A Hunter's Chance - #2 of "The Hunter's Series"
Twenty-Seven

Lizzy’s POV

One week later…

And I felt like a completely different person. This week with Xyen had really opened my eyes to some things. One of them being, that I seriously needed help. That I – by myself – had value and I needed to stop being so damn self-destructive. I was in charge of my life and although not perfect, it was worth living.

Xyen had packed my dresses and cloths he spent thousand of dollars buying. I choked on my own spit when he made the announcement. And when I protested, he grinned, telling me he didn’t cross-dress. After that then the suitcases were packed and were all being hauled to his car.

I was currently standing on the landing outside the mansion, waiting until the last of the visiting alphas and lunas left. Behaving like a proper Luna--- except when Xyen’s ex-sister-in-law showed up and I let a little of devil side surface (Let’s just say, she had a bad dress day!).

Xyen was standing right next to me, looking like a handsome black mountain. I couldn’t help but letting my eyes traveled over his body one last time.

One fine specimen!

We never slept much last night. We kept making love over and over, until I literally passed out from exhaustion. And a smile found its way to my lips at the memory. We definitely went out with a bang…!

I wished I could bring him with me. But I didn’t belong in his world and he couldn’t be in mine. And although it physically hurt me, thinking of him with another she-wolf, I knew this is how things had to be. If we stayed together the way we were now, we’d ruin each other. And I couldn’t do that.

I needed to get better. For myself…

Finally, Derik and Mindy were standing in front of us. I did everything I was supposed to and didn’t let my emotions show. Derik muttered something about seeming me around, but I wasn’t so sure about that. Perhaps one day?--- But what really caught my attention, was the huge black eye he was sporting! And he wasn’t exactly himself around Xyen either---- Oh! Now I got it…

“Why does Derik have a black eye?” I asked Xyen, when they were out of earshot.

“I have no idea,” he smirked, trying to remain as innocent as inhumanly possible.

“And now he’s denying it?” I tried to scold him, while biting my lips so I didn’t laugh. He defended my honor? Now I finally understood why women liked a man like that! “Man, what changed you, Alpha Xyen?” I mused, crossing my arms, trying to look like I was actually scolding him.

“You did,” he answered without a second hesitation. His blue eyes captured mine and my heart skipped a beat. My mouth went dry as a desert and I desperately tried to swallow, hiding my flushed face from him. Damn it! Today of all days, only to wear mascara!

Xyen grinned, taking my hand and leading me to the car, that would take me to the airport. I gulped, feeling nervous and fright. This was it! I was leaving for Los Angeles again. But this time things would be different… I wasn’t going to destroy myself anymore. I was going to make myself a future.

Xyen stopped outside the car, handing me a check. I blinked a couple of times, almost forgetting what made me agree to this whole charade in the first place. With a ‘O’ shaped mouth I took it--- only to shriek when I noticed the zero’s on it.

“I-I can’t accept this,” I stammered, glaring at him and more or less expecting him to call out ‘April Fool’s’.

“If you don’t accept it, I’ll hack into your account and transfer it anyway,” he calmly announced, looking like the smug arrogant bastard I knew he was. “But it’ll seem awfully suspicious and will most likely involve the police, but hey!” He smirked. “It’s really up to you.” My eyes just about to drop out of their sockets. Did he just---?! But then again, why was I even surprised? I caught the mischievous gleam in his eyes, making him look like the title he held: an alpha wolf. He looked innocent and happy. A man without the world on his shoulders. He shrugged. “Besides, I’m pretty sure you know how to make good use of it.”

I tried not to smile but failed miserably as I was eyeing the check one more time. Yeah! Ever since that day with Oscar, I’d been thinking a lot about my future. I had been wondering if I could go back to school and--- well, I really wanted to get into law enforcement. Not a lawyer or a cop, but something in-between. I wanted to make a difference, to put away the bad guy and solve the mystery…

“Xyen,” I whispered, his blue eyes catching mine. I smiled.

“Thank you!”

Xyen grinned, scratching the back of his neck – a gesture I hadn’t seen before.

“Yeah,” he murmured, before looking at me again. “This is goodbye then?”

It was a question with an open invitation for me to stay. I sighed, hating that I couldn’t jump at his word and stay with him. That this was goodbye…

Last night with Xyen had been amazing but I was also realizing, that what I was doing wasn’t right. My mind always seemed to go into a destructive mode, that was hell bent on destroying myself. And I needed to stop. I needed to get away from it all and really start over. I needed help and I needed to change my perspective.

“It really is,” I said, but my voice was meek and barely an audible whisper. “Erm…so,” I nervously ranted. “Thanks, for… you know? Everything and---” I held out my hand. “Goodbye, Alpha Xyen!”

He glanced down at my hand and took it without saying a word. The tingles shot up my arms and I almost cried out, knowing I’d never feel it again.

Tears began to appear in my eye and before they fell, I quickly snatched my hand back and turned to the car…

“Lizzy, wait!”

I quickly dried my tears, before I turned around. And came face to face with Xyen, who was standing only a breath away from me. His eyes flickering black with desire. A familiar shiver ran down my spine and I had to grip the door, not to visibly stutter.

“In an ideal world,” he suddenly asked, taking me by surprise. “How would we meet?”

I grinned, remembering my many times comparing us to an ideal world. It didn’t take long for me to replace a perfect scenario; we were both hot-heads and sparks flew the second we collided.

“At your favorite Starbucks,” I replied, earning myself an honest smile from Xyen. “I would sit in your usual spot – a grave offence in your mind – and we’d argue over, who had the rights to the best spot in the house. You’d tell me, you’d just moved into the neighborhood and then… You’d ask if we could have a cup of coffee together.”

“Sounds nice,” Xyen confessed and a satisfied smile lingered on his lips. His eyes shimmering, like he knew something I didn’t…

“You alright, Liz?”

His question actually made me stop to think. I’d lied so many times about being perfectly fine when I wasn’t, it was almost second nature. I’d been used to suppress my feelings I hardly knew what I was feeling half the time. But no more…

“No,” I answered truthfully. But for once it didn’t feel like the end of the world. Because… “But I will be,” I continued, knowing that I was facing a better future. Because I was going to take care of myself from now on.

He nodded; satisfied with the answer…

“Thank you, Lizzy,” he suddenly said, holding his hand out for me. “For everything.”

I eyed his hand and bit my lip, contemplating on whether or not to go through with it. I know I wanted to and--- oh damn it! Why deny me a good thing?

I stepped forward and stood on my tiptoes. My lips connected with his, sending sparks flying throughout my entire being. I kissed him! It was brief and short, but a powerful goodbye.

I stepped back and enjoyed the puzzled look on his face.

“That one was on the house,” I grinned and winked. He smiled, a smile that finally reached his eyes, making him look even hotter and more handsome than before. He nodded his own farewell and I got into the car. I took a deep breath, letting the car take me away from Alpha Xyen. My heart was beating, and I felt nervous. But it was a good nervous. Things were changing--- I had changed! It almost felt like I’d been given a second chance.

And I was going to embrace it!