1 No More Hiding

Parker's POV

    The alarm sounded at 4 AM, jolting me awake. I groaned, regretting setting the alarm immediately. I sat up and shut the alarm off, before rubbing my eyes. I didn't want to be up this early, but in order to get my workout in I needed to. I was summoned by the werewolf council to appear in person, on the morning of the Hunt. All because no one outside of my Pack has seen me since I was 16. Also because I was supposed to take my place in the Hunt every year since turning 18. As far as I'm aware my close friends and family are the only ones who know about my Alpha Mate Mark. But seeing as I have been hiding for 5 years and not going to any upper rank meetings, I am sure there has been talk as to why.

    I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I got up and used the bathroom, before changing into running shorts, I also laid out the outfit I planned to wear after my shower. It consisted of tight black jeans, a light blue t-shirt, black leather jacket, black gloves, light blue converse, and sunglasses. I went so far as packing a bag with extra workout clothes in case I'm forced to participate in the Hunt. I went down to the workout room throwing my wireless earbuds into my ears. I used my phone hologram watch to start up my workout music while getting drowned in my thoughts.

    The Hunt was something that was created after the werewolf versus witch war  and it's also referred to as the mating games. I'm not sure too many people refer to it as the Hunt anymore simply because calling it a hunt made the Human participants extremely nervous. It was created because so many wolves started discovering that a human or someone from a far away pack was their mate. The Hunt was a way to bring everyone together into one place in Treaty land. No one ever starts anything as the council will punish them in front of every single pack and human there. Humans have to go through finding out if their blood holds a certain mating gene. The mating gene is a genetic mutation that Humans have that makes their bodies able to withstand having a werewolf baby for a girl, and for both genders being able to withstand sex with a werewolf. As we are 20x stronger than a human and we could easily kill them during sex.

    The Hunt lasts one full week, the final day it ends at noon, and at night there is a party to celebrate under the full moon. If you are able to escape your mate until the final bell rings ending the hunt, you are free for another year, they may contact you via email or text but they can't be around you to avoid you being claimed. A werewolf has an instinct to claim their submissive mate as soon as possible. So you are only caught during the Hunt when your mate has managed to mark you. Meaning they bite down and claim you in a spot of their choosing. For females it's usually shoulder or arms. For Males it's usually the collarbone and neck area. Doesn't matter what side or where really because once marked you are claimed for life, or until death.

    I was jolted from my thoughts by getting grabbed, and yanked off the treadmill. I screamed as I thrashed to get away. When I was released I turned to find my brother, Derek, hunched over crying from laughing so hard. I pulled my earbuds out with a huff.

"What the hell, man?" I asked.

"You should have seen your face. Haha."

"Yeah i'm sure sneaking up on me was priceless. What do you want?" I questioned, waiting for him to look at me.

I am deaf so I tend to read lips when having a conversation. I have great hearing when in wolf form or using my wolf in human form, I just don't let my wolf come out around my family and friends because they know I'm hard of hearing. I was born deaf because my birth Mother was human. While it was my mom's egg, the woman who was my parents surrogate was human so I was more likely to get human issues. There's a good chance once I am mated that my hearing will get fixed but no one knows for sure.

"You need to shower, we have to leave in a half hour in order to get there in time." He said, standing to his full height of 6' 1"

"Yay. I'll meet you at the car in 30."

"Hey, don't forget your hearing aids. You can't let your wolf out at the meeting, and they give wolves running in the games a sedative so you can't beat the humans using werewolf strength."

"Okay." I nodded and turned heading out of the pack gym and to my room.

I quickly showered and then towel dried my hair. I threw on my outfit and grabbed my bag with the change of clothes, as well as my hearing aids off the desk, before walking down the stairs to the pack house kitchen. I didn't have time to eat much so I swiped a banana from the fruit bowl and walked outside to the car. Derek, his mate, Violet, and my parents were all joining us. I was to ride with Derek and Violet because my parents made me jumpy when I couldn't freely escape. No one said anything to me as I walked up to the SUV and climbed in the back.  I ate the banana as Derek climbed in the driver's seat, and violet in the passenger. I sat in the back with my leg against the radio for 45 minutes before I felt the vibrations of it go off.

I looked at Derek and he looked at me. "We're almost there. Two minutes. Might want to put your hearing aids on."

