Page 8 of Never Submit

He simply smiles, a cruel twist of his lips that sends a chill down my spine.

“We want the Goddess’s Moonstone, little one,” he says. “The crystal you stole. Once we have it, you’re free to go.”

Lies.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The words squeak from my lips, but that’s when I notice his shirt is shredded across the chest, dry blood crusted on the flesh underneath, and all my bravado falters and dies. “I-I didn’t steal a-anything.”

Slowly, he steps forward, pushes his hand through the bars of my cage, and unfurls his fingers, each tipped with a long, pointed nail. “Give it to me.”

“You’re not listening.” My breathing picks up speed.

“I hear you loud and clear. Give us the stone.”

“But…but I don’t have it.”

The change in him is immediate.

He slams his body against the cage, his arm shooting out between the bars and his fingers wrapping around my throat.

Those spiked nails dig into my flesh, biting down, and I gasp.

Spiked nails?

But—

He squeezes so hard he cuts off the air to my lungs, stealing my breath. I struggle and grab at his wrist, pulling as hard as I can.

He doesn't release me. And I’m not strong enough to make him budge.

“Let me go!” I manage to croak out.

He snarls at me, fanged canines on full display, and inside me something curls up and recoils in terror. This man is full of power, authority. Frighteningly so.

He has my life in his hands.

A warning zips up my spine. It’s like my very soul is telling me to do as he says and submit if I want to survive. I’ve never in my life been the type to submit, but something about those black eyes chills me to the core.

His head tilts to the side, studying me, and his nostrils flare as he takes in a deep breath. His eyes roll back, as if whatever he’s smelling brings him to ecstasy. A growl even rumbles in his throat.

“Shift.”

The command booms inside my head, and my muscles clench as if they want to obey.

“W-what?”

“Shift!” he shouts. “Show meyour wolf!” He flashes his teeth at me. “You’ll obey me, little one. Or you won’t like the consequences.”

Okay, this guy is not only dangerous, but he’s completely and utterly insane.

“I’m–I’m not…like you! I’m not a wolf! I’m human! Human!” Somehow the knowledge flickers in my gutted senses.

This dude is a wolf, just like Mathis or Torin.

With equal power—if not more.

His grip on my throat hasn’t loosened, and I’m starting to get dizzy from the lack of oxygen to my brain. Black spots dance in front of my eyes.

“Don’t play with me, you fucking bitch,” he snarls, and grips the tatters of his shirt as if he blames me for it. “I watched the Moonstone disappear into you. I saw your wolf. I cansmellit on you.”

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