by Ariel Lei
His senses sharpened, making Neoma’s cherry and honeysuckle scent stronger. A shudder ran through him as his body began to stir. The urge to claim her as a wolf was strong. It was a carnal instinct. He fought it and sat down in front of her, watching her carefully. She was beautiful even in wolf form. He had the urge to nuzzle his face against her pure white coat, knowing it would be as soft as silk.
Seeing one of her ears twitch, he cocked his head to the side and watched her intently. She was starting to wake up. Apprehension bubbled up inside of him. He knew what pups were like when they first changed, they were usually unpredictable, sometimes excited. Sometimes, they were even aggressive. He had no idea what to expect with Neoma.
And that’s why he didn’t expect it when she pounced to her feet and dived at him, sending both of them barrelling along the forest floor.
Neoma.
A strange mint and spicy scent took over Neoma’s senses, and her hairs stood to attention. Confusion wrapped itself around her mind. She felt threatened. Something was close to her. She could feel its eyes watching her, hear its steady heartbeat. Her ear twitched. A growl worked its way up her throat, making her chest rumble. Acting on pure instinct, she shot to her feet and dived at the cause of her unease.
She landed on top of a large male wolf and tumbled across the ground with him. He emanated power. But she’d taken him down. A sense of satisfaction swam through her.
As they rolled along the bumpy ground, she could feel sparks from where their bodies met. This made her even more confused. And that confusion made her angry.
A growl rippled from her chest as she leapt off the male wolf and crouched down to attack. She bared her teeth at him. There was something about this wolf that made her want to own him in every sense of the word. She didn’t understand it.
She was about to pounce again, when he jumped to his feet, startling her. He was quick. His green and grey eyes seemed familiar. They locked onto hers and darkened. When he took a small step forward, she snarled in warning. His eyes darkened even more. His lips curled, flashing sharp teeth as he growled back. It was intimidating. Submission came to her mind, but she refused to back down.
The male wolf started to circle her slowly. She watched his every move. His eyes seemed to be eating her up hungrily. He looked like he wanted to devour her. She shivered, the thought making heat pool low in her belly. He jumped forward, and she jumped back, lowering her head as if to attack. A warning growl rumbled from his massive body. He was double her size, more powerful, but for some reason she couldn’t back down. She felt the need to stand her ground.
When he saw that she hadn’t made a move to submit, he let out another growl. It did nothing to deter her. Instead, she jumped to attack him. She didn’t know if it was the adrenaline pumping through her body that was making her so brave, or the fact that she wanted to own him, but it was making her careless.
The male wolf took her by surprise and jumped sideways. Just as fast as he’d moved out of the way, he had his teeth around the back of her neck, pulling her backwards and slamming her down onto the ground. The force of it knocked the breath out of her, giving him enough time to jump on top of her and pin her shoulders down with his large paws. She tried to kick him off with her back legs, but he was too strong and held firm. He snarled. His sharp teeth were too close to her face for comfort.
When she didn’t submit, he lunged, taking her throat between his teeth. Her body stiffened underneath his. She let out a fearful whimper. With fear came realization. This wolf was an Alpha. One that made her body tingle in a strange and pleasurable way.
His teeth remained locked around her throat, but he didn’t press down. She could feel his silent demand for her to submit. She pulled her ears back, lifted her paws, and tucked them underneath her chin. Her tongue darted out, and she swept it across his face in a sign of submission. The minty taste of him sent heat rushing through her. She grew moist.
He released her throat and pulled back to look down at her, scenting her arousal. His eyes were black as night now. He moved on top of her, and she felt something hard press against her stomach. As impossible as it seemed, his eyes grew darker. The longer she looked into them, the more she felt like they were pulling her in. This wolf was a magnet she couldn’t resist, luring her to him, making her body burn. She whimpered, trying to understand what was happening. His head dipped, and he licked her face, igniting fireworks in her body.
Awareness hit her like a bolt of lightning.
Mason.
She stiffed. Memories flooded her mind. Following Wade. Being captured on enemy territory. Finding her mate. Being drowned at his orders. Threatened. Injected with so much wolfbane she’d felt sick. Then pain. So much pain.
Mason’s body shifted, turning from wolf to man in seconds. She became painfully aware that he was now on top of her naked. His blonde hair fell just over his eyes, and she wanted to sweep it away. Unable to stop herself, she lifted her hand to do it, but in the place of hand was a white paw. She cocked her head to the side in awe. Mason chuckled.
“Your wolf is white, Neoma,” he spoke softly, “you only have to think of your human form to shift back. I’m sure you have questions, and as you aren’t part of my Pack you can’t ask them through the link. I’ll explain everything when we get back,” he stated. He pushed himself up from off her, leaving her body feeling cold. His nakedness came back to her mind again, and she quickly jumped up and turned away. She’d seen plenty of naked men before, but looking at Mason in all his naked glory would only remind her of what she couldn’t have.
“You can look all you want, Neoma,” he purred. She shook her head. No. He laughed. Her ears caught the sound of rustling clothes. A few moments passed.
“I’m dressed. Follow me. We need to talk,” he commanded, softly. He probably has more questions about my father, she thought, sadly. Why else would he want to talk to her?
