The Hunted

Chapter 11

Multiple POVs

Kota's POV

The room was filled with yelling and cursing, but it sounded a million miles away. Could she be right? Could the very same people who killed Sang and my son, and hurt her, be the same ones attacking us now? I felt like I was trapped, my heart was racing, and my head spinning. A cool finger brushed away a tear I didn't realize had fallen. I looked up and met her pale eyes. She was kneeling before me, one hand on my cheek, the other on top of my own hand. "I'm sorry," she said softly, "sometimes, I let my mouth get ahead of my head. I shouldn't have just blurted that out."

I couldn't move. My wolf whimpered inside my head, and my heart hurt at her sad expression. I wanted to pull her against me and hide her away from every bad thing. How was this possible? I'd only felt this way once in my life before...

"Kota," she said softly. The sound of my name on her lips undid me. I pulled her into my lap and buried my nose in the crook of her neck. She smelled like fresh rain and I felt my heart rate begin to slow. Her skin felt cool against mine as her fingers tangled at the nape of my neck.

"Mine," my wolf and I growled into her ear. Her soft gasp sent tingles down my spine. I wanted to mark her right then, but I knew I couldn't. What the hell was happening?

I heard someone clear their throat and looked up to see five very pissed-off Toma men glaring at me. I turned to meet Callie's gaze. She was still in my lap, her eyes slightly glazed, and her pink lips parted. Fuck, I want to taste those lips. "Callie," Axel said quietly.

She blinked slowly, as if coming out of a trance, then blushed furiously. She looked up at the others and then back to me. "I don't understand," she finally said. "Why did you say that, and why do I feel this way?"

Axel's shoulders sagged, "Seriously? Well, fuck me."

I sighed and loosened my grip on her waist, "He needs you." She hesitated, then walked toward him and wrapped her arms around him. "I don't understand what is happening here, but I won't apologize," I said.

"I think we all need to take a breath," Sean tried to say, but Raven growled.

"Волки не должны так трогать маленького вампира. Она не для тебя! (Wolves should not touch little vampire like that. She is not for you!)"

Callie spun around in Axel's arms and yelled at him, "Нет! Он не сделал ничего плохого! (No! He didn't do anything wrong!)" He growled at her and she hissed at him. "Just stop! All of you, just stop," she screamed and stormed out the front door almost faster than the eye could track.

Axel started to follow her, but Corey stopped him. "Give her a minute. You'll feel when she is ready for you to talk to her. As for everyone else, I think Sean's right, we need to have a seat and talk about what just happened."

"Might want to discuss what happened with Gabe and Luke earlier, too," Marc added with a sigh.

"Wait, what?" Axel growled, "Why the fuck am I just hearing about this now?"

"Because I didn't make the connection until I saw what just happened with Kota." Axel glared at him but didn't say anything else.

Phil and Amelia excused themselves, while the rest of us sat down awkwardly. "Well, I guess I should explain," I started. "I was obviously upset by her revelation and possible connection to Sang. I was starting to spiral when I felt her hand on me. My wolf went nuts." I looked around at my brothers, "It was like the first time I saw Sang all over again. I don't really understand how, but she's my second chance mate. Ronan wants to mark her, hell, I want to mark her." I heard their grumbles and confusion.