by Erin Kelly
This wasn’t helping. This wasn’t helping at all.
Frustrated, she went over to Freki’s tent, which he shared with his brother. A duet of snoring greeted her as she approached. “Freki? Freki!” Sophie hissed. “Wake up!”
Freki groaned, “This is not how I want to be woken up by a beautiful woman-”
Sophie scowled, her patience already thin this morning. “What did I say about flirting with me? Get up and make yourself useful instead.”
Geri’s snores transformed into a low chuckle, and Freki sat up, his hair sticking out in every direction. “Okay, okay, sorry, I don’t remember all the rules the moment I wake up.” He rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Especially this early.”
“We need to search before it starts raining again,” Sophie insisted, that feeling inside of her urgent, and she swallowed down some of the panic that came with it. “Please.”
Freki really looked to her then, and then nodded, the jokes set aside for now. “Okay. You got it. Give me a moment to get dressed and we’ll get started.”
“Thank you,” Sophie nodded then stepped away so he could get dressed. She resumed her pacing, and started to pray that today would be different, and soon she would be reunited with her Mate.
Her Mate. The words were true in her heart, and yet she hadn’t been able to tell him that she loved him. That lump returned in her throat but thankfully Freki was pretty quiet as they walked, yawning and stretching and listening to the forest that surrounded them.
She remembered one night, when she was alone with Korban back at their impromptu campsite. They were still tangled together, sprawled out on the grass-stained blankets after they made love. She could still hear his heartbeat as it pounded along with hers, amplified and steady as she laid her cheek against his chest. “I’m so lucky,” she whispered to him as the stars blinked above them through thin threads of clouds. “Maybe it didn’t seem that way at first… but if I hadn’t met you that night… who knows what I would have become.”
His fingers threaded through her hair and the feeling of his warm fingertips as they brushed her scalp was exquisite. “I know I’d be lost without you,” Korban confessed.
“You, and RJ too for that matter, would be in a whole lot less trouble if we didn’t cross paths that night,” she even felt a twist of guilt as she said it, and propped herself up on her elbows to look him in his eyes, which were the color of honey in the dim moonlight. “What makes you think you’d be lost without all the trouble I’ve brought into your lives? You nearly lost Alex, you lost your home, and you almost lost your humanity… all because of me.”
His face scrunched up a little at that as he shook his head defiantly. Those honey orbs gazed up to her, filled with emotion as he frowned. “I don’t see it that way,” he said as his arms slid around her. “My life before you wasn’t all that great. I was treading water, just to keep my head above it. I survived the attack, but I wasn’t living my life. Not until you came into it.”
Her heart gave a little flutter at his words. “It’s still hard for me to imagine that no woman before me didn’t see what I see in you,” she caressed his cheek with her hand, eyes locked with his. “Wolf eyes or not. Werewolf or not. You are something special, Korban.”
He smiled at her words though his cheeks darkened. “The dating game became a little more complicated after being bitten. Not too many women want to be with someone who has to be tethered to a sponsor for just about everything. Actually it’s not just hurt my odds, but RJ’s as well. Something else he was willing to sacrifice to become my sponsor. You think dating as a single father is a challenge? Try going on a date and explaining you’re the guardian of a werewolf.” He paused and shook his head, smirked at the thought that crossed his mind before he shared it. “I really, really owe him many drinks when we do get back home.”
She had laughed, and then the quiet fell again between them as he held her and they admired one another without words.
I love you; he had said the words and meant it just days before. She opened her mouth in that sweet silence, steeled herself to return those words. He cupped the back of her head and drew her down for a kiss before a single sound emerged. Her heart was so full in that moment she leaned in as he guided her down.
Just the memory of his warm, sweet mouth against hers sent a rush of heat through her and renewed her determination to find him. The man she loved. Her Mate.
I’m coming Korban, we’re coming to find you.
