Hunted Derick

Chapter Eight - Goodbye, Hello Revenge

★ Derick ★

It felt good to be home again. Difficult and sad but good. We stood around an area that had been opened up by Keith. Bless his soul. I was still curious about the past he shared with my mate, but I did appreciate him making a secluded area for our loved ones. Sadly Conner would be the first. Carter stood right by my side as Keith and Spencer continued to dig up the earth for Conner’s coffin. Hand made by some of the members of the pack. Candice stood on my left side and I reached out to gently take her hand in mine. It was clear to see that this was a sad event and that everyone that had gathered around was tearful. The time had come, and I cleared my throat loudly before I spoke.

“Conner Miller was a brave wolf, courageous, and full of life. It saddens me to stand here today, but it brings me joy to know he is at peace and in a better place. Of course, we will miss his funny, quirky ways but let us not mourn his death for too long. He would not have wanted that. It was a pleasure knowing him and I feel proud that I got to fight alongside him. He will never be forgotten,” I tried my best to keep my voice clear and loud, but it got harder with every word. Keith, Spencer, and two others carried Conner’s coffin to the grave. “Let’s take a moment, to remember him, and to honor him,” silence fell among the wolves as they slowly lowered his coffin into the grave. It was heart-wrenching and I felt both Carter and Candice’s pain and anguish. Jody carefully made her way through the wolves with a basket of freshly picked fireweed from the forest. The bright purple flower brought warmth to me as she finally reached us. “Come forth and pay your respects,” I said, and the members came forward, one by one, to throw in their flower and say goodbye. Some had tears in their eyes, some openly cried and most just looked sad. Keith and Jody approached the grave together before throwing in their flowers. I stepped forward with Carter and Candice and we too threw in our flowers. I felt the tears, but I didn’t wipe them away. Carter looked up at me and gently tugged on the sleeve of my black suit jacket.

“Can I help?” he whispered, and I nodded, looking over at Keith. He immediately understood and came forward, offering a spade to him. Carter took it and we watched as they threw the dirt in, filling up the hole. Candice turned to me and I wrapped my arm around her, it felt good to be able to comfort my mate but in the same breath, it hurt me too.

“I should’ve been there, it’s my fault,” she whispered. This took me by surprise and I quickly pulled back to look down at her.

“No, it’s not your fault, its mine,” I said.

“How? It wouldn’t have mattered where Carter or Conner was, she would’ve tracked them down and, and, and…” she started crying and I pulled her once again and held her close, gently rubbing her back. I shook my head slightly thinking about her words. We both blamed ourselves but at the end of the day, the only person we should be blaming is Madam Sally York. I wanted to search for the b***h and kill her. She didn’t deserve to live after taking Conner’s life like that. Hell, I should track down those rogues and kill them too.

★★★

Although it was quite a sad day, I took this opportunity alone with Candice to talk. We needed to talk. She sat across from me in my office and the door was closed. I had instructed Keith not to let anyone in or to bother us.

“Derick…” she started, and I nodded, urging her to continue. Honestly, I wanted to hear what she had to say first. “I killed Madam York,” she admitted whilst avoiding my gaze. My mouth dropped open and my eyes went big.

“You did what?” I asked, dazed, and confused. “What? Why?” Shock filled me and a little bit of disappointment. 

“Well, she was a pain in my ass, and I didn’t trust her. I didn’t believe that she would let me go,” Candice said softly. "That and the fact that it is because of her that Conner is gone," she added.

“And the two men?” I asked.

“I let them go…” she finally looked up at me and I smiled. “Why are you smiling?” she questioned with a frown. How could I put it into words? She had spared their lives after everything and killed the enemy. I shrugged and waited for her to talk again. “So, I am going to go after the rogues,” she announced, and I nodded thoughtfully.

“I’ll join you,” I said.

“I work alone,” she argued.

“I said, I’ll join you,” I repeated in a firm voice. “This topic is not under discussion,” I added.

“Alright,” she agreed after thinking it over. I nodded once more and waited yet again for her to speak her mind. There was a big white elephant in the room, and I hoped she would bring it up. “And us?” she questioned carefully. Bingo, she brought it up.

“What about us?” I asked. I wanted to know what her thoughts were on us, but I didn’t want to push her. After all her younger brother had been murdered, her other brother had been kidnapped and she had found her mate. It was all very overwhelming. Well, it was for me, at least.

“Well, do you ah…um…” she hesitated, and I was curious as to what she wanted to ask.

“You can talk to me, Candice, I don’t bite,” I wanted to add something else, something a bit more seductive but I stopped myself. It didn't feel quite appropriate.

