She narrowed her eyes. “How do you even know my name?”
“I told you. I’m your father’s friend. You could even say he’s like an older brother to me.”
Hugo chuckled, but shut up when Korver shot a hard stare in his direction.
“What do you want from me?” Demi asked.
Korver didn’t answer her. His eyes scanned the food spread out over the table. “Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat? I mean, it would be a damn shame if all of this good food went to waste.”
Demi just crossed her arms, making no attempt to hide her disgust with him.
“That’s too bad. Anyway, I guess I should just start by telling you the most important part first.” He snatched some smoked salmon from the table and placed it in his mouth. “Mmm delicious. Give my compliments to the chef.”
“What is the most important part?” Demi asked.
“Your father. He’s a werewolf.”
“I don’t . . . I mean, he can’t be. There’s no such thing as werewolves.” Demi was already having a hard time following, now she was completely lost. Were these two men just crazy?
Both Korver and Hugo laughed.
“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong, Demi,” Korver said. “Werewolves are very real. Trust me on that one.”
“Why are you even telling me this?” Demi asked, still not believing a word that came out of Korver’s mouth.
“Well, since your father is a werewolf and your poor deceased mother was not, that makes you a half-breed. Part human and part werewolf.”
“No. That’s impossible.” Demi shook her head. “Just get out of here. Both of you. I’m calling the cops.”
“I can’t do that,” Korver said. “I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. You need to come with us.”
Demi’s heart sank. “W-why?”
“Because I need you. Your father . . . he was the alpha of our pack. The leader. But he’s disappeared, leaving us in a bind. With no alpha, the pack is divided and leaderless. We need a new alpha. A stronger alpha. That will be me.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Not every member of the pack will follow me. If that were the case, I wouldn’t even be here now. But since many are still loyal to your father, I need you to quell their concerns. They won’t swear loyalty to me, but they will swear loyalty to your father’s only offspring. Once I take you as my mate, I will secure my rightful place as alpha of the pack.”
His mate? Demi’s stomach twisted into a knot. Is he serious? He’s got to be out of his mind.
She did not believe them about werewolves, but she did believe that they were serious about kidnapping her.
“You should look at this as an opportunity,” Korver went on. “What is there left for you here now? You aunt and uncle are dead. Come with me and accept who you were born to be.”
Demi just stared at him without saying a word. Primal instincts were threatening to take over. Her brain was telling her to run and not stop running until she was safe.
But they had her surrounded, and they were likely faster than her. So her chances of escaping if she chose to run were slim at best.
“I’m a patient man,” Korver continued, “but there is a limit to my patience. Besides, I don’t think you really want to hang out here all night. I mean, I don’t want to sound insensitive, but I feel a little uncomfortable hanging out here with these two stiffs.”
Demi still said nothing. She couldn’t keep from replying forever, but she didn’t want to go with them. She didn’t want any of this.
She wasn’t sure how these two creeps found out her father abandoned her when she was a baby, but she was sure that they made up this whole ridiculous werewolf story as an excuse to get her to come with them willingly. Then there was no telling what they would do to her.
She didn’t even want to think about it.
“Last chance,” Korver said. “What’s it going to be?”
“I can’t go with you,” Demi replied at last. “Please . . . just leave me alone.”
Korver frowned. “I understand, Demi. I really do.” He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Well, I guess there’s only one thing to do . . . Hugo.”
Powerful arms wrapped around Demi from behind as Hugo lifted her off the ground with ease. Struggle all she wanted, she was powerless against someone at least twice her size.
“Let go of me.” Demi’s words came out sounding more like pleading than a demand.
“Stop squirming,” Hugo growled.
“This will be much easier for you if you just come willingly,” Korver said.
But Demi ignored him and continued to struggle against the much stronger Hugo. No matter what she tried to do or how hard she fought against him, it didn’t make a difference.
Hugo carried her out of the dining room, through the short hall, and into the kitchen. Her hands tried to grasp at the walls, but there was nothing to grab hold of and instead she only scraped her fingernails uselessly against the walls.
As futile as her struggling felt, Demi wasn’t about to just give up. Even if they were going to take her away to do whatever their cruel intentions were, she couldn’t give up without a fight.
When Hugo carried her through the kitchen and past the island in the center, the hanging pot rack over the island caught her attention. She reached out and managed to snatch a frying pan as they were going by. Then she smashed it against Hugo’s forehead.
He grunted in pain and dropped her down hard on her backside. It hurt like hell, but Demi was so desperate to escape that she ignored the pain and scurried back to her feet in an instant. She rushed towards the doorway that led to the foyer.
If she could just make it to the front door . . .
But she barely made it out of the kitchen when suddenly someone wrapped an arm around her waist and yanked her to a stop.
“Oh no you don’t.” She heard the voice of Korver in her ear as he engulfed her in his surprisingly strong grasp. His hot breath on the back of her neck sent a chill down her spine. He dragged her back into the kitchen.
“Get off of me.” She squirmed in his clutches.
