“Do I frighten you?”
Astrid swallowed. “A little.”
She was afraid of him—she’d be stupid not to be—but she was more afraid of the way he affected her. Around the alpha, she was rapidly becoming someone she hardly recognized and was growing to disdain.
Afraid of where he was taking this conversation, she changed the subject.
“We never finished talking about my sister.” She turned around to face Erik, locking eyes with him to show that she wouldn’t be ignored. “It can’t wait a year. I need to get her back as soon as possible.”
“A year is as soon as possible,” he said, his eyes taunting her to go on.
She massaged her temple. “Look, I know I’m not in a position to bargain with you, but please, hear me out. I’ve been stringing my parents along for almost two months now, telling them my sister is off filming some South American panther shifters in the jungle. They don’t even know that I’m gone, and when they do, they’re probably going to realize that I’ve been bullshitting them about Ginnifer.”
Astrid took a step forward, her tone pleading. “They’re already going to lose me. If they lose Ginnifer, too, it’ll kill them. Please, you have to help me get her back.”
Erik’s face was infuriatingly blank. “I will. In a year.”
***
In his wolf form, Erik slowly made his way through the winding tunnels of his den. He’d shifted, not because he’d been particularly cold, but because the shift had helped to ease some of the discomfort in his body.
He felt tired. More so than he’d felt in a long time, but he didn’t want to sleep. He wanted to fuck her again.
The human was walking alongside him, finally quiet. He got the sense that she was shunning him with her silence, which meant she clearly did not recognize how annoying she was.
Erik felt no guilt over what he’d said to her. Had he been prone to second-guessing himself, his pack would have long since gone the way of the old wolf tribes of Nunavut.
When he was a pup, there had been over three dozen wolf packs of various sizes, their territories stretching across the arctic archipelago. Back then, pack wars had been common. Borders and hunting grounds were hotly contested, and their biggest enemies were themselves.
But over the years, as poaching shifters had become a lucrative industry for humans, the packs had been pushed farther north. Smaller packs and packs with poor leadership fell to the humans. The rest of them had continued to fight amongst each other in an ever-shrinking safe-zone.
When the dust had finally settled, three wolf packs had emerged to claim the land: Sedna to the north, Siluit to the east, and Amarok to the west. Sedna’s region was brutal, even by arctic standards. They prevailed because their territory was not only undesirable, but also impractical for poachers. Siluit had survived because their alpha Zane had been privileged enough to inherit a den that was within just a few kilometers of a thriving hunting ground.
While Amarok’s territory was vast, it saw fewer migrations of muskox and caribou—the staple diets of a large pack. During the winter, fresh meat was almost nonexistent and they had to rely on stores built up over spring and summer. Their territory was also more accessible to poachers, as it resided on the mainland, rather than the archipelago.
Despite all of this, Amarok was larger than both other packs and saw fewer poachers than even Sedna. This was because his pack had something that the other two did not—harsh discipline.
As alpha, Erik’s rules were absolute. A mistake made by any one wolf could have dire consequences for the pack, and therefore even the smallest of slip-ups were met with harsh repercussions. Challenging Erik’s authority meant death. He did not grant mercy, and he had no room for pity.
Because of this, he felt no inclination to aid the human in promptly reclaiming her sister. But he did feel…something.
It was no surprise that his wolf wanted to lick, nuzzle and comfort her. It was only an animal, after all. No, what disturbed Erik was that after he’d shot down her plea, he’d felt the bizarre need to explain himself. He’d had to stop himself from expounding on the reasons why attempting to get her sister back without a tactical advantage would be grossly negligent on his part.
He had, of course, refrained. His tongue was one thing he would never lose control of.
The main room was a thoroughfare of wolves coming and going, taking their meals, and congregating in small groups to converse. Without a stable day and night cycle, the pack did not have any set schedule. Instead, they lived in shifts, with the wolves taking turns patrolling and, when the season favored it, hunting.
There was always a hum of noise in the room. The sounds of conversations, growls, barks, and dozens of footsteps blurred together into a hum that resonated in the wide cavern. Today, the noise level was louder than usual, and as Erik stepped out of the tunnel, he could see the room’s attention shift in his direction.
He scanned the room to find that the males in particular, were focused on the human. Logically, he knew that they were curious. He had never brought a human female into the den, and they wanted to know what it would mean for their pack. However, his wolf did not care about logic and he couldn’t stop himself from throwing a glare around the room.
While he stared the other males down, the human rushed ahead of him to where Halley and the dog were running to greet her. The dog reached her first, jumping up on its hind legs to lick her on the face. Halley collided with her legs, and then immediately recoiled, her nose wrinkling.
“Ugh, Astrid, you smell awful.”
The human turned back to flash him a dirty look.
Erik inwardly scowled. If she smelled bad, it was because of the dog, he thought as he watched the animal continue to lick her.
Leaving her with his niece, Erik stalked over to the far side of the room, where the betas congregated in a large alcove, all in human form. They looked up as he approached, all but one of them nodding their heads deferentially, before returning to their conversation.
