Page 3 of Fated to the Hunters
“She needs to make that decision. Otherwise, she will hate us for the rest of her life. Her pack is her family. Going rogue for us needs to be on her terms.”
Mateo turned and stared at Vince, who was now busy packing away silver cups and plates. “So, what do we do?”
“I think we should court our little rogue,” Ezra purred.
“Ezra,” Vince warned, wrapping the plates in newspaper.
“Oh c’mon, we can have a little fun, can’t we?”
Mateo shook his head. “Your definition of fun usually involves smashing someone’s skull or cursing them with your spells.”
“That’s actually a fantastic idea. Maybe I should find a spell that will speed up the process.”
“You are not carving runes into her skin!” Mateo ordered.
“Fine, maybe a simple potion will do.” Ezra hopped off the counter and disappeared into his room, grinning like the cat that caught the canary.
“She will not inhale a thing he puts close to her,” Mateo hissed.
Vince sighed and silently continued to wrap the porcelain.
The more Mateo thought about it the more he liked Ezra’s idea. Well, part of it. “Maybe weshouldcourt her.”
Vince paused, simply crooking a brow as if to tell Mateo he’d lost his mind.
“I’m not saying we’ll show up at her place with flowers and chocolates every day. More like showing her that we’re there for her, without forcing her to reveal us to her family.”
Vince thought about it for a few moments that likely felt longer than they were, but he finally nodded.
“But we need to keep an eye on our little warlock up there,” Mateo added.
They spent the rest of the night quietly disposing of every piece of silver in their home. The frames holding pictures he’d forced Vince and Ezra to take with him, the family heirlooms Ezra had stolen from his parents’ when he’d left at sixteen. Ezra had insisted on displaying the silver goblets that had been in his family’s possession for over ten generations. Without most of the decorations, the house seemed empty. Or maybe, Mateo thought, it just felt empty because they hadn’t broughtherhome yet.
Chapter Two
Vince
As they drove past the Moonlight skyscraper, Vince could feel her presence. Once they’d cleansed the house of all the silver, they’d taken on the drive to Brighton. With every mile they’d sped closer to Scarlett, his nerves had eased a little more. Now that she was so close, his entire body felt relaxed. It was…odd. Vince had never experienced anything like it.
Mateo indicated an empty spot on a side road with a view of the luxurious main entrance to the tower. The skyscraper was one of Brighton’s highest buildings, with a modern glass façade and tight security in place.
They hoped that if she felt them, she would seek them out. But they were also well aware that it could—and would—probably take days if not weeks for her to do so. For all they knew, Scarlett was under strict commands not to leave the building, let alone stroll the streets of Brighton alone.
Alpha Joseph was a well-known businessman in Brighton, and had built his wealth with many established businesses around the city. Unlike most packs, he didn’t hide his in the woods faraway from civilisation. Though they had some land east of the city, the main pack residence was hidden in plain sight.
Mateo handed him his breakfast that they’d picked up on the way, but all he could do was pick at it. Wolves from the pack came and went, but Scarlett was nowhere to be seen. Though Ezra quickly became frustrated and edgy, he stayed put. Unwilling to blow their cover, the three of them had agreed to remain hidden. Ezra hated sitting still. He preferred the chase over the hunt—most of the time at least. He was the most impatient and impulsive man Vince had ever met.
Sometime in the late afternoon, the alpha and his heir arrived, both in their finest suits and guarded by their warriors. The car was driven into the garage, and they disappeared.
“Fucking show off,” Ezra mumbled from the back seat. “Why make a show of your life if you can just get out of the car in the safety of the garage?”
“Maybe she’ll come out to greet them some day,” Mateo countered, always trying to see the glass half full.
Vince rested his head back and closed his eyes, soaking up the feeling of Scarlett’s presence. He only opened them again when Ezra’s door opened, Mateo poised to stop him.
“I’m going to take a piss, that’s all!”
“You’re going to ruin this for us,” Mateo hissed. “Remember, they’re surveying this block.”
