Huntress and The Alpha King

Obsession

Quinn

Pain radiated through my big toe and up my shin. “s**t!” I hopped about on one foot.

I’d smashed my toe on the step up from the bedroom to the main suite. I was beyond tired. Why did my toe feel broken? I stumbled about like I was drunk, swearing like a sailor. Clearly, I need sleep more now than what I did when I was building my company. I used to survive on two hours.

“What do you reckon buddy? Help a man out and heal this broken paw?”

My wolf was silent. He faced away, curled up in a ball. He never ignored me. Eh? I didn’t have time for grumpy wolves. Maybe he hadn’t had any sleep either? I settled for walking the pain off.

Irina emerged from the bathroom. She looked well f****d. I smirked at her.

“You look happier than you sound,” she said as she walked past.

“Not happy about my toe, but any night you’re in my arms is one worth smiling about.”

“I sleep better in your arms,” she said, almost to herself.

Pride shot through me.

“Maybe you should always be in my arms.” I slid in behind her as she pulled on her leggings. I peppered kisses down her neck.

She moaned lightly then pulled away. “Come on, we’ve got warriors to train.”

I groaned internally. No sleep and now my mate’s special brand of early morning torture - I mean - training. I watched her dress, fascinated with her every movement. She heaved out a chest from the wardrobe. It looked care worn with leather straps around its sturdy casing. I’d seen it in Alec’s room when he first moved in. I remember thinking he probably needed a bigger room for all the stuff he lugged in with him. It reminded me of something.

“Will you come with me to see Lan and Nina at his pack this week?”

She stilled and straightened, her hand around what looked like a spikey mace. “Did Nina say she wanted to see me?”

“Lan asked. She’s struggling.”

Irina looked away. “I’m not sure how I can help her.” She swallowed hard.

“You’re her only friend here. I’m sure you can help her adjust.”

“I wasn’t much of a friend to her.”

“What do you mean?”

She blew out a breath and fiddled with the mace. “I didn’t look hard enough for her.”

I went over and gently removed the dangerous weapon from her hand. It landed back in the box with a clanging thud. “Listen to me.” I turned her face to me. Her eyes held shame and regret. “You did all that you could. That psycho had everyone fooled and he left no trail. Do not shoulder more guilt and burden than you need. Goddess knows you already take too much on.” I cupped her face.

She stared at me with tortured eyes. “You make it sound so simple to let it go.” She closed her eyes. “Though, sometimes I can when you are close to me.”

Let me stay close to you then! I wanted to shout at her and shake her again.

“I’m here, I’ll always be here.”

“Thank you.” She kissed me lightly on the nose. I had to smile, it was our thing and I’d missed it. She cleared her throat and stepped back. “Come on Alpha, this isn’t getting anything done.”

She dove back into Pandoras’ toy chest and rummaged around for a minute or two. The box emitted so much clinking and rattling I felt like I was in some medieval dungeon, not my high-tech closet with voice-controlled drawer openers.

I jumped back and swerved as she emerged brandishing two broad swords. “s**t! Are we training with weapons now?”

All the warriors could handle guns and most knew their way around a knife, but we usually chose to fight as our wolves.

“Vampire-hybrids are difficult to kill and the more ways they know, the better. We need to update the armoury.”

I could only imagine how to put through an order for a hundred broad swords without being placed on some FBI watch list.

“Ok, let me pop to the office and I’ll pull off the inventory Brian keeps updated. We can look at it after training. I’ll meet you at the training ground.”

Maybe I could sit in my office and have a ten-minute power nap?

I entered the office and dread swirled in the pit of my stomach. Laid like a bear trap on my desk was a thick envelop with the royal seal. It must have been delivered yesterday, late afternoon, when I was otherwise engaged with Irina. No power nap for me.

I sank down in my chair and pulled the document towards me as if it contained five hundred spiders. Gingerly I popped the seal and slid the contents onto the desk. My stomach swopped. A bundle of paperwork clipped together separately with paperclips. Fronting each bundle was a picture of a she wolf. The cover note was in my grandfather’s flouncy long handed writing.

