Heart Of The Lycan Queen

7. The Hunter is My Mate

(Elian)

Two days. She had been looking for a way to find the beast for two days. She was walking around, like a ghost, thinking about him, and everyone noticed. Of course, they did.

Usually, she was like this over-eager student trying to impress her teacher by going the extra miles, but for the past two days, she was subdued, and she didn't even try to listen during the mandatory everyday meetings that happened exactly at four, like clockwork. Mostly, there would be nothing substantial, but some of the hunters loved the sound of their own voice just too much... to stop f*cking talking.

Like her grandmother, the great Evangeline Knight. "... this is an honor, and we have to always take it seriously. Being a hunter is not just our identity. It is our birthright and...."

She yawned—this was more boring than the dental appointment she had just missed— and quickly pressed a palm against her mouth when her grandmother gave her a dark glare, her eyes narrowing into slits. Lafee shook her head and Zoey mouthed," don't sleep."

Blake pressed his hand against hers and she relaxed in her chair as she gave him a small smile.

"I should have just gone to see my dentist." She whispered to him and he gave her a smile, the one that always comforted her when grandmother was being a wicked witch, but this time... something was missing. She didn't feel like she had always felt when he was looking at her with his soft brown eyes. She still didn't trust him, or anyone, and the feeling of distrust and disconnect in her heart showed.

She had been tensed, stiff and distant. But she was trying, trying not to startle at any small sounds, not to look at Robyn with anger and disgust, not to think or feel about that night three days ago, but still... it had only been three days since she had died and then miraculously came back to life... and it wasn't easy.

The nightmare she had lived wasn't easy.

Zoey and Blake noticed, too, and Elian knew she shouldn't show them these feelings. She still didn't, couldn't trust them.

Blake had looked worried when they went out to dinner last night to one of her favorite restaurants, and she had barely eaten. He asked her whether she was alright and she replied with a curt yes.

He had looked at her with confusion and befuddlement... and for the rest of the dinner, he had stared at her, as if he wanted to find out what she was hiding... but she wasn't ready to show her cards, not yet, not before knowing whether he was in her team or the opposite team.

This game had started the moment she was hunted by the ruby hunters. It had started when she woke up to the face of her murderer staring at her—technically, Robyn didn't kill her, she just watched her die, but it damn well counted—and she would be a fool to show all her hands, this early in the game.

Elian had never been very good at poker, but Elian knew she had to be. She couldn't die. She didn't want to die. She was only twenty-three, and she had lots to do in her life.

"... we are the line of defense between the weak and the powerful. It is our utmost responsibility to..." Grandmother was still going on.

Grandmother sat down when she was finally done with her boring monologue. Elian rubbed her eyes. Her eyes were burning and begging to sleep. She hadn't been sleeping much... she was afraid to go to sleep. When she closed her eyes, she remembered the sharp sting of the knife as it cut through her skin... the pain, the scream, the tears... the moment was videotaped in her head and whenever she tried to sleep, she would sit back up, and check her door lock, twice, thrice... it was becoming a problem. It was messing with her focus and concentration and she hated it. She hated that the woman who had murdered her was living just opposite to her.

Elian looked up at Robyn. Their eyes met for a second, and for that one second, Elian felt the spark of animosity in Robyn's eyes before she gave Elian a sickly sweet smile, which was so damn fake. Elian smiled back, her smile faker than Robyn's. It was the smile of a shark... just before it bit your head off.

And Elian would bit Robyn's head off, too. Soon. She couldn't wait for that day...

When Elian felt like she couldn't take anymore of this boredom, the meeting was finally over. Someone touched her shoulder and Elian turned back to see her mother giving her a small, concerned smile.

"Are you alright, Elian? You looked distracted."

"I am fine, mom." Elian said as she looked at her mother.

"Stop by tonight. For dinner. Okay? And you and Lafee, you girls should have a talk." Rosanna Knight gave Elian a stern look and Elian grumbled under her breath. "Stop grumbling. She is your sister. And you two need to learn to get along. It is- I thought it was a silly feud that would go away once your girls grew up. You two were so close...and now you two were barely looking at each other. This is not how sisters should-"

"This isn't a silly feud, mom. Lafee didn't want me in her perfect family," Elian said with a sigh. She hated that it was the truth, but it was. Everything she and Lafee had once been... it shifted once Elian turned eighteen and Lafee realized Elian wasn't the same as others. And then the fights started, the anger, the belittlement. Lafee was only thirteen, but she realized that Elian was the odd man out in their family and... their relationship had become history.

