Retaliation: the beginning

Chapter 44: "Hunting."

"Aww" Tessa moaned at the sight of Dan petting a puppy through the kennel fencing, feeding him a treat as the rest of the pups slept in a pile in the corner. "They're so tiny, don't you just wanna eat them!"

Mia just rolled her eyes, carrying cages to the sink. "Nop."

"If you feed them, you'll be their new favorite person." Dan told her.

"Is that why you're so found of that shaggy dude?" Mia teased "Because he fed you?"

Tessa giggled "Not that you'd know, you have no heart."

"I'm semi- demon, like duuh!" Mia scoffed.

"It's not-" Dan started to say something but then paused and cocked his head, eyes widening slightly as he rose to his feet. Tessa didn't notice anything at first. And then she saw Dan getting on his feet then the look on his face and it was not hard to guess what he was hearing. Still, just in case it was not him, she got up, too.

"Everything okay?" Mia asked. He glanced at her, still wide-eyed, and then headed out of the kennel room and toward the front of the clinic wordlessly. "No way," he whispered as Isaac opened the door and stepped inside.

"Dude." He crossed the room and engulfed the huntsman in a tight hug.

After reaching down to pet the puppy one more time, Tessa followed. She smiled softly as the two of them hug, then made her way over to the desk and picked up her coffee. Her heart suddenly beating faster again, but she was trying her best to ignore it as she sipped on her coffee.

Isaac wasn't surprised when Dan literally met him at the door and hugged him like they haven't seen each other in months. Mostly because they haven't seen each other in months. He hugged him back just as tightly. "Okay that's enough love for now pup," he joked, patting Dan's back.

"You didn't tell me you were coming," Dan laid blame, pulling away to look at him.

"That's where the whole surprise thing comes into effect, Danny." Isaac smirked momentarily before his gaze shifted to Tessa, standing at the counter with a cup of coffee. "Hey, I see you got my message," he greeted her, voice quiet, but smile still on his face.

"Hey," she greeted "Took you long enough."

"Ah sorry about that, I stopped by my house." Tessa's eyes shot open "I brought company." He said and Tessa's eyes widen even more as she turned to look at Elias and Aaron standing awkwardly in the back.

"Oh" was all she could say.

Isaac walked up to his son patting his shoulders. "Everyone this is my son, Elias and his friend Blake."

"Woah you brought your kid!" Dan gasped looking between the two of them then blinked "I mean, hello I'm Daniel James Junior."

Elias winced a little; his father had some quite interesting 'friends'. Daniel for example, was in his twenties, a bit agitated, reacting to every sound they made. Just like his father, his body was so powerfully built Elias came to think he was a huntsman as well, but then he remembered that he's been told that there were only two huntsmen remaining.

Behind him a dark shadow lurked, sipping a cup of coffee like it was the last one on earth. She was introduced to him as simply 'Mia', the same age as him.

This one didn't even bother to say hello.

Lastly, his father stood next to a small brunette, her eyes gleamed like a candle light when she smiled at him. "I'm Tessa Demeo, it's great to finally meet you Elias."

Tessa, so that's her. Elias eyed her for a moment, she was younger than he expected.

"So? What brought you here?" Mia said with no further delay.

"I came because I needed help in a case we're working on." Isaac explained as he moved over to where his son was standing. "You probably heard of the shape shifter in the loose."

"Yeah we were already question by the glasses dude." Mia told him, crossing her arms.

Dan looked between them for a few seconds and then shook his head. "We already told him we had no idea who it is."

Isaac held up his hand "I know, it's not that." He said as he pulled a hair tie from his pocket. "I need you to locate it using this."

"Where did you get that?" Aaron spoke for the first time. Frowning he looked at Elias who didn't seem surprised.

"From the house across," Elias said with a bit of sadness "He thinks the shape shifter is the Taylors' daughter."

"Seriously?" Aaron shocked turned immediately at the wiry huntsman "You mean she was watching us this whole time?"

"It's okay, now we can strike back." Isaac said sincerely, reaching out and holding his arm.

Aaron nodded and took a step back as Dan took the hair tie in his hand and held it near his nose. Everyone stood and watched silently.

Everyone except Elias.

"What the hell is he doing?" he asked finding this whole situation ridiculous.

"He's memorizing the shifter's scent." Isaac whispered to his ear "Dan is actually werewolf."