Chapter Six

Dakota’s POV

By the time my first week at the outpost was over, I was certain of one thing and that was, Hunter Scornheart existed solely to make my life miserable.

Yesterday training had been brutal but I was certain today would be worse because that was the only guarantee Lila gave me.

I woke up sore, threw on my training clothes and limped toward the door.

“You look terrible.”

I jumped, startled by the voice only to find Hunter leaning against the wall outside my cabin, a thin cigarette dangling from his lips as smoke curled up past his sharp gray eyes.

He had a singlet on with his usual training pants and boots. Looking at his exposed body now, I could see his muscled arms and chest properly, stretching against the thin material of his singlet like it was about to tear it off.

Unreadable inscriptions were tattooed down his arm in a manner that made me stare at it a little too long.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to ignore him.

“Waiting for you.” He pushed himself off the wall and fell into step beside me. “Lila asked me to keep an eye on the new recruit today. Lucky me.”

“I didn’t ask for a babysitter.”

“And I didn’t ask to be one.” He blew smoke right in my face with a stupid smirk on his face. “Yet here we are.”

The training yard was already busy and Lila waved at me from across the field. She did not look sympathetic at all.

Unfortunately, Hunter stayed beside me for the warm-up run.

“You run like a wounded deer.” He announced after thirty seconds.

“You’re breathing all wrong. You’ll pass out before the first mile.”

I kept running and ignoring him. But my jaw ached from clenching it so hard.

The obstacle course was worse, he scaled the climbing walls in seconds, then sat on top of it, his legs dangling over the edge as he watched with struggle with a wide grin on his face.

“Need a ladder, monkey?” He called down, “I can ask Lila for one.”

I grabbed another handhold and pulled myself up, my arms shook and a sharp pain shot down my shoulder.

But I bit down hard on my lip to stop myself from crying out loud.

“My grandmother climbs faster.” He added. “And she’s been dead for ten years.”

When I finally reached the top, gasping and sweating, he was right there. Too close that his lips almost brushed against my forehead.

“Took you long enough.” His eyes flicked over my face. “You always look this angry, or is it just for me.”

I shoved past him and started my descent.

Sparring practice came next. I wasn’t paired with him, thank the moon, but that still wasn’t enough to get rid of him. He stood at the edge of the match, watching and commenting.

Every time my partner knocked me down which was often, his voice cut through.

“At least, fall like a pretty little princess.” He mocked.

I froze. My partner’s fist stopped an inch from my face. Everyone turned to look at me, while Hunter just grinned.

By the moons, I wanted to kill him.

At midday break, I sat alone near the treeline, too tired to eat. The warriors gathered around in groups were chatting so loudly it was difficult to not hear them.

“Did you hear what happened in the pack last week? Turns out, the Alpha’s heir got rejected, publicly.” One of them said and I froze.

“No way. Who would reject Lucian? He’s the future Alpha.” Another exclaimed and my heart skipped a beat.

“Some girl, a gamma’s daughter from what I heard. I think she just wants attention, because why else would a nobody like her decide to do something like that.” Another added.

One warrior whistles, “She must think she’s special or something.”

I stared at the ground, my heart slamming against my chest, hoping none of them would expose my identity.

“I can bet everything that she’ll come crawling back and begging him to take her back.” Another laughed and the other murmured their agreement.

I remained silent, poking at my food aggressively as their words echoed in my mind over and over again.

Was that really what they thought about me?

Suddenly, I felt someone next to me and before I could react, Hunter sat down heavily beside me. Our shoulders almost touching as he pulled out another cigarette.

“So, you’re the one who dared to reject the future Alpha.” He blurted out and I looked up at him sharply.

How did he….

“Stefan told me.” He added as he took a slow drag.

What else did Stefan tell him?

I turned away from him, suddenly interested in my food, hoping he would take the cue and get lost but he didn’t.

“Why’d you say no? Every girl in this pack wants to be Luna. Probably half the boys too if they had their way.” He snorted.

“It’s none of your business.” I snapped, grabbing my plate and rising to my feet.

“Everything here is my business, monkey.” He flicked ash on my tray and forcefully yanked me back down. “Come on, humor me. Was he bad in bed? Bad kisser? Small dick…”

“He’s gay.” The words ripped out of me before I could stop them.

He raised a brow at me, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Then, he threw his head back and laughed, a real sound that rumbled out of him and echoed through the entire yard.

“That’s rich.” He said when he finally stopped. “Alpha heir. Future of the pack. Gay.” He shook his head. “So why marry you then?”

He cocked his head sideways at me, his surprisingly beautiful eyes holding my eyes in a way that made my breath seize.

“He needed an heir.” As soon as the words slid past my lips, I regretted it immediately.

What was it about Hunter Scornheart that made me talk so easily?

“And you were supposed to serve as his incubator?” His expression shifted into something else, something more serious.

“Brave,” He continued, softly. Then he added with a much louder and mocking tone, “Or stupid. Haven’t decided which.”

“I don’t need your opinion.” I spat.

“You see, that’s the thing monkey, you actually do.”

“Stop calling me that!”

He chuckled, totally ignoring me as he rose to his feet.

“For the record,” he leaned forward, his body just an inch away from mine that my entire body stiffened in reaction, he noticed as his breath fanned my face and my eyes lingered at his stupid daring lips instead.

“Turning down a future Alpha takes guts. Even if you’re a monkey.”