Chapter 6
SHE COMES OF HER OWN ACCORD
NIA
He’s a fucking cunt.
They haven’t invented a word that describes how despicable the man is. He’s disgusting. Vile. So awful that he makes my skin crawl and the thought of him alone makes me want to puke.
He’s also a spectacular kisser.
And that is a massive problem. It’s not massive, it’s cataclysmic.
The man had the sheer goddamn nerve to pick me up and manhandle me like he owned me. Like he knew every inch of my goddamn body and how it needed to be touched. And like the self-centered, conceited prick that he is, he gave it to me, only to take it away after I’d had a taste.
Luke got exactly what he wanted and made it clear he didn’t need to be nice about it. He gave me only as much as he was willing to and not one moment more, making his point without saying a single word.
He’s in control and I have none.
I pace in front of the window, trying to ignore the smears that remind me of what passed between us.
There’s no escaping the way he made me feel or the heat that rippled through my core.
Luke’s skilled and he made damn sure that he used every drop of it to turn me to putty in his hands, and like an idiot I fell for it.
I’ve tried wiping the streaks off the window but the stain on my soul won’t wash out.
Not when the slightest thing sets my skin on fire and reminds me of his touch, or one second’s lapse in concentration lets my mind wander back to how I felt like I was the only thing that mattered for the seconds Luke held me against the window.
It was as if everything else melted away in the fire that burned through us and I’ve never felt more wanted or special. I’ve never felt anything like it before, certainly not with the boys who pawed at me when they stuck their tongue down my throat and almost made me gag.
The grass ripples as the wind blows over the plain stretching out beneath the mountains. It’s mesmerizing and inconsistent, and the patterns are as erratic as my thoughts.
“Did you enjoy it?”
Lyall makes her presence known, deciding that now is a good time to wake me from my trance. I stare at my reflection in the glass, catching the sight of my fingertips as they trace my lips and pull myself together, embarrassed I’m acting like a lovestruck teenager.
“It wasn’t awful.”
“It was better than that,” she says, laughing. “I thought you’d appreciate some privacy. You can enjoy him, Nia. He’ll teach you if you ask him.”
My core tenses and I resent the hell out of the idea that I have to ask Luke for anything, let alone have to humiliate myself and ask him to teach me.
Lyall practically purrs and I’ve never felt more disconnected from her than I do now. I needed her this morning but she abandoned me, and now she’s being deliberately cagey, concealing something from me that makes me resent her.
“Nia,” she whispers. “It’s going to be okay.”
It won’t be okay if Luke gets his way. I’m not prepared to accept either of his less-than-generous offers and there’s no way out of this room.
This is going to be a shitshow and it’s going to hurt.
It’s going to be unacceptable in ways I can’t even begin to describe and the depth of my revulsion runs so far down that it may as well tunnel to the molten core beneath me.
“We’re going to be okay, Nia.”
“We’re not going to be okay, Lyall. We’re in the middle of fuck knows where, held captive by a violently insane Alpha who just kissed me like he owned me.
” I gather my thoughts and my wolf waits for me.
“You keep fucking off and I’m running out of time.
Why should I believe that any of this is going to be anything other than a disaster? ”
I sense her head tilt and if she stares at me with the puzzled expression of a German Shepherd, confused and slightly amused by what she deems to be my ridiculous behavior.
“We’re going to get through this, Nia. It’ll hurt like hell and neither of us is going to enjoy what happens next, but it will be okay in the end.”
She lies down and curls herself up, wrapping her tail around herself as she falls asleep. There’s no point trying to stop it from happening. I should know. I’ve tried countless times before and I’ve never been able to keep her with me. Not when she’s so determined to sleep.
I turn away from the window, sinking into the nearest armchair and curling myself up into as small a ball as I can. It won’t protect me and it won’t hide me from Luke, but it helps soothe my anxiety and I feel better for it.
I’m barely afforded more than a few minutes before the locks on the door are unbolted and I’m forced to sit up in preparation for Luke’s arrival. The door swings open and I’m surprised to see Cole walk in.
He’s slow. Careful. Considerate even.
He watches me with the gaze of a predator, noting every move I make and making it damn clear he doesn’t trust me.
