Chapter 3

Laura

I'm awkwardly sitting in the backseat of the black SUV, pressed between two huge musclemen. They are both werewolves. Fighting them wouldn't serve a purpose—I would lose any day of the week. 

It's also hard to accept this, but what is happening now might not be the end of the world. I won't be freezing inside my car tonight, and if Caleb is a billionaire, I won't be starving. 

Unless he intends to lock me up or something?

Shit, I didn't think of that until now!

What if Caleb has wicked plans for me, like tying me up with rope inside a sex chamber or something?

Not that I'm super sexy or anything. Caleb probably has plenty of options of beautiful girls better looking than me, but what if my best friend has turned into a sadist? And I'm the victim he wants!

Chills crawl over my skin.

I'm not ready to be handed golden showers or be hanged on a wall or something else twisted!

"So, is the journey long?" I awkwardly ask. 

One of the werewolves shifts in his seat, and my pulse ticks against my neck in a wild panic. 

I might be curvy, but I'm short, and these two werewolves are not. They are enormous enough to intimidate me. 

I feel like a freaking doll next to them. 

"It will be a couple of hours before we arrive."

I grimace. "Great."

One of the men glances down at me. I can't see his eyes since he is wearing black shades. "Alpha Caleb will be very pleased to see you again, Miss Edgard. We have been informed about you, and if I'm not mistaken, you will be married to the alpha within a week."

Wait, run back the tape—did he say married?

I stare at him. "W-what do you mean married? I'm not getting married to Caleb. You got it wrong. He is my childhood friend, and there wasn't any mention of a wedding when we spoke on the phone!"

Not Caleb mentioned his plan of kidnapping me either...

Either way, I demand answers.

The two men exchange a glance and then look back at me. A heavy sigh leaves the lips of the one who spoke. He is bald and looks like Mr. Bubbles from Disney's Lily & Stitch. 

"I take it our alpha has yet to inform you of what will happen once you arrive at his mansion. I must apologize for that, Miss Edgard," the man reaches out his hand. "I'm Caleb's beta, Marcus."

We shake hands.

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

I don't mean my words.

There is an unsettling feeling in my stomach. It's telling me Marcus is keeping information away from me. Yet I manage a polite smile—I'm not stupid enough to challenge the mountain man.

Marcus retrieves his hand and brushes it against his dark pants to get rid of the hand sweat that coated my palm.

"Likewise, Miss Edgard. I'm actually looking forward to having you at the mansion. Hopefully, you will even join the Rivermoon pack, seeing you're a rogue werewolf right now."

I blink in surprise. 

What the heck?

I'm not strong or memorable: there is no reason for a pack to want to recruit me. Yet Marcus is smiling. It gives birth to a suspicion that latches on to the words coming out of my mouth.

"Why would you want me to join your pack?" My tone is skeptical, not to mention distrustful. "I'm a nobody."

Marcus doesn't wince at my narrowed eyes. He keeps his calm and politely answers my question.

"As I said, Caleb has spoken a lot about you, and everything has been to compliment you. Maybe you're exactly what our pack needs? Or alpha strongly believes you might be able to change things in our pack, or else you wouldn't be sitting in this car."

"And what do your pack need? If I may ask. I've heard the Rivermoon pack is one of the strongest ones."

"Yes, but..." Marcus hesitates but eventually sighs in defeat. He doesn't seem good at keeping secrets. "It's not my business to tell you this, but there is a curse burdening the Rivermoon pack. I'm hoping you're the one that could break it."

A Curse?

What is this: a Disney movie?

Again, I'm caught staring at Marcus. But I blame him for saying stuff that doesn't make sense to me. I've also been given too much information to process right now—the shock from hearing about the marriage was enough to fry my last brain cell.

"Curse? What do you mean?"

Marcus smiles mysteriously. "The rest you have to figure out yourself, Miss Edgard. Just remember that there is a reason for everything happening inside the mansion. The Rivermoon pack is special."

A shudder crawls down my spine at his words, and my discomfort settles like lead in my stomach.

How do I go from a runaway bride to being kidnapped by my childhood friend in one day?

And now Caleb's pack is cursed?

I must also be half-crazy because I'm curious about Caleb. What does he look like today? I bet he is handsome. Probably tall, too. He was already a giant before he moved away from Werewolf Valley.

Muscular.

Beautiful.

Hot.

Not to mention kind and funny when we used to hang out. It's why I fell in love with Caleb in the past, and he was a gentleman on the phone, too—until he decided to kidnap me.

Now I'm not sure what I think of Caleb. I can't hate him, but seriously? The guy kidnapped me, for fuck's sake!

What is he thinking???

"Uh..." I wet my lips. "Is there a chance for me to speak to Caleb, or do I have to wait until we arrive?"

"I'm sure you're nervous," Marcus says. "But tonight is a full moon, so Caleb will be... Busy."

"Oh..." I'm unsure why I'm saying "oh" as if I understand because I have no clue what Caleb could be busy with. Rituals? Sacrifices? The possibilities are endless. "Can I speak to him tomorrow then?"

"Maybe," Marcus sighs. "Our alpha rarely sees people in person unless the business is crucial. He keeps himself locked up in his office. But perhaps he might answer a phone call?"

I snort. "Wait, are you saying I will be taken to the same mansion where Caleb is living, and he won't even see me?"

"Possibly." Marcus picks up his phone. It must be his sign to inform me he doesn't want me to keep talking to him. 

He scrolls on it, and I try not to feel too awkward about being pressed between two giants. What the heck has my life turned into?

I'm getting married to Caleb?

And what is this about him locking himself inside his office, perhaps unwilling to speak to me in person?