Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
Chloe
M y heart pounds as I step onto the docks just as Louie’s small yacht bumps up alongside it.
The Alpha jumps over the side and strides down the gangplank, his ice-blue eyes locked on me, gleaming in a way that sends shivers racing down my spine.
My grip tightens on the handle of my suitcase, the soft fabric of my onesie feeling too thin, too vulnerable.
“Chloe,” he purrs, closing the distance between us with a predator’s grace. “Right on time.”
Before I can respond, he plucks the suitcase from my trembling fingers, his hand brushing mine in a touch that lingers a moment too long.
I swallow hard, my tongue darting out to wet my dry lips, tasting the artificial strawberry of my lip gloss. Once I step on that boat, it’s all over.
“Come now, darling. No need to be shy.” He leads me toward the boat with a proprietary hand on the small of my back, his touch searing through the thin fabric.
My mind screams at me to run, to flee, but I force my feet to carry me forward.
This is for the pack.
Louie passes my suitcase to a waiting servant, then cups my elbow, all but lifting me over the side of the boat.
It rocks beneath my feet as I step aboard, the glossy wooden boards slick beneath my shoes. The salty tang of the sea air fills my lungs, sharp and bracing, blowing toward me, thankfully masking the smell of Louie’s pheromones.
I hug my elbows, unsure of where to go from here.
“Welcome aboard, darling.” Louie moves closer, crowding me against the railing, his broad frame blocking the wind, and his poisonous pheromones once again surround me, my head spinning at the anise and almonds scent.
I force myself to face him. “Why do you really want me?”
His lips curve up, but no warmth enters his face. “Let’s just say that our bonding is the key to ensuring that my dreams come true.”
I jerk back, my heart pounding. “What does that mean?”
“You’ll know after we’re mated.” He arches a brow, his expression hardening into something cold and calculating. The charming mask slips, revealing the predator beneath. “And don’t think you’ll be slipping my leash again. I haven’t been idle while you were away. Our new home will be much more secure.”
Fear claws at me as I remember the feel of his lips and hands on me, and my breaths quicken as panic sets in.
Beneath my feet, the boat vibrates as it reverses away from the docks.
“It’s a good thing I had the forethought to bring you something appropriate to wear. I can’t have you greeting my pack in this…” His lip curls as he takes in my outfit. “Costume.”
“Your pack?” The words catch in my throat, my hands tightening into fists to keep them from shaking.
“You’ll be exclusive to me until you bear me at least two pups, of course. There can be no question as to who fathered my heirs.” He leans in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he whispers, “You know how messy that can be.”
Shuddering, I turn my head away from him.
“And of course I’ll still allow you to write your little stories,” he continues. “It’s good for you to have a hobby. I’ll even give you a little share of the royalties so you can buy yourself trinkets.”
“That’s very generous of you,” I choke out.
“You’ll see that I can be kind, so long as you obey me.” He steps back and extends a hand, the emerald ring on his finger flashing. “Now, come. Let’s move to the stern, so you can have one last glimpse of your pathetic would-be pack. They won’t stand a chance with what I have planned.”
My heart stutters. “What are you talking about?”
A cruel smirk twists his lips. “I’m going to dismantle them, of course. Strip away everything they hold dear until there’s nothing left but ashes and regret.”
Anger surges through me. “You said you’d leave them alone if I returned to you.”
“Don’t be so na?ve. They tried to take what’s mine, and I won’t leave any lingering affection to chance.” He reaches for my arm. “Now, come along.”
The betrayal sends me reeling back a step. I was so stupid for believing he’d keep his word if I sacrificed myself. “I won’t let you destroy my pack.”
His head cocks to the side. “And how will you stop me ? Haven’t you already learned I always get what I want?”
My hands clench into fists, nails digging into my palms. “You’re a monster. A twisted, manipulative monster.”
Louie’s crooked nose wrinkles in amusement. “Monster? No, my dear Chloe. I’m a visionary. Someone who sees the world for what it is and takes what he wants.”
My gaze darts around the boat, assessing my surroundings with a newfound urgency. The gleaming deck, the sleek lines of the cabin, the dock quickly growing smaller and the ocean stretching out ahead.
Before Louie can react, I lunge forward, shoving him with all my might.
The suddenness of my attack catches him off guard, and he stumbles backward in shock. For a split second, I savor the surprised expression on his face, the realization that he underestimated me.
But I don’t have time to gloat.
Without hesitation, I turn and run, my feet pounding on the deck as I race toward the stern.
Louie’s roar of rage comes from behind me, but I don’t dare look back. I focus on the water, on the promise of escape that lies just beyond my reach.
And then, with a final, desperate burst of speed, I reach the end of the boat and hurl myself over the side, plunging into the cold, dark depths below.
Icy water envelops me, stealing the breath from my lungs and sending a shock through my system. For a moment, disorientation sets in, my senses overwhelmed by the sudden submersion. The cold is a living thing, wrapping around me like a vise, squeezing the air from my chest.
Then the suction of the propellers drags me backward, and desperation sets in. I wiggle free of the voluminous material of my onesie and kick my legs, propelling myself forward, my arms cutting through the water with powerful strokes, thankful that my private school allowed swimming to stand in place of physical education.
As I break through the surface, I gasp for air, my lungs burning as they fill with precious oxygen. The taste of salt stings my tongue, and I blink the water from my eyes.
Louie’s shouts come from above me, his voice laced with fury and disbelief, but growing distant. A quick check over my shoulder shows the yacht slowing, but its speed put distance between us before Louie could sound the alarm.
It won’t take them long to turn around, though. I only have a fleeting chance to put distance between myself and the man who seeks to destroy everything I hold dear.
I strike out toward the distant shore, my limbs moving with a strength I didn’t know I possessed.
As I swim, my mind races, plotting my next move. I have to warn my Alphas of Louie’s plans, but I’m not sure I can reach the Homestead before Louie catches up.
The shoreline grows closer, beckoning me like a beacon of hope. My limbs ache, my lungs burn, but I push through the pain, propelled by desperation.
As I near the shallows, my feet touch the rocky bottom, and I stagger to my feet, the water dripping from my body, my hair undone from its bun and hanging like seaweed.
I glance back again and find the boat closer.
No way I’ll make it up the incline to the Homestead. Not when my legs tremble from the swim, and cold wracks my body.
My only chance is to run, hide, and pray one of my Alphas finds me.
I stumble up the beach, my feet slipping over the rocky shore, then set off at a run, disappearing into the woods.