HUNTED-Chapter 401: The Order

The Order, how could she forget. They were a terrorist organisation against supernatural creatures. They’d been quiet for a few years now. Keira only remembered her parents and siblings talking about the Order when she was about 8 or 9.

Back then, they’d been attacking civilians, predominantly werewolves and vampires. Once she was a little older, Keira understood who they were. These ex-hunters from an old organisation used to kill supernatural creatures merely on the basis that they weren’t human.

The Hunters Association had been transformed under new leadership.

They were now a special police force, solving problems between humans and supernatural creatures. The association once only employed humans, but Chase, a family friend and the man in charge of the Hunters Association opened it up to everyone over five years ago.

Any supernatural creature who wanted to become a hunter was taken into their academy and trained, using their extra abilities to their advantage and sharpening their skills.

"This is why you need protection." Damon repeated as the news continued in the background, the lights of the TV flashing across their features.

"What about other kids in school?" Keira questioned. "Or any of the other schools?"

Her life wasn’t more important than others.

Branson also wasn’t far from Silver Thorn.

"We are putting protection details in place," Damon explained. So far, we’ve set up security in the most likely places the Order would attack."

"Why are we on the defence? Do we not know where they are?" Keira asked. "Have we not tried tracking them down?"

"We’ve been at war with them far longer than the beginning of the Order," Aila explained, pushing off the sofa and began pacing. "They were once the Hunters Association, so they have tricks up their sleeves and know how to hide, especially after we took them out."

Damon and Aila shared a look, one that also included Finn. It must have been from one of the many heroic tales Keira had heard about her parents and her circle of trusted friends. Or as Ajax liked to put it, ’The Prisoners Club’.

"Starting tomorrow, please accept your security to school." Damon then grumbled, "I’d prefer it if you stayed home until this blew over."

"But your mum has talked me out of it. If you cannot abide by these rules, however, you will be taught here at the packhouse," Damon warned Keira as he rose from the sofa.

"Don’t really have a choice," Keira murmured, then sighed, realising how much of a moody teenager she sounded. Her parents only wanted to protect her, even if it was a bit overbearing at times. Her brothers were just as bad at being overprotective.

"You’re not the only one. Amerie has a few photoshoots coming up. We have had to up her security," Aila added as though to comfort her daughter.

It did, in fact, comfort Keira to know that she wasn’t the only one who would have a shadow or two following her around. Amerie was a bit of a diva, so she felt a little sorry for her guards.

Keira nodded as they began to file out of the living room. "Dinner is being served. Do you want to sit with us?" Aila asked, already walking towards the dining room where the family ate together.

Twice a week, they ate with the leaders of the pack and with their own children.

Keira realised her mum was giving Keira more space, understanding that she didn’t want to always sit together with everyone.

Aila thought it was typical teenage behaviour, but Keira had other reasons. She absolutely loved her family; her siblings were amazing, but her own insecurities, lack of skills and inferiority to the others made her jealous at times, and it played with her mind. She didn’t ever like thinking negative thoughts about her family, yet everyone was perfect besides her.

She was the odd one out, and it drove her crazy at times.

"I want to see Sora," Keira replied. It wasn’t entirely an excuse. "She returned today, and I had only seen her for a little while. I want to see what she’s been up to all summer."

"Alright. Don’t stay up too late." Aila smiled as Damon hooked his arm around her waist and tugged her into his side, kissing the top of her head and murmuring about needing alone time that he didn’t expect Keira to hear.

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Keira scrunched up her nose in response, but a smile followed as she turned away from her parents, who never went too long without showing their affection for each other. They were the ultimate couple goal to have and one Keira and her siblings all looked up to.

She was pretty sure it gave all of them high standards. Their dad adored their mum. They were the ultimate power couple.

Keira parted from her parents, heading in the opposite direction, returning to the kitchen where pack members were already feasting, sitting around with piles of food on their plates. It really was a werewolf thing. Their bodies were fit and something humans aimed to look like. They were unfairly able to eat whatever they liked because of the many calories they burned throughout the day.

