The Hunting
Chapter 2

The sun rose and slowly the room lit up in shades of yellows, reds and oranges.

Layana groaned and turned around, throwing her blanket up over her eyes to shield out the light. Kia smiled at the sight.

Last day in a while that she gets to do that. She thought swinging her legs out of bed.

She walked over to the bathroom and took a quick shower, dressing in plain leggings and a loose fitting crop top. She threw on her socks and walked down the hall to the kitchen.

"Morning." Kia said as she walked in and saw her parents at the breakfast table.

"Hi sweetie." her mother said, placing a quick kiss on her forehead. "Sleep well?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you." Kia replied.

"Nervous?" her father asked.

"Nope. Just anxious to get this over with." Kia replied, calmly.

Her father gave her a nod and went back to his newspaper.

Kia grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and walked over to the front door.

"I'm going for a run." she said as she pushed the door open and breathed in the cool early morning air.

While Kia was out on her run, Layana eventually got up and joined their parents in the kitchen. They were all drinking coffee and discussing the Hunting when she came back.

"How far today?" Layana asked as Kia sat down next to her.

"Ten miles." she said shrugging.

"Just ten?" Lay asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm not really in the mood for running today."

Kia's parents and her sister just stared at her blankly. She knew what they were thinking, it was odd for her not to be in the mood for running. She always wanted to run, it's the one place where she could just be alone and not care about anyone or anything, the only time she got to be truly herself and explore her own thoughts and feelings.

"So..." her father said, clearing his throat. "the Hunting starts today. You girls ready?" he asked, with a slight pain etched into his voice.

"Kia's the fighter here, she's the only one that should be 'ready'.. I, on the other hand, have nothing to be ready for. I'm just going in there and meeting my mate." Lay said, popping a grape into her mouth.

"You think it's going to be that easy?" Kia asked, disgusted by her sisters blind trust in the Goddess.

"Yes." Layana snapped. "It will be that easy."

"You're stupid if you think you'll be walking out of there with the future you've always dreamed of. This isn't a fairy-tale Lay, those men will do anything to get mates, regardless of whether you're theirs or not. They will kill for the female they want and you have no guarantees that you'll end up with a good mate." Kia snapped back.

" Girls, enough. " their father barked out. " Your sister has a point Layana. Maybe you've placed just a tad too much trust in the Goddess. Sadly our circumstances has left men on the edge of insanity, they are desperate - desperate for a mate, desperate to end their loneliness, desperate for an heir to carry on the bloodline - and desperate men are dangerous."

"Of course you're going to take her side, she's always been the favorite daughter." Layana whined.

"Layana, you're acting like a spoiled child. That's not how I raised you." her father snapped.

"No, you raised me to be a fighter, to be cold and disconnected, like you." Lay said getting up. "I'm not like you father."

Layana turned around and ran to her room, their mother close on her heals.

"She'll come around once you're inside and she sees what it's like. I'm afraid the brutality of the reality will break her, but it's for her own good. She needs to learn that life won't always work out the way we want it to." her father said to her. "You'll keep her safe?" he asked.

"Of course." Kia answered.

Kia and her father sat in silence at the table, listening to Lay's sobs and Elaine's muffled words of comfort.

Eventually her mother came back to the kitchen, glaring at her mate. Kia excused herself and walked toward her room.

" Lay?" she asked as she stepped into the room. "You okay?"

"Yes Kia. I'm fine. Let's just get ready, the car will be here to pick us up in an hour." Layana said, gathering her stuff to go take a shower.

Normally a bus would go around the pack and pick up every eligible female, but since they're Beta-born they get to go in a car with the Alpha and Delta's children. The males, or more spesifically, those who choose to participate, will all get there on their own.

The werewolf community consists of twelve packs, covering the Western side of the world.

Riverdale - 409 pack members.

Blood Moon - 301 pack members

Crescent Sky - 289 pack members

Shadow Creek - 264 pack members

Blue Moon - 203 pack members

Stone Haven - 192 pack members

Bear Valley - 190 pack members

Dawn - 176 pack members

Red Dusk - 170 pack members

Iron lands - 107 pack members

Mystic Mountains - 102 pack members

Red Wood - 79 pack members

Riverdale is the largest, Blood Moon is the cruelest, Stone Haven is set on ancient ways and Red Wood is country folk. Most of the packs never interact with one another, except during the Hunting. Every female wishes to end up in their home pack or at least in Riverdale or Crescent Sky and they dread the thought of maybe ending up at Blood Moon. But mostly they all wish to make it through unclaimed and alive.

"Girls, the car is here." their mother called out.

Layana walked out of the bathroom in jeans and a sweater. Her hair in a ponytail and makeup done. Kia was wearing sweatpants and a tank top, hair in a messy bun and as usual no makeup.

"Come on, let's go." Lay said as she moved past her sister.

Kia followed her outside where a black SUV was waiting for them. They said their goodbyes to their parents and got inside, greeting the Alpha and Delta children traveling with them.

Kia took a deep breath, calming her wolf. They had a two hour drive ahead and the building anxiety wasn't helping her situation.

Marlo, Alpha Romeo's daughter, was playing with her shirt, fidgeting about uneasily. Rebekah, daughter of Delta Daniel, just sat there staring out the window as tears ran down her face and as usual Layana was talking everyone's ears off.

"Are you excited?" Layana asked Marlo.

Marlo turned a pale shade of white and shook her head. "No." she mumbled.

"Why ever not? You're going to get a mate." Layana went on and on about how lucky we were and how exciting this all was.

Oh my dear, sweet sister. You have no idea what you're walking into. Kia thought as she tuned her sister out and focused on the world outside the car.

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