sun, the wind stirring the dust on the road. Old wooden buildings sit around us. It isn’t a big town, but enough for a rest, food, and fuck for passers-by. We have a few of these places back in Denmark too.
“Let me go.” Narah yanks her arm from me, her wry expression ready to skin me alive. “Did you find my sisters or not? Otherwise, give me back my brooch, and we’re done with you wasting my time.” She speaks so freely, like she’s never felt the command of an Alpha, but her voice shakes, and her gaze constantly scans the area around us.
I lean forward and retake her arm, drawing her to me so we stand a breath apart. She is so much shorter than me this close, the top of her head reaching my nose, and if it was anyone else speaking to me this way, their body would have been tossed into a river already. Except she has something I very much need. Magic. A wolf with magic intrigues me, as they are an oddity. Plus, I am rather fond of her scent, breathing it in, rousing my wolf, giving him something to crave.
I clear my throat and remind her, “You and I made a deal, and that means two things. One, I always keep my end of the bargain. Two, you signed yourself over to be under my protection until we finish our transaction. So until then, I can make your life hell, or we can pretend to get along. Up to you, but I’m sure you won’t be a problem, right?”
She stiffens against me, tugging her arm while giving a deadpan stare. “Where are my sisters?” she hisses, then twists free from my hold.
I lash out and snatch her wrist, then lift her gloved hand between us. “Is this where you keep your magic, wolf girl?”
Her eyes widen, and she rips free from my hold, coaxing a laugh out of me. There is something enigmatic about her, and the more we spar, the more I want to keep pushing and pushing her. I shouldn’t bother, but to say she doesn’t intrigue me would be a blatant lie.
“Seeing how you keep changing the topic, it tells me two things,” she counters with a smirk. “One, you failed at finding my sisters. Two, you’re hoping to distract me, as I must be an idiot who should be grateful for the scraps of your help.”
“Touché, little fox, but let’s clarify a few things, shall we?” I reply in a calm and steady tone. I lift my attention to the three-story inn across the road from the tavern, and she follows my gaze to the window on the top floor. The curtain is drawn back, and behind the shut window is Jae, waving crazily, hitting her other fist on the window to draw our attention. Next to her lingers one of my men, looking bored as shit.
“Jae,” she gasps, her body trembling, and when she looks back at me, there are tears rolling down her cheeks. I’m not surprised often, but this reaction takes me utterly off guard. It’s rare to see such emotional connections in this world. Back home, I had never seen my parents shed a tear, not even when my sister was taken by force and given to the enemy as part of a treaty between our clans.
When my grip slackens, Narah’s lips twitch into a smile, and the next thing I know, she’s pulled free and is sprinting toward the front entrance of the inn. She vanishes inside.
I push forward and follow her into the building and head upstairs. The thumping of her rapid footfalls on the steps above brings a deepening pinch in my chest. I doubt my family would ever show such enthusiasm to see me. But fuck them. They’re the reason I’m in Romania to stake claim of my own territory, to find a way to save my sister because my parents are doing fuck all in the name of not angering the enemy wolf clan.
With the small pack of followers I’ve gained, it’s enough to establish my own territory, seeing as no particular pack owns the whole northern part of Romania, the Savage Sector. I set my sights high and won’t back down, and from what I can see, the only thing between me and my goals lies in the Poisonous Woods.
That’s where my little fox comes in.
When I reach the room we rented for her sister, Jae, I walk in