Page 15 of Huntress and the Thorn Court
“You don’t think our little huntress could handle the she-wolf?”
Adam shrugged. “It was simply an opportunity to put Carla in her place. How could I not jump at it?”
“I think you’re missing the bigger picture,” I interjected.
Gideon sighed standing straight. “I’m not. I may be using you as bait, but you didn’t really expect I’d leave you unguarded? The goal is to prevent war. Your death would cause the exact opposite.”
“So you have a list.”
“A list?”
“Of those you know without a doubt that you can trust.”
His eyes narrowed. “I assure you, huntress, I can trust my Beta.”
“And his sole purpose is following me around all day?” I rolled my eyes sarcastically. “Who else?”
Trey, Gideon’s Head Enforcer, answered. “We’ve not informed any of our pack the true reason to watch you. We’ve explained that as the princess of the Hunter’s Order, keeping you confined was uncivilized and could promote animosity between our two groups, but that you were still a potential absconder and should be watched.” He spoke with a pretentious air making me feel like I was insolent for even broaching the topic.
“And when does your potential traitor have the opportunity to show his hand?” I spat glaring at Trey. I didn’t like the guy. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way.
Gideon stood there watching the exchange. I was right and he had to see it. As long as I was guarded, the treasonous wolf would never make a move.
“Let’s create an opening,” Gideon suggested.
“What?”
“We can create a gap in your routine where you are not being watched perhaps devising the perfect opportunity that you could be attacked.”
“After meals?” Adam offered. “Everyone is distracted. It’s why she was attacked on the full moon, but we can’t wait weeks for that opportunity. Meals give the renegades three daily contingencies.”
Adam’s pitch made a lot of sense. We all agreed. We had the bait. All that was left was to lay the perfect trap.
* * *
It wasaround lunchtime when I left Gideon’s office. Through the throne room I exited the door I’d entered earlier. The person who’d escorted me in was nowhere to be seen. Probably off to lunch, I mused.
I was retreating from the throne room into the hall when I heard someone stumbling towards me.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the little hunter who killed my son,” he slurred. My stomach dropped. It was like looking at a ghost. The man was the spitting image of Malcolm.
He staggered across the floor, obviously drunk, which was a feat in itself as werewolves’ metabolisms burned at an accelerated rate. He had to have knocked his drinks back quickly, and frequently, to maintain his inebriated state.
“What?” he spat as I regarded him with unease. “Not even going to speak to me?”
I stood still not wishing to do anything to trigger him. In his compromised state, he wouldn’t have much control on his wolf. I already had the blood of his son and brother on my hands. I didn’t want to add his too.
“You hunters are too puffed up for your own good. Thinking you’re better than us, but we let you run the show, so we don’t have to.We’rebetter.” He jabbed his finger into his chest emphasizing his point. “In fact we could take you.”
I saw his swing coming a mile away. If he hit me then I’d have the right to defend myself. My instinct was to fight, but I didn’t want to hurt this man whom I’d already taken so much from. I stepped back and watched his fist fly past me. He’d put so much force into it that he pivoted with the swing when it connected with only air. Twisting, he fell on the floor sliding a few feet into the throne room through the door I had yet to close.
“Bitch!” he hissed stumbling to stand. I wanted to help him but figured my aid was the last thing he needed. “Fight me!”
“Abe?” a deep voice bellowed. I glanced up watching Gideon saunter out of his office as Abe made it to his feet. “What are you doing?”
“She started it,” Abe declared childishly.
Gideon glanced at me, but I did nothing more than shift my eyes to stare at him, not wanting to make the situation worse by calling the drunken wolf a liar. The Alpha’s mouth twitched as if he saw what he needed to know. He moved putting his body between us shielding the other wolf from my presence. “You’re drunk. Go sleep it off.”
