Captured (Wolf in Exile Part 1): Werewolf Shifter/Vampire Paranormal Romance (4 page)

With no further threats in the immediate vicinity, Thane shifted back into human...but painfully.

Blood dripped from the bite mark on his chest, and his back stung from the claw scratches.

When Nolan lifted his gaze to meet Thane’s, it was in that instant that Nolan showed the first signs of recognition. The insignia embedded in Thane’s chest and along his neck gave his true identity away. The tattoo became visible on the skin only when a wolf’s deepest emotions surfaced. Nothing but rage flowed through Thane’s veins, so the symbol stood out prominently. The symbols glowed bright under the moon, like no other ordinary wolf’s mark.

Nolan skittishly stumbled back a few steps, his eyes wild with terror.

Not only was Thane’s refusal to kneel due to the fact that he would never stand second to any man, wolf, or living creature—especially not Zsecar Nolan—but Thane was once a leader himself. He bore the ceremonial mark of an Alpha.

But today, he was just a lonely wolf in exile.

T
hane grabbed
another pair of pants from his bag and pulled them on. He wasn’t sure if bystanders were staring at the destruction or ogling him in his birthday suit, but he was certain that all attention remained on him at a time when most would be digging through the food and supply bins.

His attention turned to the woman who’d been successfully cornered off by Nolan’s females. Her movements weren’t as frantic as before the fighting, but Thane could still smell panic in the air. There were too many live bodies around. Although he was sure he could scent her, his senses were so in tune with his surroundings that it was likely he was picking up on dozens of emotions from all the bystanders.

Thane noted the tense rise and fall of Nolan’s chest as the leader’s eyes swept between the carnage at their feet to Thane’s Alpha mark. The glow around the mark had now diminished, so there was no need for him to hide it now. His back had been to the crowd when the mark had revealed itself, and the only ones likely to have witnessed it were Nolan and a few of his loyal runners that had been standing behind him.

“Two of my best runners are now dead. If you didn’t come to barter, and you didn’t come to kneel...” Nolan growled “...then what did you come for?”

“The woman near the cargo. I heard her screams.”

Nolan guffawed. “The woman...?” He turned slightly and sought out the woman, then swiveled back around. “You seem to forget that I am leader here. In all the time that you’ve been an inmate, you’ve never joined us in bartering. Now you smell fresh pussy and suddenly you think you’re entitled because you—” His eyes focused on Thane’s mark again. He shook his head as if dismissing the fact that Thane bore an Alpha’s mark. “If you insist on hiding your identity, you can fall in line with the rest of the scums here.” He tossed his head toward the bystanders. “You know the drill. Tournament winner first. Then my runners. Then the scumbags who bartered for one of the numbers. And if there are any leftovers, you can duke it out with the rest.”

“You misunderstand. I didn’t come to barter. I came to take.”

“Everyone else understands and plays by the rules except for you,” Nolan replied, tersely.

“I don’t play games of any type...at all.”

“Can you explain that to the inmates behind you who understand the rules?” Nolan waved his hand toward the bystanders.

“I may spend the rest of my life here within these barricades, but I value breathing,” Thane said and met Nolan’s glare in challenge. “Two wolves are bleeding out on the ground. The third man you ordered to take my life stands behind me like a cowering bitch. How many more of your men shall I run through?”

“You’ve entered my territory. Everything on it belongs to me. Our outside trading laws still apply here. It doesn’t matter what your past position was. Or do you not abide by shifter law any longer?”

Thane swallowed hard. This was Nolan’s territory. He’d claimed it when he became the leader. Even the previous leader had dominion over the site where the monthly drops were made.

Outside of these barricades, shifters still marked territories. It was the equivalent of having the deed to land in the human world. If one rolled up on someone’s property, they’d better be damned sure they had an excuse for doing so.

Thane’s excuse was the woman.

“I remain true to the laws of our kind,” he replied.

“Then what have you got to offer me in exchange for her?”

