Lone Wolf's Captive (novella) (3 page)

That determined set to his jaw returned and she squirmed. “You’re not going home. You’re mine, Laney. The sooner you figure that out the better. It’s past time I claimed you.”

Her jaw unhinged. He wanted to claim her? Just like that. No apology. No explanation. All her hard work to calm down dissolved in an instant.

“Like hell! Don’t you get it? We’re over. We were over the minute you left without a backward glance.” She clenched her fists so tight her fingernails cut into her palms. “I don’t love you anymore.” Another lie, but it slipped from her lips easily enough. Her need to lash out, to hurt him as much as he hurt her, was all that mattered right then.

He gripped her shoulders, shaking her roughly. “Don’t you understand? It will never be over between us.
Never.
You’re mine,” he snarled.

“I don’t want you.” Another stab through the heart, though she wasn’t sure who her words were hurting more.

“I’ve thought about you every day, every damn night,” he whispered.

She turned away. “I don’t believe you.”

He gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. “You trusted me once. I need you to trust me now.”

She stared up at him in disbelief. “Okay. Where were you?” Something she didn’t recognise flickered in his eyes and his lips clamped together. “What have you been doing for the last five years?” she tried again.

The colour drained from his face and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed several times. “Does it really matter? I’m here now.”

“Does it matter? Oh my God. Are you kidding me? I searched for you. I thought you were dead, Fletcher! I didn’t think anything else would keep you from me. I’ve cried, screamed and mourned for you. But here you are, perfectly healthy. I was wrong all this time. I never mattered to you…” She had to stop, dangerously close to crying again and she refused to shed another tear for this male.

He stood abruptly, ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry I hurt you. Jesus, you have no idea how much. But you’re wrong. I never wanted to leave.”

“Then why did you? Where have you been? What have you been doing?”

He started to back away.

How was it possible for him to still hurt her? She thought nothing could cause more agony than thinking the love of her life, the male who would be her mate, one day the father of her cubs, had gone forever. But here she was, once again bleeding from the shredded remains of her heart.

His expression hardened, and he shook his head. “Not yet.” Then he turned his back on her and walked away.

Stripping off his clothes, Fletch shifted mid-run. His paws hit soft packed earth, claws sinking through clean dirt and dried leaves. The smells of the forest and its inhabitants soaked into his subconscious, soothing his wolf, cooling him off and helping clear the maelstrom of emotions flying though his head.

He hadn’t thought this through.

The reasons he’d stayed away remained. Nothing had changed. Had he really expected Laney to give up her pack and become his mate with no questions asked? So focused on removing her from danger and driven by the chance to finally claim her, a chance he never thought he’d have. He’d shoved good sense to the back of his mind and buried it. Now the consequences of those actions sat restrained in his cabin, lashing out and demanding answers. Hell, she deserved them.

But if he told her the reason he disappeared, she’d learn what he’d become and she’d leave.

He’d lose her all over again.

The way she’d looked at him back there. Her words cut so damn deep; he’d struggled to draw breath. If she meant what she said…

I don’t love you anymore.

If she meant what she said, they were both fucked.

He’d been a lanky, half-starved, fourteen year old mutt when he’d seen Delaney for the first time. She’d been sitting under a tree, her long multi-coloured hair hanging loose down her back. When he’d stumbled across her the days, weeks…shit,
months
had morphed into one long, lonely nightmare. He’d been filthy, shirtless. He’d watched her from a distance, unable to look away, and she’d watched him right back. Then she’d held out her hand to offer him one of her sandwiches.

“You want one?”

Her voice was soft, gentle. His stomach clenched in hunger, but he shook his head. He knew how this worked. He’d reach for it and she’d pull it away, laughing at him.

“I have more,” she said.

Her eyes were round and soft and…kind. Before he knew what he was doing, he stepped closer. She stood, meeting him halfway, and handed him one. Up close, he could see tiny freckles scattered over the bridge of her nose and across her pink cheeks.