~*~
As much as his stomach was relieved to have food in it again, and his thirst sated after almost two days without something to drink, Korban remained uneasy the rest of the night, and into the early morning hours. Davey’s words echoed in his mind and the mad look in his eyes haunted him. It was some kind of twisted joy that filled the other werewolf’s golden eyes. They had left the lights on that night as Davey promised to return in the morning, “When the real training will begin.” His grin remained as they closed the doors.
Someone just like me.
The words made the steak and beer churn in his stomach. The others in their cages seemed to regard him differently now too. Blaze continued to scowl at him when they exchanged glances, but he now quickly averted his gaze, as though suddenly afraid to look into his eyes too long. Korban was used to the gawking stares back home, but somehow when these other werewolves did it, it stung like a fresh wound instead of an old one. Maybe it just reminded him a little too much of the familiar prejudices of back home, and reopened feelings of being outcast, only worse because now it was by some who shared the same affliction as him.
Needless to say, despite his hunger being resolved, Korban couldn’t sleep much that night, and the silence seemed even heavier, until finally that familiar metallic crack of the outer door’s lock rang out like a shotgun blast and caused them to jump. Davey strode in, wearing a fresh set of green camo pants and his black combat boots, but foregoing a shirt today. His yellow eyes locked right on to Korban and his stomach lurched again. He really did not like that determined look in the other werewolf’s inhuman eyes.
Both Earl and Jimmy flanked him, wearing variations of camouflage outfits similar to their leader’s. “Good morning!” Davey greeted them cheerfully, clapped his hands and eagerly rubbed them together. “I hope you boys rested up, because you’re gonna need to be on top of your game today. It’s time we started practicing. I have customers who pay quite a lot for a good show, and I think it’s time they get their money’s worth.”
“So is that what this is really about then?” Korban demanded, that fire inside returning now that he could think straight. “You are holding us hostage to play in some sort of fight club fantasy, so you can profit from it?”
Davey’s grin only widened at that, clearly happy with his challenge. “Oh, I do more than profit from it, Korban, and thank you for being so kind as volunteering to go first.” He looked to his two human companions and snapped his fingers. “Jimmy go lock the door. Earl, unlock our friend Korban’s cage.”
Jimmy’s head bobbed up and down as he obeyed the command without question, but Earl seemed to hesitate. “You sure about this, Davey?” The usual authoritative tone of his drill sergeant persona seemed to evaporate now that he was being asked to unlock Korban’s prison.
Davey’s smile seemed to remain cheerful, even when he snapped and grabbed Earl by the collar of his faded green t-shirt and snarled in his face. “Did I stutter, brother?”
“N-no, no Davey!” Earl broke into a sweat and his eyes bulged with fear, and just as quickly Davey chuckled, released him, and Earl fumbled with the keys as he retrieved them from his pocket.
Despite himself, Korban gave the suddenly nervous man a slow smile of his own, like baring his teeth in a snarl. It was somewhat refreshing to smell the fear radiating like a perfume from the cocky tough guy. Earl’s hands shook and the keys jangled as he unlocked the cage door. “Oh, come on now Earl. Korban’s not going to bite you, he’s a respectable werewolf. Aren’t you,
Korban?”
Korban gave a slow nod, but kept his gaze on Earl along with that unwavering, unnerving grin. He calculated his chances. If it was just Earl and Jimmy he could easily take them out, but Davey’s eyes were locked on his every movement, and more than likely he would stop Korban before he could even make it to the door. No, this wasn’t the time to escape yet. But the time would present itself if he played along and gained Davey’s trust. Maybe he could still talk some sense into him. Or at least make him reveal something that could be useful to aid in his escape. Their escape, he thought quickly. He wouldn’t leave the others to this fate if he could help it.
Earl opened the door and strode as quickly as he could out of Korban’s reach, over behind where Davey stood. The amusement never left those wolfish eyes as he beckoned him over with a curl of his fingers. “Come on out, Korban.”
The way he said his name was almost too cheerful, a mocking tone. What was Davey’s real game here? He stepped forward anyway, cautious, still not trusting the look in the werewolf’s eyes. They were more wolfish than human, even compared to his own, especially with the look that was in them now.
