Whispers of the Wolf

Their Prisoner

If Claudia was down here with me ... was Radley safe? Was he with Alaric?

"Tell me about how you know Radley." Claudia's voice sounded near, like she was standing at the bars of her cell, just like I was. "You're a human. We don't get many humans around these parts."

That was true.

"So, I'm interested ... how did you two meet?"

"Uh ..."

Claudia chuckled. "It's alright, you know. Radley won't get into any trouble and you ... well, I'd say you couldn't be in any more trouble right now, even if you tried."

I chuckled.

"Well, since you put it like that ..."

I didn't have anything to lose right now. So, I told her the truth.

Of how I met Radley. Of when I was caught. Of why I was on pack lands in the first place. Of where I came from. Of what I thought about my job.

I told her about my father.

"So you were pushed into this ... career?" She asked. "To be a hunter? You didn't have a choice?"

"Not really." I was sitting on my butt on the floor, leaning my back against the wall that connected her cell with mine. Although I couldn't see her, I knew she was listening. "My dad is ... obsessed with wolves. He has been for as long as I can remember. He teams up with other hunters sometimes to help find packs ... to ... wipe them out." A shiver ran along my spine and blinked back tears as I thought how close I'd been to helping him to wipe out this pack.

Images of Radley crossed my mind ... and Alaric. Their handsome faces ... Radley's innocent eyes ... Alaric's strong body ... my heart thumped and pain squeezed my chest.

I couldn't imagine ever hurting them.

Not now.

Not ever.

"He wants me to follow in his footsteps. He seems ... convinced that he's raising the next generation of wolf hunters."

"And is he?"

I thought for a moment. Did I really want to hunt wolves? Hurt them? Even though I'd already promised both Alaric and Radley that I wouldn't go back to my previous life ... was that my truth?

"He isn't," I muttered. "I don't want to hunt wolves. I'm not a hunter. Not any more."

"Then what are you?"

Screwed.

I took a deep breath and leaned my head back against the wall.

"Maybe it's a good thing that Enzo caught you," Claudia mused. "It sounds like he stopped you from doing something you would only regret later. If it wasn't for Enzo, you would never have known that you were mated to Alaric, too."

True.

I heard coughing from the next cell.

"Claudia? Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine."

She sniffed and then seemed to settle back down in her cell.

"Are you comfortable enough?"

She chuckled.

"Well, it's not exactly the Hilton, but I'll be okay."

I smiled, then drew my knees to my chest. "What have you done to deserve some time down here?" I asked her.

Claudia sighed. "It's not a very nice story."

"Neither was mine."

"Maybe my story ... what's happened ... it would be better coming from Radley."

My heart felt heavy in my chest as I rested my chin on my knees and wrapped my arms around my legs. "I'm not sure when I'll see him again." I heaved a sigh as my chest squeezed. "The Alpha hasn't finished with me yet. I don't know what he has in store for me. He told me that he has more questions for me." I sighed. "I'll answer them. Anything he wants to know, I'll tell him. I just ..." Want to see Radley and Alaric again.

"Alaric will speak with his father. You'll see." Claudia sounded so sure.

How?

I huffed. "His father is still the Alpha. What he says, goes. He could have me killed tonight and Alaric won't have a say in the matter."

"You're not going to die."

I chuckled sadly. "You seem certain of that."

"Because it's true. You're mated to his son. He won't kill you. Killing you would bring both Alaric and Radley to their knees. And Conri wouldn't do that to his son, or to Radley. Especially not Radley. Not now. Not after ... everything." She sighed. "Conri wouldn't do anything to hurt him."

Frowning, I lifted my head. "What do you mean?"

She sighed. "Conri feels like he has a lot to make up for when it comes to Radley. He feels guilty. It was because of a decision made by his father, the previous Alpha, that has led to Radley not realising that he was a werewolf until just now."

"I can't believe he didn't know he was a wolf," I wondered out loud. "How does that even happen?"

"It happens when a young wolf is given to a hybrid. A hybrid who knows how to keep the wolf side dormant. To keep the wolf ... human."

Huh?

"I ... kept Radley's wolf dormant. Asleep."

What?

Springing to my feet, I clutched the bars and tried to peer through them and around the corner, into the cell next to me, my head pressing against the silver bars.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I was told by my Alpha to keep an eye on him. To stop him from shifting. It seemed like the only way to help keep the pack safe at the time."

"Alpha Conri asked you to do that?"

"No. It was an instruction from his father."

I blew out a breath, my heart thumping hard in my chest. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Like I said, it's a long and horrid story."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Silence.

I gripped the cool bars and rested my forehead against them once more. This pack was ... confusing. The stuff I was learning about these wolves always appeared to make no sense. It seemed that there were a lot of secrets buried deep ... but now they were finally coming to the surface. And none of the pieces were clicking together.

Fuck.

It seemed that the Silver Dawn Pack was being run on guesswork and secrets.

"I need to ask you something." Claudia's voice broke through the silence. "Well, a couple of things, actually."

"Sure."

"Do you love Radley?"

"Yes." My immediate answer surprised me. I didn't even have to think about it. I just knew.

I was in love with Radley.

"And Alaric?"

"Yes." Another straightforward answer. And another realisation.

Fuck.

I was in love with two wolves. Who'd have thought?

"Will you do anything for Radley? For Alaric?"

"Of course." My heart thumped strongly with the conviction that I felt pulsing through my body, right to my core.

"That's good." It sounded like Claudia was smiling. "It's good that you feel that way."

"How do you mean?" I frowned as I shifted a little to loosen the knots that were forming in my back. I wasn't used to being in the same place for long. I worked out every day. Trained for hours at a time. Being here ... in the cell ... not doing anything at all ... I felt my muscles tense, knot, tighten.

"Well, it's good because I'm going to help you."

"Help me? How?"

"By breaking you out of your cell."