The Huntress and her Alpha

Chapter Thirteen

It happened pretty much over night. I felt at home here in my new room with Lip. Maybe not the entire pack house but here with Lip in our two rooms I felt like I belonged. I didn’t have any homesickness, especially when Lip stayed with me.

A week had passed since we met and I moved into the pack house with him. It felt like no time at all since we were busy spending time getting to know each other. I was also busy getting used to my new home, learning some of the pack members and spending time with Aimee and Sarah, who made it clear the others were expected to welcome me too.

I ran my towel through my hair as I stood in my bathroom. Once I finished drying my hair, I walked barefoot into my bedroom and stopped dead right outside the balcony doors. I screamed as a large brown spider jumped up onto the glass.

I hate spiders. I’m not afraid of a lot of things, but spiders freak me out to no end. So when I screamed, I’m sure whoever heard me thought I was being murdered.

The door flew open as the spider jumped again, making me flinch and scream.

“Max?” Lip called for me as he walked through the sitting area towards where my bed was. I didn’t realize Jack was behind him until they both made it through the door.

“What happened?” Lip sounded worried. He made to walk towards me but I jumped as the spider moved.

I pointed towards the glass doors. Jack looked amused as Lip finally followed my finger and saw the reason for my scream.

“Spider.”

He tried to hide his smile, but it was useless. He started laughing as Jack walked over and cupped the insect in his hands. Then he opened the door and set it outside far away from where it could get back in here.

“Better?”

I let out a breath. “I just really don’t like spiders.” I whispered as I leaned into Lip. I pressed my lips to his before he could make fun of me some more. “Good morning.”

He laughed again as he pulled away, his hands holding my hips and Jack standing there watching us. I looked towards him. “Thanks Jack.”

He rolled his eyes but for the first time since we met seemed amused by me. “Alpha here thought someone was hurting you by the way you screamed. I’m glad it was just a tiny little spider.”

“It was huge and kept jumping!” I defended myself as Lip squeezed me gently.

I brought my eyes to his. “Aw babe, it’s cute. At least I know to always protect you from the spiders.”

I glared at him. “I guess now is the time I should tell you I hate the nickname babe or baby. I am not an infant. Please call me anything but that.”

Lip laughed, as he look at me. His laughter soon cut off as he realized I was being totally serious. Maybe it came from me just hating most nicknames. But whatever it was I absolutely hated being called baby.

“Well then, sweetheart it is.” He kissed my nose making me laugh.

“So much better.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Breakfast?”

He nodded his head and kissed me again. “Before you screamed I was getting ready to come get you for food. And also… ask you if you had plans tonight.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Yes to breakfast, no to the plans. Why?”

He ran his hands over my arms. “Because my aunt and uncle want to meet you. They suggested dinner in their suite, just the four of us.”

I took in a deep breath and felt panic bubble up in my chest. “Um yeah okay. As long as you’re with me.”

“I won’t leave your side, I promise.” He pressed a kiss to my lips.

We walked down to the dining room, Lip giving me some information about his aunt and uncle. Once we were seated, at a two person table, he reached out and grabbed my hands. I smiled at him as someone filled our glasses with water.

“You sure you’re okay to meet them tonight? I know it’s so soon but they heard Sarah talk about you and they’re jealous she’s already met you.”

I bit my bottom lip. “Do they know that I’m human?”

“Human yes. I um haven’t told them you’re a Hunter though. I’m a little afraid of how they’ll react. Once we’ve mated and everything has settled it doesn’t matter. But right now they still have some sway with certain pack members.”

I nodded. “Okay. Would you… tell me about your parents? I mean, I know you grew up with your aunt and uncle but I’d really like to know about your parents. What you remember, if you feel like sharing what happened.”

Lip blew out a breath and I could tell this was why he has picked a table for just us and far away from prying eyes. I squeezed his hand gently and then he looked at me.

“I was eight when they died. I was away at an alpha training course off on another pack land. My father was very strict with my training, he put me in every course he could find it didn’t matter how far or how long they were. Anyway I was told they were ambushed on the way to pick me up. I never asked for more information than that, I was a kid and I had no idea what losing them meant until it was all happening around me.”

