Chapter 4 - Faye

My last vivid thought before sleep was how in the world Hector could get the jump on me in my own home. The Beaufort-Bravecrest ranch wasn't the type of place to get invaded. Battles didn't often come to our doorstep, particularly with how the security team ran things around here.

Yet, regardless of Fred's frequent instruction and Kylie's security text reminders, I had forgotten all about my nightly perimeter sweep, and now I was paying the price for it.

I gritted my teeth. If Turner hadn't been playing that album so loud—

But that was unfair to Turner. It was just as much my house as it was his. We shared the space together, and when I knocked on his door, I should have told him to turn the volume down instead of encouraging it. That was just what I got for being neighborly.

I should have locked my door. I should have double-checked that I locked the back door. Stupid, stupid, stupid…

Ugh, it didn't matter in the end. I was trying to lift my head, to balance my body on the bumpy ride I was taking through a shadowy world. Nothing felt too unusual, but I got the feeling that I was moving fast and steadily through the night, heading to an unknown location. My nostrils twitched as I tried to identify my surroundings. No amount of blinking seemed to clear my vision.

I twisted my body to shift my position—and then teetered over the edge of something. With a gasp, I fell, smashing my face into a rough-textured carpet that smelled like old chips and cigarette ash. Gross, I hope I didn't just inhale something nasty . I tried to put my hands beneath me, but they were bound behind my back.

"Stop moving around back there." The leather of the seat squeaked. "God dangit , hang on, Cherry Pie."

My heart raced as our speed slowed, tires rumbling like a broken tailpipe attempting to work properly, and then white noise as the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. I heard the thunk of a gear shift moving into park, the snap of a seatbelt, and the click of a door handle.

And then the white noise was louder.

Cool air poured into the cab of the vehicle as I tried to steady my breathing.

Goddess, oh sweet Goddess, I'm not built for a kidnapping.

The thought alone made my heart rate skyrocket, and I struggled to breathe through my panic. Thunder clapped overhead, sending a shock of panic through my system as I tried to wiggle around, to turn myself over like an injured turtle attempting to get off the highway.

One long, sustained horn blared past me, and that was when I realized I was on the highway. On the side of the highway, more specifically, in the back of Hector's car who had immobilized me.

Who had drugged me.

Beside me, the rear door popped open, allowing more air to flow into the car. Though it was a soothing breeze that eased the sweat off my forehead, it didn't stop me from trying to twist away with frustration. The smell of burnt autumn leaves with a hint of rain tinted the air, a scent so distinct and masculine that it prompted my pause.

But not for long. " No ."

"Yes—you're a mess. Now stop squirming like a worm before you hurt yourself."

"You didn't. Tell me you didn't. You ass ."

Strong hands grasped my shoulders, sending another shock through me. This one wasn't panic, though I wished for it to be. I wished for my senses to simply confuse one adrenaline for another. Because that would be so easy, right? That would make me feel better, considering the way I acted when Hector had pinned me face-down to the ground.

Please, don't tell me I've spent a whole day in a car without a shower or a shake .

That flighty feeling I got in the pit of my stomach whenever I fell from a high place consumed my gut as Hector planted me upright on the seat. His scent was strong now, soaked with a musky sweat that told me he was running high on adrenaline himself—and there was something else there I could smell that was sharper than usual, a tangy citrus that made me want to lean forward and offer my mouth to him.

I panted through the strange urges, willing them to go away as I squeezed my thighs together. That did nothing to get rid of the quickening sensation in my slit, so I tightened my entire body as he strapped a belt over my lap. His hands wandered my thighs for a split second before tightening the belt, causing me to quake as my heartrate soared.

He touched my chin. With a gesture like that in any other context, I might have slapped him. Scratch that—hell yeah , I would have slapped him. Open palm, fingers splayed, wrist loose with a fierce follow-through of my shoulder swinging into the motion. I could have popped him in the forehead with my head. It sure was sturdy enough to do that.

Yet, at the same time, I couldn't stop myself from shuddering under his oddly expressed care. His thumb swept my lower lip, danced at the corner of my mouth, and then dropped to hold my chin firmly. "Stop it."

