Chapter 5
Iheld Dinah’s words in my mind. ‘You only have to eat from his hand once to be let out of here.’ My stomach constricted with pangs of hunger. My head ached. My vision wasn’t blurred yet, that would come tomorrow, but after almost two days without food I was struggling.
I’d been hungrier than this, but I’d never been this trapped before. These people had kidnapped me, starved me, and if I had it right, their great leader planned to rape me in public if I didn’t submit first.
My stomach cramped again and I swallowed a groan.
I had expected Kole to come this morning, but the day had ticked by and he still wasn’t here.
I guess he was giving me time to consider my options.
I had considered them. They all sucked, but only one of them got me out of this cell.
I had two weeks before that ceremony and I couldn’t spend them locked up in here.
I waited. The temperature was starting to drop, so I knew the day was closing.
Again, I felt him before I saw him. A warm ripple over my skin. I forced myself off my cot, my head spinning as I stood. He appeared on the other side of the bars and, despite my hatred, my pulse picked up.
He stared at me through the bars, saying nothing, his eyes soaking up all of my details.
His scrutinising glare would have weakened a lesser person, but not me.
I scrutinised right back. His clothes were basic.
Jeans and a t-shirt. His hair was unkempt, but the look worked on the huge, rugged man.
There was a slight bruise on his cheek. Had he been fighting?
Without a word, he stepped into my cell, once again pulling a knife and an apple from his pocket. He didn’t bother closing the door behind him. He left it open, a silent dare but I didn’t bother trying to run past. There was no point.
Tension hummed between us as he stepped closer to me. For him, I could see how sensual this was. It was in his heated gaze, the flaring of his nostrils. For me, I was sparring with a beast that meant me harm.
This time, when he held the apple slice out to me, I focused on my goal of escape and opened my mouth. His eyes widened. He took a step closer, towering over me. He placed the apple in my mouth, shuddering as his fingers touched my lips. I bit down, groaning as the juice exploded on my tongue.
His green eyes fixed on my mouth, I could feel the heat radiating from his body.
But where he trembled, I barely shivered.
Dinah had been right, I really didn’t feel the bond the same way that he did.
I realised something else too – I had to be careful not to encourage his wolf.
The heat in his eyes told me how fragile his control was.
We stood there, him feeding me slice after slice until the apple was gone. Despite everything, my anxiety dissipated with each slice, my fear faded until all I could see was him, this man who was going to do me so much harm.
As I swallowed the last bite, Kole studied me, long and hard.
His broad chest heaved, his fingers clenched around the knife.
I took a step away from him, not liking the intimacy that feeding me had created.
My distance seemed to snap him out of his stupor and I watched his back straighten and chin lift as he slammed his control back into place.
“Would you like a shower?”
His question surprised me. I stank and I was embarrassed he’d noticed, even though it was his fault I smelled so bad.
“Does a wolf shit in the woods?”
A ghost of a smile graced his mouth and dammit if it didn’t do things to me.
He gestured to the open cell door and I stepped through it with relief. Freedom. Well, sort of.
Outside, night had settled in and even though there was no sun to bask in, I took a deep lungful of fresh air. Even with invisible shackles binding me, I felt free again. The same Land Rover waited for us and I climbed into the passenger seat, ignoring Kole who held my door open for me.
I slumped against the cool leather. My muscles ached. I was tired and scared, yet when he climbed into the driver’s seat beside me, my body relaxed a little. I looked up at him, his strong jaw, his deep eyes. Why did he have to be such a fucking dish?
He looked over at me. “Put your seatbelt on.” Wanting to argue but knowing it was stupid, I tugged on the seatbelt. It jammed at the hinge. I gave it a few yanks, but nope, it wasn’t going anywhere.
“It’s stuck. I’ll be fine, just don’t crash.”
“Don’t move.” He leaned across me, taking hold of the belt.
He let it retract and then gently pulled it free.
I didn’t dare breathe with his body pressed so close to mine.
At that moment, the existence of the bond was undeniable.
My skin was singing. I could only imagine how this felt for him.
His body shuddered, and instead of pulling away, he bent his head to my neck.
Visions of being bitten flashed through my mind, and I shoved at him.
“Get off me!”
Before I could say another word, he was over me and I was backed up to the farthest corner of my seat.
Oh fuck. His arms caged me in, his body trembling.
His fist slammed into the car door and I heard the metal bend under his strength.
A low rumble sounded from deep in his chest. I felt it resonate through my own.
I stared up at him, wondering what came next.
I stayed still, not moving a muscle. I was looking at a wild animal, and you didn’t antagonise wild animals.
Long moments ticked by where I barely dared to breathe. Finally, he pulled back, his body calmer, his eyes lighter.
“Put your fucking seatbelt on.”
We drove in silence but that didn’t mean I was idle.
I soaked up everything, the layout of the town, every possible exit.
It looked like any other small American town, except the people here were larger, more fearsome looking, and the houses were…
different. Each was unique and appeared to be made from repurposed materials of one kind or another. It was off grid chic, a style I loved.
After driving for about twenty minutes, we arrived outside a building that looked like several ranch houses stuck together.
Without a word, Kole got out, slamming the door so hard the vehicle shook.
He stalked inside, past a concerned-looking Dinah and an amused-looking Konnor.
They approached and I sighed. There was nothing for it. I climbed out of the car.
“You caved quicker than I thought.” Konnor grinned, his hands stuffed in his pockets.
“Be quiet, Konnor.” Dinah shot him a disapproving look before turning back to me. “I’m happy you’re here, Luna.”
