Page 7 of Kidnapped By the Wolf

Not Sebastian’s fear, I realize. This scent belongs to a female.

“Sebastian,” I growl. “What — did you —do?”

“You said you needed leverage,” my pack brother reminds me.

“And?”

“And I found just the leverage you need.”

My nostrils flare as I drink in that strange, enticing fragrance. I can’t take the suspense any longer.

Shoving past Sebastian, I throw open the front door so hard that it bangs against the opposite wall.

My A-frame isn’t much — just one room for the bed, the couch, a wood-burning stove, a small kitchen, and a dining area. So it’s impossible to miss the chair out of place, which Sebastian has positioned in the very center of the cabin.

It’s also impossible to miss the unconscious brunette with golden skin he’s duct-taped to it.

The female is the source of the unfamiliar scent. She’s human.

Her dark wavy hair has fallen into her eyes, and the choppy ends tease the soft swells of her breasts, which are spilling out over her low-cut tank. Her face is slightly gaunt, but she’s got a lush, full mouth. Her faded jeans have holes in both knees, and her boots have mud on the soles.

When I got out of the marines, I was recruited by a private military contractor to handle some of the dicier operations overseas — primarily in Afghanistan. During my time abroad, I learned to pick up on details that other people might miss — a skill set that saved my life and the lives of my men on more than one occasion.

The female’s wardrobe, combined with the chapped lips, rough and reddened hands, and the stiff lay of the material, tells me this woman has been living out in the elements. And judging by the hungry planes of her face and how brown her shoulders are, she’s been roughing it for a while.

Glancing around the cabin, I see a pile of belongings in the corner: a rumpled flannel, a busted instrument that looks like a miniature guitar, and a set of car keys with one of those handmade keychains that spells out CASSIE in big white beads.

“What’s this?” I ask in a low growl when Sebastian comes up behind me.

“This,” he says, “is Clint McGregor’s daughter.”

Understanding hits me like a brick wall.Fuck. This is what Sebastian meant when he said he’d found leverage — the daughter of the McGregors’ leader.

“I didn’t know he had a daughter.”

“Well, he certainly doesn’t advertise it,” says Sebastian. “She’s human.”

“No shit.”

I drag in a deep breath through my nose, but that does little to clear my head. The female’s scent is all around me, and I’m finding it immensely distracting.

“YoukidnappedMcGregor’s daughter?”

“Brilliant, eh?”

My wolf snarls, and I whip around so fast that Sebastian takes a step back. A look of terror flashes through his eyes, and he quickly drops his gaze.

“Outside. Now.”

He doesn’t need telling twice. If Sebastian were in wolf form right now, his tail would be between his legs.

I march outside and slam the door shut, stomping down the porch steps to put some distance between us and our hostage. The girl’s knocked out — probably drugged — but I’m not going to risk it. I’m pretty sure even her human ears would be able to hear the hell I’m about to unleash on my lieutenant.

“What thefuckwere you thinking?” I snarl, barely resisting the urge to shift and put Sebastian on his back.

His brow wrinkles in a mixture of concern and frustration, and I can see the war raging within him. “I . . . thought you’d be pleased.”

“In what world would I bepleasedthat you kidnapped our enemy’s daughter? Do you know what position this puts me in?”

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