“Did you have to kill other shifters?” Sasha’s voice barely came out above a whisper.
“No, but sometimes they died anyway, if the wounds were too severe—or they’d given up.” Wolfrik kept his attention on the trees.
“And the breeding?” Sasha dared ask, though her stomach twisted and roiled as though poisoned. “Did you have to force yourself on females?”
Wolfrik growled, eyes flashing from the trees to pierce right through hers. “That I refused, and when I did they took it out on the females until they begged me to hump them, to make the torture end. They’d rather be raped over and over every full moon and their pups stolen from them at birth and traded for goods or services.”
Sasha held her head in her hands.
“Are you sure you want to know these things?” Wolfrik asked.
Sasha dropped her hands.
“Not knowing won’t change what’s happening. I have to know. Why do humans want shifter pups?”
“Why do you think? Humans are weak,” Wolfrik sneered. “They want to raise the pups as loyal dogs to protect them and hunt down wild game to roast on their fires. They know all about the full moon and its fertility for our kind. They had urban shifter traitors working with them.”
Sasha shook her head, having trouble accepting everything he’d told her.
“Does this mean you have pups?”
“I don’t know,” Wolfrik snapped. “I could have fathered dozens of pups over the past three years. Females would be shoved inside my cage on the full moon then disappear for nine months. They’d come back with their bellies still swollen from recently giving birth. We weren’t allowed to talk. The guards standing watch made sure of that. As soon as we finished fucking, they took the female out and brought another one in. One time I fucked eight in a row.”
Sasha clutched her stomach and rocked in place, wishing for all the world she could turn back time and stop Wolfrik, save him from this hellacious fate. Sickness, sadness, and cold fury consumed her. She wished she could go back even a month and have ripped Duke’s throat out rather than a chunk of his leg.
“I hate humans,” she snarled. “I want to kill them all. Every last one. I want to rip their black hearts from their chests and roll in their blood.”
“As long as they have ammo there’s no stopping them,” Wolfrik said, resignation coating his words. “Maybe one day they’ll run out of ammunition.”
“How did you get away?”
“Sparrow.”
Sasha squinted.
“The head honcho’s sister.”
“Honcho?” Sasha asked.
“It’s another word they use for leader. Unlike Hawk, Sparrow was caring and hated what her brother was doing. She’s the only female I was allowed to speak to during those three years. She’d come around and visit all the shifters, talk to us if we allowed her. I ignored her at first, but after a while it was good to have someone compassionate to talk with. I told her about my parents and living in the wild and the simple yet satisfying life I’d once had in the hollow. I told her about you and our last moments together—how it was my biggest regret. I thought about the way I left you crying on the ground. It haunted me every waking hour . . . until one day it stopped bothering me and that was the day I knew they’d finally broken me.”
“But they didn’t.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have come back.”
“Don’t say that. Wolf Hollow is your home.”
“I didn’t come back for Wolf Hollow, I came back for you, Sasha; to tell you I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I didn’t have the courage to tell you how I felt before. I said we were together because it’s what our parents and elders wanted. But you were the only she-wolf I ever wanted.”
“Wolfrik—”
He shook his head. “You don’t have to say anything. I’m glad you moved on. After everything I did for those human swines, I couldn’t be with anyone I truly cared about. It would only remind me of all the times I had to . . .” Wolfrik’s words trailed off and face turned to stone. “There’s no coming back from where I’ve been.”
Sasha’s heart cried out as he turned his back to her and walked away. She ran after him.
“You should stay away from me,” Wolfrik said, not turning around.
Sasha jogged to his side.
“You pushed me away once; I won’t let you again. We’ll always be friends. I care about you, silly wolf,” she said, using the nickname she’d given him when they were young. It had been a sure way to get a rise out of him when they were younger. He halted in his tracks now and turned to her slowly, expression softening. The last time Sasha had called him a silly wolf had been before their parents’ deaths.
She thought she saw tears glisten in his eyes, but when she stepped closer they were gone, replaced by something resembling hope. With his defenses down, Sasha moved in closer, feeling it was important to show he didn’t frighten or disgust her despite what he’d shared of his captivity.
He held his ground, his steady gaze watching her move within an inch of his body.
“What about Tabor?” Wolfrik asked gruffly.
“He’ll understand.”
Wolfrik’s eyes shifted sideways as though he doubted her. He said the humans had broken him, but Sasha refused to give up on her friend. He’d have to learn to trust again and she wanted him to know he could trust her until the end.
Slowly, cautiously, she lifted her arms and touched his neck. Wolfrik flinched, watching her with weary eyes, but he didn’t move away.
How long had it been since someone had touched him with tender kindness?
She wrapped her arms around him in a loving embrace, holding on even though his body remained taut. Chest to chest, she felt his heart beat against hers. He’d said there was no coming back from what he’d been through, but he had come back and he was a pureblood. Wild wolves could never be tamed, nor could they be broken.
“I’m so glad you came home,” she whispered as Wolfrik slumped against her, burying his head into her hair by her neck.
