What Hunter?

...

Kyley was still deep in her thoughts when Darren returned into the room with a tray of sweet delicacies in hand. The smell of the delicious meal quickly filled the room and Kyley subconsciously reached to see what was inside the dishwares- that looked quite classy to the taste of anyone.

"Sorry it took a while but, I didn't know your preference so..." Darren placed the tray on the bedside table and stood to place both hands on his waist.

"I made varieties" He was even more proud of himself seeing the look on Kyley's face.

"All yours" he said with a smile when he saw how Kyley looked up and asked with a face that says 'so when do I get to eat this'.

"Th-thank you" Kyley quickly reached to pick the meatloaf and gobbled it down her throat. Not minding the slight aches on the side of her mouth. She didn't even realize that she made haughty noises as she ate. Or maybe she just didn't care?

Darren watched amusedly from where he sat in the other side of the room.

"Try the marinated steaks as well. Fresh venison hunted just this morning. Very good for revitalizing." Darren recommended.

Kyley stopped eating as if she were a thief caught stealing. She slowly moved her gaze from the plate in her hand and dropped the half-bitten meatball back into the bowl of soup. She had totally lost herself in the food and forgotten that there was anyone else in the room.

"Y-you're not eating?" Kyley asked.

'If you're going to be cautious, it has to be before you start eating, woman!' Darren couldn't help but smile bitterly at her hypocrisy.

"No, thank you. I'm on a diet." He replied in an utmost sincere tone, knowing well that he certainly would not be on that diet later in the night.

Kyley began to be suspicious and she slowly put down her plate of meatballs. She sat well on the bed and gazed at Darren warily.

'firstly, these delicacies are all meats.' Kyley looked towards the other meals in the plate. 'secondly...' she looked towards Darren once again. 'He mentioned revitalizing.'

" You know.. you know what I am" Kyley was beginning to feel threatened. Last thing she wanted was to end up in the hands of a hunter after all she'd experienced.

Darren was surprised at first when she started acting strange but he couldn't help but smile when he understood why she was acting this way. However, he had to stop her from freaking out first.

"Well, yes. I found you lying down in your wolf form after all." Darren confessed.

Kyley's heart pounded in deep dread following his words and her thoughts raced in every which part in sought for a way out. She observed him for a while, desperate to find any sign of a lie in his words.

"Then... Then, if you're looking to use me to capture the rest of the Moonblood pack, I only have one condition..." Kyley spoke straight to the point.

"Wha--"

" I'm weak as you've probably realized and I can live quite well with humans. So I request that you leave me alive and help me settle in the cities after everything" Kyley demanded resolutely. In a situation as such, she was better off finding a way to survive first.

Silence reigned for a while as Darren and Kyley stared deep into each other's eyes. The latter staring dead serious at the former.

"Hahahahaha!!" Darren suddenly burst into a laughter that caused Kyley's heart to tremble. He couldn't hold back the amusement anymore.

" I'll tell you, this is the best I've had in a long while. Hahaha!"

" What?" Kyley was dumbfounded and scared. Has he gotten delusional?

Darren stopped laughing and stared at Kyley " What? You're the one who started speaking about some weird stuff on and on" He protested seeing the look Kyley was giving him.

Kyley hid her face in embarrassment once again. She managed to raise her head and spoke in a meek tone while still avoiding Darren's gaze later. "A-aren't you a hunter?"

"A hunter?" Darren repeated after her in confusion.

"No, I'm not. Hehe" he chuckled after. Understanding Kyley's plight, he continued "Let's just say I'm a kind man who only wants to help you" he finished with a broad smile.

Kyley was surprised. From what she knew and had experienced, kind people do not exist. He must have some hidden motive that was unknown to her, without doubt.

Darren suddenly looked out and seeing that the previously orange tinged sky was turning gray and dark, he rose from his seat.

" Well, I'll leave you in your own company now. It's bed time and I'm quite the early to rise type. I believe you can tuck yourself in without my help?" Darren teased.

Kyley raised her gaze and frowned at him in incredulity. She still wasn't over the conversation they'd just had and she'd never suffered so much embarrassment from a casual talk before. It infuriated her that he had so much upper hand against her like that.

" I'll take that as a yes. Heh." Darren scuffled and moved to leave the room. " Rest well Kyley, you're safe here and have no worry. I'll take it upon myself to leave you in the city once you fully recover. Right now you're just not fit to survive there" Darren said as he walked out of the room.

Kyley thought she heard him wrong and stared at his back, waiting for him to repeat himself again.

"Wait! You--" However, when she would realize that he had really said that he'd take her to the city, the door to the room had already been closed behind him.

Kyley sulked after Darren left the room, she thought of following him but she looked down at her condition and couldn't help but wonder if she could even make it out of bed if she tried. Darren was a strange man, a very strange and mysterious person. Kyley didn't know what to do anymore, she never thought dealing with anyone could be so hard.

She felt embarrassed, and annoyed but in a way she couldn't describe. She had never felt this way before. It was a very irritating feel of danger and comfort that she wanted to get rid off of her troubled heart. However, for now, she could only do as Darren says. He'd shown enough to convey that he means her no harm.

Kyley looked towards the plates beside her filled with the meal that had their previous steam put out, obviously getting cold. She reached for the marinated venison steak and laid in bed slowly.

'Even if he has ulterior motives, he doesn't seem to intend to kill me at the least.' In all ways, Kyley had almost never been treated this way by anyone else.

"The cities, huh?" Kyley muttered to herself. Could he really have meant that?

...