HUNTED

Aila sprinted through the woods as quick as her legs could carry her; her throat and lungs felt on fire from the burning sensation. She didn't know if it was in need to drink more blood or because she lacked oxygen. She abruptly stopped, gasping in the fresh air and stepped to the side using the coverage of a tree. Aila leaned back into the bark and tried to slow down her breathing and pounding heart that thudded so harshly it made her wonder if it was going to leap out and leave her. 

With her hands behind her head, she clenched her eyes shut. Aila knew from Davian's diary that she could get addicted to drinking blood; she knew from the Moon Goddess' warning that she needed to stay in control. If she didn't, what would happen to her? What would happen to her wolf? These were questions she desperately wanted to ask Davian. He'd been through it. But she wasn't sure if he would help her or not, already she saw him obeying Cassius' command. 

It was something so small, but Aila noticed it. Davian couldn't disobey Cassius; it was almost like the Alpha voice Alpha's used to control their packs. Most didn't like to use it because it went against their nature of protecting the pack and leading it, but the advantage of it was to be used against disobedient werewolves who did not agree or want to follow any orders. She thought of Finn at that moment and how if she knew he would sacrifice himself for her, which was precisely something he'd do, then she, as his friend, would never allow it and use the Alpha's voice on him. 

Finn.. Aila released a long breath, thinking about her Delta. Unlike Damon, whereby the bond told her if he was well, she didn't know about her friend. That night was still a bit of a blur, but she remembered he was injured quite severely. Her teeth clenched together when she remembered that Clint was the mastermind behind this plan. That psychopath was the one to have led her here in Cassius' castle, wherever it was. 

Aila draped her hands down her face, covering her eyes as she tried to distract herself with thoughts of the hunters and Clint instead of thinking about her desire to drink blood. Though her desire to shed Clint's blood along with the hunters who were after her burned brighter than before. They'd killed so many creatures, chased her, and threatened her pack all because she was there, and that wasn't even the worst part; they'd killed children and imprisoned them. 

She dropped her hands to the side as she stared at the trees across from her, suddenly flinching from biting her tongue. Aila parted her lips from the taste of blood in her mouth, then felt her teeth with her tongue, her eyes widening when she felt the sharp tips of fangs. Her trembling hand went to her mouth and touched the fangs she believed to be a part of her imagination. She scoffed and slid down the length of the tree until she was crouched over.

Why was she so surprised at feeling fangs in her mouth? She was a hybrid.. Part werewolf, part vampire. This was a part of who she was now, or had it always been a part of her? Considering her blood was always mixed. This was something else she now had to get accustomed to, but that didn't mean she had to follow Cassius. She could find her own way. Davian said it would get easier. 

The sound of feet stepping into the dirt snapped her out of her reverie. Aila looked to the side and smelled the air for a scent. Whoever was approaching her wasn't Cassius, but they were extremely quiet, yet she had a feeling they were making their presence known to her. She was so consumed by her thoughts that it took her a while to realise they were nearby. 

Aila saw large bare feet and dark jeans approaching her, and she relaxed further against the tree, looking forward again. Davian stopped and leaned his arm against the tree she was crouched against. "This isn't a very good hiding spot, you know. You didn't even hide your scent," He muttered, then sighed when she did not reply. 

Davian walked around Aila and squatted down in front of her. "You know if you kept running, I would have let you get away-"

"Are you sure Cass would have allowed that?" Aila snapped and looked up at him; he flinched and looked away, grabbing a stick to play in his hands. 

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"His orders were to bring you back. He never said to put one hundred per cent effort into it. You could have lost me.. You're fast like I expected. Although hiding.. is not your best skill," He jested, but his smile fell when he looked back at Aila. 

"So, you mean to say, you can get away with not following orders or following them to a certain degree depending on how Cassius says them?" Aila asked while assessing his face. They did look related even without their hair colours matching. His jaw was sharp, his cheekbones high, and they even had the same nose. 

Davian nodded as he too scrutinised her face much like the night of her coronation. Well, she was the spitting image of his mother, unfortunately. "What happens if you disobey?" Aila asked, wondering about her own future with Cassius. 

Future.. She didn't even want to think about a future only filled with that white-haired vampire. Her mate and pack needed her. She'd only been awake a few hours and could feel the desperate calls of them, her own body wanting to flee and go straight to them. But Cassius would know where she'd go first; going back to Silver Thorn was not an option. If Cassius wasn't coming after her, then his little minion here would, and he was probably stronger than Damon. 