Predatory. Waiting. Watching.
Korban swallowed anxiously as Davey’s hands curled into fists. He stepped out of the cage, and wondered if the others had stopped breathing. All eyes were on the two of them as they circled one another. Earl kept his distance. From the corner of his eye he spotted Jimmy holding a rifle steadily on him. He chose his words carefully, trying to keep things light, he joked, “I’d probably be able to concentrate more on our um, fisticuffs, if I had a pair of pants on.”
Davey paused at his request, blinked, and then suddenly tossed his head back and guffawed loudly, the sound filling the room. Jimmy and Earl flinched at the sound; the true laughter from their leader startled them. Perhaps it had been awhile since he had gone with something other than his maniacal laugh. “You continue to surprise me, Korban Diego. All right. Go get him some pants Earl. I have a pair of sweat pants in my gym bag out in the truck. I suppose you’ll be a much greater challenge if we aren’t doing this Greco-Roman style.”
Earl didn’t look too happy to be given another order, but he wisely kept any complaints to himself then turned and headed toward the door where Jimmy stood guard. Korban was tempted to make another run for it, watched as the door opened and closed, and for the first time caught a glimpse of the outer hall. From the scent that slipped in he recognized they were still somewhere in the mountains. Something about this revelation gave him a tiny sliver of comfort. At least he wasn’t too far away from where Sophie was, or so he hoped.
Korban gazed to Davey, who he’d managed to stall. Maybe he could get some answers from the man- or wolf- himself. “Why are you doing this? Holding us hostage, making us fight like dogs?”
Davey’s cold smile returned. “Because it’s fun. You telling me you aren’t having fun here, Korban? Well, I suppose that’s kind of my fault isn’t it. Not introducing myself right away, and the usual wolves we bring in, well…” He trailed off a moment, let his gaze wander over to the other cages and the men contained within. “They need to be broken in a little.”
“So you starve them and dehydrate them, until they give in and fight you?” he asked, disgusted by how callous Davey seemed about torturing others.
“Oh, it’s not just about the fight,” Davey circled him, his tone matter-of-fact, “It’s about letting them know who’s in charge here. It’s a matter of teaching respect. Tell me, Korban, are you treated with respect where you come from?”
Korban opened his mouth to speak, but then thought about it. He was tethered to another human being who was legally responsible for everything he did. RJ was probably being punished as they spoke for his indiscretions, regardless of his motive to rescue Sophie. Society at large treated him even more like an outcast because he couldn’t hide what he had become. The endless string of job interviews, of trying to piece his life back together with the odds stacked against him.
He nodded, but Davey smirked again and called his bluff. “You had to really think about that, didn’t you? Well, in here, it’s a brave new world. You earn your respect through battle. It’s the way God intended for us to be! None of this corporate, bureaucratic bullshit that they raised us to believe in. Do a good job and follow the laws that weak men in overpriced suits made, to keep their own manicured mitts from getting dirty! There’s nothing more satisfying than settling an issue with ah, how did you put it? Fisticuffs?” He chuckled again at the word, shook his head as he circled around him once more. “Respect is earned in the ring. Not through some clean rich man’s game. It’s won when you crack your knuckles into someone’s jaw, spill their blood and teeth out. And as a wolf, well… that certainly opens up a lot of opportunities to spill blood and earn a hell of a lot of respect.”
Dread crept up on Korban, and he swallowed nervously at Davey’s words. Words that he spoke with such conviction. “So you don’t have a sponsor? How did you get out of quarantine?”
“I don’t need some handler to call the shots for me,” Davey’s grin widened, his yellow eyes bright with madness.
Before he could say more the door opened again and Earl returned with a pair of dark gray sweat pants, which he tossed to Korban at some distance. “Thanks,” Korban caught the pants and pulled them on quickly, feeling better now that his more personal bits were covered up and less exposed.
“All right then,” Davey cracked his knuckles and his bright yellow eyes light up with excitement, “let’s begin day one of our training. Fight night is coming up and I want to make sure we’re all ready… so today we’re going to take time to stretch our legs… and have a nice run in the woods. A hunt.”
