Hunter

05. How to Kill a Wolf

It's him.

Hells, no.

I'm not ready.

I can't do this yet. I'm not strong enough.

He stood there, staring at me, a few feet away from where I was. Even with the distance, I saw his thick, wavy black hair, blending into the night, though the moon illuminated his glowing, pale blue eyes. He was tall, foreboding, a cold, calculating look on his face sending my survival instincts running wild.

Get out of there, Reese. Back away slowly. Maybe he hasn't seen the body...

But all the proof he needed was there, lying at my feet, blood pooling out of the wound in his chest. Even my weak, human nose could smell the rust and salt of the scarlet liquid - there was no doubt in my mind that he could smell it too.

My death will be avenged... Ryker's final words raced through my head, over and over again, a never-ending cycle. He knew his friend was lurking close by, maybe even watching the entire fight as it happened. Hiding in the shadows, silently watching as I struck down his friend without thinking twice, listening as I rubbed in how Ryker had been killed by his enemy. Getting clarification that I am, in fact, the very being the pack - the entire supernatural world of Toronto - has been chasing after for years now.

He didn't come any closer to me, not yet, anyway, and I stared him down, intent on showing no fear whatsoever, even as I sensed my own downfall approaching. I know in my heart that I will not go down without a fight. It's not in my nature.

Even though death is certain for me. I won't be making it easy.

He grinned then, slowly, knowingly. The silver dagger, still in my hand, brought me comfort that I wasn't defenseless, though I didn't have the element of surprise, which was always my greatest weapon.

"Hunter," he said, echoing Ryker, eyeing my dagger, the blood splattered across my sweats. "And - " he peered closer, taking in my features. "Reese Hearne."

Wait, what?

How does he know - ?

Reese Hearne disappeared five years ago - I was certain of it, erasing all trace of her from this world. Reese Hearne doesn't exist anymore - only Opal and Kyle know my true name, and I know they'd never betray me.

So how does he know who I am?

I kept those thoughts solely in my head, not allowing my face to show how unnerved I am now. He shouldn't know me. He shouldn't know that Reese Hearne is the Hunter. He shouldn't have made the connection between me and the Hunter. Hundreds of people disappear from the city every month. There's nothing suspicious or peculiar about my own disappearance.

But that doesn't matter anymore. He knows who I am.

I won't let him know how much this bothers me. I looked at him calmly, fighting to keep myself relaxed, yet ready to explode into action at any moment.