The Hunted

Arriving Party

                                                                            One Day Until The Hunt

                                                                                    The King

I stood in front of a hut that would hold all of the unmated. Everything was going to start here in this hut. Oak, Birch, Maple, and various pine trees lined the edge of the vast field was displayed in front of me. In one hour the unmated were going to arrive on my pack, hear the rules, what was about to happen to them, and then run for the woods. Where the unity of man, or in this case woman, and a wolf will combine into a soul-bounding relationship. 

All the stress that had built up into these moments drifted away when I relished in the feelings of nature. The soft breeze in the air, the smell of the crisp pines, and the sounds of chatter from wolves that volunteered to help with the hunt. I felt like a king in this moment, the one my mother wanted me to be. The king that those surrounding him adored, respected, and stayed around. She was so proud when I tried to include myself with my pack members, smiling when the older generations called me the future king.

Then my dad dragged me down to try and make my wolf forcefully take complete control over my mind, body, and soul. He didn't realize that to have one we had to have the other, no matter who told him. It got to the point where the only time my wolf surfaced was for healing. Hours and hours of torture left my body numb to touch and weak to any other feeling than rage, despair, and sadness. It got to the point where my wolf and I never spoke. Doing our duty meant our relationship didn't exist... until it did.

A content sigh left my lips before I turned to see Leon with the same content smile on his face. I felt like this hunt would be different. Like this hunt would hold all the things we have been waiting for all these years. As if this was the year we finally age into the old men wolves were meant to be when they find their lovers. It's why this is so important, we value the act of aging. To say I want to grow old with you and mean it on a deeper level. "We should hunt together brother," I started.

"I have a feeling this one is going to be different so I'd like to hunt as a pack. Me, you, and Tobias. What do you say?"

I could see the sadness gleaming in his eyes. He wanted this just as much as the rest of the old souls that suffer alone. "You think hunting as a pack will change things?" 

"Normally it is frowned upon when wolves are still together in these things. That said, the rules say the limit is six wolves must not hunt together in this event but that five under is fine. Strange but we will not complain."

Leon snorted. "Right because we need another reason for the other packs to hate us."

"The packs hate us no matter the reason." 

"A large reason is we never fought for them. As soon as your father started pushing them away, we never tried keeping them, even after you saved all their lives." Tobias said as he walked out of the hut I was standing in front of.

"The way I tried keeping them was by saving their lives. That I killed my father knowing it would kill my mother in the process. I choose our pack over the light my mother gave."

"You're damned if you do and damned if you don't in any of the situations you were placed in. The fact that they didn't see how hard you tried to change your father for the sake of your mother shows just how little they care. Your father was going to kill every man, woman, and child, in the kingdom for power. You just so happen to take the next step before your father did."

Leon spoke up, "I would be honored to hunt by your side. I am honored to call you my king and more so my friend."

"You didn't ask me but I'd be honored to hunt with you too," Tobias said with a teasing smile on his lips.

A maid came running up to us before halting a couple of feet away from us. Bending over with her hands on her knees she coughed up a lung and caught her breath. "They're here!" She exclaimed. We took off in the direction of the kingdom gates, sprinting most of the way there before stopping and walking casually towards the rest of the wolves as we greeted the girls eagerly.

Women spilled out of large cargo vans in a long line. One after another looking around the "paradise" they were told about. I grimaced at the thought of lying to the girls who were going to die and those who were going to change into monsters. A variety of race, color, ethnicity, fashion, preferences, height, weight, and personalities pooled in front of us. Yet I had no spark that told me this was going to be different. Defeated I greeted them with a charming smile. I saw some girls swoon at the sight. 

"Easy pickings," my wolf spoke with disinterest.

"Welcome! This is just the front entrance of where you're going to be staying. These men and women you see with me are here to guide you, get you anything you need, and simply make your stay as remarkable as possible until tomorrow were the festivities begin."

"We are honored to have you stay with us! We ask that you hand over any weapons, phones, or any objects that with take away from this peaceful experience. This is the best opportunity to get a detox from the media and live life in the moment." Tobias spoke next. 

Most of the girls looked at a high from our presence. Smiles, chatting, slight touches, and charming looks keep them in a drug-induced state as long as it's constant. Some girls look weary, alarmed, curious, and hesitant. Those likely turn into uncontrollable monsters that yearn for blood, carnage, and the death of anyone other than themselves. The last few standing normally end up with a warrior, gamma, beta, or if they're desperate enough, an alpha. It's the small group of girls that come through every hunt. The ones that fight for themselves and others, see through the wolf and see a man. Those live through it all.

That's the feeling I'm getting. I feel like my mate is one of those girls.