Hunters' Shadow (Book one of the Hunter Chronicles)

Chapter Eleven (Edited)

Both men studied her oddly.

Like a dam bursting, the laughter kept coming. Somewhat hysterical, but keeping at bay the panic she'd been fighting for weeks. Clutching at her stomach with a vice-like grip, it tore at her insides, desperate to be unleashed.

"I fail to see the funny side," Blake said stiffly.

She looked at his stubbornly serious face, and the giggle bubbling up inside of her turned into a forlorn hiccup. He was right of course; it wasn't at all funny. But the sheer ridiculousness of the whole situation had left her two options: laugh or cry... and she'd cried enough.

"Of course you don't," she agreed, trying to stop her shoulders from shaking. "You're not over here being accused of... of..." She fought for words. "Whatever it is that you're accusing me of. What is it that you're accusing me of exactly?"

"You lied," he said bluntly. "You deceived us into thinking you were human and you put my pack in harm's way." He jutted his chin out at her aggressively.

She sobered quickly, staring at him, her mouth once again opened in disbelief. But this time, from somewhere deep within, her ire rose. Oh no you don't.

"How have I deceived you?" she burst out, aggravated now despite the clear danger glowing in his eyes. "At what moment did I give you the impression that I was anyone other than what you see before you right now?"

"You -" he started, but didn't get very far.

"First of all," she declared, her temper flaring. "I never told you I was human. You assumed it." She jabbed her finger towards him. "It was easy to do because, I thought I was human. But I never declared it to you one way or the other. Any assumptions you made are yours, not mine."

"Hannah -"

"Second of all," she cut him off again, ignoring the deep growl that was rumbling in his throat, "I have had a very long day. I've been threatened, attacked and accused of duplicity. I am in pain. I am tired and I would appreciate just a tiny bit of consideration on your part at -" She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Three o clock in the morning!"

"That's enou -"

"And finally," she continued recklessly, aware she was pushing it right now, but too tired of all the accusations to care any longer. "Finally. I'm going to repeat this one last time. Regardless of what any blood tests show you, I am telling you. There is no wolf inside my head!"

***

Her outburst was spectacular to behold. He held his breath as she gestured wildly, her red hair whipping around her face, her eyes shining brightly with indignation and her cheeks flushed with anger at his continued accusations.

His rising frustrations were eloquently offset by her obvious indignation, and even his wolf was forced to concede that she appeared as surprised as he was at the results.

Unfortunately, she wouldn't stop interrupting long enough for him to admit it.

Almost shouting her final denial, Hannah pushed away from the bed. In her flare of temper, she appeared to have forgotten the lacerations on her feet; her legs buckled abruptly, she cried out softly as she began to fall.

Instinctively, he stepped forward to catch her. Again.

Time seemed to stand still as they stood quietly together by the side of the hospital bed. His arms wrapped around her trembling body, and his face buried in her hair. Breathing in her unusual scent, it washed over him; the muggy soup of humanity and unexplainable aroma that was beginning to define her.