by Ramona Gray
“Come.” Theran gave them a friendly smile and waved them forward. “We want to get in some traveling before we lose the light.”
Reese hesitated and stared into the trees around her. She wondered how far she could get before they caught her. If she surprised them, she might be able to disappear into the thick trees before they –
There was a low growl and she turned to see Kane staring at her. His eyes were green now and they glowed balefully at her. She had a suspicion that he knew exactly what she had been thinking. He barked once at Hanif and the man frowned at her.
“Do not try and run. We will give you your freedom if you behave yourself but if you try and escape us we will chain you to one of us. Do you understand?”
Reese nodded as Theran scooped up Kane’s clothing. They walked another fifty feet into the forest before they stopped. There was a large leather bag at the base of a wide tree and Theran picked it up and stuffed Kane’s clothing into it.
“Theran, I’m going to shift. Are you all right with that?” Hanif asked.
Theran nodded. “Aye. I will stay in my human form for a while longer.”
Hanif shed his clothes. He handed them to Theran who stuffed them in the bag on top of Kane’s as Hanif shifted. He was smaller than Kane and brown instead of gray, but his eyes glowed with the same green light.
The two wolves trotted ahead of them, sniffing and growling softly to each other. Theran nodded to the women again. “Come, we must keep moving. It is a long journey to our home.”
Reese was surprised when the two other women joined her and each of them took her hand. She gave them a small smile and squeezed the hand of the smaller woman, who was already starting to cry.
“Don’t cry,” she said encouragingly. “We’ll be okay.”
“Listen to your friend,” Theran said. “If you obey us, we will not harm you. We are not like human men when it comes to their mates. We treat our mates with respect, and we certainly do not hit them.”
His gaze flickered to Reese. “What are your names?”
The blonde woman on Reese’s left, cleared her throat. “My name is Adina.”
The dark-haired woman on Reese’s right was still crying and she spoke in a soft, wavering voice. “I’m Ghita.”
“And you?” Theran prompted.
“Reese.”
“Reese.” Theran tested it on his tongue. “What an odd name.”
He leaned closer. “You smell strange. Even for a human.”
“What do you mean?” Reese asked.
“I have never smelled anyone like you before. Your scent is very unique,” Theran said thoughtfully.
Reese just shrugged as they moved deeper into the woods. She took a deep breath of the good, clean air. She had been trapped in the complex for three months and she was thrilled with her sudden freedom from the horrid place. It was cold in the woods and the hard ground was biting through the thin soles of her shoes, but she couldn’t stop the small grin that crossed her face. She would never have to see the warden again. Never again would that horrible man punch her or beat her with his flat wooden stick.
“Why did you buy us?” Adina asked quietly.
She was a pretty girl. Like most blondes, her skin was pale and she had light brown eyes and a smattering of freckles across her nose. Like the dark-haired Ghita, she had a soft and meek manner to her and she kept her eyes firmly on the ground at her feet.
“Our alpha, his name is Dagon, is looking for a mate. The three of you have been chosen as possible mates for him.”
Reese frowned. “Why does he want a human for a mate?”
She wondered inwardly at her resilience to this new world. Until an hour ago, she had no idea that there were any creatures other than humans roaming this world. Now she was talking to a man who could change into a wolf whenever he felt like it.
Theran shrugged. “Many shifters are taking human women into their packs now.”
“But why?” Reese asked.
“For many different reasons. Dagon believes that it is better for us to interact with the humans. Sooner or later we will be forced to co-exist with them. He thinks it is best if we start now rather than wait.”
His eyes slid away from her as he spoke and Reese knew he was lying to her. There was a cold knot of fear in her belly and she took a deep breath. “What happens to the two he doesn’t choose?”
“There will be a place for you in the pack. Most likely another member will take you as their mate. You are all attractive enough. If no others find you pleasing, you will still be welcomed in the pack. You will be helpful to our women in cleaning and assisting them in raising their pups.”
“And if I don’t want to be a housekeeper and nanny?” Reese asked.
Theran laughed. “I would not worry too much if I were you. Kane is right. Dagon will most likely choose you to be his mate. He does enjoy the feisty ones.”
He eyed Ghita and Adina. “Although his last mate was quite submissive like the two of you.”
“What happened to his last mate?” Ghita asked timidly.
“She died,” Theran said shortly.
“What if we refuse to be his mate?” Reese said suddenly.
Theran gave her a confused look. “Why would you refuse? As Dagon’s mate you will be given the highest regard in the pack. All of your needs will be attended to. Nothing will be required of you other than mating with our alpha and bearing his pups.”
“Great,” Reese said airily. “A life of pushing out wolf babies. What more could a girl ask for?”
Kane growled loudly and angrily. Reese stared defiantly at him for a few moments until finally looking away from his hot gaze. The damn shifters were in for a surprise if they thought she would just open her legs and allow a man she’d never met to impregnate her.
Theran opened his mouth and Kane barked sharply at him. He flushed and smiled at the women. “Our time for talking is done. Move more quickly please.”
* * *
“You’re seriously not going to build a fire?” Reese stared in disbelief at Hanif. The shifter shook his head.
