Wolf's Ascension

by Lauren Dane

  “You’re one of those very special human women, Kari. Four generations ago, your sixth cousins were changed and gave birth to werewolves, and a generation after that one of your ancestors was an Alpha, a leader. You’re meant to be my Alpha-bitch. My Mate.”

  Fury pushed down the rising panic. “Your what? Oh no you didn’t! You did not just call me your bitch. On top of being dangerously stupid, are you some kind of cult? Get the hell away from me! Jesus! Bitch? You want to see bitch? I’ll show you bitch! I want to go home. I don’t want to play this game anymore. You need help.”

  Elaine showed up with the tray, looking concerned. Andreas shook his head once and motioned for her to set it down on the dresser near the door.

  “This is your home, Kari. You are home. I mean no offense by my use of the word ‘bitch.’ This isn’t a cult. This isn’t a game. I know you can be happy here once you figure out we’re telling you the truth. I’m sorry for the way my cousin brought you over. It’s against all of our rules, you know. But we can get through this. You were meant to be here. Can’t you feel that?”

  Kari stood then, nearly tripping over the bedcoverings. She realized with a start that they were the ones from her apartment. A sinking feeling dropped like lead in her stomach. Suddenly her life was a bad episode of The Twilight Zone.

  “This isn’t happening,” she murmured, willing it to be true. It wasn’t. “Look, whoever you two are, my brother is a cop. He’ll know I’m missing. Please, please don’t do this. I want to go home now.” She blinked back tears.

  Andreas held his hands up, showing her he meant no harm. “I’m sorry, Kari. I don’t want you to be scared or unhappy. Two nights from now is the full moon, we’re having a Clan Gathering and you will transform and take your wolf form. It’ll be painful the first time but it’s also exhilarating and beautiful. You can’t do it alone. Especially not the first time.” Smiling at her sexily, he said softly, “I can’t wait to run with you.”

  Kari stood, openmouthed. Okay, she’d take pissed off over terrified any day. She could work with anger. Dropping the comforter, she stalked toward the door. “No way, people. No way, no how. I’m a fucking software engineer, for god’s sake. I don’t even read horror novels. I don’t watch scary movies. This has gone on long enough.”

  Another man stepped into the doorway, nearly as tall as Andreas and just as wide. He had strawberry-blond hair that twisted in a long braid down his back. His eyes were the color of the summer sky, vivid blue. He had a sprinkling of freckles on his cheeks and nose and he was smiling at her like he told people they were werewolves every day of the week. He was also blocking her exit.

  “You can’t keep me here against my will. This is kidnapping!” Damn it! What was this place? “What’s next, are you planning to rape me?” She was quickly losing the battle to hold back hysteria. Her heart was beating so fast she could see her pulse in her wrist. She tried to remember if the self-defense class she’d taken before she left Atlanta had covered this type of situation. Was she supposed to stay calm and gain trust or was she supposed to be angry? Damn, she knew she should have paid attention instead of watching the sunny day outside the big windows.

  “Kari, please!” Dr. Kennedy urged. “You’re getting worked up. No one is going to hurt you. Get back into bed and eat. You don’t look very well.”

  “Worked up! Well excuse me.” She snorted. “Who is Mount Dude here and why is he blocking my way?” She jerked her head toward the man in the doorway.

  “I’m Phillip, your bodyguard. My life is yours.”

  Her eyes widened for a moment and she bit back the sarcastic response that burned her tongue. “Uh, yeah. Well how about a ride into town then?”

  “I can’t do that, Alpha.”

  “Alpha? Special. You think I’m a werewolf too?”

  “A werewolf queen,” Phillip said. Amusement lit his eyes.

  Oh, of course, a queen too. If you were going to be in some delusional werewolf cult, you might as well dream big. This kept getting better and better.

  Andreas still sat on the bed looking delicious but slightly confused. Why was it always the cute ones who were crazy? Scanning the room, she noted the locks on the windows.

  “I have to go to the bathroom. Is that allowed?” Maybe she could find a way to escape in there.

  “Of course.” Andreas pointed to a door. “Right through here.”

