Wolf's Huntress

Chapter Fourteen

Alastair's POV:

After Ruth and Tinkerbell left the room, I tried to say something but Stephon put a finger to his lips. Was he making sure that we wouldn’t be heard by Ruth? What the blazes would he want to say that Stephon didn’t want Ruth to hear? After what seemed like forever, he removed his finger from his lips and walked over to a chair to sit down.

“Alpha Preston, do you have access to therapists? Those that specialize in trauma would be great.”

“We have one here in the pack, however for what you want we'll have to talk to the royal family. To help all those that you saved I'm sure they'll send over as many as you need.”

Stephon shook his head before speaking again. “One or two more would be great for the women we saved. However, I'm asking in regards to Ruth. She needs someone to talk to about what happened to her. And for what she is currently going through.”

“What happened to Ruth? And what is she going through now,” I demanded. He was talking about my mate, the one I knew so much and yet so little about.

“I can't say what she went through and I can only be vague about current events I'm afraid. The answers you want can only come from her.”

Yeah, that was going to be a long road to get to if she ever decides to trust me enough to be by her side. “What can you tell me then?”

“The faction never believed in therapy,” Stephon stated. “It was seen as a weakness to need help for any reason. Hunters were even looked down upon for having colds or the flu. So imagine the female hunters having to deal with jabs from the guys when that time came around. To them, it was kill or be killed.”

That was so grim and a rather twisted way of thinking. Living with hunters must have been a toxic living situation for regular members. So what did Ruth have to put up with being seen as less than a bug?

“Ruth is against any and all relationships because of what it is that she does. She was already tricked once so she limits her personal connections, basically cutting herself off from the outside world. Ruth is so guarded that it makes sleep difficult for her without a heavy dose of medicine.”

“Why can't you be her therapist then,” suggested Preston. Stephon shook his head slowly before starting at his feet.

“We have too close of a relationship for me to be her therapist. Besides, she rarely listens to me in matters concerning her life, be it the business or personal.” The older man then looked at me. “I know it may not seem that way, but you have the best chance with her.”

“She hates my guts. So how could I possibly stand a chance of talking her into getting the help she needs?”

Stephon chuckled lightly. “Oh she doesn't hate you, not really. If she hated you then you would either already be dead now. Instead, she has only given you warnings to stay away from her. She is doing that because I honestly believe she doesn't want to see you hurt. And she fears that you'll get hurt getting involved with her in any way.”

“So that whole thing with the Hunter's Playroom was her way of scaring me off?”

“Yeah, that or a test to see how clever you were. We've never used that building outside of scaring off less desirables. She wanted it to be a signal to enemies to stay away. But we never went far enough to actually use it as it was meant to be.”

All this information made my head spin, and yet my heart was fluttering. It seemed small, but I had a chance to be with my fated mate. To show her that I was worthy of being by her side. However, if helping her heart heal needed to come first then I would do that.

Stephon and Preston talked about training schedules as I thought of a plan. I needed all the help I could get for what I wanted to do. Once Stephon was done with what he came to do, he left to return to the rest of Ruth's group. I was still in deep thought when Preston grabbed onto my shoulder to get my attention.

“You good in there,” he asked with a sympathetic smile.

“Yeah, I'm good. Just trying to come up with my battle plan for Ruth.”

“Battle plan,” he asked with a chuckle. I shrugged my shoulders in response.

“Best way to put it because she'll kick and scream all the way to accepting my idea.”

“What is your big idea,” asked Gregory. I nearly forgot that he was in the room with us.

“I'll tell you, but first I need help getting in contact with some people. Alpha, think you can help me with that?”

He gave me a curious look before chewing on his inner cheek with concern. “I see what I can do, but I make no promises.”

A few days later, it was time for our first training session with Ruth's group. Ruth came over with six of her people, all ladies and all of different species. Mermaid, siren, witch, banshee, nymph, and the last was either demon or human. It was hard to tell going by their smell because demons could mask themselves rather well.

Preston decided to make things even and have seven of us from the pack join in each time. That way we could pair up evenly. So it was Preston, Gregory, four warriors, and then myself. Stephon was also there to help make things more civil while training us in the way of his family's techniques.

“I figured we would start with the basics and move on from there. Nothing wrong with a good foundation. So I need everyone to partner up.”

I moved to try to pair up with Ruth, however, she moved towards Preston. “Leaders should train together,” she stated with a glare.

There was nothing wrong with that logic, but it still hurt that she didn't want to be with me. So I had to remind myself what Stephon said before.

“I'll be the one fighting by your side however. So wouldn't it be best if we worked together?”

Ruth looked towards Preston, perhaps in hope that he would see things her way. My Alpha instantly shook his head at her.

“As leaders, it is our job to protect those under our care. If we partner up in a real fight, how will we be effective? It is best that one of your own works with me and one of mine works with you. And seeing as Alastair is your mate, he is the obvious choice.”

That didn't seem to settle well with Ruth, yet she still turned to the other ladies. “Clover, pair up with the Alpha.”

“Good, is everyone paired up now,” Stephon. When he saw that all fourteen of us were in groups of two, he looked at Ruth before tossing her a rubber dagger. “Since you are my best student, show them how things are done.”

Ruth twirled the dagger in her right hand with such ease before she got into a fighting stance. The look on her eyes got me excited as a shiver went up my spine. I couldn't hide the wicked smile that spread across my face. I put my right foot forward, crouched down a bit low, and spread my arms out to my sides.

“Come at me, baby girl.”

“Don't. Call. Me. That,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Begin,” announced Stephon. I decided to charge in to overwhelm Ruth. Maybe raw, wolf strength could overpower her. That was my thought at least. You know that move that Black Widow did in the second Iron Man movie where she basically spun around the guy's neck? Yeah, that was what she did to me.

Ruth pounced, spun around my body while grabbing my arm, then pinned me to the ground. She moved to sit on my chest with her knees on either side of my head and the rubber dagger at my throat.

“I said the basics, Ruth. That was not a basic counter move. Get up and try again,” Stephon scolded lightly.

I honestly couldn't help my next move, there was zero restraint on my part. Grabbing her hips, I pulled Ruth closer so that I could bury my face into her crotch. I took in a deep sniff before letting out a groan. Her natural scent was intoxicating and I couldn't get enough of it.