by Liv Brywood
When he laced his fingers into her hair and pulled her closer, she sighed. The soft puff of breath washed over him like a gentle caress. As she moved to brush her lips against his, a strangled moan of desire spilled from his lips. He reveled in the softness of her mouth, in the way her hand pressed against his shoulder, and in the way her breasts swayed across his chest. Even the pain in his ribs dulled as she parted her lips to accept his tongue.
He groaned and slid his tongue across hers. He explored the sweet confines of her mouth with leisure, stopping only to draw a shaky breath. The racing pulse of his heart beat drowned out everything but her whimpers of passion.
He wanted to give her everything she’d been missing in her life. With every kiss, he hoped to take away the memory of her assault. With every touch, he hoped to lavish her with sensual pleasure. And in an instant he knew what the other wolves meant when they said he’d know it when he met his mate. He couldn’t imagine spending another second away from her. He wanted to claim her in both body and soul.
As his fingers trailed across her hip, she tensed. He stilled his hand but continued to kiss her. He waited for her to relax before he resumed the gentle exploration of her body. But as he traced a path of lazy circles toward the inside of her thighs, she went rigid.
Chapter 14
Gwen froze as flashbacks of the assault raced through her mind. The second Nosh stroked the quivering flesh on the inside of her thigh, the images started. She wasn’t in Nosh’s bed anymore, she was pinned to the forest floor, screaming.
She jerked back hard enough to fall off the edge of the bed. She landed in a heap on the floor. After scrambling to her feet, she backed up until she hit a wall. A dark shadow loomed over her. Through the buzzing in her head, the shadow spoke. The garbled words made no sense.
With each passing second, wave upon wave of terror washed in like a rising tide. She didn’t realize she was crying until hot tears landed on her breasts. She quickly wrapped her arms across her chest.
When she looked up, Nosh was standing over her. His features were flush with worry. “Sweetie, it’s me. It’s Nosh.”
She blinked a few times to clear her tear-streaked vision. “Nosh?”
He squatted in front of her. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“It was like I was there again.”
“Where?”
“With Zane.”
“Oh, honey.” He reached forward but didn’t touch her.
She looked away. “I can’t.”
“It’s okay.”
“I can’t do this. I can’t be with you the way you want me to be.”
“It’s okay. We can take things slow.”
“I don’t know if I can ever have sex again.” Her voice dropped to a faint whisper of sound. “I was a virgin.”
“Oh, honey.”
This time when he reached forward, she let him take her into his arms. As she nestled into his warmth, the damn broke and a rush of pain flowed out of her heart.
He sat on the floor and cradled her against his chest. “Let it out. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
She’d cried so many times over the last nine months but this was different. It felt as if her soul had been ripped open and all the terror and betrayal associated with the attack poured out. Every pent up emotion burst forth to spill out as a river of tears.
After a while, she stopped weeping. “I’m so scared.”
“Of me?”
“No, that I’ll never be normal again.”
He rested his chin on the top of her head. “I don’t know what you’re going through. I can only imagine how hard this is for you. But I’m here, in any way that you need me. I’m here.”
The energy she’d expended left her trembling. He squeezed her closer. A ribbon of fear unfurled in her belly until she reminded herself that Nosh was holding her, not Zane. Nosh wasn’t anything like the man who’d stolen so much from her.
“I don’t know how to get better,” she confessed.
“It will take time, but you’re already on the path.”
“Really? I’m a hysterical mess and all you did was touch me.”
“You’re upset, but far from hysterical. Your reaction is completely understandable. I want to ask you something, but I don’t want to offend you.”
“What?” She leaned back slightly so she could look at him.
“Have you let anyone touch you since the assault?”
“At first I couldn’t stand having anyone touch me. But now people hug me all the time.”
“But have you let anyone touch you intimately?”
She frowned. “No.”
“That could be what triggered the flashbacks.” He grimaced and shifted his legs.
