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Note from the Author:
Explicit sex. Rough sex. Forced sexual acts. And animal aggression.
Please read with caution.
It is dark erotica with brutality.
Some individuals may find it triggering or upsetting please do not read if you do. The intent is not to upset anyone.
***
Lost
I remembered running.
I remembered being covered in blood. Blood which wasn’t mine. It didn’t smell like me.
Sticky dried blood which now matted my hair over my face. My clothes were thick with it making them nearly solid in the chilly morning air. I was cold and I’d been running nearly the whole first day.
Trying to get away from those chasing me. I could remember that much.
But that first evening, I’d tripped over a rock and hit my head so hard against a tree trunk that I’d felt my chin tuck into my neck.
I didn’t wake until the following morning and that was to find the top of my forehead now bleeding down my face. I dragged my wrist over my eyes trying to keep the fluid out of them so I could see.
I couldn’t remember what I was running from anymore but the fear that’d driven me was alive and well.
I was deep in the heart of War Territory. And I was certain something was still chasing me. It’d been days and I was so hungry my stomach was cramping and felt as though it intended to eat itself. But I was driven to frantically look behind me, terrified.
My confusion was only worsened by something moving through the trees so fast I couldn’t tell what it was. It stopped in-front of me, hesitating only a moment and I realized it was a man.
I think. He was covered in mud and ash.
To disguise his scent, likely. That was easy to deduct. And his eyes were vibrant blue staring at me.
But I knew instinctively looking at him that men were what I’d feared running into.
The scream tore out of me even as he dropped something heavy around my shoulder.
I nearly flung it off as I stumbled back. Rearing from his touch. Realizing it was a cloak I stared at it over my shoulder in shock.
When I looked up, he was gone. Scared off by me screaming my head off, no doubt.
So, he’s not the one chasing me.
Who’s chasing me and who was that? I felt ashamed knowing someone had tried to be kind to me, but I was so high strung and disgustingly matted with blood I probably scared him with my hysterics more than he’d scared me.
I saw another flash through the trees and realized he was still out there. Running faster than anyone I’d ever seen.
Or at least could currently recall.
I woke the next morning from sleeping up in a tree. Woke before the sun had risen by the tantalizing smell of a dead squirrel.
Food. I scrambled down the tree. Scratching my leg in the process, but too hungry to care.
I picked up the squirrel and sunk my teeth into it desperately.
The wolf inside me was ravenous but I was too weak from shock and my injuries and hunger to change.
It might kill me if I tried. I knew.
And what good would it do? I’d never been able to hunt. Though my sense of smell was good. I was not amazingly fast and had no skill in running animals down. I didn’t understand how or why they veered the directions they did. I found them utterly unpredictable and impossible to catch.
And I sensed that whatever I was before…I’d never had to hunt.
Food was always brought to me.
***
Something nearby shot through the trees, and I realized it was probably that same muddy man that had given me the cloak. Cloth which had warmed me last night.
He must’ve left me the food too.
Thank God I had an ally out here.
But now the question was, what did he want in return?
Wolves give nothing for free. I remembered that bit also.
“Who are you?” I called to where I’d last seen movement.
But something shot through the trees a bit away in a different direction.
I backed up uneasily. There were more.
I knew of only one that was kind. Who was the other?
A flash of movement to my left caught my eye and I yelped. They’re everywhere.
Feeling chased again I ran. But something cutting across my path made me turn left and run straight that way. Hearing their feet crushing sticks and kicking rocks behind me.
They’re on my heels.
I ran faster. Which wasn’t saying much. Breathing raggedly, I ran as hard as I could until coming to a wall. Stopping I stared up at the huge stone and mortar construction.
Seeing only one door carved in it I edged that way but found it too ominous to knock on.
Turning around I stared into the shadows of the afternoon but saw no movement now, heard nothing.
Had I actually lost them? My heart was pounding in my ears so loud I wasn’t sure I could’ve heard someone anyway.
