Chapter Seven
Sherese
“I can leave.” My voice sounds loud in the quiet, but I don’t shrink back.
“And go where?”
It’s the first time Hunter has spoken during this meeting. I don’t get a chance to answer. “You’re not leaving,” Bryce says. “But you need to tell us every time they contact you and what they’re saying and planning. I get that you’re my mate’s friend, but I have a pack to protect.”
I nod, shocked they’re not telling me to get out. “Are you sure?” I can’t help but ask.
“Yes, he’s sure,” Ava says with that attitude that is all Ava.
“We all are.” The look she levels at everyone at the table backs up her words.
I appreciate her friendship more than anything.
I haven’t had a friend in...a really long time.
I knew the second Ava came into my life that she was going to upend it.
I tried to ignore her, but it was impossible.
We were stuck in the same awful place together, living in the same house. ..it was bound to happen.
“All right. Thank you, Sherese. You’re free to go,” Bryce says.
I slide my chair back. “Thank you.”
He watches me carefully, and I wonder what’s up with the alpha. He's more uptight than he usually is. I glance at Ava, wondering if something happened. I remember Rizo’s words, and a terrible thought hits me. Oh no.
“On second thought,” Bryce says. “Sherese, why don’t you stay. Everybody else, that’s all I’ve got for tonight. Let’s meet tomorrow morning, first thing.”
Leo packs up his laptop, and Cody stands next to him. Ryan doesn’t bother moving, and I figure he’s staying for whatever comes next. Leo and Cody leave, but Alicia stays at the table. “Did you need something, Alicia?” Bryce asks.
“Just wondering why the vampire gets to stay, and the rest of us, actual pack members, are excused.”
“Because that’s what your alpha said,” Ava tells her.
Alicia looks at Bryce, but he just waits patiently for her, obviously siding with his mate. “She has no right to be here, especially not for these meetings,” she continues.
“She has every right,” Ava snaps. “She risked everything to get me out of there, let alone the baby. And if that weren’t enough, she didn’t ask for this. Did you miss the part where she said the vampires took her and turned her?”
“No, I didn’t miss that part, Ava,” Alicia says, leaning forward with her hands on the table. “I heard and can see exactly what she is, a threat to everyone in this pack.”
“And I’m telling you she’s not,” Ava retorted.
I turn to Alicia. “It’s your turn.”
“Nobody asked you, Vamp,” Alicia spits out. I smirk at her, knowing we’re getting to her. She gives me a look of disgust before turning back to Ava. “Too bad you’re mated to the alpha.”
“Alicia,” Bryce says in a warning voice at the same time, Ava says, “Why?”
“Because we can’t settle this the way other pack members would.”
“And how’s that?” Ava asks.
“In the ring.”
“You sure about that?” Ava asks.
I can feel the alpha’s power rising. “I can,” I say, looking Alicia in the eye.
“You can what, Vamp?”
I don’t look away from her. “I can meet you in the ring.”
Alicia smirks, and it makes my blood boil. “You know how to fight more than just grabbing someone and draining them?”
“I only drain the people I don’t like,” I say in my most relaxed voice. I’ve never drained a person in my life. I’ve never even drunk blood from anything that wasn’t a plastic bag, but she doesn’t need to know that.
Alicia smiles and leans forward. “Bring it, Vamp.”
“When and where?”
“Tomorrow night in the ring outside.” She stands and shoves her chair in and grins widely at me. “It’s going to be so fun. Such a good bonding moment.” She flits out the door, closing it behind her.
“I don’t like her,” Ava says once the door is closed. “Why is she on your team again?”
“She wasn’t always this difficult to work with,” Bryce says with a pinched expression.
Ava raises an eyebrow at him. “And we need a female for certain missions when we’re finding people.
She works well with the team, or at least she did.
” She turns on me next. “And why did you volunteer to fight her? First of all, I totally could have. I’ve trained.
” But even as she says the words, her face shows exactly how she feels about that.
“Don’t worry about it.” I face Bryce. “What did you need me for?”
He gives me a thoughtful look and shakes his head. “Nothing that can’t wait.”
I slide my chair back and stand to my feet. “It will be fine.” She looks up at me with concern all over her face. I don’t give her a chance to worry. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I walk towards the door, not surprised to see Hunter standing near the door.