“Just as stubborn as your father,” Korver said. “Be a good girl and come with me already.”
“No.” The squirming continued.
“I’m trying to be nice, Demi. I won’t ask nicely again. This is your last ch—”
Korver never finished his sentence. He suddenly collapsed in a heap. Demi moved away from him and then looked down to see him unconscious on the floor.
Standing over him was another young man, this one taller than Korver, but not nearly as tall as Hugo. His hair was short and dark and his eyes—like the others—were yellow, which immediately made Demi worry that he was dangerous as well, despite having just bashed Korver in the back of the head.
“You need to come with me,” the stranger said, holding out his hand.
“No.” Demi took a step back. “Stay away from me.”
“I’m not like them,” he said. “I promise. If you don’t come with me now, they’ll overpower me and take you by force.”
Again, Demi shook her head and backed away. Who was she supposed to trust right now? Her heart was beating a million miles an hour, her chest heaved with every ragged breath, and her legs trembled.
What am I supposed to do?
Just then, she heard Hugo roar, followed by heavy footfalls. He was coming back for her.
The mysterious young man tried once more to take her hand. “I swear I’m not going to hurt you. Take my hand. Please.”
Trusting him was the unknown. Anything could happen. But not trusting him pretty much guaranteed that she would be taken by Korver and Hugo, which made the decision much easier to make.
Putting faith in a total stranger and leaving her life in the hands of fate, Demi reached out and took the dark-haired young man’s hand.
The moment he had a firm grip, he took off running for the door, practically dragging Demi
behind him. Throwing the door open, he led her outside and down the brick pathway. All the while, she could hear Hugo’s footsteps as the giant of a man pursued them.
“The keys,” the stranger said when they reached Demi’s corvette.
“What?”
“Do you have the keys?”
“Oh, yeah. Hang on.” She searched her pockets until she found the keys. Then she tossed them over to the stranger.
“Hurry up and get in.” He opened the driver’s side door.
Demi did not need to be told twice. She pulled the passenger side door open and climbed inside, shutting the door behind her just as the stranger started the engine.
Demi glanced at the walkway, expecting to see Hugo appear at any moment, but he wasn’t there. She turned to the stranger seated beside her.
“Where did he go?” she asked.
Before he had a chance to answer, a massive gray dog leapt on to the hood of the car—its jaws stained pink and its forehead bloody.
The animal smashed its head against the windshield, determined to get inside. Demi had seen it before. At school that morning.
No, not a dog, she realized. A wolf.
“It’s trying to break through.” Demi leaned as far back in her seat as possible.
“I see that. Hold on.” The stranger put the corvette in reverse and slammed his foot on the gas all in one motion. The quick maneuver left the wolf sliding off the hood, its claws leaving marks in a last defiant but futile attempt to hold on.
The stranger turned the car around and changed gears again before stepping on the gas and speeding down the long driveway.
Demi turned around in her seat to look back at the huge estate growing distant, wondering if she would ever see her home again.
Chapter Four
AS KORVER CAME SKIDDING TO a stop in the driveway, he caught a glimpse of the corvette’s lights just as the car turned from the long driveway on to the highway. He ran his hand through his hair before cringing in pain when he felt the wound left behind from where he was struck in the back of the head.
Looking down at his hand, he saw blood.
Well played, Tobias. He licked the blood from his fingers, filling his mouth with the familiar metallic taste. It looks like you’ve won this round.
Hearing a whimper, he turned to his right to see a large gray wolf come padding over to him with belly low to the ground. Korver refused to let his gaze linger on the wolf.
“Quit your pathetic groveling, Hugo. We don’t have time for it.”
The wolf took a few steps back and then suddenly ceased to be a wolf as it shifted back into Hugo, down on all fours. The large man groaned as he rose to his feet, wiping blood from his forehead.
“Forgive me, Korver. I should not have let them get away.”
“No, you shouldn’t have, but what’s done is done. Now’s your chance to correct your mistake. Follow them. There’s sure to be a car in the garage you can take.”
Hugo nodded and then started to head back inside the house to get into the garage.
“And Hugo,” Korver said.
He stopped and looked over his shoulder.
“I want them alive. Both of them. If you leave so much as a scratch on Demi, I’ll do the same to you tenfold, understood?”
Hugo nodded.
“Good. Remember that I’ve forgiven your mistake this time, but I won’t be so kind the next time you fail me.”
Hugo nodded again and Korver could see the hint of fear in his eyes. Even Hugo, a cold-blooded killer, knew better than to get on Korver’s bad side. That never worked out well for anyone.
Something Tobias would learn soon enough.
Once Hugo was out of sight, Korver heaved a sigh. This was not the way it was supposed to happen. He leaned against the garage wall, trying to keep his frustration under check. He didn’t need a setback like this. Everything had been perfectly accounted for save for one thing—Tobias.
Korver should have known he would pull a stunt like this.