He keeps his distance and makes damn sure the door stays open. He’s toying with me and whatever move I make next will teach him something about me.
“Clever girl,” he says, sitting in a chair he positions between me and the door. “You’re far from stupid. You’re clever enough to hide how smart you are by pretending to be pathetic. But you’re far from it, aren’t you Nia?”
His tone is deeply unpleasant and every goddamn sound coming out of his mouth sounds like a threat. Every single word drips with disdain and there’s nothing friendly in the way his eyes track my muscles, noting every flicker of reaction.
Cole isn’t here for a social visit.
He’s all business and the Beta sitting before me is going to push me until he’s convinced I’ve answered every one of his questions to his satisfaction.
My jaw doesn’t clench because I force it to remain motionless, trying to be a boring grey rock that doesn’t hold his interest. It’s a rouse we both know will fail but it will buy me time to think, and every second counts in a moment like this.
It’s space to gather my thoughts and plan my next move.
It’s a minute or two to think through the moves and countermoves.
It’s the pause that brings me a sense of clarity and makes me question why Cole is here.
Yesterday, he was calm compared to Luke.
He moderated his Alpha and helped cool his temper.
He wasn’t impressed with his aggression toward me and yet now, he’s the one bringing violence to my room.
Something’s changed, and while it may be something I don’t know about has provoked this response, it’s much more likely that this is a consequence of what happened this morning.
Cole’s here to protect his Alpha and his pack. He believes he’s doing the right thing and that gives me a card I can play against him. It’s also likely that Luke doesn’t know he’s here, and it might be possible for me to use that to my advantage.
Maybe.
If I have to—and I hope that things don’t get that bad.
“Maybe you should just ask me whatever question it is that you want to know the answer to, and we can get this over and done with?”
Cole doesn’t react, except to slowly lean forward and bring the tips of his fingers together as he presses them against each other.
“Do you think that will work with me?”
I shrug. “I have no idea what you want, Cole. I can’t give you something when I don’t know what it is you’re looking for.”
His head tilts and his eyes darken.
My jaw finally breaks through the restraint holding it in place and my teeth grind together as I watch Cole’s eyes turn pitch black. I’m facing a man who’s let his wolf take control, and there’s not a shadow of any doubt left that this is about to turn nasty.
Really fucking nasty.
“We haven’t met, darling.”
I nod and force a smile. “Nia.”
Cole smiles but it isn’t his. It’s cruel and vicious. “Elias.” The smirk widens. “I’d say it was a pleasure, but we’d be starting with a lie, wouldn’t we?”
I swallow.
“This doesn’t have to be unpleasant.” He tips his head back and inhales deeply. “I think you understand why I’m here, Nia.”
My fingers grip the arms of my chair and I pull myself upright. Elias watches and I force my muscles to work, demanding that I meet his aggression without fear or weakness.
“You’re here to protect your pack.”
Elias nods. “As you protected yours. For the record, I don’t hold that against you.
It was almost admirable, the way you raced toward danger completely oblivious to the risk you were exposing yourself to.
” His fingers drum out an ominous rhythm.
“Stupid but somewhat heroic if that’s your kind of thing. ”
“Is it yours?” I ask before my mouth has the good sense to keep itself shut.
The tapping stops and Elias throws his head back and laughs for a single moment, before containing himself and resuming the inquisition.
He’s volatile and unpredictable, and that’s part of what makes him a fearsome opponent.
He’s quick too, and I’m damn sure he’ll have at least a few moves up his sleeve.
“No, darling. It’s not.” He starts tapping again and it feels like he’s counting down the seconds to my execution. “It might be Luke’s thing though. How are you feeling about that?”
I shift and it’s obvious that I’m uncomfortable.
“Like I’d rather not discuss it with you.”
Elias grins again and I can’t help but think we might have been friends if the circumstances were different.
His sense of humor is dark like mine, and he’s candid in a way I appreciate.
He’s the kind of guy who talks you into as much trouble as he talks you out of but makes damn sure you’re safe and have a good time.
“Fair enough. I don’t need to know whether you enjoy fucking him or not. I’ll need to know when he’s finished with you.” He changes the rhythm of his tapping. “As well as when you’re pregnant. Obviously.”
