by M H Soars
I’m still being held by someone, though. My body tenses when I feel the sleeve of his shirt brush against my nipples. I’m naked in front of three strange men. Why am I naked? My panic returns with a vengeance. I push the guy’s arms away and roll off his lap, scooching backward until my back hits a wall. I bring my knees up and hug them, trying my best to cover myself.
“Who are you?” I demand more than ask. “Where are my clothes?”
“Relax. We’re not going to hurt you,” Samuel says.
“Relax, my ass.” I glance around, searching. “Where are my damn clothes?”
“What do you remember from last night?” the taller and more muscular of the three guys asks.
I can see a resemblance between him and Samuel. They both have the same squared jaw and piercing, intense eyes. But while Samuel has a friendly manner, this dude is watching me with suspicion, as if I committed a crime.
“A wolf attacked me,” I finally say.
“What were you doing walking alone in the woods in the middle of the night? Were you looking for a hook-up?” he continues, making me see red.
“Fuck you. I don’t owe you an explanation.”
“Oh, she has spunk. I like her already.” Samuel chuckles, but the smile vanishes from his face when I glare at him.
“Why am I here and not in a hospital? That wolf got me and—” I stop talking when I touch my shoulder, finding nothing but smooth skin.
What the fuck! That damned wolf bit me twice. I’m sure of it.
“What have you done to me?” My voice comes out shaky.
“I’d like to know the answer to that same question,” someone says from behind the men.
They move to make room for the newcomer, and my jaw drops when I recognize Dr. Mervina Wolfe, Elliot’s veterinarian. She moves with an imposing presence, and Mr. Asshole loses his arrogance in a heartbeat. I would have felt relief if the woman’s presence here wasn’t strange as hell.
“Dr. Mervina? What are you doing here?”
She glances at me briefly before turning to glare at the others. “Please don’t tell me you were interrogating the poor girl while she’s naked, afraid, and confused. Shame on all of you.”
“We weren’t, Mom,” Samuel says.
Mom?
“I mean, Dante and I weren’t. It was Tristan who started it.”
Mr. Asshole turns to Samuel. “The sooner we get answers, the better.”
“I agree. So why don’t you start giving me some?” I snap.
Fear has ebbed way, making room for my anger to grow. I aim all my ire at him. Never mind that the man is attractive enough to melt my panties away in another lifetime. Thinking of which, I’m still naked.
As if reading my mind, he raises an arrogant eyebrow. “I thought you wanted your clothes first?”
I clench my jaw hard before answering. “Yes. I’m tired of you three stooges ogling my body.”
Dr. Mervina takes off her light jacket, then drapes it over my shoulders. “There.” She turns to her sons. “Now off with you. Ask one of the girls to fetch some clothes from the training center.”
Mr. Asshole is the first to leave with stiff shoulders and heavy steps. The second man, the tall one who can only be Dante, looks at me in a peculiar manner before he follows his brother. Samuel stays behind.
“I’m sorry you got embroiled in our world, Red. But in time, you’ll see that wolf life is not so bad.”
And with those parting words, he leaves.
What does he mean by wolf life?
Chapter 6
Red
Dr. Mervina only opens the door a sliver when the knock comes, blocking the entrance with her body. I’m grateful for that since I’m not in the mood to meet anyone else while naked as a newborn baby. I had my fill with Samuel, Dante, and Mr. Asshole. Whoever brought me new clothes, though, doesn’t come into the room.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact I didn’t know that Samuel Wolfe, the most notorious manwhore in town, has two impossibly good-looking brothers. I’m not new in Crimson Hollow—at least, I don’t consider myself as a newcomer any longer after two years—and thought for sure Kenya would have mentioned them. My best friend has all the eye candy in town cataloged. Plus, their mother is my dog’s vet.
Were they hiding under a rock all this time?
Oh my God. Grandma. I can’t believe she hadn’t entered my mind until now. She must be going crazy worrying about me. I need to let her know I’m okay.
