The first thing Lou felt was warm, which was a welcome change. The last thing she remembered was being so cold that her body was entirely numb. Thankfully, after death, she wasn't cold. She was toasty and comfortable. From what she could tell, she was cocooned in a nest of plush blankets. Her nostrils twitched, bringing her the scents of a lot of unfamiliar wolves, but one was stronger than all the rest. A male wolf was incredibly close to her. In fact, if she weren't mistaken, he was pressed up against her back. Her eyes flew open, looking directly into the roaring fire set in a beautiful stone fireplace. Her after-life would never involve a male sharing her bed. Ever. Which was how she knew she was alive. Somehow, someway, she didn't die in that blizzard, but now she had a whole new host of problems.
She rolled, quickly, driving her elbow down into the wolf beside her. The beast yelped in surprise, but she knew she didn't hurt him too much. Where she'd meant to hit his neck with all the force she could muster, she hit his firm shoulder. The silver wolf jumped away, giving her the saddest, most confused brown eyes she'd ever seen.
"Stay away from me," she snarled at the male, feeling her green eyes flash in warning. Her fangs extended past her lips. She could complete partial shifts, just not full ones. She also allowed her Alpha aura to extend to him, letting him know that she was not about to put up with any of his shit. He could damn well try to claim her as so many before him had, but it wouldn't end well for him. Hadn't ended well for the last man to try. That man was still walking about with only one ball.
The wolf cocked his head to the side in curiosity, as if he just learned something incredibly interesting about her. He took a tentative step in her direction, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed her again, but she snarled louder.
He whined and laid on his stomach, his muzzle tucked between his huge paws, and stared up at her with gentle brown eyes. He didn't seem to want to cause her any harm, but she'd learned at every turn not to trust any male; she wasn't about to start now. He scooted closer, still on his belly. She growled again, but less venomously this time.
Another figure walked through the doorway, a woman this time. She froze in surprise when she saw Lou was sitting up. This woman was tiny with kind brown eyes the same color as her long hair. "You're awake!" Lou sniffed the air, testing to see if this woman was a Lycan. Her scent gave her away as entirely human. Interesting.
The woman narrowed her eyes at the silver wolf. "Ryland, leave her alone."
Lou glanced down at the wolf, who was still giving her huge puppy-dog eyes. She was becoming less and less convinced that he was a threat. With a great sigh, the silver wolf rose to his feet and trotted out of the room, leaving Lou alone with the human woman.
"Sorry about him," she stated, perching on the couch. After a quick glance at her surroundings, Lou figured she was in cozy little sitting room. Her makeshift bed was in front of a roaring fire. She pulled the blankets around herself again, not ready to leave their warmth. "He's the one who found you, and he was really worried. He insisted that sleeping next to you would warm you up, which I'm sure it did, but Cain warned him that you wouldn't appreciate it when you woke up. I take it you didn't."
"Not particularly," Lou said softly, her initial anger gone, leaving behind the knowledge that she was in a strange den, with a strange pack, that likely realized she was the last purebred female. What would they do with her?
"I'm Kristine," the human woman said in a friendly tone.
"You can call me Lou."
"It's nice to meet you, Lou. Welcome to the Crimson Moon Pack." The woman's smile was kind, as were her eyes. "Normally Will or Cain would be making the welcomes, but Will thought it would be better if I did, since I'm a human woman. No threat." She held up her hands in playful surrender.
Lou had heard of the Crimson Moon Pack. She knew they were small and a relatively new pack, but she knew very little beyond that. Come to think of it, she didn't even know the name of their Alpha. Her father hadn't wanted her to know those things. It wasn't her place.
"Will is the Alpha?" she wondered. She needed to figure out as soon as possible just exactly what she was dealing with.
Kristine shook her head, but a male voice from the doorway answered. "Nope, he's the Beta. Cain would be our fearless leader." Lou turned to see a huge man leaning in the doorway, dressing in nothing but a pair of basketball shorts. His shaggy blonde hair fell onto his forehead, resting above a pair of gentle brown eyes. Eyes that were just a moment ago begging for her attention.
