Chapter Sixty Four: The Hunted


    Knox''s heart clenched at the sight of her, memories of their past flooding back. He stared at her and felt


    nothing but hate.


    Seraphina watched the exchange, her heart beating. She felt Ryder''s re on her. She wanted more


    than anything to kiss her teeth at him but she remained focused on them.


    Knox turned to Seraphina, ignoring Reba''s presence, "The only reason you are still standing there


    is because of what you did for my mate. Get her and get out of my study and if I even catch a glimpse


    of her in the pack—"


    He finally looked at Reba, "There will be no hesitation on my part. Pup or no pup."


    Reba took a cautious step forward, her eyes locked with Knox''s. "I didn''te here to cause


    trouble," she said softly. "I just... I have nowhere else to go."


    Knox''s anger red as Reba attempted to take another step towards him. He could feel Ryder''s


    protective stance next to him.


    "Don''t take another step, Ba," Ryder''s voice was firm, a warningcing his words.


    Reba''s eyes flickered with hurt, but she stopped in her tracks, respecting Ryder''s authority. She


    looked back at Knox, desperation evident in her eyes. "Please, Knox, just hear me out," she pleaded.


    Knox''s jaw clenched, "You forfeited any right to be heard when you betrayed us," he retorted coldly.


    Reba''s shoulders slumped, and she looked down at the ground, seemingly defeated. "I know I


    messed up," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I''ve changed, Knox. I''m not the


    same person I was back then."


    Knox remained stoic, unwilling to let his guard down. "People don''t change overnight," he replied. "And


    even if you have, it doesn''t erase the pain and damage you caused."


    Tears welled up in Reba''s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "I never wanted to hurt you," she


    said softly. "I just wanted power and I went too far to get it and now Niki is gone—" She stopped as


    the tears started to flow.


    Knox felt Aria''s psychic pull, "She has nowhere to go and she is carrying a pup. If not for anything


    else." Knox sighed wondering why his mate was so kind hearted.


    "Wait outside. I need to talk to Ryder." He said, suprising everyone in the room.


    Reba nodded, wiping away a tear that had escaped her eye. "Okay," she said, her voice choked


    with emotion. "Thank you."


    As Seraphina guided Reba out of the study, Ryder turned to Knox. "What do you want to do?" he


    asked quietly.


    Knox sighed, the anger slowly dissipating as he looked at his beta. "I don''t know," he admitted. "My


    wolf hates get but Aria…"


    Knox didn''t need to finished the sentence. Ryder already understood.


    Ryder nodded, "Whatever you decide, I''ll support you," he said. "But remember, we need to think about


    other members of the pack— Lydia, Shana and most especially Melody will not be happy if decide to


    let her stay."


    Knox nodded in agreement, grateful for Ryder''s unwavering loyalty. "I know," he said. "I will talk to them


    about it before making any permanent decision but until then–"


    "I will make sure she stays away from you." Ryderpleted.


    ************


    In a dimly lit underground chamber, the air was heavy with anticipation as werewolf hunters from


    different corners of the world gathered. The room echoed with hushed murmurs and the clinking of


    weapons, creating an atmosphere of tense expectancy. The hunters, driven by their fear and hatred of


    werewolves, hade together under amon purpose: to eradicate the creatures they saw as


    monsters.


    As the minutes ticked by, the tension in the room became almost palpable. Whispers of previous


    encounters with werewolves and tales of near escapes added to the sense of foreboding that hung in


    the air. The hunters nced at one another, their eyes filled with determination and a shared sense of


    mission.


    Then, like a sudden gust of wind, the room fell silent. All eyes turned toward the entrance as the leader


    of the hunters, Antonio, stepped into the chamber. Tall and imposing, his presencemanded respect


    and fear in equal measure. He was known for his ruthlessness and unyielding hatred for werewolves,


    and the scar that ran across his face served as a constant reminder of the battles he had fought.


    Antonio''s gaze swept across the room, his eyes cold and calcting. His lips curled into a sneer as his


    eyes settled on the wolf in the middle of the room, chained to the ground. The wolf''s fur was dark as


    night, and his eyes glowed with a fierce determination that matched Antonio''s own.