“How long have I been here?” I ask.
“My sons brought you in last night, so around eight hours.”
“I need to call my grandmother.”
Dr. Mervina sets the clothes on the bed, and glances at me with a friendly smile on her lips. I haven’t moved from my spot in the corner of the room, and I’m still using Dr. Mervina’s jacket to cover myself.
“These clothes should fit. I can wait outside while you change to give you some privacy.”
“I want to talk with my grandmother,” I say louder, irritated the vet doesn’t seem to care about my worries.
“I spoke with Wendy last night.”
Her answer gives me pause.
“Why isn’t she here?” I begin to worry. Grandma would have come if she knew…
“Wendy knows you’re safe. Don’t worry, child. Now get dressed so we can talk more.”
I scoff. What’s the point? Everyone has already seen me naked anyway, and what I want the most right now are answers.
“Are you going to tell me what the heck I’m doing here?”
Dr. Mervina takes a deep breath, then sits on the only chair in the room. “Last night you were attacked by a rogue wolf, and he infected you.”
“Infected me with what? Some sort of messed-up rabies?”
She shakes her head, her lips twisting into a grimace. “No, with the virus that can change humans into shifters. Wolves.”
I blink a couple of times. My brain has a hard time comprehending the words that came out of the vet’s mouth. After a couple of beats, I throw my head back and laugh like a maniac. “Nice one, Doc. Why don’t you spare me the bullshit and spit out the truth already? Your son must have slipped me some kind of hallucinogenic pill at the music venue last night, and then he kidnapped me. Are you guys running a cult?”
“I’m not lying to you, Amelia. You’ve experienced your first shift already. You felt the wolf inside of you.”
I wave dismissively. “Side effects of the drug.”
“You’re stubborn. You’ll need that here in the compound, especially around my sons.”
My spine becomes taut at their mention. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Dr. Mervina smiles enigmatically. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Standing, she begins to unbutton her shirt.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to show you that I’m not ly—” A loud knock on the door makes Dr. Mervina freeze. “Who is it?”
“It’s Valentina. Terrence cut himself while chopping wood. He’s bleeding pretty badly.”
Dr. Mervina’s lips turns into a thin flat line, and her eyebrows furrow. It’s clear she isn’t happy with the interruption.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can, Amelia. Why don’t you take a nap? The first shift is always hard.”
I don’t reply, but I have no intention of going to sleep. Dr. Mervina seems to read that in my expression, so it’s no surprise when I hear the door lock click from the outside after the vet leaves. I’m not even alarmed she was summoned to tend to a guy’s wound. It’s clear they have their own set of rules here, wherever the hell here is.
I wait a few seconds before I put on the clothes they brought me. No shoes, though. They don’t want you to go anywhere, so why would they give you shoes? It doesn’t matter. Lack of shoes won’t keep me from trying to escape.
The only window in the room is too high off the floor for me to reach it, so I use the chair and attempt to pull the lever. I
’m still not high enough to gain leverage. Cursing under my breath, I step off the chair and eye the bed. If I put the chair on top of it, I’ll be at eye level with the window. If the lever doesn’t budge, I can always break the glass.
The chair sways precariously when I step on it, and it sinks into the soft mattress. But it only takes me a few seconds to regain my balance. Curling my fingers around the metal lever, I grunt as I attempt to turn it. “Come on, you stupid thing.”
My knuckles turn white with the strain, and the sharp edge of the metal bar leaves indentions on my palm. I let go with a curse, opening and shutting my hand to get ready for the second round. This time, I try with both hands. Finally, the lever moves a fraction. It takes another minute before I manage to turn the damn thing all the way up.
Slowly, I push the window open. The gap is barely big enough to stick my head out, but I figure that with some maneuvering, I’ll be able to slide out. First, I check to see if the coast is clear. No one in sight. The window faces a small courtyard, but I spot a trail going toward a cluster of trees. I don’t know if there are fences in place or guards, but I won’t find out by standing here.
