Page 68 of The Runaway Mate

“You’re not very good at this, Mai,” Seth said, slowly getting to his feet, his hand clutching his bloody nose. I charged him. He sidestepped at the last second, grabbing my arm and flipping me onto the ground.

I looked up at him standing over me as he said, “I’m going to enjoy showing you how it’s done. Then I’m going to enjoy teaching you your place, Mai.”

Seth was bigger and stronger than me. In a fight, with Isaac’s training, my odds of winning against Seth were maybe forty-sixty. But I’d been stun-gunned, given sleeping pills, and my hands were still tied together with rope. There was no time to try to get the ropes off me. I looked at Seth and saw the determination in his eyes. Out of choices, I launched myself at him, kicking and hitting.

Seth blocked my punches and slammed his fist into my solar plexus. I stumbled back, gasping for air, but he gave me no time to rest. He kicked my knee, and I yelled in pain as it collapsed, and I stumbled to the ground. Seth didn’t stop there. Pain jolted in my ribs and made me gasp for air as starbursts of agony blossomed behind my eyelids every time Seth struck.

“You gotta learn, Mai,” he said, panting heavily as he stood and stalked back to the car.

I lay on the ground, trying to take shallow breaths—anything deeper sent spikes of agony into my chest. Seth fumbled around in the car, then came back toward me, holding something that glinted black and metal. Not again.

I tried to push myself up, but my left arm collapsed under me, and my face smacked into the ground. I felt Seth’s boot kick me in the shoulder so that I rolled over onto my back. I watched, helpless, as Seth brought the barrel of his stun gun toward my chest until it touched against my skin, and with blood dripping down his face, he smiled. A bolt of electricity jolted through every inch of my body like white-hot lightning. The world dimmed around me as pain overwhelmed all my senses; then, I felt nothing at all.

When I came to this time, everything hurt. I managed to turn my head slowly. It was dark, with just a sliver of light peeking through from an opening in the wall. The floor was concrete and cold. The air smelled musty. A basement, perhaps? There were no other sounds or smells that gave any clues as to my whereabouts. I was alone. I had no help and knew none would be coming. Wherever I was, I was going to have to get myself out of here.

With slow movements, I brought my hands to my face, wincing as I touched the bruises and cuts that littered my skin. My left eye was swollen, and I couldn’t see properly out of it. Blood was caked on my shirt and pants, and I could feel the stickiness of it on my skin. At least a couple of my ribs were broken, and it hurt to breathe. Taking small, shallow breaths, I felt inside for my bond to Ryan. Nothing. My heart squeezed tightly, and it felt like a bowling ball had landed in my stomach. No. It didn’t mean anything. The bond was new. I don’t know why I thought I’d be able to feel him. I just wanted to feel his comforting presence. To know that he was okay, but I had to get myself back to my Pack to do that.

My wolf pushed against my skin, urging me to let her out. She was right. I should Shift; it would heal a lot of my injuries, and I would rather face Seth again in my wolf form. I felt too vulnerable as a human right now. But I knew I stood a better chance of finding a way out if I stayed in human form. I reluctantly shook my head at my wolf.

Not yet.

I don’t know how long it took, but I finally managed to sit myself up. The room spun in a dizzying whirlwind. My mind felt foggy, my right knee wasn’t working correctly, and my vision swam. I closed my eyes and tried to take a deep breath, but it sent sharp, shooting pains along my ribs.

Fuck!

I sat there, my body shaking with pain and exertion. My wolf was howling inside of me, furious that I was still in human form. She wanted out; she wanted to hunt and hurt Seth, to take revenge for what he had done to us, for taking us away from our mate.

I made my way to my feet, swaying as pain shot through my knee. It took my weight though. The room shifted and swam again, and I almost fell back down. I gritted my teeth and held myself steady. I wouldn’t give up. Not now. I took a few faltering steps forward, my hand outstretched to feel my way around.

The room was small, with no windows and only a single door that was solid and heavy-looking. There was no furniture or furnishing, just six concrete posts that held up the house above us. Nothing that I could make a weapon from. I stumbled, and I let out a cry of pain as my injured knee hit the ground. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, and I hung my head.

I couldn’t give up, not now, not ever. I struggled to my feet again, holding onto the wall for support. I needed to find a way out, and fast. I couldn’t afford to stay here any longer.

I reached the door and pressed my ear to it, listening for any sounds outside. It was silent, except for the sound of my own rapid breathing. I tried the handle. Locked. Of course, it was locked. Why wouldn’t it be locked? I didn’t have any tools or anything to pick the lock with, and even if I did, my hands were still bound together. I was trapped. That was when I heard movement outside. My heart pounding, I leaned against the door. I could hear footsteps coming closer. Panic squeezed at my chest, but I pushed it down. I had to be ready for whatever was on the other side of that door.

Chapter forty-three

Ryan

The engine’s rhythmic beat synced with the frantic pulse throbbing in my veins. My wolf was going crazy. To think that someone could have taken Mai from us… It drove him to the brink of madness. I could feel his emotions coursing through my veins, intertwined with mine. Rage surged, and the urge to shift was strong, so strong that the hair on my arms began to stand up as I fought the compulsion.

It felt like a wild beast inside me clawing to escape, ready to blow the city apart in search of Mai. Every muscle in my body was primed for action, and I could feel its power surging through me, yelling at me for release.

My wolf was capable of so much destruction that if I let him take over completely, our mission would be doomed before it even started.

Soon, I promised him. It will be your turn soon.

A glance at the dashboard confirmed what I already knew—I was pushing two hundred. Still, not fast enough. I had to get back to the Three Rivers Pack, had to find Mai. My foot bore down harder on the gas pedal, nudging the speedometer needle a notch higher.

My phone jittered on the seat next to me, Mason’s name flashing across the screen. I grabbed it, keeping my gaze locked on the road ahead.

“Talk to me, Mason.”

Mason’s voice crackled through the speaker, strained with tension. “We’re at Reynold’s. Her scent ends here, but Seth’s scent is everywhere. He had to have known exactly where Mai would be.”

“Why was she even there? I told her to stay at the house.”

“They hadn’t heard from you or Jem. They were worried. Wanted to help.”

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