The Hunt

Chapter Twelve

Mason's point of view

I kissed the side of her surprised face. Lexi knew some of the history about my father, but she didn't know the worst of it. 

My father had been a violent bastard, but even he felt the disturbance within his pack. He took Grayson and me away from that pack after our mother died. 

"So this is a power play?" she asked in curiosity.  It wasn't often that I let the other wolves think I hadn't spotted them. I gave a noncommittal shrug as I sat back and took a sip from my drink.

"We should be calling for back up," she suggested at my silence. "We know where they are."

Backup would do no good, my wolf tried to tell her, but I had shut down the bond. When I had to tuck the wolf back down, he wasn't happy about it. "If we did that, they would suspect something and run."

"We can chase them."

I immediately shook my head. I felt my wolf pull for control at the idea of putting our mate in that kind of danger. "We are not chasing them. They are on a hunt for you. Jenna gave them a challenge when she brought you to their attention." It was a good thing that bitch was already dead, my wolf roared against my control at the thought of her. I felt the same. 

The wolves stood up from heir table, throwing a few bills on it to cover their tab. 

She rolled her eyes at my obvious over-protectiveness. "Why does it always have to be me?"

"You're a magnet for trouble," I teased, keeping her attention on me and not on the oncoming predators. 

"How did you end up being my mate then?" She barely contained her smile; just a ghost of it came to the face. She wouldn't be smiling if she knew they were coming. 

"You're a magnet for trouble." I playfully smirked and winked at her. Color filled her cheeks. It was almost too easy for me to distract her. 

Surprise was quickly covered by a flicker of anger when the two wolves sat down at our table. 

The one I had scarred, I didn't know his name or recognize him, but the other I did. Thomas Lesley had been in my father's pack. As far as I knew he wasn't much of anyone in it. The other had to be his protégé. The pack did have a reputation for being rather disturbed. 

The scarred one sat next to Lex, which made her cringe closer to me. 

"So," Thomas said, "I haven't seen you since you were a child, Meyers."

My gaze hardened on the wolf. "What are you doing here?" I didn't bother leaving this a calm conversation. I wasn't happy to see them. They were causing a mess that I, sure as hell, did not want to have to clean up. 

Both of them looked at Lex. I didn't like the fear I felt through our bond when I reached out. I fed her reassurance that I knew what I was doing. I knew she felt it when the stiffness left her shoulders and her confidence returned. 

I wouldn't tolerate these men thinking that my mate was weak prey that they could target to get to me.

They needed to see that she was strong and wouldn't cower away from them. 

"Just a little sport," the scarred one answered, not taking his eyes from Lex.  

I needed his attention on me. "This sport has long died out, like your pack."

Fury lit in his eyes as he tore them from Lex to stare at me. "Our pack hadn't died out. It was destroyed by Finn." These rogues didn't frighten me like they did Lex. She had reason to fear unknown male wolves, I didn't.