WHERE IS DEANNE?

Angela POV

I get back to the cabin and go inside. I look around, but I do not see Deanne, only the girls I was with today and a few that went with another wolf. I wait for the other girls to take their showers, just like last night. I do not want to be in there with them. They are still acting strangely toward and I am sure the black eye I am sporting does not help the matter any.

I wait patiently. I watch out the window while I wait. I see the wolves walking around, chatting and drinking beer. I watch the birds fly around free unlike me. I sit here on a cot with a collar around my neck. I am hoping Deanne comes back soon, so I can see her and maybe talk to her. She seems so different now. I am sure all of this has changed her. I want us to mend our friendship.

All of the women come back to their cots and settle down for the night. They ignore me completely. Maybe Deanne would talk to me tonight. I want to talk to someone. I walk past the other women chatting and into the back shower room. I grab a dingy towel and some semi fresh clothes. I walk down to the last shower, just like last night and take off my clothes. I put the old clothes in the hamper.I do not want to get yelled out because I did not put my clothes in the hamper.

As I step into the shower, I hear something. Or someone in the shower room. Deanne, thank goodness. I turn around, naked. "Well, well, well, look at you, little one," Aspen says to me, staring at my naked body.

I quickly jump behind the curtain and turn on the water. "Why do you wait so late to come in here to shower? Did you know I would be coming? Did you want me to see you naked, again?" Aspen asks me. His tone is sly and he sounds full of himself. Just like a damn wolf, a sexy wolf, but still a damn wolf.

"No, that is not why. I like to shower all alone and not with a bunch of people looking at me, besides you know they all hate me," I snap at him.

I can hear him breathing hard as I shower. I wash my hair and body. I take my time, hoping he will leave me alone. As I turn off the water, the lights go out.

"Damn! This shit again!" I scream.

Aspen turns on his flashlight for me. He runs the light up and down my body taking his time to see my naked flesh. He starts walking closer to me. He is breathing harder as he gets closer to me. Why does he have to be so hot and so damn frustrating?

"Thank you, Aspen," I say to him softly.

I slip into my clothes quickly. Aspen has moved right next to me. He touches my face and leans down to kiss me. "You're welcome, Angela," Aspen says softly. I am melting beneath his kiss, but I would never tell him that. I gasp as he breaks away from me. I do not need this.

I put my towel in the hamper. I walk out of the shower room slowly. I almost wish he would pull me back to him and kiss me again, but he does not. I walk past Deanne's cot. I look over and see that Deanne still is not back. Where the hell is she at? I see Aspen is still in the back. I sit down on my cot, but then get up and start walking toward the back.

"Hey, where are you going?" Aspen holler at me. "Get over here!" he says sternly, scolding me for getting out of my cot.

"I need to go to the bathroom, sir, " I say.

Aspen follows me to the bathroom, grumbling as he escorts me. "Aspen, I don't have to go to the bathroom, but can I ask you something?" I ask him.

"Yes, what is it?" Aspen asks me, moving closer to me.

"Where is Deanne?" I ask him. Aspen licks his lips and moves closer almost touching my lips. I push him back. The last thing I need is one of the women to come in here and see him this close to me.

"Kiss me, and I will tell you," Aspen says to me, smiling.

I reach up to touch his scruffy face and I pull him down to me. I kiss him on the lips. Aspen slides his tongue into my mouth and begins to kiss me hard. I let my hands wander down his body. Aspen pulls me close to him. His body is perfect. Being this close to a big bad wolf is invigorating and scary all at the same time. I pull back from him slowly.

"She is with the Alpha's guests. She is fine. Do not worry about her, and I promise you she is okay. She has done this before, she knows what to do," Aspen whispers in my ear. His breath on my ear sends a chill down my spine. My entire body tingles for him.

"Thank you," I whisper back to him.

"Now that you have your answer get back to bed, before we both get into trouble, little one," Aspen says to me.

I rush out of the bathroom and straight to my cot. I pull the blanket over me and try to snuggle down in the bed. I close my eyes to go to sleep, but all I can think about is Deanne with the Alpha and his guests. I hope she is okay. Aspen assured me she is okay, and for some reason, I think I can trust him. He does not seem like the other wolves.

I watch out the window for a while. I see the wolves watching us come and go. Everyone else in the cabin is sound asleep, but not me. I need her to come back before I fall asleep. Hours pass when Aspen comes back to count us in the middle of the night.

Aspen stops in front of my cot. "She will not be back tonight, go ahead and get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow," Aspen says.

I nod my head at him and close my eyes. I fall into a deep slumber. I find myself dreaming of Aspen, his perfect body, and his lips. When I wake in the morning, I look around to see everyone still asleep. I roll over and try to get just a few more minutes of sleep.

It is daybreak; why haven't they come to collect us yet, and why is everyone sleeping in this morning. I toss and turn, scared I will be in trouble if I oversleep. I make noise waking the other women.

"We get to sleep in on the nights of the parties, Angela," one of the girls finally yells out, so I will settle down and go back to sleep.

"Thanks," I say sleepily. I drift back off into my dream of Aspen and his soft lips. Why am I thinking of that wolf?

"Wake up," a women's voice says to me as she nudges me.

"I am awake," I say.

"Come on, we have to hurry," she says.

I get out of bed and stand at the end of my cot, waiting for my daily assignment. Aspen and Archie come into the cabin. Archie is in an exceptionally foul mood, but not Aspen. He is smiling ear to ear.

"I only need one girl today," Aspen says. He points at me. "You, new girl come with me," Aspen says.

Archie grabs three women and leaves behind us, going in another direction. The three women Archie picked look terrified. I wonder what he is up to looking all pissed off this morning.

"Why didn't you tell me I could sleep in today?" I ask Aspen as we walk.

"Because I was planning to come to get you earlier, but I got held up with the damn vampires, but now I am all yours for the rest of the day," Aspen says.

"All yours, huh," I snap at him.

Aspen grabs my arm. "Trust me, we will have fun," Aspen says to me.

"I am not sleeping with you, wolf," I say to him.

"Have you ever thought that maybe just maybe, I am nice to you for other reasons and not because of what is between your legs," Aspen growls at me?

"I am sorry, I do not have much luck with men," I say softly.

"I am a wolf, not one of those punks from your little town," Aspen says.

"Aspen, need I remind you that none of those punks ever kidnapped me, that was a big bad wolf," I say.

"Okay, fair, but I am trying to help you if you will let me," Aspen says.

"Why?" I ask him.

"Woman, you ask more questions than any woman I have ever met in my life. I don't know why; I have never helped anyone here. But you, there is something about you, I need to get to know you, so please, spend this day with me, and I promise to be a gentleman," Aspen says.

"Okay, but I have a mean right hook if you step out of line," I say to him.

He takes my hand, and we walk into the woods together. "I said I would be a gentleman, no need to threaten me," Aspen says.

"I just want to make sure you know I can fight back," I say to him.

He stops walking, pulls me to him, and kisses me.