4-The Devil’s Crossroads

Elena Wolfe

There was static buzzing in my ears when I groaned awake, and my body felt like it had been torn apart and stitched back before I woke up.

“Ugh,” I groaned, struggling to sit up and blinking when I realized I was in a cell of some sort, with only the bright yellow bulb swinging from the ceiling for light.

My heart instantly thumped hard in my chest as I startled forward, a shriek hooking in my throat when my hands smashed into the gold food cart that had been parked by the corner of the bed.

Where was I? How long had I been out?

The memory of what had happened before the royal wolves knocked me out came flooding back in and it was all I could do to keep from making any sounds when I realized I was not alone in the room.

The thick shadows moved at the corners of the room and my heart squeezed painfully in my chest when my gaze locked on a man’s unnerving blue eyes.

“About time you woke up Rapunzel, Tony here’s been itching to sink his fangs into you the whole night.” The blonde wolf drawled from the shadows with brilliant blue eyes that glowed unnaturally and I almost choked back my tongue in a scream.

“You’re the one who's pampering the outlaw, Michael,  the little bitch tried to stab me!” The dark-haired wolf growled back from the corner, pushing his toned, muscular body off the doorway until I was snapping my head back and forth between the two.

“I'm not an outlaw! Okay? I...I have a pack and everything! Y-You can't hurt me, not if you don't want a war breaking out!” I hissed frantically, my thoughts crashing to a halt when the roguish-looking wolf with bright hazel eyes leaned against the metal frame of my bed.

His pearly white teeth flashed in a devilish grin that told me he was not scared of war.

“A war? You don't say, it's been a while since I've been in one of those...but you're lying princess, I can smell the rejection all over you.” Anthony spat acidly, his smoldering gaze raking through my body like hot hands.

I jammed my hands around my body instantly, shielding my exposed flesh from his hungry gaze.

“W-what do you want from me? Where am I?” I whimpered, unable to help the terror that washed over me as the two men loomed impossibly over my petite frame.

Why, they just about ate flesh and drank blood for breakfast, lunch, and fucking dinner!

I could bet no one had ever stood up to him the way I had back in those woods, a thought that scared me.

“What are you called precious? Tell me.” Michael whispered and I couldn't keep from flinching when he poked one long finger at my hair, tucking the long dark brown strands behind my ear lightning fast.

My lips curled stubbornly and I wondered just how much longer I could drag this out as I thought of an escape.

I was aware of my ragged breathing as I risked a glance at the boarded-up windows, the door that gaped far off, behind the scowling man, and the rack of knives and axes that thing above my head.

If I could somehow get my hands on one of these weapons...

“Elena Wolfe-” I rasped breathlessly, and my submissiveness must have pleased the blonde wolf because the man flashed me a charming smile that disarmed me.

He was beautiful, with luscious blonde hair and fetching blue eyes that I was sure made maidens swoon.

I could feel my heart fluttering inside me despite my predicament before I shook myself out of it.

“Pardon our manners, Elena, my name is Michael Gotham,” The blonde wolf hedged, placing a hand on his chest before bowing slightly.

“And this assassin right here’s my brother Anthony Gotham.” He drawled and a chill ran down my spine at the mention of their pack names.

Gotham pack was the deadliest of them all, merciless to their enemies. So they were the dreaded Alpha brothers indeed. I shuddered, unable to think through the haze that filled my head.

“That's it, enough of this bullshit.” The larger dark-haired man hissed suddenly and I felt the blood drain from my face when he rested his claws noisily on the food tray, his hazel eyes pining me with their intensity.

I was suddenly aware of how small I was compared to him...to them. The way his muscles bulged when he leaned over the gold tray and his dark wolf-cut hair fell messily over his chiseled face. Those arms could have crushed my head in an instant.

“The way I see it...Elena Wolfe, you have two options. Either die slowly by our hand...and I assure you, quite painfully-” He growled and my eyes widened as I scrambled back into the headboard, whimpering when the blonde wolf’s large hands tightened around my face and jaw, forcing me to look at his brother.

I struggled vainly against his hold, hating myself for the way my body seemed to fire up at his touch and hesitating only when the blonde-haired wolf inhaled sharply.

I caught the concentrated look on Michael’s face from the corner of my eye, wondering for a split second if it was possible that the asshole felt the same heat that was burning slowly inside me in his body as well.

My gaze snapped back to the intimidating wolf waiting calmly for me to quit struggling.

I was aware of the torture weapons that were hanging on the blood-stained walls around us.

“O-or what?” I managed to choke out, finally freeing myself from the man’s hold just as he shoved me toward the larger wolf, making my dress ride up until my porcelain white thighs peeked from the green dress.

I slapped my hands across my nudity quickly, but it was much too late, because Anthony’s eyes raked back up to mine slowly, his face darkening with lust.

“Or you pretend to be our mate Elena Wolfe.” He deadpanned, and for a moment, you could have heard a pin drop in the silence that filled the dank cellar.

It felt like my heart had been ripped right from my chest and I chuckled through a bitter laugh, glancing between the two men and feeling my own laughter dry up at the sight of their unsmiling faces.

No, no, no no! I shook my head, trying to blink through the tears that blurred my vision when I realized just how fucked I was.

These wolves were not going to let me go...no...They were dead serious.