Unscentable
Chapter 47

Piper

POV

Piper stood staring at the text message, pain touching nearly every part of her. She knew it would not matter, that there was a full moon tonight. Put her phone own and walked over to the window to stare down at the street.

She had put herself before him or been near him, many times on a night of the full moon over the years inside that pack. Not once had he so much as even looked in her direction. He'd not scented her for three whole years, tonight's full moon would make no difference to the situation.

Harper was already gone, the moment she'd read that text message her wolf had fled to the back of Piper's mind. They knew their bond was still intact, but once again they also knew it would make no difference to them at all. It would change nothing, only cause them more pain when they saw him and knew he could not Scent them.

She closed her eyes, it was clear to her from Harper's disappearance that she did not want to come face to face with him tonight. Piper herself did not want to have to see once more that there was no recognition either for that matter. There was no point, it was likely to only cause her just as much pain as her wolf for that matter.

Turned her eyes to the clock, 2030, she was not going to make Harper suffer, put her through all that once again, couldn't her wolf was struggling now, just knowing they still had a Mate, that could not claim them, not without actually being able to scent her, which even he himself had admitting to not being able to do.

Sighed heavily, was not going to even answer that text message.

Moved from her room to the living area, she'd let Eddie in when he'd knocked on the door half an hour ago. She just stepped aside, not really saying much. She knew he needed to see Izzy. He and Izzy were currently in her room talking behind closed doors. She had no idea if he was listening for her or not. It was likely that he was just here to be with Izzy, he would be able to actually Scent her in a few short minutes.

Sighed softly, Brandon would be safe in here with the two of them. If she went out for a little bit. Or the whole night. As long as Eddie was busy with Izzy he wouldn't be checking on her either and Piper was pretty certain the two of them wouldn't be able to keep their hands off of each other tonight.

She stood wondering just what she should do, already knew that coming face to face with Bradley was not on the cards for her or Harper. They just couldn't do it. Had suffered that too many times to want to do it again. Though how she was going to do this every month for the foreseeable future she had no idea.

It had hurt every single time. They knew today would be no different, not even with him claiming to know, they were his Mate, he could claim that all he liked, he could not scent her, so they both knew his wolf would never claim them without that. She turned her eyes to Izzy's room as she picked up a soft moan coming from their room. It was now or never. She slipped quietly from the room, making sure the door barely clicked closed, didn't want Eddie's hearing to pick up on anything at all. Checked the corridor in both ways. No sign of Cooper or Harrisorn.

Likely with Eddie inside her hotel room, Bradley thought there was no need to guard the hallway and be on the lookout for her trying to leave. That's why he was unconcerned about Eddie being in her room. The man was on duty. Well, he had been till now. Had the full moon and a Mate to claim, that would always outweigh his duty.

Walked to the elevator and pressed the button, didn't even really know where she was going to go, likely just walk around all night on her own. Thankfully, she had changed into jeans and a tee-shirt after her shower.

She'd known at some point Eddie would be coming for Izzy, and had not wanted to be walking around the hotel room in her pyjamas while he was there.

Piper walked out of the elevator and headed for the front door of the hotel, her nose wrinkled as she picked up the smell of wolf. Turned her head towards it and saw Cooper standing, well leaning on a wall a little ways a way, he was not there to look out for her, she could tell, he was talking on his phone, paying no attention to the people around him.

Her hearing pick up his words, "I know Hadley." He sounded a little annoyed. She was curious herself as to why the Pack's Beta was all the way down here in the hotel lobby talking to the girl, who was Bradley's little sister. It was odd. Seemed to be having a private conversation away from his Alpha.

She was not so curious that she was going to stop and listen, not tonight anyway. Continued on her way towards the hotel's front door. She got bumped into by a group of people walking faster than she was. She was not trying to draw Cooper's attention, so she was strolling like she had no care in the world.

Stepped aside for them to pass, right at the door, automatically apologised to them, couldn't help herself, its just what she'd learned to do inside the pack, even all these years later it was still ingrained into her to apologise for others not knowing she was there. Just couldn't seem to not do it.

Stepped out the door only to hear her name questioningly "Piper?" it was Cooper. Although he sounded very uncertain as to if it was her or not, he could not actually see her face from where he was standing and of course, he couldn't scent her either. Piper did not turn and look back at him, that would be a dead give away that it was her. She had noted that Bradley and his entire unit actually looked right at her, could see her, were using their actual eyes to locate and look at her. She was also wearing jeans and a tee-shirt, not something any of them had ever seen her do before.

