HUNTED

"Looks like you left your trainers, Cinderella," Ajax winked and handed them to her. His smile faltered when he saw the look on her face. Aila slipped the trainers on all the while Ajax continued to stare at her. 

"Did you want to get out of here for a while?" He asked; Aila glanced up at him and shook her head. Words were lost on her while her mind was still reeling over what happened. 

Did Darren make it up? Or was it just him trying to weaken her? If so, it worked. One word about her parents and she tripped. If he made it up, Damon would not have attacked him so aggressively. Does Damon know something? Or did he lose his temper over someone saying such a wretched thing to his mate? 

There was also the blood.. So much.. blood. It was on her hands. 

The image was so vivid; it must have been real. 

She subconsciously lifted her hands and looked at them. They were clean, but there was blood on them..

"Hey."

Aila's eyes snapped up to a pair of emerald-green orbs before her. She was startled to see his hands were gently placed on her shoulders while he stared down at her in concern. 

"I think it will do you some good, sweet pea." Ajax squeezed her shoulders in reassurance.

"If you're thinking about bolting, I'm coming with!"

The pair turned to see Finn running towards them. Aila nodded her head and slipped away from Ajax's reach. They continued walking around the mansion in silence; Finn and Ajax looked at each other as they walked down the slope into the garage. Aila opened the door to the side of the garage and stopped, causing the guys to halt behind her. 

Her jumbled thoughts completely vanished as her eyes lit up immediately after seeing a café racer motorbike sitting in front of her. 

"Who owns a Wonda cb750 café racer motorbike!?" Aila screeched, approaching the shiny, jet-black bike; she wanted to stroke it but didn't want to leave fingerprints on such a polished bike. 

"A what?" Ajax asked; she turned around to see both guys staring at her in surprise, "How do you know what bike that is?" 

Aila sighed, "You're not the only one to have dated, you know. My ex used to do motorbikes up. So, you know, I took on a little bit of his knowledge. But this bad boy right here is a beaut!" Aila exclaimed, her whole demeanour changed into one of excitement. The guys smiled after seeing her solemn expression turn into one of a beaming child in a candy store.

"Wanna go for a ride on it?" Ajax wiggled his eyebrows. Finn sighed and hit Ajax hard in the chest, hard enough that he stuttered.

"Little… hard… Finn," Ajax voice came out raspy as he rubbed the area Finn hit.

"Not hard enough," Finn muttered.

"No. Now get in the SUV. I'll drive," Aila dismissed Ajax's idea as she grabbed some keys hung up on the side labelled with the license plate above it. She didn't know if Ajax was flirting or actually meant to take the bike out. But unlike the many black SUVs, vans and some snazzy sports cars, she knew a man's bike should never be stolen.

That was his pride and joy. It didn't leave the garage a lot from what she observed of the tires.

"I thought I'd drive, let you recover from whatever happened between you and Darren," Finn suggested, reaching for the keys in her hands. 

Aila clutched them harder and moved them out of reach, "Nah-ah. I am fine driving. Plus, I don't trust either of you to drive.." 

The two men looked at her blankly. 

"You haven't driven in how long? Do you even know how to drive?" She gave them a pointed look before opening the door and climbing behind the driver's seat.

"I have my license!" Ajax declared as he took the passenger seat while Finn climbed into the backseat and muttered, "I have done my lessons, I know how to drive."

"And pass your test?" Aila asked while holding back a giggle when she looked in the rear-view mirror at Finn's disgruntled expression.

She clicked the button on one of the keychains for the garage door to open and set the car in gear before driving out and down the long path that led to the gates. 

"Ah, we are rebels!" Ajax slapped his knee and smiled while he looked out the window at the approaching guards.

Aila looked at him and burst out laughing, already feeling better in the company of the pair and away from the stresses of pack matters. 

"Rebels escaping in an SUV going at 10 miles per hour?" Malia giggled.

"A stolen SUV..." Aila replied to her wolf.

"Whats Damon's is yours!" Malia couldn't stop laughing. 

Aila stopped the car in front of the gates, rolling her window down; she ordered the guards on patrol to open the gates. While they waited, Finn observed Aila's side profile. 

Aila was clueless to the fact that she was using her powers so naturally. Their men would never let the princess leave without the orders coming from Alpha Damon. She did not yet have the role completely to have authority and overrule Damon's orders. Although she had been working on this, Finn was worried about the consequences; the pair were mated, but already there were conflicting issues from only one pack meeting.

After ten minutes of driving, Aila parked the car outside a coffee shop and slouched in dismay when she saw the closed sign. 

Ajax smiled, "Baby girl, the Goddess is smiling down on us.. Look," He pointed down the road at a bar.

Aila shrugged; she didn't want to return just yet. Maybe a bar and a bit of normality will help clear her mind. Even as she thought that nothing could distract her from the pulling feeling in her stomach. The mate bond had been continuously tugging at her to return to the mansion and to Alpha Damon. Even with her cancelling out his mind-links, which came through a few times, she still had the urge to return to him and hide in his chest.

But this was for the best, for now. Malia was content even though she howled at the distance between her and Alpha Damon. Would it feel like this every time she was separated from him?

While Aila was lost in her thoughts again, she was on autopilot as they set off towards the bar. Their footsteps on the pavement floor echoed through the silent street. The evening was still young, yet the town looked like a ghost town; it made Aila quite wary, so she stayed extra vigilant of their surroundings. 

Plus, if anything were to happen, not only would Alpha Damon be incredibly pissed, but so would Chiara and the many hours spent teaching her to always be on her guard.