Hey guys! As the story is rapidly ending, I'd like to ask you guys a favor.

Do you know anyone who has a book like 'Completed werewolf books'? Or anyone who would be interested in this book?
I'm in love with the progress so far, but I've put so much thought and effort in this book, I want it to reach far and wide.

Will u help?

44. Bullet through my head

The next week is a blurr.

True to his promise, Luke didn't show a hint of his emotions after that night. For that matter, neither did I. We both acted the way we should; like partners.

And the fact that we're close to the finish line only fuels our will to keep focused.

We hadn't really slept since the past week, only dozed off occasionally. Which is precisely why I wake up in the noon to the sound of a growl.

My eyes snap open, hands already fumbling to get the revolver out of the waistband of my jeans. There's only one bullet left, is my only thought as I spring to my feet.

My eyes dart in every direction, but I see nothing that could be a threat. Then it dawns to me;

Where did Luke go?

Tucking the revolver away, I start forward, a frown on my face. Where the hell is he?

Only a short distance away, I see him pacing around, his head in his hands. Another low growl reaches me.

"Luke?" a hint of worry leaks in my voice

His heads snaps in my direction so quickly I almost flinch. His eyes are dark, near black.

"When did you wake up?" he asks, his voice a little rough around the edges

"Just now." I say, walking over to him "Are you alright?"

"Fine." He moves away just as I approach him, but the tension in his frame doesn't go unnoticed by me

I narrow my eyes at him back. I know full moon is in one week, he must be having trouble controlling his wolf. Why wont he tell me? its not like I don't know about it already!

"Are you sure?" I ask him as he walk back to where I came from

"Yes." He doesn't even look at me

Luke walks ahead and I throw my hands up in frustration. Alphas! They are impossible!

I open my mouth to bug him again but then stop myself. Its none of your business, I tell myself firmly. You're not supposed to worry about him.

But I cant stop myself from glancing at him every now and then. Though Luke keeps always fast pace, I've never seen him break a sweat.

So I guess it's a bit concerning to see a sheen of sweat cover his brow, his whole body taut like a spring under tension.

"How long until we reach the finish line?" I ask him after a few hours

"I'm not sure," Luke says "The recreated map isn't very accurate, but I guess we should reach it in about five days, give or take a few."

I nod, feeling a thrill of adrenaline go through me.

"If we don't have to change course-

Luke cuts himself off with a low growl. His hand reaches up, fisting his hair.

"Luke!" Without thinking my hands reach out to do, well, I don't know what, but something!

"No, Don't!" Luke stumbles back, dark eyes wide in alarm

I stop in my tracks, confusion and worry cloud my head.

"What?" I breathe out "You're hurting, you idiot! Let me help!"

"You cant help," Luke says, "Stay away. I'm not too-

Another growl rips its way out of his chest. I watch in horror as he falls to his knees, features contorted in pain. His chest rises and falls rapidly, eyes darting in every direction like a caged animal.

The next moment, I find myself kneeling besides him, preying his hands away from his hair. They're burning against my skin, as if he has a horribly high fever.

"What are you doing?" Luke snaps, momentarily coming to his own bossy senses "I told you to stay away-

"Shut up," I give him a look "I'm not going anywhere."

"Cant you see?" Luke narrows his eyes at me, snatching his clawed hands away "I'm not safe to be around."

If he wasn't being so panicked about my safety, I would've slapped him for being such an idiot.

"Luke, calm down," I say calmly, taking his hand in my hands

"No," he grabs my arms, ready to push my away "You need to go, you need to-

"Will you ever shut up?" I put my finger on his lips "Just look at me."

Whether willingly or unwillingly, his dark eyes meet my own, panic and concern just on the surface.

"Breathe," I put my forehead against his "Don't think anything, okay? Just look at me and take a deep breath."

He does, at least the breathing part. For a few moments we stay like that, I feel his skin cooling down against mine.

"See?" I pull away, a smile on my lips "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Luke pulls his hands away from my arms and lets out a rattled breath "Why don't you ever listen to me?"

"Because you give the dumbest suggestions," I chirp

Unthinking, I rake my hand through his hair, making it less messy. Just as I realize what I'm doing, I draw it back.

