Page 8 of Cursed
Ryland becomes completely rigid, clenching his fists. “You mean the same dungeon where I just sent the Rogue Wolf prisoner? Dammit Garek! That Rogue will be crazed when he wakes to the scent of a she-wolf all around him. He’s liable to beat his own head in against the bars, trying to get to her! He’ll be dead before we can question him.”
Running a hand through his hair, Ryland throws his gear down the hall toward his door. He turns on his heels and heads toward the dungeon.
Garek inhales sharply and hurries after the Prince, taking long strides to catch up. “Shit, Ry! I’ll go and move her out of the dungeon. You go on to your quarters.”
“No, we’ll both go in case we need to subdue the Rogue again. I’ll meet this she-wolf, who has requested an audience with the Cursed Prince.”
chapter five
Just finishing up another sandwich and bottle of water, Nori sits straight up in her cell when she hears multiple footsteps and what sounds like rattling chains heading her way. Her heart hammers wildly when she catches the stench of a Rogue Wolf.
Aylin’s calm voice floats through her mind. “Easy Nori. We are well protected behind these bars, and we still have enough of the anti-Rogue scent on that he may not even notice us.”
Drawing in ragged breaths and gripping the blanket tightly, Nori shrinks down into the back corner of her cell.She anxiously waits for the Rogue to get closer. “Yeah, sure; you’re probably right.”
A group of four massive males walks by her cell. They must be Guards. All of them wear matching uniforms—black canvas tactical pants, black combat boots, and black wool sweaters with a black leather patch on their shoulders. The leather patch bears the same red and silver design as the one Nori saw on the Beta and the Enforcers’ jackets. The four Guards surround a heavily chained, seven-foot-tall Rogue.
Trapped between their human and wolf forms, all Rogues are revolting. They can never truly attain one form or the other.
Human skin stretches over their legs, which are unnaturally bent like a wolf’s hind legs. Rogues have a fully formed wolf tail, and both their feet and hands twist into a grotesque blend of human and wolf. Elongated human toes and fingers end in razor-sharp claws. Patches of thick fur randomly appear all over their bodies.
Rogue arms are unusually long and out of proportion. They generally walk on two legs, but their arms are long enough to allow them to run on all fours.
Their faces are truly monstrous. A Rogue’s face is a distorted blend of an elongated wolf snout paired with a human jaw and sharp, wolf-like teeth that don’t quite fit in its mouth. Pointed ears jut from its head, but it’s thedisturbingly human eyes that make Nori’s skin crawl. A shiver creeps down her spine as they pass by her cell.
The Guards’ eyes widen when they spot Nori in her cell and warily glance around at one another. The Rogue is docile enough for now, but the second his gaze lands on Nori, the men tighten their grip on their prisoner.
Nori holds her breath, bracing for the monster to explode into violence. Instead of lunging at the bars in a frenzied rage, the creature simply rolls his eyes around in his head and shuffles down the hall.
Releasing the breath she was holding, Nori listens to Aylin as she says, “Maybe he was drugged. Or maybe our anti-Rogue scent is still working.”
Nori scoots forward and stares down the hall until she can no longer see the Rogue. “Yeah. Wonder how long it will last, though.”
After locking up the Rogue in its cell, the men return to the Guard Station, throwing angry glances at Nori as they pass back by her cell. She quickly retreats to her corner again.
Without hesitation, the four Guards bombard the Station Guard. Their angry shouts echo down the hall.
“Who is that she-wolf, and what is she doing here?”
“She can’t be down here!”
“That Rogue should be going crazy over her scent—maybe it’s the drugs.”
“Those drugs will wear off!”
“We need to get her out of here!”
The Station Guard tries to calm them down, but Nori can’t quite understand what he’s saying from the back of her cell. She moves out of the safety of her corner, edging closer to the bars to hear better. When loud, heavy footsteps pound down the stairs, the Guards instantly fall silent.
It’s at that moment the most delicious smell hits Nori’s nose. She lifts her face toward the ceiling and inhales deeply. Her eyes close as her head falls back. The scent is a combination of whiskey, smoke from burning wood, and cinnamon. Euphoria washes over her, and she can feel her wolf practically purring.
The footsteps suddenly stop, and Nori draws in a sharp breath, grabbing her chest and arching her back. Electric sparks roll all over her body. She has formed a Mate Bond with the male carrying that mouthwatering scent.
“Mate,” Aylin murmurs.
Then, a male down the hall exclaims, “Well, fuck!”
Nori reels from the Mate Bond connection. Chest heaving, she leans on her arm for support and whispers to Aylin, “I can’t believe we are experiencing another Bond so soon after the last one.”
