The Broken Wolf

One Bright Morning Changes All Things

Getting kidn*pped was probably in the top three most embarrassing things to happen to me lately.

Having my kidnapper watch me flail to the ground in a tangled heap of limbs and wounded dignity had officially taken first place.

My face burned as I pushed myself upright, managing it with about as much grace as a newborn deer attempting its first steps.

Haze’s snickering alerted me to his presence and I quietly prayed to the gods to open a sinkhole beneath my feet.

“So.” I cleared my throat. “What now? Tie an anvil around my legs and drop me off in the middle of a deep lake?”

My imagination conjured up the horrifying imagery and I pushed the sudden fear aside. I couldn’t afford to scare myself I should leave that to the professionals.

Professional number one, Dominic, eyed with a crease between his brows, as though he was genuinely curious bout what went on inside my head.

Haze, however, looked delighted.

I really wished I’d thought to grab something sturdy. I’d chuck it has stupid head.

“We’re going to see Jasper.” Dominic said voice flat. Not at all like he’d just threatened me with the boogeyman.

Swallowing I nodded. Time to face the devil.

#

Jasper’s office sat inside the pack house, a sprawling central building where communal meals were shared, festivities were held, and younger Wolves lived until they found permanent homes of their own. The place was enormous. Well maintained. And, judging by the number of people who stopped what they were doing to stare at me, apparently home to half the Hallow Night Land Pack.

The moment we stepped through the doors, conversations faltered, heads turned, eyes followed. I kept mine firmly on the floor.

Dominic’s boots were easier to look at.

I willed myself not to trip and further embarrass myself.

Haze followed behind me, apparently determined to fill the silence.

“The whole bottom floor was renovated three years ago. The kitchens can feed nearly two hundred Wolves at once. There's a training hall beneath the west side of the building, and the healers' cabin is—”

“Does he ever stop talking?” I muttered.

“No.” Dominic answered his tone as equally annoyed

Haze gasped, “You wound me.”

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. Dominic glanced over his shoulder and my smile disappeared.

We went up the stairs and my chest tightened.

At the top landing Dominic placed an unnervingly gentle hand on my back. For a ridiculous second my mind thinks he’s trying to protect me from the curious gazes. Then with ease he pushed me through an open door way. Right, not protecting me just presenting his prey.

“Elodie Harrow,” the voice came from inside, deep and gravelly. Authoritative enough to make every muscle in my body tense. My head whipped up automatically only to drop immediately after. The man behind the massive wooden desk was enormous. Even seated he filled the room. Broad shoulders, powerful build, dark hair, and eyes so dark they seemed to swallow the light. Jasper. Alpha of the Hallow Night Lands Pack. I had never met him before, but the stories about him had reached even me. He was ruthless, brutal. The kind of Alpha who could command an entire room without raising his voice. Looking at him then, I understood why. “Pleasure to meet you.”

His words were disarmingly polite but I kept my eyes on the floor. “Can’t say the same.”

Silence.

Somewhere behind me, Haze made a strangled noise.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Well.

There went any chance of walking out of here alive.

A low chuckled rolled across the room. Not angry, amused.

“Look at me.”

My stomach twisted as slowly, I raised my gaze.

Jasper looked to be about Dominic’s age, maybe older. He was massive, not just tall or muscular. There was something inherently predatory about him, something that reminded me that beneath the human was a wolf capable of tearing a man limb from limb.

His dark eyes settles on mine, unreadable.

“Elodie Harrow,” He leaned back. “Daughter of Alpha Aiden Harrow.”

I swallowed.

“Do you know why you’re here?”

I nodded. One thick brow rose, apparently that wasn’t enough of an answer.

“I’m a hostage.”

My words hung between us, Dominic beside me stood still. I didn’t look at him but I could feel his attention like a brand.

“Your father is making our lives very difficult,” he said. “He refuses to meet to discuss compromise.”

I thought of Lyndale, a smaller pack to the south. It’d been annihilated a few years ago. Its lands absorbed by Hallow Night Lands. Was that compromise?

“Are you going to kill me?” I asked my stomach twisting itself into further knots.

“No.” He laughed the sound more ominous than disarming.

“Then what?”

“You’re a bargaining.” He stated matter-of-factly.

I glanced up at Dominic then. His face was completely unreadable. I looked back at Jasper. “You made the wrong choice.”

His eyes narrowed.

“You’d have better luck with my sister” I said.

Something in Jaspers expression flickered. Not pity, something that sent a pinprick of unease down my spine. Understanding.

My prim-and-proper older sister had wanted for nothing all her life. She was pretty, strong and capable. Father loved her and she had a mate. One who would have come looking for her the second she went missing.

“No one will miss me.” I added. I felt Dominic shift beside me but I didn’t look at him. “I doubt anyone’s even realized I’m gone.

Jasper hummed, “You underestimate the importance of pride to Alphas like your father. You were taken from his lands in broad daylight. He can’t risk abandoning his kin and suffer the embarrassment that comes after.”

My breath caught. “You don’t know my father.”

He shrugged. “I know he won’t like his authority’s being challenged, or his pack being made into a ridicule.”

I wanted to argue but I knew my father. The fact that I’d survived for so long was precisely because of his obsession with his image.

His gaze didn’t waver. “For the time being you’ll be our guest here. I’ll warn you against trying to make a run for it. Our forest is heavily guarded you won’t even make it to the border.”

Running a hand down my face I let out an exasperated breath. “And where am I supposed to stay?”

Jaspers gaze shifted to Dominic. “With him.”

My head snapped up.

“No.” Dominic’s expression hardened immediately.

Jasper didn’t even blink, “She needs to be watched. Who better than you.”

Dominic’s jaw flexed, “I’ll put her in one of the guest rooms.”

“She’ll be eaten alive by our pack-mates before we can even get any use out of her.”

I looked between the two of them as silence stretched and something unspoken transpired.

“She’ll stay in your den.” Jaspers voice lowered taking on a harder edge.

Dominic’s eyes flicked toward me before returning to Jasper. With a resigned sigh he said, “Yes, Alpha.”

And just like that my fate was all but decided.