Chapter 5

BLAIRE

“What’s wrong, Blaire? You look like you’re ready to run,” the one that I knew now as Fredrick Marlowe said, a smirk tilting up the corner of his lips.

It’s because I am regretting my decision. “I-I’m not going to run.”

His green eyes danced with humor, but his face seemed otherwise passive. “You sure about that?”

“P-positive.”

His eyes suddenly became cold. “I would be ready to run if I were you. Because you’re the daughter of the man who murdered our father and our entire family, and you just became mine.”

Well, now, I’m terrified. “I didn’t know.”

My voice came out as a whisper, but I knew he heard me. “It doesn’t change the facts, sweetheart.” He reached up to pull on a strand of curled braided hair by my ear, and I flinched. He pulled back, looking a bit annoyed. “Do you think I would hurt you?”

Yes. Absolutely. No questions asked. I might be dead tomorrow. “No.”

“We may despise your father in the pack, but we wouldn’t hurt you because of that fact. No, but you are part of the payback. I mean, what’s a better slap in the face than having the enemy get your daughter with pups?”

I felt equal parts of relief and disgust. Sure, he wouldn’t physically hurt me, but the thought of being a pawn for the rest of my life already put me into mental anguish. “I-I . . .“ I fumbled with the words, nerves striking me dumb. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“What? To marry the enemy? I’ll let you back out if you want to. Go back to your loving dear old father and live in the precious luxury tower you’ve been kept in . . . if you want to.”

Only I didn’t have a loving dear old father, not really. There was no precious tower or joyous life or luxury tower Fredrick hinted at. Only me, alone in the rusty house day in and day out, with no family to keep me company. Minus the odd looks the trusted pack members who knew me always gave to me, I couldn’t leave to get anything without permission, always having to carry my phone on me to be tracked and monitored with my father's wolves guarding me day and night. The same phone that’s currently lying in my bedroom, under my pillow.

Two situations, neither of them favorable. But maybe one was better than the other? “Do you, can I . . . ?” I paused, feeling the weight of six sets of eyes boring into me. “Can I leave the house whenever ?”

Fredrick reeled back like it was the dumbest question he ever heard. “Of course, you can leave the house. I mean, let one of us know, so we don’t worry, but why would we lock you away?”

He didn’t get it, and that was okay, I didn’t want to explain it either. “I’ll do it.” He stared at me in confusion, leaving me to clarify, “I’ll join your pack.”