Thane

Underneath one pissed off looking scumbag shifter are the biggest, almond shaped scared teal eyes I have ever seen. In fact, I have never seen a wolf with those eyes before. I’m immediately transfixed despite the swelling of one, and blood all over the other. They are beautiful…..but also dead, lifeless. Ronan surges to the surface “protect” he growls within our mind. Those eyes clearly belong an Omega setting off my alpha instincts. Made worse by the fact she’s naked under another shifter, battered and bruised. I immediately deck the asshole when he lunges at me, led by his wolf, but not having enough time to shift. Cyrus fires off two tranquilizers into his ass causing me to shake my head. Typical Cyrus. We can’t risk a bullet wound with the travel back to our pack when I want to conserve the strength of our healers’ gifts for our own shifters and of course for torture. At least, that has always been my policy until now. This girl is scared, and severely wounded laying in front of a damn cage.

“Teams, we have secured the target and one victim. Team Fang shift back, regroup with Delta Team, ready the vehicles and send me a healer ASAP.” I mind-link. The omega is feeling around like she can’t see and then proceeds to hide in her cage. She smells like wolf, but Ronan can’t sense her wolf. That only happens if the wolf abandons their human. Abandonment rarely happens and most shifters don’t survive it. Most shifters who lose their wolf fail to thrive and usually deteriorate quickly. It’s devastating to witness. I hope to never witness it again. “Protect” Ronan growls, pushing to the surface causing me to fight off a shift.

“Settle down…. this girl is terrified and doesn’t need us shifting in front of her.” I push to him. I squat in front of her cage and place my hand on her leg to comfort her. She has the whitest hair and skin. The same as the mountains snow, beautiful despite the various bruises and cuts trying to rob her of her beauty.

I offer her calm words and assurances. Her lavender sent spiking with fear becomes acidic, aggravating my wolf. The healer quickly enters to which I proceed to mind-link “mind-link only Eric. She’s terrified and losing a lot of blood from her head somewhere. She looks in pain and has been holding her ribs.” “I can take the edge off, but we need to get her back for labs and x-rays, Alpha. She looks emaciated, dehydrated and in my professional opinion, I think we should sedate her for transport. We don’t know the extent of her trauma, but she looks like she’s on the verge of an anxiety attack.” Eric mind-links while I working on calming the omega. He slips me a syringe from his bag and I slide away from the cage door. He’s the best healer we have and I trust his judgment.

Eric lays hands on her legs starts filling her with his healing gift. She visibly relaxes allowing me the ability to sneak around to the back of her cage. A quick stick to her upper arm and she’s out quick. “Cyrus, get the prisoner back to the vehicles. I’ll carry her and Eric you’re riding with me back to the pack.” I quickly mind-link while I’m simultaneously pulling our little one out of this damn cage and into my arms. Carefully sweeping her up into my arms, I begin carrying her back through the facility. She’s so thin and frail looking. Her small frame riddled in bruises and her hair matted with blood.

The ride back to the pack was spent tightly gripping an unconscious omega. It must be her designation causing Ronan to stir so frequently and being so intrigued by her. Maybe it’s because she’s so unique looking and her smell. The smell of lavender a reminder of my mother’s favorite smell. If she wasn’t planting it, she was covering herself in it and raving about it. I look down at her face and notice a scowl between her forehead intermittently. This girl probably can’t remember the last time she slept well. I catch myself wondering what haunts her currently. “Can’t say I remember the last time you held a girl in your arms this long Thane.” Cyrus taunts from the passenger seat. He’s right. I don’t do relationships. “I hold girls all the time, you’re just not around for it.” I snark back. “Not invited, you mean. I’m always around” He jokes and winks, but he’s honest. A pretty boy, blood thirsty killer, with dimples and a freaky reputation honest, but a damn good beta and a friend long enough that he can get away talking to me as freely as he wants…. usually. “You know she smells like….” he starts. “I know what she smells like, and I don’t want to talk about it, now drop it.” I quickly interrupt.

Once we arrive to our pack grounds we head straight to our hospital. It’s small since shifters don’t get sick and we don’t get many attacks, but also allows for everyone to have a private room. We deliver our pups in maternity cabins located in the forest more peaceful and helps our wolves connect to nature to calm. Eric immediately starts giving out orders, darting around the room as I enter. “Lay her in bed one… I need a full work up started on her…Labs….multiple panels, get a lead on her, check for poisoning as well…. full body scan MRI……better restrain her.”

“Do you think that’s necessary? Should she be waking up in shackles after coming from a damn cage in a dungeon?” I quietly, but sternly question him. “They aren’t shackles Thane; you know that. We have no idea how she will react when she awakens, but she could lash out at us out of fear or hallucinations. I expect she will. Plus, I think she’s going to be asleep for days if not weeks while her body heals. I will get an IV wide open started now and TPN nutrition once her labs come back to get some weight on her. I will have Amelia come in and wash her up.” Eric informs me as I quietly back away from the bed realizing I’ve got a job to do, and I need to let him do his.”

