by Helen Scott
I watched, terror filling my chest for a split second, as the blue addition made its way from the port to the needle on my arm, as soon as some of it reached the loop before the needle my brain clicked into gear. I didn't know what that shit was but I knew I didn't want it going in me. Before my brain could catch up to my plan and stop me I ripped the IV from my arm, the tape tearing at my skin as it came away while the needle felt like it was ripping through every part of my arm.
Lashing out I kicked at the nurse, my foot connecting with her stomach and then, when she was doubled over from that, with her head. She went sprawling across the floor, clearly not expecting any resistance from me. I threw the plastic tubing and needle at Jaxon and pushed up out of the bed, my body barely resisted the urge to vomit, but I needed to get out of there. I only made it two steps before it went wrong.
My legs had stopped working as I moved so I fell to the floor, stopping myself from smacking into it with my head, but only just, since my arms had gone noodly as well. I didn't let it stop me though. I pushed and clawed at the ground with my hands, I might not have been able to grab at anything or have any real strength in them, but I could still try dammit. It was only my vision going blurry that made me pause.
That was definitely not just a saline solution.
Jaxon was on his feet as soon as I paused and he walked over to me slowly like he didn't have a care in the world, not that it was far, but still his pace was similar to molasses in winter. He grabbed me by one arm and one leg and picked me up, his hands rough on my skin, and threw me back onto the bed. I landed hard and my whole body ached like the bed itself was made of cement.
"You're drugging me," I said, my voice sounding slurred even to my own ears.
I heard him sigh rather than saw it since my whole body was now unresponsive to my commands. "If you'd just imprint already we wouldn't have to go through this. The nurse was kind enough to give it to you in a diluted form so that it didn't hurt too much, but apparently you'd rather have the pain."
I heard someone rummaging through a bag of some kind and the next time Jax appeared it was in my peripheral vision with another syringe of blue something. I wracked my brain for TV shows that I'd watched where it was medical and a blue liquid, but all I could think of were those stupid pad commercials where they poured a blue liquid on the material as though that was the same as a woman's period in any way. At least I knew that whatever he'd injected me with wasn't that. After all, there were no women in white tennis outfits bouncing around.
He yanked my arm to the side and jabbed the needle straight into my skin, no IV that time. I didn't know if it would even work like that, but as he pressed the plunger of the syringe down I felt the liquid enter my arm like molten lava. A scream tore from my throat and I desperately tried to pull away from him, but my body still wasn't responding, plus his grip on my arm was like a band of steel.
There was no escaping.
The more liquid entered my arm, the more I screamed as the burning, lava sensation spread throughout my body. Pain ran through me like fire and when the blackness claimed me, I dove into it.
I woke again feeling hot, not just warm, but dripping sweat hot. My brain and body were aching and exhausted. When I tried to move I found there was something wrapped around me.
"Welcome back, beautiful," Jax's voice said in my ear. Like he was literally right next to my ear. I turned my head and found that he was in bed with me. The thing wrapped around me was his arm. I panicked for a minute, and mentally cataloged my body. Clothes were still present, which was a relief.
I felt like I'd been hit by a truck, which then stopped and reversed over me before driving over me a third time. It wasn't just the aches and pains though, I felt weak, like I'd been fighting for my life. The last time I'd felt this worn down and frail was when I'd been starving and sleeping on the streets. Not something I needed to think about in that moment so I pushed it away.
"What did you inject me with?" I asked, focusing on the present and not the past.
"Nothing important," he replied, his hand came up and stroked the side of my face.
I had to fight the shudder of revulsion I felt wanting to work its way through my body. "It must have been important for you to have a nurse come in," I prodded.
"It was an old wolves remedy for mating. The nurse knew how to mix it, since her family has been practicing healing and shifter medicine for centuries. They started back before everything had rules and regulations that had to be followed so they know the good shit. It helps boost the imprinting, and since you weren't getting it done on your own, I figured I’d give you a little help." The way he said it was like he thought he'd given me an early birthday present, not shackled me to him for the rest of my life. I just had to hope that it didn't work.
"Sammy would kill you for this," I breathed. I don't know why I said it, but I felt like it needed to be said, like he needed reminding of what he was supposed to be doing.
"Sam would be thanking me. What better protection is there than being an alpha's bitch?" he demanded. I didn't look up, didn't want to see the anger on his face. When I didn't reply he continued, "Sam wanted me to protect you. That's what I'm trying to do. Besides, you don't need to worry, once the mating bond kicks in you won't feel so confused. It should happen any minute now, so just hang in there with me, okay? The remedy has had plenty of time to get into your system so just be patient with me." He went back to caressing my face and watching me intensely.
I looked away from him. Not only could I not stand the scrutiny, but watching him watch me made me feel like I was encouraging him somehow. As much as I didn't want to piss him off, I didn't want to encourage him either.
The ceiling was so far away from the bed, but as I looked around I realized that the cement walls that made the room didn't go all the way to the ceiling on the two inner walls. Maybe I could figure out how to climb or jump and get over the top of the walls instead of waiting to get through the door? As I was having these thoughts I realized I wasn't drugged anymore, or at least I wasn't feeling the effects. Was the potion or remedy or whatever interfering with the drugs he was using on me?
