J2 Fic: The Hunter Chronicles: The Silver Glint of the Double Edge Swords
Title: The Hunter Chronicles: The Silver Glint of the Double Edge Swords
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 5,618
Warning/spoilers: werewolves, explicit violence, sexual situations
Disclaimers: I own nothing, this is pure fiction from my crazy mind when you don’t get enough sleep. Please don’t sue.
Summary: In a tragic twist of fate with the life of his brother-at-arms in his hands, Jensen Ackles must turn to his nemesis for help. For his greatest mortal enemy may become his most valuable ally. But what is the price the Alpha werewolf sovereign will demand from the hunter that has been stalking him for years. As hatred, anger, and grudging respect have intertwined the combatants in all their battles of wits, danger looms ahead for another hidden enemy waits in the shadows. Story has been beta’d by the phenomenal oldbatj.
Part 7
Walkerville, Montana, Second Full Moon
Karl Urban looked out of his motel window peering at the full moon in the pitch-black sky. The moonlight glistened on his scarred, bare chest as he continued to stare out into the night. His mind was full of thoughts of Jensen and Morgan, trying to solve the mystery of their disappearance. During the past two months, not one hint of their whereabouts had shown up on the radar. They hadn’t used any of their known aliases, credit cards or bank accounts. Nor had they attempted to make any contact with previous allies. They were simply gone.
Urban seethed with icy rage and frustration. Despite how aggressively he had investigated, he hadn’t found a single sign of the missing hunters. His body hummed with pent up violence just aching to be released. His fingers tightened angrily around the hilt of the blood-covered knife he held, as he continued to stare out of the window. He glanced upward at the full moon and a faint memory stirred within him. He smiled, his brown eyes darkening with malicious delight.
After removing the bullets from the bodies of the slain members of Jensen’s unit, the ammo type was matched to the rifle listed in Jensen’s file. Urban couldn’t understand why Jensen would murder his own men. But now, he finally believed he knew what had caused Jensen to snap. It had to be Morgan. He’d always known how close the friendship was between the hunters. Jensen was always willing to put himself in danger for his friend. The only possibility of why Morgan would be considered a threat to the unit would have been if he’d been bitten by a werewolf they’d been tracking. Urban knew that if given a choice between the unit and Morgan, Jensen would always choose his friend.
The tall, broad-shouldered hunter turned from the window and stalked toward the naked, shivering captive strapped to the motel bed.
His prey continued to cry, struggling uselessly to free his bound arms and legs. Big, fat tears rolled down his trembling face as he continued to whimper against the gag in his mouth. His body was littered with deep, bleeding cuts from Urban’s knife. The hunter gracefully slid his body over his prey, a wicked smile breaking across his handsome face as he caressed the blood-dripping knife against the man’s quivering throat.
“I will be coming for you, Pluto. I will find the pack that holds you and rip them apart. Then we will finally be together,” Urban muttered before shoving the sharp blade into the soft flesh of the exposed throat. He watched in satisfaction as the light in the man’s eyes was slowly extinguished.
“Soon,” he vowed.
+++++++
Padalecki Pack Lands, Second Full Moon
Morgan cried out in pain, hearing a similar yelp echoing among the omegas. He felt the burning sensation in his gut and instantly knew that Jensen was dying. The agonizing stabbing pain continued to spread throughout his body, causing him to drop to his knees.
Tears began trickling down his pale face as he crawled weakly toward the locked door. The alphas had sequestered all the omegas in their den, wanting to make sure that their pheromones would not drive all the unmated alphas and betas insane during the full moon.
“Let….me…out….!!” Morgan screamed, clawing at the wooden, unyielding door. Splinters pierced deeply into his fingers but he continued until the pain wracked his body so badly that he ended up collapsing to the floor. He laid there on the cold floorboards, crying, his heart breaking as he felt his best friend’s lifeforce slowly slipping away.
“Jensen….”
+++++++
In the clearing, mournful howls filled the chilly air. All the werewolves bowed their heads due to the pure force of the anguished wails except for one gray-furred female wolf. The Beta stood her ground and surveyed the pack, her amber eyes full of malicious victory.
When she was a young pup, a bitten human had begged to join her family’s pack. Strangely the human had never displayed any of the typical symptoms such as the fever or seizures which usually occurred during the first 48 hours after a human was bitten. Her pack had allowed the human boy to remain on their grounds despite not officially accepting him into the pack.
On the night of his first full moon, Sandy had watched the boy die horrifically as his body attempted to transform only to be torn apart from the inside, by his own twisting bone structure. She remembered her mother telling her that any human not displaying seizures after they were first bitten would not have the werewolf ability of rapid healing on their first full moon. Since most humans did not know that they could potentially die from a bite in this violent manner, it was kept hidden from them. They believed that if humans discovered the true horror of their body’s rejection of the bite, it would cause mass hysteria, which could only lead to deadly consequences for all werewolves.
Despite the threat Jensen had posed to both her position as Pack Beta and her relationship with Jared, Sandy had known that Jensen would die on his first full moon. She had gleefully waited for his painful death. This had lessened the blow as she helplessly watched her husband become closer to the human each day with hatred burning in her soul. Even though rage boiled angrily in her veins, she abstained from making further attempts on the hunter’s life. She realized that each attack made Jared even more protective of the human, and only succeeded in driving him directly into Jensen’s waiting arms.
She smiled, her heart singing with joy at the continued anguished howls of Alpha. She had always loved Jared. When she first met him, she had known that she would be willing to plot, lie, steal, and even kill in order to capture his attention. He was the elusive, powerful Alpha that many had desired. She never dared to hope that she’d someday become his mate. She’d been packless, had no standing, and therefore had no worth in becoming his Beta. However, through her close relationship with Jared’s mother, the Pack Beta, Sandy had begun to dream of the possibility of marriage to the young Alpha heir. She knew that he had fucked many betas but steadfastly refused to knot any of them. This had given her hope.
She had known her physical appearance was similar to Jared’s dead sister and she had used this to her advantage with all her interactions with Jared’s mother. She worked hard in cultivating her relationship with the Pack Beta, turning herself into an unofficial adoptive daughter. She knew that she needed the Beta’s approval for her quest in becoming Jared’s mate.
After several years of careful planning, Jared had finally begun seeing her as his potential Beta. When his mother asked him to take Sandy as his mate, she wept with joy. Finally after years of careful planning, fighting for her place in a pack that did not even acknowledge her existence, she had become one of the most powerful werewolves among them. But then… Jared’s wolf had rejected her. The feral beast refused to speak to her, often growling and snarling at her. Despite the feral wolf’s response, Jared still married her. She knew that many of the alphas in the pack believed that they did not have a true mating but she didn’t care. Things will change once she conceives and delivers the next Padelecki generation.
She looked up at the full moon and howled her triumph to her enemies in the pack, knowing they had plotted her demise and placed their support behind the dying human. In the end, Jensen would be gone and she would be the one standing by Jared’s side. His one and only Beta.
