Hunted

Tori's POV

“Hey what is it?” Hanzo quickly kneels down beside me. I instinctively push myself beneath him terrified of wolves being nearby. My heart pounds and I whimper hearing them howl again, all the hair on my body begins to stand on end.

“You were chased into that trap, how old are you?” Hanzo’s tone turns to anger. His dark green eyes begin to glow making me whimper becoming a little afraid of him.

‘It’s ok answer him, he won’t hurt us. His wolf won’t let him,’ Reika urges me to tell Hanzo what he wants to know. “I just turned 18, they want me for their Alpha,” I whine while looking down and away feeling ashamed that I was chased into that trap after running for so long.

“Hey, you’re safe here,” his warm hand gently touches the bottom of my jaw, I gasp at the warm tingling sensation. “I will explain, for now come up here where you’ll be safe and I’ll take care of these wolves.” Hanzo suggests, cautiously he picks me up, pulls me close, then begins to carry me upstairs towards the loft.

Distracted by the electrifying tingles dancing over every part of me his skin touches, I barely noticed the large wide-open bedroom he carries me to.

“One man can’t keep them away.” I hold onto Hanzo as he tries to lay me on the bed. “Just like I don’t know you; you do not know me. You’re safe here, just stay inside and I’ll be back,” he does his best to calm me down, before walking to the edge of the room. I shake my head knowing this pack is old and dangerous.

“Is there anything else I need to know?” Hanzo questions while pulling his shirt off. I shake my head while the rest of my body trembles in fear of the pack that’s here to take me.

“No, I avoid everyone.” I watch Hanzo take his shirt off, unable to take my eyes away from the beautiful full body tattoo that cover his chest and arms.

“I’ll be right back.” Hanzo turns showing off more of his colorful tattoos before leaving me alone in his bed. I focus, hearing him shift on his way down the stairs, my heart nearly pounds out of my chest.

I cautiously tiptoe over to the edge of the steps to see Hanzo shifted into a gorgeous large white wolf. Once he is out the door, I sink down the edge of the banister and hope he comes back soon.

I close my eyes trying to listen for what is happening outside. I whimper hearing Hanzo howling forcing me to fight Reika’s urge to run to his aid.

‘We need to go help him, howling is how we call for help,’ Reika begs, I pace the length loft’s banister trying to fight shifting. ‘I can’t Reika, I can’t face them,’ I whimper when Reika snarls at me then whines trying to fight her way forward for control.

‘Please let us go to him, he is ours!’ Reika screams in my head fighting harder when she hears Hanzo’s growl then a loud yelp. I begin to strip out of the scrubs when I feel like I can’t breathe, my body heats up hotter than any fire I’ve ever felt.

‘I can’t Reika, what if they hurt me like they did mom?’ I cry out while grabbing the fur blanket from Hanzo’s bed and pull it around me while curling up in the pillows against the headboard.

I whimper hearing the fight outside growing louder, I find myself afraid of Hanzo losing or getting hurt. I have no idea who this pack’s Alpha is or why they want me. I only know I’m afraid of losing the one person who is fighting to protect me.

I don’t know what to do or how to react to this situation after growing up alone with only my mother in the forest. She raised me alone hiding in cabins and abandoned ranger stations. Every time I would ask why, she shut me out only telling me I would never be safe if anyone found me.

‘Hanzo is safe, he is our safe place,’ Reika paces in my mind when I look to the stairs, hearing whimpering before silence. The scent of the other wolves begins to fade.

I stand at the edge of the bed frozen in place afraid to see the shape Hanzo is in. Reika pushes me forward to go check on him.

‘What if he’s angry and wants us to leave?’ I ask my wolf then shake my head. I let my body shift and try to pull Reika forward afraid to face the man who has helped us, but she refuses.

My body shifts into a small black wolf, I panic and crawl back against the foot of the bed not liking how vulnerable I feel shifted with Reika refusing to stay forward.

I slowly and cautiously make my way down stairs after hearing nothing but silence. The moment I hear paws on the floor I flinch and run for cover behind the couch, I peer out to see Hanzo covered in blood limping his way into the house.

“It’s ok, you can come out,” he speaks after changing back, I look up when the blanket disappears from the back of the couch. Reika whimpers in my head as we watch Hanzo wrap the blanket around his waist I noticed the cuts on his calves, thighs, and back.

I slowly walk out around the couch looking up at him as my tail tucks between my legs, Hanzo smiles once he sees me. Even injured and covered in blood he is very handsome only enhanced with his soft smile.

Reika retreats further back feeling guilty and forcing me to shift back, “I’m sorry,” I apologize when I notice Hanzo’s cheeks turn red. He shakes his head then grabs a knit blanket, “don’t be,” he says then passes me the blanket.

“I’m fine, I heal quick.” Hanzo reassures with a slight nod as he walks past me towards the stairs. I turn and begin to fallow him upstairs as my urge to take care of him begins to take over.

“I’m sorry,” my voice nearly squeaks, Hanzo sits on the bench in front of his bed then begins to inspect his injuries. I rush to the bathroom and grab a small towel then get it wet to clean and tend to his cuts.

Returning to the room I kneel down next to Hanzo on the bench and carefully wipe his shoulder making him flinch at the contact. “Sorry,” I whisper then gently press the cloth over the deep cut on the back of his shoulder.

“Stop apologizing,” he softly speaks as I look down. I freeze feeling his warm hand cup the side of my face pulling my gaze up to his. I take a deep breath and press my face to his palm relaxing enjoying the warm gentle tingling sensation telling me things will be ok.

“You don’t have to do this. The cuts will heal.” Hanzo reaches for my hand and tries to take the towel; my grip tightens as I pull it from his hand.

“I want to,” I argue and roll my eyes at Reika eagerly coming forward as my urge to help him after grows stronger. Hanzo nods his head before taking my hand in his then gets up and pulls me to the bathroom.

“Thank you, once I rinse the blood off you can take a bath if you would like. I can leave you to relax or help you with your hair and keep you company,” Hanzo drops his blanket and walks into the shower and starts the water.

I can’t help my eyes wandering over his back tattoo of a samurai with an orange and red koi fish, waves, and various flowers.

His tattoos create a full suit covering his entire torso moving down his butt and the backs of his thighs.

Hanzo turns to face me, I stare at his chest admiring the pair of wolves on his pecks that radiate over his shoulders. I blink rapidly when I realize I’m touching his chest drawing over the fine lines, standing wrapped in a blanket in front of him.

“It’s ok,” Hanzo softly speaks while grabbing my hand when I quickly pull away embarrassed that I invaded his shower without even realizing.

I shake my head and hold the blanket tighter around myself so he tilts his head up avoiding looking at me. I blush realizing Reika is the one who pushed us into the shower without my noticing.