And now, Presenting you the first chapter of Hunter & his Prey:)
Pic of Duncan played by Kellan Lutz>>>>
This chapter is dedicated to @Outlawed :D
*****
There is no hunting like the hunting of man,
and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it,
never care for anything else thereafter.
-Ernest Hemingway
EMPEROR PACK, 2013
DUNCAN P.O.V
PARKING my sleek black Mercedes near the gate I made my way towards my dad’s grave where he was buried two days ago. I didn’t feel the need to open an umbrella despite the heavy downpour. There was a separate corner in the grave yard that was reserved for the Alpha bloodlines of the family. Every Alpha male of the family along with their mates were buried there. I walked past my mom’s tomb and stood in front of Dad’s. ABRAHAM XAVIER RHOADES was written in his head stone.
I shoved my fingers into my coat pocket and closed my eyes and replayed the last time I had spoken with my dad. It was a five days ago and he had sounded scared. He told me to come back and be the Alpha. I was surprised to hear that from him. That was coming from a man who refused to give the title to me when I was eighteen, refused to give the title to me when I was twenty-one and then finally agreed to give the title to me if i find my mate. The blue hair knew that I wouldn’t find my mate soon.
But now, when I was twenty three he had called me and asked me to take the title. I had given up hopes of ever getting the Alpha position because my dad loved it too much to even share it with his own son. He had told me that he wanted to leave the country and travel after that. I had a good laugh after he said that.
“You are kidding right?” I asked him chuckling.
“No. I am ready to handover the title to you. Just come back” he pleaded.
“Okay. Tell me what mess have you gotten yourself into?” I growled at him. I knew he was in deep shit because he sounded desperate and so desperate that he had to depend on me.
There was a long pause before he whispered slowly, “I want to leave the country”.
“Hiding from someone?” I had asked him chuckling.
He growled at me. “Do not talk to me like that” he snarled in his Alpha tone while I rolled my eyes even though he couldn’t see it. “You will come back soon. Pack your bags and come home with the first flight available. I will ask Scott to take care of the business trip.” He said to me and I growled at him. His Alpha tone was getting to me making my wolf bow.
“Funny. You were the one who sent me on this business trip” I said to him and grinned when I heard him mutter a few curses. He forced me to go to this trip because he couldn’t wait until I was out of the house.
“It was a mistake, alright. I am sorry” he said and I knew this man was really worried. “Just come home and take what is rightfully yours” he said to me.
“Give me the name, I will take care of the mess you have gotten into” I told him dryly. I didn’t wanted to go back home. The old man was like a wind, changing directions all the time.
“There is no-” he began but I cut him off.
“I said give me the name” I snarled at him.
“O” he told me.
“O?” I said and my eyes widened. “How-” I began but he cut me off.
“Yes O. He is coming to kill me. He has already killed two of my friends and I know I am next.” He said panicked.
Everyone single werewolf knew O. The rogues adore O, pack wolves despise O, and Alpha’s fear O. Kids are threatened with the name O, ‘Eat your food or else O will come and take you.’ The name rose about a year and half ago and already two Alphas’ were hacked to death by him, one from the Sinew Pack and another of the Grier Pack. No one knew why he kills Alpha’s. Maybe it’s just his hobby.
The name O was given to this killer after Alpha Sinew died. He had carved the name O on the floor in bloodied finger before he died and some chain was kept in his hand. So that was how the name O was titled for investigation purpose but eight months after the death of Alpha Herrick of Sinew Pack, Alpha Grier pack was also killed and a chain was found there too. Since he kills Alpha’s his name was everywhere within hours. Both Alpha’s were friends with my dad and it explained his fear.
“Calm down, will you?” I spat at him. “Why would O come to hunt you? What did you do?” I asked him suspiciously.
“What? I didn’t… no. No. I d-didn’t do anything. Believe me son, I didn’t. This O is… he is simply killing us. You just come home.” He said to me.
I cocked an eyebrow even though he couldn’t see me. The stuttering and stammering made me suspicious. “I come home and then what?” I asked him.
“I’ll give you the title and leave the country soon. I promise I will not bother you again” he said, hope in his voice.
“So you planned everything huh?” I asked snickering and he just growled lowly at that.
“Will you come?” he asked me softly. The old man truly seemed scared and I didn’t think O would be really hunting after him so I agreed immediately. “Fine, I have some immediate work here and as soon as it is done I will come” I told him.
“You come with the next flight itself or I’ll charter a flight for you” he said and I growled at him.
“I said I have work that requires only me. Thanks to you” I added sarcastically at the end. “Plus the weather isn’t good so I will be there in two days.” I said sighing.
“Fine. But do try to come sooner if possible.” I didn’t reply and instead just cut the call. Hope started filling me that finally I would be able to be the Alpha of the pack. I knew I would be better than my old man as an Alpha.
All the hope died three days ago. Since the weather was really bad I got a flight late in the evening the next day. I had all my bags packed and was heading towards the airport when the old man called me and said he didn’t want me coming. He had everything planned and that no one will be able to hurt him. He sounded really happy that day. “You just do the work I gave you” he said cheerfully ignoring my growls. “Come home only after it’s done. I have another work lined up for you after that.”
