The hunter

Chapter 6

I never heard the door open nor saw it for that fact I was just lost to my tears everything has changed and I felt so powerless to it all. Then I felt it a gentle hand just holding mine, I knew it wasn’t Tyler’s the feel was soft to the very touch. Lifting me head up from my knees I found Akechetah looking at me and he was just smiling at me. “Come on let me show you the way to the kitchen, you don’t have to talk but just know I’m here and your not alone” he then started to wipe the tears from my face so tenderly almost if it was a mother wiping the tears away from her own child after something had caused them so much hurt. Finally I let out a deep breath and stood to my feet, whilst he never let go of my hand. We made our way down the hall till we came to the kitchen as soon as we walked in I couldn’t help but feel amazed by the sheer size of it. Even though it was s kitchen that looked more fitting in a restaurant or pub there was numerous homely touches of home made gifts from children to it that gave it warmth. He made his way over to a fridge “Coke, Diet Coke, Dr Pepper or water” I responded very meekly “Diet Coke please”. Closing the door with my drink and a can of Dr Pepper for himself he took my hand again and led me the way we came, till we came to the front door which we then walked out off and immediately stood on the front porch and walked to one side and both sat on the top step. Gently nudging me with his shoulder “how you holding up?”, again he had this side smile that just made you smile “you really want to know do you?, how about lost, scared confused for starters”. “Well at least you didn’t say angry, all valid feelings, I can’t pretend to understand it from your view each person’s emotions is so different but then that is the beauty in life” opening his drink and taking a long swig of it “After-all how boring would the world be if all emotions where felt in the same way by everyone it leaves no room for individuality”. I laughed at this “I suppose you have a valid point there, It’s just I struggle with change, you know I finally got a handle on my life and then all of sudden it’s like bam”. “Riley you can’t expect life to be all order, we all need chaos and change otherwise how are we to grow, Life is not a set path that is just a straight road we all have to walk through twists and turns”.

Opening my can I looked down at the step admitting that he was right life wasn’t meant to be easy for anyone “Yeah ok I get it but tell me wise one what would you then do.”. Closing he eyes “Well I take it your mum who raised you is no longer here as you said was, and you didn’t mention a dad, so maybe spending time with your Uncle would be a good first step forward” then looking at me intently “After all he also had lost loved ones, I have known him for five years now, he still mourns your mother and also mourned for you, he carried so much guilt with him wishing he had known she was going out as he would have gone, he feels like he could and should have protected her”. “You are now able to help him let go of that guilt, It will give him a new purpose instead of just being what is dictated to us as a birthright”.

I wasn’t sure how to react to this, I had an uncle and wouldn’t I be betraying my parents, they raised me, loved me, kept me safe and took care of me wouldn’t I be dishonouring there memory. Reaching in my bag to taking out a cigarette and offered one to him, which he gratefully accepted and reached into his hoodie and pulled a lighter out, lit his cigarette then lit mine. “Okay I get what your saying, it’s just I feel like I’m betraying my mum and dad, they gave me everything I could have ever wanted, they told me the truth and that I was adopted, but honestly I never really thought much of finding me other family, my mum was dead and was unknown so I made peace with it”. “I struggled for a good couple of years after they died, for a while I was just so angry, they died in a car accident due to no fault of theirs and I wouldn’t want to hurt them if they are up there watching over me”. He pondered this whilst finishing off his cigarette “Why would they feel betrayed?, any parent would just want what is best for there child, they aren’t here anymore and I’m sorry for that but I doubt they would want you to close down on other members of your family, they would want you to be surrounded with them after all that’s why it’s called unconditional love, just think about” “anyway I’m sure Scott won’t be much longer, so I’m going to go in, just remember give it time nothing is ever perfect right away”. With that he got up and went back inside whilst I sat there truly unsure of what to do, I know he is right but I still felt guilty, I wasn’t sure I could do this but it’s not like Scott had done anything wrong and the way he hugged me was sincere.