"Okay.  What's going to happen? Can you make sure we communicate over the link when we arrive. I want to make sure I don't miss anything. Sometimes it's hard to focus with them on."

"The council has an idea of who your mate is. They wouldn't tell me but he will be the only Alpha not attending the meeting. I won't be able to protect you from them if they say you have to participate, and seeing as they scheduled the meeting for 30 minutes before the games start I'd say it's more than likely they have you run. Just don't fight them, not only are you in a room with the council but all the current Alphas as well. Your mate will hunt you down if you try to run and the council will give him the permission to do so. Please behave."

"Always, big bro."

We pulled up to the building that sat to the far left of a giant field, where hundreds of werewolves and humans mingled. The Hunt's participants standing in the middle of the field and past participants surrounding the very edges of the field to block anyone from escaping. The potential mates were among those keeping a barrier from the runners and the woods. The council has special guards keeping the perimeter of where the Hunt takes place. Despite the forest being vast there's no escaping. You either make it on the run and hide for a week or you're claimed. I swallowed as I put my hearing aids in and on. Wincing at the almost instant headache I receive when wearing them.

"You good?"

"Sure."

"I know you hate the hearing aids but everything is going to be moving fast and if you showed your wolf the council would view you as a threat. Also like I said if you participate in the games you can't have contact with your wolf until after you're claimed or they give you the reversal serum."

"I got it. They just make me feel useless." I shrugged, climbing out of the car.

Upon seeing me guards posted at the front door, came to surround me. One grabbed my arm, causing Derek and my Father to growl.

"Let go of my son."

"We have strict orders to bring him to the council's chamber upon arrival."

"He will cooperate and follow you, let him go before I make you."

    Immediately the hands dropped my arms. I straightened my jacket and followed the men into the building. Once in the room, I tensed as I could feel multiple pairs of eyes on me, and the amount of talking was driving me nuts. I was led to the table in front of the Council. The head member was eyeing me closely, I kept rolling my neck and wincing when the talking got super loud. He held his hand up and almost immediately the talking stopped.

"Thank you. As none of you have noticed, our guest has hearing implants, from this point on one person will talk at a time, and the level needs to stay as close to normal range as possible. The more people talking and the louder they talk, the more discomfort Parker will be in. If you understand, raise your right hand."

Everyone including me raised our hand.

"If you feel the need to talk, you will again raise your hand, I will be doing most of the talking for the council, and will be asking you questions. First why did no one inform us of the hearing implant situation?"

"I don't like them, so I don't use them often. I normally let my wolf bleed into my human side so I can hear normal. My wolf isn't deaf. That's just me. My brother advised me to wear them as if I am required to participate in the games I won't be allowed contact with my wolf. If I can't hear out in the woods I won't last very long."

"Is that you admitting you know you were supposed to participate in the games for the past 5 years?"

"Yes, sir."

"May I ask why you haven't?"

"When I found out my mark was an alphas mate mark, I panicked and ran away from home. I was 16, and was captured by rogues. I was held captive for two years before my parents found me. I was malnourished and wouldn't have survived running for a day let alone a week. I was also traumatized and didn't want to deal with feeling like I had been captured again. I still don't but I understand the position I have put everyone in. I want to refuse this but I know if I do that I am going to be handed off to my mate. I was born and raised as a Beta, I do not want to submit to anyone. Let alone the man who is destined to be my mate."

"I am truly sorry for what you have been through. However, your mate has been searching for you for 9 years. As an Alpha's mate it's about your new pack too. No one is asking you to submit to him 100 percent straight out of the gate. He will be able to recognize that you are a Beta, and knows even claimed if he pushes too hard you will run. Which is why we scheduled the meeting for now, we were worried you would run if we gave you too much extra time. I'm sorry that you don't feel ready but you have to participate in this year's games. Do you have clothes you can change into?"

I nodded. Flinching when Derek's chair scraped the floor as he stood up.

"This is outrageous. We all know what Alpha is missing from this room, you send him into the games without the 6 months training and you know he will not stand a chance. Especially being deaf."

"That is enough Alpha Derek. I suggest you calm yourself. We will notify his mate that he is deaf. That is all we can do. It was written in his destiny that this would be the age he would find his mate. His Mate has his initials and the number 23 on his mark. Your brother turns 24 in two months. This is the last chance for them to meet. Even if his mate doesn't get the chance to claim him they still have to meet. "

"Yes, Sir."

