Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
Shae’s List of Life Goals
2. Get even but don’t go full dark side. A little dark side is acceptable.
Shae
One minute I’m being surrounded by a seriously bizarre group of oddball strangers, and the next, a hot guy with a fluffy tail and big pointy canine ears is kneeling by my bed and being all kinds of weird.
“I said, get the fuck away from me, Wolf Boy!”
His handsome tanned face is downright radiant as he stares up at me from the floor. I have to squint because it’s kind of blinding.
“I’m Griffin McIntyre and I’m a Wolfkin. Shae Silverstorm, my sweet mate, I’m so happy we’ve found each other.”
He’s got freaking hearts in his eyes and they’re practically shooting rays of happiness at me.
Who the hell is this guy?
And why does he smell so fucking good? Like sunshine, saltwater, and coconuts.
“May I touch your hand?” he asks, boring holes into all my defenses with the deadliest pair of puppy-dog eyes I’ve ever seen.
I start to pull away and his ears droop, which evidently is all it takes for me to give in.
“Fine. For just a second,” I grumble.
When he gently takes hold of my hand, instead of tensing up the way I thought I would, my body instantly relaxes. My skin tingles pleasantly, and a little zing of awareness races through me. His touch feels just as good as he smells, dammit. I ignore it and focus instead on the fact that I’m much calmer than I was a few moments ago. Even the constant low-grade pain in my body seems duller than usual.
No. It’s just my imagination.
Then I’m able to process what he just told me, and I scowl. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not the mate of some weirdo Furry.”
Unbothered by my response, he starts sniffing in the general direction of my hair, sighing dreamily. “Yes, you are. My nose is never wrong about these things. Also, I’m not a Furry, although there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m a Wolfkin .” He points to himself with a toothy grin. “My ears and tail are real.”
Fucking hell.
The fluffy ears and tail are too damn cute, especially on a guy who looks like a total himbo surfer dude.
He’s dressed, rather aptly, in board shorts and a tight-fitting tank top that shows off broad shoulders and sleek bronze arms dusted with golden hair. He’s basically a sun-kissed blond from head to tail.
With the hair, the ears, and the tail, I swear he’s like this big, wholesome golden retriever of a man. But damn his sexy-as-sin physique that I’m definitely not getting distracted by.
His tail flaps behind him in rhythmic time as his big hand starts to… pet me .
I freeze. “Uh… what the fuck are you doing?”
“I’m petting you like a good boy,” Wolf Boy croons as he strokes my hand. “It’ll make you feel better.” He sighs happily as he stares at me starry-eyed. “Your hair’s so pretty. You’re so pretty.”
I should pull away, but the petting makes me strangely… warm inside, and he’s only doing it to my hand. It’s been so long since I was touched with any kind of care. Part of me wants to close my eyes and just sink into these sensations.
But I’m still uneasy and my flight instinct is on high alert.
Could these weirdos somehow be working for Margaret and my father? I’ve only just managed to escape, and I can’t go back. Not now. Not ever.
I’d rather die first.
How the fuck do I know if I can trust these people?
Upon hearing Wolf Boy’s ridiculous words, Haku, who’s been hiding in my hair this whole time, finally decides to emerge, hissing and blowing smoke out of his nostrils.
He’s quite territorial when it comes to me.
“Unhand my master this instant!”
I sigh. No matter how many times I insist that Haku not call me his master, he refuses. It must be a drake thing.
Wolf Boy, mouth agape, stares at Haku and whispers, “Whoa, bro!”
Yep. Total surfer dude. Just with canine ears and a tail. Talk about a lethal combination.
Haku bristles. “Master Shae is mine !”
Wolf Boy grins, flashing his pointy canines, and shakes his head. “Nope. He’s my fated mate. That trumps everything else. Sorry, little dude.”
He yelps a moment later when Haku singes him with a thin stream of fire.
But far from angry, Wolf Boy’s eyes somehow sparkle even brighter. “So cool, man! I’ve never met a drake before. I’m Griffin. What’s your name?”
Haku huffs in irritation and settles himself on my shoulder, turning his head away dismissively.
I reach up and stroke his spiny back. “This is Haku. He’s been with me most of my life.”
“Haku?” Wolf Boy practically vibrates with excitement. “Shut the front door! Like in Spirited Away ?”
I flush and cross my arms defensively. “Yeah, well, I was a bit obsessed with that movie as a kid, so when I named him, I naturally chose the name of my favorite character.”
Wolf Boy captures me with his glittering gaze and I can’t look away.