“Quinn, here’s the short list – all of these candidates will be at the ball. Please indicate your courting order. They have all been heavily vetted by Felix and come from excellent breeding stock. All are all mateless, virginal, and keen for the position. I have indicated with an asterisk my personal suggestions.”

I felt sick. I dropped the papers and they splayed out on my desk. The old man was crazy. Who the f**k does that? What the f**k would I do with a bunch of virginal she wolves? How had he checked? I couldn’t go there right now. Eager for the job? I bet they f*****g were. I cringed at the thought of these females pawing at me at the ball. Anger filled me and a began pacing. I have a luna. I didn’t want anyone else!

She hasn’t let you remark her though, has she? A nasty snidey thought slid into my mind. I am working on it! s**t, now I was arguing with myself, not even my wolf!

I felt twitchy and tense. Maybe it was better I go and train, get rid of this feeling. I would deal with this disaster later. I headed straight for the training grounds.

Unfortunately, training did nothing to stem my mounting irritation. Neither Grady or Duncan were at training. Duncan I could excuse. Sort of, lucky bastard. But where was Grady?

“Brian, where the f**k is Grady?” I barked at him as we were packing up.

“I don’t know, Alpha. Do you want me to find him for you?”

“No, I’ll sort it.” I regretted snapping at Brian, it wasn’t his fault.

“Grady, where you at?” I linked him.

No reply. I was beyond annoyed. I just knew he was in bed. I didn’t have time right now. Grady was a lot of things, but unreliable at attending training wasn’t one. There was too much to do right now to spend time reaming him out though. Irina agreed to go to see Avery today and talk things over. I squeezed my temples and tried to concentrate on things I could deal with. I felt a bit fuzzy and probably needed some caffeine. Worry still twisted at me as I watched my unmarked mate pack things away with Brian. No one approached me thanks to my perma-glare.

The clinic looked quiet relatively quiet post training. Especially a training that involved sword demonstrations. Irina’s hand felt slightly sweaty in mine. Outwardly, she looked cool and collected but inside she must be sharing my inner turmoil. We stopped short of Avery’s office, and I pulled her to face me. I brought my forehead to hers as she stared back at me.

“Whatever she says, whatever the options, we are in this together. I love you, Irina.”

She blinked a few times. “I know.” We stared at each other a long moment and breathed each other’s scents.

A crash in Avery’s office turned both our heads.

“What was that?” I asked, Irina tensed and pulled her knife from nowhere. “Holy s**t, where do you stash that thing?”

“Not the time for a knife safety lecture, Quinn.” She was already stalking along to the door.

A muffled yell sounded from behind the door. We both barrelled through the door into Avery’s office. The sight that met me shocked me. The place was a mess, medical files everywhere, the desk overturned. Worst of all was my Uncle Kevin who had Avery pinned to the wall, held high up by her wrists. Her shirt hung open in tatters and exposed her bra as she frantically twisted in his hold. His other hand clamped across her mouth to silence her, tears streaked down her face, her eyes wide and terrified.

He turned as we entered. A zip of sound and Irina’s knife had embedded into his forearm that he held Avery hands with. A roar came from him as he reflexively released her. Avery slumped down against the wall and scrambled backwards. I rushed into the gap between them and shielded Avery with my body. Irina took Kevin to the ground before he could pull her knife from his forearm. Both elbows hoisted high up his back, Irina pressed on his torso as he thrashed unsuccessfully beneath her. Rage filled me. This was where Mike got his example, I was ashamed to be related to this filth. I bent over and cracked him on the temple, he blacked out straight away.

“Wow, one punch, at least his son managed three before he checked out.” Irina said, disgust laced her words. She began to secure his arms with surgical tape she’d snatched off Avery’s desk. “This won’t hold him if he wakes up, we need some chains.”

“Grady!” I bellowed through the link, I forced alpha power through to mount any block present.