Thane nibbled on the inside corner of his mouth, his gaze darting between the woman and Nolan. He’d been faced with many decisions in his lifetime, but this was one of the hardest. What made it so difficult was that he couldn’t process why he’d risk everything to save a woman who he’d not yet officially met. Her voice and appearance stirred something deep within his soul. She was so close, yet so far away.

He hesitated for only a few more seconds, but then thrust his backpack toward Nolan, whose first reaction was to hop back.

Thane grinned. “Relax...I wasn’t trying to kill you.”
Yet.
The truth was, Thane would rather not inherit the responsibility of being the leader to the wolves of Area S2. If he killed Nolan, he was almost certain that would happen.

Nolan snatched the bag and gave it to his runner. “What’s inside?”

When they poured the contents of the bag out onto the table, all eyes bulged in shock. Thane possessed enough marked stones to barter for a good portion of what was on the truck and then some.

“Thirty-one stones,” one of the runners reported back.

“Looks like you’ve been saving up.” Nolan chuckled. “It may be enough to buy the whore for a few nights, but it’s not enough to keep her.”

Thane growled and his claws involuntarily extended outward. This startled Nolan and his stance tensed, causing a few more runners to come to his aid.

“I’m not here to buy her as a whore,” Thane snarled.

Nolan seemed tickled by this and he doubled over in laughter. “Now, now...that’s a privilege very few here have.”

“And let me guess...? You’re doling out privileges now, too, with your self-imposed title?” Thane countered.

“Whatever.” Nolan grimaced. “The whore is on my territory, therefore, she is now mine. Your stones are enough to buy her for three nights.” He sidestepped Thane and addressed the crowd. “Do we have any counteroffers for the raven-haired whore? Thirty-one stones are the current bid.”

The bystanders grumbled amongst each other.

“No counteroffers. Would anyone care to step up to challenge him in the cage?” Nolan asked.

Thane’s canines dropped in anger. How dare Nolan volunteer him to fight in the cage?

“Anyone?” Nolan urged.

The bystanders fell silent.

“No one else here can afford her.” Nolan stepped back. “You’ve bought yourself a whore for three nights. Take it or leave it.” He held up a finger. “Amy? Bring that new girl to me.”

Thane’s heart thumped sluggishly as the woman came into clearer view. The first thing he sensed was her state of distress. Her irises shifted from left to right, not really focusing on any one thing. It was as if she were blind or somehow robbed of her ability to see. She was smaller in frame than Thane had originally thought. A delicate human. However, her womanly curves filling the jeans and top she wore could not go unnoticed. As Nolan had said, she was raven-haired and temptingly beautiful.

“She’s drugged up,” Amy said to Nolan. “I couldn’t even get a name out of her.”

Nolan reached for the woman. “It will be to her advantage. I’ll need to mark her—”

“No!” Thane’s heart jumped, and the ancient powers of his wolf pulsed aggressively through his veins.

Nolan flinched at Thane’s command. “Your stones will only buy three nights.”

“I bartered for her unmarked. Now hand her over...
unmarked
.” Thane held his palm out to accept her.

Nolan frowned, but the leader seemed to pick up on the powers of the Alpha wolf that still existed deep within Thane.

Nolan reached down and tore the tail end of the woman’s shirt. “Fine.” He grinned. “I’ll let you break her in. You have seventy-two hours. Beginning now. If you renege on our deal...if you’re even one hour late, then you’ll pay for it with your territory.”

“That wasn’t the deal.”

“You get nothing for free here,” Nolan retorted, and then pushed the woman towards him.

The woman fell against Thane’s chest then she used her hands to push herself up to study him. Her pupils were dilated like she was high on something. She’d probably been drugged before coming here.

“You’ll bring her back.” Nolan brought the piece of torn fabric up to his nose, took a deep whiff, then tucked it into his back pocket. “And remember...you can cover your tracks, but you won’t always be able to cover the human’s scent. You’ve hidden well, but she is ripe and in her offspring bearing years. Any wolf could scent her from a mile away...just as you did. I’m speaking from experience.”

Thane looked down at the woman’s delicate face again. He grimaced when he realized Nolan was right, but all reason flew out the door when she widened her eyes and studied his expression. She gasped, and her breath fanned Thane’s chin.