“I freaking love Japanese animation! Miyazaki is a master, amirite?”
It’s the first time someone’s gotten Haku’s name reference in a long time.
Despite myself, I’m intrigued. “You… like anime?”
He nods eagerly, his fluffy ears twitching. “Love it!”
Fucking hell. That’s what’s throwing me for a loop! He resembles an adorable anime character, and it’s messing with my head.
My brain comes to a screeching halt.
Did I just think Wolf Boy is adorable?
Oh, fuck no.
“You two are so precious already! It’s like I’m getting to watch you falling in love live and in real time,” the red-headed woman squees.
“Good for you, Griff. Lucky bastard,” the white-haired man says, but he gives us both a thumbs-up.
My head is spinning. It’s like I’ve landed in some kind of alternate reality.
Or a really weird nightmare.
“No one is falling in love here,” I say through gritted teeth.
Wolf Boy leans in and nuzzles his face against my hand that he’s still holding, and Haku spits fire.
The enormous man with fuzzy bear ears, who’s been crouched by my bed this whole time, finally stands and pulls the anime cutie away from me with the greatest of ease.
My hand immediately misses the contact and I sigh with regret.
No, relief , dammit.
“Sorry about this one,” the giant says in a deep but gentle voice.
“Dallaaasss!” Wolf Boy whines. The golden ears tipped with white and the fluffy tail all droop. “He’s my mate. I just wanna hold his hand. He totally needs my SCSS!”
What the fuck is he talking about?
The giant—Dallas—shakes his head. “Time and place, kid. We need to deal with other things first, then you can work your calming mojo some more. Worry about courting him after all that.”
I press myself into the farthest corner of the bed and scowl at all of them. “I ask, once again, who the hell are you bunch of weirdos?”
For some reason, my anxiety ratchets back up and I find myself missing Wolf Boy’s soothing pets.
Dammit.
An elegant vampire steps forward. “Please accept my apologies on behalf of my team. We’re part of a secret organization that works to recover missing and endangered Otherkind. I’m Harper Willoughby, our undercover specialist and vampire extraordinaire.” He points to the massive man holding the delusional Wolf Boy. “This is Dallas Carter, our team captain, and a member of the Bearkin people.” He points to the other two. “That’s Ruby Briarwood, our elemental witch and healer. And next to her is Callum Keating, our mage.” He sighs and turns back to the golden-haired Wolf Boy. “And last, but not least, this is Griffin McIntyre, our talented empathic magic user and a Wolfkin.”
Empathic magic? I’ve heard a little about that before. Is that why I feel so good when he touches me?
“Also your fated mate,” Griffin adds with bright, shiny amber eyes and an expression so hopeful it makes my heart tap out a weird little thumpity-thump in my chest.
Okay, forget his good touchy-feelies. They’re not worth it. I refuse to belong to anyone ever again.
And certainly never as a fated mate. I saw where that got my mother, after all.
I shake my head. “Never gonna happen. Sorry.”
Griffin’s expression falters but then he seems to rally. “I’ll convince you.” His ears twitch and his tail flicks in time to a beat only he can hear.
“Let’s get back to that later,” Dallas interjects, much to my relief. “First, we need to see about getting that collar off your neck.”
At those words, my heart leaps in my chest with equal parts hope and fear.
“It’s enchanted. I was told only the person who put it on me could ever remove it without… killing me.”
I hate how weak and vulnerable my voice sounds all of a sudden.
Fuck this fucking collar!
I don’t like being stuck with this thing, but I’m also rather attached to being alive, especially after finally escaping from hell.
Wolf Boy starts to make a canine-like whining noise in the back of his throat.
“Take it down a notch, Griff.” The white-haired mage, Callum, moves closer. “This is where I come in. May I examine the collar?”
I swallow thickly but nod and brace myself.
He reaches out a hand and gently touches a single fingertip to the metal. I inhale sharply at the twinge of pain that slight contact produces but remain still.
Wolf Boy makes an even more distressed noise. “It hurts him, Cal. So bad.”
He can feel that?
A dark look passes over the mage’s face. “You’re part fae?”
“Half-siren,” I admit.
“Motherfucking bastards,” he curses darkly. “How long have you been forced to wear this barbaric torture device?”
After a long pause, I tell him, “Seven years.”
My voice sounds as hollow as I feel. These past seven years have felt more like seventy.
The energy in the room changes and I sense murderous intent all around. I press my injured body harder into my corner, twitching all over but ready to fight to survive if I have to.
