Love of Wolves: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Ashwood Wolves Book 3)

by J. E. Cluney

  This definitely didn’t feel right.

  “What’s the plan?” one of the Pryce men asked as the pair climbed out of the back.

  He had on oversized grey jeans and a leather vest over his grey tee, while his companion had on frayed blue jeans and a leather jacket that was zipped up. He also had a black bandanna hiding his hair from view.

  Nate and Aaron were their names if I was correct. Aaron was the slimmer man with the baggy jeans, while Nate wore the bandanna.

  “We go on foot, stay alert and be on guard. It’s highly possible that they’ve been targeted by the deserters,” Scott said softly as he glanced around the towering pines.

  An owl hooted overhead, and I shoved my hands into my pockets as an uneasy shiver coursed through me. The air was cooler up here on the mountainside, and I wished I’d grabbed a jacket on the way up. At least my werewolf heat would help, we burned hotter than humans.

  Aaron and Nate nodded, and I didn’t object when Scott led the way.

  We trudged up the drive, my breath coming out in smoky puffs before my face. I listened keenly for any telltale sounds, but the only thing that reached my ears was the odd scurry of a small animal in the underbrush.

  Scott remained silent as he signaled for us to fan out when the drive came to a bend.

  Further up, the cabin could be seen through the pines thanks to the lights on inside the home.

  Aaron and Nate moved off noiselessly into the trees, and I stayed low as I followed Scott along the edge of the tree line.

  The cabin was quiet, no laughter or soft chatter. But as we drew near, I hissed at Scott.

  The deserters.

  I could smell them strongly here.

  Scott just nodded back at me as he moved silently, trying to glimpse through the window from our position behind the tree line.

  A glint caught my eye from the corner of the cabin, and as I tried to make out what it was, a chill shook me as I turned to Scott with panic.

  I barely even opened my mouth as the shot rang out and Scott roared in agony as he fell to the ground.

  “Scott!” I snarled as I clambered over to him, using my full strength to yank him behind the cover of the pines he’d just been peering out of.

  The coppery scent of blood filled my nostrils as Scott snarled and cursed in my arms.

  The bullet had penetrated his shoulder, and judging by the sizzling flesh, it was a silver bullet.

  Another shot fired, and I cringed as it took a chunk of wood from the pines we were hiding behind.

  More shots followed, and I cowered down with Scott, locked into our position as gunfire rained around us.

  “Those bastards,” Scott groaned as he held his shoulder, the sizzling sound sickening me to my core.

  I sensed them coming our way, their guns pointed and at the ready.

  Scott gave me a broken look, and then it hardened.

  “Ray, run,” he growled.

  “I’m not leaving you here,” I hissed back.

  Besides, I couldn’t outrun a bullet.

  “Tay needs to be protected,” he hissed, crunching footsteps hurrying our way.

  I nodded, understanding now. He was willing to die to protect her.

  Too bad I didn’t get the chance to run.

  Before I even got to my feet, two men had rounded the pines, their rifle barrels pointed at us.

  The taller man laughed darkly as his gleaming yellow eyes fell on me.

  “Well, well, if it isn’t the traitor,” he chuckled.

  “Pearse,” I growled, feeling Scott stiffen as he refrained from groaning from his injury.

  “It’s your fault that Richard is gone,” the smaller man spat. Caleb was his name, a balding man with fists like a pro boxer. I only knew that thanks to the women on the receiving end of them.

  I didn’t say a word as Pearse knelt down before me. I considered if I’d be able to take him on, somehow get the gun from him and take on Caleb. But with Scott wounded, I was on my own to fight. And that thought was squashed when Gary, one of the other deserters, joined them.

  “There were two others, outsiders, they fled once you two started shooting,” Gary sneered, his dark hair done up in a ponytail.

  The Pryce boys had abandoned us.

  No. That wouldn’t be true, they were warriors, true fighters. My guess was that they were reporting to Tay on the turn of events. They probably knew they were outnumbered and out-gunned.

  Hell, we shouldn’t have come here without our own weapons, but there weren’t many weapons on the ranch. The odd ‘wolf had a hunting rifle, but we did most of our hunting in ‘wolf form. We had no need for weapons.