“Notify me of all changes and revelations. I’m going to see to our prisoner shortly.” and with that I quietly exit bed one, stopping briefly to look back at little one before returning to the pack house. “Cyrus is our prisoner set up in his new accommodations?” I send via mind-link. “Yes, our guest is set up in his very own private dungeon suite with VIP accommodations your excellence.” he quips back in his best snooty butler accent he can muster. “I told you not to call me that and what the hell are his VIP accommodations?” I question gruffly “Chains and a piss bucket sire.” he replies which earns him a small chuckle from me. “I will be at the house in 5 minutes. I’ll clean up and meet you in my office.” And with that, I close the link.

Showering the blood and dirt off of my skin should relax me, but I cannot stop thinking about that rescued little omega. Her beautiful, but sad, teal eyes are all I see when I close mine. Her lavender smell still lingering in my nose. The more I think about her, the harder I am getting. I’m not sure why Ronan is riding me so much to check on her, but it is getting difficult to control him. I lean forward, placing my left hand on the tile and I start to stroke myself up and down my shaft. One minute I am thinking about her snow-white skin, teal eyes and pouty lips and the next I’m feeling guilty that I would even consider getting turned on by her when she’s just been rescued and put through so much. Ronan flashes her face into my mind again, urging me on. Screw it. I clearly need this release. I start to stroke myself, up and down. Harder and harder thinking about her. I can picture her pouty lips kissing down my neck, my abs, slowly getting on her knees for me like a good girl. Taking me in her mouth and running her tongue around my tip. My strokes get faster and soon I am releasing myself on the shower tile, thinking about our little omega. Our? No. not our omega.

Ayla

“Finish your meal sweetie or you and your sister will be spending your free time weeding the courtyard instead of sneaking off the grounds without security, thinking you will never get caught.” Mom states matter of fact, her attempt at getting us to eat more failing when the realization we’ve been caught sinks in. “Mom, we didn’t attempt to leave them, they just couldn’t keep up.” I counter hopeful I will talk her out of being angry. “You two snuck off the grounds by hiding on the roof. You literally ran across houses, across roofs, Ayla, how were they supposed to keep up with you two hmm? When they didn’t see you leave in the first place?” mother asks. Oh yeah, she’s angry. I look over at my sister Ada who is two years younger than me. At 12&14 we can create our very fair, share of trouble. “Don’t forget the fences. We climbed over those too.” she pipes up sealing our fate. “Yes, how could I forget. Scaling fences, endangering yourselves by leaving, let alone leaving without your security.”

I am dreaming. Or reliving a childhood memory for that matter. I can’t remember the last time I had a good dream. They’re always filled with the abuse and torture I sustain or the words of the men that haunt me. My eyes are heavy and I am so tired. I start to fade back into unconsciousness when I am hit with that comforting smell again. That forest floor. That comforting pine. He’s here. The man that was comforting me before everything went black. “She’s been out four days Eric, is there something more we can do to speed her healing up?” “I’ve got her on nutrition and she’s put on a few pounds. Her blood work showed an extremely high amount of wolfsbane. She should be dead with the amount that was in her body. Not to mention she was in renal failure. Her vitals are stable now and she’s been showing signs of arousal to stimulus cognitively. I think the wolfsbane was used to keep her wolf suppressed. I don’t think her wolf abandoned her. Her brain scans support that theory. However, I wouldn’t know if she’s ever shifted before or how long it will take to get all of the poison out of her system, but I think when it’s out, we may be able to help her reach her wolf, Thane.”

I can hear a conversation happening around me, but I can’t get my eyes to open. Aramana didn’t leave. She didn’t abandon me! I knew by the bitter taste of the shitty porridge they were drugging me. I just didn’t know with what. I want to open my eyes. I want to ask questions, but I am so afraid. These are men. This is an alpha. He may smell amazing and comforting, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t dangerous, but why would he rescue me and take care of me if he was dangerous? I am so confused, and I’m not sure what I should do, but I know that I can’t make any decision without waking up first. My eyes hurt and are heavy, but I can feel myself rolling them around under my eyelids. It’s hard, but it’s progress.

“Her heart rate is elevating and I can see her eyes moving, I think she can hear us, Thane.” “Little wolf? Can you hear us in there? Can you open your eyes for us? I’m sure you have a lot of questions as do we, but we need you awake first. You are in the clinic here in my pack. Eric our healer and been taking care of you, but it’s time for you to wake up for us.” I slowly try to lift my lids. I manage to get them half way up, but everything is blurry. “That’s it. Keep going, keep blinking for us. You’re doing it. Good girl.” Those words of praise I can clearly see coming for the most gorgeous shifter I have ever seen in my life. He is leaning over my bed, my tiny hand resting inside his giant, calloused one. He has short black hair that is longer on top and styled messy, olive toned skin, a short-trimmed beard from a few days of missed shaving, strong jaw line, straight nose, long eye lashes, high cheek bones, and the starkest green eyes that make me feel like he can see right into my soul. They remind me of the forest he smells like. He slowly smiles when my eyes are fully open and he has dimples to go with his boyish smile. It should be illegal how gorgeous this alpha is.

