Anthony turned and studied the space behind him, not able to see what Jacob was seeing.
"Jay," William gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Where is she?"
"By the back door," He breathed. "She's staring right at me."
Once more, Anthony looked behind him and saw nobody.
"This is creepy."
Alisha's eyes were like looking into an empty pit. They were dark, emotionless and he detected no soul. Indicating that it had gone, leaving her empty shelled body behind.
"I-I don't understand, she's dead," Jacob could feel his storm brewing in the sky. Something was pushing him to go and speak to her. He knew her spirit was here for a reason.
"Is she saying anything?" Scott questioned.
Just then, Margo walked outside and straight through Alisha who vanished into thin air. Jacob blinked and for a second, questioned his sanity.
"She's gone." This was a very odd situation to be stuck in and he was the only one who could figure it out. So he teleported into the bedroom which Hunter previously claimed, leaving everyone else to their confusion.
He sat on the floor and took a big breath of air. Burying his head in his hands, he tried to make sense of what was happening. Hope was all he could cling onto but that felt worse. In the past, it was easy to abandon faith when he was alone.
The room was deadly silent, empty and too big. He wanted to curl up under a duvet and escape from the world.
Suddenly, he gasped and scrambled across the floor with huge and fearful eyes. Someone had tapped his shoulder and he found himself looking at Alisha once more.
He was breathing heavy with his back pushed against the side of the bed. Getting a fright was very easy for Jacob, but this was on a whole different level.
"W-Why are you here?" He whispered, trying not to sound utterly terrified.
Alisha sat on the floor too. She didn't attempt to move closer but the empty emotion on her face and his history with her were very unsettling.
"I'm warning you." Even her voice was monotone and stripped from any life she ever had.
"About what?" He could barely hold his thoughts together.
"Are you okay Jacob? Why are you thinking about Alisha?" Hunter's voice filled his head, making him instantly switch off their mind-link. He had to concentrate on the danger in front of him.
"Alisha killed herself this morning, or so you have been told. I am her body, the one in which you remember. Her soul has gone to where it belongs and her spirit is left with us, so we can use it to our advantage." Jacob started to fidget. If this wasn't Alisha, then who was it? "Jacota, the keeper of lightning and the God of wolves. You are very important to us and it is in our best interest that we keep your guardian safe."
"Wha- Hunter?" Jacob was starting to feel confused. "Who are you?"
"My identity is not important at this current stage. However, your soulmate is in great danger. We looked through Alisha's memories, thoughts and feelings. She holds a very strong and heavy anger towards yourself and your guardian but her death today was no suicide."
Jacob was now beginning to feel intrigued.
"Did someone kill her? But, how is Hunter in danger?"
"Hunter's Beta wolf is incredibly loyal, however, his omega wolves are plotting against him as we speak."
"What!" The fear had left Jacob's mind. Surely, this could not be true. "How do you know this?"
"Alisha's killer is Ricky, who is Hunter's omega wolf. Looking through her memories, he told her what they were doing right before she died. He said how he has always despised the Gods and their powers. He is not the only one who isn't enjoying your high status, a lot of people want Hunter Rayson dead, including his own pack members. They know they can not kill you directly, so they are targeting the only thing that will kill you from a broken heart. Your mate."
Jacob was incredibly stunned as a heavy storm hovered above the house.
"W-Why did he kill Alisha?" He breathed.
"Because she knew they were never fully loyal and even from prison, her voice could have been heard. She would do everything to ruin the pack."
"How did he get into the prison?"
"His dad works there and smuggled him inside the building. He also dislikes the Gods and didn't want Alisha to ruin their plan."
Jacob very slowly climbed to his feet. He could not believe he was talking to Alisha's body with someone else inside, who was now telling him about how Sam is apparently the only loyal wolf in Hunter's pack.
"What plan?"
"Today, they will drown your mate."
* * * * *
Hunter galloped through the open air with his pack following proudly behind. The trail they were on was hardly known to humans and was often a very safe place for werewolves to go.
When they were approaching a cliff face, Hunter slowed down, panting hard and enjoying the feel of his worked out muscles. He changed back and turned, as did the rest of his pack.
"We haven't been here in a while," He breathed and sat on the grass. "I thought you'd appreciate a pack run after me being a bit distant recently."
Sam collapsed onto the ground and stared at the gloomy clouds approaching.
"I think," He paused, wanting to catch his breath. "I'm gonna make a deal with Jacob. I want at least one day a week of full sunshine."
Ricky, Harrison, and Jonah crouched together, waiting for the perfect moment to express their hidden hatred.
"He switched off my mind-link," Hunter mumbled and closed his eyes. The subtle breeze and fresh air felt good. He could hear water and didn't want to think about looking over the cliff. It was around twenty-eight feet tall and would not be a sensible place to get close. "I think he likes having little moments alone to himself."
"Yeah," Sam let out a content sigh. "But I'd love to have a mates voice in my head. It just sounds so appealing and comforting. I really, really want to find a mate. Do you think I will? I mean, I have to earn it but I think I can do that. I am worthy of loving someone, right? Also I-"
Sam's voice stopped and Hunter frowned when there was a loud thud. Opening his eyes, he was horrified to see Jonah standing over him with a huge rock in his grip.
Sam laid still with blood trickling from his head.
"What the hell-"
Jonah didn't let him finish before turning and throwing the rock in his direction. hunter gasped but was too slow to block it from hitting him on the side of the face.
