Chapter 1: Kidnapped

A deep, intense pain vibrated through Natalie’s temples, forcing her to wake from her slumber and claw her way back to consciousness.

Instinctively, she lifted a hand to inspect the source of the pain, her fingers searching through her scalp for a bruise, wound, or swelling. When she found none, Natalie frowned, trying to understand why her head hurt as if she had the world’s biggest hangover.

As she pondered this, an unfamiliar smell slammed through her senses.

No, this wasn’t a smell. It was a scent.

The most delicious scent she had ever perceived.

Unable to resist, Natalie tried taking in a deep breath to investigate further, but the moment she dragged air through her nostrils, a loud, involuntary gasp tore through her lips as fresh pain sliced through her skull.

“Shit!” Natalie cursed as she slowly turned to the side, rubbing her bruised skull against the soft sheets beneath her.

Now aware that she had to be careful, Natalie scrunched her nose, taking in tiny bits of air while she tried to identify the scent assaulting her senses. She was certain, one hundred and one percent certain, that she had never perceived anything like it before. A scent so enticing it made her womb clench.

Her pain-fogged brain managed to give her three things.

One, the scent—which was a blend of fresh spring, cinnamon, and cedarwood—belonged to a human.

Two, it belonged to a male.

And three, that male was a werewolf, just like her.

If Natalie West knew anything at all, it was that she did not smuggle strange guys into her father’s pack house, no matter how delicious they smelled.

After what felt like hours, though it was probably minutes, Natalie felt good enough to peel a limp eye open. She only needed to wait for the pain to fade before her wolf took over. Raven never failed to fix her up when she was injured or in pain, and this time was no different.

Peeking at the space beside her, Natalie confirmed her suspicion. The mystery man was gone.

She rolled her head, which felt unnaturally heavy even after the pain eased, and glanced toward her alarm clock.

Or where the clock should have been, if it hadn’t vanished along with her wardrobe, her favorite couch, and her running machine. Natalie didn’t need to look at the silky sheets beneath her to know they weren’t hers.

The pain might have distracted her earlier, but now that she was a little healed and gripping the sheets in her fists, she knew without a doubt that the melted-cotton sheets weren’t hers. Her father definitely wasn’t that generous.

Natalie sat up with a start, a high curse on the tip of her tongue as she scanned her surroundings. Her eyes widened, not just at the luxury around her but at the realization that she was inside what looked like a massive stone structure.

A mountain, if she was being honest.

She studied the room more carefully. The light-bisque pebbled walls were perfectly smooth except for the alcoves being used as mini shelves.

The floors were covered with a fluffy cream carpet that looked invitingly soft. Against the wall stood a masculine, tripartite wardrobe and a large set of drawers, both crafted from dark oak that matched the headboard of the platform bed. The bed itself rested beneath a smooth stone arc, making it cozy despite its enormous size.

Although Raven, Natalie’s wolf, was alert, she wasn’t nervous or anxious. Raven didn’t even seem worried that they were in a strange place with no memory of arriving here. If Natalie weren’t Kage, she would’ve forced Raven out by now to deal with the situation instead of her.

It was probably a good thing she was Kage if not she would've—

“If not, nothing!” Raven growled inside her head.

Natalie couldn’t help but smile. Of course, Raven would defend herself, even when she was wrong.

Choosing to ignore her, Natalie focused on the situation at hand.

So… had she gone out with Shirley and somehow ended up going home with a guy?

No. That didn’t feel right.

She couldn’t recall arranging a night out. In fact, she couldn’t recall leaving the house at all. And as her father’s pack fixer, she was constantly summoned to mend wounds, or anything her father considered broken, which meant getting drunk was out of the question for her.

Besides, she was fully clothed in casual wear she would never choose for a night out, and there was no scent of sex on her or the bed.

So what was the last thing she remembered?

Despite the fog in her brain, she recalled heading to the café at sunrise for a well-deserved coffee. She definitely didn’t remember getting there, though, and she was someone who remembered every detail.

Shaking her head, Natalie inhaled deeply now that the pain had faded. She filtered through the scents around her and identified two additional individuals. A male and a female.

They were both werewolves, both unfamiliar, and neither of them matched the mouth-watering scent still lingering in the room.

Natalie sighed in mild relief.

At least she wasn’t in the hands of Mark; the dick who refused to accept that she didn’t want him to claim her. He was definitely the kind who would go as far as kidnapping her to force it.

To make matters worse, her father didn’t care at all. He was too focused on building an alliance with Mark’s pack, and if that meant sacrificing his Kage daughter? Why not.

Sometimes Natalie wished his desperation for alliances was the only reason. But no! Her father already had plenty. His real reason was simple: get rid of the Kage daughter who embarrassed him and bruised his ego. She was an aberration in his bloodline, a stain on his pride, and a reminder that his “greatness” wasn’t as perfect as he claimed. He certainly wouldn’t waste resources searching for her if she never returned home.

Spotting a set of cream curtains, Natalie flicked the bedcover aside. Rising slowly, she staggered as dizziness washed over her. What was wrong with her?

With sluggish, ungraceful steps, she crossed to the curtains and parted them, revealing a locked bay window.

Natalie frowned. It wasn’t morning. It was closer to late evening.

Had she not spent the night here?

Or did she just have one hell of a sleep?

Her eyebrows shot up as she took in the view. Most packs had luxury lodges surrounded by cabins, and some were perched on cliffs. But this place wasn’t on a cliff.

It was above one.

No.

This entire structure was carved into the mountain itself. With arched, lighted balconies and smooth stairways winding down different levels, it felt like standing atop the world. She was practically on eye level with the clouds. If she opened the window, she could reach out and touch them.

Below, a manicured lawn stretched into a vast forest beyond. Everything looked beautiful, shaped, and arranged with care. It almost looked like a savannah protected by towering trees that shielded the mountain from view.

Something told her she was still somewhere in Crossia, but the cab ride back to her province was going to be expensive. Good thing her kidnapper was clearly wealthy—especially because there was no sign of her purse anywhere.

If this was a joke, Natalie didn’t get it.

And if Shirley had planned this to trick her, then Shirley better hope Natalie didn’t survive this.

Because if she did… she would make sure her dear friend paid dearly for this.