Collared by Wolves [The Haunt of the Wolves 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (3 page)

Max frowned. “I don’t think so, but the story was hushed up tighter than a virgin bitch’s pussy. All I know is that he likes violence a bit too much.”

“I don’t remember this. When did it take place?” queried an incredulous Callum, his blond eyebrows rising into the fringe of his equally ash-blond hair. He grabbed hold of Max. “Tell me more!”

“Probably five, six years ago, maybe. Weren’t you away at college about then?”

“How would I know if I wasn’t here? Dammit, you guys never tell me anything good.”

Ford tipped his chair back again, returning to his relaxed stance as his two friends continued their light banter. He didn’t have any particular issues with Griff himself, but he knew of no one who was prepared to befriend him. Possibly because the rogue alpha openly rejected any attempts, or maybe because of these intriguing incidents.

His gaze was then taken by the human girl as Griff pinned her up against the bar. He chuckled at the sight of her startled face and her tense body as she pushed herself back against the counter.

What exactly does she expect coming to a BDSM club? Jeez, green subs can be really pathetic.
They expected to arrive at the club and experience some mild spanking, some pretend dominance, and have instant orgasms.

And humans were the worst. The couple of times he had attended a club in the city he had been shocked by how flirtatious the women were as if they thought they were in charge just because they had a safe word and could call a halt to the scene at any time.

No self-respecting wolf sub would have a get-out-of-jail card or word. At least, not once their training was finished. They knew perfectly well that any attempt at bratty behavior could result in a severe punishment which may well involve biting and clawing, not to mention being chained to the punishment post and any wolf, even the betas and omegas, was allowed to spank them.

There was one thing a werewolf hated more than anything, and that was being tied up like an animal. It was all well and good collaring a submissive as that indicated possession by a Dominant, but humiliation by means of being treated like a dog was something altogether different.

Ford’s eyebrows rose as he watched the girl’s face go tight and brilliantly red as Griff pulled away from her. He saw Max and Callum had stopped their banter and were also looking in the same direction. He drawled, “Now what did Griff say, I wonder, to get that reaction from her?”

Max stared intently. “Hmm. That’s interesting.”

“I reckon he embarrassed her,” declared Callum. “Said something to make her doubt her intentions. Now what will she do, I wonder?”

Yes indeed, what will be her next move?
The more Ford watched the girl, the more intrigued he was becoming.

Throughout his chat with Callum, Max kept his eye on the alpha they had been discussing, but in particular he watched the girl as she began to realize that Griff was teasing her. He saw her go red and an expression of embarrassment and resignation came over her face, as if she had expected this.

Turning away, she walked a couple of steps toward the entrance when someone came to the top of the stairs and called out.

“The trials are due to start in two minutes. Anyone else wanting to take part, go upstairs now.”

A mutual groan went around the room, and Max smiled. Everyone had been hoping the girl would get the message and leave so they could resume animal form, if they so wished. He narrowed his eyes and studied the girl further. Her chin had lifted at the man’s words. Oh, she was interested all right. But was she brave enough to take the next step?

“What!” cried the man on the stairs. “What did I say?”

The response was, “Shut up.” So he shrugged and returned to the upper floor.

Max leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table, intrigued as to the girl’s next movement.

She warily glanced around the room, her gaze stopping on Griff, who was resting negligently against the counter. He waved an arm in the direction of the stairs. “Go for it, girlie.” She bit her lip and tentatively moved forward, laying a hesitant foot on the first stair. Max lifted his glass in appreciation of her courage despite the negative vibes she was getting from everyone as she ventured up the stairs.

Throwing back the last of his drink, he slammed his glass on the table and rose.

“Where the hell d’you think you’re going?” Callum queried, a frown on his less-than-pretty face, his nose broken on more than one occasion.

“Thought I’d see how things are going upstairs.”

He ignored the look on Ford’s face, whose brows rose to the edge of his mousy-blond hair. While Callum liked his hair loose and flowing, Ford usually kept his very short, Max’s brown hair being somewhere in between.

His friend wasn’t fooled for an instant, but Max wasn’t sure what it was about the girl that interested him. He just knew he had to check her out some more.

“Don’t tell me
you’re
a submissive?” mocked Griff as he passed him. It was hard as it was inbuilt for Max to lower his head to an alpha, but instead he glanced at the man perched on the stool and attempted to glare at him. He was usually the last to be noticed among his friends. He wasn’t handsome like Ford or big like Callum and so tended to get ignored.

It didn’t last long. The stare of an alpha was legendary, and Griff was an alpha in abundance. But Max still made his annoyance known as he saw the corner of Griff’s mouth turn up in recognition before he continued up the stairs.

Moving onto the landing, he passed through a doorway which heralded a large room used for demonstrations as it had a big stage at one end. There were also various booths set up around the room for public exhibition. Unlike human BDSM clubs, there were no private areas. Wolves were quite happy to show everything to anyone. At least those not kowtowing to human conventions.

The girl was standing at the back, plastered against the wall as if it could afford her some protection. No one was anywhere near her. It was as if she had some disease and everyone was keeping their distance, unlike the other submissives in the room who were being fawned over by potential Doms, touching and caressing them.

Max ran his eye quickly over the room. He recognized a few of the women from other packs. Some had been in the club before, and he knew they were not beginners, but they hadn’t been taken by actual Dominants yet—at least, not before tonight. He winced. Every time a likely submissive came within the reach of him and his fellow betas, she was claimed by someone else, someone who was an alpha, usually, or part of an alpha’s pack.

