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38. In the end

✧ Luke ✧

I see her disappear in the crowd, my skin still tingling where she touched it.

As much as I trust Hazel, I don’t trust anyone else with her. but she’s right, we need to act fast lest we lose our only chance.

With a deep breath, I turn my gaze to Parks, making sure to put every bit of authority in my soul in that look.

Considering the irritated gleam in his eyes, I suppose it’s working.

“Keep your eyes on her,” I say, my voice hard even to my own ears “And I’ll be keeping mine on you.”

“Are you so sure I need to be watched, Winters?” he crosses his arms “I’m not the untamed one here.”

A growl claws at my throat to let it out, I can almost feel my fingers elongating. The beast hasn’t had a dose of wolfsbane in long while and its eager to break through the chains of restraint.

“You shouldn’t even be allowed on this Hunt.” Parks says, scorn obvious in his tone “Let alone with Elise as your companion.”

My hands are itching to close around something.

“You’re the biggest threat to her—

Unbidden, my hand reaches out to grab him by the shirt front. I relish the flicker of unadulterated fear that crosses his face, even if for a second.

“So you know what I might become,” I say lowly, my voice rough around the edges like a jagged  knife “What I am capable of doing, still you’re standing here, spewing out crap. I must say Parks, you’re a bigger idiot than I gave you credit for.”

I let go of him, he staggers back. Instantly, he straightens himself, loathing clear on his face.

“Stay in your limits, Pup.” I look down at him “The next time I have to remind you wouldn’t be so painless.”

I turn around, willing the beast to recede. I need to get it together, we need to escape this place before any more ‘incidents’ decide to happen. I need to get Hazel out of here.

My fingers turn back to normal, reason takes over instinct as I go farther away from the noise in the ballroom.

I find Anderson in the middle of a staircase.

“Where are you going?” he asks, raising an eyebrow at me

“To get to that damn office.” I say

“You cant possibly be thinking of taking all the guards out.” Anderson says “Even if you somehow do, there’s no saying the map is there.”

“Just the fact that there are five guards outside one door leads me to think it’s there.”

“Look, Winters,” he says “As much as I would love to punch someone in the face given our situation, we need to think this through.”

I cross my arms across my chest “I’m listening.”

“If we take out the guards,” he says “They see our faces, they will report as just as they get the chance. Even with the map, both of our teams will be disqualified for compromising neutral territory.”

As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. We need a plan, a diversion.

“Lets have a look at the battle ground.” I walk past him to the upper floor, Anderson follows behind silently

We reach the top floor and peek in the hallway Anderson points out. Five guards, two near the big double door, two across from them, one at the other end of the hallway. Armed with rifles, their wolves probably ready for action.

We move away, out of earshot before he says “Well? What do you suggest?”

“We need a distraction.”

“I don’t see your partner anywhere.”

I narrow my eyes, his lip tug upwards “Calm down, Winters. I’m saying she’s usually more than ready for this type of thing.”

“Keep your words clear when you talk to me,” About her “You might end up regretting talking in riddles, Anderson.”

I turn around the information about the guards in my head, assessing it from every angle. My mind takes each obstacle, searching potential solutions.

“Follow my lead.”

…

I meet Anderson’s eyes across the hallway and nod. He slams down a vase on the granite floor. I see one of the guards move forward and spin towards the corridor I’m standing in.

I cross the hallway and glance out of the other ending, where the solitary guard is standing. I can faintly make out the conversation Anderson is having with the guard, doing a surprisingly good imitation of a drunk guest.

I grab the guard by his throat and yank him towards myself. Instantly, I hold him in a headlock. He struggles for a moment, then his body goes limp. I let him down and grab his gun, hoping Anderson has managed to do the same.

The first shot rings.

Anderson’s made his move.

The next moment gunshots ring in the air, bullets ricochet everywhere and in theory, the sounds should not reach the ground floor over the loud sounds of music.

I take out the two guards near the door, Anderson takes out the other one across them.

The smell of blood hangs heavy in the air, I pick up a stray bullet. Not silver. They should survive easily.

Anderson and I pull down the handkerchiefs from our faces, the ones we lifted from a nearby room, and he tries to pull the door open.

“Locked.” He throws his hands up

I look down at the rifle in his hands, we could certainly shoot the lock out but that would leave too much to open. I don’t want every other team to have access to the maps too— that is, if they are in here.

Before either of us could think of a better solution, a familiar face comes in view.

Parks glances at the unconscious guards for a moment, then at the door.

“Didn’t find the map?” he asks

Anderson shakes his head “The door’s locked.”

“Where’s Hazel?” I ask

“I told her to stay back at the party.”

“You what?” I glare at him, eyes narrowed

“You wanted me to bring her here?” He motions to our surrounding

“I told you to keep an eye on her, damnit!” I shove him aside and start towards the stairs

“Why are you over-reacting?” Parks says from behind me, I hear his and Anderson’s footsteps behind me “What can possibly happen to her there?”

“Anything.” You don’t know her like I do

I take a sharp turn towards the ballroom, music bustling through the air. the smell of alcohol heavily mixed with perfumes makes it harder to find her scent.

“Look around,” I say to the other two “Whoever finds her waits for the others at the entrance.”

I don’t wait for an answer and start walking through the crowd. Goddess, she could be anywhere and knowing her, it’s probably in some kind of problem.

My eyes scan the mass of bodies fruitlessly. I get out of the crowds and search the sidelines. Where are you?

Almost about to turn away, I spot a door at the farther ending of the ballroom. I try to open it and it gives away easily.

A narrow hallway enters my vision and I sense it then; the faint trail of gardenia flowers and rain. Why the hell should she come here?