So there I sat, lighting another cigarette trying to see it through Scott’s eyes, it now made sense when he called me Louisa and just kept staring at me.He never knew I existed till now, if I’m finding this hard then what is he feeling? this is all so weird, how am I supposed to act around him.

Then I could hear shouting from the door way clearly it hadn’t been closed properly I could hear Scott’s voice clearly “You have some f*****g nerve mate, I should have been told instead you let me believe she was dead, the guilt I have felt for years constantly going over every what if in my head just endlessly torturing myself and yet you knew, don’t you dare try and say one word to me, now if you don’t mind I’m going to spend time with my niece”. I wonder who he was talking to, I suppose though that’s one way to find out how he maybe feeling. Stubbing out my cigarette on the step and chucking it in a bucket of dead ends I closed my eyes trying not to anticipate what would happen when he came out to see me. The next thing I knew I was joined on the step “So how weird is this whole thing for you then”, opening my eyes and looking and him “I’m not sure there is a word that best fits to be honest” he then left out this half silent giggle which was infectious and I found myself laughing. “Riley, I’m not going to pretend to try and understand how your feeling, also I’m not really sure how to start this off with us, for twenty four years I thought you where dead, I’ve missed all this time and it’s like I now have to play catch up”. “Just know that I will do whatever it takes, your family, which reminds me there is something I want to show you”. Reaching into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, and retrieved a photo the corners where slightly bent into place as if this picture has been viewed many times. There was just two people hugging, in the photo was a very much younger looking Scott, and this enchantingly beautiful women. Studying this image closely, her blonde hair was almost golden, with eyes that where blue grey and she had the most beautiful smile. “That’s Louisa, my god she was beautiful I never really knew what she saw in your father, but she had the biggest heart although if you pissed her off you would know about it, and was known to be sarcastic at times but then she would not suffer fools”. After mentioning this it bought the biggest smirk to his face as if he was reliving a cherished moment. “You look so like her the only difference between you are your eyes, you definitely have your dads eyes”. “Your father was devastated when he found out she had been killed, it took four of us to hold him back, he was hell bent on going out on tracking the wolves by himself and wanted to kill them all”. “We all do stupid things when we are in love, but he wasn’t thinking rationally and would have ended up dead himself, we can’t ever go out fighting when in such a place emotionally, one thing me and your mother learnt from our upbringing was, even though you need conviction going out in a blind rage won’t do it, your Grandad Tommy made that fatal error and sadly cost him his life”.

Listening to all he was saying whilst still looking at the photo of my mother I then started to realise why isn’t he using my dads name “Scott, where is my dad, why isn’t he here”. Taking out his pouch of baccy and rolling himself one as if trying to avoid the question for a moment. “Riley, for a while your dad went out as a rogue hunter, being honest he never really got over losing your mum, after a while he returned and finally had made some peace with himself he came back although he was forever changed” lighting up and blowing a steady stream of smoke out his mouth “at the moment he comes and goes as the wind changes so the only person who could answer that question really is Elliott but even he loses touch with him at times, you see we usually stay in one type of rank position I’m a tracker along with Akechetah, so we go out for several months fighting and killing any of the pack we can do try and bring numbers down, along with trying to uncover there plans”. Taking another long drag from his cigarette “you see as much as they are wolves they are also human hence the name shape shifters, they prefer to live on the outskirts of society after-all wolves themselves live in wide variety of habitats, so woodlands abandoned buildings you name it”. “As previously stated they have an insatiable appetite normal food can sustain them but if they can get the chance of human flesh they will grab that opportunity, I suppose to say the best way to put it is that it’s an addiction for them after all an alcoholic will never refuse a drink”. Finishing his roll up he flicks it to the ground “they tend to become more ravenous around the full moon phase which lasts for seven days, during that period they go out in human form kidnap people, homeless, drunks, lost they don’t discriminate and drug them, and pay for a normal human to transport them to specific locations so they can hunt for those full seven days,in a sense they can then fully aligned with there wolf form”. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing “ that can’t be right why would anyone help, there allowing people to be murdered”.

