The Hunted

Nineteen

Red

Blake was sitting at the kitchen table with Monroe and Lucy when Red and Henry arrived at the packhouse.

There was no one else around, not a single other soul inhabiting the house. As if the word had gotten out that there was a human here and people had known, instinctively, to avoid the space until Henry gave the all-clear. And so it was just the three females who sat next to each other in the kitchen, the air thick with tension as they spoke with each other.

"—a brother," Blake was saying. Red heard the sound of her fingernails drumming against the hardwood table. "That's the only family I've got."

"Your parents?" Lucy asked.

"No." Blake's voice was dark and firm enough that even Red, still standing in the front foyer with Henry, knew that the avenue of conversation was closed.

Thankfully, Lucy and Monroe didn't push. Monroe only replied, "And your brother – he wasn't mad when you said you were coming to a werewolf pack for an extended stay?"

Red kicked off his shoes, depositing them on the near-empty mat next to the door, and padded further into the house. Henry followed suit, trailing a step behind.

"He doesn't know," Red heard Blake reply. "We're not close. Haven't spoken in years, actually."

"Is he a hunter too?" Lucy asked, fishing for a little bit of information. Henry had probably told her to do it as they tried to ascertain if Blake had weaknesses – a place they could target her if she caused a problem.

"No, my brother isn't a hunter. He's in medical school, actually. Harvard. He's stupid smart – a real black and white kind of guy. My job is the reason we're not close. He doesn't see the point in having a relationship if I'm so hellbent on putting myself into situations that will likely get me killed."

"You could stop hunting," Monroe suggested and as Red and Henry near the kitchen, he saw her offer Blake a one-shoulder shrug.

Red blanched, waiting for the cutting remark from Blake that was no doubt coming. He and Henry paused in the doorway, moving no further into the room as they looked to where the females were sitting. Lucy, at the far head of the table, flicked her eyes to where Red and her Mate lingered. Next to her, Monroe did the same. Blake had her back to them and didn't even move. Likely hadn't even heard their silent approach.

The human was reclined in her chair, relaxing into the wooden frame as if she were trying to appear at ease. Yet her shoulders were stiff, neck tight, and so he knew that it was all a front. An effort to keep her composure in the middle of enemy territory.

"And let all of the monsters roam unchecked? Not a chance," Blake replied darkly. She raised her voice and added, "I make it a rule to know where all of the monsters are in respect to myself at all times. So I know that you're behind me."

Blake cast a quick glance over her shoulder and there was just the slightest hint of humour in the depth of those grey eyes as she took in Red standing next to Henry in the doorway.

"How did you know we were there?" Red asked. He was confident that she hadn't heard them come in. They'd moved too quietly for that.

"I've got eyes in the back of my head."

Red scoffed. "How."

Blake only pointed to the water glass that had been set on the table in front of her. Red stared closely and there was just the faintest hint of an outline where he and Henry stood.