“You shouldn’t be on the ground. You should be resting.” She slid off of his lap and waited for him to get up.
“I don’t want to do anything that will make you uncomfortable, so you can absolutely say no. But, will you come lay next to me? I won’t touch you unless you want me to.”
She considered the request. As long as he didn’t try to touch her sexually, she could probably handle it. And, she could change her mind if she didn’t like lying beside him.
“If you promise not to touch me like that again.”
She caught a flash of disappointment on his face which was quickly replaced with a neutral expression. “I promise.”
“Okay.”
She followed him to the bed and waited for him to get situated. She climbed in next to him, careful to angle her body away from his.
“Can I hold you again?” he asked softly.
She nodded. After moving into his embrace, she tensed. In her gut, she knew he’d never hurt her, but she wasn’t ready to do anything more than let him hold her. She cursed herself for being such a coward, but the palpable fear kept her from trying to do more. Maybe just letting him hold her through the night would be a small enough step. He was right in that she was making progress, albeit at the pace of a turtle, but it was something.
She forced herself to relax using the same breathing techniques she’d used during the panic attacks. It helped release the tension from her muscles but it didn’t stop the anxiety rumbling in her belly.
Nosh was asleep beside her. She loved seeing the gentleness in his face when he slept. She couldn’t resist caressing the stubble on his cheek. More than just handsome, he was an honorable man. He could have yelled at her for being hysterical. After all, she’d probably woke half the den. But he didn’t. He’d been so caring and tender, it almost broke her heart. She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to have a physical relationship with him, or with anyone for that matter, but she wanted to try.
An hour passed. She tried to fall asleep, but the dryness in her mouth kept her awake. She needed water, so she rolled out of Nosh’s arms and crawled out of the bed. She found the buckets empty, so she decided to head to the great room to see if anyone else had spare water.
Mazus was locked up now, but she still didn’t feel comfortable walking to the stream alone. She’d wait until Nosh could go with her before she made the trip. There was no way she’d tempt fate again. As long as she stayed in the den, she’d be perfectly safe.
***
Mazus rattled the wooden bars on the cage they’d constructed to hold him. Damned if he’d let them lock him up like an animal. Nosh would pay for this. As soon as Mazus could free himself, he’d kill the alpha and show everyone just how weak and pathetic their leader was.
He stalked back and forth across the front of the cage. They’d constructed it deep within the den. They thought the only way out was through the front gate. Good thing he’d thought ahead and had burrowed a tunnel out of the back. He’d spent months clawing his way through dirt and rock but he knew it might come in handy someday. See, a leader thinks ahead. A leader isn’t a single-minded—oh, the guard’s asleep, finally.
Mazus lay on his belly and stretched his arm out toward the key which hung on a peg near the cage. Stupid wolv
es, why wouldn’t they have hidden the key? Did they really think he wouldn’t try to grab it? Did they really think one guard could stop him from escaping?
A breeze swirled down the hall and with it came the scent of Gwen. Ah, yes. He’d kill Nosh then spend a lot of time teaching Gwen to be a subservient mate. He deserved the best and although she’d already been used once, he still wanted her. He’d seen the submissiveness in her eyes. She’d be easy to mold into the perfect mate.
He stretched his arm as far as he could, but he couldn’t quite reach the keys. His fingers brushed within an inch of them. Frustratingly close, but not close enough. He pulled back. He needed a tool, something that would give him the extra inch he needed.
As he scoured the cell, he seethed. He’d been seconds away from killing Nosh when the cavalry showed up. So close. How could he have failed? His plan was perfect. Lay in wait until Nosh arrived, then pounce. When he’d seen Nosh alone, he’d licked his chops with glee. The alpha never traveled without an entourage, well, except when he was alone with Gwen.
He paused and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. Everything he struggled for would be his soon enough. He just had to have patience.
