protection 6
1061 Words
Chapter 6
Sammy POV
The cabin went completely silent after Maddox’s words.
Every wolf standing nearby looked between us carefully.
Some are curious..Some are suspicious. One or two openly irritated.
I understood why. A strange female appearing out of nowhere and suddenly staying beside their Alpha? Most packs would see that as a problem immediately. Especially female wolves. The woman standing beside the steps crossed her arms tightly.
“With respect, Alpha, we don’t know anything about her.”
I almost told her that made two of us.
Maddox stood slowly to his full height. “We know enough.”
The female’s jaw tightened, but she lowered her head slightly.
Submission..Interesting. So even if Maddox claimed he didn’t have a pack… These wolves clearly followed him like one. I filed that information away carefully.
“You can question me all you want in the morning,” I muttered tiredly, “but if someone could stop talking about me like I’m not standing here, that’d be great.”
A few wolves looked surprised at my tone..The female looked offended..Maddox looked amused…Wonderful.
“I’m Rowan,” the female finally said stiffly. “Pack healer.”
“Sammy.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Is that your real name?”
“Nope.”
At least a few wolves laughed quietly at that.
Rowan, however, did not. Maddox gestured toward the largest cabin.
“Inside.”
I hesitated briefly before following him up the steps.
The second we entered, warmth wrapped around me instantly. A fire crackled in the corner while the smell of cedar and coffee filled the air. It felt…Comfortable…Too comfortable. My guard immediately went up higher. Places that felt safe usually weren’t.
Maddox shut the door behind us while the others remained outside.
Alone..Bad idea. Sal seemed oddly calm though.
“That’s because he hasn’t tried to dominate us once.”
That was true. Strange for an Alpha. Most powerful Alphas forced dominance constantly, especially around unfamiliar wolves.
Maddox hadn’t. Not once.
“Sit,” he said, pointing toward the couch.
“Are you always this bossy?”
“Yes.”
At least he was honest. I sat carefully, trying not to put pressure on my ankle. The exhaustion from the last twenty-four hours was starting to crush me now. Fight. Cleaning blood. Driving.
Running. I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I slept properly.
Maddox disappeared briefly before returning with a first aid kit.
I eyed it suspiciously.
“You know how to use that?”
His eyebrow lifted slightly.
“I’ve been alive a long time, Sammy.”
That answer raised several questions. “How long?”
“Long enough.”
Annoying. I watched carefully as he crouched in front of me again and gently lifted my injured foot onto his knee.
“You growl at everyone who touches you?” he asked casually
“Usually I stab first.”
“Hm.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’m trying to decide if you’re serious.”
I gave him a flat look.
“I stabbed someone in the heart six hours ago.”
“Fair point.”
Despite his calm attitude, his hands remained careful while wrapping my ankle. His touch was surprisingly gentle for someone who looked capable of snapping trees in half.
“You’ve done this before,” I observed quietly.
“Taken care of injured wolves?”
“Taken care of people.”
For the first time since meeting him, something darker crossed his face. “Yes.”
The single word carried enough weight to stop me from asking more. Silence settled between us for a moment. Not awkward.
Just quiet. Then Maddox spoke again.
“Why did Kane obsess over you so much?”
I immediately tensed.
“There it is.”
“There what is?”
“The real question.”
Maddox leaned back slightly. “I need information to keep you alive.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“You’re still under my protection.”
The words hit harder than they should have. Protection.
I honestly couldn’t remember the last time someone offered me that without wanting something in return. Which meant there had to be a catch.
“There’s no such thing as free protection,” I said quietly.
Golden eyes held mine steadily.
“No,” Maddox agreed. “Usually there isn’t.”
That answer did not help my trust issues. I pulled my foot gently away once he finished wrapping it.
“Kane was obsessed because he thought I belonged to him.”
“Mated?”
I almost laughed. “Goddess no.”
The disgust in my voice made Maddox’s expression sharpen slightly.
“Kane wanted power,” I continued. “And he thought using me would help him get it.”
“How?”
I stared at the fire for several seconds before answering.
“Because Sal isn’t normal.”
The second those words left my mouth, the entire cabin changed.
Maddox went completely still. Outside, several wolves suddenly growled. My eyes widened slightly. They heard that? Of course they did. Wolf hearing. i***t. Maddox’s voice lowered carefully.
“What is Sal?”
I swallowed hard. There it was. The secret I spent years running from. The thing that destroyed my life. Sal stirred uneasily inside my mind.
“Don’t tell him everything.”
I agreed. Not yet.
“She’s rare,” I answered carefully.
Maddox watched me silently. Waiting. When I clearly wasn’t saying more, he leaned back slowly.
“You’re hiding something dangerous.”
“Yes.”
“Does the bounty have to do with your wolf?”
Another pause. “Yes.”
Outside the cabin, thunder cracked loudly overhead.
Maddox exhaled slowly before standing.
“You need sleep.”
“That’s your response?”
“It’s midnight, you’re injured, exhausted, and paranoid.”
“I’m always paranoid.”
“You should still sleep.”
I eyed him carefully. “And if I wake up chained in a basement?”
One corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
“Then you can stab me.”
“That’s becoming your solution for everything.”
“You noticed.”
Before I could respond, a loud growl suddenly echoed outside the cabin. Every trace of amusement vanished from Maddox instantly.
He turned toward the door sharply. Then, A howl split through the night. Not pack. Rogue.
- Writer