“Holy s**t, Quinn! What’s the matter?” Grady replied instantly.

“The f*****g matter is we’ve just caught my Uncle Kevin assaulting Avery in her clinic room and I need you here ASAP! Bring chains.”

“s**t! I’m there.”

I made to move closer to Avery who reflexively flinched and balled herself tighter on the floor.

“You check Avery, I’ll look after the trash,” I said to Irina.

She hiked a brow at me. It was unclear if she thought I could control my uncle or whether she would prefer to assault him than deal with Avery. She started to towards Avery, arms out in front of her slowly.

“Avery,” Her voice was softer than I’d ever heard it. She settled in a crouch next to Avery and offered up her white coat that had been abandoned on the floor. Avery looked dazed. She gripped herself tightly and rocked back and forth.

“Avery?” Irina tried again this time a gentle hand on her arm produced no flinch but no other response either. Irina draped the whole coat around her shoulders and Avery’s eyes lifted to hers. They looked a million miles away still. Deep pools of fear and pain were reflected there.

“Irina?” she asked uncertain, she blinked around at the office as if to bring it back into view.

“Yes, Avery you are safe now. Let get you up and back to your quarters.” Irina helped her up and pulled the white coat closed over Avery’s ruined top. Renewed rage shot through me, and I kicked my uncle in the gut. The movement drew Avery’s eye and her breathing hitched. It seemed to drag her from her shock. She scrambled away.

“No, it’s ok, we’ve got you.” Irina pulled her into a one-armed embrace. “He will NEVER touch you again.”

“Please don’t leave me alone.” Avery’s voice cracked. The calm confident doctor was gone. I’d only ever seen her so vulnerable once before when I pulled her out of that alleyway the day we met.

“Come on, we’ll go back to the pack house, you can stay in the alpha suite with us. We’ll have Quinn’s wolf at the door as a guard dog.” She winked at me.

I couldn’t help a small smile. Irina’s humor had always been on the darker side. I was glad to see it emerging again despite the circumstances. She took off with a half-supported Avery clasped to her hip.

Grady and Al skated into the room one after the other. Grady held heavy cuffed chains made of toughed steel. We had silver ones in the dungeon. We hardly ever used that place and recently it’d housed half my relatives.

“We saw Avery, she looks in bad shape. How far did this sick fucker get?” Grady lip curled as he nudged Kevin with his toe.

“Fudging Cruncle!” Al aimed a kick at our uncle’s side and landed a blow to his kidneys that caused him to stir.

“Whoa there, killer. Let’s get some chains on him before you welcome him back to the land of the living,” Grady said and bent to chain him.

“What did you call him?” I asked Al as I pulled her away. She stared down at Kevin with a look of pure disgust on her face.

“Cruncle, creepy-uncle. He’s always been weird even when Aunt May was alive. Gave me the heebie-jeebies.”

“Really?” I thought back and wondered what I’d missed. “He always seemed ok to me, Aidan liked him, he was a bit possessive of Aunt May and reclusive since she passed but never creepy.”

“Yeah, well your ‘creep-o-meter’ is clearly broken.”

“Yeah, maybe.” I sighed.

I wondered if it was the only thing broken. It was a long ass day, and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet.

“Cells?” Grady hiked an eyebrow at me as he had hauled Kevin to his feet.

“Yeah, take him and I’ll meet you there with dad. He’s going to hit the roof.” Grady dragged Kevin out the door, chained and still unconscious. He was plenty strong enough to subdue him if he awoke.

What a f*****g mess. Avery’s office was trashed and now I had a would-be-rapist uncle in the cells.

“Al, can you grab Kara and help straighten the office. I don’t want Avery coming back to this mess. Kara will know where everything goes. “I’m going to get Dad. Can you go and meet Irina up in our room? That’s where she’s taken Avery.”

“Sure thing. Dad’s going to poop-a-doughnut.” She shook her head.

I refrained from shaking mine at her choice of words. I didn’t want to entertain the mental imagery it had given me.