I nodded. “My mom died when I was young too. I was six. We were in the woods staying at a cabin my family has by the lake and a wolf came out of nowhere. She shoved me into the house, into this cupboard. The wolf attacked her inside and she died protecting me.”

Tears filled my eyes. I never properly grieved for her. I felt a stab of pain in my chest. “I never held a grudge against all wolves. You aren’t all killers, like the two who killed my mother. But my father has. It clouds his judgement and makes it easier for him to kill wolves when he finds them.”

Lip nodded slowly. “I know it won’t change what happened or bring her back, but I am truly sorry Max. I wish all wolves abided by the laws, but just like humans we have those who believe their above them.”

I smiled. “I know. Thank you for telling me about your parents. I didn’t want to pry but i wanted to ask. I mean, it’s not normal for an alpha to grow up without his parents.”

“No. It’s not. Sometimes I walk into the master bedroom that used to be theirs and I swear I can still smell my mother’s perfume. Or I hear my father’s voice calling me from his office to tell me how stupid of a decision I made. They’re still here with me.” He touched his chest. “Just like your mom will always be with you.”

I nodded. “I think they’d be proud of us. I mean a girl who’s mother was killed by wolves mated to an alpha who’s parents died by an ambush. Maybe it’s the reason this… moon person put us together.”

Lip’s crooked smiled appeared as he laughed at me. “Moon goodness, Max.”

“Right. Her.”

Lip leaned across the table and pressed a soft kiss against my lips. “Well whatever the reason I’m really glad she put us together.”

“Yeah I’m starting to warm up to you.” I winked as our food was brought out and Lip pulled his hands away from mine. We fell into an easy rhythm talking about what his day entailed and me asking if he was okay if I joined training once again.

I needed something to take my mind off the anxiety meeting his family was giving me. Training had always been the best way to exhaust my body and mine. With Lip busy doing alpha stuff I knew Aimee wouldn’t go easy on me.

——

That evening I found my way to Lip’s aunt and uncle’s floor easily enough. Lip texted me a few minutes ago letting me know he was running late and to go ahead to dinner. I was even more nervous now that I was about to knock on the door without him beside me.

I took in a deep breath and reminded myself of all the horribly scary situations I had put myself through. I could do this. This was just meeting Lip’s family. It didn’t matter if they didn’t like my outfit or my hair. All that mattered was that they liked me.

As I brought my fist up to knock the door opened. The former alpha was attractive, his dark hair peppered with gray but his face still well defined. He looked more like his nephew than I had anticipated. Which made me wonder how much he resembled his father.

He smiled. “I told you she was here Laura.” Then he turned back to look at me. “Well my dear don’t just stand there, come in.”

I stepped around him and breathed in the mouth watering scent of whatever was cooking. My stomach had been in knots all day worrying I hadn’t been able to eat anything.

“I’m Max.” I offered the man my hand. “You must be Lip’s uncle. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Jake.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes and he raised his eyebrows at me and took a moment to finally respond. Once he took my hand he gripped it hard. “Human.”

I blushed. “Yes. I’m human.”

“And a filthy Hunter. Well Lip didn’t warn us about that.”

He let my hand fall and then he sighed. I didn’t know what to say so I stood there awkwardly, feeling once again like I didn’t belong.

“Where is my nephew?”

“He got caught up dealing with something pack related. He told me to come ahead of him. Although now I feel like it wasn’t such a good idea.”

I wrapped my arms around my middle and tried to hold onto my composure. I heard heels clicking behind me and turned to see a beautiful woman, the same age as Lip’s uncle, come around the corner into the living room where we stood.

“Oh.” Her eyes went wide. “Well Philip could’ve warned us she’s human.”

I walked towards her. “Max. The human who mated your nephew. It’s nice to meet you.”

She winced as she took my hand, her nose flaring. “You’re more than just a human. You’re a Hunter.”

“He said you would be a little… unhappy about my heritage.” My voice was soft as I watched her take a step back.

“Max. What is your last name?”

“Calloway.”

Her eyes went wide and she gasped. Then she turned on her heel and went back into the kitchen as quickly as she could. I bit my bottom lip, unsure what I had done to offend her. I wanted to call Lip, to beg him to come and save me.

But I didn’t reach for my phone. I could do this. I had to do this. For Lip. But mostly for myself.

