HUNTED

After eating their breakfast, the Alpha and Luna merged from the mansion and began making their way to the houses owned by the parents of the missing children. On their walk, they were stopped many times by the pack members congratulating them on marking each other. Aila noticed Damon walking proudly by her side as his hand either hooked her by the waist, over her shoulders or reaching out and interlacing their fingers whenever another male approached them.

But each time they were respectful, if not a little in awe with her, their puppy dog eyes would then trail down to her mark, and they'd bare their necks before leaving.

"I didn't think we would get congratulated for banging," Aila mind-linked Damon. He chuckled and kissed her head.

"It's like consummating on a wedding night. The marks are our rings and the mating.. well, you get it," Damon replied as his eyes flickered around their surroundings; even now, safely on their estate surrounded by their pack, her mate was still on guard. But then, Chiara taught her this also, so she reminded herself to be wary at all times. 

As Aila glanced around, Damon's words suddenly hit her with new meaning, and she looked at him aghast.  She knew what the mark and mating meant; it was a huge deal, but now her dreams of a normal wedding day vanished before her eyes. The one she and Hollie planned from the age of ten, she sighed and looked down.

Damon wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brought her in towards him. Hence, they faced each other, immediately stopping the approaching pack members from greeting them and going about their business. Damon stared at her with such intensity that she couldn't help but see or hear nothing than him and his captivating silver eyes. He pulled a strand of her hair away from her face, placing it behind her ear before resting his hand on her cheek.

"Did you want to get married the human way?" Damon's question made her heart race, and her eyes widen. She was not ready for that! Her mind was split into two, one side her still quite apparent human side wanted to say yes, but the wolf within her was satisfied; would it really make a difference? She already felt like his wife. Damon smiled at her, and she could feel the love and warmth through the bond belonging to his own thoughts on the matter.

He also considered her his wife because she was in the werewolf world, but she sensed that he didn't mind getting married as well. Actually, his thoughts spiralled and became extremely strong on the matter, coming from a small possessive part of him.

"We're getting married. I want the world to see you as my wife. No man, werewolf, vampire or human will touch you!" Damon growled, making Aila chuckle and shake her head. She didn't think that far ahead; marriage just seemed the natural thing to do. It was ingrained in her from such a young age. Get a career, get a place and get married. Those were her ordinary and mundane plans, plans that were so simple it was beautiful. But marriage after six weeks with someone?!

Before she could reply, he sealed the deal with a kiss that deepened as he crushed her against his body, surging her own lust to the surface, shooting desire to her core and making her flush. But with a growl, Damon pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers as they caught their breath; his eyes were shining brilliantly, and she watched them in a daze.

"Maybe we hold off on marriage for a while," Aila whispered as she stared intently at him. He narrowed his eyes, his temper burning inside of him, but he relaxed after searching her eyes and possibly her mind and nodded. 

"You are right. We have shit to sort out, hunters to kill.. then we will get married."

Aila chuckled and pulled away as their fingers interlaced, and they continued to walk towards the houses. If someone spoke so casually about killing another person to her two months ago, she would have bolted and freaked out, but this was her life now. The hunters were a problem, one that was killing off not just the creatures but innocent bystanders, like her dear friend, Hollie. She frowned and blinked away the tears that surfaced in her eyes. Instead, she shook it off with a joke. "You need to propose properly first."

Damon, sensing the rising darkness within her, squeezed her fingers gently, "Deal."

The pair spent the remainder of the morning talking to the parents, hearing their cries and anger at the loss of their babies and nodding their heads bleakly when Damon told them he had half the pack searching for them and other packs too were aware of their situation. Aila sat in each of their homes and felt everything they were feeling, adding on top of her own guilt. She felt like she was drowning in a whirlwind of emotion. This was a new experience for her, but she knew it was another power of becoming the Alpha's mate. 

You can feel when your pack members are angry and upset, along with feeling the emptiness of losing a pack member. Aila gulped and glanced at Damon briefly, he had so much on his shoulders, and he wore it so well. 

