HUNTED-Chapter 347: Taste of Vengeance (2)

Walking out of the toilets, Rex was adorable in his suit with his furry ears pointed up by the side of his head, and a bushy brown tail behind him, hands a little furry with elongated black claws. His son acted a little sheepish and hesitant at approaching the others in the bar. Aldric pinned a look at the bartender, who was staring at Rex wide-eyed, then looked down after seeing Aldric.

He placed his hand on Rex’s shoulder, comforting his son and showing him he was there and not to fear anyone in the room.

Aldric reached out to Rex’s mind and was a little surprised to feel a connection. Like their minds were now tethered, and he could mind-link him. He was surprised because they weren’t technically in a pack, and he was a lycan now, but he presumed it had something to do with the familial bond.

"You should be proud, son. You’ve shifted at a very young age. It is rare among werewolves." Aldric spoke to Rex through their first mind-link.

Rex stopped, blue eyes widening, and he looked up at his dad. "This is a mind-link. We can speak privately to each other like this, and nobody else will hear," Aldric explained with a small smile and nod, encouraging his son further.

Rex nodded, and faced the room again, straightened his shoulders and stood a little taller, his chin tilting up slightly. Aldric shared a look with Harry, and the rogue smiled down at him. "Welcome to the club, little pup!" Harry lowered a hand for Rex to slap.

He did, and Harry shook his hand out, pretending to be in pain. "You’re already so strong!"

Rex giggled at that and did it again, to which Harry hissed and rubbed his hand. "No more! No more!"

Aldric raised an eyebrow at his friend. Harry was sometimes surprisingly good with children. It really would be a shame if Harry didn’t have one in the future, sticking to his beliefs that he wasn’t worthy of a family or believed them to be a weakness.

Aldric’s attention then moved to Cathy, who was staring at Rex, but the moment he looked at his aunt, she beamed at him, a bright smile on her lips. "Rex, look at you! Are you in any pain?" She came forwards, wiping her eyes and clutched Rex by the shoulders as she looked at him in concern.

Aldric’s heart twisted a little at that. Cathy’s resemblance to Emma was similar yet, at the same time, nothing alike. Still, Callan whimpered in his mind at the loss of their mate.

That chilled knife in his heart warmed a little at seeing Rex’s aunt accepting him and showing him she was not afraid of him. They needed some positivity after all that had happened.

Elissa was next to approach Rex, followed closely by Jack. His daughter instantly hugged him and started stroking his ears. Rex hissed and pushed her back a little, his face grimacing in some pain.

"Sowee!" Elissa exclaimed, pulling her hands back.

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Rex didn’t seem to mind. His tail wagged in response. Normally, he would complain about his overbearing sister, but it seemed since the loss of their mother, his tolerance had grown, and he was protective of her. He had always been protective of her, like the big brother he was, but he hadn’t once complained since Aldric returned and watched the pair.

Jack and Daisy were next to see Rex. They didn’t touch his ears or tail like their wide eyes wanted them to. Instead, they asked him questions like he was a superhero and that he was really cool.

The children wandered off then to a corner, ignoring the man still on the floor as excitement filled their faces. Rex’s shoulders relaxed, making Aldric relax. He would be fine.

Mark started to stir and groan on the floor. Aldric and Harry instantly moved in his direction.

"Do you know when the hunters will be here?" Aldric asked calmly, though his pulse raced, and the urge to strangle the guy was at the forefront of his mind.

"They said in a few hours. We could still take him back to Cathys?" Harry wondered aloud and looked to Aldric for direction. It was his call, after all.

Aldric’s gaze flicked to the kids, his mind in a state of chilling calmness compared to his outrage earlier. Callan also remained quiet, calculating in his mind along with Aldric, though his thoughts were going elsewhere to something much more violent. Aldric cleared his throat and looked back at the man on the floor.

"We’ll take him back with us." Aldric looked at Cathy. "Take the kids back. Get them settled upstairs."