I turned the thought over in my brain, examining it, but I couldn't be sure since I didn't know anything about either item other than the fact that they were both injected into me. If I was not drugged then that meant that I had a better chance of escaping, but I needed to get out of this weirdo bedroom in a warehouse first. He wasn't about to leave, that much was obvious since he was waiting for the stuff to make me magically like him.
"I'm hungry. Do you think we could get some food?" I asked, turning to face him again and giving him my best puppy dog eyes.
"I can get the guys to bring some pizza over," he said.
"I never got to have any of my main course at the restaurant and the food there was so good." I smiled and giggled. "I'm drooling just thinking about it. Can we go back there?" Cue more puppy dog eyes. I hadn't had anyone to practice them on in years so I might be fucking it up, but I had to try.
"Whatever my mate wants. Although as soon as the remedy kicks in we will want to get out of there so we can fuck each other's brains out, so you better eat fast."
I knew this would be my only chance to escape. I also knew that I needed to play my part right. "Thank you," I gushed as I batted my eyelashes at him, or hoped I was. For all I knew of flirting, my attempt could look like I was having a seizure of some kind. The few guys I had hooked up with, mainly to satisfy my curiosity, hadn't required much effort on my part, so I didn't exactly have a lot of experience in the flirting arena.
"Take it easy getting up, mate," Jaxon said, smiling down at me as though he was that cat that caught the mouse, or in this case the wolf that caught the bitch.
When he got up off the bed I took a deep breath and centered myself mentally. I could do this. I could get out of this. I needed to escape before I could imprint on him, because if that happened there was no hope. He would be able to find me anywhere I went,
track me to the ends of the earth, and I would never get away.
I eased myself off the bed and pretended to stumble slightly like I was still drugged. Jax reached out and steadied me, before sliding his arm around my waist and basically carrying me, almost like a football, as we walked out of the bedroom and to the car. I may have hated his touch, but if it meant getting myself closer to freedom then I could endure it.
We left the warehouse, and as we drove away I made a silent promise to myself that I wouldn't go back there, no matter what I had to do. I couldn't let it happen. I knew if I ended up back there and hadn't imprinted on Jax it would be trouble, well, not so much trouble as him probably killing me. He was certainly crazy enough to do it. Going back to that warehouse would mean my death, and imprinting on Jax would also mean my death, just in a different way. That left me with one option.
Escape. Or die trying.
16
WE WERE BACK in the booth. Hooray. Jax had me sit next to him this time, like proximity had anything to do with the mating bond. I tried to stop my eyes from searching for an escape, but it was next to impossible. Especially because he was behaving like a teenager, all hands, groping me whenever the opportunity presented itself. I knew the restaurant was his, or at least strongly suspected it, but I didn't expect him to be so open with his uhh … affections.
I caught people staring at us a couple times when the arm he had draped over my shoulder curled further around me than necessary and his hands dipped too low. I wanted to scream at them. Don't you see that I don't want to be here? That I'm being forced to do this? Help me!
From the way the staff didn't bat an eye I also suspected that he brought his dates here whenever he had one. It made sense, the table was small, the setting intimate, plus it would make her feel special, and all the "accidental" touching from such close quarters would get her engine going, provided she was into him of course. It most definitely was not doing that for me.
"So what are your plans for the future, Nina?" Jax asked as he shoveled a fork full of lasagna into his mouth.
What? Did he seriously just ask me that? "Um, I'm not really sure. I never plan much beyond the next few months," I said, making sure to slur my words a little so he still thought I was drugged, before taking a bite of my own food. If it wasn't for the company then it would be spectacular.
"I think we should have a small, private wedding. We could even decorate the warehouse so we don't have to find someplace else to have it. Of course, as the alpha's wife you will be expected to lead the women of the community, but I can help with that, and we'll have to have kids of course. Lots of them. You can stay at home and take care of them, after all, the alpha's wife doesn't work. It'll be perfect." He sighed happily and the food tasted like ash in my mouth.
My stomach twisted. It felt like the bars of the cage were closing in. He wanted the opposite life for me than I did, and he didn't give two shits. If I didn't get out of here soon, I wouldn't be able to escape the cage that was closing around me. I would get stuck being his wife and the mother to his kids, without actually being my own person anymore. I would just be the alpha's wife, Nina would die the moment he put that ring on my finger, well, let's be honest, the moment he locked me back up in that room my death would start.
I needed to get the hell out of there. When we left I was going to have to make a run for it, there was no other way. "How is it being alpha?" I asked, making the first three words run together. It was obvious that he liked talking about himself, and if I didn't escape I would just become a pretty bauble to hang off his arm and fuck whenever he felt like it. The more I could get him to drop his guard the better off I'd be when I did try to escape.
