Rouge's Trail

LII

"Welcome back, my little Nika," he whispered to me, words running along my skin like ice water. I wanted to squirm under the intense cold but I knew that would only offend him. Cyrus likes his rooms at a chilly temperature and his girls in minimal clothing. There would be no warmth for me tonight.

Especially not in his arms.

When Cyrus called on me it was a wakeup call. After being in Ivalo for so long I am supposed to see it as a compliment that he hasn't grown bored of me. I am his favorite. Of all the women in his modern harem, he loves me best.

But when his hand slides up my arm and he whispers his words of self gratification into my ear with their underlying threats I can't help but remember what comes later on in the night. When he enters me and he destroys my body both physically and spiritually until I'd rather die than continue another minute.

"You are healing well," his hand touches the delicate stitches on my side," I am glad that you are not too hurt from that night. What a fun time..."

__

I woke up in an empty bed. I had taken the liberty to dress myself after Cyrus, but I still felt cold afterwards.

Part of me had hoped it wouldn't hurt so bad as it used to but I was so wrong. It hurt so much worse. I don't know if it is because of his eagerness from having me back under his thumb and quite literally under his body or if it was my mind punishing me for allowing my freedom to be taken away so stupidly after I had everything I had ever wanted.

I don't think I will ever actually know.

Why would I want to?

From the visible sunlight, I guessed that it was about six in the morning but it was hard to be sure in Alaska. 

Valentin arrived in the doorway of the tent and ushered me to come out. We were leaving to return to Ivalo soon. 

As Valentin and I left the tent I saw a tall man with blond hair and a very sunburnt face being escorted by Cyrus's men. I started to go after him with a new sense of hope for survival.

Luke's POV

My head hurt when as I listened to Mike and Isabella go back and forth about how dangerous it would be to go after Cyrus and November. Mike didn't think it was a good idea to charge in there, even if it was for his Beta's mate. Isabella wanted to go in head first and rescue her friend and believed Mike should give all his men to the cause.

I was just waiting until my Alpha went to the bathroom or to check on his mate for me to leave.

And just a few years ago I hated Joshua for doing the same thing to Mike and here I was just itching to get the hell out of the Jade Forest and onto whatever wayward path my beautiful fiery, intelligent, strong mate had in store for me because now I understand what Josh was feeling when he met Thalia. The fire he felt the moment her name came up in conversation, the burn of relief when he held her or, better yet, kissed her.

I understood Josh more so now than I ever did prior to meeting November and having November and having November leave me alone on a dark path in the middle of the woods while she gave herself over to her worst nightmare and I understood now that I was going to have to use every possible resource available to get to keep her.

Mike didn't believe me when I said that I was going to my sister's house to check on the kids as a precaution. He sent along an extra wolf. This was a mistake, however, because he sent the first one to walk into the room who just so happened to be Sara.

Sara tends to get extremely flustered around me due to previous encounters after a shit ton of bourbon. She usually isn't the drinking type.

Which explains why she stared at her feet during out time together walking to Nova's house. I pulled a sideways grin onto my face did that look-at-the-ground-look-at-her-thing that drives she-wolves in our pack wild.

"So, Sara, found a mate yet?"

She jumped at the words, obviously not expecting them to come from either of us. Before blushing profusely and shaking her head no.

"Damn, that sucks. I did," I kinda shook it off in a nonchalant way, hoping she wouldn't see how the mere thought of November made me want to howl to the goddess," Haven't seen her much though so I'm not really sure what all the fuss is about."

She remained silent, but took a tiny peek at my from the corner of her eye.

I will hand it to her, she is pretty. She has this daring sort of eye that shines darker in the shadow of the trees but they lack an interest in feeling life and only seem to gleam when they observe it. I grew up with this girl hanging around the pack house and have seen every bad hair day and ugly sweater she had to offer. There is nothing new and exciting about her.

But for the love of the goddess, please don't let her think I know that.

"I have seen a lot of you, though. I think I would like to see more."

She stopped walking when I said that.

Either I was very right and she is interested in me and fell for it or I was very wrong and she is going to demand that we head back to the pack house this instant so she can report this misbehavior to Mike straight away.

Consent is a must be in this pack.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

My wolf growled in disgust as I took a step closer and said in my throatiest voice.

"I'm saying I want you, baby."

"Oh, my god."

She did this kind of laugh-cackle thing and ran her hands through her hair and I swear I almost abandoned the plan for a second but I didn't.

"I can't believe this is happening."

"You want me, too, then?"

She nodded and threw her arms around me in a very excited way that reminded me more of a reaction to a marriage proposal than the reaction of an unmated she-wolf to a Beta asking for sex.

"Let's do it right now," she said, pulling my shirt off me.

"No, no, no," I stopped her hands before they could go for my pants," I want you somewhere special. How about your place? I'll stop by after I grab some stuff from my sisters. Clothes and condoms and stuff. You know the drill."

She nodded even though I could tell she didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Before I knew it she was running back down the path that would take her to the pack house and then to her own place.

I blew air out of my mouth and reached down for my shirt on the ground. A few leaves got stuck to it when I pulled it back on but other than that no harm was done.

You are an asshole.

It got the job done.

At the expense of that poor girls pride and you own shame.

I said it got the job done, alright? Now let's get the next thing crossed off the list. I'm tired of waiting for my mate.

We get November back.

Tonight.