+++++++
Jared held the dying, unconscious hunter in his arms. Moonlight shone down upon his scarred, but beautiful, face and glinted off the newly-formed white fangs protruding from his slightly opened mouth. His chest was split wide open by his own ribs when he had shifted. His human ribs had been transformed into the massive ribcage of his inner werewolf. But his transformation had stopped once his heart was pierced by a newly transformed rib bone. Now blood steadily seeped out of his torn and broken body.
“Jensen!!” The Alpha howled in anguish, praying for the first time in his life to the Mother Luna to save his hunter.
Then… the fragile lover in his arms stopped breathing.
“JENSEN!!!”
+++++++
THEN
Blood, death, revenge. The driving need to hunt and kill burned through his veins as he stalked the land, looking for his prey. For the past two weeks, dead bodies of creatures and humans were left near the Padalecki borderlands. He didn’t know if it was a message meant for him. But it was a direct challenge to his authority and it will be met with death. He quietly growled, enraged at the reckless audacity of the unknown marauding, murderous creature. He continued to race through the forest, determined to find the creature that was foolish enough to incur his wrath. For the prey that he was hunting will die this night.
Then he heard the sound of blades slicing through the dead silent air. He moved forward, careful to keep his presence hidden in the shadows. He saw the metal glint of the two long, razor-sharp katanas whipping through the air. A human male dressed in black military armor was wielding the twin blades with skill and precision. He faced the looming massive two-headed, lizard-like monster without any fear or reservation, thrusting and slicing with the swords while dodging the nine-foot creature’s fangs and claws.
The beast suddenly launched forward in a surprise attack. But the handsome, scar-faced man shoved one of the swords directly through the creature’s jaw on the first head until it pierced through the brain. The monster roared in pain. But again, the man was ready. He lifted his remaining katana over his head and swung down hard, chopping off the monster’s second head. Black blood spurted out from the beast, spattering onto human before its lifeless body collapsed to the ground.
The man stood still, breathing heavily as he continued to warily inspect the dead monster. He moved forward, the sword gripped tightly in his hand. He kicked the beast, waiting to see if there were any signs of life. But the dead lizard-monster remained still.
“I’m pretty sure it’s dead, Jen,” a male voiced called out. Jared silently snarled, baring his fangs at the unknown man that had suddenly appeared and was striding toward the scarred man. If there were any signs that the stranger was a threat, Jared would immediately attack.
“What did I tell you, Morgan? Don’t call me, ‘Jen’. I know you’re getting older and your memory is not what it used to be.”
“What?! Who are you calling old?”
The scar-face man rolled his eyes and moved away from the dead monster. He began pouring a white substance over the body.
“I can’t believe the magically enhanced katana worked, Jensen! I thought for sure you were smoking crack when you told me the plan.”
“Based on my research, the only way to kill an Amphisbaenas was by decapitation done with twin silver blades blessed by a priest. The swords could only be wielded by a pure and righteous warrior.”
“I still don’t understand how it could still work. You said that the warrior has to be ‘pure’ which I’m assuming is a virgin. And I know you ain’t no virgin!”
“Pure can be pure of heart…”
“Bullshit.” Morgan deadpan.
Jensen sighed and grudging admitted, “Pure does mean virginal. But I was hoping that it was a loose term. Anyway… there are some things that I’ve never tried….”
“What do you mean?”
Jensen blushing beet red replied, “Forget about it.”
“Come on, dude. Share with the class. You know I’ll just keep whining all night until you tell me.”
“Shit….what are you…? Twelve years old?”
“Fuck you… I’m fourteen. Now spill!”
“Fine….I’ve never been with a guy.” Jensen mumbled, embarrassment evident in his voice.
“So let me get this straight. You based this whole mission, our lives on a belief that since you still have your ass cherry that it constitute you being a virgin therefore you can take down this huge-ass lizard monster by yourself with two dinky swords?!”
“Yup.”
“I’m going to freaking kill you!” Morgan shrieked. But Jensen chuckled and began pouring gasoline over the corpse.
“What was that white stuff you put on it?”
“Salt.”
“Why?”
“We salt and burn the remains until it become ash. It’s the only way to ensure that it stays dead.”
“Jesus Christ…. what type of weird shit did we get ourselves into?! I miss hunting werewolves. Why exactly did we get stuck with this case again?”
“Your mouth. You kept pissing off the higher-ups.” Jensen promptly replied before lighting a match and tossing it on the gasoline-soaked carcass. He grinned in satisfaction at the whoosh and blinding flare-up as the gas-soaked creature caught fire.
The humans stood by and watched as the corpse burned brightly in the pitch-dark night.
“Shit… that thing stinks!”
“Will you never stop complaining?”
“Only when I’m dead.” Morgan smirked.
Suddenly Jensen glanced over at the shadowed trees where Jared laid hidden. He narrowed his eyes and pulled out the Glock that was strapped to his right thigh.
“What the Hell?” Morgan hissed at his friend.
“There’s something there. I can feel it,” Jensen whispered, as he stepped away to move closer toward the trees.
“Your mind is playing tricks. We are thousands of miles away from civilization. There are no known packs around this area. The closest one is in Montana. And guess what…? We’re in Canada.”
Jensen stared at the trees one last time, searching the shadows for hidden threats before backing away and moving toward his friend. Jared continued to remain in his hidden spot. The human named Jensen fascinated him. He also realized that the humans were hunters. They most likely had come to this area because of all the humans the monster had been killing. Apparently the hunters still did not know the hidden location of his pack. If they did, he would have to immediately kill them.
“Management is going to want any remains left of the Amphisbaena. They’re going to be really pissed at us for burning that corpse.”
“They should only be pissed at me and not at you. I’m the one that decided to burn the damned thing.”
“Wrong again, Jensen. I’m the senior commander and if any shit goes down, it will be my responsibility.”
“You know I’m your senior commander right?” Jensen reminded his friend.
“That’s only because everyone is so scared of you that they promoted you so you wouldn’t kill them,” Morgan grumbled.
Jensen quietly chuckled at the annoyance in his friend’s voice. The two hunters continued to bicker and watch the corpse burning in the night, unaware of another deadly predator observing them the whole time.
The Feral Wolf within Jared was intrigued by the hunter. Jared was surprised at how protective the wolf was feeling toward the human. His wolf had stopped communicating with him once he’d known about Jared’s plans to marry Sandy. Sam, his inner wolf, hated Sandy and refused to accept her as his mate. As a result, both wolf and werewolf had been silently waging a battle of wills with each other for the past few months. This was the first time in a long time that Jared had heard Sam’s thoughts actively in his mind.
“I want to keep him,” Sam mindspoke to him.
“Really? I was thinking about ripping him into tiny little pieces.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Wouldn’t I? You know the law. Any human that steps onto our land must be killed immediately.”
“He is not on our territories.”
“He is close enough, Sam. And the fact that he is a hunter carries an immediate death sentence no matter where he stands.”
“You will not kill him!”
“You know I have little regard for humans. They are nothing but parasites that drain our resources. Best we eliminate their kind from the Earth than watch them continue to proliferate and destroy Mother Nature. I have already killed many. What makes him so different?”
The Feral Wolf remained silent. Although Jared was mildly impressed at the hunter’s skills and bravery, he would not show any hesitation in killing the human. The life of one puny human was meaningless against the importance of the safety of his pack.