  “So this is the one who helped out the she-wolf too, from her Pack,” Pearse mused as he eyed Scott. He smirked as he prodded Scott’s hand over his injury with his rifle. “Hope that fucking hurts.”

  “I’ve had worse,” Scott said, and then he did something I knew he’d regret.

  He spat on Pearse’s boots.

  This earned him the butt of the rifle to his head, slamming him against the pine and splitting his eyebrow open.

  “Get them inside, chain ‘em up too. We’ve got some fun to have,” Pearse chuckled as he stood back up.

  Gary knelt down, and I dare not move as Caleb pointed a rifle at my head.

  “We’ve got a satellite phone,” Gary said as he yanked the phone from my pocket.

  My stomach dropped at this, and Scott groaned as he clutched his shoulder, but I knew it wasn’t from his injury.

  We had Tay’s number on speed dial.

  And Pearse was beyond thrilled to discover that as he took the phone and checked it.

  “Well, well, looks like our little bitch will be in for a fun surprise,” Pearse clucked.

  Gary hefted me to my feet, and as he rounded me around the pines towards the cabin, I spied Quentin, the fourth man. So the two down on the Southern border had regrouped and were here too. At least, I could only assume the fifth, Jared, was here too.

  I didn’t fight them, knowing full well I’d wind up dead if I did. I needed to bide my time, to find a way to deal with this mess.

  Scott snarled and groaned as he was heaved to his feet as well, and then we were both being marched into Fiona and David’s cabin.

  Inside, the smell of blood hit me and my stomach knotted as I flicked my eyes around, searching desperately for the cause of it.

  I withheld the groan of sorrow as I spied David.

  He lay by the kitchen counter, blood pooled around his head.

  But he was dead. That much was obvious. Especially considering there was a bloody bullet hole in his forehead.

  I heard a muffled cry and turned towards the bedroom.

  Through the doorway I could see Fiona, gagged and naked on the floor, her hands bound up behind her to the end of the iron-framed bed.

  A teen girl was beside her, thankfully in underwear, her blonde hair a mess as she clenched her eyes shut.

  And Jared was on the bed, having his way with the third woman, grunting and moaning as he pounded into her.

  I averted my eyes, but Scott growled behind me as he glimpsed through the doorway.

  “You should recognize those two, they’re from your Pack,” Pearse chuckled. “The mother is a good fuck, we’ve held off on the girl. Inexperienced women aren’t as much fun, but now that you’re here, well, we can make an exception,” he smirked as he sank into a chair at the kitchen table.

  Scott tugged against his captor, but Caleb snapped at him and dug his fingers into Scott’s bullet wound, causing him to hiss and snarl in pain.

  Jared’s grunts intensified, and he snarled and slapped the woman he was on top of as he came.

  “You done in there?” Pearse called out as he took a swig of beer.

  “Yeah,” was the grunted reply as Jared zipped up his pants.

  I managed to glance back at Scott who was fuming as he glared through the doorway.

  A woman’s cry and whimpers reached us and I gr
itted my teeth While I heard Jared tug the woman off the bed.

  She hit the floor with a harsh thud as he moved her to what I assumed was her position at the end of the bed with the other two.

  I wanted to console Fiona, to apologize and comfort her now that poor David had passed.

  I could only imagine how broken she was, knowing her mate was lying dead just one room over.

  “So, you caught the traitor and his friend?” Jared sighed as he exited the room.

  Scott glared daggers at him, a rage burning within his eyes as he stared at the man.

  “Yep, chain them up in the bedroom. We have a phone call to make,” Pearse instructed.

  Gary shoved me hard towards the bedroom, and I gave Fiona a pained, sorrowful look as she caught my eyes. Those hazel eyes looked so lost and defeated. It killed me inside to see her like that, helpless, naked, and bound to the bed with wire.

  While her mate lay dead on the kitchen floor.

  I was marched around the bed and shoved up against the wall by the bedhead.

  Gary’s arm dug into my back as he held me there, and then I heard the rattle of chains as one of the other men followed him in.