"Sora!" Keira located her friend, smiling and nodding at the pack members with whom she felt comfortable.

Sora threw a grape in her mouth, grinning before she skipped over and hugged Keira tightly. She was taller than Keira, the ’legs 11’ of their little group. With short hair like her mum, vibrant green eyes like her dad and tanned skin, she was a stunner that most men fell for.

Sora didn’t care about guys, though, or about finding her mate. She didn’t use her looks like Rhea to manipulate men into doing her bidding; she was just… Sora—it was the best way to describe the tall ball of sunshine.

"Hey, doll, have you gotten skinnier?" Sora frowned and shouted over her shoulder at no one in general, "Can someone get me a cake over here?!"

"Sora!" Keira groaned, pulling away. "I’m fine, everyone!"

If Keira didn’t say so, the chefs and pack members would fuss over her, and she didn’t want that.

Sora chuckled and slipped her arm around Keira’s shoulders, steering her towards the large kitchen island piled with food, mostly meat and vegtables, and at the end desserts ranging from healthy fruits to tiramisu’s, profiteroles and ice creams.

Once they selected their food, the pair sat down outside on one of the tables, facing the forest. "Tell me, how was your summer?" Keira inquired, wondering where exactly she’d ventured.

Sora was half werewolf and shapeshifter, but she manages to shift between wolf form and to a few select animals. She was known as a rare hybrid but she was sure there were others like her, most likely hidden like many shapeshifters were.

Sora twirled the straw in her iced drink, smiling softly. "It was fun."

"Fun?" Keira dropped her fork. "That’s it? Nothing else? There’s no juicy details?!"

Sora snorted. "You’re sounding more like Rhea now. What do you expect? A whirling summer romance?"

"No, but a little more action than…just fun! Come on! Did you find any shapeshifters?" Keira asked, imploring Sora with her eyes.

"I did, but I can’t say much about it." She held her hand up, the other on her chest. "Sworn secrecy. All I can say is I met a few, learnt some new skills and more about the history of them. Again I can’t say anything."

Keira watched her for a moment more, realising her friend was being serious, which was unlike her unless it was something important, so she dropped the matter. The rest of their meal was spent catching up, and Sora asked more about Keira’s hot stalker.

"Don’t!" Keira pushed her plate away. "He’s not my stalker, and you’ve been reading too many dark romances to think a stalker is hot without any ulterior motives than to woo a woman with consent."

Sora pouted. "There’s nothing wrong with a little fantasising, ya know." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"He was there, just watching as those girls recorded my reaction to my punctured tyres," Keira clipped, eyes burning with how much it really was upsetting her.

She didn’t know this man and in one day her thoughts had been about him and her feelings already hurt from something as pitiful as some girls playing a prank and trying to ruin her reputation with the media. Not that there was much of a reputation to ruin in the first place.

Sora slammed her fist on the table. "No one does that to my girl. Who are these bitches?"

"Don’t stir up trouble. Cato has already claimed the spot of getting revenge-"

"They stirred up shit first." Sora tapped her fingers, eyes glowing a light amber as her slitted pupils revealed her cat-like shapeshifter tendencies. "Maybe I should have a word with Cato… See what he’s planning. At least then they won’t mess with you again-"

"Sora, please." Keira reached out to her friend as she pushed back from the table.

"Don’t worry. You won’t get mixed up in it. And that guy… Kodi? It might be harder to get some sort of vengeance on him, but I’ll compare notes with your bro…" Sora began walking away, her mind already set.

Keira called after her, but she shifted into a little black bird and flew away. Worry formed in her gut, ensuring she didn’t sleep well that night and forcing her to wear concealer under her eyes the following day to hide the dark circles. She was a Cross, she couldn’t look human and actually show how bothered the whole ordeal with the punctured tyres actually affected her.