I’m so damn tired though. Tired of the abuse, tired of the fear, and tired of the pain. I can’t do it any longer. I’ve hit my limit.
Maybe dying is better than living if I have to keep suffering.
To my utter shock, Wolf Boy lets out a sad, mournful howl and bursts into tears. “H-how c-could they?” he sobs.
It makes something strange ache in my chest.
Dallas pulls him into a hug. “Your soft heart is one of your greatest qualities, Griffin. But you need to be strong right now. For your mate.”
Part of me wonders if I’m trapped in a dream. I’m so lost and confused right now, but I’m also oddly touched by Wolf Boy’s sorrow on my behalf.
But that still doesn’t make me want to entertain any of this fated-mates bullshit.
Wolf Boy sniffs and wipes away tears, then takes a fortifying breath and straightens. “Will you let me hold your hand again while Cal does his thing? I can use my powers to give you some emotional and physical relief.”
I study him for a long moment.
Oh, who the fuck am I kidding? I’m scared as shit right now and I’ll take whatever the fuck I can get. After all, this could backfire and I’ll die. Might as well feel good while it happens.
“Whatever,” I say, but hold out my hand.
He takes it eagerly and kneels by the bed again. His scent fills my nostrils and my skin warms as tranquility washes over me.
“Everyone except Griff stand back,” Cal orders. “I’m going to remove this atrocity of a magical torture device. It never should have existed in the first place.”
I clear my throat. “Not to belittle your talents right out the gate, pal, but I’d really rather not die today.” The skepticism in my sarcasm is on point but also legit. I’ve tried to get this collar off for years with no luck, and I’m not sure how much I trust my life in the hands of a stranger right now, no matter how badly I want the damn thing off.
Callum strips off his jacket to reveal bare forearms covered in black swirling magic sigils. “I’m no ordinary mage, cutie. My talent’s a bit… unique.”
Seriously, who the fuck are these MEOW Squad people?
I flinch and stare in shock as he pulls out a folding knife that he uses to casually slice open his thumb. He swipes a wet trail of crimson up the length of his forearm, and I can’t hold back my amazement as I watch the sigils turn a glowing silver color that’s also mirrored in his eyes.
Blood-activated magic is some of the most powerful there is.
An ember of hope sparks inside me. Maybe this guy isn’t all talk.
“Cal’s currently the only known magic hacker in existence,” Harper explains. “He’s one of the strongest mages on this continent.”
Magic hacker?
“That’s right. Cal’s the best around,” Wolf Boy adds, his furry ears flicking. “He’ll be able to get the collar off you safely. I promise, my mate.”
I’m not sure why, but for some reason I start to believe him.
And I kind of want to rub his ears to see if they’re as soft as they look, but I tamp down that impulse.
“Shut your pie hole, Griff, before I start blushing,” Cal grouches, but he can’t quite hold back a small smile before he focuses on me. “Now, let me concentrate while I overwrite the enchantment on this collar.”
I try to relax while he does his thing. Although my anxiety amps up since I can’t see what he’s actually doing, Wolf Boy’s scent keeps me from tipping over into a full-blown panic attack. Cal’s concentration is intense, however, and I focus my gaze on the sigils on his arms that continue to glow silver as he works.
I wait, preparing myself for freedom or death any moment now.
Just a typical day for me, I suppose.
I have to swallow back a hysterical laugh.
It isn’t long before I sense an odd energy in the air around us, a building storm of sorts, and I tense.
“Heh, piece of cake,” Cal says triumphantly.
“Wha—” is all I manage to get out before I hear a loud click and the collar drops from around my neck and into my lap.
Instantaneously, the background pain that has been my constant companion for years disappears.
I stare at the collar, stupefied, until Cal scoops it up and shoves it into a bag.
“Sorry. We’ll need to take this back to our headquarters for me to examine it in more detail.”
With a trembling hand, I reach up to touch my neck.
I wince at the raw, painful sensation of my no doubt permanently scarred skin. But the instrument of my enslavement is finally gone.
“Thank you.” My voice is raw and hoarse as I stare up at Cal with more gratitude than I could ever find the words to express.
“He’s bleeding,” Wolf Boy says, a little anxious whine in his voice again. “Please help him, Ruby.”
The elemental witch comes to sit beside me on the bed, her hazel eyes full of sadness. “I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through. But you’re free now. If you’ll let me, I can use my powers to heal some of your injuries. Would that be all right?”
