The Hunt

Chapter 23

Aconitum also known as aconite, monkshood, wolf's-bane, leopard's bane, mousebane, women's bane, devil's helmet, queen of poisons, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly native to the mountainous parts of the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia growing in the moisture-retentive but well-draining soils of mountain meadows. Most Aconitum species are extremely poisonous and must be handled very carefully.

Hunter's Codex, Introduction to were pg. 8

    "How did it go?" Caden asked.
    I had just opened the door to let him into my small apartment. "Couldn't have gone any better."
    He shook his jacket off and made himself comfortable on my couch. "So you met them, huh?"
    I poured a glass of water and offered it to him. "Yeah, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. You could cut through the tension with a butter knife though."
    He laughed at my response and took a drink.
     "How's Alice?"
     "She's good. She's with my mom right now, getting a feel for how the pack is ran." He answered.
    "So are we ready? Now's the best time to get this plan underway, I actually managed to eat and sleep all week long." Our plan consisted of getting their attention, which I did last night when I met them, in an attempt to draw them out to attack. This time though I'll be the one they attack and if all goes according to plan I can keep alive long enough to lead them to a waiting group of wolves.
    A sober look crossed Caden's features. "I'm glad you're feeling good. We've all been a little worried the past couple months that you wouldn't make it."
    I stared out the window, "I honestly didn't think I would either."
    Caden quickly changed the subject, "Bailey's men arrived this morning so we think tomorrow may be a good day to try and entice them."
    "Tomorrow all of this should be over."
    He laughed and nodded, "Well at least for us, you still have the hard part of explaining to your mate that you're a werewolf and so is she."
    I didn't mention to Caden how I was thinking about just keeping it a secret forever. Marrying her, moving away, not ever mentioning how I was an entirely different species. It's not like she needed to know. I had read more in the books my dad had collected from the hunter archives and in all the studies they did on 'abominations' never once did they produce children that could shift.
    My future children, if Michelle even wanted any, could never be the betas they needed to be for Caden's children.
    "Have you thought about how you're going to break the news to her?" His question brought me out of my thoughts.
    "Not really. I figured if I locked her in first with a marriage and a child then she wouldn't be able to leave once she found out." I laughed at Caden's expression, "I'm joking." Kind of. If it came to that then I'll just keep it a secret forever and live like a human.
    "But things are going good? You weren't here all week so I take that as a good sign." He asked.
    "Yeah, I could have formed the bond this week but it felt wrong with her not knowing what was happening."
    "Makes sense it would be going that well. The book did say in close proximity the hybrid mate was able to feel more of the bond." He said.
    I was glad he decided to use the term hybrid instead of abomination like the book.
    "Well, no point in worrying about a way to tell her what I am. At least not until I make it through tomorrow." I was terrified of having to face multiple hunters on my own. I was fast, faster than most wolves, but they had ways to handle that and I was going in half blind.
    Alpha and dad had sat with me this week along with Alpha Bailey and explained what to expect from the hunters. What instincts I needed to avoid because they would lay traps for it and what to do if I found myself in a situation where I ended up falling for one of those traps. It was a lot of information and none of it actually was able to be put into practice until time of.
    I was trying to enjoy what may be my last day alive.

    It took most of the day to finally draw them out. I had been in the woods trying my best to catch their attention. Showing myself in broad daylight when Chris pulled into the drive. The look on his face was pure shock. Slipping a little too close to the edge of the woods by the kitchen window while Cassy was in there. That one took a few tries before she finally noticed me.
    I guess they had enough. That I was getting a little too comfortable with them after meeting them Friday night and they finally came out to hunt once the sun started to go down.
    Their scent was recent along some of the old paths I had taken and as I followed, tracing their steps, my old ones they were tracking, I realized more hunters joined in further into the woods.
    My heart began to race at the thought of dealing with more than just a couple hunters. It didn't help that the snow made it that much easier to track so it was only a matter of time before they realized I was leading them in a massive circle.
    Alpha Andrew was too far away for me to reach out with my worry. He and the group of experienced wolves were waiting even deeper into the woods for me to lead the hunters to them. I needed a way to let them know that there were more than just two. There were at least five that I could smell in the wind ahead of me.
    My paws padded through the soft snow as I made my way to a point that would lead them straight to me from where they were. I didn't hear them as they approached, only sensed that something was wrong. My haunches rose as I felt a presence that was threatening. That's all it took for my instincts to kick into gear and I took off at a run in the direction of the waiting pack.
    As I ran they gave up stealth so they could keep up. Hunters were fast, not as fast as me, but fast nonetheless. I had to pace myself so I didn't lose them, even though I doubted I could lose them for long, I just needed them to stay far enough away so they didn't catch on to there being more wolves.
    Once I entered the meeting spot it was like the world exploded. The wolves came flooding from behind trees and jumped the hunters. I did as was instructed and changed direction, getting as much distance between myself and the fighting as I could.
    It was dad's idea, he didn't want me to fight since I was the one they were after. He and Alpha fought over it before Alice put her foot down. She said for the sake of the pack's future, there was no point in putting an inexperienced wolf in the midst of a fight with hunters. I would just get in their way.
    And she was right. I had decided that I would go to Michelle's to hide. That would be the last place they would look and she was the only one there. I realized, a little too late, that I had made a mistake in letting my defenses down. I heard someone up ahead and as I tried to slow and come to a stop, to change direction again, I saw Chris, gun raised and pointed at me.
    Turning at the last second was probably what saved my life at that moment. The sharp pain in the side of my stomach flooded my senses before the sound of the gunshot made it's way to my ears.
    A yelp escaped my muzzle as I tried my best to run, get away from the hunter with the gun. Instincts screamed to keep going, to go faster, that he couldn't hurt me if he couldn't catch me. But in the back of my mind I remembered my father's instructions.
    'Remember, if you get shot, hide. Shift and hide and slow your heart. Their weapons are laced with wolfsbane and once it's in your system the adrenaline will push it to your heart faster.'
     So I did as he said. Once I was far enough away I shifted. Hiding in the brush as best as I could while the cold from the snow leaked into my skin, freezing me. I took deep breaths and did my best to block out the fire burning in my side from the wolfsbane laced bullet. Everytime I thought of it my heart would beat faster.
    I didn't look down. My fingers were soaked with something hot and sticky, I knew it was my blood. For some reason not looking kept me sane. Like it wasn't happening.
    I focused on Chris' feet trampling through the snow in the distance. Swearing as he tried to find where I went. He wasn't the tracker of the group and I didn't know if I was lucky for that or not.
    On the one hand that meant I had a chance to survive if I could get out of here in time. On the other hand, that meant he wouldn't be able to find me and put me out of my misery. Just keep me trapped to slowly die in these bushes.
    I stumbled out of the brush, back in the direction of Michelle’s. If I was going to survive this I needed to get to the closest help and, unfortunately, that was Michelle.