"Ryland, I take it?" she said, eyeing him up and down. His physique was impressive. Although Lycan's were naturally more athletic and muscular than humans, muscles like his didn't come without quite a bit of work being put in.
"The one and only, gorgeous," he teased, which immediately raised her hackles. She wasn't in the mood to be made fun of, teased, or propositioned. Males liked to call her gorgeous mockingly, she knew that. She was good for one thing and one thing only: mating. Continuing a male's purebred bloodline. No male would want her for any reason beyond that. Which was why she swore to escape them, even if it meant being a lone wolf. This pack would be no different. She had to get out of here.
Ryland must have sensed her anger, because he raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, it's okay. I didn't mean anything by that. I just don't know your name."
"That hardly seems necessary," Lou snapped, reluctantly untangling herself from the blankets and rising. Thankfully, she was still dressed in the thermal underwear, black leggings, and thick hoodie she'd been wearing underneath her snow gear. She just needed to figure out where they'd put all of her stuff.
He frowned in confusion. "I'd say it is. You're staying with us for a while."
"Says who?" Certainly not she. She would be gone as soon as she could locate her gear.
"Says Cain, our Alpha. You're not to go anywhere until he decides."
Now she was really angry.
"I'm not a part of his pack. He doesn't get to decide jack shit about me."
Ryland's eyebrows raised. "You try telling him that."
"I absolutely will. Point me the way to the fearless leader." They'd see how fearless he was when she was done with him.
Ryland chuckled. "Oh, it would be my pleasure. He's in his office, if you would follow me."
He turned from the doorway, which led into a massive kitchen. She didn't have time to admire the beautiful room before they had crossed it and were striding down another hallway.
Her male companion rapped his knuckles on a closed door. "Cain, our guest would like to have a word with you." He stepped back with a low chuckle. "I can't wait to see this."
A low, gruff, baritone answered, muffled by the thick wooden door. "She's awake, is she? About time."
She didn't care for this Alpha's tone. She was already irritated, but now she was ready for battle. She would be leaving today. She had to, for her own survival.
The large wooden door swung open, leaving Lou face to face with a solid chest clad in a black t-shirt. The poor piece of fabric was just about stretched to its limits. She looked up and up and up into the bearded face of Cain, Alpha of Crimson Moon Pack. His bright, intelligent blue eyes narrowed now at her, obviously sensing her mood. She didn't look or flinch away. She was an Alpha too, and she'd spent the majority of her life arguing and fighting with Alphas. She wasn't afraid of them, and she wasn't afraid of this one.
"I would like to leave now. Where are my things?"
He leaned a broad shoulder against the doorframe. "You were just found unconscious, out in subzero temperatures for who knows how long. I don't think you're going anywhere for a while."
"You can't keep me here."
"I absolutely can. I'm the Alpha."
She growled up at him, her eyes flashing in anger. What was it with Alpha males thinking they could control her? She didn't belong to any of them. Especially not this one.
"Not my Alpha."
"Doesn't matter. You're in my house, in my territory. That means you follow my rules." Now he crossed those tree branches he called arms across a chest that would put the broad side of a barn to shame. Dark tattoos traveled up and down both arms, disappearing beneath the sleeves of his t-shirt. She imagined they told quite the story, but she didn't have time to ponder that right now.
"I'm not here by choice. This is kidnapping."
"Would you rather be dead?"
"It's either that or being someone's captive. I'd rather be dead," she snarled. He studied her closely, cocking his buzzed head to the side. This man screamed intimidation. Everything about him, from his massive size, to his tattoos, to his nearly bald head and carefully groomed beard. All he needed was a silver hoop through one ear and he could be the impressive leader of a very successful biker gang.
"As a Lycan, I couldn't let another Lycan die for nothing," he finally said.
She relaxed slightly. So far, he'd said nothing about her being female and that surprised her. Perhaps he thought he could win her over by not making a big deal about her being the last purebred female. "You're the first I've met to think so."
"I guess you could call me a kind soul," he said in the most stoic, expressionless voice she'd ever heard. Ryland snorted softly from behind her.
"Then let me go," she prompted. "I'll be out of your hair. Or lack thereof."
