58. Raine

The bait was set now all that was left to do was hope that it worked. I felt bad about using Vericus like that but what could I do. It was the only way to be sure.

When I finally caught up to Ty and Cora they were already deep into the woods. Ty of course was the first to notice me.

"Bout time you caught up I was beginning to think we'd have to do this one on our own."

I dropped from the tree smiling. Cora nearly jumped six foot in the air. I shook my head at her.

"If Ty wasn't with you you'd be dead."

Cora's face dropped colour rushing to her cheeks.

"I'm sorry I'll do better next time."

"Don't apologise just stay alert. Never let your guard down ever even when your with people you trust."

She nodded as I took the lead. Ty chuckled as he speed up a bit to walk beside me.

"Did your psycho daddy teach you that pep talk?"

I growled at him.

"No my psycho brother didn't stop at sneaking up on me. His pep talks were more on the physical side then verbal."

He made a pouty face.

"am I supposed to feel sorry for you? am I supposed to give you some encouraging words like it's not your fault you've had such a hard childhood?"

I stopped walking to turn and face him. Cora paused as well staring at us like we were two bombs about to blow.

"What's your problem Ty? Is it daddy issues? Mummy issues? Did daddy beat you up? Did mummy diddle with her pretty boy? Or was it that daddy beat you up and diddled with you? Or is it that you just have a problem with me? Did I kill someone you care about? Maybe I killed mummy or daddy and that's why your such a dick? Whatever the reason I don't care. If you can't get over it I suggest you run back to your king with your tail between your legs because if you can't deal with the fact that you have to work with me, whatever problems you have will pale in comparison to what I will do to you if your the reason we fail."

He stood inches away from me a cold expression on his face as his green eyes glared down at me. Just looking at him and the way he reacted to my words was evidence enough that something very bad had happened to him. Whether it was any of the things listed I couldn't tell but the jokes the charm the ladies man attitude all of it hid the real pain that lay beneath.

"Well what's it going to be Ty?"

He remained silent his lips forming a tight line. Cora seemed to be holding her breath til finally he grinned in that annoying charming way of his.

"Well Raine how could I resist this heated tension between us. Fair warning by the end of this mission you won't be able to resist me."

I groaned. Great he was back to the laude comments.

"Just shut up and walk idiot."

He laughed as he started waking once more. Cora let out the breath she was holding and continued as well.

"How have you put up with him for so long."

She chuckled.

"He grows on you. Though I've never seen him as bad as what he is around you."

I rolled my eyes.

"Lucky me."

Back on track we followed after Ty all three of us silent for the rest of the night. By morning we were well and truly out side the borders of the pack house. We were still in red eye pack territory since it consisted of the whole of North Carolina but still you get the picture.

Cora who wasn't used to such long travel especially by foot through dense woods was exhausted. She never complained though so I'll give her props for that.

"We'll stop here for a bit Ty can take first watch."

He growled towards me then disappeared through the trees. This deep in the woods there wasn't really much to look at except trees. Cora sat leaning against one of them talking a drink of water and began pulling out a protein bar to snack on. Even though Ty was keeping watch further away I still kept my eyes on the trees around prepared for anything.

"The forms that Rix left you there are four of them right?"

Cora quickly finished chewing before she answered.

"Yes but How did you know?"

I smiled but didn't answer like many things I over heard it when she told Slo. Her four forms wolf, panther, falcon and lizard not much in the grand scheme of things but enough to much her at least slightly useful. Pulling off my bag I reached in and threw a set of throwing knives at her. She only just caught it with one hand. Looking at it curiously her eyes meeting mine.

"Practice with those while we walk. Since you haven't much training in hand to hand we'll concentrate on long distance to start."

She narrowed her eyes at me.

"How am I to practice while we're moving?"

I shrugged.

"Easy I'll be your target."

She laughed like I was joking but when she realised I wasn't she froze.

"But what if I hit you?"

I chuckled she was so innocent I wondered if she even had the back bone to be my student. Though the look in her eyes the day she had asked me put my worries at ease.

"You don't need to worry about that trust me."

She finished her food and stood back up to strap the knives to her left leg. So she was left handed then, that's interesting.

"There's no more thing we need to sort out before we get any closer."

She become more alert nodding for me to continue.

"No matter what happens you must do everything I say. If I say run you shift immediately into what ever form will get you as far away as fast as possible, Understand?"

She nodded vigorously.

"I understand."

"Good now that that's sorted let's keep going."

I looked to my right.

"Come on dumbarse we're going."