Chapter Thirteen.
Neoma.
Mason took Neoma to a small, wooden cottage in the forest. He’d given her a yellow, knee length, summer dress to put on. It smelt like cranberry. The same scent had been on the other clothes she’d been given to wear. She wondered who they belonged to.
Changing back to human form was easier than she thought it would be. As soon as she imagined standing on two legs, she’d started to transform back. It was painful but not as bad as the pain she’d experienced when she’d first changed. Never again did she want to feel pain like that. The thought made her shiver.
She felt different. Sounds were louder. Colours were brighter and more vibrant. Her sense of smell was keener. Her eyesight sharper. She felt strong and alert. Her inner animal was finally awake. She could feel the presence of her in the back of her mind. A new instinct. Sense.
She looked around the small room she was in. Black beams held up the high ceiling. An open brick fire and chimney was in the middle of one of the brown, wooden walls. The others held up a few shelves that were occupied with books and ornaments, and a few oil paintings were hung here and there. The windows were small, covered with cream drapes. The floor was wooden. A large, black, fluffy rug was scattered across the middle. An oak table sat in the centre of the rug between the fire and leather settee. The smell of burned wood surrounded her. She could smell Mason’s scent, too, but it wasn’t very strong. It was obvious he hadn’t been here in a while. She turned to look at him. He was leaning against the wall near the front door.
Her animal instincts rose up at the handsome sight of him. His blonde hair was dishevelled, looking sexy. The blue shirt he wore fit his body well, showing off his defined muscles underneath. His black jeans were snug, letting her see just how thick his thighs were. When his green and grey eyes met hers from across the room, she held her breath. On impulse, she took a step towards him, following the pull from his hypnotic gaze. He cocked his head to the side, the corner of his mouth lifting up as he watched her. The air seemed to be filling with static. Heat washed over her body. Desire bubbled
up in the pit of her stomach.
“The mate bond will be harder to fight now,” he sounded smug, almost pleased about that. She had feared this.
“I know,” she whispered. She didn’t want to fight it. But, it was for the best. She bit her lip and turned away. He’d threatened to kill her whole Pack the last time they’d spoken. And promised to keep her a prisoner forever. She had to remember he was the enemy. Tears pooled in her eyes. Damn it. She wouldn’t let them fall in front of him.
“What exactly happened to me?” she asked. She remembered the pain. Lots of it.
“Your shift was delayed due to the wolfbane in your system. The full moon tried to bring your wolf forth. You were sedated for a few days so that you could change once the wolfbane was out of your blood stream. You couldn’t fully shift, and it was killing you” Mason explained. She nodded her head. That explained why she was in so much pain.
I’m eighteen now. Spending her eighteenth birthday in pain wasn’t what she had in mind. She’d always imagined that she would change for the first time with her father, her best friend and Wade, and then go hunting with them. Chasing down game for fun was a tradition for the first time shifters in her Pack. And she’d missed out on that.
“You’re lucky to be alive,” Mason added, his voice oddly quiet. She almost laughed. Lucky for who?
“I guess,” she mumbled. She didn’t feel very lucky. She was still a prisoner after all. And her first shift was disappointing. Her body still felt a little sore. Her muscles were aching. I miss my father. Right now, she needed him to hold her. Tell her everything was going to be okay.
A tear escaped. “I want to go home,” she whispered, sadly. Looking up at Mason from under her lashes, she noticed his body had gone stiff. With her new and enhanced eyesight, she saw the muscle in his jaw twitch even from a distance away.
“You will be staying here until I say otherwise. Guards will be posted outside so do not try to escape.” His tone had gone hard. He pointed at the door behind her “Bedroom and bathroom are in there. Food will be brought to you, so there is no need to go into the kitchen. You won’t find anything in there to use as a weapon anyway.” He took a step towards her, and she swallowed nervously.
“I’m not going back to the cell?” she questioned.
“Do you want to go back?” he asked, stiffly. She shook her head. She was tired of seeing white walls everywhere she turned. She hated being kept in there.
“There is no need for you to be in there. You won’t be here for much longer. As it stands, your father wants to make a deal with me. You may get to go home after all,” he sneered. Confusion and surprise washed over her.
“Deal?” had she heard wrong? A dark smile graced his face.
“A swap. Your freedom for his.” Neoma blinked twice, repeating his words in her mind. She shook her head. No. He’ll kill him. Heat began coursing through her veins as anger rose up inside of her. Her chest started to rumble, and an animalistic growl she had no control over came out of her.
“No,” she snarled, her eyes turning black. For a split second, Mason looked taken aback by her outburst, before covering it up with a hard scowl.
“You have no say in the matter,” he responded, bitingly. She lifted her arm and pointed at him. Her nails began to grow into sharp claws.
“I will not let you kill him,” she snapped. Mason’s eyes darkened, but she didn’t let it faze her. She took a step towards him. “I won’t.” And she meant it. The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile.
“You won’t be able to stop me,” he replied, his tone matter of fact. The muscles in her body started to tighten, her blood growing hotter. Her body began to shake.