In that moment, Thane realized that his canines were still extended. He ran his tongue along his top row of teeth and they retracted.

“Please don’t kill me,” she whispered then lost consciousness.

Just before she hit the ground, Thane scooped her up and turned his back on Nolan. The callous leader cackled behind him as Thane headed toward the forest with the human woman in his arms.

K
alena woke up startled
. She pushed herself upright into a sitting position and strained to see around the darkened area. The smell of some kind of meat cooking wafted under her nose. Her stomach churned and grumbled, anticipating a hot meal. Her taste buds swelled in hunger and her mouth watered. She looked for the source of the sizzling sound, and noticed a leaf-covered bundle on a grate over low, open flames. What was this place? Who cooked food over a fire pit in the middle of the floor?

She panted on dry breath, realizing that she hadn’t eaten or had anything to drink in what seemed like...

Well, she didn’t even know. It had been too damned long. Her stomach grumbled furiously as she swallowed her saliva.

Whatever she was sitting on felt odd. It wasn’t hard metal like the floor of the truck she’d been hauled away in; it felt plush and firm like a bed, but it wasn’t really a bed.

A light breeze whipped across Kalena’s face and something shuffled nearby. She jumped up and knelt on the bed, ready to attack if the need arose.

“Who’s there?” she demanded.

“I have water and fruit.” It was a male and he sounded familiar. The voice heavy and husky...and calm.

“I...I need to speak to my lawyer.”

There was a long silence, some more shuffling, and then a hard thud that sounded like a door closing.

Kalena felt her wrists and ankles. She wasn’t bound with rope any longer, but there was some bruising on her skin. Except for the tear at the bottom of her shirt, she was fully dressed in the same clothes she had been thrown into the wolf cage with.

Wait a minute...

The wolf cage? What had happened?

The stranger shuffling around had yet to show his face.

“I can’t see you,” she said, peering anxiously at his shadows.

Something sparked to the left of her. She saw puffs of smoke before she saw the flame, and then she realized the stranger had lit a lamp. With the light, a man came into full view.

He was huge, bigger than any man she’d ever seen. His hair was down past his shoulders, and his eyes were a prominent majestic bronze as he fixed his gaze on her. His chest was bare except for patches of leaves tied across his torso like a bandage. There was not an ounce of fat on him, and ripped abs led down into jeans that were worn and weathered. Inked markings were strewn across his chest, but most of the design was hidden by the dressings on his wound.

Kalena’s eyes shot back up to his chiseled face, complete with a near perfect set of lips. His sleek hair was the color of chestnut. The stubble on his face was the same brown hue. Thick sweeping lashes the color of burnished gold hooded his eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d glanced at one of those men’s magazines to see the models. While his looks could get him onto one of those cover ads, the man that stood before her was definitely no average model. His stance was too hard. His stare too calculating and animalistic. There was nothing delicate and graceful about him. Designer clothes couldn’t even do him justice. And he looked oddly familiar.

Kalena trembled, but she noticed her temperature hadn’t dropped. It had risen; but still, her body tingled and her nipples tightened while she stared at the man. He commanded attention and caused Kalena’s heart to flutter in more than just trepidation. Her pulse sped up and she fought to calm her panicked breathing.

He was the same being that had changed from a murderous raging wolf into a man. Memories of her arrival flooded back to her like a video trailer, only they were fuzzy and blurry, just as her vision had been at the time. The sounds were clear though. Even now, she cringed as she recalled the chaos and violence as the wolves fought. And all the while, a woman’s voice had been trying to calm her.

Kalena swallowed. “You’re not human,” she whispered.

They locked gazes and he moved closer to her on the cot. The more she took in her surroundings, the more she understood where she was. On a makeshift bed, in the middle of what looked like some cave or hut.

“I’m a shifter.”

He placed a basket on the bed of what seemed like unpackaged toiletries. A toothbrush, tube of deodorant, and even a comb were piled inside.

“I haven’t used these yet,” he said. “Maybe you can.”

“Okay,” she spoke slowly, swung her legs out from under her, and slid to the edge of the cot. “Mr. Shifter...whatever your name is—”

“You can call me Thane.”

