That man narrowed his eyes, he looked at Hope quizzically. "If he wants to come, let him come," he said calmly and put his fingers on his lips then he whistled.
As if it was on cue, there were around fifteen people came out from the bushes and behind the trees, wearing the same cloak like the one that this man wore. Those people were his henchmen.
They circled Hope and that man with spears in their hands.
Hope wanted to tell them that their mortality and spears wouldn't be able to hold back the white beast, but then Hope realized, a metal was tied on the tip of the spear. It was not an ordinary metal, but silver.
Apparently, these hunters knew their opponent pretty well and Hope began to worry.
"If you took me because you think my life is in danger, rest assured, I am more than happy to be with them rather than in here to be with you," Hope blabbered. She was looking around her and realized they were ready for a battle.
Hope definitely didn't want to see they hurt Kace, yet she also didn't want to see them being clawed and butchered by the beast either.
They didn't have an ill intention to begin with, but they used the wrong way. In Kace's state now, the beast wouldn't know how to have a civil discussion.
"I am warning you, you better leave this place now." Hope clenched her jaw when her ears caught the sounds of the roaring beast.
In matter of seconds, Hope could see the flashing of the white fur among the bushes and trees.
"GET READY!" That man marked a signal to the fifteen men around him as they raised the spear in their hands,waiting for his cue.
"No!" ignoring the pain in her ankle, Hope walked forward and was about to stop him when that man made such a big mistake by holding her wrist and pulled her closer to him.
The white beast dashed as quickly as a strike of lightning, easily dodging trees as he shot through the pointing spears from the hunters around Hope and that man.
In that second, Hope could see the beast's eyes no longer black, they were red and all it wanted was blood.
A lot of blood.
Hope could feel the chills ran down her spine when she realized what was about to happen next.
The beast leapt very high with his elongated canines that was as sharp as a blade, was on full display, ready to tear everything.
The beast roared and that man, who was holding Hope, pushed her away. Too strong for her. Not to mention holding her ground, the girl was having difficulty to stand.
Hope could feel her body, literally, flew in the air and was only two seconds away before she collided with the tree trunk behind her, if it wasn't because of the white beast's fast movement.
In his rage, his mate was still his priority. The possibility of Hope was getting hurt made the beast shifted his first concern, this also saved the man from being killed.
Hope closed her eyes, readied herself for the impact, but all she could feel was a soft landing and the spark that erupted to her entire body.
Slowly, she opened her eyes as her voice came out very hoarse. "Kace…?" it was him. Hope let out a sigh of relief.
However, it was a perfect distraction.
Hope barely caught her breath before one hunter jumped from behind, raising his spear, ready to stab the beast with the silver metal.
The white beast couldn't dodge it in time either. It was because of the old wounds on his back that slowed him down or because if he moved recklessly, the spear might get the wrong target and it could be Hope.
Pain flooded the beast's system, a roar erupting from his throat as he swiped blindly at his attackers.
The old wounds and the spear marred his back with newly gushing blood. Apparently, the spear dug into his calf, cutting through the artery and spurting blood everywhere.
Not only the beast was weakened with the old wounds, but the silver was another excruciating pain for him to bear.
Whenever the beast made a small move, it felt like a set of barbs latched onto him, yet he stubbornly kept his mate behind his back. Pushed her away so she would be away from any possible harm in this one-beast-against-sixteen-men battle.
Spears and daggers slashed the air onto the white beast's flesh. Since it was made of silver, he couldn't be healed as fast as ordinary wounds.
The sixteen men, took turns to attack the beast, one stabbing him and the other did their best to keep him incapacitated.
The fact that those hunter managed to corner the white lycan, was a proof that this was not their first battle with supernatural creatures. They knew how to handle him and were knowledgeable of their weaknesses.
"NO! STOP IT! DON'T HURT HIM!" Hope watched in horror when the beast's fur sopping wet and the blood turning him from white to scarlet.
There were a few injured men that were being dragged away by their fellow hunters, but the rest of them were still way too much for the beast to beat alone.
Hope couldn't believe it. The powerful Lycan was losing. She had seen how Kace fought in his beast form before and it wasn't like this.
She never would have thought that his injuries were this serious.
Blood. There were blood everywhere. It stained the rock and grass in front of her feet.
When the beast managed to bite one of the hunter's hands and he spat the arm from its bloody mouth like it was a garbage, the blood splashed against Hope's shoes and pant leg, she could feel her stomach lurched.
She wailed. "STOP! PLEASE STOP!"
Where is Ian? Ethan? Lana and Lidya? Where are they?!
It was a carnage.
Hope couldn't watch any longer, her chest caved in with fear as her head spinning. Instinctually, her body started to move forward when one hunter sneaked behind the beast and raised his spear.