Come for Me 2 (The Hunt #2)

Chapter Thirty

Alaina

I can only make out murmurs. I’m stuck between wanting the voices to stop so I can sleep, wanting to pull myself from this exhaustion to be present. And tell whoever is yelling to be quiet.

“Why isn’t she awake yet? It’s been a week.”

It’s Dax, I think. He grabs my hand and sparks ignite in my fingertips, making me think it’s him. They’re faint, but they’re there. Does he feel those sparks?

Someone responds to him to be patient, but I don’t recognize this voice, and I can’t imagine they know Dax very well. Anyone who does know Dax knows he’s only patient when he’s torturing someone.

“I’ll kill you,” the voice responds.

Yup, that’s definitely Dax.

“I know you don’t want to, but we have to consider the alternative if she does not wake up,” says the same person, who apparently doesn’t know Dax too well.

Rage hits me, and I know these aren’t my emotions but his.

There’s a snarl followed by a loud thump.

“This whole kingdom better hope she wakes up because, without her, no one is safe from me,” Dax growls.

There’s another grunt and struggle of someone gasping for air.

“I don’t give a fuck what you have to do. Whatever it takes. She will rule this kingdom beside me. Whether it’s in this life or the next. I suggest you get the best pack doctors, witches and whoever else, to ensure she lives, or I swear on my fucking life I will kill everyone. I will watch this whole world burn at my hand before I have to bear living in one in her absence. There is and will be no life without her. Do you understand?”

There’s a thud to the floor, followed by someone coughing.

Sam chimes in. “You better find someone who can help her, or I’ll let him.”

* * *

I can’t open my eyes, can’t talk or move, but I’m extremely aware of everything happening around me. It’s as if I’m trapped in my body in a state of paralysis. The feeling of familiar sparks crackle on my forehead, and the shell isn’t so cold anymore. Warmth spreads at the awareness of my mate. Even though I want to hold Dax, I’m stuck.

“I need you, darling. Come back to me. Don’t you fucking leave me. Don’t you forget what we have. Please,” he cries.

Dax’s pleading breaks something inside me. My warrior has never sounded so scared. I want nothing more than to comfort my mate, to let him know I’m here. I try to open my eyes, to wiggle a finger, something! Anything to let him know I haven’t left him, but it’s no use. Instead, the darkness drags me back down, keeping me from my mate.

* * *

A sudden burst of energy jolts me forward, and my throat is on fire. Relying completely on instinct, I let my body take go after whatever it needs, anything to make this pain go away. I’m no longer in control. I feel hands on me, and I hear screaming, but I don’t think they’re coming from me.

Hands roam on me, and an involuntary hiss leaves my throat. I’m watching everything I’m doing as it’s happening.

I’m mounted on top of one of our warriors, clinging to his body as I claw at his throat. I need to douse the internal burning.

Blood.

Although I don’t want to harm this guy, I want to feed more. The confliction is causing a frenzy. I’m clawing at my prey, which is annoyingly fighting back.

I hiss at Dax, who’s telling me to get off of my next meal.

Can’t Dax tell I need this?

There’s a pinch from my gums, followed by a moment of clarity. My fangs make contact with my prey, and euphoria washes over me. As I groan into this man’s neck, his blood fills my throat.

When I’m thrusted back into my body, my grip tightens on my meal. I moan, and my eyes roll into my head.

Envy hits me. These aren’t my feelings but someone else’s.

My eyes lock onto the most beautiful hybrid specimen in front of me with gorgeous eyes flashing from gold to red, then settle on a maroon color. His wolf and vampire both present to see their hybrid mate.

Mate.

Mate is jealous. But why?

Then I remember my fangs are deep in a male that had me moaning like a desperate whore a few seconds ago. I whimper, not wanting to let go of my meal but wanting to appease my mate.

Dax locks his eyes on the male in my grasp, begging for Dax to save him. I hiss at Dax as he gets closer to my prey, clutching him tighter to me. This causes Dax to hiss back, showing me that his fangs are larger than mine.

Dax isn’t just the King of Werewolves now but the King of Vampires. And his body has evolved accordingly.

Dax peels the man from my grasp and breaks his neck.

