by Sam Crescent
Emily nodded. “We’ll do all of that. We’re stronger than you think.”
He nodded and stepped away, allowing his friends to say their goodbyes.
This was dangerous.
He wanted to send them home, to make them wait.
But that would put them at risk.
Staring into the forest, he thought about Payne. They’d had a couple of run-ins before. He’d always been the stronger and faster one out of the two of them. Now Payne thought he could take Liam’s mate and that would be the end of it.
A rage built inside him thinking about what Payne had done. Not only had he taken his mate from him, he’d let her know exactly what he was, and not given him the chance to do it himself. For that, he would make sure Payne suffered horribly. That he’d want to die long before he granted it.
Liam was one to show mercy, to give people a second chance. Payne had crossed a line, and now he’d get to see just who he was dealing with. Liam had a reputation for getting the job done.
Payne would finally get what was coming to him.
****
Chained up.
Broken.
Alone.
Rebecca stared across the floor seeing a spider scurry away.
Even spiders didn’t want to be near her.
She felt so empty.
So scared.
The fear gripped her, making it impossible for her to focus on anything else.
Wolves.
Real live wolves.
Not the kind that were in fairy tales and movies. They were real, and she’d seen it all with her own eyes. They’d had fun mocking her. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she sniffled. The man, Payne, had kicked her in the ribs with so much force, she’d slammed against the far wall.
She hurt everywhere, and her body shook from the cold.
Rebecca didn’t even know how long she’d been taken.
Payne had been surprised, she knew that. He’d been expecting Liam to charge down and try to take her.
He’d not arrived.
They waited for hours, sitting around a dinner table.
Payne had mocked, laughed, and hurt her. Pinching her flesh, pulling her hair. Showing everyone that would listen just how weak she was. How useless. He’d even clawed at her neck where Liam was supposed to have marked her.
She placed a hand to the skin. It burned to the touch, and she wondered if wolves had infections. She was human, and if it was dirty, she’d be sure to die.
Death sounded all right now.
She’d rather be dead than have to deal with the truth that Liam had lied to her. He wasn’t human, not completely. Half man, half wolf, and he’d lied to her. The mark on her neck, his need to take her. It hadn’t been because of her. Well, it had and hadn’t. He’d done so because his stupid wolf had told him to.
She wasn’t attractive.
Or worthy of such a mate.
Payne had told her that.
Liam as an alpha needed someone strong.
Someone who could be worthy of his affections.
She was nothing.
In that moment, she missed her small apartment, her laptop, her authors, her work. She wanted to go back home. To forget about Liam, and the way he smiled or looked at her. It was all a lie, right? He didn’t really have any feelings for her.
No one did.
“Aw, are we still alive?” Payne asked, giving her leg a nudge.
She flinched and tried to curl her body into herself, to make herself as small as possible.
It didn’t work. She cried out as he grabbed her hair and pulled her up so that his cheek was against her own.
He’d stripped her of her clothing, and he’d made a point of sneering at her full body. Poking and prodding at her cellulite legs. Laughing at Liam’s choice.
She couldn’t handle much more pain or humiliation.
“Leave me alone. Please. I have nothing to do with this,” she said.
“You have everything to do with this. You’re the very reason we’re here now, dealing with it. You’re all the reason I need. Liam will come for you.”
“He’s not arrived. I’m not his mate.”
“You are his mate, Rebecca. No matter what you say or how you try to hide it. You’re his mate. He’s a wolf, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he hasn’t tried to breed you yet.”
The unprotected sex.
Payne burst out laughing. “So he has. Well, I have a good mind to keep you alive. Let’s see if you have his baby. That would be fucking amazing. I kill Liam, take his pack, take his kid, breed you to bear my own children.”
“I don’t know who you are. Leave me alone.” Her old anxieties were coming thick and fast. She wanted to run, but they had her chained up. She’d never been a fighter.
All she wanted was for Liam to come and save her, but he still hadn’t shown up.
“You want to see the magic again?” Payne asked.
The sneer in his voice was clear even though she didn’t look at him.
She shook her head, but that didn’t stop him. Before her eyes, his arm changed from that of a human. She watched the skin split, disappear, and then in its place was that of a wolf. Dark black hair, long claws, and thicker than his human arm.
Screaming, she pushed at him, trying to scramble away, but she didn’t get far. He grabbed her thigh, and she yelled in pain as his claws sank into the flesh. Glancing down, she saw the claws digging into her thigh. If she moved, he’d tear her leg to shreds.
“I’ve heard that human flesh is so damn easy. It’s like cutting through paper.”
She screamed once again as his claws moved the smallest distance. The pain rushed through her body, scaring her, terrifying her.
“You have so many delicate arteries and veins. You nick one and within minutes you’ve bled out and died.”
Her heart started to pound. One of those was in her thigh. The femoral artery. She didn’t want to die.
What did she want?
For this man to just be a bad dream and to wake up safely in her bed. It certainly felt like a living nightmare.
She held still as he continued to stare at her thigh.
“I’d love to watch you bleed out. I love the color red. So fucking sexy.” His claws retracted, and she went to pull her leg against her, but he wouldn’t let her.