  Holding the gap in her hospital gown closed, she stomped past. After slamming the door in his face with vicious satisfaction, she frowned, noting the lack of a lock. She also noted that while there was a window, it was at least seven feet off the ground, long and narrow. Even after dieting a month she’d never get through it. There was a skylight but it was even higher up than the window and it had no opening she could see. She quickly did her business while looking for possible weapons but came up empty. Not even a razor, damn.

  “Are you all right, Kari?” Andreas asked through the door.

  Opening it with a jerk, she glared at him. “What, a girl can’t even pee in privacy now?”

  Andreas took a step back, hands open. “I apologize. I just wanted to be sure you were all right. Won’t you eat? Now that you know there is no avenue of escape? I’m sorry we have to keep you here. I truly am. But after you’ve transformed you’ll be free and you won’t have the desire to leave.”

  “Like I’d eat anything you people gave me. How do I know it hasn’t been drugged or poisoned?”

  “Kari, the last thing any of us would do is harm you.” Andreas had the gall to look hurt that she’d even suggest such a thing.

  “Did ya ask me if I wanted to come here? Did you get my permission to take me from the hospital? You kidnapped me! Don’t want to hurt me, indeed!”

  Phillip stepped into the room. “Would it help if I took a bite of everything first? To show you it’s all harmless?”

  “I want you all to leave, please.” She had to think.

  They all stood there.

  “I said please. I asked nicely. I’ve shown you more manners than you’ve shown me.”

  “Kari, love, let’s sit and eat together. You need to keep your strength up, you’re healing still.” Andreas motioned to the tray of food.

  “Get the fuck out of here now!” she screamed before bursting into tears.

  “If that’s what you want. I’m sorry you’re so upset. Please calm down.” Andreas’s voice was soothing, pleading. He looked confused and unhappy and she almost felt guilty for making him upset. Almost.

  “Then let me go home.” Unable to bite back a sob, she slid down to the floor next to the bed, tears scalding her cheeks.

  “Please let me comfort you. Don’t be frightened of me.” Andreas crouched next to her, reaching toward her slowly. He was so freaking big, it pushed her buttons.

  Scooting away from him, she slapped at his hands. “Oh my god, you are the limit! You kidnap me, hold me against my will, and you want to comfort me? I shouldn’t be afraid? Get out, get out, get out!” She pulled herself into a tight ball, yanking her comforter over her head, shutting down.

  They argued a bit more before Andreas sighed, ordered everyone out and the door opened, closed and everything was silent again. Fear, anxiety and hopelessness warred inside her with some weird sense that everything was all right.

  Kari allowed herself a few minutes of tears to get them all out of the way. Once that had passed, she slowly poked her head from the blankets to be sure she was truly alone. Once she was certain she was, she slid her feet to the ground and stood on shaky legs.

  Feeling out of control was something she didn’t tolerate well. Much like being afraid. Falling apart wasn’t an option. It didn’t do any good. So she’d plan instead of worry. Crazy stuff was afoot and she needed to get her shit together so she’d be ready when she got the opportunity to get away.

  First, she needed to get the lay of the land, so to speak. Making up her mind to push her panic and fear away, Kari managed to get her legs working well enough to
get herself into the adjoining bathroom, where she noticed the closet. Her clothes hung there. Her clothes. From her apartment. Built-in drawers lined the walls. Each one of them was filled with her things. Her underwear! Socks, sweats, pajamas, all folded neatly. As if they belonged there.

  Creepy.

  She slammed the drawer shut and headed back out to the main room. No obvious weapons to use. Walking over to the large set of windows, she looked out. It was a truly magnificent view. For a prison, anyway. A big, deep blue lake lay off just down a slope. Deep, thick forest abutted it and only made room here and there for the cabins that dotted the shore. A large deck with an outdoor barbecue area and tables looked well used. It looked homey, comfortable, the kind of place Kari had dreamed of making her own home into.

  Lovely windows, great view. Still locked and up high enough that she’d end up seriously maimed or worse even if she was able to get out.

