Chapter 1"Welcome to Daily Grind! What can I get you tonight?" I looked up, my smile freezing instantly.
Oh my God.
A dozen abnormally tall, muscular men squeezed through the door, each one looking like they'd stepped off a fitness magazine cover. Was this the entire Crescent University football team?
"We're paying together," someone shouted from the middle of the group.
Great. I rolled my eyes internally. Ten minutes until closing, and even a crowd of hot guys couldn't change the fact I'd be working unpaid overtime.
I mechanically started assembling sandwiches - double cheese, triple meat, add jalapeños.
Nearly everyone ordered the same thing.
As closing time passed, I reached for another slice of our thickest, cheesiest bread when the last guy spoke up: "Veggie sandwich on flatbread."
I glanced up, surprised. The other guys hooted and cackled, tossing jokes.
"Just kidding." Veggie Guy wore a big grin.
He was yet another tall muscle-head - no doubt these gym rats had trained their brains straight into their biceps.
I'd never been into that type. Give me a nerdy sweetheart any day.
I shot him a look. His grin froze instantly, and even weirder - his eyes shifted from deep green to gold.
I dropped the cheesy bread, scrambling backward.
The laughter cut off.
His lips parted slightly, a low growl rumbling from his throat - a sound no human could possibly make.
"Shit," another guy muttered.
BANG! Veggie Guy's hand slammed onto the glass counter.
I stumbled back in horror.
He came around the counter, advancing on me.
When dozens of eyes behind him locked onto me too, I didn't have time to think.
I bolted for the back door.
Faster, faster.
I didn't have a car - so I just ran like hell toward campus.
I didn't make it far before a hand grabbed my arm, yanking me back.
I crashed into Veggie Guy's chest, his eyes still glowing gold.
The rest of the guys caught up almost as fast. Without the glass between them and me, they looked even bigger.
"Let go of me or I'm calling the cops," I threatened, trying to look larger than I was.
Gold-eyed Veggie Guy growled, low and deep.
Like an animal. It sounded like he was trying to say date.
Wait, no. He was trying to say mate.
Mate? What the hell?
Suddenly, he released my arm, jerking backward and bending in half with a sharp snapping sound and a pained yell-howl.
I tried to jump away from him, but my back slammed into the chest of another man.
"Grab Rowan and the girl. We need to move," the guy now holding onto me barked.
My shocked brain processed too slowly.
The next second, he threw me over his shoulder and rushed back to the parking lot in a few strides - where a standard kidnapper-van white cargo van sat alone.
"HELP - " I shouted for help as I fought to get free, but it was eleven at night and no one except the not-football-team was around.
My scream was cut off as I was tossed into the van.
The seatbelt clicked, and I frantically unbuckled it, lunging for the door.
The guy caught me around the waist and dragged me back, buckling the belt again and holding it in place.
"You don't want to run right now," he warned, like he was on my side.
"Like hell I don't!" I ripped against the seatbelt, but he wasn't fazed and it didn't budge.
Animalistic groans, growls, and whines came from the back seat.
I shuddered at the sound of cracking bones.
My entire focus was on escaping - I didn't dare look back, didn't want to look back.
"Drive," another guy commanded.
Someone hit the gas, and when the van made a sharp turn, I slammed against the seatbelt - and honestly, I was grateful for it right then.
Vicious snarls hit my ears again, and I finally stopped struggling, whipping around -
And what I saw made me want to vomit.
Veggie Guy - Mate Guy - was half human, half...animal?
Gray fur sprouted from his oddly-shaped limbs, those freaky gold eyes locked on me as his body bent and contorted with another painful-sounding snap.
My voice shook as I asked, "What the hell are you things?"
The guy holding the seatbelt answered with a grimace, "Werewolves."
"WEREWOLVES?!"
"What the hell?"
"WHY DID YOU TAKE ME?" My heart pounded as I kept laser focus on the guy in the back as his body continued to change.
The van was still flying down the road, but a crash wasn't my biggest worry anymore - my brain had gone completely blank.
Unbelievable? I'd been kidnapped by werewolves?
I'd have loved to deny it, but I heard the animal-growl in Veggie Guy's voice when he grabbed me.
And now I was watching him slowly, painfully shift from beast back to human.
I gasped.
The guy next to me followed my gaze to the wolf.
"Because...you're his mate."
"WHAT?"
Chapter 2
"Listen up," Seatbelt Guy turned around, "When a wolf finds his mate, he goes full animal and hunts until she's his."
His tone was flat, like he was explaining a parking ticket.
"So right now? Staying close to him actually buys you some time."
I almost laughed. "Time for what? Picking out my own headstone?"
