Abducted by the Alpha (Wolf Shifter Romance) (The Crestwood Chronicles)

by Julia Chase

  "I want to go back to my home," I said. "You can't just take people like this."

  "Your home is far, far away," he said. "And yes. Yes I can."

  "How long was I out?"

  "Just for the night."

  It was morning. The sun rises in the east. I glanced towards home. Towards the way I needed to run. Somehow outrun this group - er, pack - and with my hands tied no less. "We can't have gotten that far in a single night."

  "You'd be impressed," he said. "Would you like some breakfast?"

  I looked back at the group. They were sitting around a fire, and there appeared to be a couple of eggs sizzling on a pan over it.

  "No," I said. "No thank you."

  "Suit yourself," said Darriel, who returned to the fire.

  I tried to understand what on earth was happening. This was a pack of men, and they'd taken me into the woods. Travelling by night. They wore normal clothing. Jeans. Tee shirts. Jackets. They were some sort of wilderness group. So why were we in the middle of a forest?

  I shook my head, while the conversation started up again in the group. It didn't matter. I didn't need to understand these men. I just needed to get away from them.

  The underbrush was thick, but there were a few paths that seemed clear enough. And I had no idea if I'd ever get another chance. So I went for it.

  I took off, running as fast as I could, staring at the ground to try and avoid tripping on anything. It took all of fifteen seconds for someone to yell, "She split!"

  Then I heard something. That same sick, knuckle-cracking noise. Twigs and leaves broke beneath my feet. And then I heard panting.

  Suddenly a huge black wolf pounced onto the path in front of me. I screamed, and stood still. I looked to my left and right, and saw two more wolfs. Huge. Bigger than most bears.

  Growling. Teeth bared. Hunting me. In a pack.

  The men. In the group. They might be able to help me. I needed to get back to them.

  I turned and took a step. My eyes fell on the fire, where the men had been, and saw no one there.

  My next stepped jolted as my right foot had wedged itself under a tree root. With my hands behind my back, I fell.

  Chapter 3

  A second before my head crashed against something hard, for a second time, an arm was under me. A black forearm reached from one shoulder to the other, and caught me.

  He lifted me back up. But as soon as he set me on my feet, a twinge of pain shot up my leg deep into my spine.

  I leaned against him and looked down. My ankle. It was not bent at an angle that ankles are supposed to be bent at. Darriel looked down too, and the second he saw it he bent down and lifted me back and up, one arm under my knees the other under my shoulders.

  He carried me back towards the fire. All the other men in the pack showed up as well. I was very confused, but also in pain.

  He set me down at the base of a tree, and lifted my right leg. "Does this hurt?"

  "The whole thing hurts," I said.

  "Alright," he said.

  He reached both hands underneath the fabric of my jeans and then pulled. They tore with ease in his hands.

  "Hey!" I said. I really liked those jeans.

  "Had to be done," he said. "Tyson, bring a seat over here."

  Another one of the men, a bit older looking brought over a log. He acted like it weighed nothing, but it landed on the soft ground with a loud thud.

  Darriel lifted my leg up onto the log, elevating it.

  "The fuck we gon' do now?" asked Tyson. "She can't ride like that."

  Ride?

  "I know," said Darriel. "I didn't think she was gonna run."

  "Well she did, but we don't have much time. Can't leave 'em alone for too long. We can't wait for her."

  "What are you suggesting?" asked Darriel, pulled the fabric back a bit further to inspect.

  "We leave her here."

  The second those words had left his mouth, Darriel was on his feet. He took a couple steps towards. Tyson. Face so close I'm sure they could smell each other's breath.

  "She's the One," said Darriel. "Wasn't my choice. Wasn't her choice. But that's how it is."

  "You know," said Tyson, "most people don't have a second One."

  "I was wrong last time," said Darriel, not back away.

  "And you're willing to bet the safety of our tribe on being right this time?"

