Hunting the Hunter (Second in Lone Wolf series)

Chapter Nineteen

“Her name is Ella, she is a vampire.”

“Wow. I never would have guessed either of those things on my own.” Grange growled sarcastically as he leaned against a tree and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You’ve been spending too much time with Trig. His smart ass nature is rubbing off.”

Grange grinned and then raised a brow.

“Tell me, Brendon. What is she and the girl to you?” Brendon rubbed the back of his neck and stared into the woods.

“I am… responsible for them both.” he finally replied.

“Responsible?” Grange sounded skeptical.

“Yep.”

“Do you lay with all the women you feel responsible for?”

“Shut-up, Grange.”

“Be honest with me, Brendon. You come here, you tell me someone wants me dead and then you tell me that you’ll help me if I take in a vampire and a crippled mortal girl. The vampire has been a prisoner of Faugrimm’s at some point so that alone tells me that there’s probably some kind of trouble since that name always brings me trouble.”

“She won’t bring you any trouble, Grange.”

“Then tell me why she’s with you?”

Brendon knew he had no choice. So he explained to Grange about the council sending him after the vampire killing mortal men. He told him about learning the vampire was Ella and always discovering that she was prisoner to Warren. He explained about Warren’s attack on Maggie and then his death at Brendon’s hands.

He also told him about the life mate bond between he and Ella and the fact that he planned to lie to the council.

He chose to leave out any mention of his own feelings toward Ella.

“So you love her then?” Grange questioned.

“No.” Brendon replied quickly. “No.” he insisted when Grange sent him a look that said the wolf clearly didn’t believe him. “I’m a Hunter, we aren’t allowed to feel things like love.”

“Just like I was a lone wolf and not allowed to fall in love with Dawn without putting my own life in jeopardy?”

“I….”

“Love doesn’t give a shit what you’re allowed to do. If you tell me you’re in love with her and need me to keep your mate safe then that’s what I’ll do.”

“I’m not in love with her.” Brendon insisted, though he wasn’t sure anymore that that was the truth. It would probably help if he knew what love was. Truth was he and Ella hadn’t done much talking in the last couple of weeks. At least not about anything deep or serious. During the day Maggie was always around and at night well… Brendon and Ella had found better things to do.

“Fine. Is trouble following you?”

“No. I killed the trouble.” Brendon promised him. “Well I killed half of it and Ella killed the other half. I just can’t have her coming to the council with me because they would kill her and maybe even me if they found out what she means to me.”

“And that is?”

“When did you get so damn pushy about feelings?” Brendon grumbled and Grange chuckled.

“Sorry. Married life I guess.”

“Will you watch out for her for me? And for Maggie? The girl knows all about things like us. She needs to be raised by someone who can love her and keep her safe. I trust your pack to do that.”