Page 75 of Howling
I am barely a step above feral.
No woman in their right mind would accept a mate like me, but it’s okay if she doesn’t accept me. I’ll prove myself to her, make myself indispensable.
It will be enough…for now.
As Frankie works on the chains, I can sense the energy she’s expending. It crackles in the air, crawling up my arms. When Irun my hand through it, I swear it weaves playfully between my fingers.
Maybe it recognizes me as her mate?
That gives me hope.
The magic retreats, and my attention snaps up to see that the chains around Tyler are dull and lifeless. I don’t miss the tremble in her limbs when she pulls back, nor her slight weight in my arms, and my brows knit in worry. She’s been up for hours with little rest or food. How much longer can she last before her body shuts down and she collapses?
Dante must notice the same thing. He’s been silent since we were taken. I assumed he was being his normal, surly self, but I realize he’s been watching Frankie almost as keenly as the rest of us.
When Frankie leans forward to break the chains, Dante crouches and takes over the task, being helpful, without being asked—a minor miracle.
Metal clanks as he grabs the chains and pulls, the muscles of his arms straining. Even with his beast repressed, the fucker is still a powerhouse. Bellamy drops down next to him, and between the two of them, the links warp and bend. They’re sweating by the time the cuffs finally snap open with a crack.
Tyler grunts when the metal falls away, his eyes drooping, and he begins snoring almost immediately as his fox takes over healing him. A tiny smile curls Frankie’s lips, and she turns, motioning Dante closer, not protesting what needs to be done or the toll it’s taking on her, and my admiration for her increases. She could just walk out of here, leave us to our fate, but she stays.
My wolf sees that as her acceptance of us.
Energy crackles in the air again, and my chest tightens in worry. Wanting to distract her, I ask the first thing that pops into my head. “Maybe it’s time that you tell us about your past?”
I need to know who’s after her if I want to have any hope of protecting her.
Whether she knows it or not, our lives are now intertwined.
What is a threat to her is a threat to all of us.
Her magic stutters, her body turning rigid. I expect her to brush it off or avoid the topic. Instead, she glances at the other cages barely visible in the darkness, then releases a shuddering breath.
I expect her to argue, so I’m surprised when she reluctantly nods. “That’s fair, since I fear we’re going to be carted off soon if we can’t escape. You should know what’s to come.”
She runs her hand down her face, avoiding our gazes, and settles heavily against me. I almost groan when my cock throbs at her nearness. It’s been so long since I felt any attraction to a woman that I thought that part of me had died off a long time ago.
I’m not sure if I should curse the timing or rejoice.
Focusing back on removing the chains, she speaks softly. “I live in a place called Kyperian. Near a millennium ago, humans fought supernaturals in a war that has been forgotten by many. Even back then, humans outnumbered supernaturals a thousand to one. So while we were faster and stronger, their numbers were impossible to beat.
“When it looked like we were going to lose, the strongest of each species decided to retreat. They sacrificed the weakest and decided to start over in secret. They created an oasis for the supernatural. It’s hidden by a dome, a place where our kind are able to live peacefully amongst ourselves.”
I snort at the fairy-tale bullshit, and her eyes snap to mine, searching my gaze. A crooked smile twists her lips, and she nods at whatever she sees in my expression. “You can probably guess how long that lasted. It was decided that a ruling council wouldgovern the people to ensure that another war doesn’t happen. They created rules and laws to preserve our way of life.
“A few squabbles happened here and there, tension between the races, but everyone successfully coexisted. Peace lasted for a few centuries before people became greedy. Those stronger believed they deserved a reward for protecting the weaker.”
The runes along Dante’s chains flicker out one by one, but not without taking their own pound of flesh. Sweat beads the hair along her scalp, and it’s all I can do not to yell at her to stop. By the time the last rune winks out and the chains look like they were tarnished by excessive heat, her pulse is thudding in her veins.
When she leans back, Dante barely has to flex before the links drop to the floor.
Frankie slumps against me, rubbing her palms along her jeans, her shoulders sagging under the strain. Her voice is soft when she speaks. “And as always, greed destroyed the utopia. The laws and rules were slowly bent and twisted to serve those in power. We went from living as equals, to being virtual slaves to those who rule. You have to get approval to apply for a job, approval to mate, approval to breed, approval to…do anything.
“Anyone who acts without permission is severely fined. If the council doesn’t profit from it in some way, your petition gets denied.” She motions for Bellamy to sit in front of her next, waiting until he is settled before continuing.
“No one can live or breathe without fear that someone will sell them out for a few coins over the smallest infractions. It doesn’t matter if we’re guilty or not. People are forced into jobs they hate, women are given to the men as rewards, while children are bred for power.”
A growl rumbles in my chest at the thought of her being given to anyone, and I pull her tighter against me.
