Twenty-Five: Hunters
Ava
The next morning, we were eating breakfast, Elijah and Emilio sitting on either side of me. One of their hands were resting on my leg as they ate with one hand. They had been extra cuddly the night before, after...that. I felt the heat in my face as I thought about what we had done. In the normal world, having two lovers would be considered taboo. But I didn't feel like I was doing anything wrong being with them. In fact, I was happier than I had ever been before, and with their new-found cuddliness and touching me whenever they could, I really liked it.
Elijah's hand crept up slowly, brushing against me discreetly. I cleared my throat as the same heat from last night pooled in my belly. I looked over to Elijah. His eyes were on his breakfast, but the smirk on his face told me he knew exactly what he was doing.
The sound of a knock on the door gave me the chance to hop out of my chair and start to leave the room only to feel someone grip my wrist. I turned, only to feel Elijah's lips press to mine for a brief moment. I moaned as the fire started back up where we left off last night. I lost myself in his earthy scent as his hands gripped my hips tightly. The scent of the ocean hit my nose and I felt his body heat behind me as Emilio began to kiss my neck.
The knock sounded once more.
"Ignore it." Emilio growled as he wrapped his hands around my waist and picked me up, before setting me down on the kitchen table. Emilio's lips wreaked havoc on my neck, kissing, licking, and biting. I moaned once more as I felt Elijah's lips on my hip.
The knock came once more.
"I'm going to kill whoever it is." Elijah bit out as they reluctantly pulled away from me. Even as I stood, the burning sensation wouldn't go away. I wanted them to keep touching me. To kiss me wherever they wanted. My mind was imaging all the dirty scenarios I could possibly think of. And it was delightful.
Emilio pulled open the door angrily.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked, and I shook my head to clear my thoughts as I looked around my Mate to see who it was.
"Mikayla?" I smiled as she waved back at me, wearing her usual floral dress, her tan legs long as she stood in her cute wedges. Her blond hair shimmered in the sunlight as she smiled brightly.
"Hi Ava!" she said as she brushed past my Mates and hugged me tightly.
"How are you?" I asked.
"I'm good, you?" she asked as she stepped back.
"I'm great, did the Council send anybody else with you?" I asked.
"Yup! Kyle is with me as well!" she said, as Kyle walked through the doorway. He was a big burly man, nearly as tall as my Mates, with a gruff attitude and a long beard. He wore his usual biker outfit, and both Emilio and Elijah stepped in front of me. I walked between them and up to Kyle.
"Kyle." I growled at him. He folded his arms at me, looking me in the eye.
"Ava." He said.
"I ought to beat the crap outta you for betting against me in the arm wrestling matches." I said as I waved my fist in the air.
"I didn't figure such a dainty gal could take the big man down." He said.
"Ya thought wrong, Skipper." I said, using the childish nickname I made for him when I first became a Hunter. He smiled then, his pearly whites shining in the light as he brought his hands out.
"My bad kiddo, I won't do it again." He said, and I nodded as we hugged.
"Good, make us some money next time, split the winnings. Sharing is caring after all." I said, and he laughed. I turned back to my Mates to see their eyes wide. I shrugged.
"That's our usual interactions." I laughed nervously as they stared at me. "Anyways, um Mikayla, Kyle, these are my Mates, the twin Alphas, Elijah and Emilio." They shook hands briefly before Mikayla straightened her shoulders.
"Alrighty, we need to figure out why all these Rogues are getting onto your land and why, as well as what they have against my dear Ava here." She said as she rested her hand on my shoulder.
"Right," Kyle started, "Anybody here that has issues with your Mate?" he asked Elijah and Emilio. They shook their heads.
"No, she is loved by everyone here." Elijah said, and I smiled as he looked to me.
"But there is one person." We all turned to see Peter standing in the doorway. He introduced himself to Mikayla and Kyle.
"Who?" Emilio asked, and Peter looked to him.
"Think about it, who is the one person that became extremely angry, with no reason? The person who attacked our Luna without cause?" he asked, and the light bulb went off in my head. Why hadn't I thought of it? It was so obvious.
"McElroy." Elijah said, his eyes shifting between their piercing blue and wolf black.
"I knew we should have just killed him. Of course, it's him, he has all the knowledge of our pack grounds being a soldier before his banishment."
"Hold up," Mikayla said, "He attacks your Luna and you let him live?" she asked incredulously. All three of the leading men of the Ash Pack pointed at me.
"She did it!" My Mates said simultaneously. I rolled my eyes.
Tattle tails. I said to them. They shrugged without a hint of guilt.
"Right, you are not one for death, huh?" Kyle asked.
"Since we don't have the proof, we'll have to catch him. We will send Mikayla after him tonight to find him, until we do, you need to change up how the patrol works, change the wolves shifts and where their posts are. We need him to be unable to predict how the pack works any longer." Elijah and Emilio nodded.
"I'll work on a plan." Peter said as he turned and left. Kyle followed behind him. Mikayla turned to me and my Mates.
"We need to let the pack know of what's going on. Ava, are you okay, you're sweating?" I looked at Mikayla, my body feeling hot.
"I'm fine." I said as I leaned into Emilio who stood closest to me. Mikayla stepped forward and pushed the collar of my shirt aside.
"Shit. You're going into heat, aren't you?" she asked.
"We Marked her two nights ago." Elijah said.
"Talk about bad timing, you're not going to be able to help until the Mating Bond is complete. You guys haven't...?" she trailed off. I shook my head, embarrassed.
"N-no I'm not ready yet." I said, even though a little part of me, probably the heat, begged for it.
"You're just going to get worse." She said. I shook my head.
"I'm fine." I said, and she glared at me.
"Ava Blaine, you know better than anybody that distraction is no good. We are here to help, and for now we can handle things from here, but just know, two Marks are going to double the time in which it takes for the heat to set in. So, by tomorrow, you could be in severe pain if you don't, you know, get jiggy with it." She winked then laughed as my face heated up.
"Ah, poor innocent Ava, we love you so much, now, let's cool you off and take me for a walk around the property, I need to be acquainted with what I am protecting." I nodded.
"Right. Elijah, Emilio, will you help Peter?" I asked, and they nodded before each giving me a lingering kiss good-bye. When they left Mikayla turned to me.
"I can't wait to find my Mate." She said as she stared off into space.
"Yeah," I said, "it makes life so much more interesting."
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Okay, another down, I'm having a writer's block moment this week, Iknow how I want the story to end buuuut I can't get there so easily. But otherwise, what did you guys think? I think I know who the next book will be about.
Talk to me my lovelies!
J. Vas