Chapter 2

Sienna's POV

I opened my eyes to see them still circling me, teeth bared, froth dripping from their mouths.

Rabies. That looked like rabies.

I was about to be mauled to death by rabid wolves.

One lunged at me, and I kicked it.

“Stay back!” It retreated slightly but kept growling.

Maybe I could do something to stop them. Maybe talk to them. Wolves and dogs are from the same family tree, so they might listen.

“Good wolfy, just stay back for...”

Before I could finish, a wolf lunged again, ripping the hem of my dress.

“Oh, fuck, that did not work,” I cursed, scrambling back. I could only wave my hands to deter them.

They growled, ready to pounce again. I covered my eyes, bracing for their next attack.

A loud thud echoed, followed by a howl and the sound of growls and punches. I couldn’t see what was happening, I was too scared to open my eyes, but it sounded like they were fighting each other.

I slowly peeked through my fingers and was immediately shocked to see a massive gray wolf, far larger than the others surrounding me.

Great. Now their leader’s here. I’m wolf food.

But he wasn’t putting on a show of dominance over who would take the first bite of me. Instead, he was fighting them off. I watched as the rabid wolves began to retreat.

I stood there, frozen in shock.

By the time I gathered my thoughts, all the rogues had run off.

Suddenly, the birthmark on my thigh began to ache, and I fell to my knees, unable to stand from the pain.

This was new. It had never hurt before. Maybe it was from the accident. I probably had a fracture I didn’t know about.

The wolf approached me, its nose inches from my face. It was enormous, larger than me. I didn’t know wolves could be this big. It sniffed my dress, then bared its teeth. Was it going to eat me now?

I closed my eyes, waiting for my fate, but all I heard was the sound of fabric tearing. When the noise stopped, there was silence.

I opened my eyes to see the wolf had stepped back after ripping my dress to expose my thighs.

I felt dizzy. My hands and legs went numb. I forced myself to stay awake. I couldn’t pass out here. I’d be animal food.

The wolf circled me as I pinched myself to stay conscious. It stopped in front of me and began to morph. I stared in horror as the wolf shifted into a humanoid form, then into a fully human man.

“Holy shit…” I blacked out.

---

I woke up in a dimly lit room, lying on a bed. I sat up and looked around.

A chair sat at one end of the room, and someone was sitting in it.

“You’re awake?” the person said, standing up. I was confused, how did he know I was awake? He wasn’t even facing me.

Everything from last night flashed through my mind: the wolves, the massive wolf, the wolf morphing into a human.

That probably wasn’t real. I shook my head. I must’ve hit my head too hard and passed out. Those were just hallucinations.

“Did you hear me?” The man by the fire stood and turned toward the bed.

He took a few long strides and was suddenly standing in front of me, staring down with piercing green eyes and dark, unruly hair. He radiated an air of authority that made me want to obey.

I frowned and clutched the bed covers around me. “Where am I? Who are you?”

He crossed his arms, his gaze intense. “I’m Ronan, Alpha of the Silver Ridge Pack. I did my research, Sienna. Your life seems very normal for a troubled human, but what I can’t understand…” He paused, his eyes flicking to my thigh. “...is how you got that mark.”

I blinked. “What? Troubled human? The audacity.” I scoffed. “I have lots of tattoos. I’m a tattoo artist, genius. You know, the career of a troubled human.”

I’d had people critique my job before, but I’d never cared. I wasn’t about to start now.

He leaned down, growling, and yanked the covers away, exposing my legs.

“Don’t play games with me. I saved your life from those rogues in the woods, and that ” he pointed at my birthmark, “ is what drew them to you. It’s better if you start talking. Now, tell me, and don’t waste my time: why and how did you get that on your leg?”

I instinctively pulled the covers back up. “It’s just a birthmark! I don’t know! It’s been there my whole life. Why does it even matter?” I leaned away from his menacing gaze.

He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t lie to me. That mark isn’t just a birthmark. It’s a symbol, a symbol with a specific purpose. It’s for shifters, and I need to know how you got it.”

Shifters? Was this guy out of his mind?

Sure, there were myths about shifters, but everyone knew they were just drunk nonsense.

Maybe he was just a crazy guy. From the looks of the room, he was rich.

Great. I’d been kidnapped by a rich lunatic.

I needed to placate him to get out of here.

“I promise I’m telling the truth!” I softened my voice, letting it crack. “I don’t know what the mark means. I’ve had it for as long as I can remember.”

Ronan clenched his jaw, and for a moment, he looked like he believed me. But then his gaze hardened again. “If you’re lying and I find out, it’s going to cost you.”

He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him and locking it. I let out a sigh of relief. At least I’d avoided whatever he’d planned.

I clutched the blanket tightly. What the hell was going on? Who was this man? And why had he singled me out?