Chapter 7

    Finished reminiscing, I turn from the window and walk back to my desk. My chair dips slightly under my weight before spinning to face my desk once more. I pick up the packet of papers that Jane left for me and review the day’s schedule printed on the top paper. Not much to do until this evening. I have some proposals to look over, a board meeting to attend, and end my day with a dinner meeting with a potential client. I put the top paper to the side and begin to read through the proposals underneath.

     Time passed quickly and I was soon on my way to my client meeting. We had agreed to meet at a local restaurant for dinner and discuss a joint project. Jane had offered to come with me to the meeting, but I decided to give her the night off. I watch through the window as my driver pulls the car up to the front of the restaurant.

     “We are here, Miss,” he informs me.

     “Thank you, Fred,” I reply. “You may leave once I am inside. Don’t worry about picking me up. I plan to call a taxi home.”

     “Thank you so much, Miss!” Fred exclaims.

     “You know what,” I say, reconsidering. “Take the next two days off as well.”

     “But, Miss, who will drive you?”

     “I can drive myself. You deserve some time off to enjoy with your family.”

     “Thank you so much!” Fred exclaims, once again, as I step out of the car. I wave at him through the window before entering the restaurant. The building is not too fancy. There isn’t a chandelier in the entryway, but the decor is tasteful and the food is good. I walk up to the hosts’ desk.

     “Hello. I have a reservation under the name Arielle Lozerno,” I inform the man standing behind the small desk. He looks up the information on the small tablet computer in front of him before speaking to me.

    “This way, Miss,” he turns to lead me to my room, but I stop him.

    “It’s alright. I know exactly where the room is. Just send the waiter to the room in ten to fifteen minutes.” He nods and I continue in the hallway, admiring the beautiful paintings of flowers, mountains, and rivers. After several turns, I am almost to my room when two men step out of the washroom to the right of me. I instantly notice that they are werewolves and I quickly conceal my scent, but it’s already too late. 

     “Stop right there,” one of the men growls. I spin around to face him. “What are you doing here, Rogue?” the other man asks, spitting out the last word. I sigh.

    “I am here for a meeting which you two are making me late for.”

    “How do we know that you are telling the truth?” the first man inquires.

    “I can show you my ID and you can call my boss, she will vouch for me,” I inform them. They glance at each other before shaking their heads. 

    “That’s for the Alpha to decide. You will be coming with us.” I sigh again in frustration.

    “Can’t you just check and let me go? I don’t have time for this.” The two wolves growl before each grasping one of my arms. 

    “You are coming with us and that is the end of it. Now, act like everything is normal. Don’t cause trouble,” he commands. I roll my eyes but do as he says. The men lead me outside through the nearest side entrance. We crossed through several rows in the parking lot before the men stopped at a black SUV. The man on my right unlocked the car and opened the trunk. I could hear him shuffling through a bag before he shut the trunk and returned to my side holding zip ties. 

     “Hands behind your back,” he commanded. I rolled my eyes but did as he said. The two men worked to zip tie my hands together.

     “Get in,” the one on my left ordered as the one on my right opened the door to the back seat of the vehicle. I awkwardly clambered inside and sat, adjusting my arms to a more comfortable position. The two werewolves climb into the front seats and the one driving starts the car. I have begun regretting my decision to let my guard down more often.  

     Surrounded by humans, I had begun to stop constantly hiding my scent. I didn’t even notice the first time I slipped and stopped concealing. It just kind of happened. Eventually, I only bothered to conceal my scent when I was going to a project meeting where I would not know all of the attendees. I decided this after a long period of consideration. Now I realize that I should have always concealed my scent, whether I was surrounded by humans or not. 

     I stare out the front window and see that the vehicle is entering the woods on the edge of the city. I’m hoping that the men will take me to see their Alpha when we arrive so I can leave quickly. I still need to contact the client I was supposed to meet with. We continue deeper into the woods for a time before I see a large house in the distance. The car passes the house before stopping in front of a single story building. 

     The men exit the car and come to stand beside my door. I scramble out as they open it and stand before them, staring them in the eye. “Where are we going?” I demand.

     “You are going to stay in a cell until the Alpha decides what to do with you,” one of the men informs me. I groan in frustration but allow the men to escort me into what I assume is the dungeon. We walk past row after row of cells with people in them until stopping in front of one. The cell is dirty and smells of excrement. I wrinkle my nose in disgust, hesitating to step inside when directed to. My hesitancy causes one of the men to push me inside.

     I unleash a furious growl at him. He looks at me, terrified, and scrambles to shut the door as fast as possible. The men quickly walk away and I am left by myself with the task of finding the cleanest part of the cell in which to sit. I hope that this doesn’t take too long. I expect to only be here for a couple of days.