It might confuse him.

Piper strolled casually out of the hotel, as though his calling of her name meant nothing to her, as though she was not this Piper he was calling out to, and then the minute she was out the door and passed the group of people waiting on their ride, all milling about out the front of the hotel she bolted away down the street as fast as she could, knew that if she was actually out of sight then he would not be able to track her.

Ran away from that hotel, even Harper appeared to assist with speed to help put distance between her and the thing that would cause them pain, worse than any other night. She did not want to suffer the pain of heartbreak, knowing this time it would hurt way more than before, because now he claimed to know she was his Mate. So him having that knowledge and still not recognising them, was simply just too much to bare. Too much to even consider bearing.

He had not once stated his wolf wanted to claim them or Mark them, no, they just wanted to mate the hell out of them, and that was not enough for her or her wolf for that matter. Last time that had happened his words had shattered them completely. They did not want that to happen again. It would kill them eventually to have him want them, but to never want to claim them. She would not accept a life like that and she knew Harper did not want that either. Was lending her wolf speed to help them get away from just that. Her own wolf was itching to flee from her own Mate.

They could come back when the night was over. It was just one night. They both knew Bradley was going to be mad, but he did not understand the pain they felt, the years of pain they had suffered.

Yes, so he'd felt them reject him, but so had she, for that matter. Unlike them, he'd suffered just one night of pain, they had suffered years of it, would not do it again, would not put themselves before him and have him frown down at them and openly shake his head and admit he did not scent her, no more would they do that to themselves.

He had no idea where she was and she could run all night in all likelihood, ran without a thought as to where she was going, turned random corners left and right there was no method to her running, just trying to keep out of sight and that was all there was to it. Stopped running at some point, and found a place to sit down. It was dark here in the small alleyway, only a light on either end of the alley. She didn't need light could see fine in the dark. Sank down on the ground and stared emptily at the brick wall across the way from her.

She hoped that Brandon would understand, she was not leaving him, just had to get away for this one night was all. Closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her legs, put her head down on her knees and stayed there. She didn't know where she was, so they would have no hope of knowing where she was either.

It was going to be a long night of emotional torment, she knew, but at least it was a clear night, and it was not raining. So didn't have to sit out and be soaking wet all night. Sat there and used her wolfs hearing to make sure she knew if anyone was coming her way. To detect if she was in any kind of danger. Or if they had found her.

Didn't seem like it, although while running she had not been listening for anyone behind her.

Piper and Harper already knew that they could out run all of them, including Bradley himself. Was not particularly worried about them catching up to her, and she had not heard anyone calling out her name. It was unlikely that Cooper had followed her. Would have just returned to his phone call when she had not reacted, and moved through the humans at a normal pace. They had not run till they were out of his sight line. Nothing suspicious to be seen.

Harper had fixed her knee, before they'd left the hotel. It was aching a bit right this minute, but not so bad that it bothered her, and at least it hadn't failed her at all in her run. Turned her head to rest her cheek on her knees and just stared blankly down the alleyway. For a long time she just sat there. Lifted her head at the sight of a group of people walking into the alley.

Got up herself, did not want any trouble even with humans, it was probably nothing just a group of people cutting down the ally to get to their destination. But it was probably not the best thing to be seen alone in a darkened alley.

It was likely that they were completely harmless. She could hear them laughing and chatting. There were, however6 of them, and so she wouldn't risk it. She turned and walked back the way she had come from.

Found herself on a street that was well lit at least, turned and walked casually along it, better to be here, she thought, than in that alley.

It really was going to be a long night, she stopped at an unusual scent, turned her head and found a tall slender woman across the street looking right at her.

Sighed internally as she realised it was a vampire, a shiver ran through her. This was just what she needed.

Harper's ears flattened back against her head. She did not like the way the woman was looking at them.

'Not good,' she thought, and Harper agreed. It was likely on the look out for a feed. She turned and moved on. Kept her pace casual as though she was unconcerned about the woman who had been looking at her. But they could still smell the creature, that thing wouldn't be able to smell what she was, which might make it seem that no-one would miss her.

Did not panic, she'd come across Vampires before.

