Prologue
Marcella
Istumbled back, tripping over my own feet as the creature came closer. I fell on my ass but didn’t stop retreating, my lungs burning as I hyperventilated.
The creature was wolf-like, but… not. It was some monstrous animal/human hybrid that was plucked out of my damn nightmares.
It came closer, his body hunched over as it walked on all fours.
When the thick trunk of a tree stopped me from retreating, I wanted to scream, to fight back. But I was terrified, unable to move, this cold dread washing over me.
When it was ten feet from me it stopped, the shadows of nightfall shrouding too much of this beast. I could make out its massive body and inhuman head, and see a longer face, snout, sharp teeth, and fur covering its entire form.
And then the thing slowly rose to stand on two hind legs, its calves angled like wolves’ so they looked bent.
It came closer; the ground vibrating from how powerful its steps were. The thing had to be at least seven feet tall, with bulging arms, and hands that were more like paws tipped with black claws. It had a thick, furry tail that was moving back and forth, reminiscent of a predator about to pounce.
God… the thing wasnakedand aroused, and what hung between its legs was massive.
“No,” I whispered and shook my head, holding my hands out as if that would actually ward it off.
I trailed my gaze up its barreled chest and to its wolf-like face.
Holy shit.
Although it looked like a wolf—werewolf,my mind whispered—it held very clear intelligence behind its dark eyes as it watched me.
“Oh God. Please. Please don’t hurt me.” My voice was whisper-thin. I wasn’t even sure I’d spoken the words aloud. “W-what are you?” It was so close now that all I smelled was this wild scent that clung to it.
Here was this primitive creature crowding me, breathing on me… refusing to give me space. It was going to eat me. I was sure of it. Why else would it be here? What other purpose would it have for me?
Not it.He. This creature was clearly male given what he was working with.
“I’m the one who is going to make you mine.”
I shook my head and lashed out, raking my nails along his chest, feeling hard, defined muscle underneath. He was fast as he snapped his paw out and curled it around my wrist, my palm and fingers so tiny compared to his.
I felt this survival instinct rise as I started to scream and kick out, but I was like an annoying gnat compared to him, I was sure.
And when he let go of my wrist to grab my ankle, stopping my foot from connecting with the huge thing he had between his legs, I screamed again. But this time it was in fear. Bone-chilling fear.
He stood and started dragging me away like I was a damn sack of potatoes.
I twisted my body, clawing at the ground, dirt digging underneath my nails. Tears made my vision blurry, and then the world turned as he lifted me up and threw me over his shoulder.
For a second, the wind was knocked out of me as my stomach connected with his shoulder, and I lay there flopping around from his movements.
And then he picked up speed, running, so it forced me to grip the long, dark fur that covered him and hold on, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Don’t worry, female. I’ll have you crying for a far different reason soon enough.”
ChapterOne
Marcella
Ithought I’d gotten used to death.
The initial pain. That horrible ache in the center of your chest that just didn’t seem to ease no matter how much time passed.