded throughout the room as my pack bond with Samuel broke. 

He clasped at his chest gasping in pain.

"While you ride the high of my magic, remember that it can be taken away just as easily Samuel. You are banned from my territory once I have claimed it. You are banned from making contact from me and mine. You are banned from eating in my and mine's presence. You are banned from the bond. You are banned from the pack. Please remove your personal items from my home and never come back." I uttered the words I never wanted to speak to one of me own.

"You are a good druid Samuel, but you forget yourself as to where you stand in my pack. You were our healer because I allowed it. Not because you were good at it. I granted you access to my magic to keep you safe. Not the other way around. Pack your things and leave." I turned on my heel and walked onto the back porch. 

Yelling began the moment the door shut behind me. I closed my eyes and shut my self off from the world as I sat down on the bench overlooking the back yard. The cut bond in my chest thrummed with unhappiness. I went to that place inside me and removed the bond all together. It took a lot of magic to make it go away, but I felt better once it was gone. I kept my eyes closed and slipped into a light nap.