“What do you want in return for his safety, brother?” Sam finally asked.
“Does he mean that much to you?” Jared responded.
But Sam refused to answer.
Jared growled in frustration and said, “I want you to accept Sandy as our mate.”
“I can NOT!”
“Then say farewell to the hunter.”
“You know I cannot accept Sandy as my mate. Her wolf does not call to me.”
“Bullshit!”
“Mating is a mystical bond. You do not understand because you have not met your mate yet. When you do, you will finally understand why you can not force a mating.”
“Listen to me, Sam. I will marry Sandy to ensure the strength of our pack. Our Beta, our mother, has died. We need another strong Beta to stabilize this pack. Or we will become vulnerable to our many enemies. I also need heirs. I do not have the time or inclination to search for my destined mate. You will accept Sandy or so help me, I will hunt down that human and tear his limbs from his body,” Jared threatened.
“Promise me your protection of the human, and I will swear that I will not stop your marriage to Sandy. She will not be my mate, but I will not refuse her as your wife. Your oath, brother.”
Jared smiled in cold satisfaction. He replied, “The human hunter named Jensen will have my protection until the day he dies. His protection will only be revoked if he brings undeserved harm to anyone in our pack.”
+++++++
NOW
Jared was unable to look away from his silent lover in his arms. He gently caressed the cold pale cheek, wishing for Jensen to awaken.
“Even if he wakes, he will never be whole. Never be the strong mate we yearn for. Do we still want him with his broken body?” Sam whispered in his mind.
Jared looked down at the still hunter. He continued to caress his dying lover tenderly. He said, “I will always want Jensen. He will never be broken or weak to me.”
“You finally understand, brother. What it feels like to have a mate.” Sam mindspoke to him.
“I never said he was my mate!” Jared snarled, feeling helpless and scared for the first time in his life. He clutched Jensen closer to his body, still unable to believe that the hunter was gone.
“Always so stubborn to the bitter end, little brother. I am not afraid to claim a human hunter as my mate. Perhaps it is better that he has passed for he will never be as strong as a natural-born werewolf.”
“Do not dare insult my Jensen!”
“Such possessive words and feelings, yet you claim he is not our mate. How can you save him if you do not acknowledge the bond you both share?”
“Stop with your riddles, wolf. Will you help me or not?”
“I cannot save a bitten human from death. I can only save my mate.”
“Then there’s no problem since you have already claimed Jensen as yours.”
“My mate must be the same wolf as your mate. I cannot save him until you have acknowledged and claimed him as your own.”
“You fucking bastard!” Jared snarled, angered at his wily wolf for tricking him into admitting a truth that he had been avoiding for years. He looked down at Jensen and gently touched the hunter’s face once more. His smiled, remembering his first conversation with the hunter. Even when Jensen was on his back weaponless against a powerful predator, he still had refused to back down or cower. That was the first time any human had ever earned Jared’s respect. He should have known then, that Jensen was going to be the exception to every rule he believed in.
“You were always in my blood since the first night I saw you dancing in the moonlight with the glint of the silver swords.” Jared quietly whispered to Jensen.
“Close your eyes, brother. Feel the bond that grows between you. Now claim your mate. Remember, he may never be as he was before.”
“Impossible. He is my Jensen. Mine. Forever.” Jared proclaimed.
+++++++
THEN
Jared growled in anger and frustration when he found the dead body of his prey. He had been hunting this feral alpha for the past two days. The alpha had lost his mate resulting in him becoming insane. First he had attacked several humans, blaming them for his mate’s death. He then had turned on his own pack, murdering several young pups. One of the escaped, injured betas and had run onto Padalecki land, seeking sanctuary. She had pleaded with Jared, begging him to stop the bloody rampage of the insane alpha.
It had taken Jared two days to finally reach their lands, intending to put down the unstable alpha. But he was too late. Someone else had killed the werewolf. As he stood there and sniffed at the dead body of the alpha, he smelled a familiar scent. He immediately tracked the smell, following the trail, which led him deeper into the woods.
He finally spotted a human male walking several yards ahead of him. The man was on his satellite phone speaking to someone.
“This is Pluto. Target has been located and disposed of. Over.”
“That was pretty quick, Pluto. Are you sure there weren’t any more friendlies around?”
“No. Target became insane and began killing his own kind. There were no survivors.”
“Jesus Christ. Would be interesting to know what drove him to kill his own pack. If we could only use that information and direct it toward all the fucking werewolves so that they can turn on each other, we will definitely win this war! Did you collect any Intel on the situation?”
“No. The only evidence left behind is half eaten bodies.”
“He fucking ate his own pack?”
“Yes.”
“They are friggin’ monsters. Get back to base as soon as you can, Pluto. They want you to debrief. I’ll make them aware of the current situation prior to your arrival. What is your ETA?”
“I should be back on base within four days.”
“See you then. Good job, Pluto.”
The man turned off the phone and slipped it back into his pocket. He continued walking with the moonlight shining down on his scarred face. Jared instantly recognized the handsome human hunter.
“Jensen,” he muttered before dashing forward and knocking the arrogant human on his back. His amber bright eyes stared down at his weakened prey. He was surprised at the angry expression on the human’s face. He was expecting to see fear and terror but instead he saw annoyance and wariness.
“This is an interesting way to say hello.” Jensen snarked.
“Do you think I won’t rip your head from your body?” Jared asked.
“I don’t think so. You would have done it already.”
Jared smiled. He leaned closer until his fangs were only inches from the hunter’s face. He replied, “Maybe I want to get you comfortable before I tear your throat out.”
“You don’t seem like the type that plays hard to get. I’m thinking you want something from me.”
“What could you possibly have that I want, Jensen?”
Jared smirked when he saw the shocked expression on the hunter’s face. Jensen quickly gave him a blank look but it was too late. The Alpha knew how much he had unnerved the human.
He gave another wicked smile. He found himself enjoying his encounter with the hunter. He queried, “Cat got your tongue now, little hunter?”
Vivid green eyes narrowed in irritation. Jensen snapped, “Seems that you know my name but I don’t know yours. Who are you?”
“You’re a hunter. Shouldn’t you already know?”
“What can I say…? I’m not very good at my job.” Jensen quipped before jerking his right hand upward, pressing a razor-sharp silver blade directly underneath Jared’s chin. Jared felt the cool metal against his neck.
The Alpha raised his right eyebrow, grudgingly fascinated at the quick maneuver. He said, “Impressive.”
“I’m glad I have your approval. Now I can sleep at night. What’s your name?”
“Your owner.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. The only person that owns me is myself. Tell me your name or I will cut a vocal cord in a few seconds.”
With lighting fast speed, Jared knocked the knife from the hunter’s hand, inadvertently causing the blade to slice a thin line across his neck. Blood spilled out of his wound, dripping onto the hunter’s pale scarred face.
“Son of a bitch!” Jensen cursed, twisting his face away to avoid the blood from trickling into his mouth and eyes.
“Scared that my blood would turn you into a werewolf? As if you could be that lucky...” Jared said. He began chuckling when he saw the hunter giving him a baleful glare. However the laughter quickly died on his lips when he felt the cool press of metal against his ribcage.
