hunting the desert sun. ******COMPLETED******

#5 Cara

I watched him walk out the door and not turn to me again. I am not sure why i was glad he didn't reject me right then and there. there was a nagging insde my soul begging me to not do it. I had to push it deep down as I spoke to him and told him we would have to reject each other. Just the thought of it was causing pain to shoot daggers into my heart. I just met this man how could he possibly have this on me already? i had always read about fated mates but nver once had I thought I would be fated to a shifter and anyone for that matter. This was bad. The caase alone was going to be intense and to add this on top of finding out that I am mated to a shifter was too much. I couldn't lie I was feeling the pull to him. the desire to be near him and touch him and have him touch me back but I needed to focus on this case. This case was far more imoortant than being mated to a shifter. This case could be the death of all shifters. It was my job to protect both the shifters and the humans that were innocent. I could do this and then reject him later. I was stronger than this bond. There was no feelings between us other than a mate bond. I decided to take out the files and immerse myself into this case and study everything I possibly could. I knew it woud be hard. I could still smell him in my room and sense him close. It was like he was in the next room.

I laid the pictures out over my bed and studied each one meticulously. There was still something nagging me about the tattoos. I piled out my lap top and started searching th einternet until I saw something almost identical to the markings on the wrsits of all of these remains. "Mother.." I stopped myself from cussing out loud. ther eit was plain as day right in front of me. It took only an hour of searching through the darkest workings of the internet but there it was. " mercenaries of enlightment. s**t!" It was in this moment I wished I could mindlink like shifters. It would come in handy. I looked at my phone to see what time it was. Midnight. would they even be awake. Maybe it would be best to find the betas room so I didn't disturb the alpha. I opened the door to my room still in my clothes. I could sense him close to me. I knew this was the bond. I came to a door and it was like instinct took over. He was in there I could feel him. It was like feeling my soul. I knocked lightly and waited to see if I heard him. There was a rustling on the other side of the door and i could hear him pad towards it. H eopened the door and my mouth went dry. His body was beautiful. His muscles were tight and i wanted to run my tongue over every line. My eyes raked over his torso and my words faltered. My mind went blank. He was wearing his boxers and nothing else and in that moment he could have swept me in his room and taken me and I would not have refused him. "Umm," I cleared my thoat trying not ound like he was effecting me." Sorry, I know the symbol. It's bad. really bad. It is the symbol of mercenaries of enlightment. They are a small group who try to get people to open their eyes to shifters. Like a hate group." I rubbed my eyes trying to keep myself awake.

He looked up and down the hall then moved from the door frame of his room. "Come in. what is this group?"

I walked in suddenly realizing he wa still mostly naked and we were alone in his room. Me nerves were on high alert. "this group from the limited resources on the dark net I could find absolutely hate your kind." I sat at the edge of his bed spread out the file I had brought with me and my lap top. opening it up and waiting for it to fire up felt like it took forever. "the worst part is. it looks like hunters and humans whom deflected. I will l have to check in with my handler and see if she has heard of any names. honestly Beta Liam, in my lifetime I have never heard of a hunter deflecting. It is rare." I looked down at my screen and began typing on the keyboard pulling up the mercenaries of enlightenment. I watched as he read the little information I was able to find on them.

He paced back and forth in his room. We were silent for a moment taking in everything. "this group is spreading hate about us and encouraging humans to track us and kill us. But what bothers me most is what are shifters doing out here in that group and humans?"

"my best guess right now is that they aren't a part of the group." I stood up pulling out a picture of the tattoo on one of the arms. Pointing to it as I handed him the picture to look at. "do you see this? these were given to them post mortem. " I saw his confused look. Part of my studies had included corner and medical training. It was considered mandatory. "after they died. even the shifters. this was made.to look like these two shifter packs did this and buried these bodies on pack lands. This is a set up. Someone wants shifters aged for these crimes."

his face morphed into shock and confusion. "what kind of sick f**k would do this?"

"again this is just theory but I think you guys are being set up by the hate group. there is no other explanation. they want total annihilation of shifters. if this is true that means a hunter." my words faltered as he suddenly leaned in and kissed me on the lips. it scent swirled around me filling me with the cool crisp smell of the desert. My lips tangled at the contact. my senses were sparking all at once causing my body to go into a frenzy. I didn't fight him like I thought I would. instead my hands tangled into his hair pulling him closer to me.

when he finally released my lips he closed his eyes and rested his forehead on mine. I knew with shifters this was a sign of endearment. I also knew I was in trouble. I was already reacting to his touch. the mate bond was stronger and I wasn't sure how long I woukd be able to keep my feelings at bay and do my job. "you are amazing Princess. I know I'm not supposed to but I don't want to reject you. I want to be your mate. I'm sorry."

"I'm not a princess. I am the furthest thing from it call me Cara. Beta Liam." my voice reflected anger that I was forcing myself to feel. I knew I wanted him as badly as he wanted me. I had never heard of the bond being this strong. the slightest touch sent waves of pleasure coursing through me and I knew this was all dangerous yet I couldn't seem to pull away.

he groaned at my clear display of hate for being called a princess. I knew it was my title but I hated it. I always felt the title strangled me and was meant to keep me in my place. "sorry, Cara. call me Liam. please." his voice was filled with need.

"should we take what we know to your alpha? I know it's late but this is big news." a frame job was more than big news. this could mean a war. "we will need to contact the police and let them investigate. humans died and we have no clue who they are or even how to contact their next of kin. I am going to need to contact the hunters council. this is definitely going to be an explosive case." we both stood up from where we were. his fave was a mixture of feelings I wasn't sure how to read. "Liam?"

"yes Cara?"

"just for the record. I'm having a hard time denying this as well." I pointed between the two of us as a warm smiled washed over his face. " I just don't think anyone else would ever accept me as your mate. we don't fit in each others worlds. we would be killed."

I could see the understanding in his eyes. neither of us could deny what woukd happen if we decided to allow the mate bond. we would be hiding for the rest of our lives trying to stay alive in a world hell bent on either keeping us apart or killing us."let's solve this and bring the person or person responsible in and then let's address this between us. I'm not sure I could reject you right now but I also know the pain of rejection would keep both of us from doing our jobs." I knew he was right. Rejection was incredibly painful and sometimes left a shifter near death. It wasn't something I was looking forward too when this was all said and done. there was a knock on his door and I turned to him questioningly. "I mind linked the alpha. he needs to hear all this. then we need to get some sleep." I watched as he went to open the door still mostly naked. thoughts of him in my head.