THE HUNTRESS

6

                         BETRAYAL

Céline's eyes drooped. A yawn escaped her lips, which almost dislocated her jaw.

"Off to bed, kiddo."  Ben said and took a sip of his coffee.

She put the cup down on the coaster. Her vision began to blur. Numbness spread throughout her limbs. Her tongue went to sleep. She could not utter a word.

Ben picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

"Im due time all this will be become clear, kiddo." He said when he carried her to his guestroom.

"Hmm." She hummed groggily.

"Get some sleep Céline." Ben said and tucked her in. He closed the door behind him and sighed. "Sorry, kiddo." He whispered and locked the door.

Darkness enveloped her.

*********************
[3 days later]

Céline jolted upwards. She sat upright and wiped the sleep from eyes.

Groggily, she got up and walked to the door, only to find it locked. "Uncle Ben?" She knocked, but there was no answer.

Céline knocked and knocked and called out to her uncle. Panic set in. Her fist banged on the door.

Nonchalantly, Ben sat with his elbows on his knees. His head rested in his palms. He listened to Céline who tried breaking down the door.

*ping

His phone went off in his pocket.

I found my son's body on my porch, and my daughter is not answering her phone. I need you, brother!

Ben read the message from the notification bar. He sighed and locked his phone.

"I'll be there in a bit, brother." He said and tucked his phone away.

The door busted open. Céline fell to the floor. Her shoulder throbbed, but the pain was short-lived due to her blood bond.

She got to her feet and looked at her surroundings. Slowly, she turned around. Her eyes grew the size of saucers. She froze on the spot.

*********

"How dare you lay a hand on her?! I told you she was off-limits!"

Grey eyes stared daggers at the old King on his throne.

"She's a hunter father!" He spat and scowled.

"What does that matter? I made a vow to that hunter that you want dead." His father said. The king's pupils dilated until his eyes were completely black.

"You did what?!"

"Watch how you speak to me, Lucius! I am your father and your King!" He said enraged. Lucius grey eyes held hatred for his father.

"You made a vow to a hunter! A hunter!"

"I know, Lucius! I know exactly what I did, and I'd do it again, too. That hunter saved my life. She saved Alpha Chris and his pups, too. We both made a vow that night to her that we'd protect her from the war that is going to spill into the land of man. Even if she can't remember, we do, and our vows still stand!"

Lucius shook his head.

"I would've been dead today, but that little hunter saved me from death's clutches. I owe her my life. I will protect her, and if that means going against my kind, then so be it! Because that little hunter went against her kind and saved us." The king said and rested his hand on his knee. He watched his son and waited for a reply, but it never came.

"And if I fail to protect her, then Chris will definitely take over. No werewolf or vampire will touch a hair on that hunter's head! Do you understand?"

Lucius hands shook with anger. His hands fisted at his sides.

"Do you understand?!" The king yelled.

"You choose the hunters over us?" He asked.

"I choose one hunter, not all."

"Siding with one means you're siding with them all! How can you betray your own kind for the likes of a hunter?"

"I'm just keeping my word, son."

"Once the blood moon rises later, you'll have to face me because that hunter is going to die by my hand!" He said and stormed out of the room.

The king jumped up from his throne. His black robe fell to the floor.

"Guards!" He yelled.

Two guards entered the throne room.

"Any news on the hunter's whereabouts?"

"Sire, we bring good news and bad news. Good news, we found her. Bad news, she's with Ben." One of the guards spoke.

The king's eyes returned to normal upon hearing the bad news.

"Why is that abomination still alive?!" He yelled.

The guards' heads dropped. Their silence spoke loudly of their failure to assassinate Ben.

"Leave!"

The guards ran out of the room.

"This is bad." The king said to himself as he stomped out out the room.

                           A/N

I know this chapter is short. I am sorry for doing this, but I'm tied up with work and frustratingly curing a cold. I'll make up in the next chapter.