Amy
My body aches everywhere and my eyelids are heavy. I can’t even open them and bring myself to see anything. I can hear footsteps, probably people are walking past me or … with me? Wait a minute? Where am? A sound of a car door closing comes from behind me. Was I in a car? Driving with who?
A faint memory of a huge bald man pushing his way into my apartment appears in my mind and immediately open my eyes. The first thing I see is a bushy stubble beard and a long dirty blond hair. Who is this man? Arms are wrapped around my body, like I am being carried.
Get off me! I want to scream but I can’t bring my mouth to open. I can’t lift my hands to push him away and neither can I kick my legs. I feel numb. What happened to me?
Green evil eyes meet mine.
“She is awake,” he announces, and I look around to see who he could be talking to.
“She is?” a stronger voice that I recognize sounds from behind him. I look behind and see the bald hulk walking towards me from the truck I think they drove me in.
“I see,” he says taking a look at me.
“She seems a bit confused,” the one carrying me says. I am not confused. I know what is going on here. I have been kidnapped for a reason I have no idea why! I want to shout at them but my body still won’t respond.
“She has to be, but she will be fine in a few minutes,” the bald hulk says.
They start walking towards a house. I thought Jace’s house was a mansion but this is a castle! The castle is built with old stones of varying shapes and sizes and the flowery vines growing up the walls makes it look like it has been drawn out of a fairy tale. Whoa! Is this real?
There is a short man standing at the entrance of the building wearing like … a butler? Is this some fancy hotel or something.
“We have brought the girl,” the bald guy tells him.
“Master has been expecting you. He is in the great hall waiting for you,” the butler says and gives the two men a secret smile. I can’t figure out what the hell this means. Who the hell is the so called master and why on earth is he excepting me? Is he the one who ordered for my kidnap? Does he have a grudge against me? What did I ever do to him?
The inside of the house is decorated with fancy painting and sculptures. The Mable floor and high ceiling gives the feeling of royalty to the place and I am sure as hell that the so called master is no jocking subject.
The great hall is a very spacious room with posh chairs and and expensive decorations I can’t describe in my own layman’s language. How could this place be so hidden and unknown to the town? I should have heard of it somewhere. People would pay a fortune to have a tour in this amazing place.
“I see you have brought her,” a firm voice of a man comes from the corner of the room. A tall broad shouldered man standing near a large window turns to look at us. He walks towards us, and the way he looks holds an aura of authority that makes me shudder.
“Put her down,” he commands and the guy holding me slowly puts me down so that I sit on the floor. He cocks his head to one side and studies my face. I look him in the eyes and there is no doubt that this man is very handsome with a well outlined jaw and blond hair that is organised on this head making his appearance more intimidating. Despite his good looks, he is no level near Jace’s captivating look.
“I see Jace hasn’t lost his sight. His senses must be well intact for him to have found himself such a beautiful mate,” he says with a smirk.
How is Jace connected to this? What did he just call me? Jace’s mate? My face frowns in confusion and he chuckles.
“You must be confused, pretty one,” he says bending a bit so that he can have a clear look at my face. He reaches out his hand so that he can touch my cheek but I doge it.
“Don’t you dare touch me!” I say in a strong voice through clenched teeth. I am briefly glad that I have finally found my voice again. It has only been minutes since I have seen this guy and there is no doubt that I already hate him.
“I see, but Jace doesn’t seem to have marked you at all,” he says withdrawing his hand. “Which makes anyone can have you.”
“I am not property that anyone can own?” I say on a lower tone than I feel like bursting with. He gives me a short cynical laugh and stands upright.
“Calm down human girl. Have some respect because this is not any place that you have any right to bark,” he says with a calm but deadly serious tone.
“Who are you? What do want from me? I see you are wealthy enough so there is nothing on my account that will be enough for you,” I have many questions but I can’t ask them all at once. I am so confused and angry right now. I need answers.
“I see you are curious. Let us begin on a proper note. I am Dwayne, the Alpha of the Redclaw pack. This is my territory and everything in here belongs to me,” he says with a proud smile.
