Chapter 6
I watched with bated breath as Finn stepped out of the trees in human form with an annoyed yet relieved expression.
"Finn," I said to catch his attention which was currently fixed on my mate with an irritated gaze.
I moved to step in front of my mate but he yanked the rope back and pulled me to his side.
"You know him?"
I gave him a knowing smirk, "Why? Are you worried?"
"You're mine to kill princess, not some random guy's." He smirked but I could tell he was fibbing.
Maybe.
"You had your shot human, but you missed." I winked.
His lips quirked up in a half-smile as I turned back towards Finn.
"So this is your mate huh?" I could hear the tinge of anger in his voice that he was trying to control. "Not even a full day and he already wants to kill you. Or might I say already tried."
Finn was typically calm and collected. Which was saying a lot for a werewolf, but it was true. He tried to remain passive in any situation, so to see some anger flowing through him, only meant bad things.
"Word already spread that fast huh?" I laughed it off.
"Your father and the others made it back to the pack already, so I came to look for you." He informed me.
"Oh, well this is..." I trailed off as I looked at my mate expectedly for his name but his eyes were fixed on Finn so I tugged the cloth, "What's your name human?"
He turned to me with an annoyed expression and shrugged, "Gonna have to guess princess."
Finn gave me an odd look, "He tried to kill you, refuses to give you his name and calls you a princess? Are you sure he's the one?"
"Well, he did try to kill me but he didn't." I shrugged and looked back at the human with conflicting emotions.
"Yeah, and which part was the 'didn't' because I'm pretty sure Charlotte's words were that he tried to shoot you and broke your nose," He tried to contain a snarl as he motioned to the blood on my t-shirt.
"He didn't shoot me-"
"But he shot at you." Finn cut me off.
"I don't think that's any of your business now, is it? And who are you anyway?" My mate snapped as he walked past me again and towards Finn before I held his rope tight to stop him in his tracks.
"Anyone that tries to kill my Alpha makes themselves my business. So watch yourself before you find your head ripped off your body." Finn said with such anger that I was worried he'd actually pull through on his words.
My mate scoffed, "All bark and no bite."
"I'm going to-" Finn started but I cut across.
"Enough!" I commanded as I walked between the two men. "This pissing match is over! Take your egos and get it far away from here because you're both going to play nice or else I'm locking you two in a room down in the crypt until you become so close, I get jealous. Am I clear?"
They both went deadly silent and continued to murder each other with their eyes. I assumed I wouldn't have to deal with this level of testosterone until my mate actually started to warm up to me. Guess the male species really does revolve around marking their territory before having a normal conversation.
I clapped my hands together to get their attention, "I said, am I clear?" I gave them both pointed looks as they looked at me.
"Yes, Alpha." Finn conceited first.
My mate rolled his eyes at Finn before muttering, "Whatever."
"Wonderful." I smiled at them because being Alpha was fun sometimes, "Now to clear the air, he may have tried to kill me but he didn't and right now I need to deal with him and get to the bottom of how many hunters know about us before you rip any heads off."
"Talking about me as if I'm not right here princess, really?"
I turned to mate, "As for you, there's a reason your hands are tied so don't make me gag you next. The fact is that you did try to kill me and as much as I want to overlook that, my pack comes first so you need to tell me who else knows about us."
"You know I'm not going to tell you that." He said as if it was the most obvious fact in the world.
"I've been told I could be very persuasive." I've never actually been told that but he didn't need to know that now, did he.
"So what we're all just going to sit around while you cuddle up with your mate and try to get information from him? What if the humans come looking for him... for us, like twenty years ago?" Finn questioned.
"Cuddle? I don't cuddle." My mate chuckled. "Especially not with half dogs."
I gave him a warning glare to shut his trap.
"I'll deal with him and make sure that doesn't happen, okay?"
"I hope you know what you're doing Everette." He whispered.
"I do. Just go back to the pack and tell everyone to steer clear from roaming around the packhouse and the backyard is off-limits. I want to get my answers before the pack kills him for trying to kill me."
"You're joking, they wouldn't hurt me." The human chuckled.
When I remained silent and gave him no trace of a smile, he looked a bit worried.
"You wouldn't let them hurt me would you?" The human asked wide-eyed and I smirked.
"You attempted murder little human, you're not getting off that easily."
His emotions went back to the cold facade he had when he first saw me. I felt guilty but if threatening him would scare him into giving me information, then I had to do it right? Wasn't like I or anyone else from the pack was actually going to hurt him anyway.
Well, one or two might scare him for trying to kill their Alpha...
"Whatever you say soulmate." He grumbled in sort of a knowing way. I knew he didn't want to shoot me earlier, so maybe he knows I wouldn't hurt him.
Hopefully not.
I rolled my eyes at him before turning back to see Finn staring at us with an unreadable expression.
"You can go now, Finn." I said gently, "I got this one under control." I showed him my makeshift rope.
"I'm not leaving you alone with him." He tried again.
I decided mind link was best for now, 'I know how you're feeling-'
'Do you?'
