HUNTED-Chapter 353: God among Men (1)

Over the next few days, Aldric and his adorable pups settled into their new home well. That didn’t mean Aila wasn’t worried about them, worried about the lycan. Aldric left their territory so excited to get home to his mate and children, only to return with the glimmer of light gone from his eyes. Whenever his children looked at him, though, he acted strong. He was strong.

Rex had yet to also shift back. He still wandered around with wolf ears, tail and clawed hands, though he had worked out how to retract his claws. There was some comfort that he was now at Silver Crescent, where he didn’t need to hide away. Other children his age instantly accepted him, and he joined in with their games.

Aila’s eyes followed the small family as they joined the pack house breakfast. It wasn’t necessary to go to the breakfast. Many pack members still stuck to their own housing. But werewolves, by nature, were sociable creatures and loved being near each other. Most of the pack members to arrive first were from the morning training, but there was always enough food to go around for everyone.

She assumed Aldric was getting his pups accustomed to pack life. She also noted how Gamma Chiara had sort of taken him under her wing as well. As fierce as the Gamma was, underneath it all was a kind heart. Chiara’s and Ajax’s ’adopted children’, as Aila was beginning to call them, also sat with Rex and Elissa now.

"They’ll be fine," Damon mind-linked her before popping a strawberry into her mouth.

Aila smiled with a closed mouth as she chewed the strawberry watching her mate. They were both in workout gear, and like before, Aila had been training with the warriors. This time though, she surpassed them all with her vampiric strength and speed. Damon kept up with Aila, only his strength outmatching hers, but he lost to her endurance.

"How was it out there, by the way?" Aila asked, directing her question to Harry in a mind-link. He stood across from her at the counter, piling his plate with a lot of meat.

"Oh, now she wants to talk to me?" Harry replied sarcastically aloud, causing a low growl to vibrate across the counter from where their Alpha sat, warning the lycan to watch his tone.

"Alright, easy, Alpha. It was a joke.. I know how busy you guys are." Harry plopped down beside Beta Kane, glancing at him a little unsettled.

Kane was the pack’s Beta, a good one at that, but he tended to have a harsh exterior, considering his good looks. Only his mate tended to bring out his softer side and a charming smile.

"Stick to mind-link," Aila advised, connecting the mind-link to the Alpha unit as she decided to call them. All the pack leaders were connected to this mind-link now between her and the lycan. Harry’s brows raised, but he followed her soft command.

"Like we anticipated, some humans are starting to take it upon themselves to act like hunters. They’re seeking out supernatural creatures in the hopes of killing them. The humans are unsettled, even with Chase’s announcement," he replied calmly as he bit into a sausage on his fork, leaning forwards to stare back at his Luna.

"Do you think Chase’s announcement helped or made it worse?" Aila asked. Damon nodded slightly as though that was exactly what he wanted to ask, but she beat him to it.

"Both. I think by announcing who they were has given humans the idea that they can go around killing supernatural beings, but at the same time, it has also placated those that are fearful. Things do seem tense, though. If it isn’t resolved quickly, there might be world war three. But this time, humans against us," Harry replied sombrely.

"We can’t have that," Damon murmured aloud before mind-linking them. "We are powerful, but there is a greater human population. Many lives will be lost on both sides."

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Aila nodded along to his words, feeling her chest tighten and a weight crushing down on her shoulders. She wanted this meeting so badly, but they were waiting on one person.

Damon shook his head. "I think we need to go ahead without Gabriel. We can’t wait anymore."

Aila sighed, popping another strawberry in her mouth, one that had a bit of honey from her pancakes. "Let’s organise it for the end of the week.." She trailed off as Esme, and the two vampire bodyguards suddenly stood alert.

Damon and the others connected in the mind-link followed Aila’s attention. They watched as the petite she-wolf smiled, her face lighting up the most they’d ever seen it. Then she darted out of the room. Mr Goldylocks, Luther, and the other handsome vampire followed behind her, their once passive expressions now looking relieved.

Aila shared a look with Damon before she slid from the stool and rushed after them. Excitement made the tenderness of her muscles melt away as she opened the front doors and paused, a smile forming on her lips.

Like a damn god, with ethereal white locks, crystal blue eyes, and wearing what looked like an outfit from some historical documentary she’d seen, a black and gold toga, was Gabriel, the Vampire King. The sun shone down on him as he sauntered towards them, crispy black leaves and thorns in his hair.

"What the fuuuuuck…" Finn exclaimed in confusion and shock at their friend’s appearance. Aila didn’t even notice the Delta had followed her out from her excitement, but he would; his job was to stay by her.

"Where the hell has he been?" Aila muttered under her breath as she watched Esme fling her arms around Gabriel’s neck and crush her lips into his.

"How did he get here?" Finn asked, confusion still in his voice. Aila scanned their surroundings. There was no car, and it looked like their guards had been rushing over, mind-linking each other over a threat surpassing them.

"Return to your posts. It’s the Vampire King. Our friend," Aila mind-linked them. It had only been a few weeks that Luther and Niko had been staying with them, and the pack was now used to them. The pack was adjusting quite well to all the new supernatural creatures around them.

But most of all, the werewolves were starting to accept the vampires more, even one that looked like Cassius. Cassius.. Aila’s heart dropped, the smile on her lips sliding down. She couldn’t tell anything different from her master-childe bond.

Surely she would feel if her master had died at the hands of his brother?