HUNTED

Aila stopped watching Gabriel's back as he still faced out the window; her gaze slowly drifted to the coffee table in front of her as she processed everything the vampire told them. The trio's past was such a violent tragedy; she wondered how the brothers were so calm when they faced each other earlier. But Aila knew from spending time with both of them that neither was stupid, and everything they did was calculated. 

However, she imagined more of a response from Cassius. After hearing about his past and from their conversation prior, she knew that was the first time the brothers had seen each other since Gabriel locked Cassius away in the tomb. He did mention how he watched Gabriel over the years, so perhaps tonight was long awaited with a dramatic effect of throwing her straight into the middle of it.

The vampire had a plan, that was for sure; he portrayed him as his brother for so long, using her friendship with Gabriel to gain her trust and building something between them. But instead, it was with Cassius. She was confused and in conflict with herself over Cassius. He helped her in such a dire situation with the hunters; he could have continued to pretend to be Gabriel, but he did not. Was this because Gabriel could be more useful in helping her get rid of Silas?

Was this a part of his plan? But what was his plan? She had no idea what it was or how Cassius' mind worked. Aila's brows drew together, and she raised her hand to her chin, deep in thought. Cassius parted with her as though he was doing her a favour, dropping her off at his brothers.

'I'll be your villain, for now, Aila. But everything I have done is for you. And everything I will do it for us. I have brought you to Gabriel, who controls an empire of vampires… Take advantage of that.'

'I'll see you soon.'

Aila didn't know how to feel from his parting words. She slumped back into the couch with a sigh and felt her body being pulled tightly into Damon's side. This was the first time she completely forgot about her mate's presence. She was so absorbed in the story. Finding out more about her ancestor and the twins, and still with the hunters out to get her..

She gritted her teeth angrily at herself for her uncontrollable emotions when she needed to stay calm. Damon stroked her back soothingly, and she let her head fall onto his chest, closing her eyes. At that moment, she did not care if they were in a room full of people; they were her close friends, she did not need to put on a strong façade.

"I have to say it, Aila.."

Aila snapped her eyes open to see Finn walk around the couch and slump down in the one across from her. Though he looked relaxed, his eyes were still scanning the room. Finn the Delta, her protector, her shield, was always on alert for any possible dangers. She couldn't help but smile at her own thoughts but stopped when she felt Damon's grip on her tighten. He was a lot better than he used to be with his protectiveness and jealousy, but she knew Damon did not act out because he was accustomed to Finn and Ajax now.

"Everything makes sense now," Finn continued, snapping Aila out of her thoughts again. "You're incredibly quick. Many wolves said you were as quick as a vampire.."

Aila's eyes widened as his words sank in more. "Huh, yeah, I suppose you're right. I'm part… vampire.."

"But your ancestor was a second-generation vampire…" Finn looked at Gabriel, who seemed to have taken on Chase's role of brooding and staring out of the window.

"Yes," Gabriel said. Aila looked at his back, blinking. He seemed to be answering someone's thoughts. "The Cross family were already strong werewolves, and the mixture of vampire blood made the generations after hybrids. Though it seemed only Amelia's sons knew of their mixed blood, but they did not pass the knowledge down. This is why it has been such a secret until now. It was most likely because of how much they despised the vampires and so loathed themselves for being half-vampire themselves."

Aila shot up in her seat then. "How does this work, though? Vampires live off blood.. Obviously, I am a hybrid of sorts.. But I haven't wanted blood.. even when I have.." She blushed, thinking of the times she ripped off the heads of those hunters or ripping their flesh away from their necks.

"Maybe, you had it in you all along.. You seem to have a little thing about necks.." Malia snickered, trying to lighten up Aila's mood.

"Pfft, you're the one that ripped their heads off.. You know.. when we went feral?" Aila reminded her wolf.

"Maybe it's in both of us then! Eww.. We are some weird blood-sucking demon wolf!" Malia exclaimed in shock horror. She was now pacing inside of her head, worrying about what they were, even though she was trying to joke with Aila.

Gabriel sighed, and she heard him mumble under his breath, "-blood-sucking demon wolf.." He turned on his heel, walking purposely towards the group, his eyes set on Aila. "You haven't activated your vampire side. So do not worry."

"How do you know that?" Damon spoke up. He had been quiet, but one little touch of the bond revealed he had been digesting everything just as much as Aila was. But he had zero trust in the Vampire King and made sure to have Beta Kane and Gamma Chiara on high alert, directed at him.

