Page 29 of Hunt Me

“It appears I was wrong, King Alesi. My pillows are rightfully more comfortable than yours. I will be taking my leave now. I have to be fitted for my gown for tonight’s banquet. Hopefully, you’ll have the strength to drag yourself from your chambers to join us all for a night of festivities,” she wished before leaving.

“Shit,” Luka whispered, observing the state of his room. The wind and the scratching branches against the window caught his attention. He was before it, once again, but it wasn’t the frozen treetops that enraptured him or the mountain range in the distance. No, it was the bloody spider web that dried with each passing second. His common sense and logical thinking had escaped the room with Matilda. It had to. It was the only way to explain why his tongue connected to the frosted glass. Sluggishly, he licked the blood trails, moaning as he went. He closed his eyes and cherished his new drug and addiction.

Luka’s eyes snapped open when a rock hit the window. The curly-headed huntress waved at him from below with a smile that spanned her entire face.

“She makes me weak, and for that, she cannot live.”

11

The Banquet

“That man can be a brute,” Matilda muttered as she poorly attempted to hide her head wound with a curly bang. She groaned, “Tilda, what have you gotten yourself into?”

Matilda had maintained her composure since her arrival in Moonshire, but she was fucked. She had no sinister well-laid plans of becoming werewolf royalty and reclaiming Night Falls. She wasn’t naïve enough to believe she could be mated to a werewolf and have a say in anything—especially any topic regarding politics and diplomacy. While werewolf men were handsome and strong beyond reason, they were also deeply misogynistic and preferred their women barefoot and pregnant. That life was not meant for her. Her unyielding pride made her accept David’s challenge—a challenge she had little to no chance of winning. It was by sheer dumb luck that idiot vampire king interceded, and for that, she was eternally grateful. She’d slip away and leave the two man-children to their pissing contest.

A series of aggressive knocks at her chamber door interrupted Matilda’s plans for escape. “Yes?” she called.

“Woman, I am here to escort you to the banquet.”

Matilda rolled her eyes at the barbaric introduction.

“I do apologize, Beta David, but I believe you are lost. There isn’t anyone by the name of Woman here. If you’re seeking a bitch, there’s one next door.”

“I do not believe King Alesi would find your mocking entertaining.”

“I care not. What will he do? Bite me? I doubt it. Not with you around.”

Matilda smirked, knowing her vote of confidence in him had David puffing up his expansive chest with pride. She took one final lingering gaze at herself in the mirror. It had been ages since she wore a dress, let alone a dress spun from the finest fabrics and threads. Her fingers grazed the gold necklace that lay heavy against her lifted bosom, courtesy of the torturous corset. She fingered the gold-and-ruby pendant and pouted. Unfortunately, it would have to be returned to its rightful owner.

“Matilda, we cannot keep Prince Lykaon waiting.”

“I’m coming,” she sang, climbing to her feet, leaving the opulent vanity behind. She unlocked the heavy door and faced her desperate wolf suitor. She refrained from rolling her eyes when pink dusted his cheeks. She never thought she’d live to see the day. She could now add making a werewolf blush to her list of accomplishments. “Beta David, your hurried tone led me to believe we needed to make haste to the banquet hall. We can’t keep Prince Lykaon waiting.”

“He can wait while I appreciate such a stunning beauty.”

Matilda was simultaneously impressed and saddened by his statement. On the one hand, he was willing to inconvenience his prince to bask in her beauty, but on the other hand, he was solely driven by lust and lust alone. She hadn’t given much thought to finding a mate, partner, husband—whatever you wanted to call it. Sure, she had offers, but certainly she could do better than a competing hunter, an orc who drank for a living, and a beta werewolf with a breeding kink.

“Unfortunately, Beta David, my stomach cannot wait.”

“Well, let’s not keep the lady waiting,” he said, placing her hand on his forearm. Again, she was impressed.

“I had no idea there was a gentleman buried beneath all that muscle,” Matilda teased as he led her to the dining hall.

“I had no idea there was a breathtakingly beautiful woman under all that leather. You were flailing around like a feral animal when they dragged you from the carriage.”

She laughed in earnest and patted his shoulder.

“I was raised as a fighter. I know nothing else.”

“With me, you wouldn’t have to fight any longer because I’d protect you and fight your battles.”

Matilda remained silent as they continued their venture for good food, savory wines and ales, and entertainment.

Protection.

Growing up, she had no one to protect her. She was raised to defend herself, and she failed herself that day when she entered the woods as a young woman hunting her first vampire and returned a version of herself she couldn’t recognize.

“Are you all right?”