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They were certainly nailed on tightly, and her scraped fingers were evidence of that. She still tried to peek through them to ascertain whether she was indeed in Raff territory. But it was pitch black out, and all she could hear was the rustling of leaves from the wind outside.
“Help!” Reika bellowed.
She knew she was risking being severely hurt by screaming out into the night. But if someone came in, she would be ready at the door to either straight up attack or simply bolt away.
She yelled for help for a few more minutes, but there was clearly no one around. Not even the people who had kidnapped her seemed to hear anything. She came to the conclusion that, yes, she had been taken and was placed there to be held until later, when a decision had been made.
She returned to her space, leaning against the fridge, listening intently and watching like the powerful wolf she was.
Reika sat there with her legs crossed for almost half an hour before she heard the sound of rolling tires. She narrowed her glare as filters of headlights cast themselves across the room, cutting through the thick darkness.
She rose from the floor and then moved slowly and carefully into the corner nearest the door. The plan was to see how many men were there. Then she could decide whether she should fight or flee. It was easier to do both in her wolf form, so she quietly shifted, placing her clothing in the corner nearby.
Like a hunter sniffing out its prey, Reika moved against the wall closest to the door and then stood still and silent as a statue. She could hear three, maybe four, men trudging up to the cabin, with one sliding the key into the lock.
Reika was immediately smashed in the face with a familiar scent. One of the men walking into the cabin was Owen. But she didn’t have any time to think. As soon as the door burst open, she was gone in a flash, scurrying under their legs and off into the depths of night.
“Reika!”
She heard him scream for her, but she didn't stop. Reika had no idea what his intentions were or could be. She had to get out of there, no matter the cost. But he was gaining on her fast. Before she knew it, he had grabbed her by the tail and then pinned her to the ground. Both shifted at the same time.
"Let me go!" she yelled.
"Reika, I’m here to help you! My brother picked you up to protect you!"
Reika stopped struggling when she heard the fear in Owen’s voice. She was laying on her back in the middle of the woods, stark naked. Owen was too, and he was crouching like he was about to pounce.
But his expression was reassuring. He no longer touched her but tried to soothe her with his low, musical voice. “Reika, I’m so sorry,” he said softly. “My brother found you before my father had time to. My father put a price on your head. I had no idea.”
Reika slowed her heart rate and finally realized the other guys were approaching. She covered herself with her hands while Owen got a blanket from the truck. He was able to put pants on before approaching Mateo and his friends.
She was raging inside, the adrenaline still alive and flowing through her veins. “What the fuck was that?” she snapped at Mateo. “Maybe you could have warned me what the hell was going on before I ripped your heads off.”
Mateo looked a lot like Owen with the brownish-red shade to his hair but was shorter and less confident. He looked down at his feet before speaking as if he had never encountered a naked woman before.
“We didn’t have much time,” he said. “My father had just placed the hit on you, and we couldn’t find Owen. We had to find a way to get you out of the territory pronto.”
She pulled the blanket closer to her face, then instinctively leaned into Owen. He wrapped his arm around her and patted her head before she realized it was happening.
Reika was drawn to him. There was no doubt about it. The touch of his flesh made her shiver, vividly recalling their night of spontaneous sex.
But she blinked hard, trying to shake away the thoughts while Mateo and two of his shifter friends stood in front of them. “I guess you two are the good ones?” Reika quipped.
Owen and Mateo looked at each other, smiling. They were identical.
“There are always a few good ones in each family,” Mateo said, winking.
After letting Reika get dressed in privacy, everyone retreated to the cabin to discuss their next moves. She hoped that Owen would take a peek at her and remember everything that she was.
She returned to them as they circled around the kitchen table. Mateo had lit a match, and it was resting on a tiny saucer at the center of them. Owen stood when she approached, gravitating toward her the same way she was drawn to him.
“Can we talk for a second?” Reika asked.
Owen nodded, then asked the boys to leave them be for a bit. She sat at the table while Mateo and his friends returned to the truck.
“What’s on your mind?” Owen asked.
SEVENTEEN