"This is worse than I thought," Luke drags a hand down his face, rubbing his jaw "It's not even full moon and yet..."

"Are you going to be okay?" I ask him

A shadow crosses his face "Its not myself I' worried about."

I swallow, catching the meaning behind his words. But Wolfie hadn't hurt me, not in the slightest. Maybe he wouldn't hurt me this time either?

I open my mouth to tell Luke I'll be okay but he beats me to it;

"If I ask something of you, will you do it for me?" he says, taking my hand in his

"I, umm," I blink a few times

"Answer my question, Elise," He says, tightening his grip on my hand, his eyes search my own "Will you do it?"

"Do what?" I ask him, confusion thick in my voice

Luke's stormy eyes are steady as they look at me, as if steeled against emotion.

"If I shift, put a bullet through my head."

"What?" My eyes become the size of the moon

I try to snatch my hand away out of pure surprise but Luke holds it in firm grip. He leans forward, his face dead serious.

"I don't know how long until my restraint snaps," he says "And when that happens, you need to put me down."

"Luke are you even listening to yourself?" I say furiously "I'm not going to kill you!"

"You wont have a choice!" he glares at me "If you don't kill me, I would surely kill you!"

I'm shaking my head "Luke, I can't. I just cannot do that to anyone, let alone you."

He grabs me by the shoulders, forcing me to look at him. I almost gasp when I look at his expression. Never in my entire life had I thought I would see Luke Winters desperate.

"Promise me," he says, his voice hard as stone "You wont let me hurt you."

"Luke, please, don't ask this of me-

"I have to, damnit!" he shakes me, once, as if trying to knock some sense into me "I can't live with your blood on my hands!"

I give him a harsh glare "You think I can?"

"Think, Hazel." He says, his stormy eyes bore into mine "Maybe this time if I shift, I wont be turning back again. I would become a monster, a killing machine."

He lets go of me, his eyes hold an ages old pain, a fear that's been with him for so long, he's stopped being afraid of it. A man standing at the brink of the ocean, ready to be thrown off and drown.

"I don't want to become that." Luke says

I stand to my feet "Come on, get up."

I grab his arm, trying to pull him to his feet, though confused Luke complies.

"We don't have time," I say, starting to drag him behind me "We're reaching that darn finish line if it's the last thing we do."

"Hazel-

"No," I'm surprised at the steel in my voice "You're not going to become a monster. I'm not going to have to kill you, nor are you killing anyone."

"Hazel, there's no other way around it," Luke sighs, though he keeps walking

I whirl on him, my eyes glassy with burning tears- no, sweat. I do not cry.

"Then we're going to do what we always do," I jab a finger at his chest "We're going to find a way out."

I hold his gaze, my breaths short and harsh in the silence around us.

Finally, he looks away from me and walks past me.

"Then stop wasting time," I hear the hard and commanding voice that I've grown so fond of "We have places to be."

...

The next few days go by almost in a run. Though Luke didn't show it, I know these few days have been hard on him, specically because he couldn't blink an eye to sleep. Not once.

As our time is coming to an end, I find myself closer to telling him about that night he shifted. I want him to know that he's not the monster he thinks himself to be.

"Luke," I say, mustering up my courage

"Watch your step," he says, pushing aside the vines in front of his face "The trees are older here, you might trip on a root."

"I know," I say, my eyes on my feet "but I have to tell you something."

"Hurry it up,"

I take a deep breath and grab his hand. Luke's head snaps back towards me, his eyes permanently a shade darker since the day he told me to shoot him if necessary. As if he's constantly fighting off the beast.

And ever since then, he's been hypersensitive to any kind of stimuli.

"I don't know if I'll have the chance to say this later," I lick my dry lips "But I want you to know, you're not a monster."

Luke furrows his brows "Hazel, we've been through this before."

"No," I shake my head "I mean literally."

His face is a mask of confusion "What?"

"On the full moon," I swallow thickly "I went to see you."

"You what?"

"I know you told me not to," I say quickly "But I never listen to you, do I?"

His scowl tells me exactly how much he apperiactes my joke. I cant help but grin at him.

I'm going to miss this.

"But that's not the point," I say "The point is that you didn't hurt me."

"Of course, the chain-

I take a deep breath "I went in the range of the chain."