"What Alpha's missing?"

"I don't want to tell you."

"Please Dere, Tell me."

"Alpha Ryan. Of the Firestone Pack."

I froze. How in the holy hell was I meant to outrun him. Not only is he taller, faster, stronger, but he can actually hear. I'm screwed. I turned to my mom, wide-eyed. She gave me the biggest smile she could manage and nodded her head. Signing that I would be okay. I was led to a room and my spare clothes were brought to me. I changed into a red pair of running shorts, running sneakers, and a white loose t-shirt. Once I was changed, I was led onto the field and into the straight line that was forming. All the contestants line up in a straight line, if they are wolves they get their shot to put the wolves out of commission and then when the gun sounds everyone runs. We get a 20 minute head start. The gun will sound when the mates are allowed to chase.

As I stood in line waiting for the serum, I couldn't stop my eyes from flashing around. I felt like my skin was crawling, everyone out here was talking and I noticed a man staring at me out of the corner of my eye. I was pretty positive who it was so was refusing to look, until I saw the Head of the council making his way to him. They started talking, while I stared. Until his head snapped over to me. My eyes widened. He looks different then he did 7 years ago. I thought he was big then, I'm really in trouble now. One of the ladies who was administering the shot pulled me out of my fearful freefall.

"Paisley Parker Mathison, Beta?"

"I go by Parker."

"Yes or no?"

"Yes." She checked something on the screen and a needle popped out of her syringe gun, she quickly jabbed it in my shoulder. "Ah. Fuck."

"Hearing aids." She said, holding her hand out.

"What? I need them."

" I have to make sure nothing is hidden in it. Take them off."

"They dont... they dont just come off. They attach to my head. I have to have help getting them off."

"Agnus, Dear he is alright. He wouldn't be hiding anything in them." The head of Council said as he stepped in front of me. "Your mate has been made aware of your ailment. He is willing to give you a full hour head start. Since you won't be able to hear the gun signaling his chase, you can have this timer. It will start automatically when the gun goes off for you to run." He handed me a stopwatch timer and attached it to my wrist. "It will let out a beep when time is up. You also need to remove your shirt."

"Why?"

"It's a rule. Females have to wear tank tops, men are to be shirtless, that way a shirt isn't in the way of you being marked. Also a little secret between me and you, Ryan will use your shirt to catch you. If he grabs a hold of it, you will have no chance of getting away."

I looked to my right and saw Derek standing with his arms crossed, Alpha Ryan watching me from further down the line. I swallowed and slowly brought my hands up behind my head. Grabbing the back of the collar on my shirt and yanked it over my head. I handed it to the Head of the council.

I could hear the girl next to me on my left gasp.

"You have an Alpha's Mate Mark?" She questioned.

I nodded.

"So do I. Pretty cool, right?" She smiled.

"Maybe for you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You're a Human female. You'll be a perfect submissive mate whether it was an Alpha or not. I was born a Beta, I'm not supposed to be a submissive mate."

"You're a werewolf? But you have a cochlear implant. That means you're deaf right?" She questioned, reaching up to touch it.

I grabbed her wrist and bared my teeth, "DON'T TOUCH ME."

"I just wanted to touch your implant. I've never seen one this close."

"If you want to keep your hand attached to your body you won't touch me or them. Understood?" I questioned while narrowing my eyes.

It was at this point the gun shot signaling us to start running. I dropped her hand covering my ears and falling onto the ground. I squeezed my eyes shut and I knew I was groaning. I felt hands grab my wrists.

"You have to get up and run. If you don't get up it's a sign of refusal and Ryan will claim you here. I know it hurts, breathe and get up." Derek urged in my head.

I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. I ripped my wrists from Derek and launched myself off the ground. Taking off into the woods after everyone else. It was clear that I was the fastest in this group. However I knew it wouldn't matter once Ryan was set loose.

"Stick to the trees. It's how Violet avoided me for two years.  She hid in the trees. It threw off her scent."

"Thank you."

     After that the serum took full effect and I couldn't reach him through the mind link. I started zig zagging through the trees. I wanted to get as far as I could possibly run before climbing and moving through the trees. Eventually I had to stop to catch my breath. My side had a kink it in a few miles back. I looked down to check the time just as it started beeping. I ripped the timer off my wrist and found a sturdy tree, beginning to climb. I could jump from tree to tree with how close they are together. Once at what I deemed a safe height; to avoid being seen and that I wouldn't die if I fell;  I launched myself to the next tree.  I continued until I was 12 trees to the right of where I started. I felt it was close enough to watch him but far enough that I could relax and try to get rid of my cramp and catch my breath.

