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CHAPTER 2 Hated Werewolves

Jessica POV

We drove for six hours before Tyler finished his paper. Not wanting to interrupt him, I spent the time just reminiscing.

I had spent almost a full year at Northern University before I met Tyler. My professor had an emergency one morning, and class was canceled. It was a complete fluke. I was already on my way to class when I got the email, so I decided to head to a café around the corner. The only table that was open was by the front door. I didn't mind the comings and goings, as I'd pop in my ear buds and just study. It wasn't until I picked up my coffee to take a sip, that I realized it was empty and I lifted my head out of my books.

That's when I saw him.

He was already walking past me towards the door when we locked eyes. My wolf, who had been silent during our stay in the human world, started howling in the back of my mind "Mate! Mate! Mate!" His scent permeating the air around me was a musky human smell, but it was wonderful anyways.

Because Tyler is human, he didn't feel the mate bond like I did. But it was enough for him to stumble in his tracks in front of me. He looked a little unsure of himself as he tried to walk out the door, however he didn't make it very far before he turned around and sat across from me at my table.

"Hi, I don't normally do this, but I don't think I can go on with my day without asking you if you'd be interested in going out with me tonight." He rambled off quickly.

"Um… what is your name?" I asked him, trying to ignore my wolf Jasmine, who wanted to claim him in the middle of the café right now.

"Oh, uh right sorry… Ty, I mean Tyler. My name is Tyler. Goen. Tyler Goen."

"Well, hello Ty, Tyler. Goen. Tyler Goen." I teased as he blushed. "My name is Jess, and I would love to have dinner with you tonight. 6:30 at McCall's Steakhouse."

"No! Claim mate now! He is ours!" Jasmine snaps in my head.

"Relax, he will meet us tonight for dinner. He doesn't have another woman's scent on him, so we don't have to worry." I soothed her.

His mouth dropped in shock, not expecting me to take charge of making plans. He was unaware that as a werewolf, especially an Alpha by birth that it is in my nature to take charge. And, when it comes to my mate, I was not going to let him ramble through the human pleasantries of courting. He was mine, whether he was aware of it or not.

I smiled to myself when I noticed Tyler had finally closed his laptop and looked up.

"Hungry?" I asked him.

"Starving!" he said.

"Great! We're about a half hour out from the next town. We'll check-in to a hotel and get some grub." I smiled at him.

Tyler reached down and took my hand in his, smiling himself.

Once we hit the town, Tyler and I pulled into the parking lot of a local motel that shared a parking lot with a southwestern grill type fast food.

"Do you want to go pick up dinner while I book the room?" I asked him.

"Sure, babe. What do you feel like, steak, chicken or pork?" He asked. I just gave him a look and he laughed "OK, steak it is!"

"I honestly have no idea why you bother asking." I said to him.

"Just in case you ever change your mind."

"If you ever hear me order anything other than steak, just assume something is wrong with me!" I laughed. I don't eat steak exclusively, but if it is ever an option then that will always be my choice! Steak is my favorite food.

I watched him walk towards the restaurant before I turned and walked into the office of the motel. I confirmed that we had a ground floor room, internet access and were more isolated from the rest of the guests. Not that this place was super busy, but I do appreciate my privacy in the human world. I also made sure that the room was in the back of the building, away from passing eyes.

I met Ty back at the car, who was already waiting for me with the food. We moved the Jeep to the back of the hotel and entered our room.

"Mmmmm, that smells delicious!" I said, placing a kiss on his cheek. "Wifi password is on the TV guide next to the phone."

"Why do they even bother putting phones in the rooms anymore? Everyone has a cell phone these days." Tyler mused.

"Because sometimes people need to make a phone call?" I joked with him, grabbing the bag of food, and plopping down on top of the bed. As I opened my burrito, Tyler passed me a water bottle wrapped in a few napkins.

"After we eat, I'll submit my paper to Mrs. Parks, then jump in the shower. Care to join me?" he asked with a smirk.

"I would love to," I said around a mouthful of steak burrito "But, I have to call Zach and update him on our detour here."

Tyler's smile dropped. "I know you said that Zach is your best friend, and we've never really talked about him beyond that, but since we're going back to your home, I'm going to meet him, and I need to know a few things."

Tyler was rambling again, which meant he was nervous about something. I placed my burrito down and wiped my mouth and hands with a napkin.

"Ask away, my love." I said in a calm voice. I wanted to convey that I took his emotions seriously and was not dismissing him. Him being human meant I had to be patient with him.

"Have you… I mean, Is he… Do you guys have history?" he stuttered.

"No. There is nothing. Zachariah has been, is, and always will be my best friend, and only that." I stated.

"Why?"

"He is insecure. He doesn't understand." my wolf spoke in my head.

"I know he is. When we get back to Mountain Crest, we will explain everything to him. He needs to accept you, accept us willingly."

"Mark him now." She said, "Then he has no choice but to accept us!"

"We will not mark him without his consent." I snapped.

"I don't understand, what do you mean why?" I asked.

