The Alpha's Hunter

Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Hailey

"You're dead," I breathed out in shock, tears pooling in my eyes as I took a step back when he continued to approach me. My father. "You're supposed to be dead. I watched you die!"

He watched me with calculating eyes, watching my every move as if he were a hawk. It pissed me off. I stormed over to him and shoved him back, an action that led half the hunters around us to pull out their guns and train their sights on my head. He staggered back slightly, but didn't even come close to falling, "Hailey, you need to take a breath. Why don't you come on inside with me?"

Turning on his heel, he walked back through the crowd, expecting me to follow. With a final huff, I trudged forward, following him.

I need some goddamn answers and I needed them  yesterday.

We passed through the kitchen and as we did so, I bumped into the oven, turning on the gas. The man in front of me may look like me father, but he acted nothing like him. I needed a way out, and there was only one option for me.

Cutting in front of him, I walked upstairs and through David's room to the balcony overlooking the backyard. A clear view, an easy escape and a vantage point-- all things a hunter is trained to look for in dangerous situations.

"Hailey," he started, placing a hand on my shoulder, "I just want to tell you that I am so proud of you. You have turned into a beautiful, strong, young woman and an amazing hunter. You are everything I could have hoped for you to be."

I looked up at him, my eyes hard, "What the hell is going on? I watched you die, I know I did, along with mom."

"I was almost dead," he nodded, retracting his hand from my arm, for which I was grateful. "Half of the bones in my body were broken, I barely had any blood in my body left and there was a hole in my heart-- literally-- but David found me, and he managed to get me to a hospital where they saved me.

I was in a coma for three months, because of all the strenuous surgeries my body had overcome. By that time, you were already training with David, on your way to becoming the best hunter we have. It was then that Richard came to me. He was the previous Chief, an old man, and he was dying. You already thought I was dead-- even David thought I had died in one of the surgeries, and I could see that your mother and I's passing only motivated you. So I kept quiet and stuck to the shadows.

I never really left you alone Hailey. I was always watching you, giving you tasks and challenging you. I pushed you like I always have, even if I wasn't there personally. I wish I could have been there, sweetheart, I really do."

"What about mom?" I asked, my throat tightening with emotion, but I refused to let him see me cry.

He left without a second thought-- left me on my own to become a murderer while he sat back behind the curtains and told me who I should kill. I was disgusted and I could barely recognize the man in front of me, a man I had once looked up to with every fiber of my being now stood before me and any and all respect I had previously held for him vanished.

"Your mother really did die that night, Hailey," he answered my question. "I wish that wasn't the case, but they ripped her throat out before I could do anything."

"Why didn't you find me sooner?" I challenged, pushing harder for more information. He wasn't getting off the hook that easily.

He gave me a sad look, almost as if he pitied me or something, tilting his head at an angle, "Sweetheart, I already told you. You were growing up so strong, I didn't want to mess with that."

"So why now? Why are you here after all this time? Why not just stay dead?" I yelled.

"Because family and love," he gestured between us, "it's all a distraction! You know better than anyone that losing the people you love hurts you to the point when you can barely go on. I couldn't risk your success as a hunter just to be your father."

"No you just let me believe I was an orphan for the past three years!" I screamed with wet anger. I wasn't just cold and angry, I was fuming. I was heated and heartbroken and tears began to pool in my eyes again. "You left me alone."

"You had David," he reasoned, "and Joel!"

I let out a sardonic laugh, "I didn't want them though! All I wanted was to have my parents, and you didn't even give me a choice! You assumed you knew what was best for me, and you assumed wrong!"

We were alone now, the men that had been following him left. They were probably uncomfortable with the situation. I could see the wolfsbane grenade clipped to his waistband and my idea finally began to formulate. The grenade itself wouldn't blow up, just shatter the glass sending a spray of wolfsbane and shards of glass flying in an attempt to take out a large number of wolves. But, if the spark goes off close enough to the gas from the stove-- it could set off a chain reaction.

He sighed, "Hailey, please--"

"No! Stop!" I exclaimed. "You don't get to try and explain yourself anymore! You lost that right when you let me believe you died and made no attempt to even try and contact me!"

"I wanted to but I couldn't!" He shouted back, "I could barely function after I lost your mother. I was scared, Hailey, scared that I was going to lose you too."

I wanted to yell back, I wanted to tell him that he already lost me and that he can't get me back. But just as I was about to, I felt a sharp pain in my back, almost like I was being stabbed and I let out a gasp. Pain contorted my face and he looked at me in concern. It was Chase's pain I was feeling. It was almost as though he was reaching out to me. It must be the mate bond, I thought.

"I guess I should thank you then," I stated. "If you hadn't left me back then I wouldn't be as strong as I am now."

"That's all I wanted for you," he smiled, nodding his head.

Eric Argent approached me and wrapped me in his arms, an action at which I stiffened. Slowly, I loosened up, just enough to maneuver my hand and grab his wolfsbane grenade.

It's now or never.

Stepping back, I pushed him off of me a little and glared at him, "But I never wanted it for myself. You are no father of mine." 

With that, I brought my fist up to connect with his jaw, forcing him to the ground. Pulling the clip off the grenade, I rolled it to the hallway, where it ignited, and the spark grew.

Smiling at my success, I dove off of the balcony as the building house me went up in flames.

I landed on top of a tent and was surrounded by the canvas material, along with flames and smoke. Gunfire began and I knew that this was it. The wolves were here, the hunters were shooting and my life was ablaze.

It was now or never.

~
A/N: well damn. Hailey just disowned her father :/

QOTC: who do you think will win?

AOTC: idk fam ;)