Hunger Awaits
Chapter 24

One Week Later....

Koda's POV,

The pain I felt was so great. My life, my everything was lying in this hospital bed next to me and there was nothing I could do to help her. I took her hand and started to cry again. I have never really showed much emotion before I met Tenaya, but right now in this moment I couldn't hold anything back. "Come on sweetheart. Open your eyes for me. I need you, we all need you." I said to her, hoping she would hear me and open her eyes. The doctors had done everything they could and now we were playing the waiting game. It has been a week since she was viciously attacked by some sick and seriously disturbed person. Even with her fast healing, she still hasn't woken up from her coma. The doctors told us that it was up to her now.

Matto was losing his shit and I felt for him. Jace was trying to keep him together, but we all knew the only thing that was going to bring him peace was to kill Ryker and get Kendra back. The only problem was that we had no plan or enough people. Ryker's group was bigger now and we didn't have the strength to take them on. Matto has came up to the hospital a few times, but I know that he gets even more upset when he sees Tenaya laying here like this. Hell, it has taken everything in me to not just go hunt down that son of a bitch and kill him myself. I shook my head and looked back over at Tenaya. She had to wake up. I don't know what we would do without her, I don't know what I would do. She was our rock and the glue that held our small pack together. She may be my mate and wife, but she was like the pack mother and I knew that we would all be lost without her. I brought my head down to her hand and kissed it. I just laid their for a few minutes letting the tears fall. "I love you Tenaya. Please come back to us."

I felt a soft touch on my head and I quickly looked up. Her big beautiful eyes were open and she was stroking my head. "Hi my Koda bear." Her nickname for me was music to my ears. I quickly wrapped my arms around her and held her tight. "Shh, Shh, now baby. I am okay. Where is everyone? Is Kendra okay?" Her questions made me laugh a little, only because of course she was worried about everyone else.

“Matto and Jace are at the cabin trying to come up with a plan to get Kendra." She looked at me with shock in her eyes.

“What do you mean, get Kendra? Who has her?" I looked away from her. I didn't want to worry her, but I knew that she wouldn't let it go either.

“Ryker has Kendra. We think he is the one who attacked you." She shook her head.

“It wasn't Ryker who actually attacked me, but I know who it was and Matto's not going to like it." I looked back to her.

“Who was it?" She looked up at me.

“It was the guy Leo that works with Kendra." I was in disbelief. That son of a bitch.

“Are you sure? That bastard has been right under our noses this whole time and we never thought twice about him." She nodded at me.

“I am sure. There is another thing to. When he attacked me I could feel his remorse. He even apologized. I don't think he is doing this willingly."

I started to pace the hospital room. Teanya picked up the glass of water by her bed and took a drink. "Koda, you have to tell Matto. Even if Leo is doing this unwillingly he still attacked me and is probably the one who took Kendra to Ryker. Wait. Maybe we can use him. If we can convince him that we can help him maybe he will help us get Kendra back." I stopped pacing and looked at her.

"This is why I love you so much. You always replace the good in people. You might be on to something. If Leo is working for Ryker against his will then we might just be able to convince him to help us. Besides I think he has feelings for Kendra. I felt it that night at the club." She nodded at me.

“I felt it to, but I don't think he wants her I just think he thinks of her as a friend or sister even." She tried to set up a little in her bed and winced a little. I immediately went to her side.

“Let me go get the doctor. I will be right back." I went out and found the doctor and returned to her room. Once the doctor did a full check up on her he explained to us that she might still have some pain and soreness for a few days, but otherwise she seemed to have made a complete recovery. He said he wanted to keep her one more night and then I could take her home. I nodded and thanked him then called Matto and Jace to let them know she was awake. I could hear the relief in their voices when I told them.

Matto's POV,

When Koda called and told us that Tenaya was okay and awake I sighed a bit of relief. Finally some good news. I had been going crazy this last week worrying about her and about Kendra. There had been no contact from her since the first night she was taken and I was worried that Ryker might have done something to her already. If it hadn't been for Jace, I probably would have went to her already and gotten myself killed trying to save her. Jace and I had followed the scent of the stranger that attacked Tenaya back to a cabin about five miles from ours. As soon as we had gotten close I could sense Kendra so I knew she was there. I had tried to reach out for her then, but had gotten nothing but silence. Jace convinced me that we had to regroup and come up with a plan. We had already seen way more people at this cabin than we had dealt with before. We needed a fool proof plan and fast.