'Okay, maybe I don't. But trust me, he wouldn't hurt me. He had his chance and he didn't. I just need to gain his trust in order to protect the pack.'
'I don't trust him.'
'Neither do I.' I looked back at my mate who gave us but a curious look, 'But he's my mate, I need to protect him as well.'
'Just... just look out for yourself okay?'
I gave him an assuring smile that I usually sported, 'I will. And Finn?'
'Hmm?'
'When you find your mate, you'll know how it feels. You'll know why I can't just strap him to a tree and leave him out for the rogues despite what he's done. Well maybe I might tie him to a tree for fun...' I added as an afterthought.
He grinned at my last line before saying, 'I'll help.'
"Should I leave now Alpha?" He asked formerly and it chilled my bones. What's up with calling me Alpha?
"Yes and don't forget to inform the pack of my command," I told him.
He gave me a nod before giving my mate a warning glare before taking off.
"So is that the jealous ex?" My mate asked.
"That's my best friend," I muttered as I started back our treck.
"Pretty sure a best friend isn't supposed to look at you like he wants to put a ring on it."
"Well, it doesn't matter what he wants right now."
"Let me go and you could be with him." He said and I instantly felt my heart plummet into my stomach.
"What part of soulmate did you not understand?" I laughed off the effect his words had on me. "It doesn't even matter if you're not here, I still wouldn't want him like I..." I trailed off and cleared my throat. "Just keep up would you, I'm hungry and I really don't think you want my wolf to have you for lunch."
I looked over my shoulder and saw a blank expression on his face from my admission but his eyes said something different. It almost glowed with relief.
"Why didn't you let him or your father hurt me?" He asked.
"Why didn't you shoot me?" I countered.
"I honestly don't know." He grumbled.
"Well when you figure it out, you'll know why."
"Why can't you just tell me."
"Not until you give me answers on the other hunters and where they're located."
"Then you'll let me go?"
"No," I answered quickly.
"Then I guess we'll both be stubborn and remain without answers." He shrugged.
"Fine."
"Fine." He said annoyed.
My patience was slipping with this human but I had to keep my anger in check before I shifted before his eyes.
We've wasted enough time, so without further delay, interruptions or bickering, I lead him to the pack which wasn't far ahead.
I saw the human shifting his eyes around the woods as if trying to commit it to memory. It wouldn't matter anyway, he wasn't going anywhere from my sight.
I would make sure of it.
As soon as we were in pack territory, I felt relief wash through me but knew that I still had to interrogate my mate on what's really going on with the hunters and how he sneaked a gun into the ritual.
When Jane finds out she's going to blow the humans' ears off who's in charge of creating a safe environment for both the humans and us wolves.
Not only did they let a gun pass right under their noses but they also didn't detect humans lurking close who almost found us if we hadn't heard them approaching.
But I had a feeling they were following us because of the specific human we took.
A hunter.
I sensed the presence of a few pack members on border patrol keeping an eye on us from afar but my direction was clear to not approach us.
Especially in wolf form. While the human may know about us, I didn't know how he'd react to being up close and personal with our wolf form.
Plus I didn't need to equip him with more knowledge than he already had. Not just yet.
I could feel my parents trying to reach me via the mind link but they had to let me handle this on my own. Especially my dad, he's trained me but this is my situation to handle right now.
I'll get to them later.
I have a feeling this human will only speak up if we were alone and he had no other option.
Going straight to the packhouse, I could feel the tension rising in my mate.
"Is this the part were you drag me into your basement and kill me?" He spoke up.
I gave him a playful grin, "I'm more of an attic person."
"Gee, that makes me feel so much better." He grumbled.
"Just wait till you see my knife collection. Play nice and I'll let you choose which one I use." I winked.
His eyes narrowed at me as I opened the back door of the packhouse.
"Wow, what is this place?" He asked as he looked around.
"This is the packhouse, where a few of our pack members live. We have a huge kitchen, living room, dining room and the infirmary on the first floor. The second floor has all the rooms but the third floor is all ours." I said as a tactic to get him to trust me a little.
"Ours?" I could hear the smirk in his tone.
I backtracked quickly awkwardly, "I meant mine. All mine."
"Sure you did princess."
I pulled him up the steps despite the resistance he put up.
"It's really unfair of you to drag me to your lair without giving me so much of a fighting chance." He said through clenched teeth as he purposefully dragged his feet and held me back with his weight.
"Tell me your name and I'll untie your hands." I tried as we made it to the third floor.
I turned to him and saw his jaw clenched as he looked around the space.
"Why did you bring me here?"
"Tell me your name." I raised one of my eyebrows.
"What if I don't want to."
"Then I'll tie you up to a chair and wait till you break." I shrugged.
"Callum." He whispered.
I smiled, "Sorry didn't hear you there, mind repeating yourself."
He glared at me, "Is your super hearing not working princess, I said Callum."
"Callum..." I tested out his name and heard his heart speed up slightly.
"Princess." He said.
"How am I sure you're not lying?" I questioned but I was only joking around to annoy him further.
"Why would I say a name like Callum when I could say John or something more basic?" He questioned.
I shrugged, "You have a point. Nice to meet you, Callum."