He talked while he chewed, which was disgusting. "It's harder than I thought. I mean taking the position was easy. John was old and weak. The fight was barely even in him. He should have been taken out years ago. I didn't know how much other stuff there was though. Or how people are such whiny little bitches, no offense. They are always complaining about something. Oh, alpha, why won't you let me start my own business? Oh, alpha, will you grant me more land? Oh, alpha, can this random shifter join the pack? Oh, alpha, why did you fuck my wife? On and on and on. It never ends, truly. But I do get to do whatever the fuck I want, whenever I want, so it's not all bad. Plus, having people obey me feels good, you know? The power almost gets me as hard as you do ..."
Jax kept droning on about power and control and how much he loved it, but all I could focus on was his lack of compassion for anyone. It wasn't just me, it was the whole pack. I mean, did he really fuck someone's wife just because he wanted to? My head was spinning from how callous and uncaring he was.
"Boss," a younger man said as he approached the table.
Jax's whole demeanor changed. "I told you not to disturb me," he snarled.
"You got a phone call, and I know you hate missing Rossi's calls. I wouldn't have interrupted if it didn't sound important," the guy said.
Rossi? As in the Rossi pack? Were the alphas working together? If they were then I was doubly fucked. Even if I escaped, how could I get away if I had two packs looking for me? Still, better to try than just give in though.
"Could you manage without me for a few minutes, babe?" Jax asked as he looked down at me.
I nodded, letting my eyes droop as though I was too tired to go anywhere anyway.
His hand came up and cupped my face briefly and I had to fight the urge to bite him or vomit on him or something. When he turned away from me I heard him hiss at the younger man, "She stays here. She's not to leave this seat, do you understand?"
The guy must have nodded or something because I didn't hear it, but Jax was striding off through the restaurant. His alpha energy went with him and for the first time since we arrived I felt like I could breathe and eat in peace.
I enjoyed the moment for a minute, maybe two, I knew that the conversation with the Rossi alpha, because that was who it had to be, wasn't going to be a quick one. A small part of me was insanely curious at what the two alphas were cooking up together, but the rest of me knew exactly what this was … an opportunity.
"Hey," I stage whispered to the guard. "What's going on? Is Jax okay?" I feigned concern and made sure to slur my words heavily.
"He's fine, eat your dinner."
"Will you keep me company?" I asked, batting my eyelashes at the younger man.
"Just eat your food," he grouched, but his eyes lingered on me as I leaned toward him, giving him a good look down my dress, not that there was much to the dress anyway.
"Please, I hate being alone. Plus, I haven't been around anyone else like me in so long, just smelling you is comforting," I replied, turning what charm I had up to eleven, well, a seemingly drunken eleven.
"Fine, but if the boss catches me it's on you," the guard said.
"Do you think Jax will punish me?" I made my voice sound innocent and full of wonder. It drew him to me like a fly to honey.
"I bet if you offer to suck his cock he'll forgive you." The guard snorted at his own joke.
"Does he like his cock sucked?" I asked as I put a small bite of food into my mouth and slowly withdrew the metal tines, watching him the whole time.
The guard coughed slightly and had to clear his throat. "Yeah, I'd reckon he does. He can be rough though, so be careful what you offer." The words were surprising coming from one of the alpha's guards. Just as I thought he might actually be a decent guy he went and ruined it as he said, "If you want I can show you how he likes it, so you know how to please him."
"You'd do that for me?" I let my hand fly to my chest in supposed shock and slowly trailed it down between my breasts.
When the guard adjusted himself, I knew I had him.
"Just to teach you. Not because of anything else."
"Of course," I nodded my head sagely. "You respect him too much for anything else, I'm sure."
"Plus, he'd kill me. But, yeah, the respect thing too."
"Kill you?" I gasped.
"Having a bitch like you around will certainly make the men happy," he said as his eyes landed on my chest.
I swiveled my legs out from the booth so they were hanging over the end of the seat and stretched them out like I was tired. As I stretched my arms over my head I toed my pumps off while the guard was distracted by my breasts being thrust in his direction. If I was going to do this I wasn't going to be slowed down by some bullshit high heels that would make me twist my ankle and render me lame. I'd rather have the soles of my feet all cut up than be forced back into Jax's care because of a pair of shoes.
"You should be careful doing things like that in public, Boss might think you're trying to get someone else's attention," the guard said as he stepped closer.
"Who could I be trying to get the attention of in this place? You're the only other shifter in here, silly!" I reached out and swatted at his arm but missed, like I was too drunk, or rather drugged, to have good depth perception. It put me off balance and had me falling forward. The guard caught me, just like I knew he would. "My savior," I mumbled as he pushed me into an upright position once more.
He took a half step back, as though he wasn't sure if I would need his help again. It was just enough room for me to let my fist fly. I aimed and hit his throat, probably crushing his trachea, but I didn't care. It was my shot to escape.
The guard crumpled to the ground, gurgling and grasping at his neck. I grabbed his head between my hands and pulled it down while I thrust my knee up, effectively kneeing the guy in the face. If he wasn't a shifter I would have just left after the throat punch, but I knew he might heal that quickly enough to come after me. Giving him another injury, a broken nose from the sound of the crunch, taxed his system a little more and gave me more time to escape.
