Chapter Five

Two days later, Monica was discharged from the hospital. Both she and Raul were all smiles, eager to take their infant daughter home. Some aspects of his new life intimidated him. He knew that there were sleepless nights ahead. He could expect that, from now on, he would have to share his precious Monica with his daughter. But, the Alpha was also well aware that, in order to enjoy something bigger and deeper than his past relationship with Monica, he would have to make sacrifices. In spite of those, he would not change this for the world. He was so ecstatic that he would not even consider going back to his old life.

Inevitably, however, as Lockhart forest came into view, his daughter’s namesake rushed back into his mind, stealing some of his joy. He was taking his child home, and the woman he had named her after was no longer residing in the realm of forestland. Where was she? If only Raul could answer that simple question; if only he could have one last conversation with her. At least, he would get the chance to say “goodbye”.

Luckily for him though, he was not given the time to brood. Only minutes upon their arrival at his cabin, his entire pack showed up at his doorstep, to congratulate their Alpha and his mate on the birth of their daughter. For Raul, their visit was most welcome. Yes, they were loud and crude, but their presence was enough to take his mind off Helena. He didn’t want to start talking about her to Monica, especially on the day of their return to their home. The distraction they provided was also one more act of loyalty to their leader. More than ever, Raul needed to know that he had their allegiance. He was weak, perhaps weaker than he thought he would be without the co-protector of his town.

Later that night, Monica set her baby down in her portable bassinette, and made her way over to the dining area. Raul was looking forward to the romantic dinner he had promised to his significant other. As he was lighting the candles however, he realized that, once more, they would have to cancel their plans. The powerful blast of a shotgun echoed in the wilderness, forcing him to toss the lighter across the kitchen table. Raul spun around, and sprinted across the room, at the same time wondering who had disrupted their peace. Storming out of his cabin, he noticed his brother Dean already standing in the yard.

“What the hell was that?” Raul grumbled, jogging towards him. “Did you see anything?”

“I did,” Ray interjected, slamming his front door shut behind him. “I was in my bedroom, when I saw the flash. It came from the south east. I’m thinking close to the road.”

“Hunters, do you think?” Dean ventured a guess, turning his attention to his older brother.

“It must be,” Raul affirmed, with a hint of worry in his voice. “We need to check it out, anyway. Don’t shift. We don’t want to spook them. Let’s go.”

The Alpha sucked in a deep breath, jogging off towards the forest, as his two brothers joined him. There had been hunters in Paxton before. Normally, he wouldn’t bother tracking them down; but, with Helena gone, and with the coming of his child, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down. Raul had to learn the identity of the shooter, for the sake of his family.

“You guys want to laugh? I think Kate’s jealous of Monica. She wants a baby.” Dean’s baritone tore the silence, putting smiles on his brother’s faces.

“Nice.” Ray snorted in amusement. “What are you waiting for?”

“It’s not so simple, kid.” Dean’s voice dropped down two octaves, as he shook his head. “Besides, she and I need to discuss a few things: her job, for example. Let’s say she does get pregnant. Have you seen many pregnant pianists working? She’ll have to quit her job. There’s no guarantee they’ll hire her back.”

“Kate’s a star at what she does,” Raul voiced his opinion, his tone firm. “Why wouldn’t they hire her back?”

“Because whoever they hire in her stead would be cheaper,” Dean explained, a touch of disappointment in his voice. “You’re right. Kate’s a fantastic pianist. That’s why she gets paid so well. Who’s to say her bosses won’t hire someone a little less talented, but twice as cheap?”

Raul chose silence over considering a rebuttal. His brother did have a point. Furthermore, the forest border was very close. Chattering would give away their presence. Just a few feet away from the first balsam fir tree, his suspicions were confirmed. A familiar, eerie scent was in the air: Blood. His only hope was that it didn’t belong to anybody of his own kind.

The muddy ground gave way beneath his feet, as he and his brothers crossed the forest, walking alongside one another, cautious of any other scents. In his heart, Raul had not given up hope that he would run into Helena, even though he knew it was a fool’s hope. If she was anywhere near Paxton, Kate would have announced it to his brother. Before long, he picked up loud, male voices in the air. Raul also spotted two, wide, flashlight beams in the distance. The behavior of the humans was a telltale sign. Dean was right all along. They were dealing with hunters. And, just when he was about to speak, the scent that flew into his nostrils told him the identity of their kill: deer.

“Alright, boys, how do you want to play this?” Raul asked, his gaze locked up ahead of them. “Should we turn around and go home? I mean, it’s nothing serious.”

“I beg to differ,” Dean disagreed, a hint of annoyance in his tone. “We have two humans hunting in the middle of the night? I smell a rat.”

“I’m with Dean on this one,” Ray said, lowering his voice. “They don’t hunt in the dark. It’s very weird.”

Raul’s opinion was different than his brothers’. Given the circumstances, humans are capable of virtually anything. Plus, the smell of alcohol that filled the air just seconds afterwards solidified his point of view. Whoever was in Lockhart forest that night, they were intoxicated. Only drunk men would venture into the realm of bears and wolves, particularly under the cover of darkness. But, before he could mock the human race for its recklessness, the hoarse voice that they heard next sent his adrenaline into the ozone layer. He knew it well, and its owner was familiar with his wolf, or better, his teeth. It was none other than Tom Riker, Monica’s ex-husband. Raul’s initial thought was to finish what he had started, back in the summer. But, he would do no such thing. Riker was armed. This was a battle he could not win.

