Chapter 5

This room was my nightmare. It didn’t matter that the sky-blue curtains perfectly framed the view out across the beautiful gardens. The amazing bed that hugged me like a gentle lover was now the place I dreaded most. It was where all my nightmares played out and where I saw my long, lonely future stretching before me. I didn’t care that I was warm and comfortable and well-fed. The hot water and soft, fluffy towels meant nothing. All the comforts in the world couldn’t replace the smile of a good friend, the freedom to go wherever I chose or the joy that my life was my own and my choices were my own.

I sat staring out of the window, trying to imagine myself walking across the lush green grass, inhaling the scents of spring. This was how I coped with my confinement, imagining myself anywhere but stuck in this room.

As I gazed out of my sole connection to the outside world, I heard the now familiar click of the lock. My pulse began to race, this wasn’t the usual time my food was delivered, breakfast had only been an hour ago. The door swung open to reveal the one person I was disappointed to see. I would have been happy to see the maid, Jace would have been a welcome distraction, in fact, any random werewolf would have excited me. Instead, I got the wolf responsible for my current crappy situation.

His broad frame filled the doorway, and I felt my breath start to struggle to fill my lungs. Slowly he strode into the room, his eyes fixed firmly on me. I pressed my back against the window- pane behind me, trying desperately to keep as much distance between us as possible. Stopping inches away from me he tilted his head down and carefully ran his gaze over my body. Heat raced through my blood, it was as if I could feel wherever his eyes touched my body and my traitorous body seemed to like it.

“You’re finally doing what you were told.” His voice was stone cold, and I couldn’t help but shiver in response. A smirk pulled his sculpted lips upwards, he enjoyed my discomfort.

“I haven’t been doing anything,” I replied, “I’ve been locked in here for the last two weeks.”

I wanted him to feel some sort of guilt about that, but I suspected that would be giving him too much emotional credit.

“Exactly. I told you to be quiet and not to cause any trouble.”

Was there an emotion stronger than hate? If there was then that was what I was feeling towards the stupid King wolf right now. He claimed we were mates, which seemed to imply some kind of connection between us, but at this moment I was the opposite of connected. I was disconnected. I was totally separate. I was on the other side of the world.

“So now what? I followed your ‘rules’.” The word tasted like vinegar in my mouth, but I swallowed my pride in hope that my situation may be about to change.

He said nothing for a moment, simply stood in front of me contemplating. The longer he stood there the more my body began to heat up. Warmth seemed to radiate from the man, and I just seemed to soak it up. Did he feel anything standing so close to me? Probably not.

“Now, I extend your leash and see if you still behave.”

The words made me want to reel back in disgust, but another, awful part of me wanted to lean forward, close the gap between us and beg him to keep talking in his wonderfully deep voice. Stupid involuntary reaction.

“I don’t know what to say to that.” I truly didn’t. How did one respond to being spoken to like a dog? Maybe King wolf would have some inside knowledge about it, although I doubted he would appreciate me asking.

“Thank you would be appropriate.” He seemed to move even closer, his voice dropping to an almost whisper.

“I-,” No words would form, I was too caught up in the fire now blazing in his deep blue eyes and the electricity that seemed to arc between us. Surely he had to be feeling something, he was the one moving ever closer. Dazed I tilted my head up, offering my lips for a kiss I didn’t know I wanted.

“You’ll be allowed to visit the library each day.” I was suddenly cold as the King stepped backwards, taking his heat with him. His voice had returned to its usual icy tone.

I frowned, “Why the library?”

“If you’d rather remain in this room then that would be fine as well.”

“No, I didn’t mean I don’t want to visit the library, I just wasn’t expecting it.” I thought maybe I’d get some outside time, but a room filled with books sounded amazing too.

“I’m not doing this as a favour.” Of course not, I thought. “You’ll study with the librarian, learn about Werewolves and our culture so that perhaps, one day, you may be useful to me.”

We were back to how utterly worthless I was to him. I was glad, I didn’t want him to see anything positive in me, I wanted to prove to him that he would be better off sending me home.

“Sounds fun.”

“I don’t care if you enjoy it, but you will pay attention and learn. If you cause the librarian any trouble you will find yourself locked up again, in a much less pleasant room than this.” One of his arms swept out to encompass the space around us.

“I understand. I’m really not as stupid as you think I am. I can even read and write if you can believe it.” It seemed my sarcastic side wanted to come out and play.

“My relief at that information is immense.”

Mr wolf had a sarcastic side of his own, it seemed. His decree delivered, my antagonist turned to leave.

“Wait.” He paused. “Can I call my friend? She was there the night you kidnapped me; she’s going to be going out of her mind with worry.”

Even as I said the words I knew I was appealing to a man with no heart and no desire to try and understand me and what I needed.

“No. It will be easier if you forget about that part of your life, it isn’t relevant anymore.” Ice, the man was made of ice.

“My friends will always be relevant to me; you really can’t order me how to feel no matter how powerful you think you are.” I refused to back down on this, no matter how much I might regret it later.

“I am powerful, little human, never forget that.”

It would be impossible for me to ever truly disagree with that, the man was power personified. He was the King of all werewolves and I was guessing that he didn’t get to that position by popular vote.

“I’ll be good, Your Highness, but only because being stuck in this room is driving me crazy.” I didn’t want him to think he’d beaten me, I needed to show some strength. “Hey, if we’re mates should I have to call you by your title? What’s your name? You kidnapped me and I don’t even know what to call you.”

“My name is Clayton Reece but master is also acceptable.” With that parting shot, he left the room and I could breathe again.