Hunting Season ✓

Four

Damon

The moment I made it to the door Dad grabbed me by the back of my shirt and dragged me outside to his truck. He practically threw me in the truck and slammed the door.

"What the hell Damon?"

I winced at his loud voice and angry tone, "I didn't start the fight. Besides, I begged you not to make me go to school today."

He started the truck with a loud growl, "Well because you decided to get yourself suspended, you're going hunting with me tomorrow. And I hardly see how making you go to school today is the reason you got in a fight."

I huffed and crossed my arms, I knew if we were going hunting tomorrow Dad was going to wake me up extra early.

Once we made it home I climbed out of the truck and angrily made my way to my room. I threw my bag and sat down at my desk. I decided I'd just waste the rest of my day on YouTube.

By the time my mom called me down for dinner I had somehow ended up watching some man restore an old rusty cleaver. YouTube recommendations were weird, not that I was complaining.

When I walked down the stairs I saw my older brother and his mate sitting at the table as well.

"I heard you got kicked out of school today," my brother said. "Please tell me you beat the dude's ass."

Mom slapped the back of his head and I laughed.

"Kory stop that," his mate, Alice, said.

I sat down and waited for Dad to give the okay before eating, he still looked pretty livid.

"I'm guessing Dad is taking you hunting tomorrow them," Kory said.

I nodded my head and he laughed, "He did the same thing with me every time I got in trouble. He'd make me hunt till my paws felt like they were going to fall off."

I groaned at the thought, "I only got in that fight because he was bullying one of the younger kids."

"That doesn't mean you can start a fight," my dad said.

"For the last time I didn't start the fight, he threw the first punch. Everything I did after that was self-defense."

"You broke the kid's nose," Dad snapped back.

Kory clapped his hands, "Way to go little bro."

He held his fist out and I reached across the table bumping it with his.

"Males," my mother and Alice said in sync. Alice rolled her eyes and laughed.

Dad shot us a glare and we shut up and began to eat.

Alice clasped her hands together and looked over at me, "Damon have you thought about meeting your mate yet?"

I looked up from my plate, "Um, kinda but none of the females in the pack are my mate."

"Well maybe your father will take you to visit some other packs and see if any of their wolves are your mates," Mom said.

I looked over at Dad and he only shrugged.

"Don't worry bro, you find your mate soon," Kory said.

~

I laid in bed and I tried to imagine what my mate may look like. I eventually fell asleep.

I dreamed I was standing in a meadow full of tall grass, I laughed and shifted into my wolf. I barked with excitement as I ran through the grass causing a swarm of butterflies to take off. I laughed and ran further into the meadow.

"Damon!"

I stopped as the voice called out, I turned to see a boy standing in the meadow. He had dark brown that sat messily atop his head, and his beautiful greens eyes held a playful glint in them. He had a soft yet strong look about him. His lips formed into a bright smile as he laughed at me. He smelled of maple pancakes, and I loved that scent.

"Mate."

My eyes snapped open and I slowly sat up, I looked over at the clock. It read 11:45.

I gasped and raced out of bed, flying down the stairs. Dad was going to murder me.

"Calm down," my mom called. "I talked your dad into letting you sleep in."

I sighed in relief as I hugged her, "Thank you, you're amazing."

She laughed and handed me a plate of food, "Hurry. He's waiting outside."

I quickly scarfed down my food and raced to take a shower. Once I was dressed in some comfortable pants and a shirt I made my way outside.

I saw Dad standing there talking to some others, I instantly recognized them as Dad's council. They were some of the older wolves that lived in our pack, they've been here since my grandfather was Alpha.

"Damon, you've gotten so big," one of the council members said.

"Thank you."

"Well, we will be going now. Just wanted to inform you of what the morning patrol found," another council member said.

Dad nodded and I waved at them as they left.

"What did the patrol find," I asked.

Dad turned began walking, "They could smell a human, along with traces of wolfsbane. They think he's a hunter. So be careful while you're hunting."

I nodded and watched as a black wolf replaced my father. He ran off but I knew he would still be watching.

I sighed and pulled off my clothes shifting into my wolf as well. I set off on my hunt.

I eventually made it to the clearing, I had been hunting for almost an hour and I caught nothing.

I stepped into the clearing when a scream rang through the silent forest.

I stopped and waited and when another scream rang out I turned and ran as fast as I could.

When I made it to the source of the sound, I found my father on top of a human boy, snapping his jaws. The boy pushed against my father and he wriggled in his grasp. He turned his head and I froze.

It was the same boy from the meadow.