Pseudo-Hunter (Mavis Macallastar Book 2)

Snowflakes fell and faded against Mavis's skin. Her eyes were settled on the marble gravestone in front of her. It had been eighteen weeks since Isla had died, but the bitterness remained fresh.

Mavis's knees had long since gone numb from kneeling in the snow, but she wasn't ready to return yet. This had become apart of her routine. Every day. A strong gust of wind cut right through her down feather coat and she shudder. Mavis glanced back at James, watching her by the tree row just a few yards back.

"Mommy's got to leave, but I'll be back tomorrow." She kissed her daughter's tombstone before she reluctantly pulled away.

She swallowed the swell in her throat as her eyes landed on the poinsettias she had brought. They contrasted beautifully against the untouched snow. In a few days, it would have been Isla's first Christmas, a tear glided down her cheek. She wiped it onto her coat sleeve, turning to leave. It was time to go back.

The snow was deeper in the mountains, burying the terrain in a thick blanket of white. The twins had mentioned that there was more snow than normal this year, but Mavis wouldn't have known the difference.

It was challenging to walk in the deeper stuff, she had sunk down past her waist a couple of times and need James to help her dig her out. Life was different out here. It was peaceful, simple, warm.

The complete opposite of her life before she came here.

When they came over the next bend, she spotted the compound in the distance. Out of her right peripheral, she observed a charcoal-colored wolf watching them. By its composed state, she knew it was a pack member.

Mavis shook her head. The twins were determined to keep her safe. She understood their intention. She had been laid up in that bed for weeks, vulnerable.

Her thoughts slid back to her fight with Samuel.

'I have to get stronger.'

Revenge filled her every thought. Killing Samuel was her purpose now. Mavis had already been through a lot, but losing her daughter had damaged her beyond what she thought was repairable. Her center and frame, the very core of her being was shaking. Everyday that she was alive was painful.

"Welcome back, Luna." A guard addressed her as they reached the entrance with a sincere grin.

"Please, don't call me that, I've told you people before to call me Mavis." Her tone was firm.

The guard smiled at her as if she had said something sweet to him. Mavis sighed loudly and took quick strides past him, wanting to put some distance between them. Once they were a good distance away James caught her wrist.

"I told you. They won't call you Mavis. It will feel too disrespectful for them."

"And I've told you, I'm not their Luna." She gave him a hard stare. "I'm only staying until I find Samuel." She pulled her arm free.

She had decided this awhile ago and the twins were aware of it. Even if she were to stay someone like her had no business being the Luna of a pack. The last thing they need was an ex-hunter running things. Mavis wasn't at all cut out for the roll of leadership anyway. She'd always been good at following orders, not giving them. Being the Luna of this pack also meant she would be obligated to it and that wasn't something Mavis had any intention of doing. Her only objective right now was to find and kill that son of a bitch as slowly and painfully as she could.

"Wheather you like it or not your already to Luna of this pack, Mavis." James caught her attention again. "You are the alphas mate, kind of makes you the luna."

There was no use arguing with any of them. They never listened. Infuriated she march up the steps to the twin's house, and slammed the front door shut behind her. She grumbled to herself as she squatted down and began to unlace her snowboots. She heard approaching footsteps and looked up as Halic walked out of the kitchen.

"Everything, okay? I heard the door slam."

"Yeah, everything fine, I'll be in there in a minute." She pulled her boots off.

He raised a brow. "Alright," and moved back into the kitchen.

It had been like this ever since she came back. They'd done nothing but take care of her and give her the space she needed. Just as they had promised her. She hung her coat up on its hook in the closet, and started walking towards the kitchen. They had been so afraid to upset her, they hadn't brought up the mate thing in awhile. If only the pack could be so considerate. It had gotten to the point that Mavis didn't really like leaving the house, except for her daily trips up to Isla's grave and her training session with James.

She scratched the back of her head as she entered the kitchen. Ivan looked up from his seat at the table. A corner of his mouth shifted upward slightly when he saw her. She approached the cupboard and removed a mug, filling it with coffee from the pot. Mavis turned to open the refrigerator, but paused when she saw Halic holding the bottle of creamer out to her.