“Son of a bitch,” he spoke with gritted teeth. “I should have killed that prick.”

“What?” Dean cast a sideways squint up at him. “What are you talking about, what prick?”

“One of them is Monica’s ex,” Raul explained. “What the hell is he doing here?”

“Monica’s ex?” Ray opened his eyes wide in surprise, his voice but a whisper. “For real?”

“That’s right,” Raul gave an emphatic nod. “We should hide. Go find yourselves a tree, boys. Let’s find out what that little shit is doing here.”

Dean and Ray started to the left and right accordingly, as the Alpha continued straight, not leaving the flashlight beams out of his sight, feeling his pulse rising more and more by the second. It had been almost a year since their encounter in Monica’s house. Up until then, he didn’t believe that they would cross paths again, but that was precisely what had happened. Raul couldn’t shake the feeling that Riker’s visit to his birthplace had something to do with him. He was a New York-based advertising executive, far away from home on a weeknight. What else could he be doing there? Keeping his head down, he lengthened his strides, as a large, pickup truck came into view. By now, he could hear Riker’s voice, loud and clear. It came out drowsy, as Raul locked his gaze on a thick trunk ahead of him and slightly to the right. He ducked, holding his breath, as he dropped his gaze down to the ground. Before he could hide behind the tree, he caught a glimpse of the deer, lying dead just a few feet away from the truck’s headlights.

“I sure as hell hope this plan of yours works, man.” A stranger sighed, strapping his shotgun around his shoulder, as he leaned his back against the driver’s side window.

“That damn beast lives around here, Rob,” Tom grumbled, switching his flashlight off, as he strolled towards him. “He won’t resist the easy meal.”

“Meal?” Raul thought to himself. Right away, he realized that his hunch was correct. Riker indeed wanted to capture his wolf. His plan might have sounded solid to him, but Monica’s ex clearly had no idea that he was not dealing with an ordinary wolf.

“A wolf four feet tall, huh?” Rob gave a short chuckle. “Listen, I hate to sound like a broken record, but…” he faltered. “Are you sure you were not stoned that night?”

“I know what I saw,” Tom growled lowly, narrowing his eyes at him. “That fucking wolf was huge. He snapped my wrist like a goddamn twig.”

“You forgot to mention the part when you peed on yourself, you loser.” A crooked smile formed on Raul’s face, as he finished his thought.

“I’m still not buying it, Tom,” Rob stated, his nasal voice riddled with doubt. “I’m giving it another fifteen minutes. Then, I’m out of here.”

“I doubt it will take that long,” Tom muttered, shifting his gaze from his friend to look down at the deer. Raul found himself in a dilemma. Part of him loved the idea of unleashing his beast, and dealing with Monica’s ex, once and for all. Still, he could not allow the wolf to take control. His rival was not alone. Should he decide to confront him, he could not leave any witnesses. He would have to kill an innocent man as well. For the first time in a while, the thought of having to sit by and do nothing seemed like the only logical choice. Regardless of any foul words coming out of Tom’s mouth, he had to keep his cool. At the very least, now, he was aware of his intentions. However, as Raul turned around, the scents that ripped through the air gave him hope; hope that perhaps someone else would take care of his business for him. The animals that bore it were no match for his wolf, but it could easily break Tom’s neck with a swipe of its paw. Black bears were on the prowl, most likely a mother and her cubs. Tom’s plan had worked; yet, the beasts that were closing in were not the ones that he wanted to ensnare. Within moments, Raul could even hear their gallop through the forest, along with their heavy breaths. A quick glance around him told him that Dean and Ray were tiptoeing towards him. His middle brother was staring down at the carcass, whereas the youngest of the lot had focused his attention on Tom.

“Ok, on my mark,” Raul whispered, bringing his gaze to the forest up ahead, away from the approaching conflagration. “Three, two, one… Go!”

At the end of the Alpha’s countdown, the three brothers burst forward, as the bear’s ferocious growl tore the stillness of the night. Tom pointed his flashlight down the narrow path, as the sound of the animal’s paws grew louder by the second. His friend joined him, and cocked his shotgun. But, the sight that greeted them caused Tom’s flashlight to slip through his fingers. Yet another growl exposed massive teeth and fangs, making his jaw drop, as Rob lowered his weapon. Three, smaller bears halted by their mother’s side, as she stood up on two legs.

“Get in the car!” Rob cried out, his eyes opening wide, as the Bradford brothers put distance between them and the scene. Raul tossed a glance over his left shoulder, as the two car doors slammed shut, almost simultaneously. The truck engine roared to life, as he slowed down his pace. The tires kicked up gravel and dust from the ground, as the vehicle backed out of the woods. Disappointment unfurled in the Alpha’s chest, as the headlights began to fade into the distance. The four bears were not going to attack a moving truck, especially now that they had secured their meal. Tom was allowed to live another day, as it occurred to Raul that the war that this human had declared upon him was only just getting started. It was only a matter of time before the man he had spared, just moments ago, came back. The Alpha had to prepare himself in every way; but, first of all, he had to announce Tom’s return to his mate, and, given their history, that was not going to be an easy task.