Not all of them were bad, could simply be natural curiosity for something she couldn't scent was all. Did not allow fear to over take her. A vampire would detect fear as easily as she could herself. Though that creature would be more well tuned to a body's reaction, likely be able to detect even a sheen of sweat.

Sighed internally, knew it was following her half a block later, could still smell it. The creature liked that she was walking alone. They knew that they could not run, not even she had the speed to out run a vampire. Bloody creatures could move damned fast, faster than wolves.

She also knew they were damned hard to kill, usually took more than one wolf to take even one of them down.

Needed to keep a clear head, don't react to it and stay calm. Found herself at a cross walk at a set of traffic lights. Stopped and pressed the button, that woman stepped right up next to her, felt Harper snarl inside her mind. Her wolf instincts were telling her that the situation was not going to be a good one.

Harper wanted to let that vampire know what they were, what it would be dealing with, there were, however no other wolves around, none in this country as far as she was aware. Knowing what she was would surprise this woman, but it would be unlikely to deter her if she thought they would make a good meal.

Stepped onto the crosswalk when it went green and strolled across the street, the vampire matched her casual pace, and as they stepped up onto the curb, felt pain seer the side of her jaw. That damned vampire cut her with a fingernail. Harper was on the surface instantly, growling right at her all low and menacingly.

Turned her eyes on the creature to see her tasting their blood. She was indeed trying to determine if she was going to be a good feed or not. Registered the surprise in her face as she realised just what they were, had clearly not been expecting to see a werewolf, or taste one for that matter, had likely actually been trying to determine what she was.

"Well now, you're a long way from home, I imagine."

Piper didn't say anything, her accent would give her away instantly. The vampire had an Australian accent, was from here, which meant she likely had a pack of her own close by as well, likely somewhere here in Sydney.

"All alone, too, I see." there was a smile on her face now, she clearly liked the idea of feeding off of her. Piper had no personal grudge against the vampire, or the woman she would be here in Sydney, that the humans would know her as. But in general, most wolves and vampires did not get along. Sometimes they could, but not all, depended on many things.

This could go one of two ways; a fight which she nor Harper had any idea if they could win, they could fight but had never ever come up against a vampire and had not training in doing so either. Or a calm conversation.

Was opting for the second option.

"Hello, I'm Piper Harper." she introduced herself, hoping this vampire would know her name. These creatures were fashion addicts, it was possible that she might know who she was "and you are?"

"Hungry," she stated with a smile "What say we make this quick and easy?"

"Let's not," Piper sighed "How about you and I just walk away from each other? You would want to start a war now, Would you?"

"With who?" the woman turned and looked around. "I see no one with you, smell no one with you."

"That doesn't mean I am alone," Piper countered. She was not affiliated at al, but she actually wasn't alone, though she herself knew that there was no help coming for her, couldn't even call for help. Had not brought her phone with her, hadn't because she knew Bradley would only ring it constantly to try and get her to pick up. She'd left it at the hotel because she'd not wanted that, could now see the error of her ways.

She had not thought that she would come across any other creatures out here, but now she knew better.

Saw that woman's eyes move right back to her neck, no mark was what she was registering, trying to decide if what Piper had said was true.

"I think you're alone." tilted her head "and a half breed at that." she smiled "Lets say we play a little game, you run. I'll give you a full minute head start. You might actually get away. You never know." there was full amusement in her voice, likely enjoyed the hunt, Piper supposed.

"No thank you. I'd rather not. Neither would the Alpha Wolf that is here to collect me."

Heard the woman laugh now, "You jest. No Alpha would want a half breed like you."

Harper stuck the woman all claws out before Piper realised what had even happened, had not taken kindly to the insult, it seemed. Saw the bloody claw marks across the woman's face, and knew it was too late to run. They were standing on a well lit street and s**t had just hit the fan.

Piper had been violently shoved to the back of her mind, as Harper fully asserted herself to strike that vampire and Harper was still in full control. It took less than 10 seconds for the fight between her wolf and the vampire to break out, Vampire versus Wolf. The woman was very fast and very strong, latched on to them and used all her strength and speed to drag them down the street into an alleyway and then just threw them down it and away from her. It was still Harper who landed on the ground and rolled over several times before being able to get up.

When she got up, all her claws were out and a massive snarl ripped right out of her, as all of fight instincts kicked in. She, however, did not move, and kept Piper locked away inside the back of her own mind. Wanted the vampire to come to her.