Marta was willing to follow Lorem to the ends of Ferus.It made me consider how far I’d go to be loyal to my mates.What would I do for them?How many awful things would they have to do before my image of them changed?My instant thought was that they would never do something like what Lorem had.It’s not even a comparison.I looked at Marta.“My father should’ve banished you from the pack with Lorem.” Draven murmured. “I wonder how you’d have fared then?”“I’d have been with him.” She clawed at Fury’s grip but that was like trying to get a tree to release a trunk.He’s unmoveable.“What you want to do with her?” Fury asked.“Take her with us.” Draven said. “We’ll give her to the NightHunters and let them toy with her awhile.”Marta looked intensely nervous despite all her bravado.I bit my lower lip. Pitying her a bit for her fate.***Fury, Killian and Aviari had been talking ahead of us. Our army of wolves and mages were tromping through the woods so loudly that there was no mistak
“Her smell has changed.” Draven was staring at me as he announced it.I skittered into a sitting position. Reflexively drifting backward to put more space between he and I. Trying to protect myself.Which I’d suddenly had a much stronger urge to do, today.“I know.” Vanquish said. Rolling to lean up and give me a warm look over Hunter’s shoulder.I flushed. Biting my lip.How can they already know?I’m not even sure yet.“The Asara’s first pups are being carried by the Gallion Princess.” Vanquish murmured proudly. Meeting my gaze with infinite tenderness.My males all stretched to reverently place their palms over my flat belly. Rubbing it soothingly in a way that had me leaning back. Offering myself to more of their touch.I subconsciously flattened back out and ducked my forehead against Racer’s chest. Avoiding everyone’s permeating study and finding comfort in the warmth of my mate.Lyra Lani’s voice rose. “That’s why you’d not share the drink!”I nodded slowly without looking at h
I knew I’d hugged Lyra Lani a bit longer than I needed to but it was so nice to receive affection from a female after so long with only my mates for company. I gave her another quick squeezer before letting her go. She slid her hands down my arms and did the responding squeeze to my fingers right before she let them fall. Reassuring me that I had her support. And that she’s here. Her kindness nearly brought a tear to my eye. Hearing Killian’s voice behind me, I peered back at him. He bobbed his head in greeting and waved his hands in a motion for me to come to him. I did. Returning to hug him just as eagerly. I didn’t know how many times I’d embraced he and Aviari and BailaLae now, but I was beginning to feel like it would never feel like enough. Probably because I’m so scared of losing them again. Giving his dark, waving hair, a fond caress before turning my attention back to the girl
“Perhaps they do.” Killian nodded to the three identical males stepping into the small grove. My blood coated mates. They, all three, looked exhausted but unharmed. Thank Heavens! I was incredibly relieved to see them okay. Glad that the sounds of battle had died down. We won. Seeing how shaken I appeared, Vanquish immediately whirled to see the others appearing from the camp. “What’s going on?” He backed up toward me. Casting a worried glance over his shoulder before eyeing all the mages pouring from behind trees and the edges of the camp. Looking at them all just as warily as he had the first time, he’d seen them.
I flattened my back against the tree and held my breath. Praying that no one would hear me. That my bits of torn clothes wouldn’t guide them. And that I would still be whole by the time my mates returned from ambushing the camp. Please. I held one hand over my stomach. The other over my mouth to hush any sound escaping my throat. Boiling fear nearly paralyzing me. Making me feel choked as if I’d never get another breath of air through my throat. I felt the urge to move one of my legs, to alleviate the ache boring through me from my mates loving last night but I didn’t dare move. Stay quiet. I was reminding myself over and over in a steady chant. I’d never been so relieved when I saw the face of the dark-haired girl peek around a tree a distance from me and meet my look. I blew a relieved breath. Recognizing her immediately as my brother’s mate. Jade was her name. I recalled. Feeling my whole body rela
Just then Hunter scampered up to us. “I got his line.” “Which way.” “Headed North.” “Toward the WildWood?” Vanquish asked in surprise. “He must be thinking if he can make it there, we won’t follow him in.” Racer suggested. “We can’t.” Vanquish agreed. “Not with the wolf-hunting-Roamer there.” “What’s that?” I asked. “A troll. I think.” Racer murmured. “A giant. He hunts anything with fur and ears that seems like it might be a wolf.” “Why?” “It’s said that a vicious mage cursed him to forever be trying to destroy the Moontower Mob.” I gave him a questioning look. “Really?” Vanquish groaned. “Memory loss.” I tapped my head pointedly. “There was a castle beyond the WildWood-” “It’s still there.” Hunter injected. “I’ve glimpsed its ramparts now and then.” “Truly?” Even Racer looked surprised. And he’s usually the historian amongst us. V