Chapter 35

REID:
The thought that I was this close to being nabbed overwhelmed me as I sat alone in my chamber. It has been two hours or more since the occurrence and all through the timeframe, I have done nothing else other than reflect.
The mystery that led me into the Green Dales, the events that took place after that, and to top it all, I was saved by my mate. That was simply the line of what happened two hours ago.
Despite everything that went down, I could not bring myself to tell her the truth about the bond that I have with her. Since she could not feel what I am feeling, I did not think it would be possible to convince her that we have something together. Not to forget that she is still a member of my pack’s rival.
I wish there was a way I could put it to her. A way to let her realize that something was between us. But there is nothing I can do for now other than to watch her from far until fate decided to pull our strings together.
“Come in,” I say before whoever is outside could most probably knock on the door into my chamber.
The door is pushed open immediately after I usher the person in. I am met with the sight of Hunter because of the direction I am seated which is straight at the entrance of the room.
“You sure did take your time to come here,” I say as Hunter approaches me with a look of confusion mounted on his face.
“I could not leave the scene where the vacation was ongoing. There was no one else capable of overseeing it other than me,” he declares. “But you look like you have gone through hell and back. Tell me what happened. Is it something serious?”
I shake my head. “No,”
“Then why is your face like that? I could swear that you just experienced the worst thing ever with that look on your face.”
I guess I am too obvious even with my perfect style of masking my emotions. But this one couldn't because it was surely a big deal for me. Anyone that did go through my situation would know the way I am feeling now. Maybe my young mate does.
“You remember when I linked you about possibly sighting something in the woods? And then you wondered what I was trying to do about that?” Hunter nods after my question and it was my clue to proceed. “So I did go after what I thought it was but at the end of the day, it was all for nothing.”
He goes to grab the seat that is pushed away under the desk in the room. What he does next is bring it right in front of where I am seated, making himself comfortable on it with the back of the chair facing me directly.
“Make me understand what you mean,” he states.
I begin by mentioning how I started running after the thing I could not see, finding myself on the territory of the Green Dales with no clue how I got there. Then I follow it up with me seeing my young mate with her male friend, making me think that it was them that I had been chasing down until they made me realize I was on their territory.
“...the girl then offered to help me escape before the warriors of their pack got to where I was because the boy decided to call on them about being in trouble. With her help, I was able to evade them as well as the ones set at the borderline. If not, I don’t think I would be here talking to you because knowing me, I would resist the urge to have to beat up a lot of beings just to escape unharmed.”
Hunter’s expression makes him seem like he has just heard the best story ever told. The interest in his face said it all and it was probably the reason I was able to go on and on without any care.
“I’m mostly interested in why she had to save you, but first I need a logical explanation for what you were chasing down? How can you say you didn’t find that which you thought you saw? Or did you even see anything?” Hunter throws those questions at me, almost putting me in a tight corner.
“I saw nothing. I already mentioned that. It was like I was chasing the wind. But I promise that I felt someone or something move in the woods during the ordeal. I know I did. I was not crazy. Because if I was, then it would make no sense the probability of finding yourself somewhere else when you are certain of your initial location.”
“What then do you think happened?”
“My best guess would be that someone is playing games with me. If you recall, the girl mentioned something similar to what happened to me today. Although her case was something about being chased by the unknown which she thought was a beast. Maybe something is actually doing something to mess with us. Who knows?”
“If I’m to be honest with you, I still do not trust any word the girl had to say that day. But we will not dwell on that now,” was what Hunter had to say before he sat upright on the chair. “Back to the girl, does she already know that you two are mates or what? Because that could be the possible reason she took the risk to help you.”
“I don’t think so,” I tell him. “I’m certain she cannot feel the connection yet because I would have gotten a reaction from her when I put her to the test in some way. What she told me was that she was only reciprocating the favor I did for her when I let her go free some time back. Pretty sure you’re aware of what I’m talking about,”
“I see. And did you manage to get any information from her about the situation of her pack?”
I take my time to think about the conversation I had with the girl. Everything we had briefly discussed before my escape came back to me swiftly and precisely. So I say, “Yes, but only a little.”
“Care to share?”
“It's no big deal so why not?” I say firstly then go ahead to explain the situation to him, “She made me realize that they might be facing a similar problem without having an idea what they are going through. The information she gave to me was about a few unsolved disappearances in recent days. And when I gave her the knowledge of our pack’s situation, it made her realize as well that it might be a similar situation for real.”
Hunter narrows his eyes at me as if to let me know that I might have done something odd. “Do you think it was the right thing to share with her the situation of our pack?”
“Why not? She shared hers with me so why shouldn’t I have done the same? Even though it was I who made the first move during the conversation. But that does not mean a thing to me because I was able to find out the issue without having to send some of our men to act as spies which is risky in this period.”
“And you believed every word she said?”
I shrug. “I would have known if she was lying.”
“Or the bond between you two would have clouded your judgment without you knowing.”
I frown. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“See, let us face the fact, Reid. She is your mate. And she knows nothing about it. So what does that mean? It means the bond is currently one-sided. And being one-sided has a way of messing with one’s sense of judgment. No disrespect to you, but I think the effect must have gotten to you.”
I should be the most pissed being right now. But funny enough, I am only amused at what he had to say. It was as if his words meant little to nothing to me which was rather strange because I should be reacting harshly to him now for even indirectly calling me lovestruck.
“You know, sometimes I wonder how you got to this level. It beats me how you were able to pass the intellectual test of life all through these years and yet you cannot apply that in your daily life. Especially in serious circumstances.”
“Dude!” he almost yells while emphasizing the ‘e’ in the word. “You didn’t have to be so brutal with your words. I was only stating facts when I talked about your one-sided relationship.”
“There is no relationship, Hunter. And you know that. The last thing I need is to be tagged a cougar because I made a sixteen-year-old believe I was her mate without a shred of definite evidence.”