The Alpha's Hunt Chapter 55

Iliana crawled across the floor to Emanuel. After one nod from the king, the guard stepped back and he pushed the knife back in between Emanuel's shoulder blades. Iliana gasped but he didn't scream, he bit down and his face turned red but he waited for her calmly. I envied the way that his arms opened up for her, he was ready to catch her in all of her pain despite being trapped in his own agonizingly painful position.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Emanuel cried into the crock of her neck. 

No matter how hard it was for me to watch them I knew it’d be worse if I looked up. Darian was watching me, analyzing every expression and how I reacted to what I saw and he was no doubt feeling a surge of joy over seeing me break.

“It’s not your fault,” Iliana whispered breathlessly. 

I bit down on my tongue until the taste of metal filled my mouth and then I switched to my inner cheek and chewed until a wound opened up.

She lifted her chin and rested it on his head while gently reaching around his back and grabbing the knife. My eyes shot up and met Darian’s, if nothing else then to make sure he didn't do anything or give an order to one of his henchmen to push the knife back in if she pulled it out.

But she grabbed the handle off the knife undisturbed and pulled it out in one swift motion. Emanuel fell against her she held him.

She didn't just hold him, she was shielding him, promising in silence that nobody would touch him again. Iliana was ready to lay down her life for him and Emanuel would do the same for her in a heartbeat.

Then there was mine, he who marked me not once but twice, not out of love but out of possessive dominance and the mere joy of seeing himself on me in the most permanent way we knew. 

I was so busy watching Darian to make sure he wouldn't do something stupid that I almost missed the same pungent smell from earlier in the hall hitting me in the face for only a moment.

There was nothing out of the ordinary in the ballroom and wherever I looked I just saw the overly-calm guests standing in the same positions.

It pissed me off to see how careless they were being with everything that had happened. They didn't act like they had seen two people almost losing their lives or the king using his mate like a doll; they were acting like it was all part of a script, played out just for them and their amusement.

’Smile, puppet. You’re on display’ 

I snapped my head back and looked into Darian's softened eyes. He turned to the Alpha couple still cuddled up on the floor, they refused to let go of each other even when Darian stepped closer and cast his shadow over their bodies. 

“Alpha Emanuel and Iliana, you are both free to go. I appreciate your attendance,” 

Every word coming out of his mouth was making my brain itch and I had never wished for superpowers in my life but right now I would make do with being stronger than the king so I could snap his neck like a twig and rid the world of his evil.

Iliana pulled back and they rose to their feet hand in hand.

Even now they refused to let go of each other and I was fighting this godforsaken jealousy that burned a pit in my stomach.

Emanuel was one of those guys that you were lucky to end up with and Iliana was a sweetheart, one of the kindest souls on this planet so it made sense that the gods would pair them together.

But what the hell had I done for the gods to pair me with Darian? Did I kill a bunch of people in my previous life? 

There had to be some karma that I was paying off from another lifetime or maybe fate was just a bullshit expression used to chain us to the idea of one day getting mated and further controlling us for the Hunt. It’s sure easier for them to say that fate was why I was chosen by Darian, the sadistic Lycan king who killed for sport and treated us werewolves like we were nothing but docile little mice; rather than taking responsibility for sending an eighteen-year-old girl into his claws and locking her up in his lair.

Emanuel held her hand so tight that his knuckles turned white and he held his arm close to his side when they turned around and walked across the ballroom.

Everyone was smiling from ear to ear like they had won something while watching the by far nicest Alpha couple I knew walk with straight backs and raised heads- covered in blood and sweat- as they exited the ballroom. Just before turning the corner Iliana turned her head and looked over her shoulder. Our eyes locked for a moment and I wanted to scream how sorry I was, to beg them not to blame me for this, and to give them both a hug. I wanted so much but by the time I had listed everything they were gone and I was staring at an empty space where my best friend had stood.

I felt Darian behind me, my body would get rigid by having him that close if it wasn't so exhausted. His hand came around my neck and he moved my hair back.

The touch of his fingers brushing over my skin sent a shiver through my body, reminding me that I was still alive and still at his mercy.

“You should go say goodbye,” he whispered with a shift in his tone that I hadn't heard before.

My skin heated from his breath and I leaned my head to the side when he moved closer. Goosebumps filled my skin when I felt his lips hover by my neck and he pressed a kiss over my mark.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me back against his front as he parted his lips and nibbled on the mark.

The sensation that spread through me was unlike any other, it was like my body knew whose mark it was and him touching it was sending vibrations that reached my soul.

He bit on the mark and pulled with his teeth as he dragged his nose up the side of my neck.

“When you’re done, I want you back here,”

Darian stepped back and slid his hand down my back as he moved away.

I looked toward the exit and knew I had to hurry if I wanted to catch them.

I could feel his eyes on me, watching my every move while I hurried out of the room and I hated how my body was responding to him and his words. As though he was the law and couldn't be disobeyed. 

I took off the forsaken heels and started running down the hallways, moving around the corners like a race car and begging that I reach them in time.

Panting and heaving as I reached the foyer I was thrilled to see that they were there on the doorstep. Emanuel held an umbrella over their heads and Iliana rested her head against his chest. 

A smile stretched on my face and I walked over gleefully, preparing to beg for their forgiveness.

“Hey! I'm so glad I caught you,” I smiled and was just about to step foot out on the doorstep when Emanuel spun around and shoved Iliana behind him protectively.

As though there was an invisible wall between us I bounced back on my steps and felt the air leave my body. The pain was there and the fear, so was the confusion and the anger.

“I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I need you to know that I had nothing to do with that!” I watched their faces to see if they believed me.

The sob rose in my throat but I couldn't cry now, I wasn't sad for me.

“You should head back,” He said without an ounce of compassion in his otherwise empathetic voice. 

“Emanuel, you know me. I would never put any of you in danger-“

“Save it!” He barked and stepped closer while gesturing with his hand for Iliana to stay back.

He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out an envelope that he handed to me. 

I knew that letter, it was the invitation to the Ball, every guest got one.

He must've seen the utter confusion written on my face because the next order was clear.

“Read it.”