Chapter 57

Hunter

"Where is Aria? Where have you taken her? You fucking bastard!"

"Ugh! Why are you shouting," He groaned, "What is wrong with you and your mate, huh? You both keep shouting like mad dogs."

"Shut up, motherfucker. What do you think of yourself? Trust me, the moment I see you, I am going to kill you." I growled.

"Sorry my friend, I can't trust you on that." His vicious laughter sounded through the phone, "There are two reasons, first there are close to zero chances that you'll reach your mate, second within only fifteen minutes the rouges who are all around your pack are going finalize the attack and before you holler up with your overconfidence, let me tell you they are not at all the ordinary rouges you have ever come across. They are filled with hunger and vengeance, and the blood and flesh of your and Deadcrest packs' members are going to quench their thirst."

I became hyperaware of the entire situation.

The dismay for the pack's safety stirred awake within me along with the concern for my mate. I did not fear those bunch of cravens who Knight had set up to attack us, but I did not want any innocent to die because of them; I did not want them to lose their lives in the hands of these worthless pieces of shit.

Fifteen minutes....I only had fifteen minutes in my hand...

"Cat caught your tongue, Alpha?" Knight's voice broke the chain of my thoughts, "You all are trapped in a fishbowl, buddy. There's no escape."

"You think you can scare me?" I chuckled, "Send those rouges, in fact, send thousands of them and take it as my promise Knight, none of those bloody animals are going to return to you. I will tear down every one of them into so many pieces that you can't even imagine. Each one of these soldiers you have gathered is going to die, in my hands."

"Don't worry, there are already more than a thousand in number but..." He paused for a second, the sudden change in his tone gave away what had gone in his mind very well, "If you are going to stay there and save your pack members, then whose going to save poor Aria?"

My heart stopped for a brief moment.

The mention of Aria instantly hit my weak points. Knight exactly knew what he was doing, he knew that my only weakness was Aria.

"Okay, let's not waste more time here and get it straight," He began to speak once again, "Basically you have two options over here, either you find your mate's location to save her from me or you can stay there, in your pack and save your people. It's all up to you."

"Don't even dare to touch my mate, you piece of shit! Don't even think of hurting her!"

"You don't understand it, Hunter. I don't need to think anything, I can do whatever the hell I want with your mate and the sexy body of hers," He spat, "First, I'll use her body for my pleasure and then I'll drain every last drop of blood out of it; Finish her life with a snap of my fingers and you won't be able to do anything at all."

"I'll kill you, Bastard. Don't you dare to touch her!"  My rage was out of control. I was dying from inside to get my mate out of that monster's captive, the worrisome thoughts were at the peak and somehow all of them only made everything ten times worse.

I felt like destroying everything and at the same time, it seemed as though it was me who was getting destroyed.

"I bet you wish you could," He laughed, "But Alas! You can't. Anyways, I am leaving the decision up to you, save your pack or your mate, either way, you have to see death anyways. Tick Tock, tick tock! The time's running....Oh, your fifteen minutes are up!"

My eyes shot to look at the clock finding there were still a couple of minutes left.

"Don't worry, Hunter," Knight's laughter buzzed inside of my ears, triggering each of my nerves, "I am going to play fair this time and give you one last chance. Last thirty minutes."

He paused for a moment before he spoke, "You are getting an exact half hour, and within this period you can either try to reach your mate or strengthen the security for your pack to increase the chances of everyone's survival...well, except for your mate. Good luck, Alpha." And he hung up.

Panic consumed me like a frantic wave of the endless sea and my feet moved before I could. I strode out of the room to reach dad and others; And soon as I reached downstairs it was the sight of my beta that came into my sight first.

"Simon, go and alert the guards right now. Rouges are going to attack our pack in thirty minutes."

Multiple gasps were heard throughout the hall from the pack members along with the refugees.

Simon's stare moved to look at the blood covering my white shirt, "What? What are you saying?" He looked shocked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am okay, Simon. We don't have time to waste, just do what I say," I said, "The rouges are about to attack us."

Simon did not wait for another second and he rushed outside of the packhouse to head to the borders.

"Hunter, what happened? How did you know that the rouges are about to attack us?" Daniel walked towards me, concern and dismay both remaining visible in his eyes.

"The refugees of Losbotion Pack were not refugees, Daniel. It was Knight and his companions, and Knight has taken my mate with him," A sigh automatically left my mouth, "The rouges are everywhere around the pack, and they thousands in number."

"Mom...that bad man has taken Luna with him?" I heard Violet's question to her mother who instantly pulled her in her arms, "He's going to hurt her?" She began tearing up.

"Don't worry, sweetie. Luna's going to be completely fine." Shirley took her away from the scene upon Daniel's gesture.

"And Aria? what about her? Do you know where he has taken her?" Daniel asked.

"No, I don't," It was even hurtful to say it regardless that it was the truth, "I have no idea where she is, what her condition is."

Then I saw Jonathan and Danica walk towards me, followed by my parents.

"What did that bastard say? Tell us." Jonathan seemed on the verge of losing his calm.

"He has only left me with options, Jonathan. I can only save my pack or my mate," God I did not want to fall weak but the thought of losing Aria was killing me from the inside, "He has taken her with him."

"We are here for the pack, Hunter!" He spoke, "Right now your main duty is to save your mate, so just go and fucking do it!" Jonathan's anger was not directed at me nor it was only anger, the tension in his voice and shaky movements of his hands told it without having to say it aloud that the worry for the life of his daughter was eating him up.

"It wouldn't have wasted a second if I knew her location, Jonathan. I don't have any idea where that bloody animal has taken her! How am I going to reach her like this?" I nearly shouted, the frustration had gotten the best of me.

"Hunter, you are supposed to be able to track her down," Tears were brimming in Danica's eyes, "If you have marked her, you can reach her using the bond. Try tracking her, please."

"I am even unable to track her, she'd shut it down after last night's incident. I can't do it unless she tries to send me signals through the bond but I don't know if it's going to be possible for her right now, the mark's still new and progressing. It's...." A sudden whiff of scent hitting my nose caused me to stop.

Sparks shoot through my body, and a howl came ringing inside of my head. It was not Sebastian's howl...

The wind, the howl, and the very familiar heavenly scent it all directed to the north, and it could be only one person.

Aria.

This was her.

"I think I got the signal..."