"You can't disobey," Davian replied simply. Aila searched his face and was saddened to see that his simplicity was because he was used to it. But, even though Davian said that he was still only squatting in front of her and was not forcefully bringing her back to Cassius. Yet.

"But you haven't exactly brought me back to Cass yet?" Aila retorted as she officially collapsed her backside onto the ground and spread her legs before her after realising Davian wouldn't try anything.

"No, the urge to take you there right now is hard to resist. But I know you need some space from him. I'll answer whatever I can. So use this time wisely, Aila," Davian advised as he threw the twig away and picked up another with leaves on. 

Aila stared at him for a moment before lowering her gaze. She was pretty sure she understood what Davian meant by being unable to disobey Cassius. He told her to drink earlier, and she obeyed him without hesitating, though the idea of drinking human blood repulsed her. 

She had been human a few months ago! 

"I'm surprised Cassius didn't come himself. Where is he?" She asked while putting her hands in the sleeves of her hoody anxiously. 

"Feeding." Aila raised a brow at this. Was Cassius so arrogant to think she'd come back so easily? Davian decided to expand further on his comment after reading her unimpressed face. "You.. drank a lot of his blood over the last few days. He needs to regain his strength."

Aila blanched at this. She'd drank so much of his blood while unconscious, enough to make him fatigued. Cassius didn't look fatigued, but then he was a vampire. She sighed and closed her eyes, letting the wind howl between them as their only disturbance to the comfortable silence. She didn't care if Davian was struggling right now to take her back; she needed to be away from the temptation of blood. 

"How long did it take for you to control your urges?" Aila whispered, her eyes still shut. Now that she was thinking about it again, she couldn't ignore the fire flickering up her throat. 

She'd had enough blood! 

You do not need it.

You do not need it.

You do NOT need blood! Aila started repeating it to herself in the hopes of overcoming this new feeling.

Davian sighed, "It will take some time. I won't lie to you, but considering you've just been awakened, you are doing really well." 

Aila snorted at his compliment and opened her eyes. "I ran away so I couldn't drink more.. out of sight out of mind.. is what I was going for anyway," She muttered, the corner of her lips trembling to stay up and hoping to hide the emotional turmoil within her.

"At least you didn't kill multiple people because you were hungry.." Davian replied flatly. She flicked her eyes at him and watched as he continued to strip the leaves off the twig he picked up, his features full of guilt. After all these years, he still felt guilty. If Cassius had been with him from the start, would he have killed all those people? 

"I thought you hated him," Aila said, looking down as her hands played with the ends of her sleeves. 

"I do." Aila looked up then with hope blossoming in her crystal blue eyes. "But it is hard to hate your master.. If you hate him as much as me.." He looked at her as though he didn't believe she did. "You will see what I mean."

Did she hate Cassius? Aila frowned at the question she could not yet provide an answer to. He hadn't done anything yet that would make him hate him so much and felt sad by the idea that her opinion of him might change. She certainly didn't trust him.

But if Davian despised Cassius as much as she thought he did, why was he here? 

"I thought.. Cassius didn't help you.. your diary didn't mention him. He left you to fend for yourself as a hybrid.." Aila looked at him questionably, hoping to clear a few things about her ancestor. She didn't sense he was a bad person, and maybe he might be able to help her out of this. 

Davian sighed and hopped up to stand, throwing away the stick. Aila looked up at him but pushed herself up as well, brushing down the back of her leggings. "Cass did leave me.. And I did fend for myself." He began to walk away, putting his hands in his pockets. Aila caught sight of the guilt passing over his features again before he looked away, almost trying to hide his eyes from her. Or maybe he couldn't stand looking at her for too long. 

"So.." Aila urged, falling in step by his side. She was happy to see they were not going directly back towards the castle. 

Davian stopped and looked down. "I'm sure you know all about Gabriel and Cassius.. and the tomb under Silver Crescent's packhouse.." 

Aila frowned, not knowing where Davian was going with this. 

"A master can call to their childe, no matter how far away they are.. They can keep calling to them.. I resisted going to him for ten years.. But one night, I was weak from a fight. I'd lost a lot of blood.." He scoffed. "Not that that should be an excuse.. Anyway, Cassius broke through my guard, and I went to him.."

Went to him.. The tomb..

"I was the one to set Cassius free."