Eclipsed Hearts

Hunt: Night Two

[Ian]

When it was time for me to leave, I gave each of the kids a hug. They were happy my job was keeping me home right now, but didn’t like that I was leaving every night. This was important for more than just the safety of my family.

The rogue wolf I was hunting had several bounties on his head. All together, they would total over a million dollars. Splitting that with another hunter would still leave my family well off enough for a couple years. It would mean no scrimping or saving. It would mean everyone always having warm clothes and enough to eat.

Jaden and Fern were waiting at the door as the kids wandered back to their rooms. Fern had a steely look in her eyes. When I wasn’t home, she was in charge. She took her responsibility as seriously as I did.

“Be careful, Alpha,” Jaden whispered. “Come home.”

“I will, Jay. Help your sister take care of the kids. Our pack is depending on you, okay?” I replied.

“We will.” He nodded as he answered.

“You’re not going out tomorrow night, right?” Fern asked as I reached her.

“If I am, it’ll be late. The kids will already be in bed when I go. It’s going to depend on what my sources tell me tonight. Be safe. Stay home.”

“I will, but only tonight. I have my own work to do tomorrow. You better not get in my way.”

I nodded at her and left. It was hard to leave the house every night. Even harder than it was to leave them for a week or a month.

Driving through the town toward the house where I was going to meet Mari Damson. The eagerness building in my chest betrayed the hatred I felt for her and her family. She was my mate, and the bond made me excited to be near her again.

Tonight, we would need to pretend to be a couple. This place only allowed couples, or an approved third. The rogue was one of the people who ran it, so the rules didn’t apply to him.

Though the place we were going wasn't really a club, the couple who the rogue fuсked around with from time to time organized it in their mansion. From what I gathered, he was their sugar baby when he was in his twenties. Now that they were in their sixties, they wanted access to younger men. He came up with the idea for them to throw these events twice a month.

It wasn’t a bad idea. Not something I ever would have thought of when I lost my pack, but I had fourteen kids to take care of. It wasn’t like I had the freedom to become a kept man.

When I pulled up at the worn-down house where we were meeting, Mari was already standing by the door. I’d sent her a text on my work phone earlier, letting her know to wear something that could turn from conservative to revealing with little work. Everyone who enters the mansion enters in finery, but once inside, they don’t keep those fancy clothes on for long.

Not everyone indulged physically. Some just watched. This was the plan. I’d worked my way in as a plus one for a while and got an invitation when I told the couple I accompanied that I was seeing someone and wouldn’t be able to go with them anymore unless I could bring my partner. They were more than eager to secure me a spot.

Mari’s makeup was a work of art, her features expertly highlighted with a sultry blend of black and gray shadows. Her eyes smoldered with a smoky bedroom look, drawing me in like a moth to a flame. The ruby red lipstick enameled her lips with a boldness that simultaneously irritated and aroused me. I wanted to claim them as mine.

Her dress was a deep navy blue, the color of the night sky just before the stars came out. The luxurious silk material made the dress hug her curves in all the right places. Without being excessively revealing, the plunging neckline showcased just enough cleavage to be enticing. The dress flowed delicately down to her feet; the hem brushing the ground with each step.

Her level of preparation for something like this, as a hunter, surprised me. I resisted the urge to rush to her and embrace her and instead walked over as if I was focused on something else.

She stepped back while I unlocked the door to the house and followed me when I walked in. Mari stopped in the middle of the living room while I kept going to the bedroom and closed the door behind me. Dressing up at home would make getting out much harder.

The suit I had chosen matched Mari’s dress flawlessly. The sleek black fabric hugged my frame like a second skin, tailored to perfection. As I adjusted the tie in the mirror, I couldn’t shake the feeling of anticipation coursing through me. It wasn’t just the mission tonight that had my senses on high alert; it was the undeniable pull I felt toward Mari. The bond between us simmered beneath the surface, a constant reminder of what could never be.

As I entered the living room, Mari was waiting for me. Her eyes flickered with a mixture of determination and uncertainty, a reflection of the conflicting emotions swirling within me. We exchanged a wordless acknowledgment before stepping outside to make our way to the mansion where the event was being held.

I held the car door open for her and helped her get her skirts in. When my hand touched hers, I felt tingles that caused a stabbing pain in my heart. The goddess played a sick joke on me by making my mate the enemy of my pack and the biggest threat to those who I held dearest.

After closing the door and getting to my side of the car, I took a deep breath of fresh air. I wouldn’t be able to hold my breath the whole time. Her scent was delicious, but I couldn’t give myself the option of tasting her. Not if I was going to kill her at the end of this.

“What do I need to know about where we’re going?” Mari asked after buckling her seatbelt.

“It’s a swinger event. Do you know what that is?” I asked in a dry, condescending tone.

Mari’s expression didn’t falter at my response; if anything, she seemed more intrigued by the revelation. Her gaze met mine, unwavering and steady.

“I’m familiar with the concept,” she replied coolly. “But I assume there’s more to it than just swapping partners.”

I couldn’t help but admire her composure, and her ability to adapt to any situation with such grace. Despite the weight of our circumstances pressing down on us, Mari remained a picture of poise and determination.

“Not much. Tonight, we’ll be posing as a couple. There is a married couple I would attend with. They will likely want to talk to you. We should figure out what to tell them.”

“About what?”

“About how we met and how we found out you’d be interested in this thing. They’ll probably ask about what you do, how long you’ve lived here, things like that,” I replied.

“That’s easy enough,” she scoffed and sighed. “Let’s say I’m a freelance artist who recently moved here for a change of scenery, looking to explore different social circles. We met on a hiking trail in the nearby forest. I was drawing and startled you while you were on a hike or something. We got to talking and ended up going out on a date. Because I’m an artist with an open mind, you felt comfortable enough to talk to me about your history and I wanted to see what it was like.”

I nodded in agreement, impressed by Mari’s quick thinking and ability to fabricate a believable story on the spot. There was no huge backstory or elaborate meet-cute to remember. I could easily imagine being out for a run and stopping for a break to stretch a little and being startled by her sitting in the shade of a tree where I’d missed her.

“Perfect,” I murmured, unable to conceal the admiration in my voice. “You have a talent for this.”

Mari flashed me a wry smile before settling back in her seat. Her posture relaxed, yet poised for whatever lay ahead. As we neared the mansion, the imposing structure loomed ahead, its grandeur a stark contrast to the darkness that shrouded it under the night sky.

We parked the car, and I went to help her out of the car. I offered my arm to Mari as we made our way inside. The couple who ran the event greeted us. They lit up when they saw Mari and me. We were likely the youngest people there, even though I was thirty. I knew we’d be the center of attention. It would make hunting the rogue easier.