  I did as told, allowing Quentin to chain me to the bedhead as I sat awkwardly on the floor, jammed against the bedside table and the edge of the bed. My arms were pulled up behind me in an uncomfortable, almost painful way as the chains were locked with a padlock.

  Then he was helping Caleb with Scott, chaining him in the same fashion to the other side of the bedhead.

  I carefully tested my bound hands, but they were done up tight, some of the chain pinching my wrists when I shifted to make myself more comfortable. Guess comfort wasn’t their priority.

  And then we were left, the door shutting behind Caleb as he sneered at us one last time.

  “Mary, Beth, you okay?” Scott whispered as he tested his chains as well, tugging at them. This resulted in a pained hiss as his shoulder sizzled from the movement. Silver poisoning would occur pretty soon if we didn’t get him help. He’d grow weaker and more useless if we didn’t think of a way out of this, and soon.

  “No,” was Beth’s choked reply, her voice strangled. Her voice softened as she shuffled on the floor. “Mom, are you okay?” she murmured.

  “I’ll be fine, we’ll be fine,” Mary rasped, and the sound made me picture ugly bruises around her neck. Much like Tay had had after her mating ceremony with Richard.

  The thought made me pull against my restraints, anger boiling within.

  “Please tell me you have others coming?” Mary murmured.

  “Yes,” Scott growled, and I could picture him gritting his teeth against the pain.

  “Fiona? I’m so sorry,” I said quietly, just able to see Fiona’s feet at the end of the bed from this angle. She was the closest to me, but she made no reply as she just huddled against the bed-frame.

  “Is Tay okay?” Mary hissed as voices rose up outside in the main kitchen and dining area.

  “She’s okay, for now,” I answered when Scott made no indication of doing so. I could sense the pain and uneasiness in him. The silver was now taking effect, and poisoning would happen within half an hour. After that, he would be able to barely move let alone fight.

  I strained my head back at an odd angle to get a look at my chains. They were done up under an iron bar, so there was no lifting myself straight over the top. They weren’t that stupid, sadly.

  Shifting into wolf form would result in a broken front leg, so that was not an option either.

  “They were hoping she’d come up to check on us,” Fiona finally spoke, her voice low and monotone.

  I froze at Fiona’s soft words.

  David had died in order to draw Taylor out.

  The thought crushed me, of the guilt it brought, and what it would do to Taylor. She’d blame herself for it.

  Fiona said nothing else to indicate any feelings towards Tay, and I shifted myself to peer over the bed at Scott, who had his arms crossed uncomfortably over his head, chained to the bed.

  “Got any ideas to get out of this?” I hissed.

  “Wait,” he mumbled, sweat beading on his forehead as he managed to look back at me, his eyes bloodshot and strained. “Pryce Pack will get help.”

  Obviously, but would it come soon enough?

  I focused on trying to hear the muffled words through the door, to see just what the deserters were planning.

  I ignored the nagging feeling of uncertainty and fear, pushing aside thoughts of them marching in here and executing us.

  No. They wanted to use us.

  They wanted to hurt Tay, and we were all just tools in doing that.

  I stiffened as the bedroom door swung open and Pearse marched in with an ugly sneer.

  I grimaced at the sight of my phone, raised to his ear as he strode around the bed to Scott.

  "We've got this sack shit chained up, we may have shot the bastard too," Pearse stated as Caleb followed him and snickered. Pearse knelt down before Scott, cocking his head at his hostage.

  "Say hi to your slut," Pearse barked as he thrust the phone into Scott's face.

  I struggled to keep peering over the bed, but I could see Scott's defiant look as he kept his mouth shut.

  "Caleb," Pearse sighed as he beckoned his companion over. "Make this 'wolf yelp."

  Caleb grinned gleefully as he knelt down, patting Scott's cheek harshly as Scott glowered at him.

  "Cry little 'wolf," he said in a singsong voice as he jammed his fingers into the sizzling flesh of Scott's shoulder.

  Scott snarled and cried out as he struggled to back away from the pressure in his wound. The sound of his flesh burning made me shudder, a chill creeping through me as I imagined the pain he must be feeling.