“Control yourself, Neoma,” Mason warned, taking a small step forward. She growled at him, unable to stop herself.
“Neoma, if you shift you’ll regret it.” She was too angry to listen to his warning. With only her father in mind, she shot towards him. Mason reacted faster than she expected, sweeping her legs out from under her. She landed on her back with a hard thud. He was on top of her instantly. His arm pressed against her throat. The more she struggled to get free, the more pressure he put on. She gasped for breath and clawed at him. He quickly restrained her hands with his free hand, holding them in place above her head. His head moved closer to hers, and she felt his warm breath fan across her face.
A tingling sensation spread across her gums moments before she felt her teeth elongate into sharp canines. Her body shook under Mason’s as she growled deep in her throat. She snapped her teeth at him. His face contorted with anger, his eyes growing darker.
“Stop. Now,” he bellowed.
“I won’t let you kill him,” she spat. She tried to buck him off of her, but he pressed down on her with his weight. She struggled for a few more moments until fatigue washed over her. She was so exhausted. Her first shift had taken a lot of energy out of her.
“Please,” she begged, “don’t do this.” Mason’s angry face softened a little. He shook his head and got off of her.
“I have to,” he finally said. Neoma shot to her feet on shaky legs.
“I’ll do anything you want me to do. Please, just don’t hurt him,” she pleaded. He laughed mockingly.
“Anything?” he sneered. Neoma forced herself to nod. She would do anything to save her father.
Mason stalked towards her. She started to back up. He reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her forward so that she was against his solid chest. Tilting her head up, his mouth crash down on hers. Hard.
He kissed her as if his life depended on it, tasting, prodding her with his tongue, biting down on her bottom lip. Her stomach clenched with desire. Her body moistened. A needy whimper escaped her lips. He growled in response, wrapping his arm around her waist, deepening the kiss. The hunger she felt from him was mind blowing. He wrapped his free hand in her hair and devoured her mouth even more. She knew this was wrong. But for the moment she couldn’t remember why. His mouth on hers, the feel of his body against her body, was all she could concentrate on. She wanted more.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed her breasts against his chest. He growled, and she felt it vibrate through her. Her thighs were now slick with her juices. She knew he could smell her need, but she felt no embarrassment about it.
He moved from her mouth to her throat, kissing and sucking. She dropped her head back and shut her eyes, revelling in the feeling of his mouth on her. He nibbled on her ear causing her to moan out. When he groaned and pulled back, she opened her eyes and looked up into his. They were darker now, flickering with an emotion she couldn’t name.
“I’m going to miss this,” he whispered. She felt her stomach drop as he pulled back from her. It took a moment for his words to fully register in her mind. She stumbled towards him, and he moved back.
“Mason-” He cut her off.
“Goodbye, Neoma.” Jaw tense, he turned and made his way towards the door. Neoma could only watch in silence as he walked out. When the front door slammed behind him, she fell to the floor and wept.
He’d given her a goodbye kiss.
Soon, she would be free. At the cost of my father. And there was nothing she could do about it.
Chapter Fourteen.
Neoma.
Three days had passed since Neoma had last seen Mason. Two guards had been placed at the front of the cottage, and two more out back. Escape was impossible. She knew she couldn’t take on four men. She doubted she could take on one. Each day she had become more and more restless.
Gary, the big guy with the tattoos, the same one who was ordered to hold her down in the bathtub full of ice water in the torture room while Mason questioned Wade, had come each day with food and drink. Each day she’d begged him to let her speak to Mason, desperate to try and change his mind about trading her for her father. And each day he told her the same thing. Mason is too busy. He wasn’t busy. He was just avoiding her. She’d never pegged him for a coward. But it was obvious he couldn’t fac
e her.
When the front door opened, she didn’t bother looking up from the settee. She knew it was Gary. His light cinnamon scent always gave him away. She heard his heavy feet shuffling along the wooden floor as he moved towards her. She sniffed, wondering what food he’d brought her. When she couldn’t smell any, she turned her head to look at him. He held no tray in his hands like he had the days before. She swallowed and looked away.
The trade is taking place today. Her gut tightened. Tears pooled in her eyes.
“Please don’t make this difficult, Neoma,” Gary murmured, softly. The large man was surprisingly kind. She hadn’t thought so the first time they’d met. “I don’t want to force you to come with me,” he added. She snorted.
“I’m not going.” The words were spoken through gritted teeth.
He let out a sigh. “You have no choice.” She shot him an angry look.
“As long as I breathe, I will always have a choice. I may not be able to stop you from forcing me to go with you, but I can still put up a hell of a fight,” she snarled. Her blood began to heat up. She knew it meant her inner animal was reacting to her emotions. Over the last few days, her emotions had been sky high. She felt like a rubber band being pulled to tightly. She feared she would snap. After all, she wasn’t made out of stone. There was only so much more she could take.
“Mason said you’d be this way. It’s why I came prepared.” Before she had the chance to respond, something sharp jabbed into the side of her neck. Her eyes widened as she shot to her feet. Gary held a small needle in his hand. She hadn’t seen it before. He must have had it in his combats trousers.
“What was that?” she whispered, swaying on her feet.
“A small sedative,” he answered.