“The only man that will ever be between your lips again is me,” Dax growls, warning the room with the fierceness of his claim. He opens the lapel of the man I drank from to reveal a blood bag.

The sight of the blood bag causes hunger to burn my esophagus with only the sweet liquid able to douse the flames. I snatch the bag from him, tearing into it.

“More,” I hiss, throwing the empty bag to the floor.

Dax chuckles at my desperation and hands me another bag.

This time, I’m less barbaric about my conquest. When I’ve sucked the bag dry, I’m able to think clearly again.

“Where’s Taya?”

“She’s here.”

I have to go. I have to see if Taya is okay, but Dax catches me.

“Whoa, slow down. Taya’s fine. She’s a little malnourished, but the doctors have checked her out. She’s hooked to an IV for now and should be discharged today.”

“She’s by herself?”

I’m such a terrible friend. I’m the reason she’s in this mess. The reason she’s laying out in a hospital bed right now all alone.

Dax grabs me again as I try to leave and rubs the back of his neck. “She’s not alone.”

I look at Dax, confused. The air is thick with whatever he’s not telling me.

“Taya’s mate is there with her.” Dax looks at me as if I’m about to hit him.

My jaw drops.

“She has a mate? Who?”

Is it a vampire from the castle? Someone from our pack?

Dax stares at me.

“Tell me!”

I’m giddy like a schoolgirl listening in on the best piece of gossip.

I search Dax’s face. “Why do you seem nervous? What’s wrong with him?”

Dax rubs the back of his neck.

“Dax, tell me. Who is it?”

* * *

“Sam!” I boom down the hall.

I burst in through Sam’s bedroom to find my sweet sunshine best friend curled up in bed wearing the oversized tee of the biggest and horniest storm cloud there ever was. Gone are any signs of her ever being imprisoned in that hellhole with me. The IV no longer in her. She looks healthy, and I’m so thankful I almost forget what I came here to do.

Until I see it hanging halfway out the double casement window trying to escape from me.

Born hybrid blood suits me. Its strength and speed have me easily reach and overpower Sam, dragging him back into the room before he can flee and throwing him on the floor.

Sam grabs his shoulder, grimacing and full of sarcasm. “You’re awake. How nice to see you.”

I punch his hurt shoulder.

Taya gasps. “Alaina, stop, please!”

His mouth forms an O. “Ow! Fuck!” Sam curls up into a fetal position. Shielding himself from me, he nods in my direction. “Dax, call off your dog.”

I growl.

At some point, Dax must’ve filed in behind me, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. Dax shakes his head, snickering at Sam’s misfortune. “Nah, I think I’ll sit this one out. She’s pretty mad.”

Straddling his shirtless frame, I have no choice but to use an old faithful trick, only this time, I’m leveling up. I prick the skin of his nipples with my claws, pulling him up from the floor to my face with him as the catch on my hook. “My best friend? You mated my best friend?”

“Alaina, listen to me.” Sam holds his hand out. “We’re mates. I know it’s hard to believe, but—”

“What were you thinking?”

“You have to know I’d never hurt her,” he continues to ramble.

I search his eyes for any deception, any taunting, a punchline. None come. In fact, he looks worried. Truly concerned. And I don’t know if it’s my increase in immortality, my ferocity, or...

He’s scared I won’t approve.

I wasn’t expecting this side of him. I thought he’d be smirking, and I’d get to slap the look right off his face. Sam would’ve jumped at the chance to rub the fact that he mated my best friend in my face. An opportunity to taunt me with this information is something even the dryest of comedians couldn’t have passed. But he’s not bragging about bedding Taya.

Quite honestly, these were all the things I anticipated him doing before I stormed in here. Hell, I was prepared for a fight with Mr. Playboy.

But the look in his eyes and the mark on his neck, Mr. Playboy is no more. Taya has tamed this beast.

Sam’s heart thumps louder when I peer behind my shoulder to look at Taya’s neck. Taya now bares the mark of a beta’s mate. Her eyes are pleading for my acceptance of their mate status. As her friend, I’m sure she wants to rip out my throat for harming Sam, but as her queen, she knows she can’t.

I turn back to Sam whose continues to run wild but not as much now that my attention is back on him.

“You care for her,” I state.