  Darriel's hands flew up and smashed against Tyson's shoulders. He flew back into a tree, and I heard a cracking noise. I couldn't tell if it'd come from his bones or the tree.

  Darriel pointed a finger. "Don't fuck with me, Tyson."

  Another one of the men jumped between them. "Alright," said the third man. "She can't ride. We need to get back fast. What can we do?"

  "Go without us," said Darriel. "We'll get there a few days later. But we'll get there."

  "Already trying to get some private time, are ya?" said Tyson.

  Darriel glared.

  The man in the middle turned to Tyson. "You're not helping." Then back to Darriel. "You sure?"

  "Absolutely. We haven't run into a single one of them. And I could take 'em on my own anyway."

  The man in the middle gave a nod. "Alright, brother." He held out a fist and Darriel gave it a bump with his own.

  "Get outta here," he said.

  "We're leaving," yelled the man in the middle.

  Then that noise happened again. And this time I could see the source. The men. All of them other than Darriel. They were transforming. Becoming something entirely different.

  Fur was popping out where the was only skin before. Shoulders became even broader. Arms became legs. Hands became paws. And then I understood.

  These men were a pack of wolves.

  One of them arched back and howled, and the rest of the pack joined in. And then they took off. Sprinting through the woods. Tearing the ground up in their path. And then they were gone, the barks and yips fading into the distance.

  Darriel walked over and, as if nothing had happened, got back down on his knees and looked at the wound that I'd completely forgotten about.

  "This looks back," he said.

  "What on earth just happened?" I asked.

  But once again I became distracted. As Darriel reached down and lifted his shirt up and over his head, then slid it off of each arm.

  His abs were perfect. Not the kind you see in movies, or the kind you get from going to the gym and doing sit-ups. But the kind you get from spending your entire life in physical straining situations.

  And that didn't end with the abs. His whole upper half was flab-less. Just black skin wrapped tightly around bulging muscles.

  He wrapped the shirt around my ankle, and then pulled it very tight. I winced with pain. He looked up at my face with a smile. "Sorry," he said.

  I just smiled back. "It's fine."

  What was I saying? What about this situation was fine? I'd been kidnapped. My ankle was hurt. Apparently I'd ridden a wolf into the middle of the forest. And apparently I was the One? But he'd had another before me?

  "So," he asked once my ankle was tightly held in place with knots and twists of what had once been his shirt. "I don't think we've met. Really. My name is Darriel."

  "I'm Ruby."

  "That's suiting," he said.

  I tilted my head.

  "Your cheeks are very red," he said.

  I smiled. The thing about blushing is that when you try to stop blushing, it just gets worse.

  He sat down on the earth near my legs. With his legs cross. I guess he wasn't afraid that I'd run away again.

  "So," he said, "You're probably wondering what's going on."

  "Yes," I said. "Very good. I am wondering that."

  "Well, where to begin?"

  "How about the whole wolf thing?"

  "Sure. Me and my pack are shifters. We have the ability to change shape. And our pack, like many, specializes in wolves."

  "Like werewolves?"

  "Not really. There's n
othing to do with the moon. And we have the same basic personality when we phase. We can get a little more... forceful, but that's it. Werewolves go crazy when the moon is out."

  "Wait, so you're telling me that werewolves are real?"

  "Yes."

  "Vampires?"

  "Yep."

  "Witches?"

  "Sure."

  I had nothing else to say. My whole world view was falling down. This was all stuff of fairy tales. Legends. It wasn't supposed to be true.

  I looked over at him and he was just staring at me. Looking my body up and down. Checking me out.

  "What are you doing?" I asked.

  He looked into my eyes, confused.

  "Why are you staring at me?"

  "You're beautiful," he said. "And I'm enjoying it."

  "You aren't supposed to just-"

  "Enjoy the beautiful things in life?"

  I paused. Then said, "Yes. Exactly. Enjoy the beautiful forest, if you need to enjoy something."

  "Why can't I just look at you?"

  "Because it's weird," I said.

