One thing I hate about Soren and his black wolves is that I can’t sense them anywhere. I have no clue how many are in the house or surrounding it. I step into the bedroom and look around with the towel wrapped around my body. My clothes are tattered and smell horrendously like wolfsbane. The last thing I want to do is put them on.
I walk over to what I assume is the closet door and open it up. Inside is a bunch of new clothes, all in my size. It’s obvious Soren had this planned for a long time. How could I not see that his heart is as black as sin?
Searching through the closet, I pick out a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved, plaid flannel shirt. Voices catch my attention outside, so I quickly button my shirt and sneak over to the window. Carefully, I slide the curtain over just a peek and peer down at the men congregating outside. There are five of them. Saul isn’t one of them, which makes me believe he’s in his cabin alone with Dany.
The revving of an engine roars down the road, and a few seconds later, a sleek, silver sports car pulls up into the driveway. A dark-haired beauty steps out of the driver’s side, and then the breath whooshes out of my lungs when I see who gets out the other side. Stark. Grinning from ear to ear, he shakes hands with the other wolves as if they’ve known each other their entire lives.
Stark glances up at the window and sees me. Glaring at him, I flip him off before storming away. How could he betray Dany and me like that? Dany’s in another cabin with a man who could be doing fuck knows what to her. Gritting my teeth, I march downstairs, and there’s a man standing guard at the front door. He looks at me, but I turn away and ignore him. The kitchen is off to the left, so I disappear inside, thankful that no one else is in there.
My stomach growls the moment I see the fruit basket on the counter that’s filled with apples. I snag one and bite into it, hoping it eases the sharp pain in my belly. I figured one of Soren’s men would inspect what I was doing, but no one came. So as quietly as I can, I rummage through the drawers until I find a knife big enough to do some damage. I hide it under my shirt and grab another apple before heading upstairs.
A tumble over a cliff might not have killed Soren but cutting out his heart would. Once I’m in the bedroom with the door closed, I sit by the window. Stark is gone, and so are all the other wolves. I have no doubt they’re skulking somewhere close by. Knowing Soren, he’s probably testing me to see if I try to run. It’s a good thing I have him blocked from my mind.
I peer over at Saul’s cabin, taking a bite of my apple. As soon as I kill Soren, I’m going over there to rescue Dany. Who knows? She’s most likely conjuring up her own plan to come over here and save me. I just hope and pray the Great Luna doesn’t let anything happen to her.
***
A couple of hours have passed, and I’m almost sure that Soren is trying to test me. There’s no way in hell he’d leave me alone this long. However, the same guy from earlier was standing guard by the front door on my way to the kitchen. He kept his eyes on me until I disappeared into the kitchen. The way he looked at me made me feel like spiders were crawling all over my skin—very creepy and uncomfortable.
Once away from prying eyes, I open the pantry door. It’s filled with all sorts of canned food and snacks, but my focus locks on two things: peanut butter and a loaf of bread. Knowing I need energy for my escape plan, I grab both. The knife I stole from my first visit to the kitchen is hidden in the room. It’s sharp and ready to be used.
Holding the food in my arms, I march out of the kitchen and to the stairs. I didn’t realize how tired my body was until I had to walk up to the second level of the house. My muscles ache, and my eyelids take all my effort to keep them open. I may be exhausted, but nothing’s going to stop me from fighting.
When I get to the bedroom, I shut the door and toss the bread and peanut butter onto the bed. My stomach grumbles from being empty for way too long. I open the jar of peanut butter and grab a slice of bread, dipping it into the creamy goodness. By the time it’s all said and done, I had consumed half the loaf and over half of the peanut butter.
For the next few minutes, I listen to the sounds all around me. The only things I can hear are the water dripping from the shower faucet and the hoot of an owl outside. I don’t like how eerily quiet it is. However, the second I hear the front door open and slam shut, I take it all back. I’d rather have the silence, especially when the footsteps pound up the stairs toward my room. My heart races, and not in a good way.
Keeping my mind blocked, I grab the knife out of the bedside nightstand and tuck it away under my shirt at my waist. The footsteps draw closer, and I hold my breath. Soren’s power blasts through the house, almost as if he wants to taunt me by saying he’s coming for me. But, little does he know, I’m waiting for him. I want him to come so I can end this once and for all.
The bedroom door opens, and Soren walks in, shutting the door behind him. His eyes gleam slyly when he looks at me. “I’m shocked. I thought for sure you’d try to run.”
I shoot him a glare. “I gave you my word. Not gonna lie, it’s been a little boring being cooped up in this room.”
