Page 5 of Huntress and the Thorn Court
“Wait!” My father raced into the chamber. He walked straight to me hugging me tighter than ever before. As he held me, I couldn’t remember the last time we’d hugged. Perhaps the night my mother died. “Be safe.” Releasing me he turned a glare to Gideon. “If anything happens to her—” he left the sentence unsaid. The words weren’t necessary. The meaning was clear.
Gideon met my father’s stare but was the first to break. I’d never seen an Alpha break first to anyone less dominant, and while I loved my father, between the two of them, Gideon clearly won the dominance competition. He broke first as a sign of respect.
“Come,” the Alpha demanded turning on his heels. He didn’t wait to see if I’d follow. The two wolves sandwiched me between them. Neither of them touched me as they escorted me from my home.
4
Thanks to the morning rush hour, the car ride to the wolves' stronghold took over an hour. The sounds of traffic as people were busily starting their day were a welcome distraction. The scent of the city mixed with that of the well-dressed Alpha, that sat across from me, filled the cab. I’d done my best to calm my heart, but it still raced nervously. I’d eyed the exits more than once, refusing to give into my fight or flight instinct. I didn’t know what the next year would hold for me. I could face a ravenous vampire or a feral werewolf, but the unknown was perhaps the one thing that truly frightened me. It was beyond my control, and in my line of work, I needed control.
We paused at a black iron gate that stood out against the contrasts of the stormy gray stonewalls surrounding it, as the driver leaned forward for a retinal scan.
The werewolf stronghold was nicknamed the Thorn Court and the reason why was blatantly obvious. The stone fence was stacked twenty-five feet high making it difficult to climb, but if that wasn’t enough to deter someone, along the top were masses of thorn vines so thick they were visibly impenetrable. No one knew if they simply covered part of the stone or if they were a barrier all their own.
The car lurched forward cruising down the long driveway that led to the house, if that’s what you wanted to call it. The building was smaller than the hunter’s headquarters, which was an easy feat since our base housed not only our operations but all the families as well, yet the Thorn Court was much more immaculate. The main house was wrapped in white stone and appeared as almost three separate buildings. The center was the most pristine with its four stories. Windows were sparse, but each had its own ledge. In the center of the roof was a dome; its walls made almost entirely of glass. A gray roof blanketed all three sections, minus the dome. I wondered if the glass bubble was just for decoration or if there was access to the extra level. The two sides of the house came up short on the elegances and were only slightly less impressive with their three stories. The windows were smaller and lacked the freedom the center of the house held.
The car came to a stop jolting me from my admiration. The door opened from the outside and Gideon exited first, almost in haste. Whether it was his need to assert some kind of Alpha BS or he just wanted to get away from me, I didn’t know. A small group of people awaited our arrival in the bright morning sun. Rarely was I awake long enough to feel the sun’s morning rays. It would have been a treat for me in any other circumstances. A hand reached into the car and after a moment I realized it was being offered to me. My lips flattened. Did they think I was some southern belle who needed assistance to exit a car? Shoving past the extended hand, I grabbed the handle mounted to the car using it to push my momentum out. Once my feet were securely on the ground, I realized the hand had belonged to Gideon. He eyed me as if my act had been an affront. I crossed my arms and met the Alpha’s glare with one of my own.
“Go with Eleanor,” he demanded dismissing me. The way he spoke suggested he wasn’t used to being questioned.
“Why?” My nose wrinkled curiously. The crowd around us flinched as if preparing for the blowback. Werewolves, even Alphas, were nothing new to me. Neither had the longest fuse. I agreed to come, it didn’t mean I was going to be easy.
Gideon scowled, but instead of his unleashing his temper or even blatantly ignoring me, he replied in the same tone as before, which was unexpected. “She will show you to your accommodations.”
I should have left it alone, but my curiosity was piqued. My brow rose as I repeated what he’d just said. “My accommodations?”
A curt nod was the only response he gave. Without giving me another opportunity to speak, he climbed back into the car. The door was tugged shut and the vehicle heaved forward. I guess I was dismissed.
With my arms still crossed over my chest, I was aware of several people, including the two wolves that had been following me earlier, watching me, but I didn’t budge. I was curious how long we’d all stand there.
“Miss?” an elderly woman stepped forward. I cocked my head to the side studying her. Her gray hair was cut short and curled into her face. She wore a pale lavender dress with white stripes running down the length of her body. Her pale blue eyes met mine sparkling with kindness I hadn’t expected from members of the Thorn Court, especially after what I’d been accused of. “If you would follow me. I’ll help you get squared away.”
I glanced at wolf one and two and decided to not risk them dragging me through the building. This would be my first impression on the wolves. I was a hunter. That alone was cause for them to dislike me, add the death of the young wolf and I’d be lucky if they didn’t kick my ass the first moment they got.
“Where are we going?” I asked trailing after the woman as I took in the house. It was elegant and modern in a way I hadn’t anticipated. Marble pillars graced the hallway where we walked. Cream color coated the walls. The warm scent of vanilla filled the air.
“To get you somewhere safe.”
“I don’t understand,” I admitted, catching up to her having fallen behind as I admired the house. Hearing her concern about my safety didn’t make me nervous as it might some. I could handle myself even if I was weaponless. What did pique my curiosity was whether this “safe place” was to keep me safe or the pack safe from me.
She didn’t reply as she led me down a flight of stairs. The fact that the house had a lower level was unexpected as it’d not been noticeable from outside.
Turns out myaccommodationswere a tiny cell.
“You’re kidding me.” I gawked wide-eyed at it. There was a small cot up against the one solid wall. A white pillow rested atop of a light grey blanket that was folded at the foot of the bed. Two other similar holding cells were in the room where we stood. The one she offered me just happened to be the furthest from the door. The scent of cleaning products and metal swirled in the air reminding me of our jail cells back home. Everything was encased in shiny metal bars.
“They’re silver plated, stainless steel bars,” she explained noticing my fixation on them. “Gideon himself wouldn’t be able to escape, or rather in this case, break-in.”
“And this is necessary?” I glared at the offending bars.
She nodded. “Gideon believes so.”
“And if I refuse?” I jutted my chin out testing to see what this older woman would do if I pressed.
She smiled kindly as if knowing my true intentions weren’t hostile. “I’m sure one of the guards at the top of the stairs listening to us would be more than happy to assist you.”
She spoke as if she’d already run every contingency plan I might come up with.
I narrowed my eyes with a smirk holding a little more respect for her. The big bad huntress hadn’t intimidated her. “There are no guards.” While I had been distracted with admiring the décor, I hadn’t noticed the werewolves following us. I strained to hear any noise coming from above, but all seemed silent.
