My Hunter

Chapter 10: Dreadful Choices

He freezes.

He hasn't said a word since my little sentence.

We haven't moved from the spot on the floor, against his chest is where I lay.

"Jacob," I ask in a small voice.

He releases me. Then he stands up. I don't dare look to him.

"Why are you pouting," he demands his voice stern.

"I'm not," I lie. He puts a hand under my chin and jerks my face up roughly.

"You realize what this means," he says, his eyes glaring at me.

"Jacob... I don't want you to watch me die, I don't want you to miss experiences and I don't want to miss anything either. My Father didn't have the right to keep this from me," I declare.

He chuckles.

"You are too much of a child."

Finally I stand up and jerk away from him. "I'm not a child, I'm making a choice with detailed explanations as to why I'm doing this," I snap.

His face grows mad, rage flickers in his eyes.

I see him fighting within himself to control his temper.

"You incompetent little child, do you know what this means! The pain you will face both with killing an animal and with turning," he snares.

I step back, his outburst startling me.

His face grows soft.

"I don't want this for you," he sighs.

"You don't always get to decide what I do with my life," I retort.

His shoulders slump in defeat.

"I'll have a hunting party set up tomorrow. If you are going to do this, we will do the ritual for you becoming a part of my pack," he says.

"Ritual?"

"A series of test, almost like a judgment on whether you are fit to be in this pack," he explains.

"Aren't I going to be Luna," I ask.

"You... this entire thing you plan on doing changes things. I may have imprinted on you. I may marry you and you will become Luna. That doesn't mean that pack accepts you as one of them. You are respected but never liked," he sighs.

"You were just going to let the people you work with hate me?"

"They aren't the people I work with! Their family, something deep within us binds us together," he snaps.

"Oh! Even better," I grumble.

He rolls his eyes at me, and I cross my arms.

He takes out his phone.

"Who are you texting?" I ask.

"My Father, we are doing the hunt now," he says.

"Now, but why now?" I object.

"Because it doesn't give me time to think about what I'm letting you do. The life I'm letting you give away," he mutters in to his phone.

"Go change, now."

After I changed into a camouflage tank-top and dark brown short-shorts I met Jacob in the kitchen.

He glances at me. He has changed into a black leather jacket, with brown khakis and brown hiking boots.

"Take this," he orders and hands me a water bottle.

"You haven't taken any pills, no pain medicine," he asks.

"No should I?"

"No. You'll mess up the transition," he grumbles.

"Let's go, put these boots on and this jacket," he orders. I snatch the boots and let him hold the jacket.

The boots are black hiking boots, and the jacket brown wool.

Then before I know it he's dragging me into the woods.

**

"Why don't I remember the car ride?" I mutter and try not to fall over my own feet.

"Shut up," he growls. He's tenser out here, as if he feels threatened.

I don't speak.

Finally we are in an opening. It's wide and clears of trees and grass. Only dirt remains.

It's too dark to see anything. "Jacob," I whisper fear leaking into my voice.

"Remain quiet," another voice says from the darkness. I shiver and try to scoot closer to Jacob. He doesn't seem to notice.

"Bring the pup forward," the voice orders.

"Don't be so cold, she is after all to be the new Luna," a female voice warns.

"Spare me the fake kindness Perri," Jacob growls another growls is returned.

"Enough," the first voice orders, then it hits me. That voice.

"Mr. Peep?" I say and a small chuckle answers.

"She isn't as dumb as she looks," he chuckles.

"I'm not—" but a hand covers my mouth. Then I feel hot breath next to my ear.

"If you want to leave here with little bruises, then be quiet. Don't speak against the Alpha," Jacob orders.