Page 12 of Wolf

Matias grins, flashing sharp and white teeth at me. “You want more? Then beg for it.”

I shake my head, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. There’s no way I’m giving him the satisfaction of hearing me beg.

His eyes glitter with feral amusement as he crawls up my body, trapping me once again beneath his powerful frame. “You think you’re so tough, don’t you? But your body tells me everything I need to know.” He leans down. “You can fight it all you want, but I’ll make you scream my name.”

I try to twist away, but he’s too strong, his hands holding my wrists above my head. His breath mingles with mine, his mouth hovering tantalizingly close but kissing me.

“Please...” The word escapes my lips before I can stop it.

Matias’s eyes narrow, lighting up with a dangerous mixture of triumph and lust. “Please, what?”

The victory in his eyes snaps me back to my senses. “Just let me go back,” I say. “My friends... please, just let me return to them.”

His chest vibrates against mine with a low chuckle. “You think I’d let you go back to them unchanged? Once I’m done with you, you’ll never be the same again.”

I shudder, half from the cold and half from the raw, animalistic desire he ignites. His free hand trails down my body, tracing patterns on my skin.

“Maybe I’ll let you go back...” he muses, his lips brushing my ear. “Maybe I’ll keep you here as my little plaything. What do you think? Will you be my pet?”

I swallow hard, my heart pounding as conflicting desires war within me. “I...” I start, my voice failing me.

His gaze searches mine. “What? You want to stay here with me?”

I bite my lip, unsure how to voice the turmoil inside me without exposing the growing weakness he’s unleashed. “I?—”

Suddenly, the shrill call of an owl cuts through the night, jolting us both from our momentary trance. Matias curses and lifts his head, his body tensing.

“We need to get back before people notice you’re gone,” he snarls, pulling away from me and rising to his feet. He offers me a hand, and I take it reluctantly, allowing him to pull me up. He grumbles, “Time to return to your cage. But don’t think this is over. We’ll continue our game another time.”

I straighten my clothes as he tucks his knife back into his belt. We begin the trek back through the forest, and I am imprinted with the memory of what happened.

We emerge from the trees, and the harsh fluorescent lights of the compound bathe us in an unforgiving glow. I blink, momentarily disoriented as we retreat into our harsh reality.

“Back to paradise,” Matias mutters as we approach the metal door to the tunnel. “Next time, you won’t be so lucky. But for now, you better keep our little secret.”

I follow him back into the tunnel, my mind swirling with conflicting emotions as he returns me to captivity, back to my friends and the cold, hard reality of our situation.

But something has shifted inside me. My mind replays the intense moments we shared in the woods. I know he’s not done with me, that he’s just getting started. Part of me is terrified, but another part wants more.

Does Matias sense this shift within me? Can he smell my growing desire on me like a wolf scenting blood?

I shiver as he glances over his shoulder, his eyes flashing triumphantly. Whatever game he’s playing, whatever twisted dance we’re engaged in, the rules have changed, and the stakes have just increased.

As we reach the cell, Matias pauses, his hand on the door. He turns to me, his eyes intense. “Remember, little rabbit,” he whispers. “This is just the beginning.”

6

MATIAS

Igrit my teeth in frustration as I slide into the truck’s seat, squished between Carlos and Jorge. Running drugs across the border is beneath me—child’s play compared to the exhilarating hunt I live for. But Ileana insisted it was my turn to pull my weight and do the crap jobs.

“Quit moping.” Carlos jabs an elbow into my ribs. “We all have to take turns with these runs.”

I shoot him a glare. A meaningless supply run is a colossal waste of my talents.

Jorge cranks the engine, that smug grin plastered on his face like he accomplished something remarkable by turning a key. “Don’t worry, psycho. We’ll have you back to your trainees soon enough.”

Laughing, Jorge slaps me on the back like we’re old pals. My fists clench, itching to wipe the idiotic smile off his face. Without hesitation, I’d put him in his place, but Jorge outranks me. He’s Ileana’s captain of her army for some unknown reason.

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