Bound To Him (#3 Mate or Not)

Chapter Eight - The Hunter

I'M DONE WITH MY FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally! it was so hectic you wouldn't believe. The college I'm in is known to be the hardest one in the country and I thought it was bullshit until I started. But thank god my first year is over and here's a celebratory chapter. It's 4 am and I'm beat but I wanted to write a chap as soon as possible since its been so long and I feel so guilty. I'll try to have one today or tommorrow  I promise. I'm going to make up for all the time you all waited this summer.

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Recap

Suddenly the door flew open, making me flinch and huddle closer to Taylor who growled angrily and lifted his head to see who was at the door.

“Taylor” one of the twins said “We caught a hunter on our territory”

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Celena

The words sent me to a state of panic, I started breathing quicker and shivering. I heard Taylor curse angrily and tell the guy who came to leave. Suddenly his face was in front of mine, hands framing my face softly

"Calm down, I'm here and they won't ever get you. I promise" Taylor said gently and the more he talked the more I found myself calming down, just like before. I was still scared. I admitted as much to him and he immediately engulfed me in another hug, reassuring me that he would never let anyone hurt me.

We sat there for a while before I fell asleep in his arms.

When I woke up I was alone. I stood up from the bed groggily and looked at the door, hesitant about going out. But I knew I had to. Everyone was distracted with the hunter and though I was terrified I knew I had to go back and wait for Brett. If the hunters were here it meant that Brett was too. I got out and walked slowly towards the stairs when I heard a shout that had me freezing in my tracks
 not just for the fact that it sounded tortured but because it was a voice I'd recognize anywhere.

It was Brett's.

I ran as fast as I could towards the voice, it was coming from the basements. As I ran I felt a pair of arms wrap around me.

"Celena don't be scared. You're safe don't worry" I heard the voice of one of the girls I had seen before around the house. I kept pushing her away but she kept holding on to me "trust me you don't wanna see this"

I made a sound of frustration before using all of my power to push her off of me. Surprisingly I managed to shove her to the ground before I ran down the stairs. The sight I was greeted with made me freeze in horror.

Brett was in a cell, covered in blood with Taylor and some other guys surrounding him."NO" I yelled surprising them all as I ran into the cell. Taylor maneuvered to catch me but I ducked past him and ran straight to Brett who was on his knees.

"Brett? Brett?" I repeated his name as I lifted his face, looking into his half-lidded eyes. I saw a faint smile tug at his lips

"little lamb" he choked out and I could feel my eyes watering "I was...worried"

"I'm fine" I sobbed "And you're going to be fine too. I promise"

He smiled and then suddenly his body sagged and he fell against me. "Brett? Brett!" I panicked, I couldn't lose Brett. I couldn't.

"Help him" I screamed finally looking up at the astonished faces of the men around me "Please" I looked at Taylor pleadingly "Please. I'm begging you, help him...please" I sobbed, hugging Brett to me "I'll do anything...I'll stay and do whatever you want. Just please...save him"

Taylor looked behind me and then nodded in confirmation before reaching towards me. "NO!" I screeched holding Brett closer to me

"We're going to help him, Celena. I promise. But you have to let him go. Damon just called for Miranda to come and take care of him. We won't hurt him" Taylor said as the woman who had treated me walked into the room, I slowly let go of Brett and watched as Brett got carried out of the room. I immediately stood up and ran after them, ignoring Taylor's cries. I watched as they carried Brett into a room similar to the one I woke up in when I was sick but when I tried to get in the woman told everyone to get out so she could work on him.

I went outside and slid down the wall. It was Brett. Brett was here and he was hurt. Taylor and the others hurt him. I felt ashamed for starting to trust him. I looked down at myself and saw that I was covered in blood.

 I stared at the blood coating my hands as tears filled my eyes till i could barely see anything.

"Celena" The voice made my head snap up and I saw Taylor staring down at me, his expression unreadable

"S-stay away from me" I whispered tiredly, just moments before I had been hugging him,someone who hurt Brett

"You need some rest" Taylor said, ignoring my statement "And to wash up"

"You h-hurt him" I said accusingly "He might die"

"It wasn't us" Taylor said "I mean we didn't get him help right away because we thought he'd give us the information easier if he was already in pain. But we weren't the ones that hurt him."

I stared at him silently, not knowing if I should believe him but compelled to. But I wouldn't let myself trust again. I had to be careful, I had to protect Brett.

"Let's get you cleaned up" he said and I shook my head and answered "I won't leave him"

"It could take hours--"

"i'll wait" I said stubbornly, knowing I wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. Taylor stared at me for a few moments before sighing. He sat down next to me, leaving a bit of distance between us before saying "then I'll wait too"

We sat there for a while, neither of us saying anything. And I was ashamed to say his presence brought me some comfort. It felt like ages before the woman came out of the room. Her name was Miranda, now that I could think clearly enough to remember it. I stood up immediately "How is he?"

"Well he had several cuts and bruises, so he took quite a beating. And he had a bullet wound in his shoulder. Just a graze but it was infected. He has a fever due to the infection but I'm treating him and hopefully his fever breaks by tomorrow morning" I nodded and asked her if I could see him. "He's not conscious but you can go in."

Before I could go in my arm was grabbed gently. "at least let me get you fed and cleaned up"

"I won't leave him alone" I said but the underlying message was obvious: I didn't trust them alone with him.

Taylor grimaced and then nodded "But I'm going in with you. I don't trust him" That confused me since Brett would never hurt me. But then I understood that to them he's a hunter but he was never a hunter to me. I didn't say anything as I got in and immediately ran to Brett's side. He looked so fragile, so hurt I wanted to cry. So I got a chair and pulled it as close to the bed as possible and held his hand, placing my head over it and crying silently.