“Do you want me?” she blurted out. I looked closely at the female sitting across from me. She had taken off the black jacket she had worn to the burial and she had undone a few of the buttons on her deep navy-blue shirt. Not enough to see anything, just a bit of skin. Which I was happy about. I didn’t want any other males checking out my mate or seeing her cleavage. I mean, I would like too but not anyone else was welcome to it. I realized that during my time thinking about this, Candice had started to silently panic.

“I do want you,” I said, putting her at ease. “I was just thinking about…” I paused as I wondered if I should voice my thoughts. “I was thinking that I am glad you aren’t showing too much skin, you know, nothing to revealing,” I decided to be honest and I was rewarded with a shy smile and pink cheeks. “I want you in every way possible, but I am also wanting to give you space to deal with everything else,” I admitted.

“Thank you, Derick,” she whispered before she stood up and came over to me. She sat down on the corner of the desk and I leaned back in my chair, looking up at her. This was a bold move, I thought but I enjoyed it and I couldn’t wait to see what she was going to do or say. I tried my best to keep the smile off my face, but I couldn’t help but smile just a little bit. Candice reached out and ran her fingers through my dark hair and I almost melted at her soft touch. One hand and then two, she pulled gently on my hair and I let the smile go, smiling up at her in awe and happiness. The simple affection she showed me was making me and my wolf incredibly happy. The way it felt was something I had never experienced before. I slowly pushed myself up and out of the chair, making her hands fall to her sides. I reached out and gathered her against my chest, gazing down into her eyes.

“Can I kiss you?” I asked rather shyly, and she gave me a quick nod. Leaning down, maintaining eye contact until I pressed my lips against hers. My very first kiss with my mate was so spectacular, I don’t really have the words to try and describe it. Her soft plump lips caressed mine as we both wrapped ourselves around each other. Her scent dominated my senses as I ran my tongue along her lips, silently asking for entrance. Candice didn’t hesitate to open and allow me to push my tongue eagerly inside the warmth of her sweet mouth. I groaned at the pleasure I felt just from a kiss. My heart rate picked up as heat flowed over my body. My need to consume her was quite overwhelming and I had to pull away. Both of us breathing heavily as I tried to push Parker back. He wanted to come out and play. I smirked as I managed to push him away. His whining echoing in my mind as I stared over at her. I had no idea it was like that. Kaila had failed to mention the intensity of being with one’s mate.

“Woah,” I heard Candice mumble and I reached out for her again. Kissing her with a lot more passion and desire. She didn’t complain as soft moans of delight and pleasure came from her. I was on cloud nine and nothing was going to bring me down.

★ Candice ★

I leaned against the closed door and let out the breath I had been holding in. We kissed! I can’t believe it! I giggled as I skipped to my bed and threw myself down, face first.

“Aaah!” I screamed out against the pillow. I felt giddy. After all this time, after wondering if I would ever find my mate, here I am. I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. Derick Parks is by far, the sexiest wolf I had ever seen and met. I frowned as I thought about his demand or statement that he would be joining me in taking revenge against the rogues. I have always worked alone. Yet, I knew he had his own past, a past that included hunting down wolves. I sat up. Was I able to forgive him for that? How was it that he had become Alpha with his very own pack? However, since the council so eagerly helped him, it had to mean something right? Maybe I should pay Keith a visit and see what information he can provide. I got up and headed out of my room, down the hall, and knocked on Keith’s door. It wasn’t too late, so I wasn’t surprised when he opened the door.

“Candice? Everything alright?” he asked, I didn’t answer as I pushed passed him.

“Can we talk?” I sat down on the dark green wingback chair he had in the corner of the room, just opposite his bed. Keith closed the door and nodded as he went over to his bed and sat down on the edge. “Tell me everything you know about Derick,” I demanded. Keith raised his eyebrows and then nodded.

“As I said before, he was a hunter and he attacked a pack. He and his men were caught, and the Alpha changed them. He stood trial at the council for the murder of the previous Alpha and Luna as well as for holding the males captive and forcing the females to be slaves. He was charged with five or six years. His council member was Kaila, and apparently, she helped him a lot. As the time got closer to his release, she and the other council members bought this piece of land for him. I suppose because he was a leader of sorts in his human life, the gods decided he would be a leader in this life too and so he was blessed with Alpha blood. I don’t know anything about his human life,” Keith told me what he knew, and I thought about it. The mystery behind Derick was not only intriguing but scary. I had to know more about his past but was I prepared to actually ask him about it? Or should I do the right thing and wait for him to bring it up? Thoughts swirled around in my mind and I wondered about the wolves that had been murdered. 

