Washington

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I expected to be dead rather than to wake up. With the wolf advancing on me, I was sure I'd die.

But I didn't. I woke up not in a hospital but on an airplane. It was a private plane. I could only tell because when I flew to New York with my aunt one summer, the seats were scrunched together and not as spaced out or nice looking.

I slowly sat up from where I lay across three seats and looked around. I couldn't see the pilot due to the position I was in but I saw a flight attendant walking around. She glanced in my direction and rather than come to me, she stopped beside a seat where a man sat. She pointed in my direction and spoke to him.

The man stood and walked around the seat. He was tall but looked to be in his twenties. He had dark hair that was cut short. His eyes were green and his nose looked like it had been broken at one point. His lips were a dark red and fuller than most men I'd seen. He wore a gray dress shirt and black slacks which made me feel horribly underdressed in my t-shirt and shorts.

He walked over to me and knelt down beside me, making my heart race. He was getting way too close for a stranger. "How are you feeling?"

I realized after it became quiet that I was staring at him and not answering his question. "Where am I?"

"We're somewhere over Utah right now." His voice was deep and made him even more intimidating.

My eyes widened. I'd never been to Utah much less any states around it. And Utah wasn't even close to North Carolina. "Utah? Where are you taking me? And who the hell are you?"

I tried to sit up further and back away from him but my ankle and my head screamed back at me. I looked down at my leg to see my right ankle was swollen and bruised and was being held together by what looked like a makeshift cast or brace.

He reached out, offering me a hand, but I refused it. "We're heading to Washington. My pack is there."

"Pack? What the hell are you talking about?"

He stood up and waved down the flight attendant. "My wolf pack." He turned to the attendant, a young woman with blonde hair. "Can you get some water and an ice pack for Blair please?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "How do you know my name?"

He took a seat near me. "Your name is Blair Alexandria Banks. You live at 328 North Allen Street in High Point, North Carolina. You weigh 154 pounds and you're 5'4 with brown hair and brown eyes. And you're an organ donor."

I stared at him, trying my hardest not to come across as anything other than angry. How the hell did he get my information like that? How did he know who I was and where I lived? It was creepy and it made me feel very uncomfortable.

The flight attendant walked over to me with a cold bottle of water, the expensive kind, and an ice pack. "Let me know if you need anything else, ma'am."

I nodded at her and watched her walk away before I reached down and laid the ice pack over my ankle, hoping it was enough to numb the pain.

"My doctor will meet us when we land to get a better look at your injuries. I'm afraid there isn't much we can do from here." The man spoke.

I looked over at him and caught his gaze. A shiver went down my back as he looked at me so intently. "Who are you?"

He stood and walked to the aisle. I was facing that direction so he stood and looked at me. "My name is Christian Dawson. We'll talk more once we've landed."

He went back to his previous seat and left me with more answers than I had been given.

---

I was unable to focus on anything other than the pain in my ankle for the rest of the plane ride. I wanted to get mad at Christian for kidnapping me and taking me across the country to a place I had never been before. But the pain pushed those thoughts back.

I was relieved when the pilot announced our descent to the runway of an airport. That meant I was one step closer to getting my ankle fixed and painkillers to help numb the pain.

My eagerness to see the doctor was short-lived when Christian walked over to me and stood beside me. "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded and slowly moved into a seated position.

He reached his arms out toward me and I scowled at him.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm helping you from the plane."

I looked at his arms in disgust, hating the thought of him carrying me or even touching me, for that matter. "No, you're not."

"You can't walk."

"I'll figure it out."

"No, you won't. Now, let me help you." He took a step closer to me and I put a hand out, keeping him away from me.

"Don't. Touch. Me." I said firmly.

His eyes narrowed and he grabbed me as if I hadn't protested at all. His arms were strong and muscular but I couldn't think about how attractive it was when he was touching me without my consent.

He lifted me from the airplane seats and held me close against his chest. Heat radiated out from under his shirt but I couldn't tell if that was the reason I was sweating.

"I told you I didn't need any help."

He bent his head down as he stepped out of the doorway of the plane and slowly made his way down the steep steps in front of us. I wasn't sure how he could carry me and descend the steps without struggling.

"You're very stubborn, Blair."

"I don't appreciate you calling me by my name. I don't even like the thought of you knowing it."

"What would you like me to call you then?"

I looked at the black SUV that was waiting for us. "A cab back to North Carolina."

He sighed. We approached the SUV and a man in a black suit opened the back seat for us. Christian set me on the seat, careful not to bump my foot against anything as he did so.

The man in the suit shut my door and, through the dark windows, I watched him open the passenger door for Christian.

"Where are you taking me?"

"My home."

"Where is that exactly?"

"Washington. I told you that already."

I glared at the back of his seat as the driver got into the front and put the car into drive. I crossed my arms over my chest and stared out the window as we drove the winding roads further and further away from civilization. Part of me even wondered if we were even in Washington. Was that just a lie he wanted me to believe so no one could find me? I wasn't that important of a person but I knew my aunt Ren would want to know where I was.

The trees were thick for most of the ride but parted and thinned out as I caught glimpse of houses on either side of the road. They looked like regular houses you'd find anywhere.

As we continued, I saw several businesses and restaurants and I sighed in relief knowing that I wouldn't starve for however long I was with Christian.

The trees started back up as we went up a hill. A gasp left my mouth as I saw the biggest mansion sitting atop the hill. I'd always heard of big mansions with fountains and meticulously cut shrubs but I'd never seen one with my own eyes.

Christian ignored my gawking as he watched the driver walk around and open the door for him. Was he not capable of opening the door for himself?

The driver opened my door at the same time and stepped aside so Christian could exit and walked to my door.

"We're here."

"Clearly." I mumbled under my breath. I hated letting him carry me once more but I knew it meant I would get to see a doctor. Then I could get out of there sooner.

Christian lifted me into his arms once more and carried me across the brick entrance. He stepped up the marble stairs to the front doors that were opened for us. He chuckled as he looked down at me, his green eyes piercing mine. "I didn't expect to carry you through the doors like this until our wedding."

"Don't expect a wedding. I'm not marrying you."

His eyes lifted and he focused on where he was walking. "We'll see about that."

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