"Can't say the same, Everette." He stuck his hands out for me. "Now untie me."
"How am I so sure you wouldn't try to kill me again?"
"You aren't, but we made a deal, my name for my hands to be freed." He waved his bound hands in front of my face.
"So you still want to kill me?"
"Never said I didn't."
"But-"
"Everette." He said, "My hands please, I need to pee."
"Ohh, you could have said so before." I rolled my eyes before dropping the end of the cloth and walking to the kitchen.
"Really? You would've let my hands go in the forest?" He challenged as he followed me.
"Well no..."
"So what you would've stood there-"
"No! That's not what I meant." I grabbed a sharp knife to cut the cloth since the knot was impossible to untie.
I turned back to him with the knife raised in the air and his eyes bulged out of its sockets.
"Didn't know you were serious about killing me in your attic..." He trailed off as he backed up slightly.
"Soulmates remember? I kill you, you kill me." I smiled at his passive expression.
"How about we keep the 'me killing you' part and throw the 'you killing me' part out the window?" He suggests as he backs up into the refrigerator.
"No can do." I brought the knife to his throat and then his green eyes took on a frosty hue.
He gulped as he looked at me and remained frozen in place, "Don't forget I didn't shoot you in the forest."
"I'm not going to kill you, just reminding you who has the upper hand here." As I said as I removed the knife from his throat before using it to slice the cloth open.
I placed the knife on the counter and shifted it further away as I took Callum's hands and unwrapped the cloth to see harsh red blisters on his wrists.
My eyes shifted up to his and with our close proximity, I could practically feel the mate bond pulling us closer and my eyes shifted to his lips but now was way too soon.
I shifted my eyes back to his to see him looking at me with pure curiosity and confusion. I knew I had to explain everything to him before he told me even an inch of what he knew.
And I knew that I may have to say some pretty messed up things before he would give in.
I dropped the cloth on the ground as I gingerly wrapped my fingers around his wrists and felt the electricity pass through us.
It was our mate bond taking effect and slowly building. A feeling that I'm sure he's confused by.
It was like a low kindling fire that was doused with lighter fluid.
I ignored the slow burn as I gently rubbed my thumbs on the inside of his wrists.
"I'm sorry about this," I said with a soft voice.
"It's okay." He whispered and I was shocked.
"I find that hard to believe, seeing as I kidnapped you and all." I grimaced and as soon as the words left my mouth, I saw the hardness took over Callum's face as he was shocked back into reality.
He stepped to the side and away from me as he looked around nervously, "The bathroom?"
I cleared my throat and acted as if that didn't just hurt, "Down to hall, second door to the right."
He nodded and simply walked off without another word.
I peeked out the window in the kitchen and saw wolves patrolling around the house down below so my mate, Callum, didn't have a chance of escaping.
I had to find a vantage point on him.
His weakness.
Which I'm assuming is his family. Or maybe a girlfriend?
I really hope he didn't have the latter.
I took the knife and the entire knife block and placed it in the cabinet below the sink before attaching a small padlock I found in a draw, to the handles.
Hopefully, he doesn't pick it and murder me in my sleep.
Realizing that we both needed food, I grabbed two loaves of bread and made them into sandwiches for myself and Callum. Though I doubt he would eat that much.
By the time I grabbed two glasses of water, he returned with a glum look.
"You have dogs patrolling your house."
I gave him a knowing smile as I slid a plate across the counter, "You tried to escape didn't you?"
"Do you really blame me for trying?" He asked.
"No..." I trailed off. "Eat, you must be starving."
"Did you poison it?"
"Maybe," I smiled. "Try it and we'll know."
He looked at me and then the sandwich, "You really want to kill me, don't you?"
"Not much different than your intentions." I shrugged and when he opened his mouth to say something, I cut him off, "But as I told you before, we're soulmates. So maybe I wouldn't kill you just yet."
"Why not?" He raised an eyebrow but took the sandwich before breaking it in half and removing the lettuce and tomatoes.
I sighed.
"I don't want to hurt you, Callum. That's not why you're here."
His eyes shifted up to me, "I want to believe you Everette, but how can I when I know you've killed people. You and your pack kill humans."
"We don't kill innocent humans." I scoffed.
"Tell that to my dead family."
A/N
Chapter Update: Tomorrow!
Callum! Yeah, maybe not all that of a name but hey I like it! Also, Callum means dove which is a symbol of peace and Everette means fearless-bravery or brave and strong. They balance each other out like an Alpha and Máni 😉
Dead family huh? Theories?
Also guys I know I need to calm down with cliffhangers but I just don't know how to ☹ It's like a task to create a satisfying ending 🤣
I was also so happy to see the response on Ev's and Callum's dynamic! I love that you all love them 🤗
#TeamCallum or #TeamFinn
Chapter dedicated to KimberlyTanithMarie
Check out her stories! They're the best ❤ and she's helped me so much!
Next chapter I'll be shouting out my commenters and voters! Cause I love you all!!!
Picture above of the packhouse
Song: Lauv ft. Julia Michaels - There's No Way
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-Shania. 🐾