    One of the hunters stepped forward, bowing slightly in deference to their leader. "Sir, we caught him


    hunting within the woods, looking for his next kill " he said, his voice respectful but filled with a hint of


    excitement.


    Antonio regarded the hunter with a steely gaze before turning his attention back to the captive wolf.


    "Good," he replied, his voice icy. He turned to the chained wolf, "Shift."


    The wolf growled, his eyes locking with Antonio''s. The hatred between the two was apparent, each


    seeing the other as a symbol of everything they despised. The hunters looked on, their anticipation


    growing as they awaited their leader''smand.


    With a wave of his hand, Antonio motioned for the hunters to step back. "Prepare the ritual," he


    ordered, his voice low andmanding. "We will make an example of this wolf and show the world that


    we are not to be trifled with."


    Antonio looked at the wolf again, his voice moremanding this time, "Shift."


    A second passed and finally bones cracked as the wolf shifted into his human form.


    Antonio circled the chained wolf, his eyes filled with disdain as he taunted him. " What is your name?"


    The wolf red at him, "Why do you want to know? You will kill me anyway."


    A cruel smile finally rose to Antonio''s lips, "Because you will be another name added to my list. Your


    name wolf."


    "John."


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    Antonio tasted the name on his tongue, "John. You werewolves think you can just take whatever you


    want because you have power," he sneered. "You roam thesends, killing as you like, thinking you''re


    above us humans."


    Jonh''s eyes narrowed, but he held his ground, his voice calm and steady. "We only defend our territory


    and protect our pack," he replied. "You humans have encroached on ournds, destroying the bnce


    of nature. You build your cities, pollute our waters, and expect us to stand idly by."


    Antonio''s eyes mirrored pain and anger as he retorted, "And you think ughtering innocent people is


    justified? You''re nothing but savages."


    John''s gaze remained unwavering. "We never attacked humans unprovoked," he stated firmly. "Your


    kind fears what it doesn''t understand, and in turn, you hunt us down without mercy."


    "And what about the children? The families you''ve torn apart?" Antonio spat, his spite for their kind


    evident. "You call yourselves protectors, but all you bring is destruction."


    John''s eyes softened with sorrow. "We have lost loved ones too," he said, his voice tinged with pain.


    "But we do not seek out needless violence. We only want to live in peace."


    Antonio scoffed, his hatred clear in his voice. "Peace? As long as your kind exists, there will be no


    peace for us humans," he growled.


    "You can''t me an entire species for the actions of a few," John replied, trying to reason with Antonio.


    "We are not monsters; we have families, feelings, and the same desire for safety and happiness as you


    do."


    "Save your lies," Antonio retorted, his voice cold and unyielding. "You''ve caused enough suffering. The


    world would be better off without your kind."


    John''s eyes shed with anger, but he took a deep breath, trying to remainposed. "We are not the


    monsters here," he said firmly. "Your hatred blinds you to the truth. We only defend ourselves and our


    loved ones, just like you do."


    Antonio shook his head, refusing to listen. "You expect me to believe that?" he spat. "Your kind has


    taken enough lives. I will pick all of you one after the other and bring and you will all meet your end."


    "Everything has been set in ce for the ritual." The room fell silent as every hunter anticipated what


    would happen next.


    All eyes were on Antonio as he stepped forward, a look of triumph in his eyes. He raised a silver


    dagger, its de glinting in the candlelight, and the room held its breath.


    The tension reached its peak as Antonio brought the dagger down. Their eyes met and Antonio smiled


    just before the dagger pierced his head and he saw the fear evident in the wolf''s eyes.


    As John fell to the ground with a thud, one of the hunters stepped forward offering a cloth to Antonio.


    He took it wiping the blood off his de.


    Finally he turned to the hunters in the room, "I will waste no one''s time but giving a long speech. We


    know why we habe gathered here." His hand went to the scar on his face, "These creatures have taken


    away so much from us but not anymore. From today on wards, we hunt and we kill."


    "Death to all werewolves." One of the hunters shouted and the cheers erupted.


    Antonio finally smiled fully as he looked at the dead on the floor, "Death to all werewolves."