Tyler took a deep breath before he continued. "It's curious how your best friend is a man, and not another woman. I'm wondering how close you guys are." It was hard for him to talk through his insecurities, and it seemed he was very insecure about Zach.

I set my food aside and moved to sit right in front of Tyler so I could look him in the eyes.

"Ty, please hear me when I say this. You are the only one I will ever be in love with. Yes, Zach and I have grown up together, and we have lots of 'inside jokes' and we connect as a team in a way that could give you the idea that our relationship is more than platonic, but I promise you that it is. I've grown up with him since we were children, but he will only ever be like family to me. And I to him. Besides, he basically is married anyways."

Tyler looked from me to our hands and back to me again.

"Ok. I believe you." He said, even though he didn't sound convinced.

"I hope you do. You have a lot to learn about my family and Mountain Crest, and the only way you'll be able to accept it is with an open mind."

Tyler gave me a worried look. "Please don't tell me you grew up in a cult.

I chuckled. "No, but I guess it is more like a commune." I finished. "You will see in the morning. Let's finish eating, so we can catch some zzz's before we get on the road again."

After eating, Tyler uploaded his paper to close out the grading period and jumped in the shower. I know I told him I wouldn't join him, but I felt he needed me to pick him over contacting Zach. After Tyler fell asleep, I rolled out of bed and grabbed my phone to send Zach a text. Unexpected stop for a few hours. We will arrive just after sunrise. I looked through the window, watching the woods on the other side of the parking lot feeling a sense of foreboding come over me.

"We're going for a run?" my wolf asked, also feeling unsettled.

"I would love to, but we gotta get some sleep. We're not staying long. But I promise we will run the night away tomorrow." I told her. She seemed happy with that, as I could feel her curl up in the recesses of my mind content. Joni had sacrificed a lot of her time living in the human world. She was excited to be returning home where she could be herself again.

Mountain Crest Pack

Mark POV

I hated werewolves, and I couldn't believe I was working with them on this.

Yes, I'll get to kill the pack leaders, but somehow just wasn't enough. I don't know who the mystery wolf is, but he seemed to be tired of the back and forth war just as much as I am at this point. I have spent my entire adult life hunting and killing werewolves for killing my fiancé all those years ago. My fellow hunters were dwindling in numbers, and it was getting harder and harder to recruit new members. Those that learned of the existence of werewolves were more accommodating to their presence since Alpha Dean started his construction firm 25 years ago.

Tonight though, I would get my final revenge. I would kill Dean and Laura Ridgewood, along with their daughter and her mate, and the rest of the pack leaders. The mystery wolf will then take over the pack and announce that they will be relocating as this area is no longer safe enough for them. I will get my vengeance for my sweet Amanda, and will never have to worry about a werewolf again.

I silently crept through the brush in front of the pack house. I was skeptical that the information we received on the guard's duty posts and rounds were accurate, but we managed to evade all detection. I scanned the lawn for Peter and Adam and signaled our attack to begin.

I entered the front door surprised that there was no alarm system; Peter entered through the back and Adam stayed outside to prevent anyone from escaping the pack house. Together we slipped through the house and ascended the stairs. As we reached the landing to the second floor, Peter and his team moved through the hallways to their assigned locations. I and my team continued to the top floor, and reached our prospective doors, the Alpha and Luna's room and the room for their Alpha daughter.

I tapped the button on the radio signaling each team to disperse a gas into each room under the doors, ensuring no one would wake up. A few minutes later I received four signals from everyone that the task had been done. I double tapped the radio letting everyone know it was time to put on their masks and enter, driving a silver blade into the hearts of each of the devils. I creaked open the door to the Alpha suite, keeping a watchful eye on breathing movements of the people in their beds. I slowly crept towards Dean's side of the bed. He was asleep alright, laying on his back. I looked up at the man with me as he reached Laura. She slept on her side, facing her husband. She would have to be stabbed through the back, and I hoped he would be able to stab hard enough to pierce her heart.

I raised the knife over Dean's body. This felt wrong. This was too easy. I must've hesitated too long because I watched from the corner of my eye as Laura was stabbed in the back to the heart. It was a fatal blow, one that she didn't even wake from. Dean on the other hand shot his hand up grabbing my throat. My knife was already descending into his chest, piercing his heart. His free hand grabbed my hand holding the knife, and he lowered me down to his level. I saw blood pouring from his nose and mouth, but his eyes were alive.

"You're coming too." Was all he said, then I felt his hand at my throat squeeze, his claws digging into my trachea. I immediately tasted blood. I tried desperately to free myself from his grip, but it seemed he wanted me to suffer for as long as he lived. I watched his eyes begin to dull, then I felt my skin and esophagus rip from my body. He had just ripped out my throat, and now I was dying too. I slumped to the floor, trying to breathe. My companion crouched next to me, trying to get me to get up, but I knew. I was done. I tried waving him off, but then I noticed growls and howls in the air all around us. Then voices in my earpiece telling me both the betas and Alpha daughter were not in the house. I only half succeeded in my mission, which means I failed. Instead of focusing on that, I turned my mind to Amanda. I wanted my last thoughts to be of her.

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