The Final Hunt – 1
Unknown’s POV
I paced restlessly around my private apartment, an uncomfortable feeling churning in my gut, setting every nerve on edge. I’d tried reaching that bastard, but there was no response. Since burning down Thea Sterling’s house, he’d vanished as if he’d never existed. That worried me more than anything else because I couldn’t predict his next move. Without knowing his plans, I had no contingency if he fucked up—like that worthless piece of shit, Vex.
“Goddamn it!” I growled, snatching up my phone to contact my Beta.
“Alpha?” Alaric answered respectfully on the first ring.
“Any sign of him?” I demanded.
I don’t usually show weakness or worry. But this was different. I just had this awful feeling in my gut that something was about to go down.
“No, Alpha. It’s like he’s completely masked his scent,” he replied, earning a vicious curse from me. “None of the wolf scouts can pick up his trail.”
When Vex was identified by the police, I immediately decided to eliminate him. The city’s police force had several Alpha-level trackers who would follow his scent in no time and trace it all the way back to me. So I ripped out his heart myself. I couldn’t risk him exposing my identity.
My decision proved correct. The police did quickly find his trail, but fortunately, when they arrived, they only found a corpse without a heart. I understood men like Vex because we were cut from similar cloth. If captured, he would have sold me out without hesitation to save his own skin. He had no pack loyalty to me, just working for money. I couldn’t let everything I’d carefully built fall apart. It had all been perfect. Vex was dead, the police lost their only lead, and I found a new assassin—a more dangerous, more ruthless non-wolf hunter.
“Alpha,” Alaric’s voice pulled me back to reality.
“What?” My thoughts were scattered. Like I said, this wasn’t my normal state. I’m usually the one in control of every situation. But now, this heavy sense of impending doom hung over me, and I hated it.
“I said we’ll continue sending our best scouts and notify you immediately through the Mind link if we find anything,” he said quietly, his tone cautious.
I let out a low growl. “Good. Find him now. I need to know his location and plans as soon as possible.”
I hung up and continued my pacing. This wasn’t how the plan was supposed to go. Things had gotten complicated midway, and now I felt like time was running out, like a noose tightening around my neck.
“Fuck!” I roared, smashing my fist into the wall, leaving a crack in the solid concrete. Both my wolf and I could feel it. Knew things were about to come crashing down. All my carefully woven lies, all the actions I’d taken in secret, were about to be exposed. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face it all. If I was ready for the inevitable backlash.
Taking a deep breath, I picked up my phone again and called the one female who could calm me down. The one who supported me unconditionally.
“Hi, Mother,” I said as I sat down, trying to control my agitation.
“Darling,” her voice was full of warmth. “It’s so good to hear your voice. The Pack and I miss you.”
At the sound of her voice, my wolf immediately quieted. The tension drained away, and I felt a calmness I hadn’t experienced in a long time.
“I miss you too, Mother, more than you can imagine,” I said softly, feeling like a pup again, dependent on his mother wolf. All my fears and worries temporarily disappeared, like shadows chased away by moonlight.
“Not that I don’t love hearing your voice, but why the sudden call? I thought you were busy with work these days?” she asked perceptively.
I couldn’t explain the truth to her. How could I tell her I was calling because I wanted to hear her voice one last time before everything fell apart? How could I tell her I wanted one last moment of comfort from her because after she discovered what I’d done, I might never receive her motherly love again?