Soren nods at the door. “You didn’t have to stay in here.” But then a grin spreads across his face when he sees the half-eaten loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter on the dresser. “Ah, I should’ve knowns that’s what you’d go for.”
“Yeah, because you know me so well,” I snap.
Soren’s gaze roams over my body as he stalks closer. “I know more than you think, sunshine. We’ve been lovers for the past four months.”
Clenching my jaw, I turn away from his heat-filled stare. “It was all a lie.”
He grabs the hem of my flannel shirt and pulls me closer. “Not all of it was lies.” Soren waits for me to respond, but I keep my head turned. “I see you found your new clothes.” Taking my chin in his firm grasp, he forces me to look at him. I stand my ground, pinning him with my lethal glare. Soren’s eyes glow with need. “You are so damn feisty; it’s sexy as fucking hell. I should’ve told you what I was a long time ago.”
“You wouldn’t be standing here if you did,” I warn. It’s now or never; I’m ready to end him.
Chuckling, Soren slides a hand behind my neck, locking me in place. “I’ve been dying to taste you all day.” His mouth locks onto mine, and he forces his tongue between my lips. Then, like a ravenous beast, he holds me to him, crushing me. I reach behind my back for the knife, and before he can push me over to the bed, his phone rings. The guttural growl that rumbles from his chest when he steps back makes my blood run cold. His eyes glow menacingly as he pulls his phone out of his pocket.
“This better be good,” he hisses.
Relief washes through me, but I know it’ll be short-lived. As soon as Soren gets off the phone, he’ll be focused back on me. I know what he wants, and I know he’s stronger than me. Will I be able to fight him off? What’s going to happen if I try to kill him and fail? What will my fate be then?
Soren turns his back and huffs angrily as the other voice comes over the line. “There’s a rogue about a mile away from here.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Soren grumbles. “Kill him.”
“Uh, that’s the thing. It’s not a him; it’s a female.”
Soren turns his curious eyes my way. “Interesting. I’ll be right out.” He hangs up and grabs my neck again, nipping my lip. Luckily, he didn’t draw blood. “This won’t take long.”
The moment he leaves, I collapse onto the bed, wondering what I’m going to do now. The adrenaline that coursed through my veins a second ago has subsided, and all that’s left is uncertainty. I don’t feel prepared.
All I want is to make sure Dany’s safe. If I can just hear her voice to know that she is.
Grabbing one of the pillows, I hold it close to my chest and blow out a sigh. Think, Raelynn. I know what’s going to happen the second Soren walks back into the room. He will want what I refuse to give him.
The front door opens downstairs, and my stomach turns in on itself. Quickly, I jump off the bed and move as far away from it as I can, my heart pounding so loud it’s all I can hear in my ears. When the footsteps stop just outside of the door, it’s as if time stands still. The doorknob twists so slow it’s almost like Soren wants to taunt me, to throw the inevitable in my face. That one way or another, he will have me.
The bedroom door extends, and the muscles in my jaw tense. I can’t look at him. Soren steps into the room, and I gasp as my body tingles and ignites like a flame is rushing through my veins. Soren is not my mate. I shouldn’t be having these feelings, and I hate myself for it.
“I want to talk to Dany,” I say, my voice clipped. “Please let me call her so I know she’s okay.”
Soren doesn’t speak; he only moves closer, which unnerves me more. With his body so near to mine, my eyes move of their own accord and meet his. The second my gaze locks on his, I’m mesmerized—his eye color shifts from dark blue to bright, back and forth like a movie reel. My knees become faint, and I get lost in his gaze, hypnotized even.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his tone smooth like honey.
“I … I don’t know if I am.” I feel strange, as if I’m in a dream. Shaking my head, I try to clear my thoughts, but nothing works. It’s all a trick. Soren must be using dark magic to make me feel things for him, but it’s not going to work.
Soren pulls me into his arms, and I reach behind my back for the knife, the movement as fast as lightning. I aim for his neck, but he grabs my wrist and tosses the blade onto the floor. Chest heaving up and down, I can feel the burning lava of bile rise up the back of my throat. I failed, and I’m going to pay the price.
Soren peers down at the knife on the floor and then into my eyes. “It’s me, Raelynn. Micah. Your mate.”
Anger igniting in my gut, I push against his chest. “You are such a fucking asshole. I know you’re using your dark magic to mess with me.”
Soren squeezes my hands tight but not painful like he’d done earlier. There is a softness to his gaze, but I refuse to fall for Soren’s tricks. “Raelynn, please,” he begs, releasing my hands and cupping my cheeks. A warm feeling travels through my body, and it takes all the energy I have to keep from leaning into him. “It’s me. I’m under a glamour spell. It’s the only way I could sneak in to get you. I wanted to tell you through the bond, but you’re closed off like Fort Knox.” He steps closer. “Open up to me, and you’ll see that I’m who I say I am.”