After searching the floor and coming up empty, he directed his gaze to the jagged granite rocks that lined the cell. Maybe he could find something on one of them.
He reached up and slid his fingers across a network of ledges and cracks. Minutes passed as he painstakingly searched. As he reached the last section of rock, his heart filled with rage. Why couldn’t he catch a damn break?
When his fingers grazed something jagged, he yanked his hand back. He stood on the tip of his toes and peered into a dark recess. Tucked within the wall, he found a long arrow. As he withdrew it from the wall, the black stone tip pierced his palm. He ground his teeth together to keep from yelling. Damn, stupid arrow. But handy as hell. Now he had a weapon and a tool with which he could escape.
He hurried to the front of the cell. The guard snored. Good, that would drown out any sound the key made when he reached it.
The arrow provided more than enough reach. He swiftly hooked it under the keyring, but as he inched it backward, the key fell. It clanged against the floor.
His head whipped to the right to check on the guard. The steady snoring broke while the man grumbled and shifted his position slightly. After a few seconds, the man’s jaw slackened and the snoring resumed.
Mazus couldn’t waste another minute. He thrust the arrow through the wooden bars and reclaimed the key. With a steady hand, he dragged the key back until he could grab it. With the cold metal in his palm, he could taste freedom. As soon as he got out of this hellhole, he’d hunt down some rabbit and have a nice snack. He needed to replenish his energy for the work ahead.
He slid the key into the lock and turned. It clicked open. Excitement fluttered in his stomach. Freedom!
He stalked past the sleeping guard and down the narrow corridor. The den consisted of two main passageways. He needed to get to the other side of the den without being detected. Fortunately, the wolves would be sleeping right now so he shouldn’t encounter any problems. But if he did, he squeezed the arrow in his hand, he’d kill them.
As he moved along the corridor, he passed room after room of sleeping wolves. He didn’t really want to have to kill anyone but Nosh. The sooner he could escape, the less likely he’d need to kill. What good would it be to finally take over as alpha to a half-dead pack?
The juncture between the two passages lay just ahead. A soft scrape of footsteps stopped him in his tracks. He pressed his back to the wall and tried to become part of the stone.
As the person walked past his hiding place, he caught a glimpse of her golden hair and curvaceous body. He almost couldn’t believe his luck. Gwen was only a few feet away from him and completely oblivious to his presence. His hands itched to grab her now, but he needed to escape first.
The second she rounded the corner further down the hall, he trailed her. He had no doubt she was heading back to Nosh’s room. Whore. She’d only spent a few days in the den and she’d already snaked her way into his bed.
With every step, his urge to possess her grew. Should he risk grabbing her now, or should he do the prudent thing and wait? She was one door away from Nosh’s room. He had to choose, now.
In a split second, he decided he couldn’t wait to feel her warm body under his. He sprang forward on the balls of his feet. She didn’t realize he was behind her until it was too late. As she spun toward him, he lunged forward and slapped his hand across her mouth. Her muffled scream vibrated against his hand. The wide look of terror in her eyes inflamed his desire. If he hadn’t been just steps from Nosh, he would have shoved her to the floor and fucked her.
He dragged her forward a few feet. She went limp in his arms, but he wasn’t fooled. She hadn’t fainted. It was a ploy to make him drop his guard and he wasn’t buying it.
The dead weight was too much to drag, so he grabbed her hair and yanked back. Spittle formed on his lips as he whispered, “Scream, and I’ll slit your throat.”
Her eyes flashed open to fixate on the arrow he held in front of her face. She nodded vigorously.
“Now move.”
He held the arrow to her throat in case she got any ideas. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill her, after all, she was just a plaything, not his ultimate objective.
He forced her past the other wolves’ rooms and into a narrow passageway. The area had been abandoned during a cave-in years ago. But just beyond the rubble, he’d carved a small opening which led to a hidden tunnel.