    I sat on the branch with my back pressed against the trunk for about 30 minutes when I heard leaves and sticks crunching as someone walked underneath the tree I was in. I held my breath as I slowly got into a crouched position and looked. It was the girl from earlier walking by. She looked terrified with her head swinging from right to left and turning to look behind her occasionally. All of a sudden a figure popped out from in front of her causing her to let out a high pitched scream. I winced. Almost falling from the tree. I froze as I saw who the figure was.

"Hush. You're not my mate, I won't do anything to you. Have you seen the boy you tried to touch earlier?"

"N-no S-sir, Not since the gun went off."

"Continue on then. I can sense he's close and I don't want another Alpha around while I mark my mate."

"Yes, Sir." She said before sprinting away.

He started in my direction. I have a plan I just need him to get by me and a little ways away from me before I can jump through the trees from the direction he just came.

"I know you're close, little one." He spoke in a loud clear voice.

I held back the growl I wanted to let out. I wasn't a little one. I was close to his size. If you looked at us on opposite sides of a very large field. I waited until he walked by my tree and went four trees behind me, before looking to see what branch I could jump to.

"Shit." I whispered.

It's too far, I wouldn't make that jump. I risked leaning out around the tree to try to find him. No matter where I looked he wasn't in my sights. If I stay in this tree I'm a sitting duck. If I climb down and try to run the likelihood of him hearing me was very high. I leaned my head back and took a breath trying to psyche myself up. If I tried to climb down it would take too long. My only option was to just jump down and hope I could escape.

I counted to three and jumped. I landed on my feet but grunted as my right leg crumpled under the pain in my hip. I gritted my teeth and pushed myself into a standing position starting to run in the direction he came from. I made it about 40 steps before I was tackled from behind. I was so focused on running, I didn't hear him coming. I let out a slight scream of frustration as I landed and started trying to crawl away. I was kicking him and saying "No, let me go." over and over in hopes he would listen. His grip never let up. I was flipped onto my back and he grabbed my wrists. I started jerking and got my knee in his stomach.

"Calm down. Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Fuck you." I ground out, catching him by surprise and biting his arm as hard as I could, because my wolf wasn't around it wasn't able to be a mark, but I did break his skin. He let me go and I scrambled trying to get back to my feet. I was successful and ran, weaving through the trees. I collided with another guy who was running in the opposite direction. The impact knocked my implant clear off. Cutting off all noise. I couldn't see the implant on the ground at first glance. I didn't have time to try to find it, I rushed to my feet, still feeling the pain from jumping out of a tree. I could see the guy I ran into was trying to say something to me but I ignored him and kept running.

    At this point the fear and adrenaline was the only thing keeping me going. I was exhausted, and just wanted to sleep in my bed. I could barely catch my breath, and I couldn't hear a single thing. I must have been running for what felt like 20 minutes when I felt arms wrap around my waist. I screamed out of fear and anger, I hated being deaf, I couldn't tell he caught up. One of his arms came up and swiped my arms down into his grip. Then I felt a hand sink into my hair, pulling my head back and to the right side, barring my neck to him. When his teeth sunk into the junction between my neck and shoulder, I tensed and the scream that was let out hurt my throat.

    As the marking took place, my energy was draining from my body. I felt myself sagging against him. The pain of him marking me drifted away to absolute pleasure and I let myself moan. He pulled his teeth from me and licked at the mark until it was done bleeding. My head dropped forward in defeat. As he slowly lowered us to the ground, placing me in his lap. He leaned to the left for a second before returning to his original position. His hand appeared in front of me holding my implant up. I nodded and before I could grab it he turned my head to the right and gently reattached it. Placing it back in my ear where it belongs.

"You bit me."

"You bit me, first." He said, my back vibrating with his chuckle.

"Not even sorry."

"Hey, you had every right, it's part of the games. Whatever it takes to escape. It's already healed."

"I'm tired."

"Sleep. I'll carry you back to the gathering. Or I can take you to my room and let you rest."

I jerked trying to escape his grasp. "NO." I shouted my breath coming out in short gasps. Whenever they let me in a bed it wasnt to rest.

