The Alpha’s Mate Who Cried Wolf
Chapter 14
Chapter 14
I discard my heels and run in my tights as fast as possible.
“Get her boys!’ Zenith yells. John and James shift and chase me in their wolf forms. I run through the trees and slip, rolling down a rocky hill.
My hair is messy, with leaves and twigs sticking out at many angles. I continue to run.
“Ryker!’ I scream at the top of my lungs. Someone hazardously throws me down. I kick and punch them as hard as I can. A hand covers my mouth. The weight of a body holds me down. He is completely naked now, in his human form.
‘Shh… shh, James whispers, stroking my face. I can’t free myself. My movements are futile.
‘Stop trying to fight me, he whispers. Tears roll down my cheeks.
‘Consummating the pairing already?’ John laughs.
‘Fuck off, John, he says to his brother.
‘Why did you scream out for Ryker?’ James asks. He slowly removes his hand, and I spit in his face. John laughs.
‘You better put her in her place before Dad does, James! You
know he won’t tolerate her treating you like that, John warns. James looks at me and wipes the spit from his face with his free hand.
‘Look, if you’re going to be soft about it, I’ll put her in her place for you, James says.
‘Tell me, Astrid. Why did you call out for Ryker?’ He asks. I . want to spit in his face again, but he covers my mouth with his hand before I can.
‘Astrid, I don’t want to hurt you, but you will leave me no choice if you don’t answer me,’ he snaps.
He removes his hand from my mouth. I look away. He holds my jaw in one hand, forcing me to look at him.
‘Alpha Ryker is my mate! And I’m the Luna of Shadow Crest! | suggest you take your hands off me before Ryker finds out where I am and rips you apart, limb by limb!’ I threaten. James growls in anger.
‘You’re my mate! Not his!’ He says. ‘Why didn’t the Moon Goddess bless me with a mate like you? Why did she bless Alpha Ryker with you?’ He asks, frustrated.
“Maybe because she doesn’t like you!’ I say, kneeing him in the crotch. He falls back in pain. I quickly wiggle myself from
under him and start running again.
‘Save the feistiness for the bedroom!’ James yells while John chases me in his wolf form. My foot catches on something, and I fall face-first into the ground. I try to get up, but John presses his foot into my back, keeping me down. He sits on me and moves my hair away from the back of my neck to inhale my scent. He emits a lustful growl.
‘Why should James have all the fun?’ He says, rolling me onto my back and gazing into my eyes.
‘Why are you doing this? You have your mate. You have Amelia!’ I yell.
‘You’re so beautiful. I might need to help myself to a bite, John says. His wolf’s fangs protrude, and his face lingers near my throat.
I scream as he is about to sink his teeth into my neck. His eyes were full of hunger. Then a flash appears out of nowhere. James pulls John off me.
‘Are you fucking crazy?’ He yells at John.
‘Not only did you almost mark my mate, but you would also have killed Amelia for marking another she-wolf!’ James yells.
I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. Don’t tell Amelia, John begs.
‘I will not tell her anything. It’s Astrid you need to worry about with Amelia.’
I let them discuss their issues and run again. They shift, catch me again, and James knocks me down. He holds my arms behind my back in human form.
‘Enough, Astrid!’ He snaps, lifting me with my arms still restrained so I can’t hit him. He holds me closer to his naked chest and carries me back to the packhouse.
‘About bloody time! Bring her downstairs!’ Zenith growls, walking down the staircase.
‘To the cells?’ James questions.
‘Do you expect her to stay in her room obediently?’ He asks.
‘No, but,’ he says.
‘She’ll keep in the cell until you have marked her. Then, she won’t be able to escape.’ John and James follow Zenith downstairs to the basement. It’s dark and eerie, and I can hear water trickling in the walls or the drainpipes and the squeaking sounds of mice. Our exhalations are misty in the coldness. I’m shivering. James pulls me closer to keep me warm.
Zenith unlocks a cell door. James walks in and places me on a stone bench. Chains with silver cuffs adorn the walls, and I’m thankful James doesn’t cuff me.
He kisses me on the forehead instead, making me shudder.
‘It’ll be okay, Astrid. We have some things to sort out. The sooner you let me mark you, the sooner we can get you out of
this cell,’ he says, cradling my face in his hands. I jerk my head out of his grasp.
James leaves and stands beside John. Zenith comes into the cell and strikes me aggressively across the face.
‘Try to run away again, and that split lip of yours will be the least of your worries!’ He snaps. He slams the loud, creaking metal door closed, and the sound reverberates around the basement. He locks the door with a key.