“Back off slowly from me, werewolf. Or else I pump a clip of silver bullets into you right now.” Jensen snarled menacingly. His eyes full of green fire as his hand reflexively tightened on the Glock’s handgrip.
“Interesting…” Jared replied.
“There will not be a second warning.”
“With bullet wounds, a lot of blood will be gushing out of my body and onto yours. You will become infected.”
“That’s why I always make sure that there’s one bullet left for me in the clip. It’s the one I will use to blow my brains out before I become anything less than human.” Cold determination sparked in the hunter’s eyes, his voice becoming gravely deep.
“I believe you,” Jared mused.
“You sound shocked.”
“Humans always lie.”
“I don’t.”
“I’m beginning to see that,” Jared replied as he slowly edged backwards, allowing the hunter to wiggle out from beneath him. He was stunned to find that he missed the warm firm body that had been pressed against him.
“Little hunters should not be out here by themselves.”
“What makes you think I’m alone? You could be surrounded by a group of snipers that are all aiming for your head.”
Jared gave a bark of laughter. He replied, “I can smell that you are alone. But you are not helpless. Or defenseless.”
“I never claimed that I was. Who are you?”
Jared stood up. Despite the fact that Jensen was only one hundred miles away from his pack land, and could potentially stumble upon his borders, he still didn’t want to kill him. Jensen was unlike any human he had ever met. He found himself becoming as intrigued as Sam had been all those years ago.
“I am your greatest foe, hunter. Let us see who shall win this battle between us.”
“Did anyone ever tell you what a strange individual you are? Seriously, you are weird.” Jensen groused still aiming his Glock at the Alpha’s position.
The werewolf grinned, thoroughly entertained. He finally said, “I am the Alpha of all North American packs. Any misdeeds that are committed within my territory, by either werewolves or humans, will be resolved by me.”
“Holy shit… you’re Jared Padalecki.”
“So you have heard of me?”
“Yeah… thought you would be taller.” Jensen replied, his eyes assessing the six feet, five inches towering frame of the werewolf.
Jared found himself glaring at the audacity of the man. But his lips began to curl upward at the innocent expression on the hunter’s face.
“I’m going to enjoy breaking you, Nemico.”
“I’ll like to see you try.” Jensen quickly retorted. Vivid green eyes locked onto amber ones for a battle of dominance had been declared between the two combatants. The moon continued to shine down on the newly declared enemies.
+++++++
NOW
Chad ran. Sweat matted his tan fur onto his back. His paws tore across the grassy ground as his heart thumped rapidly at the breakneck pace he was forcing his body to follow. He chased after the mournful howls of his Alpha, frightened of what he would find at the end of his journey.
The tan-furred wolf had followed Jared since he was a young pup. Even before Jared had established himself as the supreme Alpha of the pack, his strength and power were undeniable. Jared was born to rule over them. And the pack instinctively followed him. Jared was a vicious, blood-thirsty wolf, almost feral in his fights against other alphas for dominance. He never showed them mercy, making everyone fear him so much that as soon as he stepped onto the ceremonial grounds to fight, others had immediately withdrawn for fear of great bodily harm and dismemberment.
Chad remembered his conversation with Jared about making Sandy his mate.
“Not that I dare to question you, Alpha. But is she truly the one destined to be your mate?” The blonde had timidly asked, hoping that he did not anger his friend.
“She is adequate to sire my future pups, to continue the Padalecki line.”
“But will she be able to stand by your side? Is she strong enough to be your true Beta?”
Jared had coldly glared at him before replying, “Why would I need her by my side? She will be on her knees where the rest of you will be.”
Chad immediately bowed his head in submission and murmuring, “Yes, Alpha.”
Fear twisted in his belly as he continued to dash along the wooded path. The closer he came, the louder the grief-filled howls sounded. When Sandy was revealed to be the next Beta of the pack, there had been mixed reactions among the werewolves. Many of the betas had immediately accepted her as one of their own. There was always a small possibility that the Alpha Padaclecki would choose an omega as his mate. Better a beta than an omega that they had abused and tortured for their own entertainment.
But most of the alphas had recoiled at the news. They instinctively knew that Sandy was not truly the Alpha’s mate. She was too weak to stand by his side as a proper Beta. Fear for their Alpha’s sanity had driven Chad to seek out and help the human hunter that had stumbled into their lives. Chad didn’t know if Jensen was a worthy mate for his Alpha but he knew the hunter was better than Sandy. He had prayed that Jensen would be strong enough for their leader. But now it seemed that all his hopes and plans had failed, for Jensen had not survived his first full moon transformation.
He finally arrived in the clearing, charging into his greatest nightmare, Jared crouching over the body of his dead mate.
“Alpha?” Chad sputtered, fearful that the hunter’s death had already jump-started Jared’s spiral into madness. He had already sensed the bond between the couple, which frightened him. Jensen was not fully transformed. His body was still mostly human while his ribcage was ripped apart and gruesomely reshaped into a massive exoskeleton of a werewolf. A mating bond could only be established between two fully transformed werewolves. Despite this, Chad could sense a true bond between the intertwined couple sitting in the moonlight, which should have been impossible.
Jared glanced up at him and Chad froze. He saw pure unadulterated madness in his Alpha’s amber eyes. The tall crouching werewolf began snarling, fangs immediately elongated from his mouth as claws burst through his fingertips. Chad knew instantly, that his friend was gone. And he would be the first to die at the hands of the madly crazed werewolf that their Alpha had become.
The devoted, tan wolf bowed his head, readying himself to submit to his death. His Alpha had now shifted into his massive wolf shape. He watched the saliva dripping down the snarling, snapping canines of the black furred Alpha wolf.
“It will be alright, little one. I am here. You will not be alone in our death.” His own wolf, Tristan, mindspoke to him.
Suddenly Chad found himself being slammed onto his back, with an enormous black werewolf growling in his face. His heart raced furiously in his chest in absolute terror as his Alpha’s razor-sharp teeth clamped down on his throat, piercing his jugular. He knew that within moments the insane werewolf would rip his throat out.
“Ja…red?”
The Alpha immediately released Chad and dashed away toward the weak-sounding voice that had called out to him. The tan werewolf slumped to the ground, blood gushing from his puncture wounds. He lay dazed and dizzy on the grassy soil, trying to focus and locate the dangerous predator.
“Jar…ed…”
Chad forced himself rise, causing more blood to spurt from his jagged lacerations, soaking his tan-colored fur on his chest. He blinked and stiffened at the sight that greeted his shocked amber eyes.
The black alpha werewolf crouched protectively over his mate, snarling menacingly at him. But it was his mate that caused Chad’s breath to catch in his throat. Supernaturally bright, glowing, emerald eyes stared at Chad unblinkingly.
“Jensen….”
+++++++
Author’s Note 1: Huge thanks to my good friend and partner in crime, oldbatj! Love you to bites and you are simply amazing! Thank you so much for always supporting me and giving me great advice. You always brighten my dreary days. ~~Hugs~~
Author’s Note 2: Chad’s wolf “Tristen” is a call back from the character he played in Gilmore Girls.