“No. It can bring unwanted creatures our way and besides, it is not that cold.”
“Not that cold?” Reese said disbelievingly. Ghita’s teeth were chattering and all three of the women were shivering in the cold air.
“We don’t have fur to keep us warm. Do you understand that?” Reese asked grimly.
Theran was returning to the small clearing they had stopped in with his arms full of different plants. Hanif gave him a desperate look.
“Theran, the humans say they are cold.”
“Cold?” Theran frowned. “It’s not cold.” He hesitated. “Is it?”
He dumped the plants in front of the three women. “Here, I have brought you some food.”
Reese stared at them in confusion but Ghita and Adina crouched and picked through the plants.
“Plants? Do you not have any meat?”
There was soft snarling and Kane appeared out of the darkness. He was carrying three dead rabbits in his mouth and he dropped them to the ground before shifting. Reese averted her eyes from his naked body as he strode across the clearing and took his pants from the leather bag. He slipped them on but didn’t bother with a shirt. He picked up one of the rabbits and she watched fascinated as the nails on his fingers lengthened into sharp points. He skinned the rabbit quickly and then held the bloody body of the rabbit toward her.
“Help yourself.”
Her stomach lurched with nausea and a look of disgust crossed her face. He grinned, his white teeth flashing in the gloom. “That’s right, humans prefer their meat cooked.”
He bit into the body of the rabbit and Reese put her hand over her mouth and turned away. She sat on the ground beside the other women and tried to tune out the sound of the crunching as the three shifters ate their dead rabbits.
“Here.” Adina handed her a plant with a blue root.
“What is this?”
“It’s g
ood. It’s sweet tasting. Tear the leaves off and eat just the stem,” Adina urged her.
She stripped off the leaves and bit hesitantly into the stalk. Adina was right about it being sweet tasting and she ate it quickly. The other women showed her how to eat each of the different plants and they quickly made fast work of the pile of plants.
“Sure you don’t want some rabbit?” Kane called mockingly.
Reese ignored him and Theran frowned at the big man. “Kane, do not tease the humans. They’re not like us, remember.”
He turned to Hanif. “We’ll have to tell Dagon that the humans will need cooked meat and pelts to keep them warm if they do not become one of our mates.”
“You really didn’t think this whole, ‘bring human women into the pack’ thing through, did you?” Reese said sarcastically.
Kane growled at her and wiped the blood from his face. “Watch your tongue, human.”
Hanif stared at her curiously. “Why do you not know how to eat the plants, Reese?”
Reese didn’t reply and Ghita spoke up timidly. “Reese says she is not from our world.”
Hanif frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Nothing,” Reese said quickly.
“Answer the question,” Kane said shortly.
Ghita giggled nervously. “Reese says she was born in a different world. She told us many tales about how a big glowing ball of light sucked her in and put her in this world. She says that in her world there are switches on the wall that turn on candles, and that people ride in iron machines that move much faster than horses.”
Hanif’s mouth dropped open and he gave Theran a cautious look. Theran returned the look and shook his head lightly.
“Excellent,” Kane said suddenly. “We’ve chosen a mad woman for our alpha’s mate.”
“You chose her,” Hanif said immediately.
“I’m not mad,” Reese said quietly.
“You kind of are,” Adina replied. “Sorry, Reese.”
Reese sighed and stared moodily into the darkness. They sat in silence for another half hour or so. The air was growing steadily colder and the three women huddled together for warmth. It was pointless, Reese thought. The two women were colder than she was and their thin clothing was doing nothing to keep them warm.
Hanif frowned at the way they were shivering. “Why are they so cold?”
Kane barked harsh laughter. “The humans cannot keep warmth in their limbs like we do, Hanif. Just another way they are weak and useless.”
“What do we do? We cannot bring Dagon back frozen humans,” Hanif said.
Kane shrugged. “It matters not to me if they live or die.”
“Kane!” Theran glared at him. “Our alpha has given us a task to do and we cannot fail at it.”
“They’ll be fine,” Kane said. “It will not dip below freezing tonight.”
“Let us build a fire. Please,” Adina pleaded softly.
Kane shook his head. “No. It is too dangerous.”
“We will each curl around a human tonight.” Theran suddenly decided. “Our bodies will keep them warm enough. I’ll take that one.” He pointed to Ghita and Reese was a little amused to see the soft blush that coloured Ghita’s cheeks. Theran was handsome enough and he seemed kind.
“Fine,” Hanif replied. “I’ll take the fair-headed one.”
They looked expectantly at Kane who shook his head. “No. I will not lower myself by allowing a human to sleep next to me.”
Theran sighed angrily. “Kane, she will freeze to death.”
“Who cares? She’s mad. You and I both know Dagon will not pick her for his mate once he realizes she’s not all there in the head. Besides, she won’t freeze to death. She’s bigger than the other two. Her extra meat will keep her warm,” he said dismissively.
Reese’s cheeks flamed with anger. She hated the arrogant shifter as much as she hated the warden, she decided. Maybe more. The warden might have beaten her but he hadn’t humiliated her.