Korban blinked and stared at him. He’d expected several other things, but this… this felt like a trap.
Davey walked over to Blaze’s cage and Earl flanked him, retrieving the keys from his pocket again. They glinted silver as he unlocked Blaze’s cage and it dawned on Korban then that they must have been silver coated to keep someone from stealing the keys and making an escape. It seemed like they had thought of everything, so the fact that he wanted them to run in the forest free now made him even more suspicious. “My Blaze, my champion… you of all my wolves deserves a chance to stretch his legs,” Davey purred as Earl opened the door. “Come out.”
Blaze said nothing, just frowned and stepped forward, out of the cage. His hands were curled into fists that shook at his sides as he stood there.
As Davey walked over to Spike’s cage with Earl, Korban felt his stomach sink. What was the catch here? He didn’t trust this at all. Of course, the idea of being able to run free was a tempting one. He could run, and fast. He would be able to put a lot of distance between himself and Davey. He could escape, go find help and get the others out of this psychopath’s Fight Club fantasy. “Spike, you need the exercise. We’ll get you in shape soon enough! Or you’ll end up as a whole lot of fatty meat on the Pit floor.”
Spike didn’t say anything, just hung his head in shame as he emerged from his cage, his eyes on his round belly. His hands shook even more than Blaze’s did.
Davey reached Hati’s cage and paused. “Our new wolf almost got away from us last time we raced. I admire your speed, but we can’t risk that again,” he smirked to Earl. “Then again, it was fun to chase you down and put you back in your place. Let’s keep things interesting. Go ahead, open up his cage Earl. Let’s see if our pup here has learned since his last lesson in humility.”
Hati averted his gaze and looked down, clearly unhappy by the reminder but not saying anything. Not one of the three men who were imprisoned here seemed to want to upset Davey. Hell, his human friends were careful not to do it either. He squared his jaw and his hands shook worse than Blaze’s, but he stepped out like the other two did and stood there with his eyes focused on the floor.
Davey laughed again, rubbed his hands eagerly as he headed over to the main entrance. He walked backwards so he could keep h
is eyes on all of them, and Korban felt that creepy sensation course through him again as those wolf-like eyes focused on him. “All right, gentlemen… wolves… it’s time to get this hunting party started!” He opened the door, stepped aside and rolled his shoulder, flexed a muscle and stretched in a fluid, cat-like motion. “On your mark… get set… GO!”
12: CHASE
Korban didn’t hesitate. It was like the word unsnapped an invisible collar from his throat, and he ran. The three other werewolves with him bolted, and together they ran for the door. Trap or no trap, he couldn’t throw away this shot to escape.
Beyond the door was a curved, empty hall. It wound around the building and at first seemed to circle back around to where they had started like some twisted maze; only the scent of wild forest, fragrant fresh air greeted them when they raced around. Up ahead of them a set of double doors were opened wide and bright sunlight shone in like a beacon of hope.
Free at last Korban nearly gave a howl of joy as he emerged from the building that had become his prison. Adrenaline rushed through him as he ran with renewed exhilaration. His eyes adjusted quickly to the glaring light. The building he emerged from was a large red barn in the middle of an expansive clearing. Two large, rust-mottled pickup trucks were parked nearby, alongside a dilapidated house and a shed surrounded by a cluster of ATVs in various states of repair. No powerlines attached to the buildings, and no roads except a few overgrown dirt paths were to be seen. They were completely off the grid. Of course escape from here wouldn’t be easy. He raced towards the tree line, past the vehicles, the lush green forest calling his name.
His muscles screamed at him from being caged and sedentary but he sprinted forward despite the pain, desperate to put as much distance as he could between that prison and him. The trees and brush became green blurs as he moved, his heart beating like constant thunder in his head. This area of the forest smelled much like the rest he’d experienced before, and judging by the sights and scents he was still somewhere in the Adirondack Mountains.