Cathy watched him for a moment. "What will they do to him?"

Aldric shook his head, turning from her, not wanting to see the tears in her eyes. Harry was the one to answer. "You won’t see him again." Aldric’s head whipped in his direction, a flicker of surprise behind his brown eyes.

They didn’t know what the hunters would do. Harry held his gaze for a moment, his own darkening before he lowered to the man on the ground and flipped him onto his front.

Cathy started crying again, but she nodded in understanding. Aldric pitied her. She was in love with a man that most likely wasn’t who she thought he was. She’d lost her sister to him. Aldric was a little surprised there was no resentment or hate towards him as well.

He was the ultimate reason for his mate’s death. Callan growled at his thoughts. "Not our fault," his wolf snapped. "The humans."

Harry left his knee on the back of Mark’s back as he fished through his pockets until he pulled out three plastic strips. Aldric watched, baffled and in slight amusement, as Harry cuffed the man using flexi cuffs.

"Do you just carry them everywhere you go?" Aldric mused aloud, his anger, guilt and sadness dissipating for a moment as he watched his friend.

Harry shrugged, tightening the third lot around Mark’s wrists, checking them and securing them before turning the man onto his back. "You never know when they come in handy." A smirk crossed his lips, and he pulled his phone out. "I’ll update Chase."

Aldric had to move away from Mark, who was trying to sit up and started asking what was happening. Callan was near the surface of his mind again, making Aldric’s hands shake and his nails elongating and retracting as claws. Cathy went to his side, and he heard her asking Mark why he had killed Emma.

Cathy already knew. She’d read his messages, but she couldn’t fathom them and was looking at him with varying emotions. Those emotions burst out into tears down her face, waiting for his answer, but Mark remained quiet.

Daisy and Jack looked over at them, now aware that their mum was crying and their dad was tied up. "Time to go," Aldric said, reaching his hand out to Elissa and the other children. They were still watching Cathy and Mark as he led them out of the bar and towards Cathy’s car.

Not long after, Harry brought Cathy out, holding her arm lightly and showing her to the car.

"What will happen to uncle Mark?" Rex mind-linked Aldric as he started to walk away from the vehicle. He’d already said his farewells to them, though they wouldn’t be long behind them. Rex’s question did stop him in the car park as Cathy’s car started.

He knew children picked up on things quickly, and they were trying to keep them out of it. But Rex or his wolf must have sensed something else was going on. He was right. Mark wasn’t returning, and it wasn’t because the hunters would take him away to some prison.

They weren’t yet established enough for that, and they weren’t law enforcement.

"Mark committed a terrible crime and will be punished for it. When you’re older, I will tell you," Aldric mind-linked back as he returned to the bar and handed a bunch of money to the bartender. If it wasn’t the money that would keep the owners silent, it was their fear for Aldric.

Humans only knew about the supernatural creatures’ existence for barely over two weeks. Seeing one in person was a shock, and Aldric could smell their fear.

"Did he hurt mum?" Rex asked, and Aldric heard the slight whimper of his wolf’s voice mixed with his own in the mind-linked.

"Yes," Aldric replied, his voice cracking. He couldn’t lie to his son, even if he was young. Rex’s wolf probably picked up on it as well. Or Rex heard his comment when he raged about Mark killing Emma.

Rex didn’t mind-link Aldric back. He hoped his son would be okay. By the end of the night, he would check on him.

Aldric stayed around the other end of the bar, not wanting to hear Mark beg for his life like he had been to Harry. His scent, his very presence, made his blood boil. Anger rolled off him, keeping the bartender away from him and looking at him in fear.

His wolf wanted blood. He wanted blood. Humans like Mark deserved to be rid of.

"Al." Harry held out the phone for him.

Aldric retrieved it and put the phone to his ear. "Everything’s done." Chase’s voice came through the other end.

"Good." Aldric ended the call and shared a look with Harry.