"Hey, hey, hey. Your Father filled me in on what happened. I am not them. When I say I will take you to my room so you can sleep. I mean it. I will never force you to have sex."

"I n-need Derek and V. Please."

"Okay, let me carry you and I can get you to them in 20 minutes."

    I nodded and went limp as he stood up and carried me bridal style out of the woods. True to his word, 20 minutes later I was being set on my feet and taking off to my brother and Violet. My brother turned as he heard me approaching and I launched myself into his arms. Breaking down into tears. He let me cry for a while before speaking.

"You're okay. You're okay. Trust me, he won't hurt you."

"Excuse me?" Some lady interrupted. "I need to give him his serum antidote so his wolf returns."

I let Ryan pull me back a little bit and help hold my shaking arm out to receive the shot. I winced at the burn but remained still. When I turned back to Derek, Violet and my Mom pulled me into a hug. Now that my little pity party and panic attack was over, I was embarrassed.

"Sorry."

"For what?" Derek asked,

"Embarrassing everyone."

"You didn't embarrass anyone. You are allowed to cry. For whatever reason you want to. Never apologize for getting upset and feeling emotions." Ryan said.

I nodded. "Okay."

"I'd like to get a doctor to look over you, if you don't mind."

"Doctor?" Derek asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I sorta jumped out of a tree."

"I'm sorry... Did you say you jumped out of a tree?"

I nodded. "I was too far away from the other tree so I wouldn't have made the jump to that tree so I jumped out of the tree and hurt my hip on the landing, then tried to fight him off, which worked, but I ran into someone else, lost my implant and then he caught me."

"Okay first, why were you jumping from tree to tree. Second, how'd you fight him off?"

"You told me to stick to the trees, that that's how Violet beat you for two years. I also may have bit his arm."

"I didn't jump from tree to tree, bud. I would climb a tree, if he came close to where I was I would wait 10-15 minutes, then climb down and run to another section and climb a new tree."

"Oh... Derek didn't say that. That probably was the safer choice. And smarter."

"Oh your plan would have worked if you didn't whisper "shit" and give away your position."

"How'd you hear that? You were like 40 feet away when I said it."

"I'm an Alpha. My hearing is stronger than most people's and I'm significantly faster. Hence why even with an hour head start I found you pretty quickly."

I nodded. I went to head to the refreshment table, as I was thirsty and starving. I winced as I limped to the table. Now that my adrenaline was gone, all I could feel was the sharp throbbing pain. Ryan came over to me and picked me up bridal style.

"Derek could you please grab him something to eat and drink? You know what he likes. I'm taking him to the infirmary."

My brother nodded and let me be carried off. "I can walk you know."

"Not when I don't know what's wrong with your hip."

I sighed. "It's not like I haven't been hurt before. I can take care of myself."

"As your mate it's kind of my job to make sure you're okay."

I just nodded accepting that. Once we entered the infirmary, the doctor jumped to action. After the situation was explained. I was laid down on the x-ray table. Thankfully the x-rays showed no actual damage so I had just strained the hip and my wolf would heal it within an hour of him returning.

"I have a question."

"Yes, Beta?" The doctor spoke.

I winced, realizing I'm not a Beta anymore. "I was told my hearing could be corrected once mated. After I was marked I still couldn't hear."

"Because you were marked. Not mated. You have to be fully mated. Meaning you have to have sex, and he will remark you and you will mark him when you.... Uh climax."

"OH.  Sorry... I missed this in school."

"It's fine, Paisley. Your brother brought the food and drinks to my room so you can eat and then sleep."

My face hardened. "Don't call me that." I said, through gritted teeth.

He froze at the door, turning to look at me. "Don't take that tone with me. I am now your Alpha. You may be my equal but I am still in charge. Understand that, little one."

"Don't call me Paisley or little one, and we won't have problems."

"I would like to call you by your name. Is there another name that I am allowed to call you?"

"Pai or Parker."

"Fine."

"Fine."  With that agreement I followed him back to his room, ate, showered, and finally crashed on his bed, as he went back to the field waiting to see who else was captured in the hunt. I was thankfully not the first. At least 15 humans and 5 other wolves were captured before me. I fell asleep regretting not running two days ago when I had the chance. Hopefully this won't turn out bad. I've had enough trauma to last me a lifetime and then some.