  "You're weird," he said, with a little laugh. He voice was deep and smooth. I laughed too. It was something so juvenile to say.

  "Okay," I said. "And you called me the One. What does that mean?"

  "You know what that means," he said. "That word comes from your culture, not mine."

  "The One? Like, I'm the girl for you?"

  "Yes."

  I laughed. "We just met. You think we're going to fall in love or something?"

  "Sure," he said. "I would be surprised if we hadn't fucked hard at least a couple times before you even see your family again."

  My eyes went wide.

  "What? Don't like the idea of my hard cock sliding in and out of you?"

  I felt blood rush back into my cheeks, and to another place. "I don't even know you," I said. "I'm not going to let you just-"

  "You will," he said. "You'll want me to."

  "How are you so sure of all this?"

  "Well for one," he said, "we're out in the woods. Just the two of us. A couple beautiful people. Not much to do. It'll be cold at night. There are very few forces in the world strong enough to keep two people in that situation from at least going at it in the missionary position. Just for the warmth. And that feeling of going deep. That release. As I we finish together, you writhing on your back while I pump inside of you."

  I just shook my head at him. I wasn't that kind of girl. But there was something about the way he was talking about it that did make it seem possible. But not with me. I wasn't that kind of girl.

  "Of course, that's nothing compared to what I know is true. When a shifter, like myself, sees the person who they're meant to be with, they know it. And when I saw you there, at the back of your property, just on the other side of the fence, I knew."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "Shifters," he said. "People like me and my pack have a very astute perception of fate. When we meet - or even just see - the person we're fate to be with, we know it."

  "And you think that's me?"

  "Yes," he said. "I'm sure of it."

  Then it dawned on me. The missing piece. The thing that had confused me the most. Why me?

  You'd think that someone as buff and handsome would have no problem picking up any girl he wanted. Maybe his skin color would affect his odds in my town - but clearly he could travel quickly. So why on earth had he chosen me? I was... a bit too curvy. In my own opinion.

  And so that explained it. He hadn't chosen me. I was just the girl he happened to be fated to meet. Didn't mean anything. It was not proof that some men really did want someone like me.

  "Anyway," he said, breaking the silence. "You should have something to eat. I've only ever walked this distance on paw, never on foot. The boys'll make it back before nightfall. But we probably won't until night time tomorrow, at best."

  The blood fled my cheeks. I was going to spend a whole night in the forest with this man? This kidnapping stranger?

  He stood up and walked over to the fire, where the group had left enough supplies for Darriel and I. I looked over just as he bend at the waist into the pan. The way his jeans fell around his ass, I could just tell his ass was perfect. The image of him pants-less jumped into my brain, but I forced it out even though I liked it.

  He returned with a couple eggs and a piece of a toast on a plastic plate. "Sorry, we don't have any forks or nothing. We weren't really expecting any female company."

  He put the plate down near my feet, and then pulled out a knife. It was long and serrated. My eyes went wide as he leaned towards me, but then he pulled me forward and cut the rope that had tied my hands.

  Once the plate was in my hands, my stomach gurgled. And there was no one around who I was trying to impress - just one man from whom I still planned to escape. So I lifted one of the fried eggs and bit into it.

  The yoke ran down my chin, and I wiped it with the back of my hand. I then licked the back of my hand. I was in the wilderness. Manners were no longer of utmost importance.

  He smiled and watched my eat. "So Ruby," he said. "What's your story?"

  I swallowed a mouthful of eggs. "My story?"

  "Who are you? Where'd you grow up? Did I accidentally steal you from some neighborhood sweetheart?"

  "No, I'm single," I said. I have no idea why that came out first. "Grew up in that house that... did you come into my house as a wolf and then gag me and lift me out of bed?"

  "Yes," he said.

  "I sleep in just panties," I said.

  He leaned to one side, and I could see something sitting next to the fire that I hadn't noticed before. Something blue. My suitcase.

  "Didn't want to take you home naked," he said. "And you had so conveniently packed. So what's your family like?"

