Fang Chronicles: Mandy's Story Read online

  The more she thought about him finding a mate other than her, the more rational thought disappeared from her brain. She knew she didn’t think her plan through long enough, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and the puzzle pieces began falling into place. Using Brandt’s account to order the cage was easy. Getting her hands on tranquilizers? Not so much. Her brother, Caleb the pest, was a constant thorn in her side. Caleb felt it his duty to keep her out of trouble and away from male wolves that looked at her with guarded lust. She finally managed to get past his eagle eye and steal narcotics along with a tranquilizer gun from their medical clinic. Then, everything finally came together. She felt lucky she hadn’t needed the gun and had managed to spike a bottle of Honey’s beer instead. She worried the smell of the drugs would give her away, so she waited until she knew he was inebriated before making the switch. The gods were obviously on her side because the actual kidnapping went quite smoothly.

  Her heart sank as she thought about the reality of keeping him in a cage. She knew locking him up for a year was out of the question and wondered if she’d even manage to make it a week. He was being a complete dunderhead. If he really wanted out, he’d call his liege, Dmitri, to rescue him. With that thought in mind, she decided to go ahead with plan B and see if it got her anywhere.

  She began making Honey a meal fit for a king and included a homemade chocolate cake. He was huge, and they said the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. At this point it couldn’t hurt. It took over an hour to prepare the meal; the fish weren’t much of an appetizer, so she knew he’d be hungry.

  Carrying a large tray laden with her home-cooked meal, she made her way to the truck. Looking inside, she noticed the uneaten fish lying in front of the cage. He was resting, his body curled and facing away. “Wake up, sleepyhead; I cooked you something special.”

  His head turned, and his dark eyes drilled into hers. For the first time, his voice didn’t carry a growl. “You can’t keep me in here. I’m done playing your game, Mandy. Take the food and leave me be.” He laid his head back down, no longer looking in her direction.

  Mandy stood there not knowing what to say. He had to eat… something. Sitting the tray down, she pushed it toward the cage. He didn’t move. She went back into the cabin, returned with another gallon of water, and pushed it close, too. After standing there for ten minutes and not seeing so much as a muscle flinch, she left.

  This wasn’t part of her plan. Beastkind burned calories at alarming rates. There was no way he could resist food for more than a day or two. If he didn’t eat tonight’s dinner, she would continue cooking and entice him into giving up his ridiculous form of rebellion. Thirty minutes later, she cut a large slice of cake and carried it outside. The previous food remained in the same place and his back stayed facing her. She sat the cake down and then removed the fish, which was starting to smell worse than fish should. He uttered not a sound. Dejected, she returned to the cabin and cleaned up for bed. Sleep came in fitful chunks, but she refused to go outside and check on him.

  Chapter Six

  Honey’s stomach growled with the delicious smell of the food she brought, but he refused to give in. If what she said was true and her wolf chose him as her mate, twenty-four hours without food would be her breaking point. He eventually fell asleep and dreamed about mountains of chocolate cake.

  The sun was peeking over the horizon and casting shadowy streaks of light into the truck when he woke. Turning slightly, he saw Mandy carry away the previous night’s dinner. Fifteen minutes later she returned with another tray. He turned his back again and refused to acknowledge her. The smells floating around the small confines of the truck made it nearly impossible to resist the food, but he had no doubt, in the long run, his hunger strike would be effective.

  Hours later, the food disappeared and lunch replaced it. His mouth was no longer watering because the sun was heating up the inside of the truck, causing fluids to leach from his body; more than anything he needed a drink. He concentrated on his inner bear, using that strength to fight temptation.

  He heard her enter and then her anger blast with intensity, “You’re being a stubborn ass. Even if you don’t eat, you must drink water. Dehydration will kill you. I know you think I’ll give in, but I won’t. If it gets so bad you pass out, I’ll drive into town and get intravenous supplies. All the feed stores carry them.”

  Fighting the urge to argue with her was hard, but knowing that ignoring her only added to her irritation made it possible. The fact she was challenging him meant his refusal to eat was getting to her. He didn’t move or say a word.

