Her skin was on fire, yet she shivered from the cold. The shredded cloth that barely covered her body couldn’t keep her warm. A deep pain burned inside her stomach. She was hungry. No, she was starving. She could feel the slow oozing of liquid running down her back from where she’d been lashed. Curled up on the dirty floor, her body ached in agony. She winced from the pain as she moved slightly, gritting her teeth but refusing to make a sound. Making a sound would only end up drawing their attention to her, creating more pain for her.She took in a breath through her nose. The stagnant air was not at all refreshing. If only she wasn’t shackled in anti-element bracelets.
“We should probably feed it again. Don’t want our toy dying on us,” an eerie, sinister voice said.
Death. She actually wished for death. She would finally be free if she died. She’d accepted her fate already. The only way she would ever get away would be if she died.
She heard another set of heavy footsteps. “Have you gotten what I need yet?” a low voice growled out.
“No, not yet.”
“Go and get it now. And take that filth with you. I’m sure there’s someone there who would be interested in her for a price.” His low voice dripped in ice.
She felt herself being yanked up by her bonded hands. “No, please. Just let me die. Please. Please. Please. Please.”
“Please. Please. Please. Please.”
“Jin? Jin, are you alright?”
Her eyes popped open. Her body was still shaking, and she could feel the dampness on her cheeks. She let out a breath and wiped her eyes. Why did she dream about that memory, a time when she was at her lowest point? It must have been from talking about her past a bit. She looked up to see two sets of concerned eyes looking down at her. She forced a smile and then sat up. “I’m fine. Just a bad dream,” she lied.
Hunter sat next to her. “You want to talk about it?”
That was the last thing she wanted to do. She swiftly shook her head no. “No, there isn’t anything to talk about.” She listened as Chasen heaved a heavy sigh. She looked up to see his slightly annoyed face. “Sorry for waking you guys up.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s morning now anyway.” Hunter gave her a reassuring smile. “I have a meeting in town today. How about coming along and going shopping? Renee and Susanwill join you. You need to get some clothes that are actually made for you.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate it. I didn’t come here to create a problem for you, but it feels like that’s what I’ve done,” Jin said with a small frown.
“No way. You aren’t a problem at all. You gave me an awesome gift that I can’t wait to practice with later today.” Hunter gently nudged her with his shoulder.
She smiled, glancing up at Chasen. She was sure Hunter was the only one who didn’t think she was a problem. This shouldn’t shock or surprise her, though. She was a demon after all. They didn’t have the best reputation. She was guilty by association. A warm, heavy hand landed on top of her head and gently moved from side to side.
“I said you aren’t a problem, so stop overthinking it.” Hunter flashed her his white, brilliant smile. He knew she was hiding things about herself, and he figured the more comfortable she got with them, the more likely she would be to share. If she didn’t want to share, that was fine, too. But he wanted her to feel at home here. He could feel that she was a bit uptight. Chasen and his discerning eyes didn’t help make her feel at home, that was for sure.
“I hate these alpha meetings,” Chasen grumbled, leaning back against the wall.
“Sorry, Chasen. I’d bring you in with me if I could, but only the alpha and beta are allowed in the meeting.” Hunter stood up from the couch, offering his hand to Jin. She slowly accepted, placing her soft, cold hand in his own. It was so tiny. Maybe it was because she was so small, but he felt protective over her. The irony of that was she was there to protect him. He effortlessly pulled her up and swung his arm around her. “Let’s see about getting some breakfast.”
When they entered the lower floor, their band of friends were already seated at the table in the dining area. There was another person there, though, who Jin had not met before. The woman bounded over to them and grinned.
“You must be Jin. I’m Kristen, Hunter’s aunt. Here. I brought you some of my clothes, and these are some of Susan’s and Renee’s. Try them on and wear what fits the best.” Kristen beamed at the girl, then tugged her away from Hunter. “Come on, now. You don’t want to be stuck wearing Hunter’s clothes any longer, I’m sure. It’s hard to wash all that male wolf scent out.” Kristen giggled. She ushered Jin into the bathroom. “I’ll be right out here.” Kristen stepped out, shutting the door behind her.
Jin smiled and stared down at the clothes in her hands. Now that was a bubbly personality. She liked it. She was so warm and never once made her feel like an outsider. Maybe, just maybe … she could finally feel like part of a family here.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Hunter sipped his coffee and looked up at his pack. “Sam and I will be gone for the day. Winston, Adam … I’m counting on you to handle things here. I want the younger wolves doing a double training session today. Garrett and Caden are going to do a patrol together and double check our borders. They’re helping out in my absence. Caspian offered to help with the training today as well. Let’s keep this pack running smoothly.”
“How do you think the meeting will go? This is about the packs uniting against the demons, right?” Winston asked.
“It has to go in the direction we need. The packs must unite. We don’t know how much time is left.” Hunter frowned slightly. This part was all on him. He had to convince the packs. No, he had to convince the alphas.
A deep, red power swelled inside him at that moment, but it vanished just as quickly.What was that?He shook it off and looked up at the two women approaching.
“Doesn’t she look so much better now?” Kristen bounced around Jin.
“Does it fit okay, Jin?” Hunter smiled and stood up, walking over to her.
“Yes. I appreciate you letting me borrow your clothes.” Jin looked at Kristen who waved her off.
