“You’re kidding?”
“Does it look I am? You think there’s electricity and plumbing out here?”
With that point, I scan the ceiling for the lightbulbs that don’t exist, nor do I find anything of what’s in my own house. No lights, no toilet, no plumbing.
Well, fuck.
“Wouldn’t it make life easier if you did?”
“It’s easier to live the way we always have. Besides, evenifwe hired humans to do all that, how do we explain the commune? Kids not in school; people walking around half-naked. We’d attract the attention of human police.”
That…actually makes sense. Considering they don’t visit town because of the treaty, I was under the assumption they shopped elsewhere.
“Are all packs like this?”
“Some reside in cities, like mortals.” His tone of indifference suggests he wants off the topic—and then he quickly does exactly that, by turning for the door. “Stay here.”
He returns before I’ve taken a full step. A rope dangles from his hand.
By instinct, my hands come up to protect myself, to call upon my magick. But they remain warm and dry; no water, which brings back the most pressing question. One much more important than any asked so far.
“Where’d you get the potion from?”
He advances and I skitter backwards. Three steps for every one of his—though that’s partially because his stride is so fucking wide. Everything about him is huge, which it makes this room too small.
He stops when my back hits the furthest wall. My options are the bed-thing to my right or the chairs and fireplace to the left. I’d need to get around him to reach the door, which probably isn’t happening.
By the time I finish cataloguing options, he’s looping the rough rope around my right wrist and knotting it, the skin pulling uncomfortably.
“Hey!”
He tugs me away from the wall with his new leash, though not roughly. His face gives nothing away as he drags me towards the chairs and nudges me down into the closest one.
“I don’t want to do this, ‘kay, so stay the fuck still.” He tosses the end of the rope above head and over the rafters, grabbing it when it returns.
“Then why are you?”
“You think I’m stupid enough to trust you won’t bolt while I’m gone?”
Would I, if given the chance? I can’t say. I want to go home, obviously, but gaining the answers to why I’m here is also possibly important.
“You’re leaving?”
He finishes tying the rope, leaving my arm angled awkwardly up in the air. “For a few minutes.”
I rotate to follow his path to the door, which twists my arm. He doesn’t look back before leaving me alone, a low thud of the door cutting us off from one another.
And this is how I find myself held captive by the wolf I once found enthralling enough to stalk.
Hecate, I’m so fucking stupid.
Seven
RYDER
Keepingher in my cabin was never the plan, but it feels right, even when it’s entirely fucking wrong. It’s not meant for the witchy captive, but after only minutes, her scent already permeates the space and it’s too addicting to get rid of.
But nothing about her shouldbeaddicting. It shouldn’t call on my wolf the way she does, which makes Carina Hargrove a massive problem. A massive problem with a sexy smirk and a compelling scent—both of which make her an even bigger issue.