Dad did indeed ‘poop-a-doughnut’. Over the mind link no less. The volume of it still reverberated inside my head. After he calmed down, he suggested we go to Kevin’s house and see how deep this ran before we joined Grady in the cells. Uncle Kevin’s house turned out to be a cesspit of a special kind.

First of all, it looked like one of those shows about extreme hoarders. I had no idea how it had become like that. Aunt May had been a severely house-proud wolf. In fact, we had been banned as children from visiting after Lan once broke a vase. She decided a rambunctious selection of alpha pups were not welcome at her house, placing dirty fingerprints everywhere and knocking over fine china.

The place now, well, the smell would have been unlivable for humans but for supernatural senses it was an assault of the kind I’d never experienced. Once we found a well-trodden path through the detritus, we found the only room that seemed spared from the mounds of clutter and rotting food. His bedroom. It appeared Al had been spot-on with her ‘cruncle’ comment as every single wall was covered in pictures of Avery. Shivers crept down my spine as I took it all in. Shots from far away across the training field. Shots of her working on patients, leaving her quarters, even through her windows. The smell was ripe enough, but this turned my stomach. My father’s expression was one of grim revulsion.

By the time I made it up to the alpha suite hours later, after questioning a clearly delusional uncle, I wanted to burn my clothes. I didn’t even want to set foot into our space with the smells and sights I’d been tainted with this afternoon. I held up a hand to Al who had rushed forward on my arrival. I locked eyes with Irina standing behind Avery. She had her phone in one hand and the other on Avery’s shoulder. She nodded at me; we didn’t need words to communicate that I needed a minute. Avery sat and clutched a mug. She was sporting a black outfit that resembled Irina’s training outfits, and she had the far off look back in her eye.

Once inside the bathroom, I stripped and balled up my clothes. I stuffed them into a trash bag. I entered the shower before it had heated and winced at the coldness. I let the water sluice over my tired body while I rested my head against the tiles.

Could we have prevented the decline in my uncle? Should he have got help after he lost his mate? Do we do enough pastoral care at the pack? Why was I related to men who thought it ok to assault women? Ok, so Kevin seemed unhinged – not that that was an excuse – but still, Mike was in his right mind. Surely Mike knew about his dad? My mind whirred. I was running on empty.

Sometime later, when I hadn’t found any profound answers to my endless questions by staring at the tiles, I left the shower. I quickly dried off and pulled on some sweats. I emerged to find all three women on the couch now. Irina looked up; her eyes trailed my torso in clear appreciation. I smirked at her and flexed a little. It was a nice to have her eyes back on me, even in these circumstances.

“Put your moobs away brother, we don’t need Rina distracted.” Al rolled her eyes.

“Moobs?” I mouthed to Irina who just shrugged as if to say ‘who knows what your crazy sister means’. Avery hadn’t moved, she still clutched her drink.

“He’s restrained in the cells, Avery. We are transferring him to grandfather’s pack in the morning. We thought you would feel safer with him away from the pack,” I said.

Avery turned her moss-green eyes on me and blinked a few times. “Okay,” her voice sounded rusty and cracked.

“But we have a spare room on this floor, it’s a twin and Al is going to stay with you,” Irina said.

“T-thank you. All of you.” Avery’s eyes watered and Al pulled her onto a hug.

Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” suddenly blasted into the room. I turned to the source. Irina’s phone vibrated on the table next to the couch. I don’t remember ever hearing it ring. She hardly ever charged it. As I crossed the room to her, I realised Irina was deathly pale and frozen. The ring tone blared uncomfortably into the silence and even Al and Avery had broken apart to see the source of the noise. Irina reached for the phone, her hand shook.

Fear slid down my spine. My strong mate didn’t shake. She grasped the phone and turned it to her like it was poisonous. I didn’t think it was possible, but even more of her colour drained away. I cleared the final distance between us and stared down at the caller ID.

“Best Biatch Alec.” flashed on the screen and a familiar profile picture stared back at us from beyond the grave.