The Predator

Chapter 24

Ivy's POV

It's almost dawn and they're still not back. Stella told me that they went patrolling the northern side of the pack because they spotted traces of rogues or hunters there.

Stella sat on the couch with a glass of wine in her hand as she let out a sigh for the nth time. She tries not to show her worry but it's obvious from her nervous fiddling. Her mate sat down next to her.

"Relax, dear. You know him. He has always been like this. He's going to return just fine. It's not the first time he's done this," He tries to calm her.

"I know but I can't help it. He's my son. I'll always be worried about him…" She shook her head, chugging the wine down in one go. "I told him to stop his hunt. Why won't he listen?"

"He is an alpha, my love. He's territorial over his pack. They came into our territory. I would have done the same."

Stella raked a hand through her hair while the former alpha continued his efforts to calm her. I nervously shifted on my spot not knowing what to do.

Is he safe? Did he go out to kill people?

"They're back," A maid rushed in to inform us.

Stella was in front of the door in a split second with me following suit. My heart skipped a beat when I saw him walk towards the packhouse with other warriors.

He was bloody. Shirt and body painted red.

He smelled like death.

I took a step back involuntarily when I saw that predatory look in his eyes. That madness. Bloodthirst. Everything they told about him back when I lived in the woods. I was seeing it all right in front of me.

No wonder they call him the predator. He really is one. A mad one.

"Cass, are you hurt?" Stella asked worriedly.

I didn't even know what to say except to gawk at him like a scared cat.

"Just a little dirty," He said to his mother.

"What happened?" His father asked, hugging his mother close.

"They were waiting to ambush us but they didn't expect me or Cass. Them breaching the boundary was to lure us out." Ryder scoffed.

"Cassian, you are hurt! Rina, call the healer right now!" Stella shouted when she saw the wound on his back.

"It's just a cut," Cassian rolled his eyes.

"Why is it not healing?"

"Poisonous knife. Will take a few days to heal. Anyways, I'm going to take a shower. I stink of dog blood." He made an annoyed face before walking away to our room.

Stella turned towards me. "Ivy, please go check on him, dear. That's a deep cut. Make sure he cleans it well. I will send our healer up there. That wound might need a stitch." Stella gripped my hand.

I nodded before I followed him upstairs like an obedient child. God, how am I going to convince him to do things? Does she really think he listens to me?

I nervously entered the bedroom but by then he was already inside the bathroom. I sighed and decided to change into my pajamas.

I waited on the bed for him to get out so I could check on his wound. What is he doing there?

A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. I opened it to see our pack healer with a box of medicines and stuff.

"Luna, where is the alpha?"

"He's in the bathroom," I pointed towards the bathroom.

"Can I enter?" She asked politely.

"Of course," I opened the door wide for her to walk in.

"Alpha, it's me, Lily. Stella told me you're hurt. I'm here to check up on you," She said, standing in front of the bathroom.

"I'm fine, Lily, you can go back," He replied.

"But alpha, Stella told me your wound is deep and you need stitches..."

"Lily, I told you I'm fine. I won't repeat it. Leave." He ordered, his voice cold and demanding.

Lily sighed and looked at me. "Looks like he won't let me treat him," She extended the box toward me. "Luna, please make sure his wound is clean and please convince him to come to me to get it stitched,"

"I know how to stitch wounds. Can I do it?"

"Of course! If you know it, please do. Alpha Cassian is a little stubborn so please annoy him till he gives in. He won't get mad at you. You're his mate after all," Lily said before walking towards the door. "I'll take my leave then. Take some rest, luna. I know you haven't got a wink of sleep." She closed the door before giving me a smile.

I turned around to face the bathroom door. Why am I worried about him? Why am I going out of my way to stitch him up?

God, I hate this mate bond.

"Hey, are you done?" I managed to ask after trying to hide all the nervousness I felt.

"What do you want?"

"I need to make sure your wounds are clean."

"There's no need."

"I'm going to enter in a few minutes so make sure you're dressed," I said and waited a few minutes outside patiently before entering the bathroom. Thank god he didn't lock it.

He's taking too much time to–

"Ahh!" I screamed in horror when I found him sitting in the bathtub, butt naked. "I told you to get dressed!" I said, covering my face with the box in my hand.

"I'm bathing. Who the fuck puts on clothes while they're bathing?" He rolled his eyes. "And why the hell are you in here anyway?" I could hear the annoyance in his voice as he spoke.

