HUNTED

"Alpha," Beta Kane's voice floated through Damon's mind, snapping him out of his reverie. "Have some food."

His Beta wasn't ordering him; he was pleading with him. Damon had been hunting each morning to help the restlessness within him and his wolf. It was better for his pack but not eating with the others also seemed to put them on edge; he needed to show he wasn't a completely useless Alpha.

Darius growled at his thoughts, "If anyone dared to think such things, I'd rip their face off."

Damon smirked and released the fragile balcony from his fingers, turning abruptly to go to breakfast. "It was only a passing thought. If anyone did believe it, then I'd let you put them in their place." He reached the top of the stairs and stopped briefly; a growl instantly rumbled through his chest before he continued down the steps and past the annoying shapeshifter.

"Well, good morning to you too, my honey bun!" Ajax rushed to keep up with the brooding Alpha and quickly fell in step with him, smiling up at him, his hands behind his back. "I was coming to give you a wake-up call, but you keep waking up before me!" He pouted. "Where's the fun in that?"

Damon sighed deeply, choosing to ignore him. Ajax, over the month, had been more annoying than usual and had taken a few hits from him in the process. Gamma Chiara requested that he increase his tolerance level of the shapeshifter; his Gamma, who seemed to have a little soft spot for him, told Damon to let Ajax 'comfort' him. 

What sort of comfort was Ajax trying to give him?! When he couldn't avoid him, he thought his ears might bleed from how much shit he talked. 'It makes him feel better' Were Chiara's words. At least someone bloody would!

"Ya know, I don't think Aila would appreciate this scruffy look you're going for. I know I can pull it off because.. well, just look at me," Ajax slid his hand over his jaw and winked at him. Damon raised a brow but still didn't respond, even though he felt like smacking him. "But the beard.. It's not a good look. You want to look your best when you see her, right?"

Damon stopped just before the kitchen and looked at the shapeshifter. Maybe he had a point. "Has there been news?" He asked, knowing full well he would have received a report by now if there was. Ajax's smile dropped, and it was all the answer he needed; he marched forwards again and nodded at the other pack leaders waiting for him. 

"Alpha."

"Alpha."

"Alpha."

Each of them bared their necks before continuing with what they were doing. Damon's gaze fell on Delta Finn; he hadn't once met his eyes since the night of Aila's disappearance. Finn felt responsible, and although Damon didn't believe it was all his fault, he still couldn't speak to him unless it was pack related or news about the Alpha Queen. He looked away from the Delta and piled some meat on his plate; after weeks of hunting for his breakfast, he'd stick to meat and some fruit when he joined the others like today. 

But there was another reason why he'd seldom been since Aila's disappearance. He sat down and stared at the empty space next to him before looking at his food and ignoring the stares he felt from the others. Even if he ignored her seat, he couldn't ignore the two couples in the room. 

The first, Beta Kane and Nairi, who seemed to have calmed down on their public display of affection, but still couldn't hold back from giggling or giving each other knowing glances and longing looks. The other couple, who acted like they weren't a couple, but everyone could see they were a couple, was Gamma Chiara and Ajax. When they weren't looking after the shapeshifter orphan they adopted from the Hunters, they would flirt. Which was always strange because Chiara seemed to always 'threaten' the shapeshifter, and he'd somehow worm his way into making her smile after. 

Damon was happy for them, but at the same time, it made him long for Aila more, and his mood would plummet. 

"Gabriel is visiting today," Beta Kane spoke up, bringing Damon back to the present conversation that he had blanked out on. 

Darius growled threateningly in his mind. Or so he thought, his chest rumbled lowly, and everyone shifted in their seats. Ignoring their worried glances, he looked at the golden-haired werewolf and narrowed his gaze.

"What does that leech want?" He growled his annoyance. "He's been missing since Aila was taken. Maybe I should order our men to attack upon seeing him."

"Now, now.. Let's not start another war now," Ajax laughed nervously. "And your men would get hurt. Let's just think about that as well for a minute.."

Damon glanced at the shapeshifter. "Gabriel could have been working with his brother the whole time-"

"I don't think Gabriel would do that," Ajax interrupted; his features were serious for once. 

Damon glared at Ajax for interrupting him, but he let it slide and continued, "He shows himself now after a month has passed without so much as a word? He should expect such a warm welcome from my pack."

"You did ignore his calls over the last week," Gamma Chiara pointed out, then held her tongue when Damon glared at her next. 

"He would have come sooner, but you didn't answer his call," Beta Kane continued, ignoring the Alpha's glare as he paid attention to the food on his plate. 

Looks like he'll be glaring at everyone this morning, and they really wanted him there to ruin their precious double date mood? But how did they know Gabriell was coming?

"Who said he could come?!" Damon demanded, glaring at each of them in the room, except for the young shapeshifter child. Luckily she was drawing on some paper with crayons next to the Gamma, not paying attention to the conversation. He was glad; he didn't want to frighten the poor thing.

"Naturally, he'd call the next person's number he had out of us," Ajax smiled, and his eyes lit up in delight like he knew what he did was wrong but enjoyed annoying those around him. "Of course, I couldn't say no to the King of Vampires! He's a scary man, you know!"

By now, Ajax was backing away from Damon, stumbling over his feet as he smiled nervously. "Come on, Damon. I'm a shapeshifter; I don't abide anyone's- eek!" He ducked out of the way of Damon's fist. 

Damon looked in Chiara's direction and mind-linked her in disbelief, "Really? This guy?"

Chiara shrugged, "I don't understand it either."

He shook his head and returned to his seat. At least there was one good thing about Ajax, his irritable ways did distract him from his misery. Although he did wonder if the shapeshifter would go too far one day and Darius would completely lose it. That would be another thing to be guilty about, and once Aila was back in his arms, she would more than likely scold the pair of them. 

Aila..

He stabbed his fork into his sausage and again looked at her empty seat.. He would find her without Gabriel's help.