FIVE

HUNTER’s POV

I sit in the darkened office of Tim’s Pharmacy and stare into the eyes of the man who killed my father. There is fear in his dull brown eyes. But it is a fear that has come too late.

He rubs his palms together, begging for mercy on his knees as Liam, my Beta hangs him by his shoulder blades. I trust Liam with my life, he has stuck by my side ever since we were children. We’re pretty much blood brothers though we look nothing alike. Liam wears his light brown hair sleeked back and tied up in a little ponytail and has the build of a Greek god. Even as he extends a claw at Tim, Liam towers over the trembling man.

“Please, I have a wife and a kid,” Tim begs with a quivering voice.

I lean forward from the worn-out plastic stool that I sit on and stroke the man’s pudgy cheeks with my own claws. We of the Storm Riders pack have a special ability; we can shift parts of our body at will without going into full werewolf mode.  My claw is sharp and grazes Tim on the cheeks. He winces in pain and a streak of dark red blood appear.

“So? My father had two wives and five children and you still went ahead to poison him.”

Tim the pharmacist breaks into a sob.

“I’m sorry…I had to. Clyde, the Alpha from Blood Stone threatened to kill my family if I didn’t do their bidding.” I think he just peed in his pants.

Clyde…the man thinks he is king now just because he’s conquered a few packs. Things have gotten really bad under his control. Regions of lands are in ruins because of his tyranny and he runs rampant seizing assets and beds every young woman he lays his eyes on. If my late father was a dictator, then Clyde is a madman.

I should never have left the family. I should never have tried running away from my fate. I should have been there for father when he needed me the most. But I wasn’t, and because of that, my family was massacred.

I am sorry father; I will avenge you.

I eye Liam who nods back, readying for the kill. Tim closes his eyes as tears slide down his face. He knows there is no escape for him now.

Except maybe for the annoying trespasser who enters through the front door of the pharmacy.

“Hello?” a soft melodious voice calls out. It is a woman. What is a woman doing here at such a godforsaken hour? And where is Helios? My Gamma was supposed to stand guard at the door. That guy must have gone for a piss again. He drank too much before we came.

I frown and point to Liam. He nods and stealthily steps out of the office to check.

“Hello? Is anyone here?” she calls out again.

Jeez woman, if there’s no answer, it means that no one’s here. I roll my eyes at the sheer stupidity of the female species. The only time they’ve ever impressed me is when they’re in bed with their legs spread out.

Suddenly, my mind wanders back to the blue-eyed woman in the woods. I shake my head, why has she been consuming my thoughts these few days?

“I need medication. My father is hurt…”

Tim whimpers and I quickly cover his mouth. I hear Liam speak, his voice deep and low.

“Hello,” he says in the most pleasant of ways. Liam loves women, as do I but we know where to draw the line. We do not force ourselves on women and we do not prey on the weak. And this woman will be no exception.

I peek out of the office and catch the silhouette of a petite woman in an oversized jacket. Her hair, I can’t really tell the colour since the lights are off but they look like they’re dark brown. From where I sit, I can’t quite catch a whiff of her scent but I’m thinking she must smell nice.  She fidgets when she sees Liam appear at the counter. At six foot four, Liam is practically a giant compared to her tiny frame.

“Oh!” she exclaims in surprise. “Are…are you the pharmacist?”

“I’m his assistant.”

I have to stop myself from chuckling. Liam does NOT like a pharmacist’s assistant. In any case, his rugged looks and heavy jawline liken him more to a street fighter than a blue-collar worker. It’s obvious the woman doesn’t believe him, but she seems to be desperate.

She inches closer to the counter and asks with what I perceive to be hope, “My father, he was hurt with poisoned claws. He’s suffering from a broken arm too. The wounds from the claws have not healed. In fact, he has a very high fever. Is there anything you can give him?”

Clyde…

My eyebrows furrow with disgust. His pack is the only one I know that uses poisoned claws. Too much drama. Clyde has a thing for theatrics.

Me? I prefer the tortures to be fast and clean. Like Tim here. Aim for the jugular and be done with it. Simple as that, and it would have already been done had that woman not come stepped into the shop.

I sigh, wishing Liam would hurry up.

“We have antibiotics and antiseptics. Wait here.” I hear Liam rummage through the cabinets. I am amazed he knows where the medication is kept.

“Here you go,” he says after a little while.

“How much?” the woman asks.

There is a scratching sound, Liam doesn’t know the price. “Fifty?” he says, unsure.

The woman hesitates and lowers her head. From where I hide, I see her shoulders slumping despair. She must be poor.

“I’m sorry, can I just take the antibiotics? I don’t have that much.” I can practically hear disappointment dripping from her words.

“You can have them for free then.”

I raise my eyebrows. She must be very beautiful. Liam has a soft spot for pretty girls.

I hear her gasp. Tim does too and he shakes his head furiously. I guess giving out freebies is not his thing. I smile at Tim and point my claw at him. Immediately he cowers.

“Thank you! Thank you, kind sir! Thank you so much! You will surely be blessed!” she squeals with pure delight.

“Where is your father by the way?” Liam asks. He sure is chatty tonight.

“Up in the hills. We’re from the Light Paw Village.”

I see her bowing to Liam and him bowing back. She pulls her hoodie over her head and dashes out of the shop.

Light Paw Village. That was near where I met the young woman from the other night. Could she be from the same village?

Liam saunters to the back soon after she leaves and I have to tease him, “Beautiful?”

He smiles cheekily, “Like an angel.”

Those are the last words Tim the pharmacist ever hears.