“What was the stupid phone call about then?” I snarled at him.
“Forget about it” he said sourly. “There is no need for you to come here. I have arranged for everything. No O will be able to harm me after that” he said chuckling and I found no humor in it. “You just continue your work and after that I’ve another one already lined up for you.”
“Do you know I am heading to the airport right now?” I asked him bitterly.
“Oh well. Return to your room then, you didn’t want to come here in the first place either” he said chuckling. Growling one last time I cut the call and turned the car and drove back to my hotel. Instead of going to my room I ran into the woods immediately shifting into my black wolf. I wanted to take all my anger out and so I went hunting and spent the whole night in the woods hunting, growling, destroying trees.
The next morning when I came and checked my cell phone I had around one hundred and eighty missed calls, hundred messages in my cell phone asking me- COME HOME SOON. YOUR FATHER HAS BEEN MURDERED.
I turned and walked back towards my car and started driving towards my house. I had come here because I was officially announced as the Alpha of the Emperor Pack today morning. I did want the title but I didn’t want him to die for that. I had never wished for that. He was my only family left. Now I have no one.
My mom died when I was ten. She was heavily pregnant and the baby too died with her. I was close to my mom and her death broke me then. My dad never brought me up. He sent me to boarding school when I was nine. The first time I came back home was to attend mom’s funeral and then I came back home only after I graduated high school. From there I went to college, got an MBA degree at twenty-two. Later I got involved in the family business.
My dad’s and mine relationship was strained but that doesn’t mean I didn’t care about him. I never came home but he used to come once in three months to the boarding school to meet me, even though I had asked him a million times not to. He had problems with handing over the title to me claiming that only he knew the kind of business he does.
When I reached the mansion, I made my way to my dad’s office that now belonged to me. There was a yellow color envelope in the desk that had my name written in it. Rage filled inside me after I opened the envelope and saw the photos which were in it.
I had seen his body but seeing this photo just made me livid.
The photos were taken from the place where my dad was found dead. He was found dead in an empty street. His head was twisted in a painful way that had killed him instantly. What made me furious was the silver chain that was kept in his hand. His car was burnt and also there were other photos of around ten rogues found dead in the next street and their bodies were torn into pieces. I threw the photos to a nearby wall and growled ferociously. It was him. O.
Everyone had informed me already that O had killed my father but looking at the photos just made by blood boil. Furiously, I lifted my dad’s desk and threw it against the wall. There was a loud sound of glass cracking when the glass table collided against the wall. I was shaking with anger when Waylon, my best friend also my Beta came running to the room. He too studied with me in the boarding school.
He knew if he spoke anything now it would only vent up my anger. Closing my eyes I took deep breaths to calm myself down and later slumped on the chair. I saw Waylon walking and picking up the photos. “I kept it there” he told me and I growled at him.
“There are similar pictures of the other Alpha’s” he carried on and I looked at him questioningly. “I can get it for you, if you want it Alpha” he told me.
“Bring it” I ordered him. He nodded and left the room.
Minutes later Waylon came back along with his laptop and showed me the photos of other Alpha’s. Alpha Herrick was beheaded. There was also a photo of O being curved by him with his fingers in blood. It felt like he was sending a message telling who his killer was. He too had a silver chain kept in his bloodied hands.
The next was of Alpha Grier. There was a dagger in his heart and a silver chain was still in his hands. The silver chain was enough of a proof that these murders were done by the same person.
“Not possible to trace O’s scent because fragrances have been sprayed. No foot print, nothing. The CCTV camera’s in the area had been controlled and stopped recording. No proof of fight occurring either because everything was in its place along with the bodies. The whole thing was planned.”
“You must see this” Waylon told me. My eyes widened when I saw the photo. It was of the locket of the silver chain. All the chains had a similar silver coin locket but there was one thing different, the inscription in the coin.
Alpha Grier’s locket had AIR in it. Alpha Herrick’s had FIRE and my dad’s locket had WATER imprinted on the silver coin locket. There was definitely some motive by the killer, that is O, or maybe he is just insane to do this.
“The surprising part is he has one for the rogues too” Waylon added and showed me a pick of rogues where a coin with EXECUTIONER’S was found.
“Where was this found?” I asked him.
“Amidst those dead bodies, it’s like they have thrown It.” he replied.
“Hidden motives?” I asked Waylon.
“No. But the rumors all around are that he is involved in some black magic.” Waylon told me and I cocked an eyebrow at him. “It says he is sacrificing Alpha’s bloods to gain control of all these elements.”
“Seriously?” I asked him in disbelief.
“Yes Alpha. There are legendary stories about some trying to do this in the history” Waylon continued.
“I don’t believe in these legendary stories. But what I do believe is that O needs to be stopped.” I snarled.
“True.” James my dad’s Beta and Waylon’s father told standing near the doorway. “What you said is one hundred percent correct Alpha Duncan Rhoades” James continued and bowed his head.
“I am glad you agree with me” I told him.