" You stop it."

He laughed. "Can't. We're halfway there."

"Turn around and take me home right now."

"I can't do that, Cherry Pie. We're on the run now." He glanced over his shoulder. "We need to move fast."

I swallowed hard. "From what?"

Thunder cracked once more outside, the sound so threateningly loud through the open doors that it almost sounded like someone had dropped a bowling ball on the roof of the car. Rain pattered the earth, the smell swirling into my nostrils and intoxicating me. Rain, soothing rain. It always came when I was distressed. It just made me feel a little better.

Though, right now, it wasn't doing much for me. So much for having some amazing powers. My foresight was rusty because I hadn't predicted my own kidnapping, and my powers were in need of a recharge, considering the only thing I could truly do was change the weather a little bit.

Yay, now I'm stuck with the guy who thinks I'm his mate just because he used to pick on me as a kid .

I whimpered when his fingers left my chin. "You really think I'm your mate?"

"There's no telling, honestly," he replied as he held my shoulders, "but I'm choosing you regardless of that. You're the only one who can handle the duties of being an alpha's mate."

I furrowed my brows. "Wait just a second! You didn't even give me the option to say—"

The door slammed shut. Sheer indignation bubbled inside me as my mouth dropped open. "You didn't—"

Another door slammed. This one must have been the driver's side door. It dulled the sound of the rain and the cars flying past us. "I did, and if you don't chill out, I'll gag you."

"You wouldn't dare."

But I knew he would dare. He was willing to pin me, tie me up, and steal me from my home. Shoving a cloth in my mouth would be the least intimidating thing even as my body shuddered at the possible side effects. To what lengths was he willing to go past this point?

Arousal slithered through my core; a sensation that made me wiggle again. I could feel his eyes on me. I couldn't see past the cloth covering my eyes, but I knew that the ripple of goosebumps flushing my arms had nothing to do with the cool rain and muggy humidity dancing over my skin. I could feel him, and that made me want to feel him.

The leather squeaked. I braced for his touch, wondering what he might do first. He seemed fond of commanding me by grabbing my chin. The suggestion alone was enough to make me quake, sending a shiver right to my slit that made me arch in my seat as I tried to squeeze the feeling away.

But squeezing my thighs together only worsened my arousal.

Get it together, Faye , I thought. You're losing it over a bully—a muscular and dominant bully who seems to know exactly how to handle you .

Despite my expectations, nothing happened. Hector didn't touch me.

That almost seemed to be a worse punishment than having him cover my mouth.

When the leather seat creaked again, he cranked the engine. The seatbelt squealed as he drew it across his lap, capped by the distinct click of it popping into its proper place. The gear shift thunked next, and I felt the car jerk shakily back onto the highway. Within seconds, our speed increased and we were cruising along with the other cars around us.

Could they see me? Could they tell I was in danger?

I blinked at the hot tears stinging my eyes. The tip of my nose ballooned like it was getting ready to burst and cotton filled my throat. All signs of a hard cry incoming—and I was helpless to stop it.

Crap , I didn't want to look weak in front of him. I didn't want him to know how his intimidating tactics had worked. I had to steady my senses, cope with my current situation, and put on a brave face just like I did back then. It wasn't hard at all. I just had to swallow the feeling of cotton blocking up my throat and press my warm nose to the cool window.

But even that didn't stop me from crying quietly out of frustration. The way the tears soaked the fabric of my blindfold made it weigh heavy on the bridge of my nose, sticking it to my cheeks that were now soaked. It slid down, giving me a glimpse of the world beyond the rain-spattered window.

Night still. I had to guess that we were just hours away from my home at this point. I sat back, took a deep breath, and shook my head to loosen the blindfold even more. Using my right shoulder to push away the fabric helped, giving me the chance to let it hang loosely around my neck. My eyes burned as I blinked rapidly to clear my vision.

This would probably be my darkest night to date. Not only was Hector yanking me out of a loving pack, but he was about to drop me in the middle of the pack that chased me away after torturing me emotionally. I sucked air into my lungs, the sound shaky enough to draw Hector's attention from the front seat. His eyes appeared in the rearview mirror, cloudy yet pensive.