Author’s Note 3: If you want to know what happens next, please comment. If not, thanks for reading!!!
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 5,618
Warning/spoilers: werewolves, explicit violence, sexual situations
Disclaimers: I own nothing, this is pure fiction from my crazy mind when you don’t get enough sleep. Please don’t sue.
Summary: In a tragic twist of fate with the life of his brother-at-arms in his hands, Jensen Ackles must turn to his nemesis for help. For his greatest mortal enemy may become his most valuable ally. But what is the price the Alpha werewolf sovereign will demand from the hunter that has been stalking him for years. As hatred, anger, and grudging respect have intertwined the combatants in all their battles of wits, danger looms ahead for another hidden enemy waits in the shadows. Story has been beta’d by the phenomenal oldbatj.
Part 7
Walkerville, Montana, Second Full Moon
Karl Urban looked out of his motel window peering at the full moon in the pitch-black sky. The moonlight glistened on his scarred, bare chest as he continued to stare out into the night. His mind was full of thoughts of Jensen and Morgan, trying to solve the mystery of their disappearance. During the past two months, not one hint of their whereabouts had shown up on the radar. They hadn’t used any of their known aliases, credit cards or bank accounts. Nor had they attempted to make any contact with previous allies. They were simply gone.
Urban seethed with icy rage and frustration. Despite how aggressively he had investigated, he hadn’t found a single sign of the missing hunters. His body hummed with pent up violence just aching to be released. His fingers tightened angrily around the hilt of the blood-covered knife he held, as he continued to stare out of the window. He glanced upward at the full moon and a faint memory stirred within him. He smiled, his brown eyes darkening with malicious delight.
After removing the bullets from the bodies of the slain members of Jensen’s unit, the ammo type was matched to the rifle listed in Jensen’s file. Urban couldn’t understand why Jensen would murder his own men. But now, he finally believed he knew what had caused Jensen to snap. It had to be Morgan. He’d always known how close the friendship was between the hunters. Jensen was always willing to put himself in danger for his friend. The only possibility of why Morgan would be considered a threat to the unit would have been if he’d been bitten by a werewolf they’d been tracking. Urban knew that if given a choice between the unit and Morgan, Jensen would always choose his friend.
The tall, broad-shouldered hunter turned from the window and stalked toward the naked, shivering captive strapped to the motel bed.
His prey continued to cry, struggling uselessly to free his bound arms and legs. Big, fat tears rolled down his trembling face as he continued to whimper against the gag in his mouth. His body was littered with deep, bleeding cuts from Urban’s knife. The hunter gracefully slid his body over his prey, a wicked smile breaking across his handsome face as he caressed the blood-dripping knife against the man’s quivering throat.
“I will be coming for you, Pluto. I will find the pack that holds you and rip them apart. Then we will finally be together,” Urban muttered before shoving the sharp blade into the soft flesh of the exposed throat. He watched in satisfaction as the light in the man’s eyes was slowly extinguished.
“Soon,” he vowed.
+++++++
Padalecki Pack Lands, Second Full Moon
Morgan cried out in pain, hearing a similar yelp echoing among the omegas. He felt the burning sensation in his gut and instantly knew that Jensen was dying. The agonizing stabbing pain continued to spread throughout his body, causing him to drop to his knees.
Tears began trickling down his pale face as he crawled weakly toward the locked door. The alphas had sequestered all the omegas in their den, wanting to make sure that their pheromones would not drive all the unmated alphas and betas insane during the full moon.
“Let….me…out….!!” Morgan screamed, clawing at the wooden, unyielding door. Splinters pierced deeply into his fingers but he continued until the pain wracked his body so badly that he ended up collapsing to the floor. He laid there on the cold floorboards, crying, his heart breaking as he felt his best friend’s lifeforce slowly slipping away.
“Jensen….”
+++++++
In the clearing, mournful howls filled the chilly air. All the werewolves bowed their heads due to the pure force of the anguished wails except for one gray-furred female wolf. The Beta stood her ground and surveyed the pack, her amber eyes full of malicious victory.
When she was a young pup, a bitten human had begged to join her family’s pack. Strangely the human had never displayed any of the typical symptoms such as the fever or seizures which usually occurred during the first 48 hours after a human was bitten. Her pack had allowed the human boy to remain on their grounds despite not officially accepting him into the pack.
On the night of his first full moon, Sandy had watched the boy die horrifically as his body attempted to transform only to be torn apart from the inside, by his own twisting bone structure. She remembered her mother telling her that any human not displaying seizures after they were first bitten would not have the werewolf ability of rapid healing on their first full moon. Since most humans did not know that they could potentially die from a bite in this violent manner, it was kept hidden from them. They believed that if humans discovered the true horror of their body’s rejection of the bite, it would cause mass hysteria, which could only lead to deadly consequences for all werewolves.
Despite the threat Jensen had posed to both her position as Pack Beta and her relationship with Jared, Sandy had known that Jensen would die on his first full moon. She had gleefully waited for his painful death. This had lessened the blow as she helplessly watched her husband become closer to the human each day with hatred burning in her soul. Even though rage boiled angrily in her veins, she abstained from making further attempts on the hunter’s life. She realized that each attack made Jared even more protective of the human, and only succeeded in driving him directly into Jensen’s waiting arms.
She smiled, her heart singing with joy at the continued anguished howls of Alpha. She had always loved Jared. When she first met him, she had known that she would be willing to plot, lie, steal, and even kill in order to capture his attention. He was the elusive, powerful Alpha that many had desired. She never dared to hope that she’d someday become his mate. She’d been packless, had no standing, and therefore had no worth in becoming his Beta. However, through her close relationship with Jared’s mother, the Pack Beta, Sandy had begun to dream of the possibility of marriage to the young Alpha heir. She knew that he had fucked many betas but steadfastly refused to knot any of them. This had given her hope.
She had known her physical appearance was similar to Jared’s dead sister and she had used this to her advantage with all her interactions with Jared’s mother. She worked hard in cultivating her relationship with the Pack Beta, turning herself into an unofficial adoptive daughter. She knew that she needed the Beta’s approval for her quest in becoming Jared’s mate.
After several years of careful planning, Jared had finally begun seeing her as his potential Beta. When his mother asked him to take Sandy as his mate, she wept with joy. Finally after years of careful planning, fighting for her place in a pack that did not even acknowledge her existence, she had become one of the most powerful werewolves among them. But then… Jared’s wolf had rejected her. The feral beast refused to speak to her, often growling and snarling at her. Despite the feral wolf’s response, Jared still married her. She knew that many of the alphas in the pack believed that they did not have a true mating but she didn’t care. Things will change once she conceives and delivers the next Padelecki generation.
She looked up at the full moon and howled her triumph to her enemies in the pack, knowing they had plotted her demise and placed their support behind the dying human. In the end, Jensen would be gone and she would be the one standing by Jared’s side. His one and only Beta.
+++++++
Jared held the dying, unconscious hunter in his arms. Moonlight shone down upon his scarred, but beautiful, face and glinted off the newly-formed white fangs protruding from his slightly opened mouth. His chest was split wide open by his own ribs when he had shifted. His human ribs had been transformed into the massive ribcage of his inner werewolf. But his transformation had stopped once his heart was pierced by a newly transformed rib bone. Now blood steadily seeped out of his torn and broken body.