Sabine got up, excusing herself from the others before making her way over to where Erik stood. Standing only a few centimeters shorter than him and sporting a physic that rivaled that of his brother’s, Sabine was one of the most capable wolves in the pack. With few exceptions, the pack members held her in high regard. Erik was among them, as she had proven herself a valuable asset on numerous occasions.
As he shifted into his human form, Sabine picked a pelt up from the floor. She offered it to him, but he waved it away.
“I’m going out,” he told her. “I came to tell you to feed the human while I’m gone.”
Sabine knew better than to look him directly in the eyes, but she had always been too stubborn to avert her gaze entirely. Instead, she focused on the bridge of his nose.
In an even tone, she asked, “So I am to be her caretaker now?”
He could tell from her tense posture that she wanted to say more, so he remained silent, allowing her to go on.
“I thought this was a pack run by wolves. I suppose you’ll want me to stop coming to your bed as well. And how long do I have before there’s a rash of pups scampering about, calling me auntie?”
She’d had the sense to lower her voice, so Erik didn’t reprimand her. He respected Sabine, and as such, gave her more latitude in their interactions. Sometimes—always when they were alone—he enjoyed verbally sparring with her. But right now, he was too tired; too…not himself.
“Do not try my patience today,” he ordered.
Her confrontational demeanor shifted, a glint of mischief appearing in her eyes. “Is there ever a good day to try your patience?” She inclined her head, adopting a submissive posture that was entirely for show.
“Sten is waiting for you,” she went on. “Last I heard, he was about twenty kilometers southeast. He found some tracks.” She breezed past him, quietly adding, “Don’t hurry back. Auntie Sabine will take care of your little human.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
“B
on appétit.”
Sabine poured the steaming soup into Astrid’s bowl. It was in a dark broth and contained a mix of root vegetables and plump chunks of meat. Astrid bent to sniff the fragrant vapor, her mouth salivating.
“I don’t think I could ever get tired of this,” she said, scooping up a spoonful. She blew on it twice, and then plopped it into her mouth, too hungry to care about the slight burn.
“I’m glad you like it,” Sabine said, pouring herself a bowl as well.
After arriving in the main room, Astrid had become distracted by Halley and Noona. She’d turned her back on Erik for what had felt like seconds, but when she looked for him, he’d vanished. Though she’d been wanting some space from him since they’d woken up, it had made her feel uncomfortable to be left alone in a room full of wolves. She’d been relieved when Sabine had appeared, giving her a friendly smile and offering to feed her.
“What kind of meat is this?” Astrid asked. Her mind worked faster than her mouth, and she paused abruptly in her chewing. “Wait, this isn’t…er…long pig, is it?”
Sabine arched a silver brow. “Long pig?”
Astrid hesitated before swallowing, the meat going down her throat like a hunk of lead. “I mean, it didn’t have a name, did it?”
For what felt like the thousandth time, she thought back to the night the wolves had attacked the campsite. The wolves hadn’t seemed to have many scruples about eating human meat then.
Sabine waved a dismissive hand. “No, no, that’s caribou.”
“Oh,” Astrid said with a sigh of relief.
She was about to take another bite, when Sabine added, “I don’t believe caribou shifters even have names. Honestly they all look alike, what would be the point?”
“S-shifters?” Astrid sputtered, looking down at her bowl.
Sabine chuckled and winked at Astrid. “It was a joke.”
Astrid gave a self-effacing laugh, though it sounded hollow even to her own ears. She was grateful for Sabine’s sense of humor, but as she’d conjured the memories of the wolf attack, her mood had taken a turn for the worse.
She was beginning to recognize that that night had left a mark on her. Not only had it been utterly horrifying, but it had also taken something from her. For as long as she lived, she would probably never feel completely confident in herself again. And no matter what happened, whether she lived out her life bound to Erik, or if she was home in a month, alone in her Miami apartment, the images of carnage would be waiting for her when she closed her eyes.
Sabine seemed to appreciate that Astrid needed time to think. After she set her empty bowl aside, the wolf shifter remained silent while Astrid idly pushed the root veggies around in the broth. When she was finished, Astrid drew her legs up to rest her head on her chin. She stared across the main room, eyes unfocused.
“Halley has taken a liking to your dog,” Sabine said, gently nudging Astrid back into conversing. “It is good for her to have a pet.”
Astrid smiled. Halley and Noona had been racing each other around the room for a while, a blur of brown and white. She’d never seen any two creatures have so much fun just running.
“Is Halley the only pup here?” Astrid asked.
Sabine nodded. “There was another little one, but she died last winter.”
“That’s awful,” Astrid said, hugging her legs. “What happened?”
“She was sickly,” Sabine said with a shrug. “It was for the best.”
Astrid had a hard time wrapping her head around that mentality, but she didn’t press the issue.
“Was she Sten’s child as well?”
“Yes and no. She was from a weak pack. After it lost its alpha, the pack was picked apart by hunters. She survived, somehow—it is rare for the little ones. They’re usually the first to go.”
As she spoke, Astrid was struck by her nonchalant attitude. On reflex, she felt appalled by the matter-of-fact way that Sabine spoke about the murder of children. But she was beginning to recognize this for what it was: a defense mechanism. With all of the hardship and death that the shifters faced, sorrow seemed like a luxury they couldn’t afford.