I watch as his jaw goes slack, his head cocks to a side, brows furrowed. He open his mouth to say something but I beat him to it.

"You had me. Pretty much engulfed in your arms, but you didn't hurt me, not in the slightest." I tell him

"You're not a monster," I hold his hand up in both of mine, almost under my chin "Not to me. Never to me."

I let go of his hand when he does reply. I guess he's going to explode in a fit of anger and over protectiveness in a while, better get out of his warth's range.

I quickly walk past him, glad to have let out those words. Whatever his reaction may be, Luke deserves to know.

Through the trees, I see something red flying in the evening breeze. Breath catches in my throat and I squint my eyes to see clearly.

Only a few meters away, I see a clearing, as if the forest stops there and a long white pole, on which a red flag is waving, a silver wolf flashing on it. The Alpha Supreme's flag.

Someone grabs me by the arms and turns me around.

"I didn't hurt you?" For some darn reason, I'm imagining Luke sounding breathless, as if such a thing could happen in reality

Maybe I'm being delusional in my happiness.

"Luke, the finish line," I grab his face and turn it to the flag

I see his eyes widen a fraction, grinning like a maniac, I hold his hand in vice tight hold and sprint forward. In a dream, in a haze, I feel like I've just passed through a cold gel and out in the open air.

"We're here," I breathe out, a wide grin on my face

"Oh my moon, we're here!" I jump up and wrap my arms around Luke's neck "We're alive and we're here!"

His own arms wrap around me, almost cutting off my breath. But who gives a damn about oxygen anyways?

"Now answer my question," Luke says as I pull away a bit "You came to me and I had you, but I didn't hurt you?"

I stare at him incredulously. Seriously? We just won the bloody Alpha' Hunt and he's asking me that?

"Yes you dumbass," I say with a roll of my eyes "You acted like an overgrown mutt fond of cuddles."

He stares at me like someone would at a star, in wonder and amazement. The way you would look at a thunderstorm, watching at the light tear through the sky. Or the way you would look at someone with three heads.

Then he grins at me.

Luke Winters, grins at me, showing his perfect pearly teeth.

He leans down to press a deep kiss on my forehead "Elise, you Goddamn idiot."

I push him away a bit, my eyes narrowed "Excuse me?"

"Congratulations, Alpha Winters,"

I jump away from Luke and snap my head towards the source of the sound. A man in his early fourties is walking towards us from an earthen path, two military built men behind him.

A can almost feel to power in the air, my mind vaguely remembers his face. Red hair, blue eyes and stern expressions. The Alpha Supreme.

"I'm so proud of you son," he says with a smile, hands clasped behind his back

Luke only nods in his direction, I almost want to stomp his foot. He could at least pretend to care about his greeting!

The Alpha Supreme laughs "The attitude of a king. Just what we need, my boy."

He walks over to us and the two military guys instantly focus their eyes on me, a thread of unease coils around my heart.

"I'm not surprised its you who made it, Luke," the Alpha puts out his hand "Whenever we've met, I've sensed your passion to win this Hunt."

Luke shakes his hand "And I've sensed your unwillingness to let me, Alpha."

The Alpha Supreme laughs and in a surprisingly strong tug, pulls Luke forward to embrace him like a son.

"You were always too smart, Winters."

"I'm surprised-

Luke cuts himself off with a gargled sound, the next moment I feel myself being pulled back by the guards.

The Alpha Supreme steps away from Luke, a bloody dagger in his hand, thick drops of blood drop from its tip. My wide, horrified eyes turn to Luke as he stumbles back, blood oozing out of his side.

"I'm sure you are," Alpha Supreme smiles at him, wiping the dagger on his arm, reveling a silver blade

Luke lets out a rasp of laughter
"Good thing I'm off my meds."

He moves too quick for me to see, but I see the Alpha Supreme stumble back, holding his bloody nose as the dagger flies from his hand and into the earth on the far side.

"I haven't had an interesting fight in a long time," He wipes the blood from his face "Lets make it easier for you, I won't shift."

He charges at Luke but Luke easily doughs his first throw, grabbing his arm to pull him forward and dive his knee into the Alpha's gut. The Alpha doesn't even seem fazed as he swings his own fist, it catches Luke in his wound, causing him to loosen his hold on the Alpha.