His body shook with silent sobs.
“I’ll always be here for you,” she whispered, holding tight to her long-lost friend.
Wolfrik took a shuddering breath and pulled away from Sasha, turning his face as though not wanting her to look at him too closely.
She gave a jolt that caught his attention.
“What is it?” Wolfrik asked.
“I thought I heard something.” She squinted into the trees but nothing moved. She shook her head. “I need to get back to the bluff. I told Tabor I’d be right back.”
chapter twenty
Tabor tried to ignore the nearby shifters gaping at him with open curiosity and worse, pity. And why wouldn’t they? He’d just knocked out a swarm of manic vulhena and saved his woman—only to have her run after Wolfrik.
Mangy mongrel.
Wolfrik was the mangy mongrel—a spineless, brainless brute who had to throw his weight around in order to feel good about himself. The prince of purebloods was no better than Zackery. Tabor’s eyes locked and narrowed on Zack bending over for kindling along the forest’s edge. Garrick sidled up beside Zack and the shifter abruptly straightened. Tabor smirked. Maybe Garrick would make Zackery his bitch. The beasts deserved one another.
Tabor turned away from them, snatching up sticks and fighting the urge to break them. His jerky movements made him stumble, his brain still fuzzy and body drained from the release of power.
A curtain of blond hair flashed in front of him as Emerson strode toward him, flipping her hair back as she approached. She held both hands out to take the sticks Tabor had gathered. He cocked his head in question.
“You’ve done more than your fair share today,” Emerson said. “Besides, we have it under control.” She smiled warmly as she took the small load he’d gathered.
&nb
sp; Tabor forced a return smile then stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do next. Wait for Sasha? No, he was done waiting. He’d almost lost her that afternoon. He wouldn’t stand idly by while Wolfrik attempted to win her over with brute force. The barbarian couldn’t be trusted alone with her.
Glancing around one last time, Tabor headed for the woods. It wasn’t until he was out of sight from the rest of the pack that he began running, slowing to a jog all too soon when he became winded. It made him grit his teeth recalling the way Wolfrik swaggered in right after Tabor had spent every ounce of his energy casting that spell. Real big of his royal cowardliness to choose that moment to antagonize Tabor and shove him to the ground in front of an audience. Those shifters hadn’t seen Tabor fight the vulhena. They hadn’t been seized by the terror of watching the creatures come swarming like a cloud of flies and attack Sasha. All they’d seen is Tabor on his knees.
A snarl rose out of him. Time to let his wolf take over. He winced as his scraped knees connected with the earth, but wasted no time making the shift to wolf form, his legs once more sturdy and his senses sharp.
Tabor sniffed hard, homing in on Sasha’s scent. She, too, had shifted before going after Wolfrik. Their scents mingled along the path, making Tabor’s canines snap in fury. Muzzle inches from the ground, Tabor rushed down the trail. Sasha’s and Wolfrik’s scents became more pronounced as he followed it to a thick cropping of trees and brush.
The scent changed from one of fur to skin. They’d shifted. Tabor made the shift, blood rushing to his head as he did. He stood up slowly and forced himself to move at a steady gait and regain what he could of his strength. The sound of Sasha’s voice stopped him in his tracks.
Tabor crept in closer, peering through the brush. He hadn’t been able to make out Sasha’s words, but he heard Wolfrik growl out an answer.
“What about Tabor?”
The sound of his name had caused his heart to jump like a fish breaking the surface of a lake. It was yanked out completely when Tabor caught Sasha’s reply.
“He’ll understand.”
Cold, sharp fury pierced his skull. The hell he would! Did he mean so little to her that she could toss him aside like yesterday’s stew?
Before he could form another thought, Sasha threw her arms around Wolfrik, who nuzzled against her, their naked bodies rubbing together.
The ground fell out beneath Tabor’s feet. He didn’t know which way was up or down and the air had turned to wind, rushing at him as he went into free fall.
He had to be imagining this or dreaming. It couldn’t be real. Sasha wouldn’t do this to him. She wasn’t that cruel. But maybe she’d gotten swept up in the moment without intending to. Wolfrik had been her first love, and now he was back.
Darkness billowed over Tabor’s soul, blocking out light and sound. Watching Sasha embrace Wolfrik was like staring into the sun at high noon. If he looked at them any longer they would burn out his eyes. They’d already torched his heart and left burning coals inside his stomach.
He twisted around and stormed the way he’d come, angry fumes choking every shaky breath. Not knowing where to go, he careened blindly toward the bluff then changed direction and headed the way of his cabin. With a destination in mind, Tabor picked up speed, anger standing in for strength.
A branch broke and footsteps came rushing from behind him.
So now Sasha wanted to run after him? She must have seen or scented him. Was she so eager to rip his blistered heart from his chest so she could begin her life with Wolfrik? What a fool Tabor had been to think she’d stay with him after the pureblood’s return.