“I do, completely.” He said. “Everyone is feared of O. Not just wolves but the Alpha’s. Until now wolves thought that he doesn’t harm the rogues but the bodies of rogues near Abe’s bodies has even put them in fear. He has killed them brutally. But the fear with the pack wolves is disturbing the peace and unity of the pack.”
I hated that. O was a leech in the werewolf world and such leeches were needed to be killed before they suck everything.
“What do you think is his motive dad?” Waylon asked his father.
“No motive. I don’t believe in legends. The wolf just wants to make his name in the world and create fear amongst us” James spat.
“Well then I will make sure his death will make him enough famous” I said through gritted teeth and both James and Waylon turned to look at me. “I am going to kill O” I stated and their eyes widened.
“But-” Waylon began however I cut him off.
“He will be stopped and all the legend will be destroyed.” I growled. Whoever this O was he needed to be killed. He had to die the same death as his victims.
“No one has ever seen O, Duncan” James said shaking his head. “It’s impossible to find him.”
“He will show up and then there’s going to be an eye for an eye” I stated calmly.
“Do you know what you are going to do son?” James asked worried.
“I do.” I simply stated and he nodded.
Half an hour later I, Waylon and Vernon, my third-in-command were sitting in the living room looking at the map that marked each pack’s territory. I was fascinated to see how O’s killings were done.
“You are right Duncan” Vernon told taking a sip from his coffee. “It’s a pattern”
O’s killings were done in a form. The packs of the Alpha’s he killed were next to each other. His killings were done in a curve so far.
“Dad was right. He wants to mark his name in the world” Waylon said and I looked at him. He continued the rest of the curve with a red marker pen in the map and made an O in the map. “Look, he wants to form an O in the map. The pack’s which come under this curve of O is Supreme and the Moreland”
“Which mean’s his next target is the Alpha of the Supreme Pack and that is…” Vernon said through wide eyes.
“Granel’s pack” we all said together. Granel Hampton was my schoolmate and a good friend in the boarding school. His mom was the founder of the Hampton’s Boarding school.
Hampton’s Boarding school is a school for werewolves. Almost all the young wolves from all the packs are sent there. The school trains wolves to become fighters. Hence the school is preferred by almost everyone. Granel, I and Waylon belonged to the first batch of the school.
I looked at the map and then my gaze fell on the place that comes within the circle. ROGUE’S TERRAIN was written in bold letters in the map but below it in italic ‘Formerly belonged to ELEGANCE PACK’ was also written.
The Supreme Pack shared its boundaries with the Elegance Pack just like my pack. In fact even the Sinew and Grier as well as Moreland pack shared its border with the Elegance Pack. Elegance Pack was destroyed years ago. I was around eight when that had happen and don’t recall much just my mom being sad about the destruction that happened there. The whole pack was destroyed and completely wiped out by the rogues who later took over the pack.
That meant O was hiding in the Elegance pack where he had easier access to all the packs even Supreme Pack. He may not stay in the pack grounds but he was definitely closer to the pack like the outskirts of the pack.
But there was another possibility and I was hoping for it not to be true. It was that my whole theory might be wrong. This might just be a coincidence. O is not actually forming a letter in the map he might be doing it for something else. Something which only he knows.
“If this theory is correct then O will certainly be there” Waylon said smiling.
“Then I need to go there as soon as possible” I told him.
“What? You can’t just go there?” Waylon argued while I growled at him. He bowed immediately.
“My dad had done one good thing before he died” I said and both looked at me questioningly. “Remember the work he had piled up for me?” I asked them and they chuckled. The work that my old man had piled up for me needed me to go the Supreme Pack. My dad who was good friends with Granel’s mom, was also a trustee of the school. However, he had made some partnership deal with a human named, Tim Winthrop who had a company in the land that belonged to the Supreme Pack.
The work would be the reason I will go the Supreme Pack but my motive will be hidden.
“Pack your bags Vernon. You are coming with me” I told getting up and Vernon nodded immediately. “Waylon, I need you to look after the pack along with your father until I come back” I told Waylon.
“I will” Waylon agreed. “When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow morning” I told him. “I have to call Granel and inform him about my arrival first” I said.
“I can do that” Waylon said but I shook my head.
“No. I am going to talk to him. I don’t want anyone suspecting my motives” I told him and he nodded. “You can leave now” I told them and they both nodded and left.
Lying on the bed, I placed my arm below my head and stared at the ceiling above. I had called Granel and he agreed immediately after giving me his condolence.
Tomorrow, I would be leaving for the Supreme Pack. If my theory is right then Granel is O’s next target if not Granel it will be his mom because his father died long ago and his mother was the Alpha of their pack until Granel took over.
My solitary motive going to Supreme Pack is to hunt torture and kill this O. I will take revenge with him for what he did to my old man. I will not let O’s intentions be achieved. He needed to be killed.
If everything goes right then I will be able to find and kill O. I had to be very careful about this.
This hunter will hunt down his prey, I swore.
*****
NOTE: THE BOY IN THE PROLOGUE WASN’T DUNCAN
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Next update on 29th Aug:)
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