Dark Instincts ✔

Chapter 31: Offence

"This is ridiculous," Viola snapped the tension in the air with her voice. "How long are we just going to wait here for him to come back?"

Hailey didn't want to say it, but she was wondering the same thing too.

Gabriel sucked in a sharp breath. "River-" Gabriel was interrupted when the front door opened at the crack of lightning.

Hunter sauntered inside with blood covering his suit and dripping from above his eye and wet hair. He closed the door and spotted them all in the living room on their feet. He wearily waved and shot them a cocky smirk. "Took longer than I thought it would," he remarked.

Hailey pushed past the crowd and hugged him close. He let out a grunt but she didn't let go. "You're back," she mumbled.

Hunter's arms tightened around her. "I'm back," he said. Hailey let go and took him to the chair.

"Are you injured severely?" asked Azura.

"Just some cuts and bruises," said Hunter. "The blood isn't mine." Lupin still brought the medical kit and patched up the cut on Hunter's cheek.

"What took you so long?" asked Gabriel.

"More mercenaries attacked after you left," Hunter told them. He let out a short wince when the antiseptic spray stung on his battered knuckles. Klaus came over with a bag of ice. "Thanks," he told Klaus before he placed the ice bag on the side of his head. "Damn, that hurts like a bitch." Hailey helped put the ice on his bruised head. His eyes opened at the touch of her hands and he looked at her intently.

"How long is this going to go on?" asked Vincent. "We can't keep risking our lives every time we step off our property."

"I want to kill Lucas myself," gritted out Viola.

River shook his head. "Lucas is going to keep sending his people after you, if we don't do something about it," he looked at Gabriel.

"Lucas is a wild mutt who has no leash," cursed Azura.

The silence in the room grew thick when Gabriel didn't utter a sound. They all stared down at Gabriel's broad back, which was facing them. Hailey sensed the tension around their alpha who had a tough decision to make. A choice that could cost him his title and family. Hailey wanted to tell them to think about this with cool heads. But this wasn't a group to make wild decisions or mistakes because they're angry. Hailey was well aware that whatever Gabriel decides, will be for the best.

The silence was broken when Hunter spoke up. "How long are we going to stay on defence?" Hunter asked Gabriel.

Gabriel turned to face his pack mates. They're eyes full of determination, that always let Gabriel know that they were ready for anything that came their way. Gabriel's golden eyes shifted over to Azura who was standing in front of him. "You know what to do," he said sternly, his jaw clenched tightly.

River tossed a black device to Azura who caught it with one swift hand. "I'll have what you need in the hour," she told Gabriel before she left the house on her mission.

"She'll track down Lucas," said Gabriel. "And when she does, we take the fight to him."

"But the treaty," said Vincent. "None of us can fight Lucas."

Gabriel pulled out his cellphone. "Just be ready for when Azura calls," he told everyone in the room. "I'm going to end this once and for all." Gabriel laid his hand on Hunter's shoulder, before he went to his bedroom with the phone against his ear.