“Jensen!!” The Alpha howled in anguish, praying for the first time in his life to the Mother Luna to save his hunter.
Then… the fragile lover in his arms stopped breathing.
“JENSEN!!!”
+++++++
THEN
Blood, death, revenge. The driving need to hunt and kill burned through his veins as he stalked the land, looking for his prey. For the past two weeks, dead bodies of creatures and humans were left near the Padalecki borderlands. He didn’t know if it was a message meant for him. But it was a direct challenge to his authority and it will be met with death. He quietly growled, enraged at the reckless audacity of the unknown marauding, murderous creature. He continued to race through the forest, determined to find the creature that was foolish enough to incur his wrath. For the prey that he was hunting will die this night.
Then he heard the sound of blades slicing through the dead silent air. He moved forward, careful to keep his presence hidden in the shadows. He saw the metal glint of the two long, razor-sharp katanas whipping through the air. A human male dressed in black military armor was wielding the twin blades with skill and precision. He faced the looming massive two-headed, lizard-like monster without any fear or reservation, thrusting and slicing with the swords while dodging the nine-foot creature’s fangs and claws.
The beast suddenly launched forward in a surprise attack. But the handsome, scar-faced man shoved one of the swords directly through the creature’s jaw on the first head until it pierced through the brain. The monster roared in pain. But again, the man was ready. He lifted his remaining katana over his head and swung down hard, chopping off the monster’s second head. Black blood spurted out from the beast, spattering onto human before its lifeless body collapsed to the ground.
The man stood still, breathing heavily as he continued to warily inspect the dead monster. He moved forward, the sword gripped tightly in his hand. He kicked the beast, waiting to see if there were any signs of life. But the dead lizard-monster remained still.
“I’m pretty sure it’s dead, Jen,” a male voiced called out. Jared silently snarled, baring his fangs at the unknown man that had suddenly appeared and was striding toward the scarred man. If there were any signs that the stranger was a threat, Jared would immediately attack.
“What did I tell you, Morgan? Don’t call me, ‘Jen’. I know you’re getting older and your memory is not what it used to be.”
“What?! Who are you calling old?”
The scar-face man rolled his eyes and moved away from the dead monster. He began pouring a white substance over the body.
“I can’t believe the magically enhanced katana worked, Jensen! I thought for sure you were smoking crack when you told me the plan.”
“Based on my research, the only way to kill an Amphisbaenas was by decapitation done with twin silver blades blessed by a priest. The swords could only be wielded by a pure and righteous warrior.”
“I still don’t understand how it could still work. You said that the warrior has to be ‘pure’ which I’m assuming is a virgin. And I know you ain’t no virgin!”
“Pure can be pure of heart…”
“Bullshit.” Morgan deadpan.
Jensen sighed and grudging admitted, “Pure does mean virginal. But I was hoping that it was a loose term. Anyway… there are some things that I’ve never tried….”
“What do you mean?”
Jensen blushing beet red replied, “Forget about it.”
“Come on, dude. Share with the class. You know I’ll just keep whining all night until you tell me.”
“Shit….what are you…? Twelve years old?”
“Fuck you… I’m fourteen. Now spill!”
“Fine….I’ve never been with a guy.” Jensen mumbled, embarrassment evident in his voice.
“So let me get this straight. You based this whole mission, our lives on a belief that since you still have your ass cherry that it constitute you being a virgin therefore you can take down this huge-ass lizard monster by yourself with two dinky swords?!”
“Yup.”
“I’m going to freaking kill you!” Morgan shrieked. But Jensen chuckled and began pouring gasoline over the corpse.
“What was that white stuff you put on it?”
“Salt.”
“Why?”
“We salt and burn the remains until it become ash. It’s the only way to ensure that it stays dead.”
“Jesus Christ…. what type of weird shit did we get ourselves into?! I miss hunting werewolves. Why exactly did we get stuck with this case again?”
“Your mouth. You kept pissing off the higher-ups.” Jensen promptly replied before lighting a match and tossing it on the gasoline-soaked carcass. He grinned in satisfaction at the whoosh and blinding flare-up as the gas-soaked creature caught fire.
The humans stood by and watched as the corpse burned brightly in the pitch-dark night.
“Shit… that thing stinks!”
“Will you never stop complaining?”
“Only when I’m dead.” Morgan smirked.
Suddenly Jensen glanced over at the shadowed trees where Jared laid hidden. He narrowed his eyes and pulled out the Glock that was strapped to his right thigh.
“What the Hell?” Morgan hissed at his friend.
“There’s something there. I can feel it,” Jensen whispered, as he stepped away to move closer toward the trees.
“Your mind is playing tricks. We are thousands of miles away from civilization. There are no known packs around this area. The closest one is in Montana. And guess what…? We’re in Canada.”
Jensen stared at the trees one last time, searching the shadows for hidden threats before backing away and moving toward his friend. Jared continued to remain in his hidden spot. The human named Jensen fascinated him. He also realized that the humans were hunters. They most likely had come to this area because of all the humans the monster had been killing. Apparently the hunters still did not know the hidden location of his pack. If they did, he would have to immediately kill them.
“Management is going to want any remains left of the Amphisbaena. They’re going to be really pissed at us for burning that corpse.”
“They should only be pissed at me and not at you. I’m the one that decided to burn the damned thing.”
“Wrong again, Jensen. I’m the senior commander and if any shit goes down, it will be my responsibility.”
“You know I’m your senior commander right?” Jensen reminded his friend.
“That’s only because everyone is so scared of you that they promoted you so you wouldn’t kill them,” Morgan grumbled.
Jensen quietly chuckled at the annoyance in his friend’s voice. The two hunters continued to bicker and watch the corpse burning in the night, unaware of another deadly predator observing them the whole time.
The Feral Wolf within Jared was intrigued by the hunter. Jared was surprised at how protective the wolf was feeling toward the human. His wolf had stopped communicating with him once he’d known about Jared’s plans to marry Sandy. Sam, his inner wolf, hated Sandy and refused to accept her as his mate. As a result, both wolf and werewolf had been silently waging a battle of wills with each other for the past few months. This was the first time in a long time that Jared had heard Sam’s thoughts actively in his mind.
“I want to keep him,” Sam mindspoke to him.
“Really? I was thinking about ripping him into tiny little pieces.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Wouldn’t I? You know the law. Any human that steps onto our land must be killed immediately.”
“He is not on our territories.”
“He is close enough, Sam. And the fact that he is a hunter carries an immediate death sentence no matter where he stands.”
“You will not kill him!”
“You know I have little regard for humans. They are nothing but parasites that drain our resources. Best we eliminate their kind from the Earth than watch them continue to proliferate and destroy Mother Nature. I have already killed many. What makes him so different?”
The Feral Wolf remained silent. Although Jared was mildly impressed at the hunter’s skills and bravery, he would not show any hesitation in killing the human. The life of one puny human was meaningless against the importance of the safety of his pack.
“What do you want in return for his safety, brother?” Sam finally asked.