Rubbing his chin he replies “why wouldn’t they, the world can be a dark place, these people will be drug dealers, traffickers, thief’s so for people like them name your price and doesn’t always means money, the werewolves provide there security services in human form”.

Grabbing my drink that I had placed on the step next to me he took it and finished of the can, righted himself held his hand out to me and pulled me, then placing his arm around my shoulder “come on niece lets show you to your new room, once you have checked it over we will go to an outlet store and get you all stocked up with everything you need” “Oh and I will be buying as your off the grid as off now which means till everything gets amended you can’t use your cards”.

“That’s to much Scott, well at least let me pay your back when I can otherwise not going to lie I will feel pretty guilty”. Pulling me in for a hug “not a chance girly, anything for my favourite only niece, oh and it’s Uncle Scott by the way madam”. We headed inside and walked up the stairs once we reached the floor Tara was coming out of the ward she looked over and smiled, Scott put his hand on my shoulder and called over to her “Tara I heard you took care of niece, how can I thank you” looking at him questioningly she arched her eyebrow “Niece?, something you want to fill me in on Scott I thought your sister had passed away years ago, have you got secret family members hidden in a closet somewhere” she wave her finger at him in a tut tutting gesture all the time smiling, I had to admit she did have an amazing smile. “ Your so funny oh wait no your not, no my sister is passed away but was pregnant, mind I only found out today she existed”. “Ah, so that will explain where Riley gained the gene from, also if you want to really thank me, give my Patrick some stick he still hasn’t put together the new dresser draws and I’m sick of pulling out the middle draw for the top one to come crashing down, the man’s a nuisance he’s lucky he’s good looking”. Scott roared with laughter “as you wish, I’m sure some grief from a few of us, will help motivate him”. “If you both will excuse me Ive been promised a nice romantic afternoon out with the man” after saying this she gave us a wave and headed of down the stairs. We carried on our way and climbed up two more flights of stairs, we had reached the third floor, “Scott, how many rooms are there this place is huge”, “Isn’t that Uncle Scott how many rooms,” then he playfully poked me so “I get it Riley, it will take some time for you call me that, and it so happens that I’m a very patient man, the ground floor has five rooms, the room for planning mass destruction also known as the council chamber, the room before it is two rooms converted into one and is a sitting room and games room, then we have the kitchen which you also know and before that is the dining room”. “ The first floor is the hospital which again two rooms made into one and a medical supply room, that floor has three massive family bedrooms and a supply closet where we keep weapons, then there are three more floors where there are six bedrooms and again a weapon closet, oh and each bedroom has a en-suite with a shower”.

He guided me along to the very end of the landing next to a bay window and he pulled a key out of his pocket and handed it me “ your new room is on the very right and conveniently my very own room is opposite you, it’s like the fates had it planned that way so I can make sure you do not get up to any mischievousness with men” at that remark I rolled my eyes because firstly not been the type of girl just to randomly hook up with men and secondly I’m not really sure I would ever be able to fully trust a guy like that ever again no matter if there was temptation present, but to try and play it off as not to raise any questions I played into it “Scott I’m shocked you would even think that of me”. “Pleased to hear it missy, but I would advise that you give that Chris a wide birth he only thinks with one thing if you catch my drift and is very good at playing games with his conquests, also I would advise caution with Tyler don’t get me wrong he is a good kid but I just get this vibe that he may also be a slight player”. Nodding to show that I had taken In what he had said I then turned to unlock my door and to be fair it was a decent size on the centre back wall was a window with curtains to the left side of the room was a double bed that had no bed linen on the right hand side was a dresser and wardrobe sat between a door that must lead to the en-suite. So I walked over in that direction and opened the door to have a peek inside there was a sink opposite the door way and to the left was a toilet and a shower that was enclosed by two glass walls and a glass door. “Not bad huh, mind we will need to pick you up bedding and maybe an iPad so you can watch some films if your going to chill in your room” I looked at him “but I have an iPad already” “okay and let me guess was it at the house if yes then correction you had an Ipad” before I even had time to respond there was an almighty sound of crashing sound someone shouting and before I even had time blink Scott was heading straight to the door to see what was occurring.