The Reluctant Mate

15 Amanda

The wolves continued to aggressively pace and prevent me from escaping, but then most of them moved further away, like they had one mind. They didn't go far enough for my relief, and the big growly one didn't go anywhere. I was shaking more as I sneakily reached for my phone trying to avoid sudden movements that might recapture their attention.

The pack disappeared into the darkness, and the wolf nearest me whined, before slowly moving away as well.

Were they letting me go?

I didn't wait to find out. I rushed forward and managed to slam my head into another branch. I stumbled backwards, dazed.

Someone grabbed me, and I shrieked. They'd be after me again! I tried to yank my hand from the iron grip, and then—

"Amanda!"

I would have cried with relief if I weren't freaking out. "Shit! Shit, Carrie, there're wolves, I swear I saw—" I shook my head. I did not see humans transforming into wolves. Werewolves were impossible. Or were they? I had seen what I had seen. "We have to get out of here, fast, before they come back. I lost my flashlight, but we've got to keep moving."

I began to pull her along, Carrie yanking on me from time to time, clearly having as much difficulty as I was without sight. I slammed my leg into something hard, and it stung. Crap, needed my flashlight so that I could get us out of here. Oh, I could use my phone—

Then my memory flashed to the indistinct figure beside Carrie's boyfriend I'd barely looked at since I was so fixated on Porter. I lurched to a halt. "You're one of them. That's why you're here!"

"I—"

"Don't even lie to me. You're all werewolves, or something crazy like that! I just saw people turn into wolves, and you showed up right when they left! Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Of course not, Amanda. You're my friend."

I scowled at her through the darkness. "If I'm really your friend, then call off your wolves and let me go."

"I can't do that, at least not until—"

I didn't give her time to react, I ran forward in the darkness, and straight into someone solid and warm.

I screamed and stumbled backwards, right into Carrie...the werewolf!?

Jerking away, I ran straight back into the other one. Before I had a chance to react again, I was hoisted into the air and thrown over his shoulder. "Put me down!" I demanded as he started walking through the forest.

I struggled, but he ignored my punches on his back, and he was holding me by my legs so I could barely move them. "Someone help! I'm being kidnapped by freaking monsters! Help!"

"No one can hear you. And I'm not going to hurt you," Porter said.

"Porter!? What the hell? I made myself clear, I told you to stay away from me, damn it!"

"I did stay away. I did exactly what you demanded and I was going to keep doing that. But, you're the one who came sneaking around here after you said you don't want anything to do with me." His voice was deep with something dark, and it scared me. And maybe excited me. Ugh, I was so screwed up. I blame my shitty parents.

I tried flailing again. "I didn't ask for this!"

"You were trespassing!"

"That doesn't give you a right to kidnap me, you bastard! And for that matter, you—hey, wait a second! Where's your shirt? Are you naked right now!?" The audacity! I sank my teeth into the back of his arm since nothing else I was doing seemed to work.