Still... sometimes, Elian missed it, missed Lafee and the way they were once. But no matter how hard she wished, nothing would change. She didn't even know whether she wanted it to change at this point. Maybe it was better this way. Her life had changed too, changed far worse than just people bullying her, or Lafee saying mean things to her.

At this juncture, those things were nothing but child's play, anyway.

"Nonsesne. You are her sister and that won't change. Ever."

"It changed, mom, you should stop matchmaking. Me and Lafee... we are way past reconciliation." Elian said as she saw Lafee looking at her and Rosanna. Her eyes were narrowed as she looked at them. "And I am not really her sister. Bye, mom. I need to go. I will see you at dinner." Elian said as she turned away from her mother and walked out of the big conference room, feeling once again like s**t.

And the feeling followed her the whole day...

***

(Quillon)

Quillon couldn't stop thinking about her and Ares was the same. It was as if one look at her was enough to change his whole life. Even though the fact that she was a hunter and that she might or might not have lied to him the other night, he still couldn't stop thinking about her or wanting her. There was something about her... something that called to his primal instinct.

His wolf was already besotted with the woman. There was no denying it. Twice, while he was running, Ares had almost gone back to the place where he had first seen the woman... but Quillon had to convince him that it was the worst possible idea in the history of ideas, and if he wasn't careful, he would be minced meat. Hunters were not exactly known for their kindness. Or smartness...

Quillon smirked a little.

"Dude, you have been distracted since that day. What is going on here?" Roman asked and that was when Quillon realized he was day dreaming once again.

"Okay. I need to tell you something, but it must be kept a secret. And you must promise me that you won't freak out. I have already been freaking out and I don't need any more of that." Quillon asked as he stared at his best friend. Roman had been his friend for so long, and hiding things from him, it never worked out, anyway. The guy always found a way to pull out secrets from Quillon's tightly shut mouth. He was skillful that way.

"Man, Q... you are killing me with all this extra build up. Just out with it." Roman said with a grunt. "Knowing your boring life... it is again something to do with your mother." Roman gave him a frown.

Quillon shook his head.

Oh, of course, his life had been boring up until two days ago... when he stumbled upon that delicious creature, who was also the sworn enemy of the wolves.

'I wonder what she is doing now... You- we should have stayed.'

'And what? What if the other one shot an arrow through your stupid, lovesick heart?' Quillon frowned at Ares. Ares had always been the levelheaded one, but suddenly... he was talking like a halfwit, lovesick puppy who wanted a belly rub or more.

'More. You know I need more. I want more.' Ares said in a sing-song voice as he lazily stretched inside. 'I want everything.'

'Are you okay with her having no wolf?'

"Q? Are you and your wolf fighting once again?" Roman's voice was impatient. "Dude... finish telling me whatever you are going to tell and then continue with your wolf."

"Sorry." Quillon blinked and sighed. "Ares is being a headache."

'I am not, human.'

"Forget it. Just tell me what it is, man. My head feels like it is going to burst." Roman said, with an exaggerated frown in his direction, and Quillon thought about how to start this, but there was no better way to start it. No matter what, she was a hunter, and that tidbit wouldn't change.

"I found my mate." There... No need to beat about the bust.

Roman gasped. His mouth hung open and he looked at Quillon, his mouth still open. Quillon wondered when would his friend realize that his mouth was still open.

"You- you what?" Roman stuttered.

"Mate. I found my mate." Quillon said with a deep sigh. Just thinking about her was enough to make him feel a mix of jumbled, confused, conflicted emotions.

Of course... he wanted her. There was no denying it. The pull, even when he was not seeing her, was there. And he couldn't stop thinking about her. She had been in the forefront of his mind for the last two days, and it was distracting him, but he also... strangely loved the distraction.

"Okay. I am done with the shock. Go on. Your mate? Where is she? Who is she?"

"The other day, Ares scented her and she..."

"You ran into OOA territory. Is that why... was your mate trespassing that day? Is she a Lycan?" Now, Roman looked truly excited. Roman still hadn't found his mate, too, but he was in no hurry to find his mate. He was fine with the way his life was, for now.

"Yes... the Order Of Amethyst territory...no... not a Lycan."

"Oh, is she a werewolf, then? Please don't tell me she is human."

"Okay. I won't."

At this point, a human would have been the better alternative than the woman that was destined for him by the Goddess of the Moon. Yes... A human would have been much, much better.

'Stop whining. She is perfect, and she is ours. You should be thankful!'

He sighed. Of course, he was. He was thankful for meeting her, but... what the hell would he do with her, now?

"Umm... she is not a werewolf... no. She is-" Quillon trailed off, as he stared at Roman. "She is a hunter."

"What the actual f*ck!"

"She is. She is a hunter!"

___