Loving The Beast Within (Sequel to Shifting Love)

Chapter 17: The Hunt

"Terrence, perhaps you should just go get in the truck," Daniel spoke as he came to stand between us.

He huffed in frustration and walked back to the last truck. I waited until everyone was in their assigned trucks, along with the men who were following us into battle. I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket and handed it over to Cooper before we climbed into our trucks. I had written down the coordinates of the location we were meeting Jerry and Logan.

My mind staid blank the entire car ride to the location. I wanted to keep a clear head while we tracked these monsters. I wanted Ari to be able to feel my hope of finding her and nothing but that.

The sun was dipping low behind the hills by the time we reached the outskirts of the human territory. The trucks came to a halt when we spotted Jerry and Logan just outside the forest surrounding the city.

The key wasn't even out of the ignition as I shoved the truck door open and jumped out. I didn't want to waste any time with Logan's nonsense or risk losing the trail. It seemed Christian had the same idea as he joined me walking over to the two men.

"Where is their trail?" he blurted out before I could even speak.

Any other time I would have been irritated by the interruption but he asked the same question I was about to ask. Jerry pointed towards the left of the city. That simplified things a lot more. A few miles away from the city was the countryside. It was still considered human land but it would be easier to track the hunters without having to hide from the humans.

"Is that all you could get?" Logan sneered.

Christian instantly grabbed Logan around his throat, "We have enough men here to stop a small army. You better watch your disrespect to your Alpha, boy."

"He's a terrible Alpha. He has failed time and again to protect his own mate and our pack. What kind of Alpha can't even protect his mate? She trusted you! You were supposed to be there for her! How could you?"

"I promise I will get her back, Logan. This is the end of the hunters. It will never happen again."

"You said that last time. You don't deserve her. She deserves someone who will protect her, someone like-"

"You?" I interrupted him.

My men laughed around me. It was no secret to anyone that Logan despised me or that he was in love with my mate. They all found it laughable that he thought he could somehow come between us.

He snorted loudly, "I certainly would have protected her better than you have been. She needs someone who can be there for her."

I pulled him out of Christian's grasp and slammed him hard into the ground.

"You think you are stronger than me? She needs to feel a man's muscles ripple under her smooth fingertips. You think you are more of a man than me? She needs a man with the stamina of an Alpha to satisfy her. You will never be man enough to satisfy Ari. Her body, her soul will never yearn for you the way it does for me. Get it through your thick skull," I threatened him, "or I will have you exiled."

I shoved him once more into the ground before releasing him. I stood up and walked over to my men. It was time to get this manhunt started. We had the two best trackers out of all the packs at our disposal. They would find Ari by tonight.

"What's the plan, boss?" Cooper asked me.

"I want Keith and Harrison to shift. They are going to continue tracking Ari's and the hunters scents. Stick to the trees and don't let anyone see you. We will follow behind. Keith will let us know everything through the mind link."

"Are you sure it's wise to allow anyone in wolf form on human territory?" Daniel asked, "We can't be careful enough around here, Dante."

"Keith understands the law and the penalty of revealing ourselves to the humans. I am sure Harrison understands as well. Keith, are you willing to take on this responsibility knowing the consequences?"

"I am ready, Alpha," he responded without hesitation.

"Harrison?" Daniel asked.

"I will do anything to help our pack, Alpha. I understand the consequences."

"Everyone back in the trucks. Keith, Harrison, while I want you to take the necessary precautions in concealing yourselves, please move as fast as you can. I don't have to remind you how dire the situation really is."

"We will do our best, Alpha Dante," Keith replied.

We all climbed back into our trucks while Keith and Harrison shifted into their wolves. They quietly and quickly ducked under the cover of the night and the forest. Keith gave a short howl to let us know they had already picked up the scent.

"Follow them," I ordered Teague when he started the truck up again, "and keep up."

Teague looked over at me and grinned, "Since when have I ever been too slow and lost a mark?"

"There's a first time for everything," Cooper teased.

"Tonight would not be the ideal time for that to happen," I growled at them as Teague reached back to hit Cooper.

Keith and Harrison kept to their words and stuck in the shadows while they tracked the hunters. Time slowly passed by as we drove deeper and deeper into the human forest. The night was getting darker but they never once lost the trail.

My eyes were scanning the darkness for any signs of human life when I felt a small, irritating itch on my right forearm. I reached over with my left hand and scratched at it. I switched the overhead light on and glanced over my arm. There wasn't anything wrong with it.

Soon the small itch turned into a blazing burn. It felt like someone had set my arm on fire by pressing it against a lit grill. I had only felt this burn once in my life. It was pure silver. But the magnitude in which I felt the burn then was unparalleled to what I felt now. It was like they were pressing the silver into my arm, but it wasn't me they were torturing.

My fist slammed hard onto the dashboard. The plastic bent under the weight of my hand. The truck swerved on the road for a second before Teague steadied himself. Cooper placed a hand on my shoulder to steady my body. I hadn't even realized I was shaking.

"What's wrong, Alpha?" Teague asked.

I opened my mouth to answer but words escaped me. I slapped my hand against my neck when I felt another burn there. This time was worse. My wolf's reach with her was starting to fade. When wolves were subjected to too much silver it interfered with mating and pack bonds.

"We need to find her now."

It was all I could respond with. I didn't want to worry Cooper or Teague any more than they already were about her and the rest of the pack. It was my fault she was there. This was my cross to bear.

'Alpha, I think we found something,' Keith spoke through the mind link.

I looked out the window to see that they had come to a stop in front of a dirt driveway. The path wound through the countryside for about two miles before coming to a stop in front of a barn and a farmhouse. Stadium lights lit up the entire yard.

Hunters strolled around the property, guarding the premises. I took a deep breath and knew we had arrived. I could finally feel my mate's presence again. I wanted to call out to her but I could still feel a small ,subtle burn on my forearm. She wouldn't be able to hear me.

"Stop the truck," I ordered Teague, "This is our stop."