Whimpering from the pain, she held herself still. His wolf hand was gone, replaced by his human hand.
“So delicate. I don’t even see the appeal here. You’re nothing. You’re not worthy to have a wolf mate, let alone an alpha.”
He stroked over the red wounds on her thigh now dripping blood.
This couldn’t be where her life ended.
“Sir, something is happening,” one of his men said.
Payne sighed. “He’s taking way too long.”
“You said he’d come for her. You think that would change? He’d change?”
“No. Liam is the kind of man who’d come back for her. I don’t for a second believe he’d just leave her here.” Payne sat back. “He’s not like other wolves. First, he has a thing for dogs, which is just fucking gross. A wolf having a dog for a pet. It’s insulting.”
He always seemed to do a lot of talking.
“Right, I’ll go and see what all the fuss is about. You, my sweet, are so much fun.”
He walked away, and she watched him go as the door to her cage slammed shut. With him gone, she tried to pull her wrist free from the metal cuff he had around it.
She placed it between her legs, and then tried to pull, whimpering as the metal dug into the flesh.
Collapsing on the ground, she stared at her hand, feeling weak. Even if she was to escape, she was completely naked.
Where would she go?
They were wolves.
Actual wolves.
They’d track her down.
Kill her.
Tear her apart.
She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Everything was just happening too
fast.
There was nothing she could do.
Closing her eyes, she saw Liam’s smiling face. The way he’d watched her at the supermarket. The kindness he’d shown in helping her. Alphie by his side.
She hoped his dog was okay.
She loved that dog.
You love him as well.
She sniffled.
Even though Liam hadn’t told her the truth, she couldn’t stay mad at him. He’d gotten underneath her skin and helped her to realize what love was all about. She hadn’t known him long, but she knew him long enough to know that she had feelings for him.
“What if I told you I’m fifty? Twenty years older than you.”
Everything made a lot more sense now. In a way, Liam had been trying to break the news of what he was to her. Asking her questions about wolves, her thoughts, her views. Anything that would help her get used to the thought of him being a wolf.
Was it so bad to think of him like that?
She was only at his home and the forest for a short time, but she’d felt that connection. With Liam, at his home, part of his pack, she’d felt at home. No place had ever felt like that to her. All of her life, she’d felt like the outsider, not really fitting in with anyone.
At least she got a taste of that just once.
You can’t let go. Don’t give up. Don’t let them win. Fight. You’re better than this, Rebecca. Stop being scared.
Liam will come.
He wasn’t there.
He’ll come.
You’re his mate, and from all your reading on mates, he will come for you because he wants you, he loves you, and he’ll hurt Payne. He’ll protect you.
Opening her eyes, Rebecca sat up.
Taking a deep breath, she stared straight ahead.
She wouldn’t give in or let them win.
She was stronger than this.
When Liam came, she’d be ready for him. When he got her home, he had a whole lot of explaining to do.
Chapter Nine
Of course, Rebecca hoped the commotion Payne went to check on was Liam coming to her rescue. It was a selfish thought, because as much as she wanted out of her prison, she didn’t want Liam hurt. They were expecting him, and probably had some elaborate trap waiting, just like they’d used Alphie to entrap her.
She wasn’t sure how much time passed, but one of the men walked by her cage, smoking a cigarette. He sneered at her. “Looks like we’ve got one of Liam’s men. Won’t be long until we have the rest, including the alpha.” He blew out a cloud of smoke. “I suggest you get comfortable and settle in for the long haul.”
Rebecca slunk, feeling boneless from the disappointment. Once alone again, she couldn’t help but cry. Her life was a joke. Before meeting Liam, her daily life had been no different than living in this prison. She wished she’d been braver, taken more chances, but her damn anxiety always held her back.
Her arms cramped from holding them across her chest. No way would she give any of these creeps a free view of her nudity if she could help it. Even if they were grossed out by her rolls. The only man who mattered, the man who made her feel like a queen, was Liam.
“Hey.”
Rebecca turned to the whisper. There was another naked woman on the other side of the bars. She wondered how many women were held captive here, but knowing she wasn’t the only one made her feel less alone.
“Hi,” Rebecca said.
The woman looked both ways, then stood up from her crouch. She had a gorgeous figure, the kind Rebecca could only dream of having. Her long, dark hair fell over both shoulders, partially covering her rounded breasts. She started picking the lock. What was going on? Was there a grand escape attempt? Rebecca didn’t want to get hurt in the crossfire since she wasn’t fast or stealthy.
When the lock opened, the woman pushed open the bars and curled a finger for Rebecca to come. She held up her chains, showing her there was no escaping. Not for her. Instead of running away, the woman joined her in the cell and went to work at the locks around her wrists.
“Who are you?” asked Rebecca.
She smiled, no sense of fear surrounding her despite their predicament. In fact, her confidence was palpable. “My name’s Lilla. I’m Ben’s mate.”
Her mouth fell open. Ben was one of Liam’s friends. One of his pack. “I don’t understand.”