He didn't even blink. "Before he claims you - either by marking you or killing you - he's stuck in wolf form. You're his fated mate. He won't quit."
The smile died on my face.
Right now, he's trying to get you to accept the bond willingly. But once his patience runs out?"
He slowly dragged a finger across his throat, flashing a wicked grin.
"Bite first, ask questions never.
Great.
So I was basically a walking chew toy with an expiration date.
He paused, his gaze sweeping over me before leaning in to sniff.
"Though... your scent is off." He frowned.
I snapped.
"Seriously? Look, just because I've been making you guys those damn sandwiches doesn't mean I'm on the fucking menu, okay?"
His lips twitched - maybe trying not to laugh - but he went stone-faced again real quick.
"Either way, getting marked's a gamble. Your body either handles it, or you're dead."
Great.
"Maybe you're a wolf," he muttered under his breath.
I didn't catch what he said.
I just stared down at my stick-figure arms.
Only one clear thought ran through my head - I was dead.
Last time I worked out? Freshman year.
A year ago.
My current fitness routine was lifting sandwiches and binge-watching Netflix.
Yeah. I was so dead.
"So staying with him delays the biting?" I asked, already plotting my escape.
"Exactly. Makes him think he's winning - "
"BANG!"
Another sharp turn.
My head slammed hard against the window.
A savage snarl broke out from Veggie Guy, who now looked almost entirely like Veggie Wolf.
"Shit! Sorry!" Seatbelt Guy threw his hands up at the wolf. "Keeping her safe and away from humans isn't easy, Rowan!"
Rowan. So that was his name.
Rowan twisted his face into something out of a horror movie and growled.
"We're almost there," another guy snapped at him from the backseat.
Good news - "Almost there" meant they lived close.
Which meant I still had a slim chance to escape.
The van whipped around another turn. The seatbelt dug into my ribs. I screamed.
My ponytail slapped me in the face.
The tires screeched.
The floor started vibrating.
Dirt road. Damn it.
As if my life weren't hard enough.
"Faster!" someone yelled.
Faster? Were they completely out of their minds?
"She's gotta stop screaming or he's gonna kill one of us!" another growled.
I screamed louder. Maybe they would kill each other, and I could bail.
"BRAKES! NOW!"
The driver slammed on the brakes, no question asked.
The van squealed and swerved as it skidded to a stop.
Five dudes bailed out of the van like it was on fire, leaving just me and Rowan the Murder Wolf trapped in the back.
I seized the chance, frantically yanking at the seatbelt - push, pull, tug - damn thing was jammed.
A hairy monster launched itself over the seat, landing on the bench beside me.
I opened my mouth to scream -
Before I could, the wolf shoved his massive head onto my lap and licked my face.
Before the sound escaped, the creature - fine, the wolf - shoved his massive head toward mine and climbed straight onto my lap.
"You're not a dog," I yelled at it.
It licked my face.
"Not a dog," I repeated, my voice faltering a little.
It barked.
"Not a... What am I doing? I'm losing my damn mind. Get off me!" I shoved his furry body. I'd expected a werewolf to be gigantic, but he wasn't. He was only a little bigger than my mom's German Shepherd, Gallifrey.
Which was still big enough to rip my throat out.
I wrestled with the seatbelt. Rowan just watched me struggle.
Finally, I gave up and slumped back.
The wolf tilted his head at me, as if asking, "Are you done?"
I pointed at the seatbelt, torn between terror and rage. "Don't just sit there. Help me!"
The wolf slashed his claws at the seatbelt.
It snapped free and flew back into the ceiling.
My eyes went wide.
Right. Claws. Hunting. Biting. This was not a cuddly puppy moment.
"Stay back,"I warned, scooting toward the door.
The wolf actually stayed put.
I slowly reached behind me for the door handle.
When he made no move to attack, I pulled.
The door clicked as it opened, and my body tensed, waiting for him to make a move.
He didn't.
"What kind of kidnapper wolf are you?" I muttered.
When he still didn't attack, I eased the door wider.
"No sudden movements," I whispered - to myself, or to him, I wasn't sure. But he seemed to be listening.
If he was, I would definitely take advantage of it.
I extended one foot out the door, feeling around until I touched dirt.
The wolf stayed where he was, watching me silently.
I slowly straightened, carefully placing my second foot down.
"What's she doing?" someone whispered. One of the non-furry guys from the van, I assumed.
"I think she's trying to escape," another said, with some amusement.
"He hasn't tried to stop her yet," a third pointed out.
"He probably doesn't want to spook her," the fourth answered.
Damn werewolf peanut gallery.
I took a step backward, then paused. The wolf didn't budge.