She didn’t make fun of him or sneer. When he finished the sandwich in two big bites, she smiled. He couldn’t help smiling back.

“I made them myself.” Pride brightened her voice.

They sure tasted like heaven to Fletch.

“You can have another one if you like?”

He nodded, groaning in pleasure when he took his next bite. She giggled, but she wasn’t mocking him. He could tell it made her happy that he liked the food she’d made. She sat back down under her tree and squinted up through the mottled light filtering down on her. She looked like an angel. “What’s your name?”

She’d given him food, had been kind. He had nothing to give her in return, so he gave her the only thing he possessed: “Fletcher Stone.” His voice sounded scratchy and raw. He guessed he hadn’t talked in a while.

She smiled again and his belly flipped. “My name is Delaney Jones. What pack are you from?”

“I… I don’t have a pack.” Shame darkened his cheeks.

Her brow scrunched. “Why not? All wolves have a pack.”

He couldn’t meet her eyes. Surely she could see for herself. “They didn’t want me anymore, I guess.”

“So you live here…all by yourself?”

“It’s not so bad.”

She was quiet for several seconds and he got the feeling she knew he was lying. “What happened to your eye?”

He searched her face for disgust or scorn, but all he saw was curiosity. “My alpha had to teach me a lesson.” He stared at the ground. “I fought with his son. I…hurt him. I deserved what I got.”

His pack didn’t tolerate weakness and once it became obvious his eye couldn’t be saved, his alpha had thrown him out. Better that than compromise the entire pack with a wolf that wasn’t whole. His father just stood there, hadn’t said a single word to him, hadn’t even looked at him as they led him away.

She stared at him like she could see everything he wanted to hide—the hurt and shame of his pack’s rejection. Her next words proved it. She turned her bare foot to the side and pointed to a largish, red birthmark on the side of her lower leg. “I was born with this. My dad doesn’t like to look at it either.”

He couldn’t believe this little scrap of a female had just compared his scarred face and damaged eye to a birthmark, like it was no big deal.

Right then he thought he might just be a little bit in love with Delaney Jones.

“Why?” He forced past the lump in his throat. He thought it was kind of nice. It looked sort of like a star.

“My mom had one the same, but she’s gone now. I think it reminds my dad of her.”

“Where’d she go?”

She bit her lip, her large amber eyes glistening. “To heaven.”

He didn’t know what to say to that. He only knew he wanted to see her smile again. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. “You wanna run?”

She squeezed his fingers and smiled up at him. He sucked in a breath. The little she-wolf truly was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen.

When she’d nodded and gripped his hand tighter, “
Mine”
had whispered through his mind.

He hadn’t understood it at the time, this desperate need to be near her, to protect her. But that’s what he’d done, or had tried to. They’d spent the day running and then she’d taken him to her pack, had found her father and convinced him to let a stray, packless mongrel stay. They’d been inseparable after that.

He owed her everything. If he wanted a future with her, which he did more than his next breath, then he had to be honest with her. He needed to stop running and pray she could still bear to be in the same room with him after she found out the kind of male he’d become. He wouldn’t blame her if she felt otherwise.

Turning sharply, Fletch headed back. If she decided she couldn’t accept him as her mate, he’d just have to think of another way to protect her. Under no circumstances would she be returning to Anthony, her asshole father and the Black Hills alpha.

She wasn’t ready to learn the full extent of her father’s deceit. Delaney was nothing but a dollar sign to him, a pawn to retain power and prestige. But right now, Fletch was the enemy and trying to convince her of her old man’s despicable actions would only push her further away and back in harm’s way.

He needed to regain her trust, make her realise her place was with him, where he could take care of her and protect her. But that would only happen if he started talking. That meant explaining his disappearance, telling her what he’d become, what he’d done.

The memory of her soft, pliant body beneath his made him groan. Laney wasn’t the same innocent female in need of sheltering and a gentle hand, not anymore. She’d proven that more than once today and wouldn’t accept his word as truth so easily. Not like she used to. He had to earn that right back.