“Thane,” she repeated. “There seems to have been some misunderstanding. I was...kidnapped and brought here against my will by some foreign men. I’m not sure what kind of place this is, but I don’t belong here.”

“This is a place where criminals are sentenced to serve their time. In exile.”

“I’m not a criminal.” Kalena stood, her bones cracking as a result of her not being able to walk for what seemed like hours of being in the truck. She reached behind her and pressed her back against the wall for support.

“You don’t look like one.” He held up a canteen and a basket of what looked like apples and oranges. “You need to eat. Your blood sugar is low.”

She lifted her chin. “How do you know? And how do I know you’re not trying to poison me?”

“I can sense these things.” He placed the items on the stand near the cot. “I’m not trying to poison you, but you won’t know that until you eat, huh?”

Kalena caught a whiff of his masculine evergreen scent. The smell was very subtle, but yet robbed her of her ability to think straight. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been with a man who made her feel this way, but why her love life would matter in this moment puzzled Kalena.

Thane turned and sat on the ground at the foot of the bed. He dipped a cloth in a bowl of water and began to wipe his hands and face.

Kalena didn’t miss the claw marks all over his back. Some of the wounds were fresh—probably from the fight—but most appeared to be in various stages of healing. There were no bandages dressing the fresh wounds on his back like the one on his chest.

“What is this place?”

“It’s called Area S2. Uninhabited land surrounded by steep mountains. The sole purpose is for containing inmates. If you’re thinking of escaping, then rethink your strategy. The traps around the perimeter of the landscape and the monitoring device like the one clipped around your ankle keeps the inmates in. This place is not on any map, and before you ask...no one will find you here,” he replied.

Her heart dropped. “Do you mean that the men that put me here just leave people here...to stay?”

“It’s likely the men who brought you here were just following orders.”

“How long have you been here?” she inquired.

“Six months. One week. And three days,” he said in a disdainful voice.

Kalena settled back as despair replaced any ounce of hope she might have had left. “I can’t possibly stay here.” She stared at the canteen and basket of fruit. There was no way that she could stay out here in this forest with a pack of wolves for months.

“Everyone here has been convicted of something and sentenced to exile.”

What had Tracy done?

Thane continued, “Area S2 is the equivalent of a prison. The only difference is it’s meant to contain shifters, not necessarily humans.” He turned slightly and glanced over his shoulder at her. “Which leads me to question you about what you did to land yourself here?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “I think I’ve been mistaken for my friend.”

His eyebrow quirked. “A friend?”

“Yes, I hadn’t seen her in a while, and I went to visit her in the labs. I started looking at these reports and somehow gained access to this backdoor database...I shouldn’t have been there in the first place. I couldn’t...”

“You couldn’t what?” he urged.

“Look, I don’t think I should be telling you this. I work for Silex Pharmaceuticals. You probably don’t know anything about them, but I’m under a confidentiality agreement and I’m not supposed to disclose anything.”

Somewhere mid-sentence, Thane had stood. His face was devoid of all emotions. “What do you do for Silex?”

“I’m just an assistant there.”

“What kind of assistant?” he asked.

“I help the VP of Accounting. I code things and make sure they are set up in the system. Why?” She held both palms upright in frustration. “It doesn’t matter now. I just need to find a way out of here. There has to be a phone or an emergency line somewhere. How does someone get help if they’re dying?”

“There’s no help or medic who comes running to aid anyone here. As I mentioned, most of us are shifters. There are a handful of humans, but not many.”

Kalena shook her head. “Even more reason why I shouldn’t be here. I’m not a shifter.”

“Was your friend a shifter?” he asked, calmly.

“I don’t know. She seemed just like me. How would I know?”

Thane ran his hand over his head and down through his hair and exhaled deeply. “Your connection to Silex changes everything. I need to know why you were in the labs at Silex and exactly what you do for them.”

“I already told you what I do for Silex. And why should I trust you? The other night that woman told me that you were trying to buy me for sexual purposes.”