Another step.
Pause.
Still nothing.
I continued to move away from the van step-by-step, never taking my eyes off him.
I kept moving backward, eyes locked on him.
The dirt road wasn't far - if I ran fast enough, I could hit the main road. Get to town. Get home.
My cramped dorm room sounded like a five-star resort right now.
Right when I thought he was actually gonna let me go, Rowan jumped out of the van in one fluid, powerful leap.
I didn't scream this time.
I ran.
Chapter 3
THE WOLF CAUGHT me in less than three seconds, but he didn't tackle me or anything. He simply ran beside me.
It was dark, so I could barely see a thing.
I could only hug the raised edges of the dirt road, using them as a guide.
I didn't stop.
My lungs felt like they were on fire, sweat pouring down my face.
The wolf still ran silently at my side.
Even when my jog deteriorated into a stumbling walk, he maintained the same pace.
When I couldn't go any further, I plopped my hands onto my knees and bent over, sucking in deep lungfuls of air.
My sandwich shop T-shirt and Converse weren't exactly running gear.
"Damn...you...wolf..." I wheezed.
He licked the back of my knee.
I screamed and kicked at him.
He easily dodged my pathetic attempt.
"Don't lick me if you want to survive." I gulped air. When I could breathe, I added, "I am not one of those people who touches every dog they see. Your germs are not welcome on this body." I gestured to all of me.
He gave a pathetic whine.
"I don't care what you think I am to you, werewolf. I know you were Veggie Guy, and I am not amused by any of this. I'm going home."
I wildly flipped him off. "So sit there while I catch my breath, or go back to wherever the hell you came from."
The wolf snorted, but he sat.
I steadied my breathing and started down the dirt road again, and though it felt like I'd been running forever, I would've walked for an entire week if it meant getting away from the werewolves and back to my dorm.
The paved road couldn't be far now.
"Alright, Aria. You've got this. Just a little further."
The second I finished my pep talk, the wolf made a weird sound, and I glared at it. "What are you laughing at?"
He didn't answer, obviously. Because he was a wolf.
Though talking animals wouldn't be that crazy compared to werewolves.
"You are infuriating," I said, shaking my head as I kept moving. "I'm not going to be what you want - your mate or whatever. I have dreams, goals, plans. I'm not some housewife popping out babies every year. I have school and things to accomplish. So just walk away!" My voice raised as my rant continued.
The wolf ignored my lecture, his gaze on the forest in front of me.
I huffed and kept running.
It wasn't like I had another option.
The kidnappers were far behind now, probably still heading down that dirt road to wherever they'd planned to take me.
I was going the opposite direction - back to my college town.
But the fact that they hadn't come after me was suspicious.
Were they just going to leave me with the wolf?
According to them, he was hunting me. And that was terrifying.
But shouldn't hunting be more violent than just...running beside me?
No one could answer my questions now.
Glancing at the wolf, it occurred to me that he hadn't had anything to do with the abduction.
I mean, he'd been there, but he wasn't one of the guys who grabbed me.
Rowan had started going wolf after meeting me, and the other guys grabbed us both.
Though he was clearly with them. Not innocent. Not to be trusted.
Especially while he was furry. A furry werewolf.
Dammit, that was a lot to wrap my head around.
I wheezed at him as we jogged, "You should definitely choose someone else to be your mate. You and your kidnapper buddies aren't my type. I'm far from the easy, party-loving sorority girl guys like you usually go for."
The wolf ignored me again.
Tired of being ignored, I shut up and kept running.
Slowly, but moving.
After what felt like forever, the sound of a car engine came from behind me.
Cursing, I practically threw myself into a bush off to the side of the dirt road. Branches cut me and scratched me, but if it was Rowan's friends, I couldn't afford to get caught.
Rowan - or the wolf that had once been Rowan - crouched beside me, his body hidden by the bush even though he wasn't inside the damn thing like I was.
Sure enough, the kidnapper van passed us.
They didn't even slow down.
When they were gone, the forest seemed even darker than it had before.
"I'm going to die out here," I muttered, crawling out of the bush.
The wolf started licking my wounds.
"Stop it, dammit. I don't know you." I shoved at his face.
He growled.
"Go find your wolfy friends and leave me to escape on my own." I tried to shoo him away. He barely budged.
"Damn you." I sighed.
I don't know how much longer I walked, but when the sun rose, I spotted flickering lights ahead.
I cheered and picked up my pace.
Bravo! Finally about to make my escape!
Until I reached the edge of the small town and my smile froze.
FUCK! I'd celebrated too soon.
The buildings were a completely different style than the new, modern builds of the college town I lived in.
Where the hell had I ended up?