For the first time ever, I’m glad I don’t have a voluptuous body like my friend Kenya. If my boobs were any bigger, I might have gotten stuck. Even wearing the borrowed sweatshirt and yoga pants, I end up scratching my back and elbows. Victory courses through me when my feet land softly on the stone floor. The fall doesn’t even jar my bones. I don’t remember being so agile, but I’m not going to start complaining now.
I wait a second, listening carefully. Two seconds pass before I hear voices in the distance. That’s it. It’s now or never. I break into a run toward the dirt path. Adrenaline kicks in, and my muscles fill with energy. I’ve never run so fast in my life. After a couple of minutes, I leave the path and veer into the woods.
Maybe the property doesn’t have a fence. Maybe I can make it home.
The sound of wind rushing past me steals my focus, as do all the forest smells that are somehow enhanced: the dirt, the pine leaves, the wildflowers. I can smell them all as if I had buried my nose in them. Shit. Maybe I’m suffering from the side effects of whatever drug Samuel gave me last night. It doesn’t matter. I escaped. Soon, I’ll be at the sheriff’s office giving my statement. Wolf life, my ass. So what if my kidnappers are sin incarnate or that I’d gladly go home with any of them—or all three at the same time.
God! What am I thinking?
I slow down when I see the shape of a wire fence ahead. Damn. So the property is surrounded. It appears to be a regular fence, but I’m not stupid to touch it before testing it first. I search the ground around me until I find a small piece of wood, then I throw it at the fence. Nothing happens. Great. It’s not electrified.
I walk the perimeter for a little bit, looking for a hole I can pass through. Nada. Not willing to push my luck, I curl my fingers around the wire and begin to climb. I bite my lower lip when I put weight on my feet, the wire digging in my unprotected soles. By the end of this ordeal, they’ll be bleeding for sure.
“Leaving without saying goodbye?” someone says from behind. “I’m offended.”
With a surprised yelp, I almost lose my footing. Peering over my shoulder, I find Samuel standing right behind me. I hadn’t heard a thing. How was he able to move through the forest undetected? I prepare to jump, but before I make my move, he snakes an arm around my middle and pulls me from the fence.
“Let me go!” Kicking my legs, I hit his arms to no avail.
“Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Since what I’m doing is not working, I decide to stop struggling. But I have every intention of running once he drops me to the ground. The problem is Samuel doesn’t let go when he puts me down. Instead, he hugs me from behind, bringing his body flush against mine. Holy Batman. My entire body catches fire. I’m all too aware of the way his strong frame molds perfectly with mine, and how his woodsy scent is the most intoxicating smell I’ve ever known.
Closing my eyes, I get lost in the moment. What I’m experiencing is completely crazy. The guy drugged and kidnapped me, but tell that to my hormones. Samuel brings his nose to my ear and murmurs, “Are you going to behave if I let you go?”
I lick my lips before I say, “No.”
When he chuckles, his warm breath fans across the sensitive skin on my neck, giving me goose bumps. Hell and damn. No wonder those groupies were ready to drop their panties for him. It turns out I’m not wearing any, which reminds me why I’m not. The thought is like a bucket of cold water over my head, sobering me in an instant. I elbow his stomach, catching him by surprise, then I use his moment of distraction to my advantage, managing to get free at last.
“Red, wait. Don’t run.”
I should ignore him, but there’s something in his tone that compels me to turn. “What do you want from me?”
“I know everything is strange and confusing right now, but I swear we don’t mean you any harm.”
“Next, you’re going to tell me the same wacko story your mother tried to. Come on. How gullible do you think I am? Werewolves don’t exist!”
“Yes, they do. But we aren’t werewolves.”
Frustrated, I throw my hands in the air. “Now we’re discussing semantics. Fucking great.”
“I’ll prove it you.”