My mind instantly conjures up the worst possibilities as I sprint through the hallway, faint sounds reach my ear and I see a speck of light at the far end.

When I come out, my eyes take in the detail of the place. A gilded room, high curtains of the windows, sofas and showpieces littered across the marble floor but in the major space of the room is taken up by a pool, the steaming water fogs the air.

A laugh reaches my ears and my snaps in the direction of the sound.

I find her sitting in a group of boys and girls, legs hanging in the water, a glass held loosely in her hand as she throws her head back and laughs again.

I make my way towards her, relieved, irritated, angry.

How could she be here, without telling anyone, when the situation is so dire? Didn’t she think how worried I’d be for her?

But as I go closer, I realize how sloppy her movements are, how drawling her voice. Oh moon, no. Not right now—

Hazy, golden eyes lift to my face and a breathtaking smile greet me. I halt in my steps for a moment.

“Luke!” Hazel waves at me animatedly

The three boys and two girls around her turn to look at me as well, their gazes ranging from confused to annoyed to lusty.

Hazel stands up from her place but before she could walk over to me and quite possibly fall down due to her state, I reach her.

She throws her arms around me “You’re alive!”

I tell myself to keep in mind my anger, my annoyance. To tell her just how stupid it was to come here and on top of that, getting drunk, but all that floats away but just seeing that she’s alright.

I sigh. Goddess, this girl makes me act strange.

Wrapping my arms around her, I straighten her slouched frame “Why wouldn’t I be alive?”

She looks up at me with doe hazel eyes, eyebrows furrowed “Didn’t you go on some dangerous mission? I was waiting for you, but you didn’t come back. In the end, I had to get myself some happy juice.”

“Come on,” I say “We’re going back now.”

I expected her to retaliate but Hazel surprised me by nodding, I shift my hold on her so my arm is around her shoulders and I hold her hand with my other.

“Elise,” One of the girls says “You should stay for a while. Wont introduce us to your friend?”

Hazel gasps, tipsily turning around to look at her “I almost forgot!”

“This is Luke, my partner in crime.” She says “Luke, these are the nice people who didn’t let me get bored or worried. Clary, Emily, Cameron, Freddie and, what was it again? Oh and Zander.”

“That’s all the introduction you’ll give us?” Emily say, eyeing me like a candy. The girl is lucky she’s drunk otherwise the look on my face would probably hurt “What else is your partner like?”

“Sorry Em,” Hazel says apologetically “That information is confidential. Bye!”

She turns to me “Aren’t we going?”

We’d almost crossed the room when she stops a look of realization on her face “My shoes!”

I look down at her feet, only now realizing she’s not wearing her shoes. Hazel looks across the room before she points out a sofa where she’d probably taken them off.

“You go,” she tells me “I’ll just be back real quick.”

“I’m coming with you.” I’m not letting you out of my sight again

“Then don’t bother me by saying hurry up!” Hazel says “Putting on shoes is a concentrating task.”

I roll my eyes despite the upward tilt of my lips. Hazel promptly sits down in the sofa and starts putting her shoes on. Or that’s what I think this is.

“Get on!” she mutters, yanking the shoe on her foot “What is wrong with you things? You were fitting so well a while ago.”

“Maybe that has something to do with putting on the wrong one, Hazel.”
She huffs and flips her hair over her shoulder “I know which shoe goes in which foot. Maybe I just need to clear my head.”

She grabs a box of mint from a side table and tosses two in her mouth “Right, now I can fix this.”

She again fails to distinguish between the left and right shoe. I pinch the bridge of my nose and let out a breath. We don’t have time for this.
I crouch down and take the shoes from her, her skin is cold from sitting in the water.

Hazel giggles as I slid the shoes on her feet, I look up at her, eyebrow raised.

“This is like cinderella,” she says “but you’re better looking than the prince.”

Unbidden, a thought hits my head. I should not be thinking about this, I should be thinking about how to open that door, I should be thinking that those guards might wake up and all of this would be for nothing but still the words wretch themselves out of my mouth;

“What am I like?”

“That’s confidential information.”

“Why so?” I ask, somehow my hand finds its way towards hers, holding it gently

Lycans are naturally stronger than werewolves, and I can easily bruise a Lycan with a bit of force. I always have to be careful while holding her, the barest bit of pressure would hurt her. its like handling glass.

Glass that might cut more than it breaks.

“I had to spend more than a month staying with you day and night to gather this information.” Hazel says

“Well, it is about me,” I say, my voice almost soft “I have the right to know.”

“If you put it that way…” Hazel looks around, then ushers me closer, leaning down herself

Her face is inches from mine, featured schooled into perfect seriousness.

“You’re really snappy, and bossy and demanding.” She says, I can almost feel my facial muscles wanting to form a scowl “And you never look up from that damned map.

“And you can beat anyone up without a second thought. You only ever think about this Hunt and do anything to win, even if that means flirting with a witch.”

I really didn’t think of myself as so dishonorable.

“But,” Hazel brushes her fingers across my cheek, her golden eyes following their movement “You’re different to me… you don’t say what you don’t mean, you don’t do what you don’t want to. You may act indifferent, but you care. In protecting me, respecting me, treating me like an equal, you show me that you care.”

She pulls her hand away, a little laugh escapes her. I stare in confusion, wondering why the sudden change in mood.

“I wonder how long it will last,” She says with a shake of her head

“My care for you?” I ask, she nods “Why?”

“People tend to back away and leave when they realize I have emotions other than happy or optimistic.” She says

“You think I’m like those people?”

When she looks at me again, her smile is almost sad, almost longing.

“Darling, in the end they all leave.”

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