The back of his head hit the grass hard, making the sounds around him instantly muffled. His vision blurred while his mind fought to stay awake.
"Lift him, take him to the edge," Harrison ordered.
"Stop," Hunter slurred. "S-Sam, what did you do to him?"
Ricky and Jonah coiled their arms under his and started dragging him to the edge of the cliff.
"Get off! I'm-I'm ordering you to stop," Hunter started to fight against them but he was a little weak and confused, the wound on his head was affecting him.
"We're sorry this has happened to you Hunter," Harrison spoke and followed them to the edge. "But Jacota can't live among us. You were a good Alpha to us and we do appreciate you. It's just unfortunate that you're paired with him."
Hunter was struggling to understand the situation when he was placed right next to the cliff edge. He dug his hand into the grass and tried to pull himself away but Ricky stood on it, making him cry out in pain.
"It was convenient that you took us here," He was unnervingly calm. "We know you can't swim, so it was the easiest option for us to kill you."
Hunter looked up and for the first time, the Omega's saw the real fear in their Alpha's eyes.
"You don't have-have to do this," He breathed. "The Gods are good for us. Jacob has done nothing wrong-"
Hearing him speak was making it harder for them. Jonah made the decision to do what they were told and started pushing him off the edge.
Hunter's heart exploded in his chest and the soil was caught in his fingernails while he scratched at the ground, trying to stop them.
"NO! Please, stop!" He begged when his legs could no longer feel any ground below them. "Please! I don't want to drown!" His worst nightmare was coming true. All those times he has dreamt about dying the same way his grandparents did filled him with dread. It was indescribable how the fear crippled his body.
But his Omega's worked together and gave him one final push. Slowly, allowing Hunter to drop.
Falling, the speed hit his stomach like a steep dip in the road or a drop on a rollercoaster. The air rushed in his eyes, forcing them to close, burning his skin and making it impossible to move his limbs.
It took a matter of seconds before his body came into contact with freezing water. However, he landed stomach first and it was like falling onto a concrete floor, instantly breaking his nose, a lot of ribs and giving him the headache of a lifetime.
The freezing temperature's of the water swallowed him whole and filled his nose, ears, and mouth as he screamed in pain.
The Omega wolves watched him disappear into the rough, murky water. But thoughts of Sam had left their minds until someone ran passed them and jumped off the cliff. Harrison gasped when Sam straightened out his body, not wanting to land the same way as Hunter. His body entered the water smoothly and he quickly tried swimming to the surface. Opening his eyes, he saw Hunter fighting for his life but he wasn't strong enough to bring his head above the water without help.
Quickly, he swam close enough to grab his shoulder before yanking him back into the air. They both gasped and Hunter coughed like his lungs had captured some water. Sam looked around but it was clear that they'd have to swim for ages to find a simple rock to cling onto. The cliff offered no support.
"Sam, go," Hunter breathed. He was in so much pain and his body was quickly deteriorating. "Swim to shore. Leave me here-"
"No," Sam was stern and held him strongly. His legs were furiously kicking against the current. "I'm not leaving you. If you're gonna drown, we drown together."
Hunter winced when a little wave pushed them into the cliff face.
"You're an idiot," He breathed.
"No," The struggle was clear in Sam's voice. "I'm loyal and would do anything to serve you. Nobody deserves to die alone." Hunter's head went underwater for a moment until his Beta heaved him up. "And who knows, maybe I'll find my mate in the afterlife."
Hunter released a low grunt which could only be detected as a chuckle.
"You deserve one Sam," He paused when his vision started fading. "Thank you. I couldn't have asked for a better friend."
A lump caught in the Beta wolfs throat. He didn't want to cry but he was getting tired and wouldn't be able to hold them both above the water for much longer.
"I have something to confess," He breathed and gasped when they were slammed into the cliff face once more. "You'll-You'll be shocked to hear it I think."
Hunter tried to connect a mind-link with Jacob but his head was too injured and weak.
"N-Nothing shocks me that much anymore," Hunter's voice was quiet and he tried to support Sam in the water too, hoping that Jacob would feel his distress and find him.
"Well, this will," He coughed when the water was forced into his mouth. His Alpha connected their gaze and he found the perfect moment. Taking a breath, he announced his secret. "I'm gay," Everything was silent, even the waves. Hunter's eyebrows found themselves rising and not once did he disconnect their gaze. "And I have a major crush on William."
They bobbed up and down against the tide. The seagulls above could now be heard screeching in the air. Hunter was growing cold, his lips were slightly blue and his teeth had started to chatter. But surprising news filled his head, it was something he did not suspect, not in the slightest.
"A-Are you s-serious?"
"Hunter, we're going to-to drown. I wouldn't th-throw jokes at you like this."
His Alpha shook his head with a struggling smile. He was about to ask why he kept it a secret but a huge splash erupted in the water next to them. Sam jumped and nearly let go of Hunter who's head fell prisoner to the waves once more.
Sam looked around until strong arms wrapped around him and Hunter, pulling him back above the waves. A head popped up in between them and Sam wanted to cry and scream with happiness.
"Jacob," He breathed when his Alpha's eyes started to close. He had fresh blood pouring from his nose and his head wound.
"Hold tight, this is going to be rough," Jacob understood that if he came thirty seconds later, they both would have drowned.
Sam put his arms around him and also grabbed Hunter who was almost unconscious.
Taking a deep breath, Jacob focussed on his power and used everything he possibly had to transport them out of the water and away from danger.