“Care is an understatement.”

His arms are still up for surrender. Only battle he cares to win is one where he ends up back at his mate’s side.

I retract my claws from his nipples, and I fight back the urge to lick the blood off my talons knowing my mate would find this act to be possessive.

Sam grimaces as he rubs his nipples, smearing blood over his chest.

“But you’re like a brother to me. Why would the Moon Goddess choose this?”

“I asked myself the same thing.” Sam sits up and gazes at Taya. “I don’t deserve someone like her. Not even close.”

I peer over at Taya, who holds a hand to her chest, clutching her heart at his admission.

They stare at each other like they’re the only two in the room.

Sam and Taya are polar opposites. Taya’s feminine and sweet, while Sam is foul-mouthed and has been around the block way too many times. But looking at her and him, they’re clearly happy. And I can’t help but be happy for them.

Momentarily, Sam looks back at me. “But now that I have her, I will spend every day trying my damn best to deserve her.”

Wow.

“I’d still lay down my life for you two.” He shifts his eyes to Dax and back to me. “But Taya is my life now. She bleeds, I bleed. She dies, I die. She breathes, I breathe. Now that I have her, I can’t ever be without her. Respectfully, Your Majesty, you’d have to kill me first.”

But I don’t want to kill him. I stand, holding out a hand to help him up and pull him in to embrace. Sam hugs me back.

“I’m happy for you guys, truly. You know you’re like a brother to me.”

“I didn’t realize you guys completed the mate bond. Congrats, brother,” Dax says to Sam. Dax daps him up, pulls him in for a quick hug, and pats him on the back. “Now you understand what lengths I would go to protect what’s mine. Killing our best friend is not off the table.” He playfully punches Sam on his hurt shoulder.

Sam laughs and hugs his arm.

I canter to the bed to embrace Taya, who squeezes me tight, longer than usual. “I’m sorry,” we say in unison.

We separate, eying each other quizzically.

“Why are you sorry?” she asks.

“Because you were put in that situation because of me,” I explain.

Colin only used her as leverage because he knows I care for her.

She shakes her head. “No, none of that was your fault. I should be apologizing to you.”

My brow scrunches. “Apologize? Why?”

She pauses and searches my face. Her lips part briefly, but she snaps them close. Her eyes sulk.

Why does she have the same look of pity Sam had?

“Because you were going to bind to that asshole just to save me, and...” She pauses, then smiles somberly and changes wherever she seemed to be going with her statement. “You don’t know how relieved I am to see you’re okay. And a hybrid? We have so much to catch up on.”

I smile back. Still confused why she looks so sad. I would’ve done anything for her.

“Sorry to break this up, but the doctor will be here soon. Alaina needs to get checked out,” Dax chimes in.

I give him an “are you serious?” look.

He meets mine with a raised eyebrow. “You’re lucky I even let you come beat up on Sam. Don’t test me right now, Alaina.”

I roll my eyes but ultimately give in and squeeze Taya’s hand before I leave with Dax.

* * *

Kicking Sam’s ass had me starving again. Dax immediately brought up some prisoners, preferring I kill those who’ve been convicted of heinous crimes over our trained and loyal soldiers.

After my meal, the doctor still hadn’t come, and I was famished for something else.

Having the same idea, Dax crashes his lips against my own, blood smearing across his chin at the taste of spiced leather mixing with metallic. Tongues swirl passionately, his hunger feeding on the blood and passion coursing between us. I’m emboldened by my vampire nature, runs wild, clawing at the shirt covering his chest. I’m desperate for his naked form pressed against my skin, for the passion only he stirs in me. My lips part, offering myself to Dax, my leg hiking around his own as my hand moves down between the waistband of his pants.

Dax restrains himself, pulling himself from me, and I hiss at the empty space between his half-naked body and my pulsating form.

Surprised that the noise came from me, my eyebrows raise in question at the sound. Then I remember I’m a hybrid now.

“I don’t want to wait either, but the pack doctor needs to clear you. I want to mark you, but I can’t risk losing you again.” He breathes against my neck.

Damn him. I want him now .

“Knock, knock.” The pack doctor, Dr. Fawley, enters the room.

