OliviaI awoke with a pounding ache in my head and a burning sensation in my wrists. Something warm and wet was caked to the back of my skull, and when I tried to lift my head, I felt my vision begin to reel as a low, involuntary groan escaped my lips.“Stay still,” my wolf’s voice echoed in my mind. “He’s close.”
OliviaAfter what felt like an eternity, the boat finally broke through the storm and pulled up against the dock with a jolt. I lifted my head from where I had it tucked into my knees, shivering against the cold and the wind and the rain.Finally, we had made it. But it was so late now—a quick glance at my phone, indicating that it was well past midnight and I still hadn’t received any word from Nathan, sent my heart pounding. I needed to hurry.
NathanMy vision swam in and out of focus as the guards dragged me down a dimly lit corridor. Blood gushed from my broken nose, dribbling down my chin and splattering on the concrete floor. Each ragged breath sent white-hot lances of pain through my battered ribs.But all the while, even through the pain and the betrayal, I only thought about one thing.
OliviaThe baton cracked against the side of my skull with a sickening force. White-hot lights exploded across my vision as I crumpled to the floor, the world tilting violently around me for the second time that day. Deep voices barked orders, heavy bootsteps thundering across the cheap linoleum.I blinked sluggishly, my eyes refusing to focus. Four… no, five bulky shapes loomed over me, indistinct in the hazy gloom. One of the figures reached down, seizing a fistful of my hair to
OliviaI slipped through the open doors of the ballroom, my pulse thundering in my ears. The grand hall was like something out of a movie, all glittering chandeliers and polished marble floors. Small clusters of well-dressed guests meandered about, sipping from elegant flutes of champagne while soft orchestral music played in the background.Normally, an event like this would have been exciting to attend. Perhaps, in another life, Nathan and I would have attended this ball arm-in-arm as
OliviaThe unmarked door gave way to a dimly lit hallway, the cracked tile floors and peeling wallpaper a far cry from the opulent grandeur of the ballroom. The sounds of the party, muffled now by the door, continued on in the background.Thankfully, Dan hadn’t seen me. Or at least, I hoped that he hadn’t; but still, I needed to move quickly just in case he noticed his missing keyring.
NathanThe rough burlap sack was yanked off my head, and I blinked furiously against the sudden harsh glare of morning sunlight. My burning eyes took a moment to adjust after being plunged into darkness for so long.Once the blur cleared from my eyes and I was finally able to make out my surroundings, I could see that we were outside now, in what looked like an abandoned quarry or maybe a construction site.
Olivia“Wakey wakey, little mouse.”Before I could even collect my bearings of the strange and barren surroundings, a sharp kick to the backs of my knees sent me flying into the shallow pit. A pair of warm arms enveloped me, but did nothing to stop both of us from tumbling to the gritty soil.Gritting my t