“Hello there little wolf. I am Thane Knight, of the Midnight Pack of La Plata and this over here is Eric, one of our healers.” I slowly turn my head to the left and see a man standing next to my bed. He has beautiful blue eyes and messy blonde hair and muscles all over. He too is gorgeous. Is everyone in this pack beautiful? “You gave me quite the scare when you came in here. Your labs were terrible, you are full of poison and severely dehydrated and malnourished. I’m glad you are awake. You have been out four days.” he states to me. “What is your name?” Thane asks and I quickly get nervous, my mind racing a million miles an hour with thoughts. Do I tell them? I can’t trust them; I don’t know them. Does it even matter if they know? If I start talking again, are they going to hurt me just so they can hear me? If I don’t will, they hurt me because I won’t?  “It’s okay little wolf, you don’t have to tell us right now, but it would make things easier for us.” Thane encourages me, but I stare blankly at him. I just can’t bring myself to do it. “Can you speak?” I slowly nod my head “no.” Not an outright lie, but partial truth. “Can you write?” I stare at him in his deep green eyes. They have flecks of deep brown through them. A color I have never seen before. I have a moment of bravery. A sliver, but it’s there and I decide to go for it. I slowly sit up, and push myself back in the bed, drawing my knees up and hugging myself for comfort. The loss of his touch when I move my hand has me feeling conflicted, which is confusing itself. I slowly nod my head “yes.” “Be right back.” Eric states and he quickly leaves the room, leaving me alone with the alpha. I look back over at him and he is staring at me. A neutral, slightly inquisitive expression on his face. Almost like he’s trying piece information together or figure out a puzzle.  He quietly studies me; I do the same to him.

Eric returns to my bedside with a pad of paper and a pencil. Handing it to me, I widen my eyes in shock. This is actually happening. Thane can apparently sense my apprehension, because he scoots closer and places his hand on my knee as I stretch my legs out slowly, preparing to answer their questions and mentally talking myself into it. It’s a light touch, but it comforts. “Take your time, I know that you’ve been through a lot and you are afraid, but we really do want to help you and we also need you to help us.” His statement confuses me slightly. What help could that possibly want from me? I take a deep breath, grab the pencil and write “My name is Ayla Frost.” “Ayla.” He quietly whispers like it’s a relief to hear it. He smiles those dimples at me and I feel myself blushing. There is no way I can hide that, which I see he notices, because he smiles bigger. “Ayla, I want to ask you some difficult questions, only a few right now if you think you are up for it. We can stop at any time. There is no right or wrong answers and I will not be upset in any way if you quit answering. Are we clear?” I nod my head yes and with that, Eric steps out of the room.

“Ayla, how many months ago were you taken?” I look down at my paper and write “What year is it?” “Year? it is still 2024.” I bring that paper back to myself and mentally count. 10 years. It has been 10 years since I was taken. That means I am 24 years old. I can’t explain it, but that revelation makes me smile. I quickly write my answer and show him. He however is not smiling. He looks shocked. His mouth hangs slightly open, his eyebrows I swear, hit his hairline. “You were kidnapped 10 years ago? 10 YEARS?” I smile at him and quickly write “I am happy to know this. I’ve been wondering how old I really was. Now I know. I’m 24.” He closes his mouth and stares at me. His eyes darting back and forth across my face. He quickly looks down to the floor, his hands now made into fist on his thighs and a low growl starting in his chest. He looks up at me and his eyes start to faintly flash gold, then back to green. His wolf must be surging for some reason and I start to panic. I bring my legs back up and scoot as far back in the bed as I can. He looks up at me and his expression is a mix of rage and sadness. “It’s okay little wolf. You aren’t doing anything wrong or could you. I am just having a hard time wrapping my head around you being in that dungeon that long. My wolf is not happy at the moment. I think I need to step out for a while and let you rest. I know this is a lot for you and you did such a good job. I will have Eric come back in here and talk with you. Maybe he can get some real food into you today, but you should rest. I will be back later to carry on this conversation I promise. Okay?” I quickly nod “yes” and he follows it up with “Good girl” and heads out of my room. Did I make him angry” I know he said I didn’t but I can’t trust that. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him anything. What if he thinks I am too damaged to stay here? Too much work. Maybe I should start thinking about how I can get out of here. I pull the covers up over my shoulder and stare into the corner. I hear the thoughts like they are screaming at me “you are damaged goods.” “They don’t want to help you; they want you gone.” I close my eyes and let out a shaky breath. Maybe I need to get out of here.