“Let’s go… wait at the table for my knuckle head of a nephew to finally make his appearance.”

I winced. “Did i do something wrong?”

He shook his head. “No little girl. You didn’t do anything wrong. You just weren’t born into the right family.”

“Excuse me?” I felt my anger boil inside my chest. “It’s not my fault some fairytale moon person decided your nephew, a wolf, should be mated to a human. It’s not my fault that when he touched me we both felt an undeniable pull. I fought it, I wanted to go home, to reject him and go back to the humans you all seem to hate.”

His uncle’s eyes were wide as i kept going. “But you raised a good man, an understanding man. He asked me to give him a chance. He told me this bond, it’s what he always wanted. A mate to be with, someone to love body, mind, and soul. Because that’s what his parents had. That’s what he saw with his aunt and uncle. So I’d really like it if you’d keep your snide little comments about my family out of your mouth.”

His uncle opened his mouth, but I stepped around him and sat down at the table. I was done letting people, especially wolves, walk all over me. If they didn’t want to like me then I wanted it to be for a reason other than the fact that I was human. Let them hate me for how I talk to them.

I no longer cared.

His uncle joined me at the table, clearly talking to his aunt in the kitchen. She brought the food out, tension filled the room as she sat down across from me. It was a given we were all just going to wait in silence for the only person who was responsible for bringing us together.

The front door opened after what felt like too long and I smelled his heavenly scent before his footsteps sounded in the hallway. My chest filled with panic as I waited for him to finally save me from this horrible dinner.

“Philip.” His aunts voice rose an octave as he finally showed up. His hand brushed over my shoulder, squeezing it gently. A silent apology for leaving me alone for so long.

“I’m sorry I’m so late. Something came up and I had to see Conner in the infirmary.” He said down beside me with a sigh, his hand automatically finding my thigh. The calming effect of his touch hit me all at once. I welcomed it for the first time since I moved here.

“Is he okay?” I asked quietly as his aunt and uncle watched us together. We seemed a lot more comfortable together now than we had only a few days ago.

He nodded. “He will be. So what did I miss? Aunt Laura, Uncle Jake this is Max. Max this is my aunt and uncle, although I’m hoping they were polite and already introduced themselves.”

“We did son.” Jake nodded and then he sighed. “You didn’t tell us she was a Hunter. Or a Calloway.”

Lip’s face paled. “I um. Didn’t think that was necessary.”

His aunt glared at me. “I told you we should’ve told him the truth when it happened, Jake. This is your fault, not his.”

“I didn’t mate them Laura! This is no ones fault.” He threw his hands up as we watched them bicker. This was the love story Lip had been envious of?

“What is the matter with you? I didn’t tell you Max was a Hunter because I didn’t want you to pass judgement on her without meeting her. She’s my mate, one day she’ll be my Luna. So tell me what is so terrible about this. Because I don’t see anything wrong with it other than you two being prejudice.”

His aunt and uncle shared a look and then Jake sighed. I grabbed Lip’s wrist and pulled his hand off my thigh, lacing our fingers together. I had a gut feeling that whatever they were about to say was going to change what happened with us.

“You parents. We told you they were ambushed, because you were eight years old and you didn’t need to know the brutality of it. But Lip. It wasn’t wolves that killed your mom and dad. It was hunters.”

My heart stalled as the words washed over me. “Hunters?”

Jake glared at me and then turned back to look at his nephew. “Not just any hunters. Rick Calloway and his protégé daughter.”

My mouth was dry, my mind trying to remember whatever they were talking about. I didn’t go hunting with my father for a long time. If Lip had been eight, then I was only five. My mom would’ve still been alive and we wouldn’t have been training yet. She didn’t want me training until I was thirteen. Her death sped that up but that would’ve been years later.

“No.” I shook my head. “I wasn’t there. I would’ve been five when Lip was eight. I’m not denying my fathers involvement, but I’m denying mine. I didn’t kill your parents Lip, I promise you that.”

He nodded. “I believe you.”

His eyes looked haunted, like he was trying to come to terms with the fact that my father had more than likely killed his parents.

“Well your father slit my brother’s throat. Then they did the same to his wife, only after making her watch. So tell me, Max Calloway. How do you think their son can ever fall in love with you?”

