Hunting the Hunter (Second in Lone Wolf series)

Chapter Thirty

“I’m ready to go. Is everybody else ready to go? I don’t see any point in hanging around here any longer. Do you all see any reason to…”

“SHUT-UP!” Grange bellowed as he shoved past Trig and stormed toward the stables.

“What the hell is wrong with him?” Trig muttered with a pout and Nickolai shrugged.

“He’s been like that all morning.” the soldier stated with concern that he was trying to mask with boredom. “He paces, broods, yells and then he broods, yells and paces.”

“Where is Dawn?” Brendon asked with a frown as he watched his old wolf friend storming away with his shoulders slumped as if they were weighted down heavily with the weight of the world.

“Here she comes.” Ella replied, slipping under Brendon’s arm and pressing herself against him. The sun was rising and the morning was already warm. Ella and Brendon hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before but it had still been the best night of rest either of them had had in weeks.

Brendon had been feeling good about the future, so sure that today was going to be the best day he had had in a long long time until Grange had shoved past him in the hall with a growl that morning and Brendon had realized that something was very wrong.

Brendon looked up at the broken door of the compound and saw Dawn stepping out. She was wrapped in his dirty, stained duster coat and one of the spare outfits they had found for everyone to wear.

Brendon was shocked by just how bad she looked. Dawn had always been a pretty woman. She had a warm kind of beauty that invited people in and made them trust her, but this morning she looked terrible. Dark circles surrounded her eyes, her golden hair was a mess around her face and her skin was pale, causing her freckles to stick out sharply. Her shoulders too were slumped and it seemed she was sharing the weight of the world with her mate.

Dawn’s lips seemed to be stuck in a frown and her blue eyes, usually full of light, were dim and haunted. An expression Brendon was used to seeing on Ella’s face but never Dawn’s. Were she and Grange arguing? As far as Brendon knew the two of them had never had any trouble between them but it certainly seemed as if there was trouble right now.

“Good morning, Dawn.” Trig said, his voice indicating that he had seen the change in the alpha female as well. She tipped her head in greeting and came to stand beside them all. Blain and Anika were the next to come from the compound and they were followed by the three boys who were hoping to come with the pack.

“Are we allowed to come with you?” the oldest, Carson, asked as he stepped forward. It was clear that the other two, Gilliam and Roland looked up to the older boy.

“Yes.” Dawn replied quickly, her voice quiet.

“Shouldn’t we speak with Grange first…..” Blain stopped speaking, his voice fading when Dawn sent a sharp look in his direction.

“I am the alpha female am I not?” she snapped. Blain nodded and lowered his gaze to her feet, taking a quick step back.