“Does he mean that much to you?” Jared responded.
But Sam refused to answer.
Jared growled in frustration and said, “I want you to accept Sandy as our mate.”
“I can NOT!”
“Then say farewell to the hunter.”
“You know I cannot accept Sandy as my mate. Her wolf does not call to me.”
“Bullshit!”
“Mating is a mystical bond. You do not understand because you have not met your mate yet. When you do, you will finally understand why you can not force a mating.”
“Listen to me, Sam. I will marry Sandy to ensure the strength of our pack. Our Beta, our mother, has died. We need another strong Beta to stabilize this pack. Or we will become vulnerable to our many enemies. I also need heirs. I do not have the time or inclination to search for my destined mate. You will accept Sandy or so help me, I will hunt down that human and tear his limbs from his body,” Jared threatened.
“Promise me your protection of the human, and I will swear that I will not stop your marriage to Sandy. She will not be my mate, but I will not refuse her as your wife. Your oath, brother.”
Jared smiled in cold satisfaction. He replied, “The human hunter named Jensen will have my protection until the day he dies. His protection will only be revoked if he brings undeserved harm to anyone in our pack.”
+++++++
NOW
Jared was unable to look away from his silent lover in his arms. He gently caressed the cold pale cheek, wishing for Jensen to awaken.
“Even if he wakes, he will never be whole. Never be the strong mate we yearn for. Do we still want him with his broken body?” Sam whispered in his mind.
Jared looked down at the still hunter. He continued to caress his dying lover tenderly. He said, “I will always want Jensen. He will never be broken or weak to me.”
“You finally understand, brother. What it feels like to have a mate.” Sam mindspoke to him.
“I never said he was my mate!” Jared snarled, feeling helpless and scared for the first time in his life. He clutched Jensen closer to his body, still unable to believe that the hunter was gone.
“Always so stubborn to the bitter end, little brother. I am not afraid to claim a human hunter as my mate. Perhaps it is better that he has passed for he will never be as strong as a natural-born werewolf.”
“Do not dare insult my Jensen!”
“Such possessive words and feelings, yet you claim he is not our mate. How can you save him if you do not acknowledge the bond you both share?”
“Stop with your riddles, wolf. Will you help me or not?”
“I cannot save a bitten human from death. I can only save my mate.”
“Then there’s no problem since you have already claimed Jensen as yours.”
“My mate must be the same wolf as your mate. I cannot save him until you have acknowledged and claimed him as your own.”
“You fucking bastard!” Jared snarled, angered at his wily wolf for tricking him into admitting a truth that he had been avoiding for years. He looked down at Jensen and gently touched the hunter’s face once more. His smiled, remembering his first conversation with the hunter. Even when Jensen was on his back weaponless against a powerful predator, he still had refused to back down or cower. That was the first time any human had ever earned Jared’s respect. He should have known then, that Jensen was going to be the exception to every rule he believed in.
“You were always in my blood since the first night I saw you dancing in the moonlight with the glint of the silver swords.” Jared quietly whispered to Jensen.
“Close your eyes, brother. Feel the bond that grows between you. Now claim your mate. Remember, he may never be as he was before.”
“Impossible. He is my Jensen. Mine. Forever.” Jared proclaimed.
+++++++
THEN
Jared growled in anger and frustration when he found the dead body of his prey. He had been hunting this feral alpha for the past two days. The alpha had lost his mate resulting in him becoming insane. First he had attacked several humans, blaming them for his mate’s death. He then had turned on his own pack, murdering several young pups. One of the escaped, injured betas and had run onto Padalecki land, seeking sanctuary. She had pleaded with Jared, begging him to stop the bloody rampage of the insane alpha.
It had taken Jared two days to finally reach their lands, intending to put down the unstable alpha. But he was too late. Someone else had killed the werewolf. As he stood there and sniffed at the dead body of the alpha, he smelled a familiar scent. He immediately tracked the smell, following the trail, which led him deeper into the woods.
He finally spotted a human male walking several yards ahead of him. The man was on his satellite phone speaking to someone.
“This is Pluto. Target has been located and disposed of. Over.”
“That was pretty quick, Pluto. Are you sure there weren’t any more friendlies around?”
“No. Target became insane and began killing his own kind. There were no survivors.”
“Jesus Christ. Would be interesting to know what drove him to kill his own pack. If we could only use that information and direct it toward all the fucking werewolves so that they can turn on each other, we will definitely win this war! Did you collect any Intel on the situation?”
“No. The only evidence left behind is half eaten bodies.”
“He fucking ate his own pack?”
“Yes.”
“They are friggin’ monsters. Get back to base as soon as you can, Pluto. They want you to debrief. I’ll make them aware of the current situation prior to your arrival. What is your ETA?”
“I should be back on base within four days.”
“See you then. Good job, Pluto.”
The man turned off the phone and slipped it back into his pocket. He continued walking with the moonlight shining down on his scarred face. Jared instantly recognized the handsome human hunter.
“Jensen,” he muttered before dashing forward and knocking the arrogant human on his back. His amber bright eyes stared down at his weakened prey. He was surprised at the angry expression on the human’s face. He was expecting to see fear and terror but instead he saw annoyance and wariness.
“This is an interesting way to say hello.” Jensen snarked.
“Do you think I won’t rip your head from your body?” Jared asked.
“I don’t think so. You would have done it already.”
Jared smiled. He leaned closer until his fangs were only inches from the hunter’s face. He replied, “Maybe I want to get you comfortable before I tear your throat out.”
“You don’t seem like the type that plays hard to get. I’m thinking you want something from me.”
“What could you possibly have that I want, Jensen?”
Jared smirked when he saw the shocked expression on the hunter’s face. Jensen quickly gave him a blank look but it was too late. The Alpha knew how much he had unnerved the human.
He gave another wicked smile. He found himself enjoying his encounter with the hunter. He queried, “Cat got your tongue now, little hunter?”
Vivid green eyes narrowed in irritation. Jensen snapped, “Seems that you know my name but I don’t know yours. Who are you?”
“You’re a hunter. Shouldn’t you already know?”
“What can I say…? I’m not very good at my job.” Jensen quipped before jerking his right hand upward, pressing a razor-sharp silver blade directly underneath Jared’s chin. Jared felt the cool metal against his neck.
The Alpha raised his right eyebrow, grudgingly fascinated at the quick maneuver. He said, “Impressive.”
“I’m glad I have your approval. Now I can sleep at night. What’s your name?”
“Your owner.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. The only person that owns me is myself. Tell me your name or I will cut a vocal cord in a few seconds.”
With lighting fast speed, Jared knocked the knife from the hunter’s hand, inadvertently causing the blade to slice a thin line across his neck. Blood spilled out of his wound, dripping onto the hunter’s pale scarred face.
“Son of a bitch!” Jensen cursed, twisting his face away to avoid the blood from trickling into his mouth and eyes.
“Scared that my blood would turn you into a werewolf? As if you could be that lucky...” Jared said. He began chuckling when he saw the hunter giving him a baleful glare. However the laughter quickly died on his lips when he felt the cool press of metal against his ribcage.