Trying to gauge speed and ability, they had no idea how old this creature was, though trying to feed on them out in the open like this, likely indicated that she was only young and still impulsive at that. From what they did know of vampires, most would not feed in full view of the public, to risky in outing their own kind, punishable by their own laws.

Saw her move, come at Harper, who dodged at the very last second, but whipped her claws out in the woman's direction, sliced through the flesh on her side, heard the hiss of pain, turned to face her, pain searing them as well. They had not been the only one to snap a hand out, the woman had anticipated her dodge and lashed out as well.

Those claws had cut deep, and she was already coming back for Harper. Her eyes glowed the palest of blue she'd ever seen, her creature on the surface. They had no idea if they could win, but they were going to try.

They had Brandon to think about. Pulled on all they had learned in warrior training.

Forced Harper to allow her some control, to assist with the fight, used the small area of the alley to their advantage, their agility training and the fact that this creature would move so fast in such a small area it could go against them. There were parked cars and a couple of large dumpsters here.

Felt more pain sear into them as that vampire lashed out at them, she was to fast and keeping tack of her was ard to do. Though it did appear she could not control herself completely, hit the alley wall and cried out in pain, didn't seem to be able to stop in time, indicative of a young and untrained vampire.

A blessing, was going to use that to their advantage.

Agility was something they were very good at, used her wolf's full speed to run from one side of the alley to the other, pivot turn at the last second and run back the other, to test the vampires' reflexes and training, only to hear the vampire hit the wall. Took full advantage of this knowledge, slashed her claws into the creature and shot to the other side of the alley again. It only worked 3 times, before the vampire stopped and snarled at her, had learned already what she was doing and didn't like it.

The creature suddenly roared in frustration and anger. She was bleeding in several places, as was Harper. They had traded blow for blow, but all they could do was try to out manoeuvre this creature and hopefully damage it enough for it to flee and need to heal. But it was clear the creature was hungry, and she would need to feed to heal herself.

That was the difference between them. Harper could heal at will and was actively doing so, though it was slow going during a battle. The vampire could not. For every drop of blood it lost, it would need to feed to recover it.

She watched as the creature lost all control of itself, and was running on pure instinct and its desperate need to feed to heal itself had taken over everything else. It moved so damned fast that they dodged too late and it was on them, had its claws buried into both her shoulders as it slammed them up against the wall. This did not stop Harper from slashing at the woman's abdomen, not even when she felt the vampires' fangs sink into their flesh and start to feed off of them.

A howl of pain ripped out of her, they were pinned by a creature that was stronger and faster than they were, and it was literally sucking the life out of them. Had to fight with all they had, slashed with both hands all claws out to gut this creature, she was to young to understand that to feed on a wolf you had to do it from behind, to keep those wolves' claws out of you.

Sliced her right open, tore into that creature's abdomen and kept ripping and slicing, could feel blood pouring from her, could feel the creature's strength dwindling, it didn't realise it was dying. To busy feeding, in a blood lust to understand it was actually loosing the battle.

Finally, felt those fangs pull from her neck and saw it stumble backwards, uncertain as to why she couldn't feed, as to what had happened to her.

Then she looked down at herself with utter shock at seeing her innards spilling out of her, grabbed at them with her hands as to hold them in and gasped. Harper look the opportunity to launch herself at the creature, clamp her hands around its head and snap the creatures neck.

They slumped down onto the ground on top of the creature as it tell down, itself lifeless, lay there for a moment exhausted, they had never had to fight like this before, and that thing which was turning grey before their eyes had fed off of them, goddess only knew how much blood they had lost, but they had already been injured and now they were tired. Harper receded all the way and Piper was left lying on the bloody mess of a creature.

Pushed herself up and off the vampire, crawled away to the side of the alley way and leaned on the wall, she was to tired and to injured to go any where, if that things people came for it, she'd never survive it. Had barely survived this one. And likely only because it was young and untrained. Probably only freshly turned.

The thing's lack of control said it all, it had not grown up as a vampire, they had rules, just like wolves did. Piper closed her eyes, she was done and she knew it, had lost too much blood to get up and try to move on down the alley way for help, could feel the darkness closing in around her.

"I'm sorry Brandon." she murmured as darkness claimed her.