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

#13 Cara

For the first time in my life I had no answers. It wasn't easy being in this in between stage. I always had answers. The only thing I knew is that even though in my head I knew I needed to walk away, my heart wouldn't let me. I wasn't walking away from him. He was a weakness and I knew the hunter society would see it that way. They would attack and it would be brutal. Showing weakness was not tolerated by hunters. I pushed it all out of my mind. I knew all that mattered right now was this man that was laying next to me sleeping. He was wrapped around me like if he let go I would disappear. I lay there thinking about the case. Waiting for that dating app to be fruitful was excrutiating. I was the type that wanted things to happen quickly but I knew I needed to have patience. This plan was a very well thought out one. I knew as we spoke hunters were headed to the packs around the world. Possibly more even being sent here. I knew it was a matter of time that my marking and mating would be discovered. As soon as I was discovered everything would change. I wasn't fully sure how yet but the feeling in my gut said it wouldn't be for the better. A hunter and a shifter. not osmething heard of in either of our communities. Life was never going to be the same for either of us.

I let sleep wash over me as my exhausted body finally gave in. I felt his arms tighten around me and then I fell into the nothing of deep sleep. There was a clearing ahead as I peaked through the tree lines. It was quiet. It felt unnatural. There were no noises at all. Usually birds would be chirping and the buzz of bugs flying around. There was nothing now. Just silence. The wind picked up blowing a cool breeze through the trees rustling the leaves around. Something was off. I turned around trying to assess where I was. I turned back to the meadow when I heard a voice. I knew that voice from somewhere. His tone as angry and menacing. I could hear the hate inside his words. I walked cautiuosly to the edge stating far enough back tomake sure I wasn't noticed. There stood two men. ONe looked familiar. I couldn't make out his face from this far away but the familiarity of his stature I knew he was a man of power. The other man was hevy set. He was at least three hundred fifty pounds. His voice was harsh.

the hunter is on to us. i need you to lay low for a while callahan. That b***h is already suspicious.

you told me we had a deadline. f we stop now we aren't going to be able to finish what we started. you said you wanted a war and I am giving you one.

If we get caught then we can't finish our plan anyways. no need in dying for this. you're an ex hunter you should know this.

Damn it! you said war and I am giving you one. Get rid of the hunter b***h and let me do what you hired me for. WHo is this damn hunter anyways?

She is Princess Cara.

If they brought her here we aren't getting another chance. She is the best for a reason and this will be our only opportunity to get this done. We go ahead. We do this. We just need do what we planned. you just keep looking like the i***t they think you are. It's working there G. Now get out of here before we are caught.

I woke up from my dream. It had felt so real I took a minute to adjust to the light pouring through the window. Liam was still asleep. Why did that man look so familiar> It took me a moment to realize I saw the man that had killed all these women and she wolves. This was a glimpse into who was behind all of this. I groaned as I slowly moved out of my bed. I had seen the men responsible for trying to start a war based on fear. It was a clever plan. They both knew about my plan to draw them out. Something flashed in my head. The other one called the guy by a name. I was deep in thought trying to remember the anmethat was there on my tongue but i couldn't think. Why wouldn't it come to me. "CALLAHAN!" I sat straight up in bed o longer trying to be quiet. The name ahd come to my mind. His name was callahan. Liam stirred and woke up startled by my sudden movement.

"What's wrong?" I smiled at him. finally a new peice to the puzzle. there was someone definitley in charge of the other. Callahan was the man who did the others dirty work. I wasn't sure how many men were working for this one guy but I knew we needed to find callahan to find out more information. I knew it wouldn't be easy. There was also another thing nagging at me. The other man seemed familliar but I couldn't make out who it was. I felt like i needed to keep things to myself until I knew who i could trust. Limit the amount of information I released. I felt there was a rat in the pack. Someone that would shock everyone.

