Alpha Hunter novel (Rayna and Hunter)

Chapter 12

Reyna Cruz:

I woke Polline up, instructing her to stay vigilant for Turner while I dashed out of the house, heading in the direction of the woods. I'd heard stories of rogue attacks on the streets and roads at night, and I could As I ran like a madwoman, fear began to overwhelm me. I'd had moments when I'd felt the urge to transition, but since there had never been an emergency, I'd never had to transform at night. Usually, Polline a I couldn't understand why Nera had transitioned so suddenly tonight. Unfortunately, the full moon served as a reminder of another precious thing I had to let go of. After being cast out, I'd stopped following the ritual of running with the werewolves on full moon nights. No rogue ventured out during a full moon because they knew the dangerous rogues would be lurking.

'Please, try not to wander off, I urged Nera as I stood in the woods, looking around while feeling my bones shift painfully.

Suddenly, I heard someone approaching, and there was a lot of rustling in the woods. The howling grew intense. It was no surprise that I wasn't alone in the woods.

"My wolf is very... powerful," I yelled in an attempt to frighten off whoever was closing in on me. But they could

sense my fear.

It didn't take long for fully transformed wolves to leap out from behind the bushes. My heart skipped a beat as observed how massive and ferocious they appeared. They had fully surrendered to their wolf instin

seemed to be no restraint.

They hissed and circled around me as I knelt on the ground. I found myself contemplating whether transitioning was a good idea. The fear was that they might hurt Nera.

'It doesn't matter. No matter which one of us they hurt, we'll both feel the pain,' Nera argued, noticing my

resistance to the transformation.

'At least I can endure the pain better. Let me take over,' she urged, scolding me for trying to protect her, even though my human self was more inclined to feel the pain.

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Chapter 12

I didn't heed Nera's advice.

A wolf pounced on me, sinking its teeth into the back of my neck, causing my legs to tremble and me to fall to the ground.

"ARGHH!" I couldn't resist the transition now. My body fought to transform, but another wolf attacked me, sinking its teeth into my ankle and dragging me, while the others bit me on my head and back. The pair disrupted my focus. For an omega like me, it took a great deal of strength to complete the,

transformation.

"AH!" Suddenly, a loud growl reverberated through the air, and one of the wolves was flung away from my side. 1. felt immediate relief as his teeth were no longer embedded in my flesh.

And then another one!

One more!

Finally, the wolf gripping my ankle in its teeth was thrown aside. I lay still, moving only slightly to witness a large red wolf attacking the others. He was nothing like them.

I struggled to maintain consciousness as the wolf took care of the attackers. Staying awake was my top priority If I could just relax my muscles a bit, I might be able to complete my transformation and make my However, soon the woods grew eerily quiet. I remained on the ground, staring up at the cloudy sky when an image obstructed my view. I blinked repeatedly to clear my vision and saw a man with curly brown hair and hazel eyes looking down at me.

He appeared to be shirtless, and I recognized him as the same individual who had arrived in the nick of time to rescue me from the aggressive rogues. He had somehow managed to put on a pair of shorts. Per "Hey!" his voice was like a soothing melody, "I'm here now. You can transition and heal," he spoke gently.

My body quivered as I gazed into his eyes, and then, just before I began the transformation, I heard that voice

within me that I had long forgotten.

'Mate!'

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Chapter 12

The expression on his face intensified, and his eyes narrowed as he looked at me. However, before he could display any shock, I blocked out and underwent the transformation. After shifting, Nera ran around briefly to

heal me, but she didn't fully savor her newfound strength. I was certain she still worried about the rogues returning, and I couldn't blame her.

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It was around dawn when I felt Nera go into slumber and relinquish control of my body back to me. After shifting back, I hurriedly made my way toward the first sign of an open road.

I couldn't fathom why we hadn't been attacked again until I spotted someone standing on the road, waiting for us. I swiftly ducked behind a tree and muttered under my breath.

"It's alright. It's not like I've never seen anyone naked before," he sighed, raising his voice so I could hear him.

"I'm just not used to it anymore," I replied, my foot constantly tapping the ground as I felt self-conscious. Had he been there the entire night? Was that why we hadn't been attacked?

"Well, I can't blame you. But what made you venture out on such a dangerous night with the rogues?" he asked, clearly confused and concerned about why I had come out on a night when I knew the rogues w

wild.

'My wolf felt a desperate need to shift," I explained, glancing around at the leaves and wondering if I could use any to cover my body.

"Here!" he dropped a long coat that landed near the tree.

I hesitated for a moment before peeking my head out and quickly grabbing the coat. As I put it on, the scent of his body enveloped me. "What's your name?" he asked, giving me privacy and not attempting to rush me. I was grateful for his respect and consideration.

"Reyna," I whispered in astonishment. Now that I had covered myself with the coat, I stepped out from behind the tree. But a part of me was still filled with wonder. I was sure something else had happened last when she woke from her slumber. She had helped me heal a great deal after the brutal attack. If I told anyone about it, they probably wouldn't believe that I was still alive.

"And are you a rogue?" he continued to inquire.

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"It's alright, take your time, and then we can have a conversation," he spoke with an unusual calmness that left me wondering why. He was in the woods, a dangerous place, yet he didn't seem phased by it. Th I chewed on my nails and stayed silent. He was a rogue like me; he had

to be. No pack member would venture into the rogue woods and risk their life. But I felt it was crucial not to lead any rogue to my home. It wasn't only about my safety; it also concerned the safety

of my child. Moreover, while I appreciated that this man had saved my life, it didn't mean I could fully trust him.

I couldn't dismiss the nagging thought that he might be a part of that gang and that this could be a ploy to gain my trust. My hesitancy and shyness in his presence led me to conclude that my trust issues were

of me.

Instead of expressing the gratitude I should have, I slipped out from behind the tree and

altered my course. I wasn't certain if he had noticed or how long he thought I was still concealed, but I had successfully made my way to the road. I walked briskly, heading back home. Right at the entrance, I f The moment her eyes fell upon me, her face drained of color. Her expression conveyed how alarmed she was.

"What happened? Why aren't you in your own clothes?" she started questioning, briskly following behind me. My original plan was to head into the woods, disrobe, transition, and then return home wearing my "I was attacked last night," I reluctantly confessed.

"What-" she gasped and pulled me into a comforting hug. "Are you okay? How many were there? You must have fought back hard to come back without a scratch on you," she began to question her own state furrowing.

I could tell the realization was dawning on her. I wasn't sure how that stranger had known I needed help, but I considered myself fortunate that he had been there when I needed it most.

"How did you-" she started to ask, but I responded before she could finish.

"Some very handsome rogue saved me," I muttered, watching her face go blank.

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