The cabin was silent when walked back through the door. He took a moment to pull on his jeans and headed to his bedroom. His pulse sped up. Had she somehow gotten loose? But then the sound of Laney’s soft growls reached his ears. Rounding the bedroom door, he spotted her still sitting on the floor, so focused on trying to undo the restraint around her ankle she didn’t hear him come in.

“That’s not coming off without the key.”

Her head shot up, and her eyes narrowed. “You came back. I thought I might have to settle in for another five year stretch.”

There was a bitter edge to her voice and he didn’t miss the way the hurt twisted her features.

Yeah, he deserved that.

Lifting his arm, he approached slowly, giving her plenty of opportunity to turn away as he reached down and cupped the side of her face. He caught her gaze, held it. “You’ve changed, Laney.” She flinched, and he wanted to take his words back instantly.

“I’m not the same naïve idiot you left behind. No.” She shoved his hand away. “If I’m acting like a bitch, it’s because you made me one.”

He took a step back, giving her the distance she needed, though it killed him not to touch her. “I know I hurt you when I left, but I didn’t have a choice. I had every intention of coming back for you. You have to believe that.”

“I don’t have to do a damn thing.” She was putting on a brave face, but her scent told a different story, she was scared. Terrified.

He hated that more than anything.

“You know I would never intentionally hurt you.” He crouched down beside her, still not touching. “What are you afraid of, Laney?”

She shook her head, refusing to answer. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the key for her ankle restraint, holding it up for her to see before moving to the side of the bed to unlock it.

She tensed. “What are you doing?”

“Let’s eat then we can talk.”

“You think I’m going to let you
lead
me around like a damned dog?”

She was pissed, and he guessed dragging her around by a collar wasn’t going to help her mood any, but he couldn’t risk her running off. She may have changed, but he knew her well enough to know she wasn’t about to listen rationally to anything he had to say in her current state. “Come on, I’m cooking dinner.”

She dug in her heels, shaking her head.

“You need food and so do I. Let’s go.” She shook her head again, glaring at him then clamped her mouth shut. “I know you’re angry, but you still need to eat, right?”

More glaring.

He’d received the Laney death glare/silent treatment combo a few times in his life, and only one thing had pulled her out of a snit. But right now she wouldn’t let him touch her, so kissing her senseless was a no go.

He grinned. “You not talking to me now?”

She rolled her eyes and blew out a frustrated breath. “Oh for God’s sake. I don’t want you to cook for me. I don’t want anything from you. But since you seem to be having trouble hearing what I’m saying, maybe you’ll understand sign language better.” She lifted a hand and slowly raised her perfectly manicured middle finger.

He shook his head and swallowed down the chuckles working their way up his throat. “You’re determined to be difficult, aren’t you?”

She clamped her mouth shut again.

“I don’t want to be an asshole here, but I can force you. Don’t make me do that, Laney.”

She snorted.

“You’re forcing my hand, babe.”

Another eyes roll.

“Fine. You’ve given me no choice.” He didn’t want to do it, but his options were limited. And as tempting as the idea was, he didn’t think picking her up and carrying her around would go down all that well. It was either pull rank or stand here all day. “Follow me, Delaney,” he growled low, letting his wolf come to the fore. No matter how hard she tried to fight it, she was a beta and would recognise the alpha he’d become.

Her eyes widened and her body went rigid before a low growl, laced with a good dollop of frustration escaped her full lips. As usual, the sound shot straight to his dick.

Jesus. The woman was driving him crazy.

He started walking and his pissed off she-wolf followed him into the living room. She didn’t make it easy though and protested all the way, calling him every bad word she could come up with, including several insults to his manhood. She yanked on the chain when they entered the living room and sent him a look so scathing, he was surprised he didn’t disintegrate into a pile of ash at her feet.

He hated pulling that shit; he had no love for pack hierarchy or politics. But right now, he had no idea how else to deal with her. He bent down and fastened her chain to a steel ring he’d attached to the wooden floor just in case things went the way they currently were.