The Huntress and her Alpha

Chapter Twenty Nine

We didn’t sleep in that morning. Lip woke first and laid with me, then when i knew we couldn’t put it off any longer we got up. We got breakfast, Lip eating more than I’ve ever seen him eat before. Bulking up for the fight he told me.

I barely ate, my stomach in knots. All day I felt a million miles away, distracted by the fact that Lip would be fighting and I would be here, away from him.

“You okay?” Lip asked as we sat on the couch together lost in our own thoughts. We were supposed to meet Travis and Luca soon, but Lip insisted we stop working and worrying and spend time together.

I sighed, burying my face in his chest. “No. This fight is about me and I won’t even be there to fight beside you. I’ll be here, hiding with the excuse of protecting the pack house.”

“You’ll be doing the most important job. Protecting our vulnerable women and children. Max.” He pulled my face out of his shirt and forced my eyes to his. “This fight isn’t just about you. It’s about us. I love you, I will do what I have to do to protect you.”

I nodded. “I’m just worried about you.”

He flashed me that crooked smile, his thumb brushing over my cheek. “There’s nothing to worry about sweetheart. I promise you I can take Andrew. Jack and I both.”

I nodded. “I just have this gut feeling something is going to go wrong. It was too easy to put this all together.”

“I know.” He kissed the top of my head. “I feel that way too. But for now let’s just hope it works out. Andrew will not get his hands on you or anyone else from our pack for that matter.”

I smiled. “My big protective alpha.”

His eyes flashed as he laughed. I laid my head back on his chest and sighed, listening to the background noise of whatever show Lip had turned on. The laugh track taunted me, telling me that tonight wasn’t going to go over without a problem.

I closed my eyes and prayed to my mom, to the moon goddess, to whoever was listening to keep my mate safe.

——

Lip shook me awake gently. “Wake up sweetheart. We should start towards the border.”

I nodded. “Do I have time to change?”

He laughed. “Yeah go change. I won’t leave without you.”

I stretched and went to the closet pulling on a pair of leggings and one of Lip’s plain tan sweatshirts. Then I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and grabbed my sneakers.

“God I love seeing you wear my clothing.” He all but moaned as I came back into the living room and sat down to put my sneakers on.

“I know.” I laughed as I tried to settle my nerves. “Alright let’s go.”

Lip held me close as we walked through the trees. Neither of us were ready to be separated, which meant we were holding onto each other for dear life. The sun had set long ago by now, which gave way to the cold night. I shivered, my eyes barely adjusted to the light of the moon as Lip held me tighter.

“Andrew has no idea we’re coming. Everything is going to go smoothly. Trust me, Max.”

I nodded. “Okay. I believe you. But Andrew is crazy and I just feel like something is going to happen while you’re gone.”

“Well it’s a good thing my warrior Luna will be guarding our pack then.”

We stopped at the tree line and I turned to face him. “If something happens tonight just know that I love you, with all my heart and soul. I would do everything exactly the same, if it meant I found you.”

Lip leaned down and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He held me tightly against him and kissed me softly, then passionately. I knew he was trying to tell me everything was going to be okay.

“You just worry about our future. Because we have a long and beautiful future head of us, Max.”

I nodded. Then a branch snapped and a group came through the brush. I stayed holding Lip as Luca appeared with her fellow hunters assigned to stay with us at the pack house. They stared at us, some in awe and some in what looked like fear.

“Luca.” I nodded to her as I saw Travis and his smaller group waiting for the signal to join Lip and his wolves heading to Andrew’s territory.

Luca didn’t smile, she barely acknowledge me. Her eyes were on Travis, like she was waiting for him to give her instructions. Like she was trying to hide something from me.

Or maybe I was just being paranoid. After all I’m sure they wanted to say goodbye to each other too.

“This is where I leave you.” Lip whispered softly as Jack came up behind me. “I love you. Stay safe.”

“I love you. Come back to me solider.” I whispered as I touched his cheek.

Lip took Travis and his group and then fell into line with Jack and Connor. They went off towards Andrew’s land and I turned to Luca. She seemed very… different as we stood there. She didn’t smile or go to hug me. This wasn’t the best friend I knew.

“Okay you guys ready? We’ve got the boring job tonight.” I smiled and tried to get Luca to look at me. She kept avoiding my gaze, even as we walked towards the pack house.

Once we were on our grounds I turned to the group who was staring at Luca for direction. I took in a breath and summoned my former Hunter authority. I looked around and held up my hand. Sarah joined us as we stood in front of the eerily quiet pack house.

“Alright three of you on the left, three on the right. Then I want two in the back and then Luca, Sarah, and I will stand guarding the front.”

Everyone partnered up and took a side. Once the house was surrounded I sent Lip a quick message, hopefully he hadn’t shifted yet.