My throat tightened as I looked at the only two wolves I had actually wanted to impress in this stupid pack house. The two that meant something to Lip, the two that were his only family besides his little sister.

Tears filled my eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe he shouldn’t.”

I pulled my hand out of Lip’s and pushed away from the table. “I’m sorry. I need to go.”

The walls were closing in, I couldn’t stay in that room with them anymore. I grabbed my shoes and left their apartment as quickly as i could. I didn’t find my way back to my room. I kept walking, still barefoot, until I made it out of the pack house and out onto the wet grass.

I gulped down the fresh air, not realizing I had been holding my breath until I made it all the way outside. I pushed my feet back into my flats and walked away from the safety of the house and towards the darkness of the trees.

The tears started to fall as I fell to my knees. I had always known deep down I didn’t deserve the happiness that Lip offered me. Now that his family agreed, I couldn’t stop imagining him rejecting me. I was human, a Hunter, someone who was created to hunt his kind. We could never make this work.

We were crazy to believe we could.

I pulled my knees up to my chin, the pain inside my heart becoming too much to bare. God I went from zero to one hundred real fast, because just a few days ago I didn’t truly believe in this mate bond. I didn’t know if I would stay here with Lip forever.

Now there was nowhere else I wanted to be. And it felt like everyone around us was trying to pull us apart.

A branch snapped behind me, whoever was there wanted me to know. I braced myself for Lip’s warmth, but when the body sat down beside me, I was more than surprised to turn my head and see Jack sitting there. Tears filled my eyes, slightly disappointed that Lip hadn’t been the one to come after me.

“Lip mind linked me to find you.” His normally angry voice was soft. “Let me guess, Laura and Jake weren’t the most welcoming aunt and uncle when they met you.”

I laughed. “My father killed Lip’s parents. They don’t want us together.”

Jack shrugged. “They don’t think anyone is good enough for their perfect nephew. Every girl he dated when he was younger would go running because of them. Trust me, Lip cares about you. More than he cares about what they think about you. He does what he wants, not what anyone else tells him to do.”

“How can he look at me after finding out that my father took away his parents? I mean, he can’t possibly care for me knowing my father trained me to do the exact same thing, can he?”

A tear slipped down my cheek. “Max. I’ve never see my best friend as infatuated with anyone as I’ve seen him become with you. He was lost, then you showed up at the bar, dancing around in a worn in jean jacket to a song about an Irish girl and he was suddenly found. I saw it happen right in front of me. I was worried I’d have to remind him about the no human unless mated rule.”

I smiled. “Really?”

“You think he’s bad now? You should’ve seen him when you left before midnight that night. He was a mess.” Jack reached out and brushed away my tear. “Give him some credit, Max. He loved his parents, sure. But just like he is not responsible for what they did while they were alive, neither are you. Your father is his own person, with his own actions to be responsible for. Lip knows that.”

I nodded. “First you saved me from the spider in my room and now the evil family members. Maybe you aren’t such a big scary wolf, Jack. Maybe you’re actually as soft as Aimee claims you are.”

Jack frowned. “I’m not soft. Don’t listen to a word she says.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “She loves you. So much.”

“I love her.” His eyes were wide. “I know what it feels like, this bond. I was in love before it happened to me, but this, it’s all consuming. Then to fall in love with that person for more than just their body and what your wolf wants from them, it’s even more consuming. Lip cares for you, so much Max. Trust in that above anything else. You won’t question when someone tells him that you aren’t worth it. Because to him you’re more than worth it. You’re the reason for it all.”

I leaned in and hugged him from the side. “Thank you.”

He shrugged. “I mean. I’m just doing my job as Beta. Making sure the future Luna doesn’t get killed running away to the woods and crying.”

I laughed. “There’s the Jack I’ve come to know and tolerate.”

Jack stood up and held out his hand. “Let’s go find your alpha. He’s getting worried about you.”

I took his hand and let him help me stand. He pulled me into his side keeping me warm from the chill that had settled over this night. I tried to believe what he said. I tried to focus on the way Lip’s heart felt beating alongside mine.

No matter what his aunt and uncle wanted, no matter what his pack said about me, at the end of every day he came and chose to be with me.