Page 1 of Alpha Bond

Chapter 1

Sierra

“Submit,” Rack growls, the sound deep and guttural as it rumbles from him.

I shrink back against the bars, pressing myself into the far corner of the cage.

“Get away from me!” My lip curls to bare my teeth. The male in front of me hesitates. There’s wariness in his eyes, although he hides it. I’m sure the lacerations on his forearm made by these same teeth I’m baring have given him a sense of what I’m capable of. Of course, that bite was inflicted by my wolf during my last escape. The wolf who I can’t seem to summon up now.

“Stop fighting me, Sierra.” He moves closer, ignoring my next warning growl. “You know you want it. You’re my mate…your body is designed to take mine. Don’t waste your time resisting me.”

I shake my head. Though he’s right. Even as I fight down the revulsion, something in my belly is swirling, clenching…needing.

This is all wrong!

How could my body be craving this male when everything about him disgusts me? It’s not that he’s bad-looking – tall, muscular, powerful; pale gray eyes in strong, rugged features. He’s appealing in a primal sort of way, as most of our kind are. But he’s had me locked in this cage for days now.

Ever since the raid on my village.

The horror I still can’t think about.

I’ve managed to escape this cage twice since my abduction, and each time, he’s tracked me down within a day. Yesterday’s attempt left freedom so nearly within reach. I want to cry as I think about it. I’d made it past the outskirts of the compound where I’m being held.

So close…

“Do it. Now!” he snarls again. I ignore him. In spite of the compulsion to give in, something about him makes me recoil. There’s a stench about him that I can’t come to terms with. It doesn’t make sense; if he’s my mate – as he keeps telling me – the scent of him should make my mouth water…and part of it does. At the same time, another part of me keeps fighting it.

Maybe it’s from when I ran off before. There’d been an industrial area not far off, and I’d found a building that seemed to be some sort of chemical plant. I’d been sure the noxious stink would disguise my scent there. Yet, barely an hour later, I heard the hunting party coming. I managed to shift, letting my wolf bolt from my hiding place, but he’d been upon me before I could get far. That’s when I sank my teeth into his forearm. Ripping through flesh and sinew. He rewarded me with a blow to the head that knocked me senseless.

When I woke, I’d been chained in silver.

Bastard.

“Submit, or I will force you.” He’s looming over me, and I’m surrounded by a wave of raw pheromones that leaves me breathless. My nails bite into my palms as I fight back the surge of desire that floods me unexpectedly.

What the hell is wrong with me?

“Do your best!” My bravado is forced, and he knows it. His dark chuckle mocks me as he drops onto his haunches beside where I’m bound. I’m helpless. I barely had the strength to shift the first time. I have no chance of fighting him off now. Between exhaustion and starvation, I know it would be useless even trying.

He doesn’t need to know that.

I growl again, the sound feral. His eyes flicker, a silvery flare, and then he swoops in and buries his nose into my hair. When I snap at him, his hand slides up to cup the other side of my head, fingers tangling cruelly into the dark waves, holding my teeth away from him.

“You scent of lust, little wolf,” he murmurs into the shell of my ear. Then his tongue follows his words, running down my neck and into the curve of my shoulder. I shudder, disgust mingling with desire as he pauses in that hollow. It’s the place he would leave his mark if he were to claim me. I feel his teeth, and my body goes rigid.

If he bites me… If he bites me…

The mating bond will be sealed.

“Don’t!” I manage to get out.

“If not me, it will be another, Sierra.” His breath moves over my skin. “It’s why you’re here, after all. My breeding bitch. If you won’t take my seed, I’ll let my males fill you with theirs. You’ll be grateful for my attention after that. Except then, I won’t know whose pups will be filling your belly,” he says, confirming my darkest fear…that he knows what I’m capable of.

I can conceive young with any male.

It’s not unheard of, but it’s very rare outside the mate bond, and my entire bloodline carries the gift. Or curse, depending on the circumstances. And right now, my circumstances suck.

I squeeze my eyes shut, horror building as I wait for the sharp tear of his fangs. But nothing comes. As if thinking better of it, he stands, turning from me to face the guard.