One of the club’s Masters strode onto the stage. Stefan was an arrogant sod, Max noted, as the man stopped center stage and expected immediate hush. What was it about alphas and arrogance? As if they owned everything.
Okay, okay. So it’s inherent in a wolf’s nature.

“First of all, let me welcome all of you to The Haunt tonight, and, in particular, to any newcomers.”

Max frowned as he saw the girl jump at that. He then shook his head, uncertain why she would have done that.

“My name is Master Stefan. I think all of you know that The Haunt is a BDSM club and you should already know that BDSM is an acronym standing for bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadomasochism. If you don’t,” he snorted derisively, “then I suggest you go home and do some homework first. Because if you stay, I promise you, you will be tied up, whipped by a Dominant, and expected to submit in ways you probably never thought you ever would. It isn’t something to be taken lightly. Once you take the step, it can be physically and emotionally demanding and challenging.” He drawled this last word, making it clear it wasn’t going to be easy. “It isn’t the lifestyle for everyone. We don’t want people here who are only halfhearted about it and, when it gets too much, go home crying to Mommy. So if anyone wishes to leave, now is your opportunity.”

Stefan deliberately looked at the human girl, and Max could see how the alpha’s piercing stare was affecting her by the way she was rolling on the balls of her feet as if in readiness to flee.

Don’t go. Please don’t go.

Max held his breath and then gave a sigh of relief when she leaned back against the wall again. Although he was pretty sure if any other submissive in the room had left, the human girl would have gone with them.

The Master on the stage was continuing, “Very well. You are either all very courageous—or very foolish. We will see. Tonight is about demonstrating the BDSM lifestyle. To give you a taster, as it were. And you will also get the opportunity to meet some prospective Dominants. It is common to have a safe word when you are starting out. This tells a Dominant that you are unhappy or in pain from a situation. This is to be used sparingly when you really are panicking and not flung around at random. Otherwise the Dom will think you are ‘crying wolf.’”

Stefan laughed at his own joke and a few chuckles could be heard around the room.

One of the Doms called out, “Are we going to have a standard safe word for the night? Otherwise it will take a while to learn each submissive’s word.”

“Certainly. For tonight their safe word is…wolverine.”

Oh, Stefan is full of witticisms tonight!

“Any questions so far?”

A girl near the front put her hand up eagerly. Max smiled. She’d soon learn not to be so keen if she really wanted to be a submissive.

Stefan crouched down and beckoned the girl forward until she was standing on the stage next to him. The girl had gone pale. Well, she was learning that question quickly.

Standing, the Master put his hands behind his back and leaned forward. He looked like he was a schoolmaster about to be patronizing to an unwitting pupil. “Your name is Evie, isn’t it?”

The girl nodded.

Stefan turned her to face the audience, taking hold of her shoulders in his big hands holding her firmly in place. “You wanted the chance to speak. So answer me.”

“Ohh, yes.”

The Master tutted. “This is your first lesson, everyone. A submissive responds to a Dominant’s question with Sir or Master.”

“S–sorry, Sir. My name is Evie.”

“That’s better. Now what is your question?” Stefan plastered himself to the girl’s back, holding her tightly against his body.

Well, that’s a surefire way of dominating someone. Show them who is superior physically.

“I–I. Oh, God.” Max felt a little sorry for the poor girl. “I was just wondering if we would be expected…how far things would go?” Her voice got very quiet and high-pitched as she tried to get her question out amidst the dominance she was experiencing.

A titter went around the room as Stefan shook his head incredulously at Evie’s question.

“Second lesson, folks. And that is a submissive does not take the initiative. They accept everything that is coming to them without question. Only if they are really scared or hurt can they use their safe word. For being presumptive, a submissive can expect to be punished.”

Stefan stopped and grinned evilly across the crowd.

Uh-oh. The girl is in for it now.

“I was going to ask for a volunteer for the first demonstration of how we admonish wayward subs. But since you’ve shown you need punishment, we’ll start with you.”

Max tore his gaze from the stage and studied the human girl trying to ascertain her feelings to what she was witnessing so far. She looked excited but scared. And she was still here.

Would
this
girl submit to him and his small pack? Would she accept them as her Dominants? It was something to consider as no one else wanted her.

Callum peered over his shoulder in the direction of the stairs—again. He had done that several times in the past twenty minutes or so.

The other person sitting at his table laughed, clearly amused by his actions. “For God’s sake, go and find out what he’s doing. You know you want to.”

Narrowing his gray eyes, he tried to outstare Ford, without success. Ford had the patience that he lacked. Giving up, he lumbered to his feet, gesturing languidly with his thumb. Well, feigning an attempt at nonchalance when actually he was extremely eager to run up the stairs to see what was happening. “Come on. Let’s see what mischief Max has got up to.”

Ford grinned. He obviously wasn’t fooled for a second by his friend’s casual attitude. “You go. I’ll be up in a moment.”

Unable to wait any longer, Callum climbed the stairs two or three at a time and then stopped short peering around the darkened room to locate the third in their unofficial pack. He spotted Max’s light-brown hair as he sat astride a chair near a light. He had turned the chair around and was resting his arms along the top of the chair back, his attention fully engaged by the action in the room. Not surprisingly he wasn’t far from the human girl. But it was distant enough for Callum to move to him and quietly ask, “Out with it. What devious plans have you in mind? You are clearly interested in the human. And how can I get involved?”

Max looked up and softly chuckled. “There’s something about her. I can’t tell you in words. I feel drawn to her.”

“But she’s
human
.”