"I'm here to check on your wound. It's on your back, right? I need to clean it properly."

"I know how to do it."

"You don't. How can you see what's on your back? Let me do it," I said stubbornly.

"Are you not listening to me?" He snapped.

"No," I ignored his glare before striding towards him. "Stay still please," I tried to sound confident as I could. I could feel him getting tense. It took me a lot of effort to not let my eyes wander off to his lower part.

Goddess, am I a pervert? Why do I keep looking at his thing?!

I took some water and started to clean off his wound. It is deeper than I thought. I don't know how he keeps his cool. He didn't even flinch.

"Dry your hair, please. I need to dry the water off the wound. Water from your hair is dripping down your back." I told him.

He sat there without moving for a while before he abruptly stood up. The movement scared me to the core and before I knew it, I was face to face with his…..thing!

I jumped from my seat and took a step back but that wasn't a clever thing to do since the floor is wet and I have terrible luck.

Want to know what happened?

I freaking slipped!

Want to know what saved me from hitting my head on the tiled floor and having my brain cracked like a coconut?

The buffed-up killing machine that's also my mate!

His hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me to him, causing me to grip his naked body like a leech. I realized the embarrassing state I was in when the initial shock of the fall melted away from my head.

I was plastered to his body while he gave me an irked look. Like he was looking at a mosquito that dared to bite him.

I really want to pluck his eyes out.

"Don't you even know how to properly stand up?"

"Oh, forgive me for not keeping my cool when you decided to flash your thing right in front of my face." I gave him a sarcastic reply with a fake smile.

Why did I even think about helping this stone head?

He rolled his eyes before letting go of me. His expression didn't change a bit as his eyes raked all over my body. "Fix your clothes," is all he said before getting out of the bathtub and walking past me.

I looked down at myself. My pajama top was wet and sticking to my chest, revealing the outline of my breasts and nipples. It looked super inappropriate!

I flushed and covered my chest on instinct. When I looked back, he was already wearing a towel around his hips and drying his hair as he walked out.

I looked at him go. I can't believe I saw his thing. He is so….

I shook my head and didn't let myself finish that thought. Have I gone crazy? Why am I thinking about the size of his thing?

Moon Goddess, please forgive me for my perverted thoughts.

I didn't want to go and face him with my drenched slutty look so I took off my pajama top and took a robe to wear.

I placed the medicine box on the bed. "Stay still, please. I'm going to dry your wound." I said before I took the things needed for drying it.

Back when I lived in the woods, we didn't have healers to take care of us so when we hurt ourselves we had to treat our wounds by ourselves. It doesn't happen often because we're werewolves and we have the ability to heal but it did happen whenever we came across small groups of hunters wannabes

My father suffered a lot of poisoned knife attacks so he taught me how to stitch up his wounds. I'm glad my skills are useful now.

Right in your face, you dirty monster! Remember when you called me useless? Huh? Do I look useless now?

My ego went through the roof while I sterilized the equipment and stitched his wounds. He didn't even flinch but I could feel that he was tense. Why is he so tense?

I looked at his face. His jaw was clenched. I was so close to him that I could feel the heat radiating off him. His pheromones were strong too. Is he scared?

"It's done," I announced when I finished stitching.

He went to stand up but I held him still. "I need to apply medicine and patch it up," I told him before I got up to take the medicine box again.

"No need. That's enough," He said before standing up.

"What do you mean it's not necessary? You'll tear the stitches off," I grabbed his hand to stop him but he tried to shake me off him.

"It won't. I don't need medicine,"

I grabbed his hands and pulled him with all my strength. I think he wasn't expecting it because he stumbled a bit when I pushed him to sit on the bed. He leaned back from the surprise and I took the chance to hold him down by the shoulders.

"Goddess, you're worse than a child!" I said while painting.

I looked at his face but he wasn't looking at me. He was staring…. at my chest?!

All the while I was trying to get him to stay on the bed, I didn't realize that my robe came loose. Now that I was leaning down, my whole chest was revealed. And my stone head mate was staring, shamelessly!!

I was about to cover myself when he roughly grabbed me and pinned me on the bed. His rock-like body climbed on top of me to hold me down.

A chill ran down my spine when my eyes met his predatory ones. His gaze so dangerous like a lion looking at a deer.

"Are you fucking trying to seduce me?"

"W-What?!"