He stumbles back, the Alpha takes it as a chance to grab him by the throat and quiet possibly choke him but Luke someone manages to twist himself out of the Alpha's hold. The Alpha Supreme's fists move faster than my eyes and all I know is that Luke's lip and nose are bleeding, his movement sluggish due to the wound in his gut.

I feel the gaurds starting to drag me away. I struggle against their stone arms, digging my feet in the earth and trashing around but it has no effect.

Desperation gets the better of me "Luke!"

His eyes snap to mine and I see the murderous rage that flashes in them.

Alpha Supreme uses the momentary distraction to grab him by the hair and knee him in the face, Luke stumbles back, I see his teeth stained with blood. But instead of focusing on his own survival, his eyes fly to me again, once again giving the Alpha Supreme the upper hand as he practically lifts Luke off his feet and hurls him towards a tree.

Luke's back hits the tree with a horrible thud, his falls to his knees, breathing heavily.

More on instinct than on anything else, I bite down the arm of one of my captors-hard.

His hold on me loosens just for a moment and I whirl on the other guard, my hand pulls the gun out from the waistband of my jeans and I slam its butt on his nose. He stumbles back, letting go of me, I turn to the other guard instantly, my hand comes down to slam the gun against his neck, he doubles over, I slam it down on his head. He crumples on the ground.

The other guard recovers from his blow, his eyes red and nose swollen but it doesn't stop him form grabbing me around the waist in a harsh hold.

"Luke!" I throw the revolver towards him the best I can

It lands in someone's hand. Not Luke's.

The Alpha Supreme gives me a chilling smile "I must admit, she's a wild one. But I suppose this Hunt would have to remember her as a martyr."

"Don't you know your highness?" Luke grabs him by the back of his neck and whirls him around "Hunters never take their eyes off their prey."

The sliver dagger goes straight in the Alpha Supreme's chest, into his heart.

He crumples to the ground, pulling at the heavy hilt of the dagger. But I cant see him anymore since the next moment, Luke has ripped me away from the guard, his hand closes around the man's neck and a Snap! Sounds in the air.

I fall on my behind, breathing heavily. Luke crouches down besides me.

"Elise," he's holding my arms "Hazel, we have to go."

"Where?" I ask shakily as he helps me get up

"There's supposed to be a mansion to accommodate the survivers and winners," he says "We need to get there fast,"

"Are you alright?" it a stupid question, but I'm staring at his blood stained shirt

"Not too bad," he says "I was already pulling away when he used the knife, the wound isn't too deep-

Bang!

The air stills, both Luke and I hold our breaths. My eyes are trained on the Alpha Supreme's body on the earth, the revolver in his hand as his eyes glaze over.

With a shaking hand, I touch my stomach, my hand comes back slick with blood. I open my mouth to say something, blood comes out, pouring down my chin.

My legs give out from under me, my head swimming. Luke's holding me to himself, his eyes desperately looking over me, settling on the wound, I barely feel him lift me in his arms.

"Elise, hold on," Luke's running maybe, his voice is shaking maybe "Don't close your eyes."

But my eyes are dropping, there's so much pain through my body, it's numbing. Telling me to go to sleep the way I used to when mom told me bedtime stories. Mom, Carlos, Angelina, Morgan, everyone's faces swirl before my eyes. Ethan, Tyler, Clary, so many more.

"I'm tired,"

"I know, Hazel." Luke says "But I need you to stay strong, like you always do. I need you not to close your eyes."

My hand is shaking when I reach it up to touch his face. His face snaps down to look at me, stormy blue eyes that I've grown to adore look at me with so much pain I think its even greater than mine.

"Don't," I crock out, my hand drops "Don't be hurt."

"I wont be, I promise." He says, I hear the hitch in his breath "I will do anything you say, just don't let go."

He's still running, so am I. Where? I'm not sure.

I dimly register him shouting at someone. Bossy Luke, why let go of any chance to show who is incharge?

"Luke," A breath leaves my mouth

He's letting me down on something, his frantic eyes meet mine "Yes, Hazel?"

I feel my lips twitch up. I like that name. I like the way it sounds on his tongue. I want to taste something on my own tongue.

"I love you."

...

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