Hunted (Pack of Dawn and Destiny, #1)(75)

“Yeah, it’s because I hit him so they didn’t have to,” I said.

Hudson shook his head. “Not quite. It’s because you were the one who stepped in. You owned the situation, so they could fall in line.”

Now it was my turn to be confused. “I’m a hunter, not an Alpha, Hudson.”

“You’re not,” Hudson agreed. “But it seems like you still don’t quite understand your position in the Pack.”

Because there is no position. They’ve made that abundantly clear.

“I’m not really Pack, though,” I pointed out.

For a moment, Hudson looked older, and there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. “Pip…”

I felt a familiar presence approach from behind, and Hudson immediately clamped up.

“Alpha Greyson, hello.” Hudson smiled—it looked genuine, but also a little wary.

“Hello, Hudson.” Greyson moved in until his chest brushed my right shoulder. “It’s good to see you again so soon.”

“So soon?” I peered up at Greyson.

“He stopped by the Curia Cloisters when I was finishing up some paperwork while you were exploring downtown the day you saw Arbiter Tanaka,” Greyson said.

“Oh.” More of my joy leaked out of me. “So you knew I was in town.”

And you didn’t try to see me? Yep. I’m definitely not a packmate. But I already knew that.

“Hudson!”

“Hudson, my man!”

Aeric and Wyatt finally crossed the street and jogged up to us.

“Aeric, Wyatt!” Hudson laughed as he gave Wyatt a backslap, then elbowed Aeric. “Did you finally ask Shania out?”

“Yeah!” Aeric laughed and sheepishly ruffled his hair. “We’ve been dating for a while.”

I smiled and figured this was a good time to leave, because yeah, okay, I was feeling a little hurt, even though I should have known better.

Greyson watched me as I backed away. I nodded to him, then went around the group—which was growing as more Northern Lakes wolves approached to greet Hudson—and headed up the street.

Maybe I should copy Rio and Aspen and get some gelato.

I grabbed my now cold remaining few french fries from the table I’d been sitting at and tossed them in the garbage, then headed up the street, wiping my hands off on my dress pants as I went.

When I got to the gelato store I saw Rio and Aspen were still inside. I didn’t really feel like dealing with Rio’s sucky attitude, so I kept walking. I found a clean alleyway with colored stones that led to the boardwalk behind main street and wound snug against the lakes.

“Hunter Sabre.”





Chapter 20





Pip





I rolled my eyes to the side and watched Amos slouch his way down the boardwalk, his netted hat cocked on his head, much like his smile.

Radcliff and Scarlett trailed behind him, but I was pretty sure I saw another hunter or two from their family farther down the boardwalk.

What are they doing in downtown?

It wasn’t like they weren’t allowed, but I would have thought they’d be starting the drive back north to Timber Ridge to get their stuff since they hadn’t traveled via night mare like the rest of us.

“Hunter Fletching,” I said. “Congratulations on a closed case.”

Amos laughed lowly and shook his head. “You’re a bit too premature.”

I turned my back to the water and propped up my elbows on the banister of the boardwalk railing so I’d look casual, but I’d be able to see all possible directions Amos and his family cronies could pop out of. “Am I? Even though the Pre-Dominant herself said the investigation is over?”

Amos narrowed his eyes. “Just because a politician says an investigation is closed doesn’t mean we’re done looking into it.”

He’s lucky the Pre-Dominant isn’t around to hear him call her a politician. Pretty sure she’d kick him through the floor of the boardwalk.

I tucked a loose strand of my white hair behind my ear. “Really? Because I think that’s exactly what it means.”

A vein in Amos’s neck pulsed with anger despite the hard looking smile he wore. “You’re planning on staying with the wolves?”

“Yeah.” I furrowed my brow, confused by the question. “Timber Ridge is my home.”

“Why?” Amos asked. “Why do you stay with them?”

Thinking of everyone I’d said goodbye to in my life, I somehow managed to keep my voice even. “Because they’re all I have.”

Amos shook his head. “Nonsense. You belong with a hunter family.”

Ugh. This again.

I rolled my eyes. “None of the hunter families except the Quillons wanted me when I was orphaned—and I wasn’t going to go with them for obvious reasons. I have no loyalty to hunters as a supernatural besides that of coworkers.”

Amos held up a finger. “You see that? That there’s unnatural. You’re living with the things you should be tracking down and eliminating.”

I stood up straighter. “Things? You dare to call werewolves things?”

“They’re nearly beasts,” Amos flatly said. “They look human, and they can mimic human behavior, but they are the only supernaturals whose humanity can be stripped away like clothing. They’re a step up from animals.”