Page 16 of Wolf Fated
"We'll eat later—" Drake said at the same time.
"Which is it?" My head swam. "You guys aren't vampires, right? I mean you do eat."
They looked at Axel before answering and my heart crashed into my throat. I took a backward step toward the back door.
"Vampires?" Axel asked between guffawing, but I didn’t feel an ounce of relief. "Not in a million years would I be associate with any blood sucker."
"That's good. Since they don’t exist.” But why didn't I feel any better? I still felt like a rock sat in my gut.
"You've had a long day, eat and go to bed,” Axel practically growled.
It didn't sound like a question, but more like a command. And something was off about these three and I couldn't quite put my finger on. They weren't serial killers at least because Stephen had seemed fine over the phone. Had they told him not to contact me? Why? Did they think he'd influence me more if I could talk and text with him? I'd show them I could go thirty days without any communication with my fiancé and I'd still want to marry him.
I picked at the food on my plate, which was delicious, but my stomach felt full tied up in knots.
"Follow me," Axel didn't wait for me to respond, but took the grand staircase two steps at a time.
In my bedroom, he flicked a light switch that was behind the curtain. The balcony lit up and the wood paneling slid back to reveal a jacuzzi.
Goosebumps dotted down my arms. “Am I allowed to go skinny-dipping?”
Don’t know why I said such a thing, but now that I had, I couldn’t look at Axel.
He marched forward and spun me around to face him. Before I could protest, he gripped my chin in his hand, his amber eyes so intense that I froze like a rabbit in a snare. "At midnight every night, you are not to leave this room for any reason. Do you understand?"
"I-I... why? You’re not all going to turn into pumpkins, are you?” I asked, trying to hide the nerves diving into my stomach.
His eyes narrowed and the tension between us was palpable like someone had strung a string between us so tight any vibration would make it break. "This is my house, my rules. Say you agree or our deal's off."
My heart pounded and I licked my lips, his gaze following the movement. "I-I understand. I mean I agree." Though part of me wanted to keep pressing the issue, but I knew when someone was on a razor-sharp edge and for whatever reason, Axel was on it now. His body was tense like he was ready to fight. His amber eyes had even brightened in the moonlight. And just as fast as a shooting star, the intensity vanished.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and he lightly traced just underneath my lip with his thumb, sending a wave of heat through me. "Goodnight, Brook. Pleasant dreams until morning.”
Without waiting for a response, Axel pulled away and strolled out the bedroom door, closing it behind him.
I took a shuddering breath and walked on shaky legs to the bed. I plopped down on the mattress. Holy hell, what had I gotten myself into?
9
Despite my trepidation, I soaked in the Jacuzzi until the misquotes buzzed around me. I dashed inside my bedroom, taking advantage of the huge bathroom and took a cool shower until my teeth chattered too much. I put on the fluffy robe that felt like it was spun from clouds. After combing out my hair and brushing my teeth from utensils I found in the bathroom drawer, I climbed into bed. And I meant that literally. The thing was at least four inches off the floor, and I sank into the mattress.
In no time I was lulled to sleep.
* * *
Wolves howling had me bolting upright in the bed. My heart hammered against my ribs like it was auditioning for a heavy-metal concert. I adjusted my robe, which had gapped open when I slept, and retied the sash around it. My feet hit the cold floor and I shuffled to the bedroom window. I peered out into the darkness, blinking against the sleep still pulling at the edge of my mind. Maybe I'd thought I'd heard—a huge wolf scrambled across the grass.
"Holy fuck," I shrieked.
Its head swung up toward me. Glowing amber eyes seemed to see straight through me. I stumbled backward, falling on my ass. Oh God, oh God. Could wolves climb? What if it tried to get in here?
I rummaged around for a weapon and found nothing, but I grabbed the bedside lamp, holding it in my trembling hands as I tiptoed back to the window. The lack of light outside made it difficult to see, but the huge white wolf had been easy to see with the moonlight gleaming off its fur. I hadn't imagined it.
But as I looked over the yard again, there was nothing stirring except the tops of the trees from an unseen breeze.
After several minutes of not seeing the wolf again, I went back to bed, and replaced the lamp. For the longest time, I didn't sleep. I stared up at the vaulted ceiling straining not to run from this house in a blind panic. Wolves were right outside the door and now I wondered what types of beasts I had locked myself up with.
The next morning, I was so tired I didn't want to get out of bed at all. Didn't know how much sleep I'd gotten, but it felt like it was eight hours too little. A knock sounded on the bedroom door, and I pulled the pillow over my head.
