Hunter Maximus

Chapter 43

Isobel's POV

"Do you really have to drag him so roughly?" I ask Christian, who walks ahead of me without looking back much. He obviously didn't consider a human girl with a dagger much of a threat.

"Is this your boyfriend is it?" Christian asks with almost more mocking than a vampire. I don't know how to answer that question, it puzzles me. Did I consider Maximus my boyfriend? I mean, he drank my blood, kissed me senseless, wanted to fuck me...

So why did I have trouble recognizing him as my boyfriend? Probably the general fact that he was a pain in the ass, and our 'relationship' began as me being a forced slave in the palace. In fact, he still thought of me as a slave. Even now, when we were both human.

No, I couldn't consider him a boyfriend.

He was just my hot, dicky kidnapper – who toyed with my emotions.

"He is not my boyfriend," I finally state, anger surging through that one statement.

"Took you long enough to decide on that one," Christian laughs menacingly and suddenly jerks to a stop, looking shocked as a really pretty female waltzes out into his path, "Ruby, what is it?" he snaps at the newly arrived girl and I get the sense he is simply putting on a tough act because he doesn't want her to see how much he was affected by her sudden appearance.

"I need his keys," she says dryly, not taking much notice of Christian's uptight glare her way as she approaches Maximus and goes for his pocket. Just before she can reach the pocket, Christian swings Maximus out of the way and looks down on Ruby bent over, a spark of something in his eyes which I could only call lust and anger and perhaps frustration too.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Christian growls low, "Explain."

Ruby straightens up to her full height, a scowl on her face. I can tell she is about to snap or yell at him but when she quickly glances at me she composes herself and relaxes her shoulders.

"They left a car," Ruby says slowly, too slowly, and I can tell she is trying to make Christian seem slow-witted, "We need the keys to drive the car, are you following along yet?"

Christian pauses and I can tell Ruby must have crossed a line. Surely alpha's deserved more respect from the pack-mates. After all he was at the top.

"Take the keys. Gather up the rest of them before they do something stupid and bring them back to the den," Christian growls low, "And watch your tone around me."

Ruby, without replying, reaches down into Maximus' pants pocket and takes out the keys. She throws them on the ground and holding Christian's eye, she starts undressing.

"Umm..." I mumble to myself, looking away momentarily as she fully gets naked in a matter of seconds.

What the heck was she – ?

Oh.

I glance at Christian to see him barely containing his frustration at Ruby's actions as she transforms into a wolf and picks the keys up in her mouth before running off into the underbrush, leaving clothes, panties and a bra behind.

"Who was she?" I ask and I instantly regret asking the question when he directs a full-blown glare my way.

"Pick up those clothes and shut up, one more word from you and I'll kill him!" Christian snarls and I find myself leaning down to pick up Ruby's clothes an instant later. I admit, Christian was extremely intimidating. I find myself walking after him without much protest. I honestly admired Ruby's strength around him. I wonder why they were both so hostile towards each other?