He moves back toward the bed, and I’m able to breathe again. I suck in as much air as I can without looking like a freak.
“I thought you were a well-known hunter?” I hear the bed creak as he sits.
I reach for the wall to steady myself, “Why do you ask, if you already know?” I turn back to face him and to gather any information that I can from his voice and the way his body responded to what he was saying.
“I'm polite?” He waves his hand in front of him in a courtesy.
“I was a hunter. And you’re lucky they have me drugged.” I have to clamp my jaw tight to deter me from what I really want to say to him. My mouth always gets me in trouble. Usually, I didn’t have to worry about not carrying out my threats.
He shows no reaction, then laughs out loud, as if I had told him the funniest joke.
I remain calm, as he continues to laugh in hysterics. Leaning over as he held onto his stomach. If only I weren’t drugged...
“Oh, I know all about you and that house you belong to.” He stands up and lunges toward me, backing me up against the wall, as the chain threatens to pull my ankle out of place. I look him straight in the eye, unafraid of what he could do.
“Then you know what I’m capable of. What I’ve done to your kind.” I bait him. He would have killed me before now if he was allowed to. I had the upper hand - if I was correct.
His hand moves from pinning my shoulder to the wall to my neck. His long fingers stretched around from ear to ear. His eyes their darkest he has shown. They share the secret that he was holding back from what he wanted to do. He wanted to kill me then and there to get it over with. He hated me more than he should for a stranger, even for being a hunter.
His eyes suddenly brighten. He removes his hand from my neck and leans toward my ear and whispers. “Are you ready to get out of this house?”
Chapter 2
He shifts back into his wolf form before we leave the room, but not before he shackles my hands and feet with even more rusty chains. I shuffle through the hallway a few feet behind him, avoiding looking into the other cells barred windows on the doors.
They yell profanities to the wolf and try to spit on him as we pass, but he ignores them. That is until someone throws a piece of rolled-up paper at me. The wolf snaps at the man, and he scrapes his claws along his door, threatening to break through it. The attack quiets everyone else, and we continue on.
My anxiety level rises as we get to the end of the hallway. It’s locked, but someone opens the door when they see the wolf. The man gives a respectful nod, which the wolf ignores. I can’t help but wonder how the wolf fits into all of this?
“Ready?” He stops in front of a fancy door. It’s dark stained wood with carvings on every inch of it. I see wolves, lions, and other creatures and symbols that I don’t recognize.
“As I can be,” I mumble, and look up to meet his eyes. I search them for any indication as to what I’m about to step into.
He squeezes his lips together as if in deep thought. I wait for him to say something, but the door opens before he can.
“You’ve brought her?” A male human glances over my body, with an eye roll. He nods for the wolf to enter, then steps as far away from me as he can when I follow.
“Don’t run your mouth off.” The wolf turns back to me and pulls me in close, so only I could hear.
“So this is her.” A large man swings around in his comfortable leather chair. He’s got to be the tallest man I have ever seen, just from his sitting position. His hair is long and braided, and the sides of his head are shaved, just like the wolves. He’s wearing a white fur over his shoulders, and I can tell its wolf. Did this guy just binge-watch Vikings?
The wolf push me forward as he steps off to the side of the room. I take a few paces closer to the Viking. Out of the corner of my eye, I can still see the wolf which puts me at ease.
“Yes.” The wolf replies, as he bows.
The Viking stands up, he’s a good seven feet tall. He approaches me, with his hand out, as if we were long lost cousins or something. I’d have preferred him to be angry or ill toward me. I could deal with that.
“I’m pleased to meet with you.” He said, with a smile on his face. Like some used car salesman.
“Surprising, given all the time I’ve been locked up.” I ignore his offering and plant both feet shoulder width apart. My back stiffens and my eyes search for any escape.
I could see the wolf shift on the sidelines. I hadn’t taken his advice.
“Understandable. We needed a cooling down period...”
“You mean a drugging period?” I cut him off and held back the hiss that was brewing in the pit of my stomach.
“You’re upset.” He pauses, then points to a comfortable chair for me to sit in. “Please, hear me out.”
After an awkward moment, I take the seat, feeling the wolfs gaze practically burning into my skin. I had a feeling this peaceful meeting would soon change if I didn’t play along. I sometimes did what was best for me.
“You must have questions, as to why we have brought you here.” The Viking took his seat and opens his desk. He pulls out two crystal glasses and pours alcohol in each of them. He pushes one glass forward to me.
“It’s from 1667. My favorite
