Page 68 of The Wolf She Shouldn't Desire

Danny returns my nod and then turns to walk out of the club followed by his group of vampires.

“We really going to help if they ask us?” Lochlan asks once they are out of hearing.

I turn around and face him, giving him a stern look. “Is there a problem with that?”

“No, I’m just curious why you want to get all tangled up in their mess.”

“He just told them why he was willing to help, Lochlan.” Eric snaps at him. “She’s defended wolves in the past, and we don’t discriminate just because she is a vampire. Take that factor out and she’s a woman in the hands of someone who would rape her and beat on her to fill his sadistic needs. We don’t tolerate that shit. Unless you’ve had a change of heart when it comes to that?”

“Fuck you, Eric! You know damn well I don’t tolerate that shit. It’s a pathetic excuse of a man who takes a woman by force. So, don’t youevertry to say that I would be such a man.” He’s shouting now and drawing the attention of some of the club members near us.

“Enough,” I snap. “Eric has a point in that we defend all, especially women. But don’t start accusing pack members of being rapists without proof Eric. Got it?”

“Yes.” Eric and Lochlan glare at each other for another second before looking towards me.

“I’m sick of this place. You all can stay, but I’m headed out to patrol the city now.”

“I’ll join you,” Reed pipes in. I look at him, and he’s calm as he stares back at me.

“Fine, let’s go. You can head towards the west side, and I’ll go towards the east. If anyone else decides to go on patrol, stay away from the north side for now.”

I told Danny I would stay out of it but that doesn’t mean I can’t patrol the city and hope that one of Zander’s lackeys stumbles across my path. I need something to keep my mind off of this shitstorm that I have no control over. I need to run and so does my wolf. Dear god I hope Talia is pulled away from Zander’s grasp, and soon, or my wolf and I may go on a rampage through the city. Damn the consequences.

Chapter 28

Talia

The sound of metal rattling and chains rubbing against stone is the first sound I register. My mind is foggy as I try to break through the darkness that doesn’t seem to want to let me go just yet but is gradually losing its hold over me. I keep my eyes shut in case anyone is nearby so as to not give myself away and allow my body to recover from whatever Zander used to knock me unconscious. With that thought, memories flood back to me of the argument I had with the asshole and how I felt the sharp sting of a needle in my thigh before quickly losing consciousness. The fact that he was able to catch me off guard enough to knock me out and bring me wherever here is leaves an acidic taste in my mouth. He’s going to pay for this and by my hands. I don’t care what my father thinks or says now. He’s been so dead set in putting his lot in with Zander and potentially starting a war with werewolves, what’s a war with vampires if they feel they can’t trust him and his word? I’m done caring since he stopped caring about me a long time ago. Fuck him.

I open one of my eyes a hair to see if anyone is around. When I’m certain I’m alone, at least in the cell I realize I am currently occupying, I open my eyes fully. I’m lying on cold, damp stone that is rough against the areas of exposed skin along with the steel cuffs attached to my wrists attached to a bolt in the floor in front of me. Looking past this, I see the cell I’m inis dark, dank, and has a putrid smell to it. It’s what you would picture any dungeon type cell to look like. The smell though is more intense than any dungeon cell I’ve ever been in, either as a prisoner or a torturer. You’d think someone had used this place as their own bathroom from the overpowering smell of urine and feces, but no doubt Zander and his men love torturing someone here weekly and are too lazy to clean it properly. I catch the smell of blood too, both vampire and werewolf. Who the hell have they been torturing, and why haven’t I heard of it or whispers of missing people? I’ll have to ask Jordan if he has heard of any missing wolves or wolves that turned up looking worse for wear after disappearing for a time.If I see him anytime soon.

The thought of Jordan sends a pang through my chest. If he knew where I was and who had me, he would no doubt be losing his mind right about now. Best to get out of here before he finds out and leaves a war path through the city trying to get to me. We haven’t known each other long but I know deep down he would, especially the night we spent together because I know that I would do so if I were in his shoes. How long have I been here though? It could be a couple of hours or a couple of days. Hours I can work with but days…I sigh. No point in dwelling on that.

Focus, Talia.

I reach out down the bond towards Danny and a void greets me. My heart stops. The only way I wouldn’t be able to reach Danny is if he was dead. Did Zander kill him while I was out? My breathing becomes rapid. No, no Danny can’t be dead. I try and try again to reach him, but I feel nothing and get nothing in return. I feel like a bucket of ice water is being dumped on me every time I reach out mentally for Danny and only get silence in response.

“You’re not going to be able to reach Danny if that’s what you are trying to do?” Zander’s voice comes menacingly through the darkness in the hallway outside the cell door.

My head whips up and lasers in on where his voice came from. “What did you do?!”

“Gave you a little dose of a new concoction on the streets that blocks your ability to connect with your guardian. He can’t hear you through your bond and you can’t hear him. He won’t get the warning either that I’ve heard guardians get when you become seriously hurt or near death.” His lips twist in an evil and smug smile that indicates he is enjoying this.

If what he says is true, Danny won’t know anything bad has happened to me unless he were to reach out himself with no response from me. Even if he does go looking for me, he has no idea where I’m at or have any way of finding me with our connection block and the inability to pass information along to him. I won’t be able to tell him Zander has lost his ever-loving mind and kidnapped me. Even if he didn’t reach out and realize something was wrong, he wouldn’t go looking for me anytime soon with him being used to me disappearing for several days at a time. “Where did you bring me?” I ask in a tone that conveys no real interest or fear as I maneuver myself to sit upright off the floor. Zander sure as hell doesn’t scare me but the loss of my connection with Danny has me worried.

“Your new home, of course.” I didn’t think his smug smile could become any smugger, but it does.

“Fantastic,” I respond sarcastically.

“You really are dumb to think it is smart to be snarky with me right now. I have you locked in a cell at my mercy.”

“I think you have that backwards,” I sneer at him. “You’re an idiot who made a grave mistake that is likely to ruin your whole plan to gain power in this city with the help of my father.”

“Please. Enlighten me. How am I an idiot?”

“You really think my father is going to just stand back and let it fly that you kidnapped me?”

“You’re my fiancé.”

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