The Hunting
Chapter 12

"So apparently, I'm too hard on you?" Clayton said as he sat down next to Kia at the dinner table.

"You're what?" Kia asked, iritation making its way into her voice.

"Yeah, Tobias said..." he started but Kia cut him off.

"Tobias should mind his own damn business!" she snapped, getting up to go seek him out.

"Someone's in trouble..." Elaina said in a sing-song voice, making Clayton snort.

Kia found Tobias outside, basking in the late afternoon sunlight.

"You lying son of a b...." Kia yelled as she tackled Tobias.

"Kia!" Tobias yelled out in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"You. Lying to me!" she snapped.

Tobias pushed Kia off of him and got up, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well... That depends on your definition of lying?" he said, cocking an eyebrow.

"My what?" Kia said, her anger faltering. "It's when you deliberately withhold the truth from someone." she explained, giving him a questioning look. "What's your definition of lying?" she asked.

"Reclining into a horizontal position?" he said, giving her a small smile.

Regardless of her size, Kia was scary as hell when she was mad and he didn't want to be on the receiving end of her anger again.

Kia looked at him, totally flabbergasted by his reply before realization set in and her anger returned.

"You think this is funny?" she said as her eyes switched back and forth between black and green.

"Okay, humor isn't the way." Tobias whispered to himself. "No, Kia I don't think this is funny. But you have to understand it from my view-point. I was just looking out for you." he explained.

"I don't need you to look out for me. I've been doing it myself for years. " she snapped.

"Yes, clearly you have." he said, sarcasm dripping from his words.

Kia punched him square in the jaw.

"How dare you...." she yelled.

"How dare I what, Kia? Care about my mate? Let me guess, next you're going to say that you don't want to mate anymore?" he snapped, giving her a hard stare.

"You know what, Tobias. If you can't even respect a simple request, then yes. I don't want to be mated to you. I won't be bossed around and controlled by your feelings." Kia snapped back, making Tobias gape at her.

He didn't expect her to say that, he thought she'd just yell at him some more for lying to her about talking to her father. Kia spun around and walked back into the house, leaving Tobias outside, looking like a fish as he opened and closed his mouth.

---Unknown POV----

"Dammit, where is he?" the man snapped as he looked over his maps.

*Flashback*

"I'm participating in the Hunting this year." Michael said as he walked into the room.

"Why?" his friend asked him.

"I saw one of the cars transporting the higher ranks. Inside was this bombshell of a blonde. I have to have her." Michael said, licking his lips.

"Ah, to what? Have some fun with and then kill like you always do?" the other man commented.

"Maybe..." Michael said with a sly smile. "I might just mark her and have her carry my pups. Make her life miserable for a few years and then get rid of her." he said, laughing.

"Very well, but let me know when you're planning on returning to the pack. You have duties you know."

"Yes, yes. I won't be gone long. Maybe a day or two after, just to decide what I want to do with the she-wolf." Michael said with a dismissive wave.

Michael walked out of the office and went to his car. Deadset on finding this girl.

*End of flashback*

"I don't know Alpha, we haven't heard anything from Michael since he informed us that he found the girl." the beta said, shakily.

"Go and find him. It's been weeks!" the Alpha snapped.

"Right away." the beta said as he scurried out the door.

-a few hours later-

"WHAT??" the Aplha yelled, glaring at his Beta.

"Michael is dead. We found his body among the others from the Hunting." he said, making sure he was a safe distance away from the Alpha.

"How?" he snapped.

"The Council Guard said he had been killed by a she-wolf." the beta answered unsure.

"Impossible!" the Alpha snapped.

"No its true, Alpha. Apparently Michael killed the mate of that blonde he wanted, she then disrespected him and he snapped, killing her...." the beta started explaining.

"Then who the fuck killed him?" the Alpha asked, impatiently.

"The sister..." he replied.

"Of the blonde?" the Alpha asked.

"Yes, she opened him up and then stabbed him multiple times with a knife." the Beta explained, shivering at the thought of Michael's body.

"Who is she?" the Alpha asked, a dangerous calm settling over him.

"Everest twins, Alpha. I believe they're Beta Clayton's pups." the Beta said before adding. "Well they were twins." he corrected.

"Ah, Beta Clayton. That explains how she managed to kill Michael." the Alpha said, deep in thought. "Get me info on that pest.. I shall like to pay her a little visit." he sneered, sending the Beta running out the door to do his bidding.

"You'll be avenged Michael." the Alpha said as he looked out of his window.

---Back at Riverdale ---

"Kia, don't you think that was a bit harsh?" Elaina asked her daughter, placing her hands on her hips.

She and Clayton had heard the whole 'lovers-spat' outside.

"Don't start mother" Kia said, shaking her head.

She sat down at the table again and after a few minutes the back door opened and Tobias walked in. His face devoid of emotions, he sat down at the table with them as Elaina started plating the food.

Dinner was spent with Clayton and Elaina trying to make mindless small talk with everyone, while Kia and Tobias avoided each other and gave short answers to questions asked.

Afterwards, Kia helped her mother clean up and Tobias left to go to his room.

"Goodnight guys." Kia said as she wiped her hands on a towel.

She turned and walked down the hallway towards her room, she briefly paused at Tobias' door, deciding whether she wanted to talk to him or not. She decided that now wasn't the best time for her to talk so she continued walking.

Once in her room she took a quick shower and got in bed, exhausted by the day she had.

A few hours later, Kia jumped up, shaking out of her slumber when she heard her door creak open.

"Sorry..." Tobias mumbled as he walked closer. "I didn't mean to scare you." he said.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered.

"I needed to see you, talk to you about...." he said, trailing off.

"There's nothing to talk about, Tobias." Kia snapped. She wasn't a morning person and she hated when someone woke her up, so she was feeling very irritated.

"There is. Don't you want to be my mate anymore?" Tobias asked softly, looking into her eyes.

Kia sighed, "Tobias, I'm sorry I said that. I was just upset and I had every right to be. You lied to me and ignored me when I asked you not to talk to my father, and then you went and blamed it on the mate-bond." she said.

"I know, that was wrong of me." he said, rubbing his neck. "I just didn't think you'd talk to him on your own and I knew it wasn't good for you to keep going at this rate." he said, taking her hand in his. Smiling as the sparks made their way through their hands.

"I don't need to talk to him. The training isn't the problem, I've been neglecting my self care for weeks because I couldn't deal with Lay's death. I did this to myself." she said, pulling her hand away and staring at the floor.

"Fair..." Tobias said, shaking his head. "But then you have to let me help you get back on track." he said, offering Kia a smile.

"Fine, but only because I know you'll try anyway." she huffed making Tobias laugh.

"Kia?" he said.

"Mmmh?"

"Don't ever do that again...you know... Say you don't want to be with me just because you're upset with me?" he said, giving her a sad look.

Kia wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing in his scent. "I'm sorry I did that. I promise I won't do it again." she said, giving him a squeeze.

As she moved away he tightened his hold on her, holding her against his chest.

"I love you, Kia." he said, sighing.

"I know." Kia whispered, gently stroking his hair. "Come on..." she said, patting the bed next to her.

Tobias let her go and laid down next to her, enjoying the feeling of her fingers in his hair. Allowing her steady heartbeat and soft caresses to lull him to sleep.

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