Page 20 of Alien Huntsman (Alien Wolf Tales #2)

CHAPTER 20

K orrin’s heart lurched as Tessa’s eyes fluttered closed again. Her words—those three impossible words—still hung in the air between them, but panic overrode everything else as her body went limp in his arms.

“Tessa?” He shook her gently, then looked up at Agatha with wild eyes. “She’s not?—”

“She’s sleeping now.” Agatha’s weathered hand came to rest on his forearm, steady and sure. “A natural sleep. Her body needs time to recover.”

The relief hit him like a physical blow. He pulled Tessa closer, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her scent to reassure himself she was still there. When he looked up again, his voice was rough with emotion.

“What happened to her?”

Agatha’s expression darkened as she pointed to the jar she’d found on the table.

“Poison. Someone doctored this honey—my honey.” Fury flashed in the old woman’s eyes. “They used my own goods to do this.”

Korrin’s beast surged forward, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. “Edgar brought it, brought the basket. I recognize his scent.”

“That miserable little worm.” Agatha set the jar down with deliberate care, but her hands trembled with rage. “If I’d known he planned this, I would have broken both his legs before he made it out of the village.”

He glanced down at Tessa’s pale face, then back to Agatha. “Will she recover completely?”

“Yes. I’ve given her what she needs to flush the poison. I believe it was meant to weaken her, make her compliant—not kill her.” Agatha’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I think he wanted her alive. Follow me—there’s something you need to see.”

He reluctantly followed Agatha onto the porch, his gaze lingering on Tessa’s sleeping form. Every instinct screamed at him not to leave her side, but the old woman’s insistent tug on his arm brooked no argument.

“She’ll be fine for a few minutes,” Agatha whispered. “I need to show you something.”

Outside, the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the clearing. Agatha led him to the edge of the porch steps, her voice dropping to ensure they wouldn’t be overheard.

“You owe those pups a debt of gratitude,” she said, pointing to a spot near the bushes where the undergrowth had been disturbed.

Korrin frowned, scanning the area. “What do you mean?”

Agatha reached into her pocket and pulled out a scrap of expensive fabric. “Found this caught on a branch. And look there.” She gestured to the ground where several sets of small paw prints circled a larger boot print.

His beast surged forward, scenting the air. A faint trace of unpleasant cologne mingled with something else—fear and anger.

“Someone came back while she was unconscious,” Agatha continued. “Edgar, I think. The boot is pointed, impractical, and this—” she rubbed the fabric between her fingers, “—is from a man’s garment. High quality.”

“Edgar,” Korrin growled, the name like poison on his tongue.

Agatha nodded. “Those pups of yours formed a defensive ring around Tessa. I found blood too—quite a few drops. Looks like at least one of them got a good bite in.”

Korrin’s gaze shifted to the adyani pups now curled protectively around Tessa inside the cabin. Even from here, he could see them watching the doorway with alert eyes.

“They protected her when I couldn’t,” he said, something tight constricting his chest.

“They love her,” Agatha said simply. “As do you.”

Korrin didn’t deny it. Couldn’t deny it anymore. The thought of losing Tessa had torn something open inside him—something he’d kept locked away for too long.

“I should have been here,” he said, his voice rough with self-recrimination.

“Who?” Korrin asked grimly, though his beast already knew the answer, had caught the scent of the one who dared threaten what was his.

Agatha silently handed him the scraps of fabric. He took them, bringing them to his nose. The cologne was stronger now—cloying, expensive, with undertones of something bitter. Beneath it all lingered the unmistakable scent of Tessa’s blood, faint but present.

His claws extended involuntarily, puncturing the leather. The beast within him snarled, demanding retribution, demanding blood for blood.

“He drugged her with the poisoned honey, knowing it would kill her. But the sick bastard intended to rape her while she was dying.”

Agatha’s weathered face hardened, her eyes sharp as flint.

“He can’t be allowed to get away with what he did,” she said grimly. “This wasn’t just an attempt to remove an inconvenience—this was calculated murder.”

His gaze drifted back to the cabin where Tessa lay sleeping. She’d said she loved him. The words echoed in his mind, precious and terrifying. She’d offered him her heart even as the poison was trying to still hers.

“No,” he agreed, his voice dropping to a dangerous rumble. “He won’t get away with it.”

He crushed the fabric in his fist, his decision made. Edgar had tried to take what was his—what he now acknowledged was the most important thing in his world. His mate. The word resonated through him with absolute certainty.

He looked back at the cabin, his chest tight with an unfamiliar ache. He could still see Tessa’s pale face, hear the whispered “I love you” that had slipped from her lips before she’d drifted back to sleep.

“How long will she sleep?” he asked, struggling to keep his voice steady.

Agatha’s knowing eyes studied him. “At least a few more hours. The worst is past, but her body needs time to recover.”

“And you’re certain she’ll be all right?” He couldn’t keep the edge of desperation from his voice.

“I’ve treated poison victims for fifty years,” Agatha said firmly. “She’ll live, though she’ll be weak for a day or two.” She placed a weathered hand on his arm. “Go. Do what you must. I’ll remain at her side until you return.”

