Hunting Mate

Chapter Sixteen

I sat on a rock in the woods strumming my guitar, I need to get my mind to think clearly but nothing is working. They say things come in threes-I got back my brother and also got my sister and niece as well, and I've lost Frankie and Pandora, all my mind can focus on is who next? I nearly lost Stuart. The only positive thing about my growing up with drug addicts, I learnt how to sort out bullet wounds and to clear airways very young so I managed to save Stuart.

I focus on my guitar strumming a song that hits close to home for me, "I like that song" I hear behind me, my heart stops for a moment as I hear the voice, I hear her voice. I just look down "what do you want?" I question, I don't want to look at her; I only want to get lost in her beautiful eyes like I would end up doing, like I always do.

I feel her presence take a seat next to me on the rock "Layton, I'm sorry" she says, I shake my head "that isn't good enough, Tin-Pandora" I didn't even want to use my nickname for her, it maybe pathetic but I feel like if I used it, it would show her I still care where as if I used her real name then it would show her I was serious.

I hear her soft sigh "but I am sorry, I showed you the camera and microphone because I knew you wouldn't" she says and I snap my head to look at her "no you showed me it cause I knew about it already and you still had them attached to you, I was going to tell you the biggest secret about myself and you were going to broadcast it, it is personal and private..Private!" I snap at her, I could feel my blood warming up and I could feel the wolf pushing to the surface.

I take a few deep breathe reminding myself to say calm, telling my wolf form to stay deep inside, I stand up and rest my guitar on the rock, if I did phase here I needed to be away from Pandora so I didn't hurt her. She stands up too and starts making her way over to me "Pandora, stay there, I mean it" I say she shakes her head "Layton, I want to make this right" she says

Pandora grabs my hand and my heart sinks a little, I try pushing her away but my wolf side refuses to let go of my imprintee "Pandora, please I don't want to hurt you" I say as I move my hand away from hers "you won't hurt me, I know you won't I trust you, I only did the camera things so my dad could see that you wouldn't hurt me" she says, I shake my head "Pandora, please" I beg.

She didn't understand, well obviously, of course she didn't. I look at her "what was the real reason you drew that picture the one of me..and coby?" I question she looks at me "I feel safe and protected with both of you" she says I breathe but my emoticons were rocketing "why were you so shocked at my house seconds before you asked if you could draw me?" I question she laughs "you just reminds me of Coby" she says.

She was laughing, why is she laughing? "Pandora, you are going to see something very odd and scary" I tell her, I was literally seconds away from my phasing and I knew even if I ran I wouldn't get that far away before I did, plus she would only follow me and see anyway. The confusion on her face is quite cute "I need you to keep this quiet and I need you to get me home and get me clothes" I say, my body was started to shake as I was fighting to keep it back.

Pandora came closer again "stand by the rock!" I shout, she jumps away a little scared and takes a seat on the rock "I'm sorry" I say quietly and breathe.

Within seconds, I am on all four. Pandora jumps back falling off the rock, with a gasp. I go around the rocks to check on her but she moves away from me "Coby?" she questions, I nod my head at her.

She comes over to me and I put my head down, I feel a hand run through my fur. Pleasure runs through my body in an instant of her touch.

Suddenly, I get the feelings that something isn't right, my blood runs cold, I sniff but all I can smell is Pandora's sweet smell, her scent was strong to me because she was my imprintee and she was also right in front of me.

I close my eyes listening to my basic instincts: RUN! Before, I know it I throw Pandora on my back and start running fast, Pandora holding onto my tightly "what are you doing?" she cried "I don't like it" I feel so guilty but I needed her safe, I didn't know if my instincts where run with Pandora, she's in trouble, or you are in trouble so run but my wolf wanted it's mate by its side. Whichever one, this feels so right!

I get to the safe cabin, and go inside I hear a scream, I look and see Tony-one of the younger wolves in the pack-with a girl sitting on the couch, I look at him and he shrugs I shake my head and lay down to let Pandora off "he's my pup" Pandora says I look at her "she knows I've just told her about me but she hasn't seen one until now and this was a..shock" Tony says staring at me.

I growl lowly at Tony, as a warning, he sighs and gets up "go in the kitchen, I will bring you some clothes" he says and I can hear the annoyance in his voice. I go into the kitchen and wait for him and he doesn't take long to come in with clothes, so I phase back and take them "this is a safe house, not a house to be used for pleasure" I say to him as I get dressed "oh yeah, were else could I go?" he questions I shake my head at him.

He leaves taking three cans of soda out with him; I rest my head against the refrigerator. That was not the way I planned on her finding out. I could still feel my wolf screaming out I would need to kill something to feel a little better but for now I would be able to hold it because I've already phased once and ran too.

I get a glass of cold water and drink it fast, then go back into the room to see Tony and the girl kissing, I clear my throat making them break apart "where's Pandora?" I ask "oh, she said to tell you bye, she had to go home" he said, the words home hit me around it was December 24th; Pandora was going home December 27th this is really bad I need to be with her, I can't lose her.

I head out the door, running to the cabins "Pandora?" I shout once getting as close to the cabin as I possibly could without going over the bounder line. I call her name out a couple of time before her uncle comes out "what?" he snaps, holding a shotgun in his hand. I look from the gun to him "sir, is it possible that I talk to Pandora for just a moment please?" I question.

His response was to hold his gun up aiming at me "whatever you did you have made her never wanted to see you again, you filthy-" he cuts himself off "get away from here she wants nothing to do with you" he snaps then goes inside. I breathe, then start walking slowly back to my cabin. His words replaying in my mind over and over. He had to be lying, she loves Coby, and she loves me. He just has to be lying.

I think back to running with Pandora on my back, she had said she didn't like it while I was running, was it that? Was it the fact that I could phase into a wolf? Was it the gunshot? Gunshot? The thought hits me, we had got shot at that why I was running my instincts were right, as they usual are, they were to protect both myself and Pandora from Poachers. Why hadn't it functioned that a gun had been fired at us until now?

I run up to Joe's house and knock on his door hard and fast, Sally opens the door "Layton, is everything ok?" she asked her eyebrows fused together "yeah is Alp-" I cut myself off as Joe comes into my view "Jo-Alpha we need to talk" I say, he nods and Sally lets me in, I sit on the couch "I got shot at today" I say his eyes widen "are you ok?" he asked "yeah it missed me, it just missed me actually, it didn't function in my mind that I had been fired at until I was walking home" I say Joe shakes his head "wait, why were you in your wolf form?" he questions.

I look down "I had a lot going on in my mind and nothing was helping to stop so my inner wolf wanted out..I phased in front of Pandora, Joe, now she won't talk to me" Instantly Joe's face paled "wait, where is she now?" he asks I swear he is addicted to saying wait "she is at her cabin" I say "with her poaching family?" he asks, not that it was for me to actually answer but I nod anyway. He instantly stands up and slaps me hard; I fall off the couch and on to the floor.

I sit up not moving from the floor, I didn't dare "Sir, I didn't mean to even phase it just happened I couldn't stop it" I say he looks at Sally "honey, this is wolf business and you don't need the stress" he says, she looks at me apologetically and leaves, I know what's coming, and there was no way of stopping it.