Alpha? Pack? What on earth is he talking about? I have ever heard of these things ofcourse, but it was just in stories. There can’t be real life werewolves, can they? Is that what he meant by me being Jace’s mate?
“Jace is my archenemy. I have always hated him since he was born,” he adds. He nods at the guys who brought me in and they disperse away from the room. It is so strange that I don’t want them to leave because I really don’t want to be alone with this man. I start fidgting with my legs so that I can stand up.
“Don’t force yourself or you will end hurting yourself,” he tells me.
“What did I ever do to you to deserve this?” I inquire from him.
“Ofcourse nothing,” he replies.
“So why did you kidnap me?” I am trying very hard to shout at him right now. I don’t want to lose control over my nerves because I might do something I might regret.
“I didn’t kidnap you. Practically, Yes but literally, I am just using you as a bait. I don’t want anything from you . I just want Jace to come to me,” he says.
“You should know Jace is not that stupid to fall for your bait.”
“I am wise enough to know that he won’t rest until he finds his mate. Werewolves can’t live without there mates,” he says.
“What nonsense are you talking about?” I surprisingly manage to stand on my feet but my head still hurts.
“What?” he studies my face like I have grown two heads.
“Don’t tell me that… Are you serious? You don’t know Jace is a werewolf?” he says with utter disbelief. Jace is a werewolf? Am I supposed to believe whatever this man says. He said he hated Jace so he is capable of making any lie about him to make him look bad. Saying that he is a werewolf would be the most ridiculous one of them all.
“Oh my. I am sorry I am the one breaking this information to you. Jace is a werewolf and he is a former member of this park. He said his so called family ran away from the pack as an act of treason, but this is where they are supposed to be. Being the rightful Alpha of the Redclaw pack, I have the right to punish them and show them their place,” he says.
Is what he is saying true? Jace is a wolf, and the rest of his family? Sophia, Alexa, Jose? They are all wolves?
“I think Jace had his own reasons for not telling you. Maybe he was planning on telling you later when he found a suitable time, but sorry for him. You already know the truth now,” he says while walking slowly around me. He stops in front of me and gives me an evil smirk.
This is too much information for my mind to handle right now. My head feels fuzzy with all this new information. I start recollecting pieces from my memory.
I was raised by a pack of wolves.
Some wolves are good, some are bad.
You should move in with me. I need to protect you.
So he knew this guy was up to something. He wanted me to move in with him so that he would never get me. Everything starts making sense.
The marking? Was he marking me when he bit me while kissing me and making love to me.
“He must be a very patient mate. I wonder why he hasn’t started breeding you yet,” he keeps tormenting me. Now that explains all the unprotected sex.
Oh, God. This can’t be happening. Jace is a werewolf. Like all that crap I have been reading in fantasy novels is true? This man infront of me is a werewolf? This is all unbelievable! I slowly btake my seat back on the marble floor since my legs are wobbly and trembling.
“Anyway, if he really loves you and needs you like he really claims to, then he will be here to get you in no time. He must be very devoted, you know. The other day he spent the whole night watching over you outside your apartment in his wolf form like a guard. Maybe I would have got you earlier,” he continues.
What is he talking about now? When did Jace sleep outside my apartment? I close my eyes and try to process all this unbelievable information I have just received.
“What are you going to do to him?” I ask him without opening my eyes.
“That will be for me to decide. All you need to know is that there will be no reunion and no happily ever after for the two of you,” he replies in his ice cold tone and I shut my eyes tighter.
“Ron! Dan!” he calls and the two men appear from the corners they had disappeared into.
“Yes, sir,” they all respond at once.
“Lock her up,” he commands. The two men reach for me and lift me off the floor.
“Let go of me! Don’t you dare touch me!” I try to fight and scream but the bald guy carries me in his arms with a stupid annoying smile. I punch him repeatedly in his chest but it feels like I am punching a rock. I give up fighting and float into my thoughts. Tears well in my eyes and my vision blurs.
Oh, Jace. Please come and help me. I offer a silent prayer as I am carried up to the long wound staircase.