I've known he was there the entire time. He doesn’t say a word as I pass him and walk out into the hallway.
He doesn’t say a word as we head to the car, and I don’t either.
My mind is clipping along at a fast pace, thinking through everything from the meeting.
“Do you know how to fight?” Hunter breaks the silence.
“Yes.”
“You trained?”
I stare out the window. “The vampires made sure I could protect myself.”
Neither of us say anything after that. When we get back to his place, I head inside, lost in thought. I don’t make it far before a hand snags my elbow. The shock of the touch makes me yank my arm away. Hunter drops his arm and nods his head towards the door to the basement. “What?” I ask, confused.
“Let’s go.”
“Go where?”
He levels a dark eye at me. “You agreed to take on a fight with Alicia, who happens to be a pretty good fighter.”
“You worried about me, Wolf?”
“Not particularly. I just don’t want to face Ava after Alicia destroys you.”
I roll my eyes. “She’s not going to destroy me.”
“We’ll see.”
He opens the door and motions for me to go ahead of him.
I head downstairs. It’s funny, but for as long as I’ve been here, I haven’t been in Hunter’s basement.
When we get to the bottom, I realize why.
It's set up with all the workout equipment. I knew he worked out down here because he disappears down here every morning. I’ve just never bothered to check it out.
Hunter moves a few machines out of the way, creating an open area.
“Ready?” Knowing I’m not going to be able to get out of this until I can prove to the enforcer that I do indeed know how to fight, I slip off my boots. He frowns. “What are you doing?”
“They’re too heavy.” I decide to just get this over and done with.
I don’t bother waiting. I just attack. It’s been a while since I've sparred, but muscle memory comes back. I start a brutal series of attacks against Hunter. I almost land the first one out of sheer surprise, but he recovers quickly. He's a strong fighter, obviously. He’s not the pack’s enforcer without good reason.
He’s fast, much faster than I anticipated, but that doesn’t bother me.
I’ve trained with vampires, and they’re incredibly fast. At first, he holds back; I can feel it.
But when he sees I can keep up, he starts putting in a little effort.
Before long, we’re both sweating. I’m winded, but in no way, shape, or form am I out of energy.
That’s at least one plus for being a vampire.
After a while, he steps back. “You done?” I ask.
He walks over to a shelf against the wall, grabs two water bottles, and throws one at me. He pauses with his bottle halfway up to his mouth. “Do you not drink water anymore?”
I stare at the bottle. “Yes. Not often, but I can.” I continue to stare at the bottle, though. It’s so simple—somebody is throwing me a water bottle. And yet, it’s the first time in all these years.
“You good?”
Hunter’s voice breaks the weird moment I’m experiencing. “Yeah. Thanks.”
I don’t drink a lot of it, just a few sips. “So, how will I fare?”
“You’ll be fine against Alicia.” I nod, unsurprised. “Unless she shifts,” he adds.
I nod again. “I figured.”
“What are you going to do if she shifts?”
I shrug. “I’ll fight a wolf.”
“Have you ever fought a wolf?”
I don’t meet his gaze for this one. “Yes.” I don’t like thinking about that.
But the vampires made sure I knew how to be an asset for them in every way.
I can feel Hunter’s dark gaze on me, and for some reason, I tell him.
“They would make me fight against the rogue wolves they’d bring in.
” He doesn’t have to say anything for me to feel his reaction.
I can feel that darkness he seems to give off grow thicker.
“Let’s just say I know how to stay alive and keep my head firmly attached to my body. ”
I meet his gaze then. “That’s how you kill vampires, right? You rip their heads from their bodies.” To his credit, he doesn’t look away.
“Most of the time, yes.”
I’m suddenly tired of being down here. “I’m heading to bed.”
I’m all the way across the room when he speaks in a low voice. “Is there anything that will trigger you tomorrow?”
I stop and turn around. “Trigger?”
He nods, his dark eyes fastened on mine. “Make you lose control?”
It takes me an extra second. “You mean lose control and try to drain her?” He nods.
My answer is swift. “No. There is nothing in the world that could make me do that.” Then, for some reason, I’ll blame it on being tired, I continue.
“I’ve never fed from someone before. I’ve only ever drunk blood bags.
” I don’t know why I felt that I needed to share that little tidbit, but I did.
And I can’t find it in myself to regret it.