Gabriel turned his head slowly towards Damon; his face seemed to become stony as he looked at the Alpha King. "Because if it was, she would not be relaxed right now. Her blood lust would outweigh anything else. It's different with every vampire but… with Amelia's past…" His eyes flickered back to Aila, "She was.. one of the vampires at the beginning to wipe out towns of people from blood lust."

Aila stilled. Towns.. How big were towns back then? Still, 'towns', a plural. Her ancestor killed people from drinking blood.

"So, you mean to tell me.. if I activate my vampire side.. my vampire gene.. I could be exactly like Amelia?" Aila whispered.

Gabriel appeared in front of her then, kneeling so they were at the same height. Chiara and Kane were by her sides a second later, and Damon was stood growling, his hand on the vampire's shoulder. Gabriel glared at Damon but returned his gaze to Aila, who tensed up from her mate and pack leaders protecting her.

"I will not harm your Luna. So, stand down," Gabriel murmured, but nobody listened to the vampire. He didn't move away, though, no matter how much Damon's hand went white from how hard he gripped onto Gabriel's shoulder.

"You will not be like Amelia. Vampire, werewolf, shifter, witch.. The being doesn't define who you are. Amelia could not control her urges because she didn't care for anyone but herself. You do. Anyway, I would not worry about such trivial matters. You won't be a vampire anytime soon." Gabriel's soft voice became curt as he abruptly stood up and turned towards the bar. "Not if I have anything to do with it," He muttered to himself.

Aila frowned at his response but interlaced her fingers with Damon to withdraw his attention from the vampire. She could still feel how unsettled he was and wanted to reassure him. She squeezed his hand gently, and in return, he pulled her up to stand in front of him.

"If that is everything, then we should leave. Find somewhere to stay out of the way from.. the hunters and.. Cassius," Damon said as his eyes wandered over Aila's features, and his free hand swept some of her hair behind her ear.

"You are free to stay here. There are more than enough rooms, and the hunters would never dream of werewolves chilling with vampires.." Gabriel spoke from behind the bar and poured himself yet another drink as his gaze flickered to Chase as he mentioned the hunters.

"We will not be staying here, "Damon replied politely, albeit through gritted teeth.

Gabriel raised a brow at him, "And why not? It is safe here.."

"I do not trust you, and Aila's safety comes first," Damon replied and pulled Aila gently by the arm away from the lounge area.

Gabriel chuckled and walked after them, holding his glass in his hand. "Damon, did you not listen to anything I just said?" He raised his hands out. "This is the safest place for you to be right now. I am not Cassius. I have not deceived you. You can trust me."

Damon eyed the vampire, not hiding his displeasure on his handsome face. Aila could feel a chill in the air, and she knew it was coming from between the two kings. 

"Why would I trust you after the little history lesson you gave us on how you killed someone you loved, locked away your brother, who is now vengeful, and killed a previous Alpha King.. on top of the fact that you live above a vampire bar?" Damon drawled; his voice was low and menacing. 

"You know when he puts it like that.. he has a point.." Ajax interrupted lightheartedly from behind the bar. It seemed he was already making himself at home making quite the flamboyant girly cocktail. "Gabe.. Do you have any of those little paper parasols?" 

"Gabriel," The vampire spat back, "And there should be some under the.. That's not the point." He turned his head back to the Alpha. "I told you my story to show you I have nothing to hide. By all means, leave.. But it is the middle of the night, and after their little bar fight earlier, it would seem everyone requires rest."

Damon and Gabriel stared at each other for a long minute until Aila squeezed Damon's hand. "I trust him," She whispered.

"You trusted Cassius," He snapped back, glaring at her, making her flinch from the anger laced behind his words. "And yet he used your wolf's name against you to kiss you."

Aila's chest tightened, and she felt her own anger starting to bubble up inside of her. "It was not my fault," She replied through gritted teeth, keeping herself under control. "I thought he was Gabriel, who I trust.." She held her finger against Damon's lips to stop him from interrupting, "We will stay here tonight."

"Now you know who wears the trousers in their relationship, Gabe," Ajax snickered from behind the bar and instantly scrambled away when Damon snapped his head in the shapeshifter's direction and, this time, didn't hold himself back from marching after him.

Aila and Gabriel stared on, one in fascination and the other shaking their head as they heard Ajax squeal. "Your Gamma should really sort him out," Gabriel murmured gently in Aila's mind.