I love you. Please be safe.

I got a quick reply. I’m always safe sweetheart. I love you too, don’t worry about me.

I put my phone back in my pocket and sighed. “I hope you two are ready for a long night.”

Luca winced and kept her eyes on the trees. Sarah sighed and I could tell her strength was wearing down already.

She shouldn’t be out here, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. The doctor had barely cleared her for this assignment, but she was just as stubborn as her brother. She would’ve been out here either way, which meant doctor Smith had no choice but to pretend it was okay. She was overexerting herself, her body might heal quickly, but that attack had been harsh.

My gazed moved over Sarah as I did a quick sweep of the tree line, finding nothing but quiet night surrounding us. Once I felt like everything was settled, like this night was under my control, I let out a slow breath. I turned and found my way back to Sarah and Luca.

Who were both staring out into the darkness avoiding each other.

I stood between Sarah and Luca, my best friend still insanely quiet. She seemed different, almost like she didn’t want to be here. I looked over at her, feeling disconnected. Like she wasn’t actually okay with me finally choosing a side.

“Luca.”

She went stiff when footsteps approached us from the woods. I stood in front of the doors to the house, blocking the entrance. Lucas eyes were filled with tears as her hand played with the bottom of her shirt.

“Max I just need to tell you—.”

But another voice cut her off. A voice I had known my entire life. A voice that had once been my comfort, even when he was reprimanding me. A deep voice that used to be my family. My eyes snapped up and focused on him as he came into view.

“Well hello there my darling daughter.” My fathers smirk hit me and I felt my heart stop.

“What?” I looked at him and then glared at Luca. “You didn’t.”

“Max I'm sorry.” Luca said quietly.

My father smiled. “You really think my own hunters would keep you away from me? I mean. I can be very persuasive.”

“Lip isn’t here.” Sarah took a step closer to me.

“Oh i know. I was counting on it. I’m here to make sure you go back to alpha Andrew.”

“Why? Why are you working with him? He killed mom. He’s why you hate wolves.” Tears filled my eyes as Sarah grabbed my hand. She was trying to keep me strong.

“Because I have a plan. He’ll break your bond and then I’ll get my most promising Hunter back.”

I pulled down the collar of my sweatshirt, wondering if he could see the teeth marks in the dim porch light. “He marked me. If you break my bond you’ll kill me.” I didn’t know if that was true but I didn’t want to lose Lip.

I refused to lose him.

“Well then I guess Andrew will get his wish.” He muttered as Luca looked at me.

She moved the hand at her side closet to me just a fraction of an inch. Then all the hunters who had come along with her turned, their backs to my father and their stance aggressive towards us.

All at once it was me and Sarah against more than 10 hunters.

“Sarah.” I kept my voice low. “Tell your brother we need back up now.”

She nodded and then I looked at my former best friend. “How could you? You promised me that you and Travis would help. That we’d be different.”

“He knows… he threatened to take my baby.” she touched her stomach and I could see the fear in her eyes. “I had to.”

I shook my head. “If something happens to Lip, I’ll never forgive you.”

She nodded. “I know.”

“Is Travis turning on Lip? Did he go with them only to switch sides?” My blood was boiling as I waited for her to answer me. She winced and then I heard rustling in the trees.

Travis appeared. “Max.”

“I never would’ve turned on you.” My entire chest hurt as I struggled to breathe. Seeing him here and not with Lip. It meant my family, my pack, was even more vulnerable than they had prepared to be.

Luca’s eyes filled with tears. “That’s not fair.”

I ignored her. “So this was all a trap. To get to me? You’re double crossing Andrew now? I should’ve known Lip was right, we couldn’t trust you. But I thought since I had been one of you once that meant something.”

Travis stepped towards me, putting Luca and my father behind him. He looked into my eyes and I could see him pleading with me. Almost like he was asking me to play along.

“I’m not letting him take you to Andrew. And I won’t let him hurt your pack. Trust me.” His voice was deadly quiet. No one else could hear him but me.

I shook my head and Sarah squeezed my hand. “Lip is sending Jack and Aimee for now. He’s cornered Andrew and he won’t leave until he’s dealt with. I told him what’s happening.”

I nodded. Jack and Aimee were better than no one. I took in a breath and looked at my father. “Well I guess this is what you’ve been waiting for dad. So if you wanna fight, you have to fight me.”

Sarah dropped my hand as my dad stepped forward and I screamed at her. But then before I could stop her she shifted, putting herself between me and my father.

“Sarah no.” I needed her to keep my connection with Lip. She was barely healed, she shouldn’t be shifting.

She looked at me with her big brown wolf eyes and I could see her response.

You’re my Luna, my sister. I will keep you safe.