  “You are the most stubborn nincompoop I’ve ever known. Fine, lay there and starve. I’ll buy extra-large needles to stick you with.”

  He heard the clatter she made as she angrily jumped from the back of the truck and stormed off. His shoulders started shaking with laughter. She was such a fireball and she was losing the war.

  ***

  The man was the biggest, pig-headed dolt she’d ever met. Storming around and kicking furniture did little good, so she removed her clothes, shifted, and took off through the woods. She’d been to this area as a child. The property belonged to Nicolas, the Northeastern alpha. The main residence, now destroyed, was more than fifty miles away, and she figured when choosing a place for her hostage’s seduction that this would be the safest area. Nicolas and his new pack were now hunkered down with Amy and Marcus’s clan in the southern territory.

  There were no scents of danger and she went farther than she had the day before. She circled around and eventually found herself back at the cabin a few hours later. She looked with longing at the truck, but decided not to say hi or give him the satisfaction of conversation, even if it was only one sided. She took a long shower and thought about her next plan of attack. Eventually, she located a key for the storage shed and found what she wanted. Dragging the large grill outside, she went back into the small room and picked up the charcoal and lighter fluid. Honey could be as stubborn as he wanted, but she’d make sure the food he wasn’t eating smelled better than anything he’d scented in years.

  She prepared baked potatoes and a large salad. Late in the afternoon, she put the steaks on the grill and then pulled a rickety card table out of the shed along with a chair. Wandering out a little ways, she found some wildflowers and made a vase from a canning jar she found in one of the cupboards. Moving the table and chair, she set everything directly in front of the back opening to the truck. A plate, utensils, glass of wine, and her impromptu flower arrangement made her little romantic setting a piece of art. Honey never turned around.

  She finished grilling, made them both a plate, and set them on the table.

  “I’m going to sit here and eat. I figure you don’t know a lot about me so I thought I’d tell you.” She refused to let his silence get to her. “My mom and dad adopted me and my brother. Our sperm donor father was Malcolm the rapist. Caleb and I have different mothers. We never doubted our adopted parents loved us, but because of our birth father’s crimes, many of the pack members never tried to get close to us. Brandt killed Malcolm before we were born, so we never even knew the evil man. I always wondered why Brandt treated us so good. Besides his slight mental breakdown when he wasn’t communicating well with anyone he made us feel like treasured members of the pack. I’m glad Emily has him. Caleb’s another story. He should have left for the military, but with the pending war with the cat clans, he can’t leave. My brother is a domineering jackass with entirely too much testosterone. I have trouble believing any woman could ever see past his current personality problems.”

  She finally took a breath and enjoyed a few bites of the delicious dinner. “I must say I outdid myself tonight. I’m sure you can smell the steak. It’s cooked rare and literally melts in my mouth. The potatoes and salad are good, too. I’ve decided to have some red wine with my meal.”

  She noticed a slight twitch to his shoulders. She was too young to drink alcohol and had actually
never tried it, but when she began hoarding supplies for this trip, she thought she and Honey could celebrate their union with a glass. She drank the dark liquid and was actually glad he wasn’t looking when she grimaced.

  “This is really good. I’m thinking if I drink the entire bottle I may get drunk for the first time in my life. It’ll be a pity not to share my inebriety. I hear your inhibitions lower when you drink. I already think of you sexually, so just imagine the great dreams I’ll have tonight.”

  A small sound came from Honey, and she smiled because it sounded like a low growl.

  “As a matter of fact, I’m a little warm.” She pulled her t-shirt over her head and then unsnapped her bra and removed it. “That’s so much nicer. The more I drink the more sensitive my breasts become. Are you sure you don’t want to join me? I’ll even cut up your steak.” She took a long pull of wine and this time managed to appreciate the sweet flavor. “I’d like to discuss children with you.”

  This time his groan was clearly audible.