Ty appeared from behind a tree Cora's eyes widening. She really had lived a sheltered life if she hadn't even heard him approach. We spent the rest of the day Ty walking with Cora while I farted through the trees or on foot Cora throwing knives at me the whole time. At the beginning she was so far off that she spent most of her time trying to find the knives she'd thrown them actually throwing them. Our progress was slow but necessary. If she was to stand any sort of chance she needed to get good at, at least one offensive move. While she did have her shifts sometimes there just wasn't time to shift so being able to throw a knife injuring your opponent while you shifted was imperative for her on this mission.

By night fall Cora had started to show real signs of being tired. Her knife throws were getting worse rather then better like they had a couple hours ago. Plus she was getting slower as she moved through the woods. I could hear a river in the distance and figured it was as good a spot as any to stay for the night. Cora tried to hold in how relieved she was when I called it but even she couldn't hide the sigh that escaped her lips.

While I started a fire Ty started slinging and preparing a couple of rabbits that he'd caught earlier in the day. Cora spent her time off to the side throwing knives at a tree. Even those she was tired and her hands were blistered and red raw she still kept going.

"You keep that up and you won't be able to list your arms by tomorrow."

I growled at Ty as Cora ignored him and kept going.

"Butt out moron."

His returning scowl made me laugh.

"Scary."

He stabbed the rabbits and put them over the fire then turned his full attention to me.

"You want to tell the real reason you picked me for this mission?"

Cora paused in her throwing as they both faced me waiting for an answer. Sitting back against the log of a downed tree I shrugged.

"Why do you think I picked you?"

A lusty smile spread his lips as his eyes roamed my body.

"Well I can think of one reason."

I grimaced at the implications of his words.

"Dude you seriously need your head examined if you think I'll ever want that from you."

"Why is that such a bad thing you wouldn't be the first who wanted my dick."

I half expected Cora to say something but she just went back to throwing knives. I took in Ty's handsome face the scruffy hair and touch of fluff around his face. Don't get me wrong he was hot at hell. Those dark green eyes that always seemed to be undressing you but that wasn't all I saw. I saw a male that liked everyone to think he was carefree, a womaniser and ignorant of life but underneath he was calculating, watchful always ready to pounce at a moments notice. He was so much like me it was scary.

"Does it bother you that I can see passed..."

I pointed my finger at him starting from his feet to his head.

"All of this?"

His smile vanished. His eyes stared into mine like he was challenging me. That fact that I could see right through him seemed to shake him yet at the same time he seemed unsure.

"You know nothing about me."

"True I don't know anything about you or your story. Maybe that's why I brought you alone so that I could find out. Or maybe it's because I don't trust you and I figured what better way to test that trust then to take you on a mission."

There was that cold look I knew hid beneath all of the fake. His eyes glowed in anger shining like emeralds in the light of the moon. I'd pissed him off just like I knew my words would.

"You think it's me don't you?"

"It's someone whether it's you or not I have yet to figure out."

He rushed to his feet canines and claws out.

"TY!"

His eyes glanced at Cora who'd once again stopped throwing knives and stood gaping at him. Her eyes went from him to me confused. Ty growled but put away his claws and canines. His eyes remained lite up though as he stared down at me.

"If your so sure then why risk it?"

He pointed at Cora.

"Why risk her?"

Not taking my eyes off him I answered without emotion.

"Because she's not the one at risk. We both know he's already gotten what he wants from her. The only person that's really at risk is me."

His eyes dulled as realisation crossed his face. There was a second where I saw his mind turning with thoughts. As the seconds ticked by his fists clenched.

"Your a real piece of work you know that?"

I shrugged smiling laying on the sweetness as thinks possible.

"I try."

He growled at me.

"I have half a mind to leave you behind it's not like anyone would miss you."

"TY! Enough!"

Cora's voice penetrated the night like a shotgun. Ty shook his head grabbing the rabbits of the fire he tossed one to Cora tossed the other to me. I caught it as he turned away.

"Ive suddenly lost my appetite. I'll take first watch."

"Watch out for bears I hear it's mating season wouldn't want those males to mistake you for a girl."

He stuck his finger up over his shoulder at me and kept going. Cora sat down beside me a stunned expression on her face.

"What the hell was that about?"

My smile disappeared.

"Just a difference of opinions."

I nodded my head towards the rabbit in her hands.

"Eat then get to sleep we leave as soon as the sun rises."

She nodded biting into the meat. I could hear Ty patrolling the woods. The look on his face told me he knew what was going on. I only hoped my plan would work.