Hunt

Kaiden's POV

The thick and relatively dense forest canopy above us filtered the sunlight as it shone on us, it made dappled shadows on the ground as we moved silently through the woods.


The thick scent of earth and pine, mingled with the adrenaline that pulsed through my veins.


This was indeed all and what I needed at least for the moment—a distraction, a chance to lose myself in the primal instincts of the hunt.


The pack warriors fanned out behind me, their movements were so in sync with mine.


And in case you are yet to figure it out, we were out on a hunt, my pack warriors and myself. It was just what I needed at the moment, you know.



Jack, my beta, was at my side, he sharply scanned the surroundings with his eyes for any sign of our prey. He was focused on the task at hand, he understood that this was the only way I could temporarily escape the thoughts that had been plaguing me.



"Alpha," Jack murmured, his voice low as we paused at the edge of a clearing. "I caught a scent.

East, about half a mile. It’s fresh." He noted and I nodded and inhaled deeply to catch the scent myself.



The faint musk of a deer hung in the air, it mingled with the earthy scent of the forest. It was a welcome distraction of some sort. At least this longing was tangible, or so I thought.



"We move quietly. I want this hunt to be flawless," I instructed, my voice came out in almost a whisper, but the authority in it was so unmistakable.



The warriors behind me nodded their heads in unison, their eyes were sharp and their bodies had turned tense with anticipation.


This was where I thrived—in the heart of the hunt, where every decision was immediate and every damned move calculated.


There was no room for doubt, no time for distractions or long thoughts and shit. Out here, I could be the Alpha, the leader my pack needed, not the conflicted man who is being haunted by emotions I simply cannot control.


We moved as one, our footsteps were nearly silent on the forest floor. The entire environment was tense and rigid as we drew closer to our target.


The scent grew stronger, more distinct, and I could feel the energy of the pack shifting, growing more focused. I signaled for the warriors to spread out, to encircle the prey.


They obeyed without hesitation.
As we closed in, the deer came into view—t'was a solitary stag. It stood in all its magnificence, I got to admit, it was a beauty to behold.


It grazed peacefully, unaware of the danger that surrounded it. I watched it for a moment, and was almost lost in myself where I was admiring its grace, its raw power.


But admiration had no place in the hunt. This was about survival, about maintaining the balance of our territory. And nothing more, or less.


I shifted my stance and prepared to strike, when Jack’s voice broke the silence.


"Alpha, on your command." He said to me.
I glanced at him, noting the determination in his eyes, the readiness. My men were trusting me.


"On my mark," I replied, my voice came out in steady blurts. "Three… two… one… now." I silently commanded and the next thing and we all surged forward as one, the pack warriors all moved with a speed and precision that only came from years of training.


The stag’s head snapped up in alarm, but it was already too late. We were upon it before it could even react, our movements were fluid and deadly. We were werewolves and hunting was our thing.



In moments, the hunt was over and the stag lay still on the forest floor.


I stood over the fallen prey, breathing heavily, the rush of the hunt still coursed through me. The satisfaction of a successful hunt was there, but it was fleeting, overshadowed by the thoughts that refused to leave me.


As much as I had tried to immerse myself in the hunt, to drown out the memories of Lilian, they clung to the edges of my mind, like a baby clung to its momma.


Jack stepped forward and his dark eyes met mine with a look of quiet understanding.


"You led us well, Alpha. The hunt was flawless." He noted and I nodded my head as I acknowledged his words but not fully absorbing them.


"It was a good hunt," I agreed, though my mind was already slipping back to thoughts of her.


Don't even give me that look, you know who.


"Kaiden," Jack’s voice was softer now, the use of my name rather than my title was a rare gesture of familiarity. I wasn't bothered. Jack was way older than me, he at least deserved that much acknowledgement.


"You know you can’t keep avoiding this." He asked me.


I stiffened at that. Jack was the only one who could speak to me like this, the only one who could challenge me without fear of reprisal.


No one else dared come close.
"I’m not avoiding anything," I replied, although I could hear the lack of conviction in my own voice.


Jack raised an eyebrow, a knowing look in his eyes.


"You’ve been distracted, Kaiden. The pack can see it, I can see it. You need to figure this out before it starts affecting your judgment." He reprimanded me. If you would call it that, that is…



I clenched my jaw, I could feel the frustration growing.



"And what exactly do you suggest I do, Jack? Give in to it? Let her become my weakness?" I asked him. Finally I was letting it out to someone.



"She already is your weakness," Jack replied bluntly, his words cut deep through my defenses. "But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.


You just need to decide what you’re going to do about it." He told me.
His words actually hit home, the truth of them was quite undeniable. I had been fighting against something that had already taken root inside me, something that I couldn’t simply will away. But accepting it, embracing it… that was a different matter entirely.



I think I like her already.
Pft! My subconscious rolled his eyes at that.


I think?

"I don’t know if I can," I admitted, the words even tasted bitter on my tongue.


My beta placed a hand on my shoulder.
"You’re the Alpha, Kaiden. You’ve faced down enemies stronger and more dangerous than this. You’ll figure it out. But running from it isn’t the answer." He told me.


I looked at him, his eyes held sincerity and loyalty, the belief that I could handle this, even when I wasn’t so sure myself.


"I’ll think about it," I said finally, my words were a small concession to the truth I didn’t want to face.


"That’s all I ask," Jack replied and then he stepped back and gave me some space to process. "For now, let’s get this stag back to the pack. They’ll be expecting a feast tonight." He said.