  "Poisoning will set in soon, bitch. So you best get that precious little ass up here. Your life for theirs, and if you're quick, maybe Ray will still be alive by the time you get here," Pearse arched an eyebrow as he turned his attention to me.

  I grimaced at the dark look in his eye as he stood up. So I was the one they really wanted to hurt. I guess I should’ve known that, since I betrayed Richard.

  "We've got lookouts and guns, so you come alone, got it?" Pearse snapped into the receiver. "We sense anyone else with you, and we fuck the young bitch and then slit her throat," Pearse said as he rounded the bed and stroked Beth's head. She growled at him but then whimpered as he caught her face in his free hand and forced her to look up at him.

  "She's a pretty little thing. Maybe we'll have some fun with her while we wait," he suggested as he crouched down.

  "Please," Mary begged as she tried to shield Beth with her body. It was hard to see exactly what was going on as I could only see the tops of their heads over the bed, but I could safely guess at what was happening.

  "Such a good mother, sacrificing herself for her daughter. I always love it when they do that," Pearse sighed happily, taking pleasure in how Beth squirmed as he kissed her forehead.

  Rage prickled my skin as I pulled against my chains, barely containing the growl at the back of my throat.

  "See you soon," Pearse smiled as he clicked the phone off. "Looks like she'll be coming soon," he said as he straightened and looked over at me. He gave me a satisfied smirk as he patted Fiona on the head.

  “Sorry about Dave, but he fought back. I told him not too,” Pearse sighed, like it was truly David’s fault.

  Fiona whimpered as she turned away from him, and he just clucked his tongue.

  "I can't wait to slide into that bitch, I've never fucked an Alpha," Caleb mused as he grinned at me.

  This time the growl rumbled through my chest, and Caleb chuckled as he walked over.

  "Don't worry. We'll let you watch as we take turns with that whore, and then we'll smash her head in. Justice served for our one true Alpha," Caleb murmured as he knelt down before me.

  "Richard was no Alpha," I spat. I kicked out hard, my boot crunching into Caleb's knee and making him yelp as
he crumpled to the floor before me. I'd put as much power as I could muster into that blow, and I sure as hell hoped I'd done damage.

  "Maybe Ray won't be alive by the time she gets here," Pearse suggested as he just looked down at Caleb with a displeased look as he nursed his knee.

  Caleb shot me a furious look as he scrambled closer, and I snarled as he unsheathed a silver blade from his belt.

  I kicked out, struggling to keep him away, but with my arms tied up behind my head, there was little I could do to defend myself.

  Caleb's eyes flickered yellow as he lurched forward, using his legs to pin my own down.

  I snarled and bared my elongated fangs, snapping at him in hopes I'd catch him, maybe his arm or even his neck if I could reach it. I'd rip it wide open so that he'd bleed out on the floor.

  The knife plunged into my shoulder as we struggled, and I cried out as the silver blade seared my flesh, fire and ice coursing through me as my body seized up.

  Caleb scrambled off me, smirking as the hilt of the blade jutted from my shoulder as I hissed and gritted my teeth against the pain.

  "Maybe I'll let you sit like that for a while before I cut your dick off, how's that sound?" Caleb growled as he used the bed to help him climb to his feet. He scowled as he limped away, and I took what little pleasure I could in knowing I'd hurt him. Too bad my injury was far worse.

  I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut as Pearse strode out and closed the bedroom door.

  Blood oozed and sizzled from my wound, and I bit my lip to keep from cursing and crying out.

  "Hurts like a bitch doesn't it?" Scott managed a sharp laugh followed by a hiss.

  I would have commended him for his attempt to make light of the situation if I wasn't in excruciating pain.

  I held still, every movement sending blinding pain through me as the knife sizzled and burned my flesh.

  I wanted to yank my arms down and tear the blade out, but that was impossible.

  All I could do was wait.

  Wait for Tay to come, or for them to kill me.

  Tay wouldn't just waltz in knowing full well it was a trap. They'd given her rules, but they didn't know that Neema was probably already with her. They'd have a plan to handle this carefully.