Chapter XXXX

Stay here? Lock the door? I love you?

He actually thinks that I am going to stay behind when he is giving me zero explanation on what's going on?

As he walks out the front door, I follow straight behind him.

"Everly, get inside." He growls while taking off his shirt. "I have to go."

"I'm coming, and I dare you to try to stop me," I bite back taking off my dress and shifting.

"Fuck!" He let out a frustrated rush of breath shifting next to me into Helix's beautiful form.

To everyone but me, Helix looks like a monster. He is when he wants to be but but truly, he is a puppy with a nipped ear and scars.

Atlas says through mindlink before barreling into the woods behind our house.

Without hesitation, I willed Celeste forward and gave her control. If we were going into a fight she would do way better than I as this is her natural form.

Our paws stomped against the ground as we caught up to our mate. Yelps and yips, grew louder every passing inch and Celeste's fur bristled to its end.

We stopped at the end of the chaos to assess the situation. 5 rouges, 3 of us who were not down for the count. I recognized two scents: Declan, and Fin. Poor Fin was not one of us who were standing though.

A beaten Fin laid in the ground as a rouge made a move to end him but Celeste instantly shot to tackle the filthy thing. After tumbling on the ground for a moment, we both stood and began circling each other.

When he was ready to pounce, I had him right where I wanted him but, Atlas came from no where gripping his neck; breaking it.

Celeste and I bark at him.

Helix's wolf form grumbled and rubbed against our coat for a split second before going to handle two rouges that watched him with a challenging look in their eyes.

Declan was throwing one around like a rag doll, so that only left one more. The problem? He was no where in sight.

The feeling of your breath being knocked out of your lungs is one of the worst feelings in the world. Especially when you have recently died from drowning.

I can't breathe.

Atlas' voiced echoed in my head. It sounded far away as my cloudy eyes looked up to see the most clean rouge I have ever seen in my entire life.

It's jaws snapped in my face alerting Cel and I that I needed to get up. Now.

A gasp left our snout as we let in air. With the air, came a scent. A scent that was slightly familiar. A scent found at the camp of the hunter that shot my mate's leg with an arrow.

Just as it's jaws attempted to snap on my neck, a blur of brown soared over me taking the Hunter with him.

Hudson.

I quickly stand to see Atlas trying his damnist to finish off the two rouges that targeted him so he can get to me.

Hudson released snarls as he tried to pin the Hunter to the ground but this wolf was too skilled.

Celeste was happy to assist for the fact the pain in my back right leg. I went to move and hot pain made a whimper leave me.

Loud yelps sprung out everywhere as Atlas' pupils went from hazel to black. Helix.

Helix made light work of the rouges as he, now, viciously tore them apart. His black coat was soaking wet with blood by the time he was free of them.

His heavy paws thumped to me but I knew Hudson needed him.

Helix growled at me but I knew it was because I had gotten myself hurt. He is just worried.

Nonetheless, Helix jumped into the action pulling the Hunter from Hudson before, literally tossing him to the ground with an earthquake version of a snarl in the face of him.

Hudson was by my side in a second, examining me for open wounds. Once he was satisfied that I had none, he nudged me to the ground. Once I was comfortable, Hudson made it a point to constantly check all surrounding areas while circling around me. He is a warrior, this was a second nature to him.

The Hunter kept struggling underneath Helix and I could tell it was taking a lot of control not to kill him. Helix was growing more and more angered. That is never good.

Where once was a giant black werewolf, now is a naked man choking the shit out of the Hunter with his bare hands. Helix commanded through Atlas' perfect lips.

When the Hunter shifted underneath Helix, Declan threw two pairs of shorts at them. Helix took no time throwing them on but did not give the Hunter anytime to put his on before punching him in the face, knocking his head back into the dirt.

The grown man cried out as his nose bled on his face.

Helix grabbed the Hunter by his neck exposing the poor soul to the dangerous depths of Helix's eyes.

"Alpha Lycurgus," the Hunter laughs through bloody teeth. "Fancy to see you here."

I could feel the heat from Helix's and Atlas' rage multiply through our bond and just by being a few feet from him. It was radiating.

His fist collided with the Hunter's face again.

"I am no one important. Just a chess piece in a wild game." The Hunter answers and then looks over to Hudson and I.

A chill runs up my spine with his gaze upon me.

He smirks.

Helix grabs him by the cheeks and forces the Hunter to look away from us.

"Oh, Alpha, Alpha, Alpha..."

Artemis comes next to me with a sports bra, T-shirt, and running shorts. "Come on so we can get you changed."

Artemis? When did she get here?

Like she felt my question she pats my head, "Declan mindlinked me." She then turns to Hudson and Declan. "Form a wall boys. Declan grab shorts for Hudson."

Once Hudson was shifted back, the boys turned their backs to me and allowed me to shift. I groaned as my left turned human again, it was covered in bruising but it did not feel broke.

We threw on the clothes fast and Artemis gave them the okay. Once they stop shielding me, Helix was punching the Hunter again.

Artemis held onto my side to keep my balance as we watched on.

"Well, I can be bought out of my old contract if you are interested?" The Hunter wheezed and this made Helix's features harden but Atlas soon was at the front again.

"What kind of contract?" Atlas asked with his fist clenched to the side, ready to strike again.

The Hunter spits blood to the ground before answering. "A kill contract of course."

"To kill who?" Atlas raised hand ready for a smart remark but the pieces of the puzzle fell together.

"The arrow wasn't meant for Atlas was it?" I find my voice and ask. "You showed up to separate us when we first met. I was supposed to go home and Atlas had to come here. Aurora Dawn was attacked the day I was supposed to land. But you are not the one who pushed me into the water."

Everyone had their eyes on me as I choked on bile at the realization that someone really wanted me dead.

"Smart girl," The Hunter praised, "you figured it out."

Something flicked in Atlas, his hazel eyes stayed but the look in them was feral and murderous. Not, an ounce of Helix was there.

"Who hired you?" Atlas asked the Hunter while still starring at me.

"Promise not to kill me and I will tell you everything that I know." The Hunter demanded.

"What? No." Declan steps forward, "Atlas, he is dangerous. What if he is comes back and finishes the job? Or he is contracted to kill anyone of us?"

"I value my life more than any amount of money. I will make a deal with you Alpha, let me walk and I will tell you all I know and never return."

"Fine." Atlas stands up letting the Hunter put on shorts.

"Good," the Hunter smiles making Declan growl.

"I do not know their names," he looks straight at me making Hudson and Declan shuffle in front of his view.

I watch him roll his eyes and go back to directing the conversation to Atlas. "I met with one guy to receive payment after a task was completed. They gave me the scent barrier paste and some cash. That's it."

"What did he look like?" I ask pushing between the two brutes trying to protect me. I hiss at my leg for being used so I pick it off the ground again.

"Permanent scowl, black shaggy hair, deep scar on his left eyebrow." The Hunter says.

I am nearly knocked back at his words. My throat closed up as the man he describes appears in my memories.

"Ev?" Artemis comes to my side and rubs my arms. "Are you okay?"

"It's him." I tell Atlas who is being torn a part by the decision to come comfort me or to stay by the Hunter. "It's the man that tried to kill me."

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