9
Someone was talking and my head was pounding. My mouth felt like sandpaper. What the fuck was going on?
The memories of the cave and Tyler came flooding back like a tidal wave. I should be dead. But I didn’t feel dead. I felt like shit. I was pretty sure if I were dead, I’d be feeling nothing, right?
I could feel the ground under me and the breeze moving the air. The smell of campfire and pine filled my nostrils. It was clear I was outside and it seemed dark enough through my eyelids to be nighttime. There was something covering me, a blanket maybe?
I kept my eyes closed and listened for the voices. Had Tyler and his friends come back for me? Were they going to finish me themselves or had they brought me back to save me? Was this all sort of some fucked up head-trip?
A chill went through me when I realized I didn’t know these voices. I would recognize Tyler’s voice anywhere. I hated that I could, but it was true. And this was not Tyler.
“She’s awake,” someone said.
Silence fell around me and I slowed my breathing, hoping to fool them. I needed more information.
“We know you’re awake, you might as well sit up and open your eyes,” a deep, sexy voice said.
With a sigh, I let my eyelids flutter open. It was dark, and it took me a moment to adjust. I glanced around and confirmed I was outside and the only light was coming from a sizzling fire and the moon overhead.
I pushed myself to sitting and quickly realized I was naked. What I thought was a blanket was a men’s button up flannel shirt. I quickly pulled it over me to cover myself as best as I could.
“We’ve already seen you naked,” sexy voice said. “You might as well put the shirt on properly.”
I looked over at the man sitting by the fire. I only got a quick glance at his handsome face before he turned away from me. He was shirtless and the firelight made all the rippling muscles of his back and shoulders look even more intense than they probably were in real life.
Clearly, he was the one who originally owned the shirt I could use as a dress. Which meant he was huge. He looked big sitting there next to the fire, but the man next to him was equally large, giving the impression that he was a more normal size. Instead, I knew both men were well over six feet. And based on the muscles on him, he was not someone I wanted to piss off.
Next to the two huge men, sat a tiny woman who looked to be about my age. I wasn’t sure if she was average sized or she looked smaller next to the two giants.
“Are you decent?” Sexy voice asked, not looking over at me.
I tugged the shirt on and quickly buttoned it. When I stood, the huge shirt fell to cover my hips and ass. It was big enough to act like a dress and I was grateful for the coverage. While nudity wasn’t a big deal in the pack, I had no idea who these people were.
The fire crackled and popped, a welcoming warm sound breaking the awkward silence.
I had no idea why I was naked.
Or why I was alive.
“Do you speak?” the woman asked.
Her jet-black hair shimmered in the firelight and her eyes looked kind, her expression resembling pity or concern.
I didn’t trust it.
“Yes,” I said, testing my voice. “Where am I and why am I naked?”
“You were pretty injured when we found you,” she replied.
“But why am I naked?” I pressed.
“You weren’t human when we found you,” sexy voice said.
“What do you mean?” My brow furrowed and I examined him a little. He was probably in his early twenties. But his expression wasn’t nearly as kind or concerned as the woman’s.
“Oh shit, did you not know you’re a wolf shifter?” The woman looked horrified. “They didn’t tell you?”
“No, you’re mistaken,” I said. “I can’t change into a wolf.”