Page 2 of Bullied Wolf Mate
“Fantastic!” Klyte clapped Alek on the back, beaming. “What could possibly go wrong?”
Chapter 2 - Lorelei
By now, I’d gotten used to the steady drip of water coming from a leaky pipe dangling in the corner of my cell. I sat cross-legged on the bed and threw pebbles against the far wall, trying to match the rhythm of the dripping water.
I stopped tossing rocks, my ear cocked as I listened to footsteps echoing outside, wondering if they were going to stop in front of my door again. I had no way of telling time beyond my internal clock, but it was probably about the right time.
The footsteps halted before anyone got to my cell. I slumped back, my shoulders relaxing. Something had changed in the last few days. I wasn’t sure what exactly, but it seemed I was no longer the only captive here.
The skin beneath the iron bands on my wrist chafed. I scratched around them, scowling down at them as if that would do any good. They weren’t even there as restraints. Iron neutralized magic, so I couldn’t cast any spells. Not that it mattered much; I wasn’t a particularly good witch. I doubted any of the scant amount of training I’d received would do anything against Inara or any of her inner circle. But I assumed they weren’t taking any chances.
Indistinct, gruff voices sounded from down the hall. I pricked my ears, trying to figure out what they were saying, but I couldn’t make out any individual words. And they stopped before I could discern anything.
The temporary excitement over, I resumed tossing rocks against the far wall. How many days had it been now? It had to be close to two weeks now. How much longer would I have until Inara changed her tactics and stopped playing nice? My guess was not much longer.
A shiver ran up my spine as I wondered what she might have in store for me. I squeezed my eyes shut, imagining my little cottage in the woods. I wanted nothing more than to go back and return to my old life, being on my own. But I knew that wasn’t going to happen until I gave Inara what she wanted, which was something I couldn’t do. I may not have been the biggest people person, but I didn’t care to condemn thousands of them to death, either. Which was exactly what would happen if I helped Inara.
Sighing, I threw another stone against the wall.
Footsteps sounded again. I stiffened, head swiveling toward the door as unease crawled up my spine and my stomach churned with unease. My heart thundered in my chest, and I hoped that whoever was coming would walk right past me again.
A figure appeared through the barred window as the footsteps stopped. The next sound that rang out was that of a bolt sliding back and then the scrape of the heavy metal door against the stone floor.
A tall, skeletal man stood in the doorway, his red hair thinning as he looked down at me, unsmiling.
“Come on, then,” Orin said.
I stayed where I was on the bed, glaring up at him.
He sighed, rolling his eyes. “We’ve gone through this before. You know we can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
My instincts screamed at me to continue rebelling. Except what good would it do? Any time I refused to move, he just forced my legs to start walking with a flick of his wrist. I desperately wanted to fight back, but even if I could match his power in terms of magic, there was nothing I could do.
Sighing, I pushed off the bed, letting the handful of gravel I’d been throwing fall to the ground with a clatter. It scattered across the floor, the skittering sound dying after bouncing off the cold stone walls.
“Smart choice,” he grunted as I stepped toward him. As usual, he grasped my arm and forced me ahead of him.
We walked down the hall, his hand gripping my shoulder, fingers digging into my flesh. I didn’t see the need for that beyond him liking to flex his power over me. I didn’t know my way around the den, and even if I did, they could drag me back at a moment’s notice. Running was about as effective as trying to catch water in a strainer.
Regardless, he kept his hand on me, steering me through the now-familiar path from my cell to the thick, red oak door with runes carved on its surface. Just like my cell, there was no handle or lock.
Orin knocked on the door. There was a short pause before the door swung open. The office behind the door was larger than it should be based on the exterior. A bubbling cauldron rested in an alcove. Shelves with elixirs in unnatural colors and jars with potion ingredients from lavender to eels lined the walls. Behind the ornate desk stood several bookshelves overflowing with spell and potion books and ancient tomes.
And sitting in the plush chair behind the desk was Inara, watching me as we walked inside.
Inara was unnaturally beautiful. Long, ash-blond hair that cascaded down her back framed a sharp, alluring face with wide hazel eyes and a full mouth. It wasn’t just her looks, though. There was a draw to her. Something about her just made you gravitate toward her, to want to say yes to her. It was no wonder she had drawn so many to her coven.
She glanced up, giving a demure smile that would have made men slit their own wrists for a chance to sleep with her. I steeled myself, taking a deep breath and trying to center myself. It would be so easy to fall under her spell. I had heard stories about her when I was a little kid, and I still felt that pull to please her. But I knew how dangerous she was. I had to force myself to remember that every time Orin dragged me in here.
“Lorelei,” she purred, looking at me like a cat would a mouse. “How are you doing? Still enjoying your accommodations?”
“As much as I have the last two weeks,” I said. Now that I was in a warm room, the inviting, crackling fire radiating heat, I was suddenly reminded of how cold my cell was. I rubbed my arms unconsciously.
Inara saw and gave a musical giggle. “Is your cell too cold?”
When I didn’t answer, her smile vanished, replaced by a harsh, thin line even more terrifying.
“When someone asks a question, it’s polite to answer,” she said, her voice poisonous. “Has all that time in your cell made you forget that? Or maybe simply staying in that cottage all on your own for over a decade turned you into a mannerless hag?”