“Please don’t call me that.” I looked up at the building behind them. “What is this place? I thought I’d be going back to your house.”
“That was our show house. Our human front. The place we use when we need to entertain a human guest and don’t want to bring them into town.” They were smart, though I hated to admit it. “And Jonah and I use it when we need a little more privacy.”
Konnor grimaced. “I’m standing right here.”
“You don’t ever get visitors to your town?” I asked, wondering if a passing tourist could be my way out.
“No, so don’t get excited,” Konnor answered. “We own twenty thousand acres of land here. This entire area is private property. A tourist or hiker might wander in here by accident, but they’re quickly sent on their way.”
I tried not to show my disappointment.
“This is our pack house,” Dinah said, “we and many of the single pack members live here. The rest keep to their own family units across town.”
“How many of you are there?” I asked.
She looked pleased I was showing an interest in her pack. Good, let her think I was playing nice.
“In this pack? Around five thousand.” Five thousand of those things between me and freedom? “Only a hundred or so live in the pack house, though. Most just come here to work or eat. Do you like it?”
I did, actually. I’d never seen a building like it before. It was clearly designed to house hundreds of people but it looked homey, despite its size.
“Every building here is made from reclaimed, sustainable materials. We design with the aim of having as little impact on the earth as possible.”
“It’s very impressive,” I told her and she smiled again.
I wasn’t lying this time. What they’d managed to build here was truly amazing.
Though considering that the Maclays had a lucrative construction business I shouldn’t be entirely surprised.
I followed her inside with Konnor at my back, ensuring I didn’t make a run for it.
The foyer was large, with open plan lounge areas spread out in either direction, full of cosy couches, books, but no television.
The staircase ahead was the main feature, branching off in three separate directions like the broken legs of a spider, before the main body continued up to another floor.
Past the base of the staircase was another passageway where the smell of food emanated.
I took a guess that the kitchens were back there.
I was surprised by how empty it was.
Dinah answered my unspoken question. “Alpha presumed you wouldn’t want an audience when you arrived.” He’d presumed right. It bugged me that I felt grateful to him.
“The ground floor is mostly for communal living,” she continued, heading for the stairs. “We have a games room, sitting rooms, a library, and a pack kitchen. The large addition at the back is the dining hall. Breakfast and dinner is served there everyday, which you will be expected to attend.”
I was glad she couldn’t see me scowl at the prospect of being paraded in front of their pack. She led me upstairs.
“This first floor is mostly bedrooms and bathrooms.” She gestured at the three broken spider leg staircases as we passed them.
One of the bedroom doors had been left open and I caught a glimpse of a single bed with a small closet.
Functional but comfortable. “We call them the barracks. Left for females, right for males and straight ahead for bathrooms. Most everyone who lives here is an unmated wolf. Once they find their mate, they usually move into the town to form their own family in one of the houses.”
She continued on the stairs, reaching the second floor but once again passing it and continuing upwards. “The second floor is where you’ll find offices of the Alpha, Beta and Gamma. You aren’t to enter those rooms without their permission.”
I stored that away. There could be a lot of useful information in those rooms, including where exactly this town was located. I couldn’t hope to escape if I didn’t even know where I was.
We reached the third and final floor, the stairs opening in the centre of the landing with hallways shooting off in each direction. She walked straight ahead and again, I followed.
“This level is for the Alpha, his family, and his Beta and Gamma and their families. Unlike the rest of the pack who move into their own house when they form a family, the Alpha, Gamma and Beta stay here. My family and I have been staying here too but we split our time between here and our showhouse. It’s useful when we want a little more privacy. Everyone hears everything here.”
There was a subtle warning in her words. ‘Watch your step. Someone will always be listening.’
She paused outside a door, opening it. “This is your room.”
I groaned internally. I had hoped I wouldn’t be staying on this floor. Being surrounded by the strongest of those creatures on all sides was going to make escaping almost impossible.
I was so distracted by this new obstacle that it took me a moment to notice the bedroom was very clearly lived in. The man’s jacket hanging from a hook. The hiking boots by the chest of drawers. The picture of Kole with his family on the mantelpiece.
I turned to Dinah. “This isn’t my room.”
Konnor leaned against the door frame, arms folded. “She’s observant.”
“This is yours and your mate’s room,” Dinah said, her voice stern, as if she were dealing with a wayward teenager.
I folded my arms. “I’m not sleeping with him.”
“There are no other rooms available on this level.”
“Then put me in the barracks. Hell, put me back in jail!”
Konnor laughed, but Dinah clearly didn’t find it funny.
“This is your room. If you want to take it up with the Alpha, then feel free.” She put a hand on the door handle. “If you need anything, ask Konnor, he’ll be right outside.” She gave me a gentle smile and left me to stew. I narrowed my eyes on Konnor.
“So you’re really going to be with me every second of the day?” That was going to be a problem.
“It’s not a punishment. The Alpha always appoints his most trusted warriors to watch over his Luna,” Konnor said, straightening.
“Especially with our neighbouring pack threatening an attack and you being a flight risk. You have five guards. I’m one, Kallum is another, and you’ll meet the other three when the Alpha trusts you. ”
“You’re one of his most trusted warriors?”
“Don’t I look trustworthy to you?” He raised his brows, making his eyes wide with faux innocence.
“You and yours are currently holding me hostage. None of you are trustworthy.” To my annoyance, he laughed, running a hand through his hair.
“Fair point, Luna.”
“Don’t call me that.” I slammed the door in his laughing face.