Captured - Cara Wylde Page 0,52
nodded, and the wolves seemed dismayed.
“It looks like we came too close to savage territory,” the male said. I politely kept my eyes on his face, ignoring the fact that he and all the others were now naked. “But maybe that’s not such a bad thing. I’m Milton Redwood, and this is my sister Mona. My pack mates, Ford, Osmond, and Callie.”
Each of the wolves bowed slightly as they were introduced.
“Isabel Bishop,” I replied. “It’s a pleasure.”
“I take it you were captured by the Woodwards, Ms. Bishop,” Callie said. She was younger than Mona, and her hair was a pleasant shade of strawberry blond. “That’s horrible.”
“They’re notorious for being one of the worst packs around,” Osmond offered.
“Really?” I asked. “I don’t… I don’t know much about werewolves. I mean… Other than what I found out from them.”
Mona crossed her arms over her chest and scoffed. “I bet three quarters of that was all bullshit. They like to toot their own horn about how they’re brave, powerful Alphas in touch with nature, but in reality, they’re no better than animals. Always so violent and disgusting.”
I was shocked by her words. “You mean… That’s not the norm?”
“Not at all,” Milton answered. “Werewolves are like people, Ms. Bishop. Some are good and some are bad. You ran into some really bad ones. They don’t appreciate the gifts they’ve been given, and they take it out on humans. That’s the way the Woodwards have always been.”
The kindness in his voice disarmed me, and all the pent-up emotion that was threatening to crush me finally bubbled over. The last thing I’d wanted was to fall apart in front of these people, but I couldn’t help myself. I burst into tears.
A part of me didn’t want to believe that the Woodward brothers were so horrible. While I’d been with them, I’d understood why they’d been treating me so poorly. Even when they’d been insulting me, I could see where they were coming from. How could they not hate me after what my family had done to theirs? Because of that, I’d thought it was okay to surrender to them, to give myself to them, body and soul. I’d believed we could have something real and the bond between us wasn’t a one-sided selfish thing I’d made up in my head. But now that I was here, with these other werewolves, I had to admit the truth. The Woodwards had never made me any real promises. Mama Rose’s words had been encouraging, but they’d also been a warning. I’d been lying to myself all along.
“I don’t know what to do,” I admitted. “My family is dead. I’m so scared. I just want to be free.”
Callie knelt by my side and wrapped her arms around me. “It’s all right now. You’re okay. We’ll protect you. The Woodwards can’t touch you now.”
A mix of relief and grief erupted over me. Even now, I could still remember the way the Woodward brothers and I had fit together. But it was so stupid, because Jax had made it clear that they didn’t need me. In the big picture, I’d always been an unimportant tool for them.
“I know it hurts,” Mona said. “But you’re not alone anymore. You can stay with us, at least for a little while.”
I wiped my eyes and forced myself to look at her. “I don’t want to be a burden. You don’t even know me.”
“We know enough,” Milton answered. “You seem like a decent person who ran into trouble. Besides, you’re not the only one who’s clashed with the Woodwards.”
Callie got up and offered me her hand. With her help, I finally stood. “Thank you,” I said. “I promise I’ll come up with some way to repay you.”
“You don’t need to think about that right now, Ms. Bishop,” Osmond replied. “Like Milton said, some shifters don’t appreciate their gifts, but we do. And we try to give back when we can.”
Had anyone ever offered me something without expecting some kind of payment in return? I couldn’t remember. My family’s expectations had always been a cage, one I’d been forced into since I was a child. At school, I couldn’t think of a single person who’d genuinely liked me. They’d always approached me for very specific reasons – sex, money, affluence, school work – but never just to help me or provide me with sympathy or compassion. And with the Woodwards, even the tiniest kindness had come at a price.
It was such a relief to find a refuge