“Back off slowly from me, werewolf. Or else I pump a clip of silver bullets into you right now.” Jensen snarled menacingly. His eyes full of green fire as his hand reflexively tightened on the Glock’s handgrip.
“Interesting…” Jared replied.
“There will not be a second warning.”
“With bullet wounds, a lot of blood will be gushing out of my body and onto yours. You will become infected.”
“That’s why I always make sure that there’s one bullet left for me in the clip. It’s the one I will use to blow my brains out before I become anything less than human.” Cold determination sparked in the hunter’s eyes, his voice becoming gravely deep.
“I believe you,” Jared mused.
“You sound shocked.”
“Humans always lie.”
“I don’t.”
“I’m beginning to see that,” Jared replied as he slowly edged backwards, allowing the hunter to wiggle out from beneath him. He was stunned to find that he missed the warm firm body that had been pressed against him.
“Little hunters should not be out here by themselves.”
“What makes you think I’m alone? You could be surrounded by a group of snipers that are all aiming for your head.”
Jared gave a bark of laughter. He replied, “I can smell that you are alone. But you are not helpless. Or defenseless.”
“I never claimed that I was. Who are you?”
Jared stood up. Despite the fact that Jensen was only one hundred miles away from his pack land, and could potentially stumble upon his borders, he still didn’t want to kill him. Jensen was unlike any human he had ever met. He found himself becoming as intrigued as Sam had been all those years ago.
“I am your greatest foe, hunter. Let us see who shall win this battle between us.”
“Did anyone ever tell you what a strange individual you are? Seriously, you are weird.” Jensen groused still aiming his Glock at the Alpha’s position.
The werewolf grinned, thoroughly entertained. He finally said, “I am the Alpha of all North American packs. Any misdeeds that are committed within my territory, by either werewolves or humans, will be resolved by me.”
“Holy shit… you’re Jared Padalecki.”
“So you have heard of me?”
“Yeah… thought you would be taller.” Jensen replied, his eyes assessing the six feet, five inches towering frame of the werewolf.
Jared found himself glaring at the audacity of the man. But his lips began to curl upward at the innocent expression on the hunter’s face.
“I’m going to enjoy breaking you, Nemico.”
“I’ll like to see you try.” Jensen quickly retorted. Vivid green eyes locked onto amber ones for a battle of dominance had been declared between the two combatants. The moon continued to shine down on the newly declared enemies.
+++++++
NOW
Chad ran. Sweat matted his tan fur onto his back. His paws tore across the grassy ground as his heart thumped rapidly at the breakneck pace he was forcing his body to follow. He chased after the mournful howls of his Alpha, frightened of what he would find at the end of his journey.
The tan-furred wolf had followed Jared since he was a young pup. Even before Jared had established himself as the supreme Alpha of the pack, his strength and power were undeniable. Jared was born to rule over them. And the pack instinctively followed him. Jared was a vicious, blood-thirsty wolf, almost feral in his fights against other alphas for dominance. He never showed them mercy, making everyone fear him so much that as soon as he stepped onto the ceremonial grounds to fight, others had immediately withdrawn for fear of great bodily harm and dismemberment.
Chad remembered his conversation with Jared about making Sandy his mate.
“Not that I dare to question you, Alpha. But is she truly the one destined to be your mate?” The blonde had timidly asked, hoping that he did not anger his friend.
“She is adequate to sire my future pups, to continue the Padalecki line.”
“But will she be able to stand by your side? Is she strong enough to be your true Beta?”
Jared had coldly glared at him before replying, “Why would I need her by my side? She will be on her knees where the rest of you will be.”
Chad immediately bowed his head in submission and murmuring, “Yes, Alpha.”
Fear twisted in his belly as he continued to dash along the wooded path. The closer he came, the louder the grief-filled howls sounded. When Sandy was revealed to be the next Beta of the pack, there had been mixed reactions among the werewolves. Many of the betas had immediately accepted her as one of their own. There was always a small possibility that the Alpha Padaclecki would choose an omega as his mate. Better a beta than an omega that they had abused and tortured for their own entertainment.
But most of the alphas had recoiled at the news. They instinctively knew that Sandy was not truly the Alpha’s mate. She was too weak to stand by his side as a proper Beta. Fear for their Alpha’s sanity had driven Chad to seek out and help the human hunter that had stumbled into their lives. Chad didn’t know if Jensen was a worthy mate for his Alpha but he knew the hunter was better than Sandy. He had prayed that Jensen would be strong enough for their leader. But now it seemed that all his hopes and plans had failed, for Jensen had not survived his first full moon transformation.
He finally arrived in the clearing, charging into his greatest nightmare, Jared crouching over the body of his dead mate.
“Alpha?” Chad sputtered, fearful that the hunter’s death had already jump-started Jared’s spiral into madness. He had already sensed the bond between the couple, which frightened him. Jensen was not fully transformed. His body was still mostly human while his ribcage was ripped apart and gruesomely reshaped into a massive exoskeleton of a werewolf. A mating bond could only be established between two fully transformed werewolves. Despite this, Chad could sense a true bond between the intertwined couple sitting in the moonlight, which should have been impossible.
Jared glanced up at him and Chad froze. He saw pure unadulterated madness in his Alpha’s amber eyes. The tall crouching werewolf began snarling, fangs immediately elongated from his mouth as claws burst through his fingertips. Chad knew instantly, that his friend was gone. And he would be the first to die at the hands of the madly crazed werewolf that their Alpha had become.
The devoted, tan wolf bowed his head, readying himself to submit to his death. His Alpha had now shifted into his massive wolf shape. He watched the saliva dripping down the snarling, snapping canines of the black furred Alpha wolf.
“It will be alright, little one. I am here. You will not be alone in our death.” His own wolf, Tristan, mindspoke to him.
Suddenly Chad found himself being slammed onto his back, with an enormous black werewolf growling in his face. His heart raced furiously in his chest in absolute terror as his Alpha’s razor-sharp teeth clamped down on his throat, piercing his jugular. He knew that within moments the insane werewolf would rip his throat out.
“Ja…red?”
The Alpha immediately released Chad and dashed away toward the weak-sounding voice that had called out to him. The tan werewolf slumped to the ground, blood gushing from his puncture wounds. He lay dazed and dizzy on the grassy soil, trying to focus and locate the dangerous predator.
“Jar…ed…”
Chad forced himself rise, causing more blood to spurt from his jagged lacerations, soaking his tan-colored fur on his chest. He blinked and stiffened at the sight that greeted his shocked amber eyes.
The black alpha werewolf crouched protectively over his mate, snarling menacingly at him. But it was his mate that caused Chad’s breath to catch in his throat. Supernaturally bright, glowing, emerald eyes stared at Chad unblinkingly.
“Jensen….”
+++++++
Author’s Note 1: Huge thanks to my good friend and partner in crime, oldbatj! Love you to bites and you are simply amazing! Thank you so much for always supporting me and giving me great advice. You always brighten my dreary days. ~~Hugs~~
Author’s Note 2: Chad’s wolf “Tristen” is a call back from the character he played in Gilmore Girls.
Author’s Note 3: If you want to know what happens next, please comment. If not, thanks for reading!!!