I sat in my room trying to think of something, but was getting no where. I heard a knock at the cabin door. Jace was in the kitchen and I heard him get up and open the door. I could hear some talking, but decided to not go out and see who it was. That is until I heard Jace yell for me. "Matto, you need to come out here." I sighed and got up. I opened my bedroom door and walked out to the living room.

“What is it Jace? I'm not in the mood for company right now." I said as I approached him. He moved a side and I let out a gasp. Standing at the door was two people I thought were long gone. It was two of our fellow pack mates, Kaya and Honaw. "How, what?" I stuttered. I was at a complete lose for words. We had thought that we were the only ones that had made it out. I regained myself and asked them to come in. Once we were all inside I still was having a hard time believing they were sitting here. "How did you replace us?" I asked. Honaw looked at his mate and then back to us.

“We were living a few towns away from our old home in West Virginia when we heard your cry."

“You heard my cry?" I looked at them confused. I had never been able to reach anyone that far away before. Honaw nodded.

“Yes. We were just as surprised as you are. Kaya and I were nominated to go out and look for you. So here we are." I looked at them again.

“Nominated? You mean there is more of us alive still?" Honaw nodded again.

"Yes. There is actually a lot of us that made it out that night. We all had gotten separated, but we found each other and formed a new community. Chayton is the one who has been keeping us all together and leading us. But now that we have found you Matto, you can take your rightful place as our alpha. We all thought you were gone along with your father. Now we can rejoice and reunite as one tribe again." I sat down next to them on the couch and just stayed silent for a few minutes. Jace was watching me in just as much shock as I was. I had never even thought about being the alpha to such a big pack. I knew that it was my place, but after we were run out of our home I thought that everyone was lost. However, I knew that I needed them and they needed me. I looked over at my brothers and sister and smiled.

“Is there a way for you to contact Chayton?" I asked.

Honaw smiled and nodded at me. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number then handed me the phone.

"Matto? Is this really you?"

"Yes Chayton. It is me. I am in Aspen, Colorado. Brother I need you and the pack as soon as possible."

"Of course. You are our alpha Matto. Whatever you need is yours. Do you need us all?"

"Well I think it would be best if we were all living as a pack again. It has been far to long brother."

"I agree. It will take us some time to get everyone ready. There is about a thirty or more of us now. Is there places for us all?"

"There is a whole big forest here that we can build a community in. It will take us some time, but for now there is a resort here we can put you all up in. Plus we have two cabins that some can stay at as well."

"Okay. May I ask why you cried out so loud that we heard you so far away?"

I took a deep breath and stayed silent for a minute. This could just work if I had all my brothers and sisters here with us we could easily take down Ryker and his pack for good.

"Matto?"

"It is my mate Chayton. Someone has taken her, another pack, a rogue pack. They also attacked Tenaya while we were out looking for my mate. I need you brother."

"It is done. Tell Honaw and Kaya to stay there with you and we will all be there as soon as we can."

"Thank you Chayton. See you soon."

I hung up the phone and sighed with relief. "Chayton and the rest of our pack is coming. Honaw, Kaya, you will stay with us until they get here. Jace will you show take them to my old room at your guys cabin." Jace nodded at me. Honaw and Kaya followed him out as I grabbed my own phone and called Koda to tell him the wonderful news. Things were starting to come together. Hold on Kendra. I thought to myself. This was going to work and soon I would be holding her again. I just hoped she would make it long enough. Who knows what vile and disgusting things that psycho is doing to her. The thought made the hairs on my neck rise and the anger build up inside me. I needed to run it out. I stripped down and leaped out the front door on all fours and took off through the forest. I was about a mile from the cabin that Jace and I had found when I heard her.

“Matto?" I stopped in my tracks and focused.

“Yes my love I am here." I could feel her fear.

“I love you Matto. Please stay safe. Ryker can hear us now as we speak that is why I haven't reached out to you." My heart broke as i felt her sorrow and her pain.

“Kendra, I will get you back. I love you more than anything in this world. Just hold on a little while longer."

There was silence again but I could still sense her. I turned and started to head back to my cabin. "Stay away Matto. She is mine!" A new voice entered my head and I knew who it was.

“Ryker, I swear I will kill you this time. You attacked my family and took my mate you will not live for long so enjoy it while you can." I kept running as all I could hear was his laughter in my head.

“We shall see who wins this battle Matto. Until we meet again." Then I heard nothing. That son of a bitch was going to die and I couldn't wait to taste his blood.