Thane’s eyes widened, and then narrowed. “That’s not true. I heard your screams, your cries for help.”

“I saw what you did to that wolf,” she said.

He lowered his head. “I’m sorry you had to see that, but it was what I had to do to help you.”

Some of the tension escaped from Kalena’s muscles and she sat down on the cot again. Everything she’d learned in this short span of time had become too much for her to take in, but she still hadn’t wrapped her brain around how she’d get herself out of this situation.

“Why would you want to help me? You barely know me.”

“I was compelled to. I can’t explain. It’s a wolf thing.”

She smirked. Probably would have laughed despite her situation. “You’ll have to tell me sooner or later. I don’t have that much interaction with shifters on a daily basis.”

He raised an eyebrow. “For right now, would you be content on my reason being that you simply called out for help?”

“For right now.” She gave a curt nod then leaned over and plucked up one of the apples. “My name is Kalena.”

He smiled and the emotion carried throughout his entire face. “I caught some fish while you were sleeping. I figured you’d want them cooked. Give it about ten more minutes on the fire and they should be ready to eat.” He picked up a bag and tied the straps around his midsection.

“I need to cover some tracks. I’ll be back shortly.” He gave her another once over and then turned.

“Wait!”

“Yes?” He waited patiently by the door.

“You said there were traps. How do you plan to help me?”

“There are traps, but I never said I didn’t know how to circumvent them.”

“Tell me what you know about Silex,” she demanded, going off a hunch. When she’d mentioned the name earlier, he’d shown keen interest in her position there.

“The connection I have to Silex goes by the name of Gavril.”

“You mean Gavril Silex?” she asked in surprise.

“Gavril Silex is the reason I was sentenced to exile. He sent me here.”

“What? He’s the CEO of a well-known company. What does he have to do with this place?”

“Looks like he’s kept his shifter gene a secret...or is that something you ignored because he signs your paychecks?”

“Mr. Silex is a shifter?” she asked, stunned and baffled.

“Not entirely. He was born without the ability to shift. He’s my twin brother.”

Gavril Silex had a twin brother who was a wolf shifter?
How odd that none of the top-level executives ever mentioned that fact at any of the corporate meetings. But then again, people who worked for Gavril feared him. Now, she was beginning to believe the reason had more to do with how much power and influence he had outside of the company, and less to do with their fear of being fired.

Kalena narrowed her eyes and studied Thane. He bore resemblance to someone, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly who.

“I just don’t understand what Gavril and Silex have to do with this place,” she said.

“There are a lot of things you will never understand.”

“But why are you still here? What have you been accused of?”

“My reasons for imprisonment have nothing to do with why I’m helping you get out of here.”

“You’re only helping me because you want something in return.”

“That’s not why I decided to help you at first and you know it.”

“ How do I know that you’re telling me the truth?”

“Obviously, you don’t know that I’m telling you the truth, but if you were suspicious enough about Silex to go prying through their labs, then you’re not all that trusting of Gavril then, are you?”

She settled back and was silent for a moment as she thought about the reports she’d discovered about the D996 drug and Gavril’s written recommendation to continue testing despite the deadly side effects. “I’ve never officially met the man, so I can’t say if I trust him or not.”

Thane looked at her warily. “I’ll need you to trust me, but I haven’t much time to convince you.”

“I trust you enough that I’m still here.” Kalena folded her arms across her chest. “Speaking of trust, I’d like to know what you’ve been convicted of.”

“And once I tell you, then what?” he asked, bluntly. “I’m getting you out of here one way or the other. That won’t change.”

She shook her head. “Are you even going to try to help yourself?”

“I have to stay behind, Kalena. There is no escape for me.”

Most prisoners looked for a way out, even at the slightest opportunity. Why didn’t Thane want to leave? More importantly, why was he here in the first place?

Kalena was curious about Thane and his second nature as a wolf, but she couldn’t swallow the thought of spending six days, let alone six months out here.

“Why do you have to stay? What crime are you accused of committing?”

His shoulders dropped by a couple inches and his gaze lowered from her and swept the floor. Reluctance showed in his demeanor, and she wondered if he trusted her.