In my heart, I can feel Micah all around me, but I’m so afraid it’s a sadistic test. I want it to be him more than anything. But, unfortunately, the chance of it being true is slim. There’s no way Micah and the Royal pack could’ve tracked the black wolves so quickly.
With his hands still on my face, I look into Soren’s dark blue eyes, but they keep shifting to Micah’s icy blue. “Tell me something only Micah would know,” I breathe, keeping my guard up.
He slides his arms around me, and I close my eyes. I don’t want to see Soren’s face.
“I took you to California to my cottage,” he begins.
My heart thunders in my chest, but Soren could’ve easily found that out somehow. “Not good enough,” I counter.
“Being there with you was one of the best weeks of my life. We took a walk down to the river, and it’s where you told me you were ready to be my mate on the next full moon.”
Should I believe him? I want to. I can feel my body giving in to him. “What else happened there?” I ask, whispering the words.
His fingers brush my cheeks, but I can’t bring myself to open my eyes. “You envisioned something in your mind. It was of you and me … and our three kids.”
My heart stops, and I lean into his hand on my cheek.
“You told me you wanted roots, a family. I’m more than ready to give that to you.”
Tears burn my eyes, and the wall breaks inside of me. It comes crashing down with a vengeance, leaving only one person on the other side. Micah. I can feel him in my soul. He shows me clips of him and the other royals traveling to Colorado and a witch turning him into Soren. My eyes flash open, and I jump into his arms. Even though he still looks like Soren, I know it’s Micah underneath the façade.
“It is you,” I cry, holding him tight.
His gentle hands run down my back. “As soon as we’re out of here, I’ll look like me again.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank the Great Luna for that.” Taking my hand, he pulls me to the door, but I squeeze his hand, making him stop. He turns to me, and it’s still daunting to see him staring at me through Soren’s eyes. “Stark turned on us,” I say, my voice low. “He gave in to the black wolves.”
His jaw clenches. “That’s not good.”
“No, it’s not,” I agree, feeling the betrayal like a knife to my chest. “And Dany’s in one of the other cabins with a black wolf who forced her to drink his blood. We have to save her.”
Micah nods. “We will. I just want to get you out of here.”
“What about the wolf guarding the front door. How will we get around him without drawing suspicion?”
He glances back at me and lifts his brows just like Micah always does when he can’t believe anyone would question him. “Seriously, love? I ripped off his head before he knew I was there.”
Hearing him call me love makes me smile. “We need to get to that witch fast so she can switch you back. I’m ready to hear you call me that in your own voice.”
Micah scoffs. “Believe me, I want that, too.”
We make it downstairs, and I freeze when the front door opens. With our luck, it’ll be the real Soren, but that’s not who ends up staring back at us. It’s Stark. He eyes us both, and I don’t even pretend to hide my disdain for him; I want to punch the traitorous shit out of him.
“I need to talk to Soren,” he demands impatiently. “Why don’t you go outside.” It was more of a command than a question.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I snap.
Stark’s eyes flash with anger. “Fine.”
Grabbing my arm, he pushes me out of the way so fast it takes me a minute to realize what just happened. Stark lunges for Micah, only he doesn’t see Micah; he sees Soren. Micah grabs his throat, and I wrap my arms around Stark’s waist, holding him back as best I can.
“I’m not going to let you have her,” Stark seethes, his voice murderous. “Rae, you need to run! This is your chance!”
Micah struggles to contain Stark, but our eyes meet for a split second over the chaos. It’s still strange looking at Soren’s face and knowing it’s Micah underneath. “Move back,” Micah warns me through our bond. I step back quickly, and Micah throws Stark across the room, making him smash into the wall.
“What the hell are you doing?” I shout, storming over to Stark. “You’re the one who turned on Dany and me.”
Stark’s eyes glow. “Never. I did what I had to do to save you.” The muscles in his body tense, and I know he’s about to lunge again for Micah.
“I don’t need saving,” I huff. “This is Micah.” I fling my hand at Soren’s body. “Now get a hold of yourself so we can get out of here and find Dany.”
Stark glares at what he believes is Soren. “How is this possible?”
Micah holds up his hands. “Long story and one I’ll have to explain later.”
Stark grabs my hands, his eyes frantically searching mine. “Before we go, you have to know it was all a ruse. I would never betray you or my sister. I played along to make them believe.”
I squeeze his hands a little harder than necessary to get my point across. “Good to know. I’ll be sure to slap you for it later.”
He groans. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”