  “I want at least two. If Zenya and Nicolas’ creating a baby isn’t a fluke, we wouldn’t have any of the trials associated with human mating. Before I met you, I’d decided to get the whole human thing done and have a pup or two before I found my mate. After my wolf recognized you, the thought of someone else touching me went right out the window. When Trent kissed me, I tried to enjoy it, but seriously nausea made the entire experience disgusting.” Mandy could hear his breathing increase. She also smelled a stronger odor of bear, which usually preceded his change.

  She thought for a quick second and pictured the words from the latest romance novel she’d read. “I’ve heard when you’re sexually attracted to someone and they kiss you, your nipples pebble. I didn’t examine my nipples after the kiss until later that evening, but I assure you there was no pebble action. I pulled on them for a few minutes and got the desired results, but seriously, it was quite a disappointment that Trent didn’t cause it.” She took a deep breath and continued. “Oh look, my nipples are tightening just by talking about Trent. I wonder why that is.”

  She barely finished her recitation when Honey’s roar poured out of the truck, though surprisingly, he did manage to stay in human form. “Shut up, you crazy lunatic,” he bellowed.

  He was now half crouching in the cage, his eyes glued to her breasts, which began to ache in earnest. She took a shaky sip of wine, not removing her eyes from Honey’s while he fixated on her chest. She sat her glass down carefully. “It’s so nice of you to join me. I was hoping you would discuss the possibility of having children immediately. Added to the benefit of keeping Brandt and Emily from killing you, I really want your baby. Don’t you think I have the perfect nipples for the job?” Her hands went beneath her breasts and lifted slightly, pushing them together.

  Honey’s bear burst from his skin and his roar no longer came from human vocal cords. Mandy let her breasts slide between her hands and then covered her ears. If the truck didn’t surround him on three sides, she was sure his caterwaul would have attracted attention for miles around. She finally lowered her hands and very calmly cut another piece of juicy steak, placing it between her teeth.

  Chapter Seven

  He couldn’t move an inch while in bear form within the small confines of the cage. Great huffing breaths left his mouth, and holding onto his sanity was nearly impossible. The sight of her bare skin, her… sitting there calmly, eating, and displaying her breasts was more than his bear could take. His heightened senses in beastkind form didn’t help to calm him either, but hunger, thirst, and frustration finally did and he shifted to human.

  Mandy had no idea how little control bears had over their beast once pushed past their limits. It’s why his kind stayed mostly away from other beastkind breeds. And this little pint-sized she-wolf had him on the very edge. He managed to inhale deeply and count to twenty silently before speaking, “Mandy… this will never work. If I was truly your mate, keeping me in a cage would be impossible for you. Think rationally and you’ll see this entire situation is ludicrous.”

  She very calmly put her fork in the steamy potato and took a bite. After swallowing, she slowly wiped her mouth. “You’re cranky because of lack of food.” She cut another piece of steak and stood up with it dangling from her fork. Stepping around the table, she approached the cage, holding out the fork.

  Her eyes mesmerized him. She licked her lips and the sight zinged straight to his loins. Her hand stilled, too far away for him to take the bite. He opened his mouth and saw her eyes follow the movement. He leaned his face closer to the bars and her hand came nearer. He struck and immediately pulled hard on her wrist, bringing her body against the bars. She gave a startled cry, but it didn’t faze him. Grabbing the key hanging on the chain around her neck tightly within his fist, he tugged and broke the links. He tossed the key to the back of the cage and pulled her closer, his mouth against her ear.

  “I want the combination. Now.” All his rage poured into the words.

  “No.” Surprisingly, her breathing slowed and her heart rate evened out.

  Through the bars, he wrapped an arm around her chest as he released her wrist. Using his free hand, he circled her throat and put a small amount of pressure against her wind pipe. “I’d rather not hurt you, but I’m getting out of this cage.”

  “You won’t hurt me.”

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You’ve taken away my freedom, locked me in a small cage meant for a dog, and forced me to piss and shit in bottles and bags. My bear wants nothing more than to wring your neck and I’m getting tired of fighting him. Give me the damn combination.”

