Wolves of the new dawn

Abduction

*Raylee*

I sink deeper into the couch, the old fabric scratchy against my skin, I could ask for a new one, but it feels like a comforting embrace. The pages of the romance novel flutter beneath my fingertips, the words almost a balm for my weary soul.

This is when I am most happy, when I lose myself in the story of two lovers, their hearts intertwined in a world untouched by the chaos that has overtaken mine. A world where love conquers all, where dreams are not just whispers in the dark but tangible realities. But these books are rare finds, they are back from before the World went to hell.

I close my eyes for a moment, wishing I could step into the pages, to escape this life that feels so suffocating.

The world outside is unforgiving. The NEO, my benefactor, provides for me, but it comes with strings attached. I hate the compromises I’ve made, the life I lead, but it’s either this or live in poverty, scrounging for scraps. But now, with the child growing inside me, I can’t help but feel a flicker of hope amidst the despair. Maybe I can create a better life for my baby. Maybe I can protect them from the horrors of this world.

As I turn the page, my heart flutters at the thought of a different future. What if my child could grow up in a world where love is free? Where they wouldn’t have to live in the shadow of fear or servitude? I let myself imagine it, just for a moment, until…

BANG!

The front door shatters, sending wooden splinters flying across the room. I jump to my feet, my heart racing, the novel slipping from my grasp and landing with a thud on the floor. My mind races through the possibilities. A robbery? Some kind of attack? But nothing could prepare me for what steps through the threshold.

A creature… no, a monster… stands in the doorway, towering and muscular, fur shimmering under the dim light of the apartment. My breath catches in my throat, and I stagger back, panic seizing my chest. It’s a wolfman, his eyes glinting with an intelligence that sends chills racing down my spine.

“Don’t be scared,” he says, his voice deep and rumbling like distant thunder. “I won’t hurt you. I can’t leave you and my pup behind.”

I blink, confusion swirling in my mind. What is he talking about? Pup? My heart races as I comprehend his words, and a wave of nausea washes over me. I’m pregnant, but how does he know? I’m paralyzed with terror, and before I can gather my thoughts, he strides toward me, his massive paws gliding across the floor with an elegance that belies his size.

Then he seems to shrink before my eyes, become human, or close to it… it is him, the breeder, the Wild man I was inseminated with. How has he escaped?

“Wait!” I scream, my voice breaking. I turn to flee, but he’s faster. In a heartbeat, he closes the distance between us, and before I can react, he scoops me up into his arms. My body is pressed against his powerful chest, the scent of wild earth and something musky enveloping me. He is still much larger and stronger than me.

“Let me go!” I thrash against him, panic clawing at my throat. “What do you want?”

He sighs, a sound heavy with frustration. “I’m here to protect you. To take you away from this place.” His grip tightens, not painfully, but firm enough to assure me that escape is futile. “You don’t understand. This world is dangerous for you and for our child.”

My mind races as I try to process his words. Our child? Is he serious? I’ve heard tales of the monsters, creatures born from the shadows that supposedly live in the wasteland, but I never imagined them like this. And I have read of werewolves in some of my old romance books, he seems more like those, but they are fiction, yet here he is, carrying me away like I’m something precious, like I matter.

“No! You can’t do this!” I scream again, desperation clawing at my chest. “I can’t go with you! I have a life here. I can’t just… leave everything behind. I can live in the wasteland.”

He pauses, looking down at me with those fierce, piercing eyes. “What life? A gilded cage is still a cage, Raylee.” My name on his lips sends a shiver through me, and I realize it stirs something inside me. “You’re trapped, and I can’t allow you to remain here.”

I open my mouth to argue, to fight, but he’s already moving, his powerful legs propelling us through the wreckage of my door. I can’t help but glance back, at the life I’ve known, but it’s gone now, lost to me like the novel I dropped.

He carries me out into the night, the cool air rushing against my skin, and I feel a mix of terror and exhilaration. I’m caught between wanting to scream and wanting to understand. This creature… this wildling… holds my future in his hands, and I’m not sure whether to fight or surrender.

“Why did you come for me?” I finally manage to ask, my voice trembling. “What do you want from me?”

He glances down, his expression softening just a fraction. “I want to protect you. To keep you safe from those who would do you harm. This is about more than just you or me; it’s about our child.”

The weight of his words settles over me, heavy and suffocating. I search his face for answers, for a glimpse of reassurance. “But how can you protect me? Out there in the wasteland.”

He lets out a low growl, but there’s no malice in it… just frustration. “I’m not the monster you seem to think. I’m more than that. And so is the wasteland.I won’t let anyone take you from me.”

With that, he breaks into a run, and the world blurs around us. I clutch tightly to him, feeling the rhythm of his heart against mine, the warmth of his body contrasting with the cool night air. My mind spins with confusion, fear, and something that feels dangerously close to exhilaration.

I’m torn between wanting to fight and wanting to trust. A part of me screams to escape, to find safety, but another part whispers that maybe, just maybe, he’s telling the truth. Maybe he can give me the life I’ve only dreamed of. Maybe the actual safety is with him.

But as we race into the unknown, one thought lingers in my mind: Have I just traded one prison for another?