“You’ve spent more time with him, what do you think he is like?” I asked Keith, pushing aside my thoughts.

“From what I’ve seen and the time I’ve spent with him, Derick is not one to talk a lot. He is more of an observer. Not quite silent but he rather takes in the information or his surroundings and then makes an opinion. He is a good wolf, I think,” Keith explained, and he leaned back, placing his hands on the matching green bedding. “You were with him for a few days, what happened between you?” he asked.

“Nothing, we were both stressed about Carter so, we didn’t talk much, and we didn’t spend every waking moment together. He spent a lot of time on his phone though,” I thought back and cringed. I sounded like a jealous girlfriend. Hell, I think I was jealous.

“Ah, Kaila,” Keith said, and I tilted my head to the side in question. “Derick and Kaila are quite close, and he talks to her a lot,” he further explained. “Are you asking me these questions because he is your mate?” Keith took me completely by surprise. I had no idea that he had figured this out. It wasn’t as if we had announced it or tried to hide it, but it definitely caught me off guard. As far as I knew, the only wolf that knew Derick is my mate, is Carter.

“He is,” I admitted. Keith chuckled as he stood up and went to open the door.

“Good, very good,” he stood waiting for me and I quickly got up and left his room, but I turned around and whispered.

“You would tell me if he is bad, right?” I asked. Keith looked at me as if I had lost my marbles.

“I would but he isn’t,” Keith stated, and I nodded before rushing back to my room. What I didn’t expect to see is Derick sitting on my bed waiting for me. I hesitated as I wasn’t sure if I should close the door or not.

“Candice, I would appreciate it, if you have any questions or thoughts that you would just talk to me about it,” he declared. I stood there, staring at him and I swallowed hard. His words may be harsh but the teasing tone and his amused features helped me to relax. I closed the door and charged towards him. Jumping on him in such a way that he fell back against the bed with me on top of him, straddling him. I gazed down into his eyes and smiled.

“You are so….” I trailed off, unsure as to how I wanted to describe just how attractive he is.

“Annoying?” he offered, and I shook my head as he placed his hands on my hips, holding me in place.

“I was thinking more along the lines of sexy,” I admitted as I leaned down and pressed my lips against his. Kissing Derick was like breathing. It filled me with an energy that I couldn’t quite explain. I moved against him as he deepened the kiss. Derick slowly sat up and then very gently stood, making sure that I didn’t fall as his hands helped keep me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist. He took a step and I kissed along his jaw as he laid me back onto the bed.

“I have to say, you are the one that is sexy,” he said before gently kissing me again. It didn’t last as long as I would’ve liked, and I pouted up at him as he backed away. “You are tempting…” he said before opening the door. “Good night Candice,” he said before leaving and closing the door behind him. Oh, he was annoying!

★★★

Gale informed me of the rogues that had attacked at the diner. I was now focused on the task at hand. I didn’t even hesitate to barge into Derick’s room that early morning. However, his bed was empty. I stood staring at the empty place for a moment before closing my eyes. He was outside, on a run. I turned and hurried outside and stopped at the entrance of the woods. Carter was with him, I could feel it and as if they had also sensed my presence, they came out. Derick’s wolf was large, bigger than any male wolf I had ever seen, and his fur was pitch black and shiny. I stared at him for a moment, before I turned my attention to the smaller, light brown wolf, walking alongside him. I looked away as I realized that they would have to shift and that is when I noticed Jody and Keith. Both of them holding out clothing.

“Candice?” Derick called out and I turned to see him wearing grey sweatpants and that Carter, Jody, and Keith were gone. “They went to the hall for breakfast,” he offered an explanation and I nodded.

“I got word on those rogues,” I said.

“So quickly?” he asked, and I nodded, handing him over my phone so he could read the messages himself.

“Gale has her resources, I’ve learned over the years not to question it too much,” I said. Derick held up the phone and showed me one of the photo’s Gale had sent of the rogues in their human form.

“That’s them,” he said, and I took the phone from him. I had looked at that picture for quite a while. “How did she get that?” he asked. It was taken in front of the diner.

“It’s just a screenshot from the video feed from the diner’s security camera’s,” I explained, and Derick smiled.

“Clever,” he reached out and pulled me to him and I immediately melted against him. I didn’t think too much about his bare muscular chest pressed up against my clothed body. “Come, let’s go have some breakfast,” he said before kissing my nose affectionately.

“It seems you and Carter are a lot closer than I thought,” I suddenly blurted out. It was more observation than a question and I wasn’t sure why I said that, but Derick just chuckled as he directed us towards the hall. “Um, when do you want to go after the rogues?” I asked him, changing the subject.

“Right after breakfast,” he promised.