The Alpha Hunter

Chapter Three - Interview

✺Darion✺

Two weeks had passed, and I was finally ready. I knew all the roles of the hunter's group by heart, I knew everything there was to know about how to be a hunter and how to make myself look like I was the best of the best. Everette had kindly not only allowed me two stay in his small home, but he shared everything that he knew, that he had learned, with me. Of course, I was nervous, even slightly terrified, but my desire to finally put my plan into action was more than enough to get me to the café to meet with Oliver Hine. In the small town of Witmoor, a cold, snowy, town, I was about to meet with The Fangs recruiter. I was fully prepared, fully prepped, and more than ready to convince Oliver that I was exactly what they needed. I glanced around the café as I waited for Oliver to show up. Granted, I was early but that didn't bother me at all. The café was just like any typical café I had ever been in and I couldn't help but smile at the townspeople as the town buzzed with activity. I was seated outside and although it was fairly chilly, today seemed to be one of those days as the sun was shining and the warmth was enough to have people out and about. I ran my fingers through my thick black hair, and I noted to myself that I should get a haircut soon.  Sipping on my hot coffee, Oliver was easy to spot, and I shook my head as I chuckled. Oliver was tall, extremely well built with short light brown hair and a circular beard. The mustache and chin hair wrapped around his mouth and although I didn't particularly think that any form of a beard was attractive, it somehow suited him. Oliver was making his way across the street towards the café, he looked left and then right, his light-colored eyes caught my attention as they seemed to sparkle, which in itself was somewhat disturbing. I wasn't sure why I always seemed to notice people’s eyes, it is somehow fascinating to me and I suppose I agreed with the term, eyes are the windows to the soul. Not only was Oliver tall and well-built he walked with an air of confidence that even I admired. He didn't look nervous, he didn't look stressed, he didn't look at all worried about his interview with me and this made me feel somewhat calm, and relaxed. When Oliver finally reached the café, his eyes wandered around and when they locked with mine, I nodded once giving him the indication that yes, I was the one he was looking for. The cheeky waitress that had been serving that morning rushed over to Oliver with a bright smile painted on her face. I disliked false people. I turned my head away, not interested in listening in on the short exchange of words as I waited for Oliver to finally be seated across from me.

“And what would you like to drink Oliver?” the waitress, whose name I never bothered to learn, asked. Oliver glanced at me for a moment before putting on a flirtatious smile, obviously checking out the waitress, and placed an order for a cup of green tea. The order in itself disgusting but I said nothing as I continued to sip on my own coffee. The waitress left without bothering to find out if I wanted a refill or if there was anything else that she could get for us.

“You must be Darion?” it wasn't a simple question or a statement but more of him trying to confirm that I was in fact the man he was supposed to meet. The confidence I had seen him display earlier didn't seem like confidence anymore but rather arrogance and I wasn't sure if this Oliver and I would get along. Not that I intended to make any friends during this time. It was just that I could tell that he and I were not going to be friends.

“Yes, and you must be Oliver,” I did my best not too late any hostility be evident in my voice and so I quickly smiled as Oliver frowned.

“That's correct, so Darion, how did you find out about us?” the question over asked didn't surprise me at all. Everett had informed me that all recruiters had a set of questions that needed to be answered. Since I wasn't a descendant coming from a hunt his family, I needed to have a believable background story that would give me the ultimate edge.

“I've heard stories about The Fangs, through friends of mine,” I said slowly, maintaining a steady confident, and calm tone. “I've been a hunter for roughly three years with a group in the North and I was getting rather restless,” the lies left my mouth with ease and I could see Oliver processing everything I said. “I heard that you’ve never had a failed job and that you wipe out entire packs, this interests me,” the cheeky waitress came over with Oliver’s tea but this time, he was too distracted to notice the way she swung her hips. I hid my smile as I took another sip of my cooling coffee.

“Which group up North?” he then asked, and I paused for dramatic effect. Everette had been clear about the northern troops and now I knew why. Oliver would probably cross reference anything and everything I said.

“Gunner,” I said. Everette knew the Gunner troops fairly well and had put in a call for me with their head recruiter. If Oliver did feel the need to check me up, he would find a pretty impressive résumé and the guy would surely give me a good reference. Of course, Everette owed him a favor but had insisted that it was all good.