"Thanks." She took it from him.

She poured creamer into the mug until the color paled and handed it back to Halic. She stirred her creamer into her coffee as she approached the table, bring the mug to her lips she took a sip before her butt had even touched the cushion.

"You were on the phone pretty late last night. Did your friend find anything yet?" Ivan asked her as she took the seat in front of him.

She swallowed the coffee in her mouth, coating her throat in the cheap creamer. "His name is Michael," she reminded him. "And no, still nothing."

She sighed, frustrated. Taking a bigger gulp from her mug, burning her tounge. She grimmaced, that was going to drive her nuts all day now.

"I couldn't care less what his name is. He's a hunter. The only hunter I like is you." Ivan took a bite of his blueberry muffin.

Mavis rolled her eyes as she took another sip. She'd heard this too many times before. Her gaze shifted outside. It had snowed again last night. The trees were covered in a fresh glistening white coating. Resembling powdered sugar sprinkled on a donut. It made her wish she had a choclate donut to go along with this coffee.

She sampled another taste of her vanilla flavored coffee. She wondered if Isla would have liked the snow. Mavis blinked profusely, trying not to let her eyes water. The last thing she need right now was the twins fretting over her. She squeezed her mug tightly as she felt her hatred swelled. Samuel was becoming a real pain in her ass. It had been almost four months but he hadn't popped his head out. She would have expected a monster like him to have a trail of bodies leading back to whatever dark corner he was hiding in, but there was no trace of him. Michael hadn't found anything either.

"What do you want to do in the meantime?" Halic took a bite out of his buttered toast.

"Train." This time she could feel both sets of eyes on her.

"I don't think your shoulder is ready." Halic immediately objected. "I actually wanted to see how its healing, so when your done would you come upstairs with me?"

"It's pretty much healed. If I can shoot a gun, I think it's fine." She accidentally let the last part slip.

"You already shot a gun?" He let out a loud growl of annoyance.

"Yeah, and nothing happened. It doesn't bother me anymore."

"You should have waited." Halic snapped. "What if you reinjured something? I can't believe you would do something so stupid Mavis."

"Oh, will you lay off," Ivan intervened. "You sound like our mother.

Halic clenched his jaw as his eyes narrowed on his brother.

"Her injuries are mostly healed, and James goes with her."

Halic's nostrils flaring, he stood from the table, fist clenched at his sides. "You knew about this?"

"Of course, I knew about it." Ivan retorted, taking a sip from his mug.

"I can't believe you'd let her do that after what she just went through."

"She's fine, Halic. Relax. She can do whatever she wants. You need to lay off." Ivan's eyes narrowed.

"Don't tell me how to care for my mate," Halic slammed his fist down onto the table so hard the dishes jumped.

Ivan growled in warning, his intense eyes locking with his brothers.

Mavis sighed, they had been fighting a lot lately. They were both stubborn and hot headed, it made for a stressing combination. Mavis rubbed at her temples as she felt a headache coming on. "Alright, enough."

Their heated glares turned towards her.

"Halic, I appreciate everything you have done for me, but I'm fine now. I'm not as weak as you think I am. I let Samuel get to me last time and I paid for it, I won't make the same mistake again."

"It doesn't matter, nothing will change that he is a werewolf and you are a human, your naturally weaker than him."

"And you forget I'm not a normal human." Her eyes narrowed. "I've been trained to fight monsters since I was eight years old, I know how to handle him."

"No amount of training is going to stop a blood raged werewolf, you'll get yourself killed." Halic couldn't look her in the eyes as he said that.

"Fine, then I'll just have to make sure I take him with me."

Halic's face paled. "You're planning to sacrifice yourself?"

"If I have to." She finished off her coffee.

Halic shook his head violently, "no, I won't let you do it."

Mavis's pursed her lips. "I don't think that is up to you, Halic. You might be my mate, but we are not together." She rose out of her chair, taking her mug with her.

Halic opened his mouth to say somthing, but immediately closed it. His eyes fell to the floor. She knew she hit him where it hurt, but she wasn't about to let anyone get in her way. She would do anything to kill Samuel, even if it cost her life. This was her reason for living and he wasn't going to change her mind.