He doesn’t look pleased. His face is drawn and the shadows that cut across it hang like scars he wishes weren’t there.
I’ve got little to go on but I’m betting Elias is repulsed by what he just said and that means he said it for a reason.
He wouldn’t have said something so despicable otherwise and I guess he’s trying to rile me.
He’s either trying to provoke some kind of response or he’s seeing exactly what I’m made of.
Cole’s wolf is looking to find out if I’m a sheep or not.
“What is it you really want, Elias?”
His eyebrow twitches and he rolls his lips between his teeth. “You.”
I freeze and he smirks.
“I want to meet your wolf, darling.”
I sit absolutely still and the seconds pass so goddamn slowly that you could cram an eternity into the space between them.
Elias leans forward, ramping up the tension.
“She’s been very quiet, Nia. You must understand why that’s so interesting.
” He waits and I don’t react. “You’re kidnapped, tranquilized, held somewhere against your will after you wake up in a strange place with an Alpha who’s your enemy.
And your wolf doesn’t even try to make an appearance?
Not even when the Alpha threatens you directly?
” Elias’s eyes narrow and they lock onto me like he’s about to go in for the kill. “It’s very curious, don’t you think?”
I shake my head.
Elias arches his eyebrow higher and waits.
“I know you have a wolf, darling. Show me her, and I’ll leave you the fuck alone.
” The angle of his head changes and my heart races, certain this is about to get violent.
“I’ll forego the pleasantries and introductions.
I just need to see the wolf hidden underneath the sheep’s clothing you’re so desperate for us all to fall for. ”
My already galloping heart kicks into a gear I didn’t know existed and I’m sure Elias can sense my fear.
My knuckles have whitened, my fingers are trembling and my lip is struggling not to quiver.
I’m a bag of tells and my collapse can’t be contained now that it’s crashing down like a goddamn avalanche.
“She’s sleeping.”
He waits.
“She doesn’t do much and she’s hardly ever awake.”
Elias ignores the panic seeping into my voice.
“She won’t wake up now.”
“Why the fuck not?” he asks.
“Because she doesn’t when she’s sleeping. I’ve never been able to wake her when she’s asleep.”
Elias’s eyes darken and it’s only more intimidating. “Why the fuck not?”
I shrug. “I just can’t.” I look away and he doesn’t move. “I’m not lying, Elias. I’ve never been able to rouse her. She comes of her own accord and then buggers off again. She does what she wants and that’s the end of it.”
His jaw slides backward and forward as he considers my response. He sighs and the darkness in his eyes fades as his muscles relax and he eases back. The tension breaks and I drop my shoulders, making myself small like a weak and incapable female who’s constantly disappointed her father.
Elias moves so fast I don’t see it coming and my throat tightens as my neck and chest burn in pain.
Heat spreads through my lungs as I fight for air and my legs thrash as my feet dangle off the floor, unable to find any purchase.
Elias’s grip tightens as he cuts off my air supply and I claw his fingers, trying anything I can to pry his fingers off my neck.
It's not good enough.
My larynx is closed off and I can’t draw air into my lungs, no matter how hard I fight.
My heart races and the adrenaline pouring into my veins threatens to burn through them.
It’s fueling the muscles as I fight against Elias but I’m unable to overpower him, unable to meet the sheer damn strength of the wolf who has me in his grasp.
“Let her out, Nia.”
My eyes bulge and tears stream down my face as my vision turns blurry. I scratch at him, frantically trying to free myself and certain that I won’t manage it.
Elias is trying to force my wolf to the surface and Lyall isn’t responding.
She’s not waking up and the screaming shrieks of panic and despair aren’t making any difference.
Lyall isn’t going to save me this time and it doesn’t matter how loudly or how much I call for her. She isn’t coming, she isn’t coming.
And Elias doesn’t know he won’t be able to force her to surface.
He’s going to keep this up until I collapse.
The darkness draws in on me as I lose feeling in my hands and feet. The numbness rapidly rises up my limbs as the black shroud covers my vision like ink blotting through wet paper and its quiet is a balm that grants me some relief from the agony tearing through my chest.