He growled, standing up straight again, glaring down at her. She glared right back. He might be the biggest Alpha she'd ever met, the biggest male in general, but he wasn't the scariest. Not by a long shot. He might be rough around the edges, but she could sense he wasn't malicious. She hoped to use that to her advantage.
"You won't get far in this much snow," he stated.
"I'll take my chances."
"You're not going anywhere."
Her hackles rose again and she bared her teeth up at him. He almost looked surprised she would dare treat him with anything less than the respect he thought he deserved.
"I'm sick of you males thinking you own me just because of who I am. Let me tell you something, you don't. Now tell me where you put my things so I can get the hell out of here."
"No."
Simple as that. Just no. No more reasoning on his part, no more excused, he was just simply denying her the right to leave. And the right to her own possessions. She didn't have much, but it was all important for her survival.
"You're an arrogant son of a bitch. I'll get out of here, one way or another."
"Are you implying that you're a flight risk?" He cocked a dark eyebrow. What bothered her the most was that he wasn't nearly as worked up as she was.
"Absolutely I am," she replied, standing on her tiptoes to get into his face. Alphas didn't like when their personal space was invaded, especially by strangers. This Alpha, though, seemed to respond to it, because he leaned down closer to her, his eyes flashing in warning.
"Good to know," he said quietly, but in a low menacing tone. She didn't back down though, and she hadn't let her gaze waver from his. It was probably something he wasn't used to, someone making eye contact with him for that long.
"Ryland, take her to one of the guest rooms. Make sure she stays in it," he said, leaning away and going back into his office. The door closed quietly in her face as she stared at it in fury. Damn Alphas.
She turned back to Ryland with a pleading gaze. He really seemed like he wanted to be her friend, so she hoped she could work that to her advantage. Instead he was just gaping at her.
"You called him a son of a bitch. The last person to do that was in the hospital for three days. Who the hell are you?"
"Someone he doesn't want to mess with," Lou growled low. "Will you help me leave?"
Sadness washed over his features. "Wish I could, but Alpha's orders. He might not kick your ass, but he'll definitely kick mine. Come on now."
She stepped away, further down the hall. Now that the blizzard was over, it was still cold outside but that not as cold. She could get farther this time, although she wouldn't have her snow gear on and that probably cancelled out any extra progress she would make on her escape from her pack.
"Don't run," Ryland warned, but it had been a long time since Lou had listened to a male. She took off like a shot down the hallway, back the way they'd came. She skid into the massive kitchen and immediately located the sliding glass door. She could get out, she could! She unlocked the door and yanked it open wide, the cold winter air slapping her in the face. Fear at the memory of her last foray outside laced through her, but she gritted her teeth and took a leaping bound outside. And that was as far away as she got before a massive pair of arms wrapped around her and yanked her back against a solid chest.
"What the hell did I tell you?" Cain's voice snarled in her ear. "You're not going anywhere."
With an ease that made her feel incredibly light, which she certainly wasn't, as her packmates had always been so kind to point out, Cain tossed her over his shoulder and locked his arm around her thighs to hold her in place.
"Put me down, you barbarian!" she shouted, slamming her fists into his back. She might as well have had the strength of a child for all the good it was doing.
"You didn't listen to my command. If I were your Alpha, you'd be punished."
"That's the point, you're not my Alpha! Now let me go! I can't possibly be worth the trouble after this," she roared, slamming her fists against him again. But, she realized her argument was entirely wrong. He was an Alpha, a pure-blooded wolf. She could tell from his scent that he wasn't mated, which meant that she was worth more than anything to him to keep his bloodline going. He would keep her here no matter what she did to him.
He marched up an elegant wooden staircase, which led to a huge open space upstairs. As they passed, Lou still screaming profanities at him, a door passed and three young faces of pack members peered out.
God, now she looked like a fool to boot! Thrown over the shoulder of a huge man. Why weren't females bigger? Although there weren't many men that could lift her as easily as this one apparently could.
He was closing in on a door and she knew she had one last chance before he locked her in for good as his prisoner. She extended her claws with a snarl and reached back to grab at his arm. He shouted in surprise as her claws sunk into his skin. He lifted her around, and for a moment she thought she was free... until he tossed her through one of the doors and slammed it closed behind him.