Leon

Chapter Three

The shirt she had tossed to the ground was suddenly covering her bra clad chest. Her dark jeans were unbuttoned- was she about to go for a swim? It hit me a moment later; how much had she seen? The shift from my wolf form? 

Her dark eyes couldn't look away from mine. Her smirk has disappeared- her face covered in pure shock. Then guilt. And then anger. 

Before I could react, she had shoved me up against a near-by oak tree. The rough bark pressed into my neck and my wolf howled in surprise. And slight amusement. 

Until I felt the sharp, cold metal against my neck. It threatened to break through skin. A knife? Didn't she feel how wrong this was? I was her mate for shits sake. 

"Listen here mongrel," Her beautiful voice was rough with anger and dominance. "We strayed away from hunting your kind for the sake of peace. But this is our territory. If I find you here again, rogue blood won't be the only kind spilled here in Delgany."

Rogue blood? Oh, god. No. 

This girl is a hunter. I could see it in her stance, her eyes. She would never let herself be afraid. She would never let herself be weak. She had, once again, abandoned her shirt on the forest floor. Her body was so close to mine. 

Magnetic. 

Across her beautiful, creamy collar bone was a crescent moon. Onyx, ink. A tattoo. A symbol of her team? Maybe. 

Her lips were pressed into a thin line and she never faltered as my eyes trailed over her. Her thick, dark hair was wavy. Long; landing just above her waste. Her gorgeous thin waste that I could just wrap my hands around...

I finally dragged my eyes back to hers. Dark. Haunting, almost. They were framed by such dark lashes. Her nose was small and it curved up a little at the end. Her chin was round and one of her cheeks held a dimple. Jesus Christ, what did I do to deserve her?

I opened my mouth, trying to find words to convince her to stay with me. But how do you promise forever? 

What came out was, "I didn't know people skinny dipped around here." 

Her eyes narrowed. I continued to speak without actually thinking about my words. 

"I never knew the Irish to be so promiscuous." 

Her grip on the knife tightened but the blade never moved. 

Then I thought of something. Her voice...

"But you don't sound Irish to me." 

She blinked. Only for a moment did she seem to forget about her goal. Her goal to chase me off. End me. Then, I felt the tip of the blade break through my skin. Yeah, she definitely remembers now. 

"Where is your pack?" 

Typical question for a hunter. But I wasn't about to give up that information. 

"You're a Brit." I muse and revel in her closeness. Damn, she smelled so good. 

She sneers. "I'm not asking again-" 

"You should know that I'm not going to answer." I interrupt. 

She opens her mouth again to speak, or yell, or curse, or tear me apart and break me down with that husky voice of hers but I do something that surprises us both. I reach up and tuck her soft hair behind her ear. The action is simple so I take it upon myself to brush my fingers over her cheek. Velvet. 

She's some inches shorter than me. Around five-four, I would bet. She looks young. Young and old, as if she only lived for a short while but those years were filled with things unimaginable. Like she experienced an entire lifetime in...how many years?

"I want to know you," I blurt out and she looks at me incredulously. 

She swallows. "Who the f**k are you, wolf?" 

I smile. She wasn't going to believe this...but I notice the way her wrist quakes slightly and her eyes search mine instead of hold them. She very well might believe me; it seems as if she is feeling the pull towards me. The attraction is undeniable and never fails. She is already doubting herself and wondering why her instincts are screaming for her to kiss me. Hold me. Touch me. 

"Leon," I answer softly and she breaths in. "I'm your mate, hunter." 

Her eyes widen, her mouth opens in astonishment. Horror? No, please no. 

She shakes her head fiercely and moves the knife up, I flinch. "Impossible." 

I almost laugh at the irony in this entire situation. Fate, you are one son of a b***h. "I was thinking the same-" 

"Hanna!" A call from deep into the woods. But it was too close for comfort. Then, a whistle. The hunters call. 

The girls head whips around, searching for the source of the noise. She looks back at me, and after a long moment, she retracts her knife. Holsters it in her boot. Picks up her shirt and watches me carefully, as if I would take this moment to attack her. But she has already rendered me motionless. 

Hunters never drop their guard. Once she is dressed, the coldness is back in her eyes. 

"I mean it, mutt. If I see you here again, I will kill you."

I growl. "This won't be the last time we meet."

Hanna begins to back away, watching me with a raised eyebrow. "Our territory. It would be wise for you to remember that." 

She turns and runs into the woods. After her caller and away from me.