"I think we need to limit information we give out. Someone is giving out this information. We need to trust no one. Don't tell anyone about what I have told you. Just let me speak and give out information to certain people and see if the information gets out. I think we have a rat in the pack. Something isn't sitting right with me." I knew he was stewing over the fact that I wanted to keep this a secret even from his alpha. I just felt a need to do it. Something was off about my dream. Something wasn't right and I was going to get to the bottom of this.

"why can't we give the alpha the heads up? He is still my alpha."

"Because I am not entirely sure I trust him. I'm sorry Liam but something is off about this entire situation and until I am sure we can trust him he needs to be left in the dark. That goes for the Gamma Benson also. If you don't like it oyu need to tell me now. I need to kmow who I can trust." I wasn't sure what he would say. I could tell by the way his face contorted he was at war with himself. I was dead serious when I told him I needed to know if i could trust him and truth be told I had no problem keeping him out of the entire plan if it meant keeping shifters safe.

"I'm not going to lie. I don't like keeping things from my alpha. It feels wrong but if it is what you think is best for now I can agree to go along. We need to go see the alpha and talk to him about last night still. I will be by your side for support. If he tries anything at all then I will intervene. I want you to know over everything I chose us."

"ugh, i almost forgot about that. Lets go. I am going to shower quickly and we can head up there." I didn't want to have this conversation with an unstable alpha. i knew I was stronger than him. I was trained to take down two alpha beasts at once. I was used to most people underestimating my abilities. Still it was nice to hear Liam say he would stand by me. It was something I never really thought about most of my life, I had spent most of my time trying to be the strongest and I never realized how alone I had become because of it. We were headed up to the Alpha chambers in no time and I was nervous to see how he would react to what he had done last night. He wouldn't be happy with me for sure. i could already tell he was barely hanging on by a thread with me being here and being mated to his beta made him evenmore on edge. It was a good thing he hadn't noticed I was marked. He made his stance known about not wanting me to be marked by Liam.

I knocked on his suite door. Liam stood by my side. I knew the way he was acting was going to give us away soon. I knew we could only keep our secret for so much longer. "Come in!" Alpha Grays voice was alarmingly loud. He always let his alpha aura out when he felt the need to exude his power. Whenever he felt threatened. I smiled up at Liam and opened the door. His aplha power did nothing to me. He was sitting on a couch in the sitting room. His hands were on his face. I was pretty sure he had a small hangover. It served him right. "come to gloat?"

I was not backing down. I stood tall as I walked towards the other couch.I pointed to it trying to give him what little respect I could muster for him."may i sit Alpha Gray?" I could tell he really didn't want to say yes but he grunted and shook his head for me to sit. I never took my eyes off of him as I sat."I suppose you know why I came here to see you?"

"My mate informed me of what I did last night." There was no apology in his voice. He was not trying to hide his hate for me being here and having to answer to me.

"I guess you don't have to guess what attacking a princess means then." I took a deep breath in. he was not making this easy for me to try and forgive. He was acting more arrogant than ever before. "it is punishable by death."

His eyes shot to me like he was surprised I would even dare think about it. I was hoping it would finally sink in and he would at least pretend to be remorseful. He looked up at Liam and then back to me. "you plan on killing me? then what? who takes over the pack? Your precious mate? I see the ned goal here."

"I odn't need power in one small pack Alpha. If you are suggesting i would have you killed just to take over and take control of your pack please, let me remind you I don't need anyone to do so. I can tak eover as I see fit. I have higher authority than you. Now up until now I have held you with the highest respect even when I didn't think you deserved it. Now that you tried attacking me things have changed. i have not told the king and queen as of yet. i had every intention to walk i here and gove you the benefit of the doubt and let you live. However, your current attitude towards the gravity of your actions is making me think otherwise. I think you are a drunk and you abuse your mate. You are out of control and as such may need to be illiminated and not just cast out as a rogue. I think death might be fitting of your current situation." I never faltered as I spoke to him. He looked surprised and shocked at my words. I looked up to Liam who looked lost. He was unsure of where this was going. I was unsire of where this was going.