After a long inspection, he returned his gaze to the road, ticking the handle for the wipers. Long streaks erupted on the windshield, taking away the rain that threatened to block his view of the highway. "I get it."

"I don't think you do."

"I do get it, Faye. I was thrown into the ring to be alpha. I didn't want to do this."

I frowned hard. "Why didn't you just say no?"

"How could I?" His brows dipped slightly, turning his concentrated gaze into one of sorrow. "Adrian trusts me. I'm the only one in the pack who doesn't have parents. I can't let them think I turned out to be a failure just because my aunt raised me."

My heart twitched at the sound of his admission. Probably a manipulative ploy given the circumstances. But it still prompted my curiosity. "Are you… worried about being alpha?"

"I'm concerned for my pack, and I need someone who understands that concern."

"Then I'm the worst choice possible. You don't have my pity."

His eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, filled with a softness I didn't recognize. "You're the best choice because of your history with our pack."

"With your pack."

"They'll be yours soon enough."

I huffed. "I don't want them to be mine, Hector. Do you know what you did? You took me from the best family I've ever had. If Fred and Kylie knew—"

"Your friends will learn about our mating ritual soon enough."

I gaped at him. "Excuse me. What do you mean by ritual ?"

"I've already discussed arranging an announcement with your brother."

"You spoke to Clifton."

He cleared his throat. " Cliff ."

I rolled my eyes. "Right. Cliff."

"He's worried about you. He wants to talk to you."

"I don't see why."

He shrugged one shoulder, popped his blinker on, and smoothly changed lanes to take the next exit. "You'll find out soon enough."

"Can't wait to meet my brother with this rope around my wrists. Sounds like the start of a bad porno."

"You didn't seem to mind being pinned when I caught you in your living room."

My heart stuttered so hard that I thought I was about to suffer cardiac arrest. "Shut up."

"If I'm not mistaken, you offered yourself to me."

"I did not do such a thing!"

He chuckled, the sound both sinister and sly, too attractive in a situation like this. "Your ass would say differently."

"My ass doesn't talk, Hector."

"Well, if it could, it would say—"

The car swerved. My heart lurched along with it as the sound of screeching cut through the heavy rain.

I gasped, "Was that the tires?"

But Hector wasn't minding me. His wide eyes were hooked to the windshield—to the sky. "Fuckers."

Another round of squeals sliced through the white noise, and then the heart-wrenching thud of something landing on the roof. Hector cut the wheel fast, yanking us across four lanes with a vicious grunt.

"Get off my car!"

A ghoulish face appeared in my window, gnarly shadows creeping across its gray brain-matter face with hollow sockets for eyes. No mouth. No expression other than abject emptiness.

I gawked at it as I tried to kick away. "Holy mother of Goddesses—"

Hector readjusted the car. "Hang on, Cherry Pie!"

The ghoulish face banged its head against the glass. Spiderwebs cracked from the point of contact, spreading in threatening waves that grew with each horrifying slam. With a spectral squeal, it raised a clawed hand and scratched the nails across the glass—and now I recognized the screeching sound as originating from this terrible creature rather than the tires of the car.

"Hector!" I wailed as I kicked away, twisting myself up in the seatbelt. "Hector, please! "

"I said I got you, baby!"

The car jerked right again, sending the creature sprawling onto the highway. Its great mass hosted a set of gray bat wings and lanky limbs. It rolled right in front of another vehicle that shrieked to a halt, slamming head-on into the creature.

I jolted upright. "Let them live!"

White light splashed the highway, sending the ghoulish creature screaming away from the vehicle that hit it—that had no signs of damage.

I gasped for air as I stared in shock at the scene. Loud rain came back through, creating a curtain around us, swallowing the other car on the highway. Only the headlights were visible now. It passed us with a loud honk, then cut us off to speed ahead.

Once the panic faded, I collapsed in my seat. "What the hell was that?"

"That, Cherry Pie," Hector stated with exasperation, "is exactly why you need to mate with me ASAP."