I nodded, holding her stare. Then my father attacked. He thought i was distracted, but Sarah and I had been training together with Aimee. We worked well together. Which meant we knew what we were doing.

Sarah bypassed his assault and went towards Brian. I side stepped my fathers fist and grabbed his other arm, rotating it behind him. Then I kicked his legs out from under him and flipped him in the air throwing him down on his back.

He landed hard, my adrenaline was high from betrayal and worrying about what Lip was dealing with across the border from us.

My father coughed as Travis and Luca stood there watching. I raised an eyebrow. “Seems like your traitors don’t want to help you.”

Luca held her stomach. “Max.”

I ignored her and put my foot on my fathers chest. “Tell me daddy dearest. Why can’t I be happy? Why do you want to break this bond so sadly?”

“Because Lip doesn’t deserve you.” His voice broke enough for me to leave up on my hold. He sat up slowly, watching my face. “You could’ve been the greatest hunter there ever was. But you gave it all up for a filthy alpha. I raised you better.”

“Mom raised me to believe in love.” I whispered softly as my father got to his feet. “She raised me to believe in the love you two had.”

“Not with a wolf. With anyone except a wolf.”

He knew I was distracted now. He ambushed me, grabbing me by the waist and throwing me onto the ground. We rolled, I tried to gain the upper hand but my father was stronger than me. He landed on top of me, knocking the air out of my lungs. Tears pricked the corner of my eyes as I coughed, trying to regain my breathing.

“I’m sorry, Max. But I can’t let you two be together.” He said softly.

I pulled my right hand out from under me and clicked the ring I never took off my finger. My dad wrapped his hands around my neck and I felt the pressure of his thumb press against my throat. I squirmed but he held me tightly between his legs.

His eyes were wild. I didn’t recognize him. He wasn’t my father anymore. My vision came in and out of focus as he cut off my airway. I brought my hand up and punched him with the little claw left to me by my mother.

He fell off me as blood fell from his temple. I rolled away from him, gasping for air as I stood up away from him. Before I could say anything, or think of a way to get him to stop, a large brown wolf ran between us and pinned my father down.

There was a smaller tan wolf helping Sarah who had slowed down fighting with the other hunters. I kept watching, standing there realizing that my new family was trying to kill my old family. Tears filled my eyes, I never wanted anyone to die. Not because of me.

Well maybe Andrew but he deserved it.

“Stop!” I stood up on the steps of the house and screamed, my voice was raw. I screamed again as loudly as I could. “Stop fighting!”

Everyone stopped and I looked around. “We don’t have to hate each other. We can be friends. We can have a treaty and be neighbors. Please, I don’t want to lose anyone else tonight.”

Jack backed off my father. He stood up, blood spilling from his nose. “We can never be friends.”

I winced. “Yes we can. Travis wants a truce as much as I do. If Travis was your leader none of you would be fighting us right now.”

“Because Travis is a weak child.” My father spat the words as Travis wrapped his arms around Luca.

I saw the large silver wolf out of the corner of my eye. He had blood around his mouth, but for the most part looked unharmed. My chest tightened when Lip’s eyes found mine. I smiled at him, then he shook his head.

“I will never let him have you.” My father’s voice broke through my stare and then I saw the gun. My father never fought with weapons. But this one was pointed right at me.

He smiled, but I wasn’t scared. I had been shot once before and survived. My father’s eyes, the steel blue ones that matched mine, were bright as he paused. After a second of silence, he turned towards where Lip was now shifting back into himself. My father took a step towards him.

Lip rushed to pull on a pair of shorts and then it all happened at once.

He ran towards my father, trying to rush him and disarm him. His muscles strained as he tried to take the weapon from my dad. But my dad matched Lip’s strength with his own and the gun didn’t budge. I was helpless, trying to keep an eye on the gun, but they were both holding onto it, fighting for control.

“Lip stop!”

Then someone pulled the trigger, the gun still pointing at chest level. The sound was deafening, my mouth went dry. I screamed, time slowed down, it felt like life was suddenly in slow motion. I held my breath, waiting to see who was it.

It was Lip’s knees that buckled. Something between a sob and a scream escaped my throat as he collapsed, his eyes rolling backwards. Jack and I both moved at the same time, running o him.

Connor came flying out of the woods and pounced on my father, I didn’t care what happened to him. I didn’t care what happened to any of the hunters now that they had turned on us. All I cared about was getting to my mate.

My chest felt hollow, I could feel his heart beating slowly beside mine.

“Stay with me, sweetheart.” I whispered as I grabbed his hand. “Please stay with me.”

Lip’s brown eyes found mine, a tear falling down his cheek. My heart shattered as he whispered softly. “I’d do it all over again too.”

Lip passed out and that’s when my world fell apart.