“I’ve heard about them,” Oliver remarked, and I couldn’t help but hear the skip in his voice. He hadn’t heard of them and that meant he would be calling me up. So much for small miracles. I shrugged as if I didn’t really care, which I didn’t. “What did you do for them?” he asked, and I leaned forward. I knew nothing about weapons and even though I had tried to convince Everette that I should be a rifleman, he had been adamant that it wouldn’t be a wise choice.

“Tracker,” I said with confidence. “I’ve been a scout too, but I much rather prefer doing the tracking,”

“Alright, what else can you tell me about yourself? Married? Children?” the questions didn’t faze me, and I sat back.

“No children, no wife, no relationship. Some would say that I am a bit of a loner, a rogue,” the word ‘rogue’ rolled off my tongue with a hidden meaning, but Oliver didn’t pick up on it. He nodded at my answers and I felt inclined to add more. Another tip from Everette was that hunters enjoyed talking about themselves and that they were enormously proud men. “Of course, that doesn’t stop me from having some fun,” Olive laughed, giving me, the desired result and I smirked.

“Yeah, same here,” he said. “What about your family?” I cringed at his question and that he noticed. “Touchy subject?”

“My parents disowned me about four years ago,” I said truthfully. I hadn’t wanted to reveal anything about myself but Everette had said that certain aspects of my life fitted that of a hunter. “They called me reckless, dangerous, and that I’d end up getting them killed somehow,” I spoke the truth and I didn’t like it. I didn’t want this stranger knowing anything about me, not even this. However, I continued explaining my family situation. “I was forced out of our home and I made a new one. I wanted to show them that I wasn’t reckless, that I could be dangerous in the right ways, and that I wouldn’t get them killed,”

“Why did they think those things?” he questioned. He was digging, which I had expected, and I sighed loudly.

“Well, they believed I was reckless because I didn’t always do what they wanted me to. You see, Oliver, my parents come from old money and my father wanted me to follow in his footsteps. At the time, I didn’t want the responsibility that came with it and so I rebelled,” I knew I was getting caught up in the moment, I knew I was revealing far more than I should, but I couldn’t stop. “And because I rebelled against my father, I did stupid, dangerous things that got me into trouble,”

“What kind of trouble?”

“The kind that can get you locked up,” I admitted. “I stole things, I don’t even know why I did it. I got involved with a neighboring…” I stopped myself. I had been about to say ‘pack’, but I quickly shook my head. “A neighboring town full of bad people,” I downed the rest of my coffee before I continued. “I suppose I wanted to show them that I would do what I wanted when I wanted. My parents felt that my actions would somehow end up killing them,”

“Sounds rough,” Oliver said as he finished off his tea. “Are you able to follow rules though?”

“Oh yes, one of the main reasons I rebelled is because I am not a leader, but a follower,” my false confession made Oliver smile and I zoomed in on his lips. I wanted to gag at the way the hairs of his circular beard edged in on the sides. Didn’t that bother him? It bothered me.

“Have you ever handled any weaponry?” he questioned, and I nodded. Everette had told me that the leader, Kurt Marshall owned a gun shop and that my way in would be that simple. “Are you any good?”

“Hey, man, I’ll clean them and prep them but that’s it. My aim isn’t bad but as I said, I am a tracker,”

“What makes you a good tracker?” he then asked, and I plastered on a big fake smile.

“I have a fine sense of smell, of hearing and I tend to be able to pick up on that sort of thing. When I joined Gunner, the tracker, Casey taught me everything else. He saw my potential and he used it,” I was starting to panic, and I wanted this interview to be over. I didn’t know anyone named Casey and I don’t know where the name had come from, but I could only hope that Oliver didn’t make a note on that. I had forgotten the information Everette had told me.

“Nice, well, Darion,” Oliver stood up and held out his hand. I quickly stood up too and shook his offered hand. “I’ll give my report to the boss and give you a call,” he turned to leave but I had one more thing to say. Something that Everette had said would guarantee my employment.

“Before you go, I have one more thing to say,” Oliver faced me, and I could see the interest burning in his eyes. He liked me. “Those disgusting creatures don’t deserve to breathe the same air as us. You tell your boss that I am a hard worker, and I am ready to follow,” I dropped my hand from his shoulder and Oliver nodded before he left. I wouldn’t know the outcome until later. I quickly went inside to pay the bill before I went back to Everette’s house. I knew that he would want a play-by-play on how it went, and I was eager to know his thoughts on it.