Over the course of their conversations, Aila felt Damon's hand rest on the small of her back, something so simple, but it showed his support for her overwhelming emotions and dealing with this new power. She could also feel Damon's guilt and frustration brewing inside of him, but his face stayed composed with hardened eyes as he listened to the parents.

They left the last home, both feeling emotionally drained, but they had other pack matters to deal with; this was only one thing that was ticked off their endless list of things to do as pack leaders. Yet, after spending time with the parents of the missing children that were possibly dead, Aila began to think about Hollie again.

"I need to speak with Hollie's parents," Aila said quietly, breaking the comfortable silence between them as they strolled towards the packhouse. Aila quietly reflected on the events involving her friend's death, and she wondered what they were going to do. "What's happened in that regard?"

"The police of Silver Thorn are aware of the werewolves in the town, so they can cover up parts of the crime. She has been listed as a missing person," Damon replied gravely. 

Aila halted in her tracks and grabbed Damon by the bicep, "Missing!? She's not missing Damon. She's fricken dead."

"I know, but-"

"Her parents need to grieve. We can't give them any false hope that Hollie is alive," Aila's eyes began to glow with anger and sadness. She was letting her emotions consume her.

"Aila!" Damon barked, grabbing her by her shoulders. Her eyes snapped to his and her rising emotions simmered. Aila was too close to shifting and wanting to run for miles, but Damon pulled her back from the alluring darkness that awaited her fall. 

He sighed and loosened his grip on her shoulders, rubbing them with his thumbs instead, "I know. Everything has been sorted, it has been done so there will be no leads, and any evidence they have left or added is to prove to your parents that there is a 99% chance that she is dead, and there is no possibility of her returning."

Aila shuddered and let Damon pull her into his chest. "I just can't believe it, Damon. She's actually gone. Hollie is actually dead." Her whispered cry strengthened into anger once more, "Those bastards will pay. Mark my words." A growl escaped her lips, inciting a growl from Damon in agreement.

He rubbed her back in a gentle circle, soothing her until she felt better. After a few minutes, Aila wiped her tears from her eyes and composed herself again, pulling away from his chest. "I will go see Hollie's parents. I know there is still stuff to do here, but they're like my extended family.."

Damon kissed her lips softly and caressed her cheek, "I will be fine here. Go see them, just remember though that when you're back.." He sighed, "we need to see Darren."

Aila nodded her head in agreement before mind-linking Finn and Ajax. "I'm taking the guys with me, although I don't think I will need it.." She frowned at her own words. Were the hunters still lurking nearby? 

Damon's features darkened, and his eyes hardened. "Take Tommy and Zeke also. When Jake is better, you will have them as your protection," Damon replied; the tone in his voice warned her not to argue. She wanted to protest to so many guards, but after the events of nearly being taken by the hunters, she stayed quiet and nodded her head.

They parted ways, each to their own mission. Damon was left with the pack matters, such as arranging another burial while Aila was being driven to Oakton. She sat in the backseat in between Finn and Ajax while Tommy drove and Zeke sat in shotgun. The car remained quiet during the drive; even Finn and Ajax attempt to lighten the mood didn't work. They all sensed their Luna's mood and fell silent as she stayed lost in thought.

They parked up near the house. The guys dispersed and set up a perimeter, keeping guard but not being seen as Aila walked to the front door. She took a deep breath in to settle her nerves and emotions. She stared at the white door with a golden lion knocker that called to her to alert them of her arrival, but she shook her head.

This was a bad idea.

"Aila, you will feel better after seeing them," Malia's soft voice whispered across her mind. She could feel her wolf's emotions. Malia was determined to see Hollie's parents; even if it was going to be hard, it was only right that she saw them. Aila nodded her head and sighed.

"Okay," She whispered aloud and tapped the knocker. 

A glimpse of a flashback crossed her mind to the first time she called at Hollie's home. One Saturday morning, she stood in front of the door swinging her arms around as she waited for someone to answer. When it did finally open, she asked Hollie's parents if her friend could come out and play. They agreed as long as the girls stayed on the street, didn't venture too far, and Aila would stay for lunch.

Aila blinked back her tears, and the door opened.