Korrin hesitated, torn between the need to hunt down those who had harmed Tessa and the desire to be there when she opened her eyes again.

“The longer you wait,” Agatha said quietly, “the more time they have to prepare another attempt.”

That decided him. With a curt nod, he turned and disappeared into the trees. Night had fallen, but his Vultor eyes pierced the darkness easily. The forest opened before him, familiar and welcoming. He moved swiftly, silently, his body shifting partially as he ran—not fully beast, but something between, faster and more lethal than either form alone.

The rage he’d been suppressing boiled beneath his skin. Lenora had sent Edgar to poison Tessa, then attempted to finish the job herself. The thought of either of them touching her, hurting her, made his beast howl for blood.

His claws extended as he ran, his fangs lengthening in his mouth. He’d been hired to make Tessa disappear, but instead, she’d made him feel something he’d thought impossible. She’d shown him kindness, acceptance—love. And they had tried to take that from him.

He’d always been a hunter, but tonight he was something more primal. Tonight, he was vengeance.

His senses led him unerringly through the forest toward the village. The scent of Edgar—that mixture of expensive cologne, sweat, and the bitter tang of human greed—was easy to track. His beast snarled beneath his skin, demanding retribution.

The lights of the village appeared through the trees, and he slowed his pace. He knew Edgar’s home—the largest in the village, a two-story monstrosity with ornate trim and manicured gardens. It stood separate from the other houses, as if Edgar couldn’t bear to have neighbors too close—perfect for his purposes.

He circled the property, staying in the shadows. The house was dark except for a single light on the ground floor. A servant’s entrance at the rear stood unguarded. Pathetic. The man had wealth but no sense. Any decent predator would know to secure all entry points.

He tested the door handle. Locked, but that meant nothing to him. Korrin extended a claw and worked it into the mechanism, feeling for the tumblers. A quick twist, and the lock gave way with a soft click. He slipped inside, silent as a shadow.

The scent of blood hit him immediately—fresh, human blood. His nostrils flared as he followed it through the darkened kitchen and down a hallway. The light he’d seen came from beneath a door at the end.

He moved closer, his hearing picking up muttered curses from within. He eased the door open just enough to see inside.

Edgar sat in a plush chair, his trousers rolled up to expose his ankles. Both were marked with deep, ragged scratches—clearly the work of small, sharp teeth. The pups had defended Tessa well. The man dabbed at the wounds with a cloth, wincing.

“Damned mongrels,” Edgar muttered. “Should have killed them first.”

His vision went red. This male had poisoned Tessa. Had tried to take her while she was defenseless. Would have harmed the pups she loved.

The door creaked as his claws dug into the wood. Edgar’s head snapped up, his eyes widening as they met his.

His beast roared for blood as Edgar’s expression transformed from shock to terror. The human scrambled backward in his chair, nearly toppling it.

“You—what are you doing here?” Edgar’s voice cracked. His eyes darted to the door behind Korrin, calculating escape routes.

He stepped fully into the room, allowing the door to swing shut behind him. “You know why I’m here.”

Recognition dawned on Edgar’s face.

“Because of Tessa? Listen, there’s been a misunderstanding.” He raised his hands, palms out. “I only wanted to help her. She doesn’t belong in the wilderness with—with your kind.”

Korrin moved closer, each step deliberate. The stench of Edgar’s fear filled the room, sharp and acrid.

“Please,” Edgar whispered, backing against the wall. “I have money. Lots of it. Name your price.”

“My price?” His voice was dangerously soft.

“Anything. Gold, jewels, property. I’ll make you rich beyond your wildest dreams.” Edgar’s eyes brightened with desperate hope. “You’re a bounty hunter, right? You work for coin. I can pay you ten times what Lenora offered.”

Korrin’s lips curled back, revealing his fangs. “There’s only one thing I want in this world.”

“What? Tell me—I’ll get it for you!”

“Tessa.” The name felt sacred on his tongue. “And you tried to take her from me.”

Edgar’s face drained of color. “No, I just?—”

“You poisoned her.” His claws extended fully. “You would have violated her while she lay helpless.”

“I wouldn’t have?—”

“Don’t lie to me.” He could smell the truth on the other male, the lingering scent of lust and malice. “I can smell your intentions.”

Edgar lunged for a drawer in his desk, but Korrin was faster. He seized the human by the throat, lifting him off the ground with one hand. Edgar clawed at his grip, eyes bulging.

“The world will be better without you in it,” he growled.

With one swift, precise movement, he slashed his claws across Edgar’s throat. Blood sprayed in a hot arc as the human’s eyes widened in shock. He dropped him, watching dispassionately as Edgar clutched at his neck, making wet, gurgling sounds.

He felt no remorse as the light faded from the human’s eyes. Only a grim satisfaction that one threat to his mate was eliminated.

He slipped out the way he had come, vanishing into the night. His thoughts turned immediately to Tessa, his need to return to her side overwhelming everything else. His mate needed him, and nothing would keep him from her now.