The Hunted

Chapter Two

- Seb -

I hitch a black-and-blue backpack onto my shoulders.

"Going hunting?" Ash's red eyes burn bright with ridicule.

"Uh-huh," I say.

Jo, Tas, and Shi mumble, incoherent, as they devour a plateful of Mom's oversized blueberry muffins.

"Yeah, and bring us back a human or two." Jo chuckles maniacally, bits of fruit and muffin falling from his mouth.

He's like a rabid dog-sometimes I wonder if he should be put down.

Ash claps me on the back. "I second that."

"In your dreams." I smirk and turn to go.

"Aw, don't be like that," Ash says, a vicious smile on his thin lips.

"Screw you."

Kat pads over to me. "I'll walk you out."

I traipse into the kitchen. Mom's mixing up another batch.

"Hungry boys, aren't they?" she says, smiling.

"They're just jealous." I return her grin.

She pretends to shoo me. "Go on. Both of you. I've got work to do." She returns to her mixing bowl.

Bending, I press my lips to her cheek. "Love you."

Her hands cup my face. "Me, also."

Kat drags me out of the door. "Want me to come with?"

I roll my eyes. "You mean 'can I come'?"

He shuffles his feet. "Yuh-okay-whatever."

"No."

"Aw, why not?"

"'Cuz I said so," I joke.

Kat straightens; smiling, mocking. "Yessir, Alpha Seb." He salutes me.

I allow myself a chuckle. "We're not in the army."

He shrugs.

"You can come next time, I promise. Okay?"

He punches my shoulder. "Okay."

"And watch out for Mom. Make sure Ash doesn't harass her."

"He is a bit of a doucheface." Kat snaps to attention. "Beta Kat accepts challenge."

Kat's like the prankster brother I never had. Or wanted. "'Kay, I'll be back in an hour or so."

The night has begun to creep in. Spooky shadows and hooting owls. A chill shimmers up my spine. Humans have long locked themselves away in their houses. The rez isn't a place you want to be out in after dark.

Good thing I'm not human.

I sprint into the forest, deep enough so no one can see me strip. When I reach the third fallen log, I stop. Kicking off my shoes, I crumple my shirt and jeans, stuffing them into the backpack and tugging the zipper closed. I cram it in a log.

The prickling of my skin intensifies as my hunger for flesh and blood grows, twisting and churning my stomach. Tugging at my muscles. I leap into the air. Hands and feet turn to paws, fingers and toes to claws. Fur spreads over my whole body, gray with circles of black on my back.

I raise my muzzle into the air and suck in a deep breath. Rust, salt, and sinew fill my nostrils. East. The lake. I pad towards it, silent and starving. Then it hits me. Like a brick wall shooting up, keeping me in my place. Staggering back as the scent of roses and coffee floods my airways, I shake my head to rid myself of the stench. Where's it coming from? I must find out. I need to. It's too mouthwatering to resist. I spin, sampling the air around me. West. I charge through the forest, paws crashing against leaves and bracken. I'm making too much noise. I've forgotten to care. Lost all rational thoughts.

I pass the invisible border dividing Aeston and Taylor.

A house appears at the edge of the trees, its exterior brown and gray. A blonde girl sits on the porch, candlelight sparking across her face. I freeze, claws digging into soil. She's reading. The light breeze brings her scent to me. Coffee and roses. Such a sweet, decadent aroma. My mouth waters. She can't be more than seventeen. I creep as close as I dare, curious. Her hazel eyes dart across the page. What's she reading?

She doesn't see me. I slink closer, leaning out of the trees.

A male voice cuts through the air. "Dinner's ready."

Her head snaps up. "Coming, Dad!" She marks her page, snuffs the candle flame, and then disappears inside.

I wait. Minutes or hours pass. A light in an upstairs room illuminates. The curtains close. Moments later, the curtains open and the light is extinguished.

I must see more.

- Cassie -

When I wake, my room is still dark. My skin is peppered with tiny bumps, though it's hot enough in here to cauterize my organs and dry out my lips. I lay frozen, ears pricked up, listening for the sound that stripped me of sleep.

Rustle, rustle, snuff. Rustle, rustle, snuff, snuff.

Curious and petrified, I open one eye and squint into the night. Is someone in my room? Something? Tree shadows dance across the darkened green walls. It's quiet again. For a moment, I'm convinced it's all in my head. Then a movement by the window jolts me. I drag my eyes to the glass.

No way. No. I cannot believe it.

At first, I notice its gray fur, matted in places around its muzzle and ears. Then its spearmint-green, glowing irises lock with mine.

Heat pinballs up my spine, firing signals into my brain. Run! Run!

Kelley-who I've known my entire life, Dad's oldest and dearest friend-warned me of these creatures. Bloodthirsty monsters who can appear to be anyone, anything. They taunt us, track us, and feed on us. The survival rate is nil. And though I've never seen a skinwalker up close before, I am not afraid. Something in his eyes tells me not to be. They're calm, curious. Friendly. Kind. There's pain in them too, and I can't help wondering why a sadistic creature would feel anything other than menace.

When I dare for a closer look, a leg tangles in the sheets and I stumble out of bed. I fall on my face. "Ow." My nose presses into the oak. I swivel my head towards the window. The wolf is gone, a ghost in the night. Just your imagination, Cass. The moonlight playing tricks.

I try to convince myself that is the answer, but it doesn't work. Throwing open the window, I lean out. Rain drops splash onto my face. The wind is like icicles on my flesh. My eyes scrape across the yard. Is my wolf out there, cloaked in the shadows? I guess I'll never know.

I shut the window and tiptoe back into bed, where I wait for sleep to find me. But after twenty minutes of lying there, I'm wide awake. I roll over and clench my eyelids shut. In the distance, howling ensues. My wolf? It brings a comfort to me that I've sorely missed.

I drift off, listening to his broken cries.