  Thinking it might clear her head—and it had been a while since she’d had the chance to clean up completely—she decided to take a chance and shower. She stepped in and let the hot spray envelop her as she tried to think her way out of the mess she’d fallen into. There was no way she was just going to give up. She’d been through a lot in her life and she would get out of there or die trying.

  * * *

  “Well, she’s something else,” Phillip said, eyes lit with amusement. They’d ended up in Andreas’s office. A place his lieutenants would know he’d find strength in. Where he could recenter himself.

  “She’s so unhappy and frightened.” Misery and agitation warred in Andreas’s gut as he tried to find a comfortable position to sit in when all he wanted to do was go back up to her and make everything better.

  “What do you expect? Less than a week ago she was a highly paid software engineer on her way home from a nightclub when a wolf jumped her. She regains consciousness in a hospital three days later. Suddenly, her brother is gone and she wakes up to find her doctor and a bunch of strangers have drugged her, removed her from the hospital, are insisting she’s a werewolf and won’t let her leave. Of course she’s afraid,” Phillip said reasonably.

  “I would never hurt her! I just want to comfort her, calm her fears.” Andreas stood and began to pace.

  Andreas didn’t just feel bad that Kari was upset, it was hardwired into him to be responsible for her well-being. Not only because he was an Alpha, but because she was his Mate. He had to choke back panic at not being able to help her, and that was an entirely new experience for him. All his life he’d been able to comfort the wolves of his Pack. He was exceptionally attuned to them and he knew—without undue vanity—it was one of his greatest gifts.

  None of that seemed to matter to Kari.

  “You have to show her that, Andreas. She can’t be expected to know. Especially under the circumstances. We’re strangers. She’s alone and frightened. Give it time, she’ll come around. Michael really fucked it up,” Phillip growled. The light of amusement in his eyes faded to extreme annoyance.

  “Yes, well, he does that,” said a cultured voice.

  “Sean!” Andreas turned and enclosed his brother in a hug.

  Sean, a near carbon copy of his brother but for the difference in hair color, looked closely at Andreas. “How are you? I take it Kari arrived safely?”

  “She’s here but she’s pissed off and scared.” The worry and agitation were back in his voice.

  “Her world is not the world where men kidnap women for Mates and breeding other species.” His brother’s ability to be logical and talk Andreas down that way was one of the many reasons he was Second to Andreas’s Alpha. Sean would be next in line to run the Pack should Andreas not be able to.

  “You’ll win her over. Women seem to be enamored of you for whatever reason. Must be that hair.” Sean smirked. “You’re sure she’s your Mate then?”

  Andreas’s anguish faded. That was one thing he was utterly certain of. “Yes. I’ve never scented another female like that. She smelled like the deep forest—earthy, fertile, rich. I wanted to roll around in her.” He laughed at the memory. “She feels...smells...is perfect.”

  Sean nodded. “Good. Then we’ll all convince her. She’ll get over this and you’ll have a story to tell your grandchildren.”

  * * *

  Kari rubbed her hair dry with a towel then hung it up, putting on jeans and a T-shirt with her red cardigan over it. Admittedly, having her stuff there made her feel a bit better. Then again, they’d probably planned it that way.

  Her stomach clenched and she felt light-headed. She needed to eat. Thinking back, all she’d had was some broth and tea the night before and some toast and half an egg earlier that morning. She wasn’t good at skipping meals. It touched too many bad memories.

  Wrinkling her nose, she looked at the food on the tray. It’d gone cold and looked completely unappetizing. Besides that, she was concerned they might have drugged it.

  Twisting the doorknob, she discovered it was locked. Great. She pounded on it. “Hey! Werewolf jailers!”

  Moments later the door opened and Andreas came through with Phillip. “I see you’ve freshened up. You look better. Do you feel better?”

  He smelled delicious. It drove her insane and that made her mad. She didn’t want to look at him and want to take a big bite. Or lick up the wall of what she knew would be an impressive chest. Or feel the heat of his flesh beneath her hands as she rode... She gave herself a mental smack in the forehead. Focus!

