Chapter 9 The hunt Begins

Chapter 9: The Hunt Begins

AMARA

The silence between us stretched, thick and suffocating, brimming with the weight of unspoken truths. Xander's hand still lingered near my jaw, his touch feather-light yet unyielding, as if he could tether me here with will alone. His presence was a force, an unrelenting current pulling me toward something I wasn't sure I wanted to face.

I stepped back, needing space. Needing control.

"Enough with the riddles," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "If Derek doesn't want me dead, then what does he want?"

Xander didn't answer right away. His fingers raked through his dark hair, his usual arrogance dimming beneath something heavier. The flickering light overhead cast sharp shadows on his face, emphasizing the tension carved into his expression.

"Not here," he muttered.

A fresh wave of unease crawled up my spine.

"What?" I asked him.

His gaze flicked toward the door, then to the windows, as if unseen eyes lurked just beyond the edges of the room. The air thickened, charged with an unnamed threat.

"Walls have ears, Amara," he murmured. "And if I'm right, we don't have much time."

My pulse kicked up a notch. " What did he mean?"

I folded my arms, feigning a calm I didn't feel. "Then where are we going?"

A slow, knowing smirk curved his lips. "You'll see."

I frowned, suspicion curling in my gut, but before I could argue, Xander grabbed his coat and motioned for me to follow.

I hesitated. I didn't trust him. Not entirely. But something about his urgency gnawed at me. If there was even the smallest chance that I could get the truth out of him, I had to take it.

So I followed.

We slipped out through a side door into the cool embrace of the night. The estate loomed behind us, its towering silhouette bathed in silver moonlight, but Xander didn't spare it a glance. He moved with purpose, leading me into the dense woods that stretched beyond the estate grounds.

I kept pace, but the further we went, the thicker my unease grew. The scent of damp earth and pine filled the air, mingling with something else. Something off.

A sharp metallic tang. Blood.

"Xander," I warned, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Relax, sweetheart," he drawled over his shoulder. "We're almost there."

Almost where?

The trees thickened around us, forming an impenetrable wall of darkness. Then, abruptly, Xander stopped.

I looked around. Nothing but endless shadows and towering trunks. The wind howled through the branches, whispering secrets I couldn't decipher.

"This is a joke, right?" I folded my arms, irritation bubbling beneath my unease.

Xander turned to me, his expression unreadable. Then, without warning, he let out a sharp, piercing whistle.

The ground trembled beneath me.

A deep, guttural growl echoed through the darkness.

My blood ran cold.

I spun, heart pounding, as a massive, hulking shadow emerged from the trees. Glowing red eyes locked onto me, and a snarl ripped through the silence, sharp and deadly.

My wolf surged forward in panic, instincts screaming at me to move, to shift, to fight-

But I was too late.

The beast lunged.I braced for impact-

And then it vanished.

Silence swallowed the clearing.

I stood frozen, breath coming fast and ragged. My pulse thundered in my ears, every muscle coiled, my wolf still clawing beneath my skin.

And then- I heard a chuckle.

Xander burst out laughing.

I whipped toward him, my blood still rushing like wildfire. "You-" My hands curled into fists. "What the hell was that?!"

His smirk widened, utterly unapologetic. "A test."

"A test?" My voice rose. "You call that a test? That was not a test, that was you being a complete-"

"Careful," he cut in smoothly, his grin wicked. "You're starting to sound like you enjoy my attention."

I could have strangled him. Right then and there.

Xander stretched lazily, utterly unconcerned. "Alright, I need a drink."

He turned and started walking away like nothing had happened.

I stared after him, fury still licking at my veins. "Are you-Are you seriously just walking away right now?"

"Yep," he called back. "Try not to miss me too much."

I was going to kill him.

Right after I caught my breath.

I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to calm down. My wolf was still bristling, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me rattled.

Xander returned minutes later, tossing me a bottle.

I caught it, scowling. " Where did you get this? I asked but he didn't respond.

This is supposed to make up for that stunt?" I asked again.

He shrugged. "Peace offering."

I muttered a curse under my breath but twisted the cap off anyway. If I had to deal with him, I might as well drink.

"Alright," I said after a sip, "can we get back to the part where you explain why you dragged me out here?"

His smirk faded. He turned, leading me deeper into the woods. This time, I followed without question.

Then, without warning, he stopped in front of a gnarled tree, pressing his palm against its bark.

The ground rumbled.

A hidden door swung open, revealing-

Blinding lights. The deep thump of bass. Laughter and the clink of glasses.

I blinked. "What the-"

Xander grinned. "You should try to relax," he said over the music. "Life isn't that serious."

I stared. "You-You brought me to a nightclub?"

"Underground hall," he corrected. "Secret entrance. VIP access only."

Neon lights pulsed along sleek walls, illuminating a dance floor packed with bodies. The energy was intoxicating, the complete opposite of what I had expected.

"You are absolutely insane," I muttered.

Xander laughed. "You love it."

I did not love it.

...Okay, maybe a little. But that was beside the point.

I turned to him, eyes narrowing. "So let me get this straight. You dragged me into the middle of the woods, scared the hell out of me, and then brought me here for-what? A dance?"

Xander leaned in, smirking. "Maybe."

I scoffed. "You are the most-"

"Come on, just one drink," he interrupted. "Then we get back to the whole life-or-death thing. Deal?"

I glared. "Fine. One drink."

And that was how I found myself at a sleek bar, sipping a cocktail while Xander leaned lazily against the counter, watching me with that insufferable smirk.

But the more I thought about it, the angrier I got.

I set my glass down with a sharp clink. "I'm done."

Xander frowned. "What?"

I stood. "I'm not your entertainment, Xander. I don't need your games, and I sure as hell don't need you babysitting me."

His lips parted, something flashing in his eyes. But before he could speak, I turned and pushed through the crowd.

I was done.

Done with his smirks.

Done with his secrets.

Done with-everything.

I barely made it to the exit when pain exploded on the side of my head. I turned, barely recovered-

I felt another sharp blow.

And then my vision blurred and the room spun.

I swayed.

What was happening? I muttered and then I noticed figures surrounded me.

Then-

Darkness swallowed me whole.