He whirled around to face her, noticing too late the fist flying at his face. It connected with the bridge of his nose, crunching bone. Warm blood oozed into Tabor’s mouth and stars appeared as the world really did go dark.
“What’s the holdup?”
“He’s heavier than he looks.”
“Quit your bellyaching and keep moving.”
“I’m the one doing all the heavy lifting.”
“I told you we’d take turns. It’s your turn first.”
“It would have been easier if you hadn’t knocked him out and he could walk on his own.”
“You really are a dumb mutt, aren’t you? I had to knock him out first so he couldn’t cast a spell on us.”
Garrick’s jeer, followed by Zackery’s snarl, cleared the last lingering haze inside Tabor’s mind as he regained consciousness. He felt dizzy and off kilter. All his blood had gathered in his head as he hung limp over Zack’s shoulder. Darkness still surrounded him. Blindfolded, he realized. Blood and cloth muffled his tongue. Gagged, too. He’d only heard two voices: Zack’s and Garrick’s. Most disturbing of all, Zack’s collarbone dug sharply into Tabor’s groin.
Air wheezed from his nose as he took a ragged breath. Zack stopped, which caused pain to explode in Tabor’s face when his head smacked the big brute’s lower back.
“I think he’s awake,” Zack said, alarm in his voice.
“Good,” Garrick answered. “Then he can walk. Set him down.”
As Zack dipped forward, Tabor slid over his shoulder and crashed to the ground, arms stretching to catch himself only to discover his wrists were bound.
“Get him on his feet,” Garrick said.
Rough hands grasped his bound wrists and yanked him up. Tabor wavered in place, trying to get a sense of where they were. Weak light formed a white haze where his face was covered and the fabric scratched at his eyes. It was more comfortable keeping them closed.
“This way,” Garrick said.
Zack nudged him along with sweaty palms and an uneasy shake in his meaty hands.
“But—”
“I know a shortcut.” Tabor could hear the sardonic smile in Garrick’s voice.
Zack stopped, which meant Tabor had to stop.
“I don’t think we can get there this way.”
“I didn’t bring you along to think,” Garrick sneered. “Now hurry up—and take that blindfold off him. We’ll move a lot quicker if he isn’t tripping over every tree root.”
A shaky hand removed the blindfold from Tabor’s face. Sunlight blinded him and stars were replaced by black moons orbiting rapidly in front of his eyes. Before his vision had time to clear, Zack had him by the bicep, yanking him forward. Tabor stumbled and righted himself, looking from the ground to the trees. They were heading to the Manama River.
“If you attempt to shift, Zackery and I will put on fur and tear you apart.”
Garrick missed the glares Tabor shot at his back as he led the way. Tabor ignored Zackery at his side. He couldn’t bare the sight of the thug steering him bound and gagged through the forest.
This day kept getting better and better.
Rage for Garrick and Zackery warred in his mind against his anger at Wolfrik and Sasha. Gutless swine, all of them. Dog was too kind a word for shifters who could betray one of their own pack members.
While Tabor was led off to his likely doom, Sasha was rubbing up against Wolfrik. Energy seared through his blood and crackled along his veins, but without the use of his tongue, his powers were no use to him.
The farther away they got from the glade, the rougher the trail became, zigzagging around boulders and dense shrubs. Shifters usually took this route on four legs, not by foot. Wayward branches scratched at Tabor’s arms like nails clawing at his skin.
Maybe an hour passed before Zack stopped and Tabor’s footsteps stilled beside him. Zack no longer had to direct him, as though Tabor had unwittingly become one of the brute’s limbs.
“We’re going in the wrong direction. Balmar Heights is north of the hollow and we keep heading south.”
Garrick turned around, his look of annoyance morphing into a smirk. “Change of plans. The wasteland’s more suited to this scavenger.”
“But he’ll just
follow us right back,” Zack said.
Tabor watched and listened, barely feeling the ground beneath his feet. Despite his throbbing nose and exhaustion, he felt like he’d floated away from his body and was seeing himself as though through the fog of a dream.
“That’s why we’ll dump him someplace the humans will find him. Ford and I have been tracking their movements. They have several campsites between the city and suburbs.”
Garrick started walking again then stopped when he noticed Zack hadn’t moved from his spot.
“What now?” Garrick demanded.
“I don’t think this is a good idea.”
Garrick stormed up to Zack, stopping a foot away. His upper lip curled.
“I’m not letting this mongrel come between Wolfrik and Sasha. You saw what he did to those vulhena with his sorcery. Imagine what his children could do—take over the hollow, and there wouldn’t be a damn thing we could do about it. We need more purebloods, not half-breeds, not sorcerers, and now that Wolfrik’s back, the only thing standing in his way is this miscreant. You saw that Wolfrik was willing to fight for her, and Sasha didn’t stay behind with Tabor, she ran after Wolfrik. Good thing we caught up to Tabor before he had a chance to interfere. We have a duty to do what’s best for the pack.”
Wolf Hollow (Wolf Hollow Shifters, Book 1) Page 24