  Truth was, she didn’t get a feeling that this guy posed her any harm. He felt safe. Then again, she wasn’t sure how much she could take that feeling for, considering he’d kidnapped her and was holding her against her will. Hardening her resolve, she refused to let herself be taken in by him. Even if she felt like jumping on him. If she got out of this alive, she was going to enroll in a computer dating service or something. Clearly she needed to get out more.

  “I’m hungry. But I’d like to take Phillip there up on his offer to be my taster.”

  “If it would make you feel better, of course. Would you like to come downstairs and eat with all of us? We can make you something suitable. I believe I heard Anna say we’re having roasted chicken and mashed potatoes with vegetables and salad. I think there’s ice cream too,” he tempted.

  “I’ll definitely be your taster for all of that. Anna’s a great cook.” Phillip grinned.

  “Shall we?” Andreas held out his arm and, after looking at him suspiciously, she took it. She pretty much had to, she was weak just from showering and getting dressed and she hadn’t eaten a full meal in days. She’d have loved to storm past him but wasn’t sure her legs could support a weak mince much less a full-blown dramatic sweep. And a sweep had to be dramatic or what purpose was it? She sniffed her annoyance.

  As they walked down the large staircase, she could see down into a great room that rose up, open to the second floor. Giant banks of windows faced views of the lake, forest and a large garden and deck area. Through the great room they came into a large dining room. The long wooden table that dominated the space must have easily accommodated forty people.

  Popping her head out of the kitchen, Elaine smiled as she sighted Kari. “I’m going to get you something you can eat. Go sit down and I’ll bring it to you. Is iced tea all right or do you want hot tea?”

  “What, no Kool-Aid?” Kari mumbled. “Iced please, no sugar.”

  When they walked into the dining room proper, there were already ten other people there. All of them smiled expectantly at her as they stood. Eeek!

  Andreas escorted her to the head of the table, pulling out the chair to his right. “This is your place, Kari. You’ll be at my right hand. Please sit. I’ll introduce everyone once you’re sitting and eating.”

  With a raise of her eyebrow, she sat and Phillip eased down next to her. Anna came out bearing a plate for her and a tall glass of tea.

  “Dr. Kennedy told me what you’d need most to speed your recovery. There’s plenty more so just l
et me know.”

  “May I?” Phillip gestured at the food, and at her nod took a bite of everything and a swig of her tea. She watched him and after three particularly loud growls of her stomach and a few minutes she decided to dig in. The food was, as Phillip promised, delicious and she tried not to shovel it into her face like she hadn’t eaten in a week.

  At that, the tension broke and people started talking and passing platters of food around.

  Once plates were filled, Andreas tapped on his glass with a knife to get everyone’s attention. “This is a truly special night. Kari Warner—your Alpha, my Mate—is finally here. She’s a bit frightened and nervous and thinks that werewolves are bullshit, but she’s here. Let’s welcome her into our Pack. Our family.”

  There were cheers of approval and Kari watched it all in a daze. Andreas gestured toward a tall man who mirrored him except for coloring. “This is my brother Sean. My Second.” The man stood and smiled at her. Approaching her chair, he sank to his knees and touched his forehead to her calves.

  “I’m pleased to meet you, Kari. Welcome to the Cherchez Clan. My life for yours.” He moved back and stood up and walked back to his seat on Andreas’s left.

  “This is Laurent. Laurent is my bodyguard, my Lieutenant and my Third. More importantly, he’s been my best friend since we were twelve years old.”

  Laurent was another giant, though not as broad-shouldered as Phillip, Andreas and Sean. He approached in the same way that Sean had. Although he moved with rippling menace, she had to admit that she didn’t feel personally threatened. Clearly this was a man who could use his body as a weapon, and quite skillfully. He dropped to his knees and said the same words Sean had.

  Her sense of unreality deepened as the introductions continued. A near-hysterical laugh threatened to bubble up from her diaphragm.

  “You know Phillip and Elaine already and also Henry.” Kari turned to see Henry was the male nurse who had been helping her for the last several days. Nausea lay heavy in her stomach at the thought that there hadn’t been anyone she could trust.