Hunted *Book One Of The Hunted Series*

Chapter 52: Negotiation

I do not own any of the Twilight characters

"Good luck." He says, before disappearing completely into the dark.

I walk out into the snow white clearing, watching the snowflakes fall from the sky.

My breath causes a cloud with every exhale and my heart pounds in my chest.

Nerves.

I look around and watch the covens and pack stretch.

Of course the Cullens and werewolves are not fighting unless needed but they are still stretching.

Malia squishes Nessie's cheeks, which causes her to giggle.

A loud roar stops her and causes Malia to suck in a sharp breath.

"Alexis! Remember me?!" That dreaded voice bounces off the trees and rings in my ears.

We watch as Kraven and his pack strut from under the trees and into the open.

Half in human form and half in lycan form.

"Kraven."

I bow to him as a sign of respect and a deep growl reaches my ears.

I look up with a arched eyebrow.

"Dont you dare bow to me. We are not equals." Kraven growls, getting angrier by the second.

I notice Caleb glance at him before turning back towards us.

"You don't have to do this Kraven."

He snorts and takes a step towards us.

"Give me the girl!!" He yells, flashing his dark eyes.

I hear Malia step infront of Chey and Nessie, effectively blocking Kraven's view of them.

"And who's she supposed to be? Your pathetic excuse of a lycan. Give me the girl. I don't care which one at this point." He says, voice edging towards impatience.

"You won't touch them."

"You killed my mate!! I deserve her." He growls, lowering himself to the ground.

"I didn't kill Kierra. She died in a car accident. The drunk driver that killed her died on impact. Her death was an accident."

He growls and stands from his crouch and begins to pace.

"Your stench was all over the area!! You killed her!!" He yells, clutching his head.

Jared is fighting for control over him.

"No. No, I didn't. My scent was in the area because I was in the store next to the crash. You're a supernatural, a lycan to be exact. You would've smelled me anyway. I didn't touch Kierra that day."

He stops pacing and glares at me.

"You could've saved her. You're a vampire right?! Why didn't you save her?!" He growls, eyes turning darker.

"You know the rule. You're older than me, the rule has been around for centuries."

"What rule?" He questions, glancing at his beta.

"Share the venom, part of the coven. That has always been the rule. If I would've saved her, she would've have been apart of my coven."

He stops growling and looks down.

"She was my mate. If you changed her, she would come home with me." He says, confusion in his tone.

"You don't get it Kraven. Share the venom, part of the coven. If I would've changed her, she would've been mine. You think I would've cared she was your mate? No! I smelled lycan all over her, she was spoken for. I can't take what is already spoken for."

He growls and punches a near by tree.

Caleb narrows his eyes at his alpha.

"You didn't kill her. You didn't save her. I lost my mate, because of an accident." Kraven whispers to himself.

He looks at me and I notice his eyes cloud with tears.

"The accident that caused her death, was just that, an accident. I had nothing to do with it. Her death was not part of the deal between your father and I. I'm sorry for your loss."

He nods and looks at Caleb, who shrugs.

The wind suddenly picks up and Malia inhales sharply.

Looking over my shoulder at her, I notice she is staring into the forest.

"What does your lycan smell?" Kraven questions, anger and hurt still in his tone.

I glance at him and back to Malia.

"Malia?"

She glances at me quickly before turning back to the forest.

"My Bella, go." Malia grunts.

Bella nods and takes off into the trees.

Malia stares after her, eyes flickering around, following Bella's every movement.

"Devon follow." She says, pointing in his mates direction.

Devon growls, shifts and follows his mates scent.

"What's going on?"

Malia looks at me and then scents the air again.

"There's a vampire in the forest. I'm not sure who. I think, the scent is what's keeping Kraven from attacking us. His hybrid recognizes the scent but Kraven himself doesn't." She explains, eyeing the forest again, listening to her pack mates.

"My mate is dead. I believe we've established that." Kraven states.

Malia eyes him before rolling her eyes.

"I don't think she's dead. There are other vampires in the world. Vampires that don't follow your rule. If i'm correct, one of those vampires smelled her blood and changed her." Malia explains to him.

Kraven perks up and automatically looks towards the forest.

Just in time to see Devon and Bella come flying into the open. Bella finally decides to shift and roar at a figure hiding in the covering of the trees.

Malia blurs to their aid before shifting into her giant hybrid, letting a loud, earth shaking roar.

"Down girl. I didn't hurt them, just bruised their ego a little bit." The figure says, before walking from the safety of the trees.

Long dark hair, bright hazel eyes and the smirk of a confident vampire.

"Well who the fuck are you?" Max questions, before recieving a hard slap to the back of his head from April.

"Kierra." Kraven says, taking a step forward. 

Kierra stares at him.

A smirk crosses her face.