  “No.”

  His hand tightened fractionally and restricted her airway. She didn’t panic or fight him. “The combination.”

  She tried to speak, so he loosened his hand. She gave a small cough. “I’m not giving you the combination. Go ahead and kill me.”

  They were at an impasse and they both knew it. Even if he was capable of killing her, it wouldn’t get him out of the cage. His hand left her throat and traveled over her cheek up to her hairline. He ran his fingers through the hair above her ear and lowered his voice even more, “I don’t want you, Mandy. I’ll never be your mate and I’ll never make love to you. Stockholm syndrome will do you no good. There is someone out there for you, but it’s not me.”

  His hand rested on her cheek and he felt a tear slide against his finger. His voice was barely above a whisper, “Someone will think you’re beautiful and want to make babies with you. You will be the perfect mate for a wolf. My body reacts like it would with any female, but I have no desire to have sex with you. You’ve lost this war, Mandy.”

  Her tears fell in earnest, but he refused to show pity. He let her go and watched her run from the truck, her sobs no longer held in, and then the front door of the cabin slammed shut. He sat down in the cage and waited.

  ***

  Mandy ran to the bedroom, threw herself on the bed, and cried until there were no tears left. Her broken heart would never mend. She couldn’t believe he didn’t love her even a tiny bit. Why did her wolf choose him for mate if he couldn’t fulfill the bond? It made no sense, and she was now destined for life without a mate. Once her wolf chose, it was impossible to sever the feeling unless one of them died. She was not a quitter, but life would be much simpler if there was a convent for broken mate bonds.

  She stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her face flushed from crying, her nose bright red—her breasts too small and her hair too mousy. No wonder he couldn’t love her. There was no way she could return to her pack. She never quite fit in and now it would only be worse. If she released Honey from the cage, he’d force her to return home. She began straightening the cabin, working on autopilot, and then undressed completely, her mind set. Grabbing what she needed, she walked out the door and crossed to the truck. Honey looked up and for the first time she saw a reaction that wasn’t anger. Disbelief and then horror shown in his eyes, but she refus
ed to back down. She lifted the gun.

  “Mandy, you don’t want to do this.” His hand came up.

  “This is exactly what I want.” She fired. He tried to turn, but it didn’t matter where the dart hit him, it only needed to puncture the skin, and it did. He gave a quizzical look and pulled out the spent tranquilizer. She shot him again, but he didn’t have time to reach for this one, his legs could no longer hold him up.

  “You bitch.” He fell.

  She waited a few minutes to be sure he was out and then calmly walked to the door and used the combination on the lock. The key still rested inside the cage. She turned and walked into the trees. Her feet quickened as she made her way further into the forest and then she fazed to wolf and began running.

  Chapter Eight

  Mandy ran past the river and kept going. She would live as wolf, forget the rest of the world, and just survive—her broken heart would never heal. There was nowhere for her to go, no one who understood her needs. She didn’t want to live with the Northwest pack any longer. Seeing her sister so happy would drive her insane. She knew she was selfish, but she didn’t care.

  Eventually her pace slowed. The moon was high in the sky, and exhaustion overwhelmed her. She finally came to a fallen tree and slithered between the branches. She pulled her tail around her body and curled into the tightest ball she could manage. Sleep finally descended over her worn-out mind.

  She awoke several hours later. The moon was lower and daylight would soon be streaking over the mountain. She continued to feel incredibly tired, but forced herself to run again. The trees cleared slightly and a rocky area gave way to large boulders. Her nimble frame managed the incline. Right before she made a leap to a rock a few feet away, a loud metallic clang sounded and at that exact moment excruciating pain shot through her ankle. Her wolf let out a high-pitched howl as she fell to the ground. Through her pain, she saw the steel-jawed trap secured tightly to her foot. Her wolf form gave way to human and her hands went to her ankle. Blood pooled below her leg, and using every bit of strength she possessed, she managed to pry the sharp teeth of the trap apart. She lay back, breathing hard, trying not to cry.