Slave

By the time the man put Alina down, it was halfway through the next day. She was miserable. He delighted in caressing her body as they traveled, teasing her with firm strokes on her thigh and feather-light kisses along her hip until Alina felt sure she was going mad.

On the last leg of their journey, as the temperature dropped, Alina finally learned his name.

" Cyrus Lincoln."

It was a small concession, but she took it gratefully. To know a man's name was a thing of power, and in this game, Alina needed all the advantages she could get. Luckily Cyrus seemed to like the sound of his own voice, readily revealing details of his pack and the outlay of his camp after stopping to rest, a handful of miles left from their destination. They were well outside the royal grounds, and though she couldn't move or walk on her own, Alina tried to leave an object or scent wherever she could, knowing Axle wouldn't be far behind.

"I heard about you, even as far as my pa