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Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 40
After a few moments, she pulled back. “Glad to see you safe and sound,” she said, her hand warm on my cheek.“You and me both,” I said.She smiled and glanced around me to look at Bryn. I turned to look too. She stood a few yards away, looking incredibly out of place in her bulky, borrowed clothing. And yet, as I stared at her, the sun emerged from behind the clouds to brighten her hair and cheeks. Her dark hair lifted in the breeze, and her blue-gray eyes were captivating. Bryn looked like an angel confined to mortal clothing.“And who is she?” Mom asked, slightly breathless herself. “A new friend perhaps?”I rolled my eyes. I wanted to chastise her for the ridiculous question, but I caught the rest of my pack staring at Bryn. They weren’t just stares of confusion or curiosity; they were also lingering stares of appreciation from many of the single wolves in the pack. Not even four days of traveling through the wild and being covered in my scent protected Bryn from the attention. Par
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 41
I ran back to the door. I pounded my fists against it over and over again. I screamed Night’s name, I screamed for help, I screamed anything I could think of to get someone’s attention. But no one came. Of course they didn’t. I had never known a wolf who was capable of defying their Alpha. I was no longer hanging from the wall tied up in ropes, but I was still imprisoned in another man’s room.I took a few deep breaths and examined my finger. It throbbed, but it wasn’t bleeding. After all that activity, I felt too hot in so many clothes. I removed first my boots and then the outer layers of my clothes until I was standing in a pair of loose pants and a large t-shirt. I sat on the bed and looked around.The bedroom was simple and clean. I figured that this wasn’t actually Night’s room but was in fact a spare bedroom because of the lack of personalization. The walls were made of old, brown wood, and there were no posters. The bed was covered in clean, beige linen and a faded blue quilt
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 42
I had been touched by the display of love, and before Night had grabbed my wrist and dragged me through the compound, I had been about to tell him so. Why I would share that with him, I had no idea, but his treatment of me afterward had soured any desire I had to try and connect with him again. If the women were all stolen from other packs, there was no indication of it here. They were all smiling and seemed genuinely happy to be here. Then again, maybe they were putting on a front to appease the returning Alpha.An idea struck me. Could I use that to my advantage? Perhaps I could slip one of the women a note to see if they’d help me escape. If they were here against their will, they would understand my predicament even if I had been paraded through the village like a prisoner. Surely they’d be kind and want to help me avoid the same fate. And, even if they really were content to be members of this pack, maybe they’d be willing to help me out of the kindness of their hearts. If they c
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 43
I pulled my legs into my chest and said nothing. My guard was up. If Night trusted this woman, it was unlikely that she would be any help to me.I watched the woman step inside and close the door behind her. The roll of clothes was no longer packed beneath the door, so it slid shut more easily. She was beautiful and looked to be in her early fifties. Her thick, snow-white hair was collected into one long braid down her back. She was slender and graceful, and she had eyes that were just as green and vibrant as Night’s.At the scent of something savory, my gaze lowered to the woman’s hands. She’d brought a glass of water and a bowl of rice, and what looked like some kind of thick sauce or curry. The smell was divine, especially after four days straight of eating small rabbits and berries. My mouth began to water.“I’m Violet Shepherd,” the woman said. From the way she smiled, she didn’t seem offended by my silence. “I guess you could say that I’m responsible for the man who brought you
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 44
“I wasn’t ready to leave,” I admitted. “I thought I was ready to find my own pack—er, place to belong, but I never wanted to leave like this.” I had been scolded for using wolf terms in relation to myself when I was a child. I wasn’t a wolf, so I didn’t get to try and pretend to be. “Now that I’m so far from home, I just want to go back.”Violet nodded. “Ah, now that makes perfect sense. Night being who he is, I’ve gotten desensitized to wondering what sorts of dangerous things he must get into when he leaves the compound, but if I had a daughter…” She shook her head. “I know your mother must be terrified for you.”I nodded. Tears again stung at the backs of my eyes, but I held them back.Violet patted my knee. “But I think you’re not giving yourself enough credit. You were ready that night. You were prepared to go off on your own and to find your place to belong, your pack.” She smiled, and I felt a small burst of warmth in my chest. Violet wasn’t making me feel bad for my slip-up. “
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 45
I huffed out a sigh and brushed my teeth furiously before spitting in the sink. With that done, I turned to the shower and got the water as hot as I could stand. I was pent up with energy, wired from the exchange I’d had with Night. Now I had to take off my clothing and get into the water, with the man who made my blood rush in my veins standing right outside my door.I stared at the dark wood as though I could see through it to him. There was an extra layer of complication to my emotions because I was wearing his clothes. I took off his shirt, then his pants, and finally my bra and panties. It was a bit surreal to stand there naked with him less than five feet away. He could walk in here at any time and see me wearing nothing at all.Just to be safe, I crept to the door and turned the lock on the knob. It wouldn’t be enough to stop him if he really wanted to come in, but it made me a bit more comfortable.With that done, I got into the shower and stood in the hot water, letting it se
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 46
I had tried once to talk Mom out of visiting with Bryn, declaring that making nice with Bryn wouldn’t matter in the end because she wasn’t staying once she’d served her purpose. But of course, Mom had ignored me.I guess she must get something out of these morning meetings with Bryn if she kept coming. I knew better than to continue debating the issue with her, so I allowed the morning chats and meal drop-offs to continue, even though I knew it was pointless.Outside, the air was crisp and cool, and the sky was pale blue with splotches of gray clouds spread out along the horizon. Ideal weather for a morning run. I began at a jog, heading into the forest, my breath puffing out as white steam in front of me as I fell into a rhythm. The forest seemed to open up for me as I moved deeper along the path that I, and so many other wolves before me, had worn into the ground.I upped my pace as I went deeper into the forest. I could almost close my eyes—I knew the path so well. When I went on
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 47
The conference room was small, with a table in the center of it—a table that I’d built myself after I became Alpha. My wolves stood around the table at attention, all ready to carry out whatever order I had for them. As I approached the table, Dom caught my eye. A question glinted in his gaze. I usually told him beforehand about meetings. I nodded back at him; Dom would find out the purpose of this meeting soon enough.“Let’s get this meeting underway,” I said, taking a seat at the head of the table. Everyone followed suit. “First, what news do we have?”“Not much from me, Alpha,” Redford said. “My mate’s just happy to have me back home.”“Same here,” Anthony said. A scar cut across the middle of his face. “Mine told me expressly to let you know she appreciated you making sure that we all arrived in one piece.”I smiled, though guilt again gnawed at me. Things could have gone a hell of a lot worse, thanks to my impromptu decision. To distract myself, I turned to William. He was a fant
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