“We do not usually take in the young, old, or feeble,” Sabine went on to say. “But Sten claimed her, agreeing to take responsibility for her care. Erik did not contest, as it was obvious that she was not long for this world.”
“I can’t imagine how lonely Halley must have been,” Astrid said somberly.
Ginnifer had been born two years after Astrid. When they were kids they had fought constantly, and Astrid had often wished that her parents had let her remain an only child. Thinking back now, there had been some good times, and although Ginnifer was notoriously flighty, when she was there, she was an amazing listener.
I wish you were here now.
“I imagine Halley will have plenty of pups to play with, now that Erik has taken you as his mate.”
Astrid cocked her head towards Sabine. “Huh?”
“That mark,” Sabine said, eyes on Astrid’s neck. “There was a time, before our animal bloodlines were diluted, that a male would bite the neck of a female he meant to have bear his pups. These days, it is more of a warning to other males that you are taken, but the sentiment is still there.”
Astrid ran her fingers across her neck, lightly grazing the indents where Erik’s canines had pierced her flesh.
“It wasn’t like that.”
Her voice grew distant as she thought back to when Erik had bitten her. It was right as he’d had his first climax. A guttural roar had been her only warning before his teeth had sunken into her neck. At first, she’d thought he was going to kill her. Then, she hadn’t thought anything at all, as her own orgasm had ripped through her body just seconds later.
“At least, I don’t think it was,” she said quietly. “In any case, if he does want a mate, he picked the wrong human. I can’t have kids.”
It was the first time she’d said that without her insides twisting. It was actually quite a relief, as she couldn’t imagine having a child out here, let alone Erik’s child.
Sabine’s back straightened and she seemed to perk up. “What makes you say that?”
“That I can’t have kids? My husband and I tried for a long time.”
Her brows rose. “You’re married?”
“Ex-husband,” Astrid corrected.
They’d been divorced for over a year, but she still had to remind herself of it. Neil had been such a constant in her life. Before their relationship had devolved into a union of resentment, they had been very much in love.
“How do you know it was not your husband’s fault?”
“We went to clinics and had tests run,” Astrid said. It felt odd to explain three grueling, heart wrenching months in a single sentence. “Neil was fine, it was me. There were a few things we could try, but they were very expensive and by then our relationship was too far gone. I think we’d already said too many things we couldn’t take back.”
Sabine reached over to pat her on the shoulder. She didn’t strike Astrid as the touchy-feely type, yet the gesture felt natural and comforting.
“I understand,” Sabine said. “I have never felt much inclination to breed, but I sometimes wonder if I am merely suppressing the desire to spare myself pain. I can hardly imagine how it would feel to hold out hope for such a thing, only to be met with disappointment time and again.”
Astrid was speechless. Over the past year, she’d made it a habit of not discussing her infertility, as people didn’t know how to handle it. Most of them would try to offer words of encouragement, telling her about some second cousin who was told she couldn’t have kids and then the following month—bam! She was pregnant. Even worse were the ones who tried to give her advice. She still remembered biting her tongue during Thanksgiving dinner, when her mother had told her that all she needed to do to get pregnant was relax.
The sincerity of Sabine’s words had a powerful effect on Astrid. Unable to come up with a response that was
comparably eloquent, she simply said, “Thank you.”
CHAPTER NINE
“They passed through a few hours ago.”
Erik stood beside his brother, both of them staring down at the tracks that marred the valley of snow. Enough of their scent lingered that Erik was able to discern the bears as shifters. It wasn’t uncommon for shifters of all types to pass through Amarok territory, but it was usually along the fringes. These tracks were only twenty kilometers from the den, which meant that they were either bold or desperate.
It was hard for Erik to say which. More so than any other species, the white bear shifters had been poached to near-extinction. It was his understanding that their furs were considered exotic and were highly valued.
The bears had also been the most susceptible to poaching, as they had formerly lived in family units of two to four adults and cubs. The humans had picked them off group by group, until the only bears that remained were the ones smart enough to form large packs. In sizeable numbers and with a secure den, bears were even more formidable than wolves.
“Why didn’t you come and get me?” Erik asked.
“I tried to, but you wouldn’t budge,” Sten explained. “They had already passed through by the time I arrived back at the den, so I figured it wasn’t worth waking either of you.”
After the invigorating run to meet up with Sten, Erik had succeeded in putting the human out of his mind. Now, he was reminded not only of her, but also of the possessiveness that had overtaken him earlier. It returned, making his muscles tense at the thought of Sten peering into the room where he had been incapacitated on top of the human. Had Sten even tried waking him, or had he instead stood in the doorway, gazing at her naked body?
Sten asked, “By the way, do you still plan on giving her to me when you’re done?”
His brother was not prone to insolence, but he did derive an inordinate amount of amusement from needling Erik whenever he could. Despite this, it had been years since Erik had truly lost his temper with Sten, and he would not start tonight.
Enslaved by the Alpha (Shifters of Nunavut Book 2) Page 8