Theran and Hanif were giving her cautious looks and she was struck with the sudden urge to smack Ghita in the head. If the woman had just kept her damn mouth shut, the other two might have been able to convince Kane to help keep her warm. Now, they were looking at her with dismay. She realized with sudden clarity that they probably would just let her die rather than bring a mad woman back to their alpha.
Theran took Ghita’s hand and led her a few feet away. “Lie down.” He encouraged her as Hanif took Adina’s hand and led her away.
Ghita lay down on the hard ground, tucking her knees up and wrapping her arms around her body. Theran stripped off his clothes and shifted to his wolf form. He lay down beside her. His body was so large that he could completely curl around her body.
Beside them, Hanif was doing the same with Adina and Reese looked on with jealousy as the two women burrowed into the soft fur of the giant wolves. They were nearly covered by the wolves’ bodies and Theran and Hanif curled their tails over the women’s bodies for added warmth.
Kane had already shifted and he stared at her for a moment before lying down with his back to her. He rested his head on the ground and sighed loudly. Reese curled into a small ball on the ground as her entire body shivered. She tucked up her knees, tugging her skirt down around her feet to try and keep them warm. She buried her face in her arms. The cold air leeched into her body and she shook violently.
Sunshine, a warm beach in Hawaii, a really hot bath, she told herself grimly. Maybe if she thought about warm things, it would help convince her she wasn’t going to freeze to death.
Chapter 3
“Human, are you alive?” Theran’s deep voice woke her from her doze and she blinked up at him as the soft light of dawn filtered through the trees.
“Y-y-yes,” she stammered. She tried to uncurl her body and groaned with pain. She tried again, willing her frozen limbs to move and breathing a sigh of relief when they obeyed her the second time.
She stumbled to her feet, wincing at the pins and needles that were coursing through them. She waved her arms weakly in the air in a bid to warm them.
“Hanif, her lips are blue,” Theran said worriedly.
He hesitated and then wrapped her in his embrace. Reese could have wept with relief at the feel of his warm body. She clung to him, burying her cold face into his neck and trying to wrap every part of her body around his.
He rubbed her back roughly. She winced when he touched the spot where the warden punched her as he encouraged her to slide her hands under his shirt. He sucked in his breath at the feel of her cold fingers against the bare skin of his back.
“God, they really cannot hold their heat,” he grunted to Hanif.
Reese shivered against him. She had barely slept last night and she was tired and aching from lying on the cold ground. She slipped off her right shoe and glanced down at her toes, a little afraid she had frostbite. They looked normal to her and she breathed a sigh of relief before sliding her bare foot up Theran’s pant leg.
He cursed loudly, his arms tightening almost painfully around her. “Your feet are freezing, human!”
“I kn-kn-know!” She chattered grumpily.
After a few minutes, she switched feet and Theran grunted again. He allowed her to seek his warmth for another few minutes before Kane, still in his wolf form, barked at them.
“We must get moving,” Theran said.
She nodded and forced herself to move away from his warmth. She would walk quickly. The exercise would help to warm her up.
* * *
“Here, Reese. Look at this.” Adina was standing next to a large tree. Its branches were drooping with large green pods and Reese watched as Adina plucked one.
She peeled back the green skin and Reese stared curiously at the white flesh-like meat within it.
“What is that?”
“It’s called a charka.” Adina scooped out the meat and popped it into her mouth. “They taste good and they have lots of protein. Charkas are good to eat when you don’t
have any meat.”
She plucked another one and handed it to Reese. Reese peeled it carefully and hesitated before digging out the meat within it. She sniffed it curiously and then shrugged and put the entire thing in her mouth.
She smiled with delight. The charka had a distinct nut-like flavour and her belly rumbled loudly. “God, it’s so good.”
Ghita laughed and pulled more of the green pods from the tree. She slipped them into the pockets of her skirt until they bulged as Reese and Adina did the same.
Kane barked impatiently at them and Reese rolled her eyes in exasperation. They had been walking for most of the morning and after staring at Ghita’s flushed face, Theran had insisted they stop for a quick rest.
Both Kane and Hanif had argued but Reese had already dropped to the ground. Her back was throbbing where the warden had punched her, her feet and thighs were aching and burning and she was weary from lack of sleep. She had let herself rest for fifteen minutes before dragging her body up when Adina had called her name.
“Time to go.” Theran smiled at Ghita and the woman flushed prettily. Hanif and Kane had not shifted from their wolf forms but Theran had remained human. He had spent most of the morning walking beside Ghita. Reese had an idea that if the alpha did not choose Ghita, she would quickly find herself in Theran’s bed.
“Do you see that plant?” Adina pointed to a cluster of large blue plants, swaying in the cold breeze.
Reese nodded and Adina quickly pulled one as they were walking by them. She was pinching the stem closed deftly and she lifted the plant to her mouth. She let go of the stem and Reese watched as liquid flowed in a steady stream from the stem into Adina’s mouth.
She handed the plant to Reese who took a drink from it. It was tasteless but cold and she nodded her thanks to Adina.
“These will provide you with moisture when there is no water to be found,” Adina said. “But do not eat the leaves or the stem. They’re poison and will kill you.”
