Page 10 of Empowering the Wolf's Heart

“You likely just undid all the healing your body managed. Congrats.”

His head was bowed to his chest, his dark hair hiding his face from me. “Leave me be,” he hissed, a low growl rumbling in his chest.

I stumbled back, then tried to stand straight before he realized he’d actuallyscaredme. Werewolves could sense fear. It made them excited to hunt and kill. And I didn’t need this one getting any more deadly than he already was.

His head came up. His eyes met mine and my skin prickled with thousands of tingles as my body was overloaded with the suspense of being in the jaws of death.

His eyes held a hint of gold, but it was the darkness in them that stole my breath. A depth of nothingness, as if he didn’t feel at all. I was staring into my end, and he knew I knew it. That was the worst part. His lips curved upward, as if in amusement. Those eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he face-planted on the ground.

It took me a few moments of breathing to realize I stillcouldbreathe.

Something I wasn’t entirely certain would have happened if he hadn’t passed out when he did.

I hoped Hood came sooner than later, because I think the roles had just reversed. The hunter had become the prey, and I did not like feeling like prey.

CHAPTER 3

A Kidnapee

ALIA

The little wolf puppy was sleeping in a gentle nest of hay I kept around to take the edge off Ran’s hunger if I otherwise didn’t have meat. Would hate for her to take a bite out of me.

Ran rolled her eyes around to give me a look. I turned away to hide a slight smile and met the eyes of the werewolf. I tied the dude to a chair with a spelled rope, trying to figure out what to do now that I had him.

“How long do you plan for me to be here? I have a few appointments I need to attend tomorrow.”

I shook my head. “Did the blood loss cause faulty memory? You’ve been kidnapped.”

He shook his bound hands, raising an impervious eyebrow that made my nose itch with a hint of annoyance. “Oh, should I beg for mercy? Please don’t hurt me, O brave and hearty captor. At least any more than you already have.”

I winced. I’d dragged his body to a chair and tied him up before I stitched the wound in his stomach. The bloody gash was ugly from being left untended. Part of me hoped he’d die from infection so I wouldn’t have to kill him.

“What are you doing kidnapping innocent men, anyway? You don’t seem the type.”

I placed a hand on my hip, shaking my head. I didn’t need to answer his questions. But his voice was a bit dry, and I felt sandpaper scratch across my soul, expressing hisneed. So I grabbed a canteen and placed it to his lips. He raised that eyebrow again. I sighed and rolled my eyes before I drank, just then realizing how thirsty I was. I drank over half the canteen, wiped my lips, and raised an eyebrow at him. His eyes were alight with humor even though his lips remained in a thin line. And this time, he drank.

He licked his lips, and then he grinned, showing white teeth. “Wolfsbane?” he asked. I grinned back to annoy him as much as his grin annoyed me. But it seemed to do the opposite as those eyes sparkled with a dark mischief that nearly caused my palms to sweat. He nodded. “Well played. It seems I’ll be taking a nap. You plan to enact your plan soon?” His voice slurred. “And the pup. You’ll protect him?”

I stared at him, but he was out before I formulated a response. Why was he worried about the wolf pup? There was something in his voice. Something nearly… pained. Sad, maybe? I didn’t think he had those type of those emotions.

I set a hand on the dreaming little puppy. “I’ll protect him,” I promised to his snores, not entirely sure why I did such a thing.

Night came.I checked my stores and sharpened knives. It was a waiting game to see if Hood took the bait sitting behind me.

“Do kidnappers allow certain… needs to be met? It seems I have held my bladder admirably?—”

Annoyance flared in my veins. The high of battle was slowly fading, leading to too many thoughts. What if Hood doesn’t come? What if I’m not prepared? What if I fail?

No. I can’t afford to. Not if I’m to take the place I’ve killed for.

I came over to him and put a silver collar on his neck, wincing at the smell of burning flesh and trying not to make it too tight. His breath smelled of smoke and peppermint, an odd mixture for a werewolf. I thought it would smell of rotten meat and death.

He snapped his teeth, and I had a dagger at his throat before he could blink. He leaned against the cold metal until it parted his skin and red blood pooled. I jerked the blade away. “Are you mad? You don’t have much more blood left to lose!” I said, waving my bloodied dagger at him.

“Not mad,” he said, his eyes boring into my skull as if trying to unravel a pesky knot. “There merely comes a time when death beckons with sweeter fingers than life.”

I stared at him. “Don’t you have something to live for?”

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