Despite being half-vampire, apparently, I still have vitals to check. Which was perplexing to me.

After listening to my chest, Dr. Fawley loops her stethoscope back around her neck.

“Everything seems normal. I’d like to just check one more thing. Can you shift for me, please?”

I nod.

Dax and Dr. Fawley step back, giving me room.

I call on her, but nothing happens. I try again.

“Could you try calling on your wolf, please?”

My brows scrunch together. “I’m trying, but I don’t feel her.”

Panic ensues.

“Your body just went through a significant change. It’s understandable you might need some time.”

Dax struts toward me. “Or the right motivation.” He lifts his brows, branding that salacious smirk. He wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me into his broad chest, dipping his head. He plants a kiss on my lips. His other hand cupping the back of my head.

The kiss is long and deep. His desire surpassing my need for oxygen evident when he breaks the kiss, and I’m disappointed my lungs are able to resume expansion. His lips move to my neck, his whisper tickling my throat. “It’s been a long time, darling. Let me see her.”

Uncurling his arm, Dax backs away from me. As he does, my body gravitates toward him like a magnetic attraction. I have to catch myself before I fall forward. I’m fanning myself as my cheeks become hot.

Composing myself, I try again to call on my wolf. I focus, trying to find the tie to my inner animal, but there’s nothing to grab onto. Like reaching into an empty bag of chips, I come up empty and disappointed.

“Hmm . . .”

“What?” Dax snaps.

I place my hand on his shoulder, attempting to calm him.

Dr. Fawley tucks her hair behind her ear repeatedly as she bares her neck to him in submission, avoiding eye contact.

“It’s okay. Go ahead. You can tell us.”

At my reassurance that Dax won’t kill her, Dr. Fawley speaks.

“Your wolf died, Alaina.”

We knew this already, so why was she so nervous?

“Right, and now I’m a hybrid.”

“Not exactly.”

Dax and I look at each other, both equally confused.

“I don’t understand. Her eyes still glow like her wolf’s did. More, actually.”

Dax brings up a good point.

“Yes. Her human eyes are blue, and with her vampire no longer dormant, red has been added to her eye color, increasing the vibrancy of her shifter’s eyes... But wolves’ eyes are gold. That’s why yours are now maroon, Dax.”

“But I still have my wolf,” Dax debunks.

“That’s true.” Dr. Fawley shifts to me. “When you attempt to shift, who do you feel coming forward? Your vampire or wolf?”

“Vampire. I don’t feel my wolf.”

The poisonous words taste bitter on my tongue.

Turning to Dax, “Does your wolf feel hers, Your Majesty?”

“Yes.”

“Then, it’s possible your wolf’s soul is with the Moon Goddess, leaving your body behind.”

“Explain.”

The tone of his command comes out more clipped than before, doing his best to keep his irritation at bay.

“Certainly, Your Majesty.” Dr. Fawley clears her throat, shifting in her stance.

The smell of the sweat creeping from her hairline is evident.

“Your Majesty, the king, is able to recognize Your Majesty’s wolf, the soon-to-be queen, but she, herself, does not recognize a wolf within her. It’s possible what you’re recognizing is simply the vessel of which was once occupied by her wolf’s soul.”

Dr. Fawley’s words weigh heavily on me.

If she’s right, my wolf is no longer with us and my body now serves as a grave.

“This doesn’t make sense. How would I become a hybrid and not her?”

“When you died.” Dr. Fawley gestures toward Dax. “One-half of the bond still remained alive and well. But when you died”—she points to me— “it completely severed your bond.”

I look up toward the ceiling, fighting back tears. This is all too much. Not only may my wolf be dead, but so has our bond. My wolf was already a major part of my identity. Our bond is quickly becoming just as familiar. So much so, in fact, I don’t feel its absence.

“If our bond is broken, how come I still feel the way I do toward him?”

Dr. Fawley smiles sympathetically. “You two are the first of your species. There’s a lot we don’t know.”

“Great.” Dax scoffs at her unhelpfulness, shaking his head.

“What we do know is, with or without a bond, you’ve clearly come to love each other.”

I grab Dax’s hand. He places his over mine, covering me with his warmth.

“Love doesn’t die with death. And new bonds can always be created.”