After pushing her through the crevice, he climbed through behind her. She shot a glance over her shoulder but quickly turned around.
He held the arrow point against the back of her neck. “You make one peep and you’re dead. Now walk.”
She stumbled and slid across loose rock but managed to move at a fast clip. It took twenty minutes to reach the exit point he’d carefully hidden with another pile of rocks and debris. Under cover of darkness, he grabbed Gwen’s upper arm and trekked through the forest. His captive didn’t make a sound. Good, he didn’t have time to deal with her sniveling.
As he descended the mountain, he chose the path which lead to Ryker’s private den on the mountain. He’d staked out the area for weeks and discovered that Ryker hadn’t used it in months. Apparently he was so happy with his mate that he didn’t feel the need to retreat to his private cave. Mazus longed for a peaceful life. The sooner he could claim his rightful place as alpha, the better. He couldn’t wait to be content.
He reached the cave in less than an hour. He carefully navigated the precipice which hung off the side of the mountain and overlooked the valley. Moonlight glinted off the winding Silver Creek River below.
While he’d been locked up, he’d concocted the perfect plan. He’d intended to capture Gwen at some point and bring her to the cave. He hadn’t figured out exactly how he was going to do it, but now he didn’t need to. It was as if fate had intervened to help set the trap. Nosh would come looking for her, of that he had no doubt. And when he did, Mazus would be ready.
He shoved Gwen into the cave. “Go lay down.”
He watched her trembling form climb onto a small stone dais at the rear of the cave. Tension coiled between his legs. Blood rushed toward the tightness but he wouldn’t take her yet. He had a better idea. He’d wait until Nosh found them. Then, he’d stab Nosh and let him bleed out while he fucked Gwen.
He shivered in anticipation. The rigid length of his cock jutted out toward his intended prize. Soon he’d bury his rage in her hot little cunt. Soon.
Chapter 15
Nosh struggled against paralysis as a snake, oily and black with hate, swayed and hissed. “Ssshe’s with him. She’sss dead.”
The slithering creature wound around his ankle. Helpless to get off the bed, Nosh could only stare, transfixed by the vile serpent.
“She’sss alone. She’sss afraid,” the snake taunted.
Nosh fought the rising tide of fear. He had no doubt that he was dreaming. Snakes only spoke in nightmares. But he couldn’t wake up. An invisible force kept him tethered in the dream world.
A wave of pure revulsion rolled through his gut as the creature wound its way up his body. It slid across his thighs and coiled on his belly. Its ruby eyes glistened in the darkness.
“Sssave her.”
The snake bared its fangs and lunged forward.
Nosh jolted awake. He frantically patted the bed to make sure the reptile was gone. In an instant, he realized Gwen was gone too. After bolting out of bed, he hurried into the hall. He looked left then right. The empty passageway ratcheted up his fear. Where was she?
He jogged toward the entrance to the den. In the great room, wolves lay in various positions of repose.
He woke Edon. “Have you seen Gwen?”
“No.”
“Where’s Mazus? Where did you take him?”
Edon jumped up. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. I woke up and she was gone.”
“Are you sure she didn’t go out to get water or something? Maybe nature called.”
“No. Something’s wrong. I can feel it.”
“Mazus is locked up. Tate’s guarding him.”
“I want to see him.”
“I’ll take you.”
As they hurried down the hall, a wide-eyed Tate rushed toward them. “He’s gone. I don’t know how he got the keys, but he escaped.”
Adrenaline flooded into Nosh’s hands and feet. “Gwen’s missing.”
The young wolf paled. “Oh no.”
“Find them. Get everyone up. I want the whole den searching for them, now!”
Lucian ran into the room. “What happened?”
“Mazus escaped. He’s got Gwen.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. She wouldn’t have wandered out in the middle of the night alone.”
Fadian joined them. “I heard.”
Nosh said, “Get a few teams together. I want every inch of this mountain searched. Nobody stops until we find them.”
