4

Aiden stopped his car just outside the entrance and waited. He opened the electric window and looked around. Suddenly he felt a strange sensation. A long shiver ran through him from head to toe, while an irresistible perfume reached his nostrils. He took a deep breath, reveling in the smell. He finally got out of the cockpit and looked around him. He saw Ben coming towards him with a blissful smile, then a girl from behind. She froze before shaking her head and getting into her car.

He closed the door and walked towards her. Ben appeared in front of him and hugged him tightly. Aiden pushed him away violently.

- But what's wrong with you, idiot?

- What girl ?

- The huntress. She's... my god, I'm in love.

Aiden pretended to vent it. He noticed that the girl was gone and felt strangely sad.

- Calm down, idiot. Where did you see him again?

- She just arrived in town and guess what?

The Alpha glared at him, he was in no mood to play guessing games.

"She's in our class," he said happily.

- A hunter is in our class and you like it?

Aiden raised an eyebrow. He refrained from calling him a stupid, hormone-disturbed Beta. He groaned and got behind the wheel of his car. Ben took a seat next to him and kept talking all the way home about how pretty he thought the hunter was.

- Where are you going during these few days? Ben asked as he opened the door.

-Seattle.

Ben gave him an accusing look.

- You're going to see Maya, right? Little stalker! I knew your story would last despite the distance!

Aiden rolled his eyes. Maya was his girlfriend, only a few months ago she left to join a powerful pack in Seattle. She had followed her parents, but she had promised her that she would join her pack when she was eighteen. One year, he only had to wait one year.

- It's his Alpha that I'm going to see, he specified.

- Do you want a wedding ring? We're already allies, I'm telling you.

- I want Maya to join the pack.

Ben frowned. Aiden knew his brain was racing.

- You'll take her like Luna, including the Beta.

Aiden didn't answer and stared at a point in front of him. He didn't know yet if he was making the right decision, but a Luna was essential.

- I do not know yet. Maybe.

- She won't be the supreme Luna, do you know that?

- The Supreme Luna is a myth, Ben. I don't know anyone who has met their soul mate.

- It's not a myth, sulked the Beta, crossing his arms. The huntress is my soul mate, I'm sure.

Aiden rolled his eyes. He was starting to hit her on the system with her hunter. When he came back, he would question this girl. The Alpha dismissed his Beta and the latter returned home. Aiden glanced at his suitcase behind him and headed for the nearest town with an airport.

* *

*

Heather walked into her house and found a note taped to the fridge.

"We're on patrol. You can go back to the forest, that would be less for us."

- Filled with warmth, the girl commented ironically.

She took a bottle of orange juice which she drank from the neck before going up to her room. Her laptop was on her bed. She opened it and a page about werewolves popped up instantly. She watched the grotesque image of a monstrous wolf appearing to frighten children. Heather shook her head, it was pathetic. The wolf she had seen looked nothing like this depiction.

The ringing of her phone startled her. She looked at the name displayed, it was James. Heather answered without further ado.

"James," she breathed.

- Hi, Heather. I found the book you asked for. I sent it to you by mail. You should receive it within a few days.

- THANKS.

- Did you warn your parents about the wolves? he asked.

Heather sighed. She wasn't even sure what she was talking about. Maybe it was just an ordinary wolf.

- I have not had the opportunity, she confessed sheepishly.

"Heather," James sighed. They must know.

- But we don't hunt werewolves, she got angry.

- It's not a reason. Exactly, maybe they could help.

The young girl doubted it. Vampires were hard to spot. If the wolves knew anything about them, surely there would have been a war in this town. It wasn't, because she was strangely peaceful. If the city was filled with wolves, packs, then she had to learn more about them.

She didn't like playing on land already occupied by a species she knew nothing about. James had taught him that: learn the rules before playing a game.

- I'll tell them, I promise.

But not now, she thought. Before she wanted to see this wolf again. The only chance she had of crossing him was to go to the forest. She agreed to play the game of her parents who put her aside, but only to see the wolf.

James hung up shortly after. He played her his little number as always: be careful, always think before you act, observe your surroundings, etc. Heather knew this advice by heart, she had followed her intensive training with more enthusiasm than necessary.

She then spent a few hours on the net, then in the files of the police. No news about Paige. Heather sighed then angrily closed her computer. She got up, took her bow and left. She arrived in the forest a few minutes later. Night had fallen some time ago.

She went through the trees again, but this time she didn't want to meet a vampire, she wanted to see the wolf. After an hour of walking, she realized she was lost. Heather looked around. She was in the center of small rocks forming a perfect circle.

- Okay, Heather. Now is not the time to panic. You'll be fine, she encouraged herself.

When a wolf howl echoed in the forest, she jumped in spite of herself. A few minutes later, she heard footsteps approaching her. She pointed her bow towards the source of the noise and was relieved to see the wolf she had met the day before.

This last one observed with an evil eye the arc pointed on him. She hastened to lower it and pass it around her body so as not to have it in her hands anymore. Wolf then advanced towards her before stopping a meter away.

Heather sat down in the middle of the circle formed by the rocks. The two stared at each other without moving.

- Good, began the young girl. I know you are no ordinary wolf. You are a werewolf, right?

The wolf didn't move an eyelash. For a moment, she thought she had been completely wrong. As she felt discouragement overwhelm her, the wolf nodded, still looking at her.

- Oh. Can you take your human form? she asked hopefully.

She really wanted to know who this wolf was. She knew so little about werewolves. James' book would then have been useless. She had an encyclopedia in front of her. The wolf shook his head and took a step back.

- You want to keep your identity a secret, right?

The wolf didn't move an eyelash. For a moment, she thought she had been completely wrong. As she felt discouragement overwhelm her, the wolf nodded, still looking at her.

- Oh. Can you take your human form? she asked hopefully.

She really wanted to know who this wolf was. She knew so little about werewolves. James' book would then have been useless. She had an encyclopedia in front of her. The wolf shook his head and took a step back.

- You want to keep your identity a secret, right?

The wolf nodded again. Well, this is going to be complicated, she told herself.

- Have you, by any chance, heard of vampires?

The wolf squirmed around, his bones cracking before he took on human form. The man was tall, shapely and...naked. Heather opened her eyes wide, completely stunned.

- Are you a vampire hunter? A familiar voice cried.

The werewolf's face looked surprised. His blue eyes stared at her. He didn't seem the least bit embarrassed by his nudity, unlike Heather.

- Well? She whispered, finding no other word.