Filed to story: My Kidnapper Is the Wolf King
It is highly inappropriate for us to be this close, for him to be this familiar with me. Every time the thought occurs to me and I stiffen, trying to put some space between us, he nudges me back again. After a while, whether it’s the lull of his warmth, or the ache in my bones, or the fact I am distracted by the surrounding terrain-I stop bothering.
I find myself thinking about my memory of the southern countryside once more. The scenery back then, which filled me with such awe at the time, was so. . .
soft compared to what we pass as we ride deeper into the Northlands.
The grass I played in with my mother was trimmed, the sunlight was warm and kind, and the hills were curved and gentle. Even the lake, which seemed to me like it stretched on forever, was blue and soft and still.
Here, the landscape is alive.
It is rugged, and harsh, and dangerous. The mountains jut out of the earth in stiff, jagged peaks, and the grass on the sides of the rocky road is so long it tickles my feet. Above, the sky is filled with rolling grey clouds that cast shadows on the land as the wind howls. Even the air has a harsh bite to it.
There is nothing gentle here.
Before long, it seems, the sun is setting again-and I remember my mother’s lady-in-waiting telling me stories about how the gods and goddesses of the night staked their claim on the Northlands before they went to rest, making the days shorter and the nights longer so the creatures that revered them had more time for worship.
A shiver ripples through me as the shadows lengthen.
The alpha’s arm momentarily tightens around my waist as if he senses it.
Soon, the sky is a dusky blue, and we’re stopping at the edge of a great loch surrounded by mountains. The water is so black it looks bottomless, and it churns in the wind.
“A word,” calls Fergus, gesturing to a copse of evergreens by the shore as he gets off his horse.
The alpha sighs, his breath tickling my cheek. “Aye. In a minute.”
He dismounts the horse, and the coldness wraps around me in his absence.
“Need a hand, Princess?”
I don’t answer him as I glance down at the earth. I’m aching, and I’m not wearing shoes. I do not want to seem weak, though. I take a deep breath, then shift my leg over the beast. Before I can jump off, the alpha grabs me by the waist and lifts me down.
When my feet touch the ground, my legs crumple and the alpha hooks an arm around my front and pulls me into him.
Damn it.
“Steady, Princess,” he says. “I suppose you’re not used to riding. Never mind. I’ve got you.”
He scoops me up into his arms while the other men dismount around us.
“What are you doing?” I snap.
Those nearest to us avert their eyes, some grabbing flasks from their packs to fill at the loch, others gathering branches to make a fire on the bank.
“Stop manhandling me! I’m quite capable of walking by myself.”
“Aye. I’m sure you are. But as I’m already carrying you, I may as well put you down by this nice tree over here.”
He gently places me by a tall evergreen away from the group, where the sweet scent of pine is thick in the air. The earth is hard and cold. When he stands and whistles at Ryan, I pull my knees to my chest beneath the fur cloak.
The alpha crouches in front of me, and a wave of his heat washes over me once more. The warmth must be a wolf thing, because he is only wearing a damp shirt over his kilt.
“Back in the castle, I told you that if you ran, I wouldn’t chase you. I need you to know that is no longer the case.” In the dusk, his eyes are the color of the deepest part of the forest. “If you run, I will catch you. We’re not in the south any longer. Understood?”
We’re in the middle of nowhere. I have no idea where I am. Where does he think I would run to?
I give him a look. “I’m not a fool.”
“No. I’m sure you’re not.” He glances at my hair, which must look like a tangled mess right now. “You do have fire in your soul, though. So be good, okay? I’ll be back in a moment.”
He stands before I can retort, and whistles again. Ryan walks over, tailed by the girl he rescued from the castle.
“Get the princess some food and water. And keep an eye on her. This is important, so no pissing about.”
Ryan lifts his chin, chest puffing out slightly as he solemnly nods. “Aye. I will take care of her.”
The alpha glances at me, the corner of his lip slightly lifting, before he stalks across the camp to Fergus.
Ryan hurries to his horse, gathering supplies from his pack, while the girl merely stares at me warily. I avert my gaze from the brand on her neck.
“Hello,” I say. “I’m Aurora.”
“I know who you are.”
Hostility radiates from her. I understand why. I am betrothed to the monster who must have captured her.
Even though our people are at war, I do not want her to think me a monster too.
“What is your name?” I ask.
“That’s none of your concern.”
Something hardens inside me. I was trying to be nice.
Before I can respond, Ryan is back, passing me a stale loaf of bread and a leather flask filled with water. All I can think about is easing the gnawing ache of hunger that’s been building in my stomach all day.
“Thank you,” I say, gulping down the ice-cold water.
I stare at the bread for a moment before deciding there is no ladylike way to eat it. I tear into it, washing it down with another swig from the flask.
When I’m done, the girl is still eyeing me warily. Ryan, however, seems relaxed beside her.
“How is your arm?” I ask him.
Slowly and stiffly, he stretches it out-clenching his fist a couple of times. “It’ll be alright. I’ll be fighting again in no time.” Even in the growing darkness, I see the flush in his cheeks. “I. . . er. . . Thank you for what you did for me.”
“You don’t need to thank me. I’m sorry you were in that position.”
When his female friend whispers something in his ear and tugs on his good arm, he nods, then glances at me. “We’ll be over here if you need anything.”
They go and sit a few feet away.
“She’s alright, Becky,” I hear him murmur to her. “She’s not like the others.”
The men sit around the fire, drinking an amber liquid that I think is alcohol. They’re far enough away that I can’t hear their conversation. Though I can see the looks they throw at me every now and again, some hostile, others curious, others predatory.
By the water, the conversation between the alpha and Fergus seems heated. Fergus gestures wildly, and the alpha’s face is like stone. When the red-haired man points at me, I avert my gaze.
I am clearly unwelcome here.
I do not know how long I sit here, the conversation and laughter becoming more raucous around the fire. The alpha has stepped into the trees with Fergus, and Ryan and Becky are now deep in conversation.
Every part of me aches, yet I am alert as a rabbit surrounded by Wolves.
I feel horribly alone.
When I accidentally catch Magnus’s eyes, a slow grin spreads across his face and he says something to the ratlike man who sits beside him. I quickly look away, pulling my knees closer to my chest.