The Hunter's Fated Child (Book 2 in the Hunter series.)

CHAPTER 9: A DISCOVERY.

HOLLY

I didn’t like the way that these talks were going. I was beginning to be very glad that I had rented that house just in case. If the Council tried to take my baby, then I was going to need it. How could any of them believe that I would just hand over my child to them? Or that Jake would either, for that matter. As for their suggestion that we live here, well, that was just laughable. I understood that the prophecy made them nervous about their position, but it would be years before our son was old enough for the prophecy to be fulfilled. It’s not like a baby can rule.

It was getting loud. Everyone was arguing, all of them thinking that they knew best. Council Leader Parker stood and called for quiet, but the arguing continued. “QUIET!!” he yelled, his voice booming around the room. Everyone fell silent. “It seems as though these talks are getting us nowhere. I do not think that an agreement is likely to be reached anytime soon. For now, I think that Alpha and Luna Cooper should return home to the Dawn Sky pack and go about their business as usual. I will look into the prophecy and other issues in a little more detail and keep in touch. Ally, I am granting your request to go home for a while and am sending Council Member Stark to accompany you and continue your training. Once I have more information, I will be better placed to make a decision on what we should do next.” He said. I felt myself relax a little. Nothing had been decided, and I knew that this was far from over, but at least for now, we were being left alone. I had worried that we wouldn’t be allowed to return home.

COUNCIL LEADER PARKER

I had done what I thought was best given the information that we currently had. My belief was that the baby belonged to his parents. I put great stock in prophecies, especially ones from the Goddess herself. I was concerned about some of the other board members. Council Member Harper, for instance. He had tried to convince me that we needed to order them to end the pregnancy. He hadn’t been happy that I hadn’t agreed with him. I would have to keep an eye on him. For now, it was best that the Coopers went home and away from those who might have issues with this child. I was allowing Ally and Council Member Stark to return with them for protection as much as anything else. I also wanted them out of here as I hadn’t found out how that vampire had gotten into the citadel.

The room emptied out, and we headed to the dining room for dinner. I had an idea, “Council Member Stark, could you hang back a moment please?" There’s something that I need to discuss with you before you leave for Dawn Sky.” I said. He nodded and waited for everyone else to go. Once we were alone, I told him my plan. I trusted him and was completely sure that he had nothing to do with that bloodsucker. I wished that I could say the same for the rest of the board. Once he knew what I wanted him to do, we joined the others for dinner.

We began eating, mostly in silence. Usually, there was conversation and laughter around this table, but not today. After a while, I looked up at Council Member Stark, and he nodded slightly to show me that he was ready. “Last night, a vampire got into the citadel. Not only that, but it appears that the only room it visited was Alpha and Luna Coopers. Luna Cooper was drugged via a bottle of water in her room. I am assuming that the vamp dosed it. I am also assuming that it had help to get in and information about which room to visit. Does anyone have any information about this?” I asked.

There were gasps and mutters, but no one spoke up. “Council Member Harper, do you know anything about our undead visitor?” I asked, looking pointedly at him. He shook his head. “No. I know that I have been open about my opinion on this pregnancy, but I would never work with a filthy bloodsucker.” He responded. As we had arranged beforehand, Council Member Stark touched his ear to signal that it was true. I had hoped that it would be that simple. I went around the room asking everyone one by one, there were a lot more ear touches. We ruled out the entire board, which left me feeling a mixture of relief and frustration. I was glad that it hadn’t been any of them, but I was no closer to knowing who was helping the vampire or why.

After dinner, I headed out to the woods for a run. I needed to clear my mind. I reached the treeline and stripped. I took a deep breath and shifted into my huge white wolf Hank. It was good to take a back seat and give him control. We ran for a while, I had hoped that I would be able to just forget about everything for a bit and enjoy the run. My mind, however, had other ideas. I couldn’t stop running through everything, I was driving myself crazy. I was right up at the citadel border when I smelt it. The scent of death and decay. It was very faint. But it was there.

I followed it and found a smear of dried blood on a tree. It was the vampire’s blood. Hank scrunched his nose up in disgust at the smell. We were about to leave when we caught a whiff of someone else at the base of the tree. I knew who’s scent that was. I knew exactly who I needed to question next. I turned and headed back towards the treeline where I had left my clothes. I shifted back and quickly dressed. I was about to run to the main house when I smelt it. The same scent. I turned to face the direction that it was coming from. There was no one there. I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my neck. Reaching up, I pilled the syringe, which had been left behind, from my neck and dropped it on the ground. Everything was beginning to spin. I mind linked Council Member Stark for help, but I had no idea if it had gotten through or if he would understand it if it did. I dropped to my knees, laughter echoing in my ears as I fell forward. My face was in the damp leaves, and I was fading fast, but I could hear the taunting voice. “Look at the big bad wolf now.”