New Age Werewolf Series Book 2: Hunter's Daughter, Alpha's Mate

Part 33: Can't Run

I was up early. I wasn't getting much sleep anyway. It'd been three days since she arrived, and three nights of utter unrest.

What was I going to do?  

I went jogging in the woods around the estate. I wanted to see Leilani, but I needed her to settle down. I laughed at myself ruefully. How was she going to do that in a dungeon?

Suddenly, I was knocked down from behind. The scent of perfume hit me at the exact same time, and I groaned. Here comes trouble.

"Hey, there!" Mora giggled as I turned over. Her auburn hair was a mass of waves, her hazel eyes alight and playful, her body like that of model, I am usually happy to see her. But not today.  "Finally caught up with you!"

I had been avoiding her since I came home. "Uh, hi, Mora." I lightly lifted her off me.

Mora giggled and rolled onto her backside, coming up on her elbows with one hell of a "come hither" look. I rolled to my feet and kept jogging. 

"Kyros?" I heard her behind me. I've never really heard her tone of disbelief. "Kyros!" I heard her feet pad behind me. "What was that?"

"I'm jogging, getting into my regular pattern, Mora--"

"Regular pattern?" She caught my arm. "And what is this I hear of a woman in the dungeon?"

I stiffened, and pulled my arm away.

"Who is she?"

"None of your concern," I said softly, but my tone was laced with warning. "and stay away from her."

"Who--" She bowed her head when I growled at her.  She didn't dare say another word.

"Off limits, I mean it!" I finally left her behind. Now I wanted to head for the hills. I wanted to run, needed to. It felt like I was running from something...out of fear...anger...oh, no.

My phone rang. Damn. "Yes, Gordon."

"You'd better get back to the house."

"Why?"

"Your mate has caused a stir in the dungeons."

"Is she alright?"

"More than alright."

I frowned. "What's going on?"

"You gave her her backpack?"

"Sure, she has no weapons."

"Yes, she does."

"On my way." I sprinted back to the house, and headed straight to the dungeons.

I assessed the scene. It looked like a war happened. There was blood on the floor, groaning in the darkness.

"Ow!" someone growled.

"Hold still!" Leilani whispered.

"Leilani?!" I was holding my breath until she stepped from the shadows. She ran to me, and I almost opened my arms to her, but then she stopped short. My wolf whined inside, and truthfully, I with him. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, no thanks to...him!" She pointed at a guard named Corth on the floor bleeding. He was already bandaged and looking confused as she dabbed at a head wound on Asa , the oldest prisoner in the dungeons, and ironically, my childhood friend. He tried to wave her away, and she promptly smacked his hand. "Stop it!"

"Corth?" 

Corth struggled to sit up. "I--I---"

Leilani pointed at him angrily. "He tried to attack me--"

"No!" Asa sat straight up growling. A wave of sadness came over me. When my mother died, my father tried to send him away, and I begged that he stay. When he chose a human mate, my hands were tied and Father put him here. Leilani was my first prisoner, and her situation was unique. "He tried more, far worse than that."

It was then I noticed that Leilani's clothes were ripped. My eyes turned black, I felt it happen. I turned on Corth. "Get...out."

Corth scrambled to his feet, and left doubled over from his wounds. He cowered when our eyes met again, but then looked to Leilani. "I...I am sorry." He ran out.

"Leilani, I'm sorry, this shouldn't have happened--"

"Save it!" She sneered. "We want better food, TV--"

"Yes!" Ian, on of the twins, agreed. 

"Ian!" Leilani was exasperated.

"Oh, and MP3s?" Logan, the other twin, smiled hopefully. "A video game system!"

"Logan..." Leilani shook her head at the twin. "I won't live under these conditions. None of us should."

"I will take him to be tended to," I said, helping Asa up. He was bigger than me, but I wasn't afraid. "I will work on your requests." I helped him into another room.

"I'm fine," Asa grunted as he sat down. "Are you?"

"What?"

"That is an unclaimed female hybrid," Asa said. "what is she doing here?"

"I'm sure she'll tell you--"

"She has, we talk late at night while others sleep," Asa frowned. "If all she says is true, what are you going to do?" 

"What do you mean?"

"She's your mate, Alpha," Asa said softly. "I know the signs."

"Will you look after her for me?" I asked. "Until I go public in the wolf community? She is here for her own safety, she doesn't know that, despite what happened."

"I'd do that without your asking," Asa nodded. "but it will come out sooner than later." He was quiet for a moment. "Changes on the horizon? She is the change we've all been waiting for."