  "Pretty standard, for the town. They actually moved from further south when they decided to start a family. Dad's from Texas and Mom's from Arkansas."

  "So they're racist, then?"

  I looked at him. "I wouldn't say that."

  "Would they be happy if you brought home a black man one night?"

  "No, they wouldn't be happy if I brought home any man."

  "But it'd be worse if he was black?"

  I crumpled my chin. "Yes, it would be worse if he was black."

  "That's called being a racist," said Darriel.

  And in that moment, I had no idea why racism existed at all. His skin was dark, but it was so perfect. His arms, his stomach, his pecs. All dark. All smooth. And it looked amazing.

  "Don't be ashamed. Your whole town is like that. That's why we were staying in the forest."

  "What were you doing there, anyway?" I asked.

  "You know how I mentioned we're very in touch with fate?"

  I nodded, biting into the buttery toast.

  "Well several members of the pack got a feeling that something bad was going to happen there. Something that only we could prevent."

  "What kind of thing?"

  "Paranormal," he said. "Details aren't too important. We didn't end up seeing anything. But honestly we were joking about whether the town would be more scared to see a pack of wolves show up on the streets, or a group of black men."

  I laughed.

  "Like we were going to start selling drugs and making kids listen to hip hop or whatever."

  "It's true. I never really thought about it before, but my town is pretty bad for people like you."

  I'd finished my plate, and he pulled it out of my hands and placed it into a backpack. "So," he said, "any idea if you can walk?"

  I used the tree to get to my feet. But when I put weight onto the ankle, the pain shot through me once again.

  "I'll take that wince as a no," he said. "Other than that you're fine though?"

  "I think so," I said.

  "Right then. I'll carry you."

  Chapter 4

  He slung a bag over his shoulder, stomped out the fire, and then walked over to me a
nd picked me up. Cradled in his arms, he felt so incredibly sturdy. And strangely warm. But I couldn't believe it.

  "You're going to carry me?" I asked.

  "Yep," he said.

  "All the way back to your village or whatever? Carry me for two days straight?"

  "Sure."

  I shook my head.

  "I'll take breaks," he said. "When I have to piss. Or to gather water. Or when you decide that you want to fuck right here on the forest floor."

  "I will never fuck you in dirt," I said.

  "Sure," he said. "Maybe you'll just end up with an irresistible urge to suck my cock."

  That same rush of blood happened. Something about being talked to like that. But I shook my head again. "I'm not that kind of girl," I said. But there was some part of me that didn't believe it anymore. Some part that just wanted to go for it. Get down on my knees and suck him off right here. Let it spray all over me.

  I was practically dripping just thinking about it. That and the feeling of his impossibly strong arms around me made my knees weak, so it's a good thing I wasn't standing.

  We walked in silence for a while. I say silence because neither of us were talking - but if you've ever been in a forest then you know they're far from silent.

  There's the constant sound of crunching and snapping and squishing under each footstep. There's the sound of the leafy trees rustling in the wind - the very same wind that those trees shield you from. And of course, there are the sounds of life.

  Birds chirping and whistling. Squirrels chittering. Small animals running through the bushes and ferns. I was calmed by all those noises - even though I shouldn't have been. The situation didn't warrant any calmness.

  Maybe it was just the inevitability of it all that made me calm. Not that it was inevitable that I'd be kidnapped - I still wasn't sold on that part.

  But it's not like I was about to jump out of his powerful arms and then out run him on a twisted ankle. For now, I really only had the one option that was happening. It felt like there was no use in worrying about it.

  At a few points during the walk, Darriel stopped. He looked around. As if he'd heard something. Like there was something wrong. But he'd never say anything. And after a moment, he'd continue walking as if nothing had happened.

  We broke for an early dinner. The sun was becoming lower in the sky, but there was still enough light to watch Darriel expertly start a fire, and begin to cook. The smells wafted over me. I hadn't been very active throughout the day, exactly, but I was still quite hungry.