I should have made sure that bastard died when I had the chance. Feeling the need for a release of pent up anger, Tobias punched his fist right through the garage wall.
“Careful, Korver, you wouldn’t want to damage those hands. You can do so many good things with them.”
Korver ripped his hand free from the wall and turned around to find the familiar face of Natasha appearing from behind a hedge. Her long and wavy blonde hair cascading over her bare shoulders, she was dressed in a simple, yet elegant white gown.
“How long have you been here?” he asked.
“Long enough.” She walked right up to him and stopped only inches away, reaching a hand out to stroke his cheek. She noticed the blood in his hair and gasped. “You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine.” He looked her up and down to admire the way her body fit snugly into the dress, emphasizing her curves. “Where did you get that?”
“The dress?” She smoothed out the folds. “From the little half-breed’s closet. We just happen to wear the same size. You wouldn’t believe all the expensive clothes she’s got in there. I had to take a few for my collection.”
Korver smirked. “I’m sure it looks better on you.”
“Of course. That goes without saying. She doesn’t deserve a dress like this. She can’t even fill it out properly.”
“Well, once she’s my mate, I’ll make sure she never gets to wear anything as nice as this.”
Natasha frowned. “Do you really need to take her as your mate? We both know I would be a much, much better mate for you than she could ever be.”
“Don’t worry. Even after she’s my mate, I will still have a place for you. If it weren’t for those gutless fools still loyal to her father, I wouldn’t need her at all. But they made their stance clear, so I’ll give them what they want, and I’ll take what I want in return.”
“I hope you’re right.” She placed her hands on his chest. “I would just die if you forgot about me.”
She tried to kiss him, but he pulled away from her.
“What’s the matter?” she asked. “I’m just trying to comfort you. Is that so bad?”
“There’s no time for that. We have to gather the rest of the pack. Tobias will take her north. I’m sure of it.”
“I thought that’s why you sent Hugo after him.”
“Hugo has his strengths, but thinking isn’t one of them. So unless Tobias has lost his touch, he’s too smart for Hugo. That’s why we need the entire pack together. Now.”
“Do you think Tobias will take her to him?” Natasha asked.
“Of course he will,” Korver replied with an exasperated sigh. “Why else would he be here? Tobias obviously knew what we were planning, and her father is the only who could have told him.”
“But why trust a traitor with his own daughter? That doesn’t make any sense.”
Korver knew, but he had neither the time nor the desire to explain it to her. There was no reason to continue discussing the motives of Tobias or the former alpha. It didn’t matter. Korver knew his own motives, and he was not about to lose to Tobias or anyone else.
“Korver?” Natasha asked after he didn’t reply right away.
“Call the pack,” was all that Korver said to her before he started down the driveway, knowing there was nothing left for them to do here. Besides, it was only a matter of time before someone showed up and discovered the bodies.
“But, what about—”
“The pack, Natasha,” he cut her off, looking over his shoulder at her. “I told you to summon the pack. There’s nothing left to talk about.”
Natasha didn’t argue. “As you wish, my love.” She got down on all fours and then shifted from a beautiful blonde woman to a sleek white wolf. She threw her head back and let loose a long howl that pierced the night.
Korver turned away and continued walking, sticking his hands in his pockets as his yellow eyes penetrated the darkness. It would not be long before the rest of the pack arrived. They wo
uld never ignore the call.
A setback, he reminded himself. This is nothing more than a setback. You made your choice, Tobias. Now you will pay for it.
***
Demi’s heart was still pounding in her chest even though they were miles from her home, or perhaps her former home would be a better way to describe it. In the span of just a few minutes, everything in her life had fallen apart, leaving her with no choice but to put her fate in the hands of a perfect stranger.
Demi glanced at the dark-haired stranger sitting in the driver’s seat of her corvette. He stared straight ahead at the road. Neither of them had said a word to one another since leaving the house nearly a half hour ago. Now they were on the interstate, heading north. But she had no clue what their destination was, and there was only one way to find out.
The silence had gone on long enough.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“North,” he replied.
“I can see that. You think you could be a little more specific?”
He finally spared a quick glance in her direction before turning back to the road ahead. “We’re going to someplace where you’ll be safe. That’s all that matters.”
“No, that’s not all that matters.” Her frustration mounting. “My aunt and uncle are dead, and I was almost killed by two lunatics and a freaking wolf. You seriously can’t tell me any more than that?”
He was silent for a moment before answering. “My name is Tobias. Your father sent me here to protect you.”
“Oh, so you’re my father’s friend too?” Demi crossed her arms and pressed her lips together.
“Is that what Korver told you?”
“Yes . . .”
“He’s lying.”
“How do I know that you’re not lying too?”
“I wouldn’t lie about that.”
She rolled her eyes. “That could easily be a lie too.”
Tobias reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a photograph, which he handed to Demi without taking his eyes off the road. “This should prove that I’m telling the truth. I’m sure you’ll recognize your mother.”
Half-Wolf (The Alpha's Daughter Book 1) Page 3