The locks opened one after the other, and Rebecca was free. “Males can be hotheaded at times, especially when mates are involved. Sometimes they underestimate us, think we need their protection.” She winked. “But she-wolves can be just as lethal. And we don’t like to be told what to do.”
She pulled Rebecca up to her feet.
“We’ll never get out of here. There are so many men working for Payne. He could be back at any second.”
What if something happened to Lilla because of her? This wasn’t her fight, and Rebecca didn’t want to be responsible for anything that could go wrong.
“We’ll be fine.”
“Lilla, I’m not a she-wolf. I’m human.”
“I know. Come on.” Just as they took their first steps, that asshole with the cigarette appeared around the corner and caught sight of them. He stopped dead, crushed his cigarette under his boot, then cracked his knuckles. Within moments, Lilla shifted into a snarling beast, her deadly fangs and intent gaze focused on the man. She lunged forward, sinking her teeth into his leg and shaking back and forth. When he cried out in pain, she knocked him down and went for his jugular.
It was over in seconds.
Blood pooled on the concrete, spreading around the body in a morbid display.
Rebecca stood in shock until the wolf let out a low bark to catch her attention. She knew Lilla wanted her to follow, so she stepped around the dead man and chased after the magnificent black wolf.
They weaved in and out of a tent camp, makeshift shelters and huts, barbeque pits, and clothes hanging on lines. Rebecca grabbed a white t-shirt off a line as she tried to keep up with the she-wolf, pulling it on over her head. It was long, covering just past her ass, and she instantly felt better despite her life still being in danger.
The wolf came to a standstill just ahead, the area sheltered by pines. Rebecca had never seen a wolf shifter in the fur. Part of her still felt a sliver of fear even though she knew it was Lilla under there somewhere. She was a beautiful animal, sleek fur, expressive eyes.
Lilla changed back into a human, morphing before her eyes. Rebecca would never get used to it, no matter how many times she witnessed such a miracle.
“Okay, you’ll be safe here for now,” said Lilla.
“Where’s Liam?”
“The males had some plan in mind, but it fell apart when Ben was captured.”
“Your mate?”
She nodded. “I’m going to save his ass, and then we’ll all get out of here. Sarah is scouting the area. She’ll come for you first. She’s a white wolf.” Lilla put a hand on Rebecca’s shoulder. “Don’t be afraid.”
“I’ll try my best.”
“No, really, they smell fear. Think good thoughts, and we’ll be back for you.” She bent forward and landed on wolf feet. Before Rebecca could blink, there was no sign of the black she-wolf. She rubbed her arms, hating everything about the situation.
As time ticked by, she wondered if Payne had been right. Maybe Rebecca wasn’t worthy of Liam. After seeing Lilla, her power, strength, and beauty, there was no way she could compare.
Stop it, Rebecca. These negative thoughts aren’t helping anyone. Liam loves you, nobody else.
Then where was he? What if he was captured like Ben? Imagining something happening to Liam made her realize just how much she loved him. Love, such a big word. She’d only known him a short time, but the feeling was strong within her, leaving no doubt in her mind. Man or werewolf, it shouldn’t matter. It didn’t matter. She just needed him back.
She’d been kneeling on the forest floor for a while, not wanting her bare ass against the leaves and dirt. The white wolf
she’d been waiting for came rushing by. It stopped dead, nudging her with its snout until Rebecca toppled over, and then it ran away. Another wolf raced by moments later, in hot pursuit of the beautiful white wolf.
A burst of emotion made Rebecca’s sinuses sting. The wolf had saved her, knocked her down to hide from Payne’s man. She prayed Sarah would be okay, that’s she’d be able to outrun the enemy.
Who would come for her now?
Rebecca wasn’t going to sit in the forest until nightfall. Everything was changing, and she had to be proactive. She crept back through the shacks and tents, listening and hiding. Her heart raced like a freight train, fear of being caught terrifying her. As she got closer to her original prison, she heard a yelp. The sound traveled straight through her, feeling like a punch to her gut. She peered through some knots in the boards of a ramshackle fence and saw red across the white wolf’s fur. Rebecca gasped, covering her face and nose with her hands.
The black wolf was there, too, an iron collar around its neck. It thrashed and growled, despite being prodded with some kind of electric rod.
“How cute. They send their females to do their bidding now,” said Payne. He turned and shouted into the forest. “How low will you go, Liam? I suggest you show yourself before nightfall or I’ll be breeding your female.” He laughed, the other men following his lead. When they found out she wasn’t in her cell, it wasn’t going to go over well. Their wolves would hunt her down easily, especially since she couldn’t hide her fear.
“What do you want us to do with these?” One of the men pointed to the she-wolves.
Payne paced back and forth. “Lock them up for now.” The white wolf managed to knock down one of her captors, even with her injuries. The she-wolves were truly impressive and fearless. “If Liam doesn’t show up by tonight, kill them. His mate is the most important.”
Rebecca shook her head. No, this couldn’t be happening.
An arm wrapped around her waist from behind, and a hand came over her mouth just before she could scream. She kicked and struggled for all she was worth. Until she heard his voice.