Samuel grabs the back of his T-shirt and pulls it off, messing up his hair in an adorably sexy way. I bite the inside of my cheek to stop my mind from wandering to naughty places. His jeans are shed next, and he stands completely naked in front of me. That should be my clue to get the hell out of Dodge, but my feet are planted to the ground. Instead, I take my sweet time traveling the length of his impressive body. Samuel’s chest is smooth, not a single hair in sight, while his abs are the stuff of dreams. He belongs in a Calvin Klein underwear ad. Funnily enough, he covers his crotch with his hands.
“I didn’t peg you as a prude,” I say boldly, surprising even myself.
“I don’t want to frighten you more.” He smirks while amusement dances in his eyes.
“Cocky much?”
“Careful, Red. You don’t want to tease the Big Bad Wolf now.”
I open my mouth to rebuff him, but Samuel’s body begins to shake so rapidly he flickers in and out of focus. My gasp is loud in the silence. He drops to the ground, his muscles starting to move in an unnatural way, shifting beneath his skin.
With my hands covering my mouth, I take a step back. Samuel shimmers for a brief second before he changes into a white wolf. My heart is beating so fast I’m afraid it’ll jump out of my chest. I would scream if that made any difference. My mind and eyes are at war with one another. I don’t know what to do.
The wolf shimmers, its form distorting until Samuel again stands in front of me just as naked as before. This time, his hands aren’t covering anything. My eyes widen at the same time my throat turns unbearably dry.
I’m still staring at his impressive length when Samuel says, “So, now do you believe me?”
Dazed, I reply in a breathless whisper, “Yes.”
And I’m not only referring to the wolf part.
Chapter 7
Dante
Instead of following Tristan, I head in the opposite direction. The clinic’s back door leads to a shortcut path to my studio, but getting there quicker isn’t what prompted me to choose that specific route. Something is compelling me to check out that less-used exit.
As soon as I walk into the small and deserted courtyard, I discover the reason. Seth, Tristan’s closest friend, is looming just outside of Red’s room. The windows are shut, but with his superior shifter’s hearing, I’m sure Seth heard everything we said.
My nostrils flare as a low growl escapes my lips. Unlike Tristan, I don’t trust the guy. There’s something off about him. Seth is one the strongest enforcers we have. Since everyone is dead certain Tristan will be the new alpha, it’s obvious Seth thinks his close relationship with my brother
will guarantee him a spot as the new beta. Sam and I are too strong to be considered for the role. Once a new alpha is picked among the three of us, the other two will be banished from the pack… or worse, killed by the new alpha.
It’s a savage rule, but a pack can only have one ruling couple. Never in the history of the Crimson Hollow’s wolves has there been three strong contenders for the role, much less contenders who were triplet brothers. I researched the subject extensively, but the closest I came to an out-of-norm arrangement was the legend of the Mother of Wolves, the first female alpha. She’d never had a consort, but ruled over her pack alone while taking as many lovers within the pack as she pleased. She was so powerful there had never been a male wolf strong enough to challenge her, or to be worthy of ruling by her side.
“What are you doing, Seth?” I glare at the blond man.
The enforcer straightens his back and frowns, his lips turning into a white slash. “Nothing. Just came here for a smoke.”
“Right. And the best spot for a cigarette just had to be under our new guest’s window. Snooping is most definitely not a quality we look for in a beta.”
Seth sneers, a reaction I expected from the guy. I’ve never hid that I don’t like him.
“I wasn’t snooping, but the pack needs to know we have a newly made wolf.”
“The alpha will let his wolves know when he deems appropriate. Or do I detect a challenge in your tone? I’ll be happy to let my father know one of his enforcers is challenging his authority.”
Seth’s glare morphs into a glint of caution. No one in the pack dares to challenge our alpha, not even my brothers or me. It would lead to certain death. Anthony Wolfe is a beast, no pun intended. The largest wolf in the pack, his reputation precedes him. He was a key player in avoiding the complete destruction of our town during the Thirteen Days of Chaos, an event that took place twenty-five years ago and changed the lives of Crimson Hollow’s supe community forever.