Like Griffin, there’s something soothing about her presence, but in a different way. Even if she is a stranger I don’t fully trust, my body’s too banged up to turn down a free healing session. “Okay,” I grumble.
She smiles warmly. “Thank you, Shae.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
A soft golden glow of magic lights her up and when she lays her hands on me, I feel it enter my body. The sensation is like immersing myself in a wonderfully hot bath to soothe my body’s aches and pains. As her magic courses through me, I finally let go of some of the nonstop fear I’ve felt. Right here and now, I’m safe and I’m free.
Ruby finally pulls back and when she goes to stand, she sways on her feet.
To my surprise, Emma is right there to catch her. “Are you okay?”
Ruby flutters her lashes and then smiles. “Thank you, Emma. I used a bit more magic than I anticipated.”
Emma lets her go and rummages in her bag before pulling out a stoppered vial of shimmering liquid. “I… if you’d like, I have a recovery draught I’d be happy to give you.”
Ruby places a hand on her ample bosom. “How wonderful! Emma, did you make this?”
Emma is distracted by the sight for a moment before turning her gaze away, a flush to her cheeks. “Potions are my specialty. I was never much good at any other kind of witchcraft.”
Ruby reaches out and takes her hand. “My dear, a talent for potions is a rare gift. I’d be honored to receive this.”
Emma nods awkwardly. I’ve never seen her so tongue-tied before.
However, the way she watches Ruby as she drinks the recovery potion to recharge her magic finally clues me in on things.
My friend has an insta-crush.
When Ruby’s done, her eyes flutter open and she beams at Emma. “You have impressive talent. That potion worked wonders, and so fast!” She turns to Dallas with a determined look. “We need to hire her.”
Emma gapes. “What?”
“A Potion Master would be a huge asset to our team,” Ruby continues undeterred. “Readily available recovery potions are not only useful to all of us but also to those we’re rescuing.” She glances back at Emma, her gaze calculated. “I’m sure you can make other kinds of potions as well, correct?”
Emma appears a bit overwhelmed and I share the sentiment. “Uh, yeah? I mean, for sure.”
Ruby claps her hands with excitement. “See? She’s perfect, Captain!”
Dallas strokes his beard. “You have a point.”
While they continue to discuss this, Wolf Boy brings my hand that he’s still holding to his face and rubs his cheek against it, worry shining in his eyes.
“How do you feel?”
I touch my face with my free hand, surprised to discover my lip is healed and the bruise on my cheek is gone. Looking down, I watch as I move my ankle, relieved to find it healed as well.
Wolf Boy moves in closer.
The guy definitely has no concept of personal space.
And why the hell does he have to smell so damn good? His scent is something I want to roll around in for days.
When he lets go of my hand and reaches up to softly caress my neck, I don’t pull away. No, I fucking sigh like some smitten fool. Seriously, I’ve known this guy for three minutes and I’m already starting to crave his touch. It makes no sense whatsoever.
“Ruby was able to heal the worst of this, but…” Tears start to well in his big, beautiful eyes again. “Because you were forced to wear the collar for so many years, the iron has created a permanent scar. I’m so sorry.”
I still completely when he leans in closer.
He peeks up at me under long blond lashes. “May I?”
I give a brusque nod and he grins. “Thank you, Shae.”
For a second, as his face moves closer to mine, I think he’s going to kiss me on the lips. But instead, his mouth brushes over the mark of my suffering that is permanently etched on my throat. The whisper-soft touch of his lips against my scarred flesh sends a strange current of electricity racing across my skin, and I gasp.
“Does it still hurt?” he asks softly, his fluffy ears flattening with worry.
I start to lift a hand but stop myself.
Fucking hell. Was I just going to pet him?
He’s giving me those puppy-dog eyes that put the cutest anime character to shame. It’s like this guy knows all of my biggest and most secret weaknesses—and he’s using them to his advantage.
“No,” I grunt. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Not physically anyway.
He takes hold of both of my hands, clutching them tight. “Shae Silverstorm. My one true mate. I vow to protect you from now on. No one will ever hurt you again. I swear it.”
He’s giving me the most earnest look I’ve ever had directed at me in my life.
Admittedly, it’s been a forcibly cloistered life, but still.
His ears are at attention and his ridiculously big amber eyes study me as if I’m the only thing he sees.
And there goes his fucking tail again.
The cuteness overload is sapping my sarcastic willpower. How am I supposed to fight against this?
And how the hell am I supposed to get him to stop with this fated-mates nonsense?
Seriously, what in the Inuyasha alternate world have I entered into?