Nadia

Pain from a throbbing headache wakes me from a deep slumber. My throat feels like the Sahara as I try to swallow while every muscle in my body aches, serving as a reminder as to why I'm not supposed to hunt alone.

But I wasn't alone!

My eyes snap wide open and my heart hammers. I look around and recognize nothing, warning me that I'm not at home. I bolt upright, clutching a blanket to my naked chest as I struggle to get my bearings.

The moment my feet hit the ground, I feel myself wobble as stars dot my vision. Movement to my left draws my attention, but the sudden turn makes the whole room spin.

"Whoa wait, I don't know if you should be up yet," a blonde-haired male cautions. He approaches with his palms raised, but my hammering heartbeat screams at me to run.

I stagger back against the arm of the couch, scanning the room for a way out. A larger male sits at the kitchen island, barely lit up by the fire. His dark hair blends into the shadows, but his piercing blue eyes feel like they see right through me.

"Gryph, you'd better get in here!" The blonde shouts, making me flinch.

My vision starts to cloud over, and my legs shake. I panic, feeling my body start to fail me and bolt for the front door, crashing into it. With the last of my energy, I throw it wide, thanking whoever may be watching out for me that it isn't locked, but stop dead.

A third man blocks my way. His brown hair is pulled back in a messy bun, and his green gaze locks on me. With his arms full of firewood, he looks surprised to see me.

I stumble back, feeling myself falling with no way to stop it. Bracing for the impact, I close my eyes and fear the worst.

But it doesn't come.

Strong arms lift me up as I shift futilely with the energy of a newborn fawn. I go limp, on the verge of consciousness as the pounding in my head reaches a nearly unbearable level.

"Shhh," the man holding me coos. "You're safe. Please calm down."

Something about his voice is strangely soothing, and I stop fighting. My eyes barely open, refusing to listen to me as my head lulls against his shoulder. He carefully carries me back to the center of the room, but every step feels like I'm being tossed around in a storm on the sea.

"Here, put her down here," the first man says. I feel the warmth from the fireplace as I'm set back down on the couch. I can't hold back my whimper as the back of my head comes into contact with the couch.

"Shit, sorry."

I focus on my breathing, taking deep breaths and letting them out slowly to calm my racing heart. Slowly, the spinning of the room slows down and my other senses start to come back. My eyes flutter open and I'm face to face with the same honey brown eyes I'd seen earlier.

"You're the brown," I croak out. My parched throat protests at its abuse and makes my eyes water.

The black-haired male who was sitting in the kitchen walks over and sets a glass of water down on the table beside me. Instantly I reach for it but pause.

What if they've drugged it?!

As if he can read my mind, the blonde-haired guy walks over with an empty cup and pours a bit of the water out and drinks it, showing me it's safe. "You've got nothing to fear from us. I promise we aren't going to hurt you."

My hand shakes as I take the glass and lift it to my lips. The moment the cold water touches my arid tongue, my resolve crumbles. I down the entire glass and look back for more. He holds out his hand for me to give him the glass and smiles as I give it to him.

Such a small gesture lights up his stormy grey eyes. I've never seen such eyes before, the palest grey in the center with dark steel grey edges and streaks through them. He towers over me and yet there's nothing hostile or intimidating about his behaviour.

He leaves to refill the glass, giving me a chance to look at the others. I'm struck by how mindful they are, keeping their distance and allowing me to have my space. I look around for the one who caught me but don't see him, only the black-haired one and the bearded guy from the door. They both look at me with as much interest as I do them, like they're trying to figure me out.

Stormy eyes shows back up with my glass of water and sets a pitcher down on the table next to me. "Thank you," I whisper.

"You're most welcome." He smiles once more and takes a seat in the lazy-boy chair beside the fireplace and just watches. "I'm Finnegan, but you can call me Finn. The woodsman there is Logan, Coles hiding in the dark, and Gryph?"

"I'm here," the man who caught me calls out from the back room. He comes out with a bundle of clothes and sets a bottle of ibuprofen next to the pitcher of water. "How's your head?"

"It hurts," I admit. As gently as possible, I probe around the back of my head, wincing as I find the tender spot.

"That was a nasty hit," Logan adds. He sets his bundle of firewood down and tosses a fresh log on the fire. I take the chance to study him while his back is to me. He's the smallest of the four, but the t-shirt he wears clearly outlines his trim physique. His unruly hair curls around his neck, escaping from the messy bun he tied it back in, but his beard is neatly trimmed. There's a feral edge about him that makes my wolf take notice.

"Do you remember what happened?" Finn asks.

I furrow my brows, trying to focus on the last thing I could remember before waking up here. "I was hunting..."

"You were more than hunting. What the fuck possessed you to take on a full-grown talix bull by yourself?!" Cole growls, disapproval lacing his tone.

"Really?!" Gryph hisses.

Cole shrugs and rolls his eyes. "What? It was a reckless and stupid thing to do! Even I knew enough to wait for you."

Gryph palms his forehead, and the air feels heavy. I cave and grab the medication, take two and wash them down with more water.

"Take it easy there," Finn cautions.

Gryph sets the clothes down on the couch next to me and steps back. His gaze shifts between me, the clothes and a room at the far end, presumably a bathroom. I don't miss how tense he is, how his muscles flex with every move I make, like he's readying to spring into action if I should fall again.

I quickly grab the top garment, a t-shirt and pull it over my head. The quick movement is punished a moment later as the hammering in my head picks up, leaving me clenching my jaw as I wait for it to subside again.

"Where is it?" I growl. So far, the males have been reasonable, but I don't dare push my luck. I need to get out before they change their minds.

"Where's what?" Logan asks, his voice more gravely than the others.

"The talix. I earned my share." I shift to the edge of the couch, preparing to get up once more, but already feel a wave of dizziness coming.

"Whoa, relax," Gryph pleads. He moves closer, palms up, and motions me to stay seated. "No one's going to take your share, but you're in no shape to go anywhere right now."

I growl, knowing he's right. A storm rages outside. I have no idea where I am and it's pitch black, not to mention I can't even keep my bearings to make it across this room. I'm likely to get myself killed wandering around out there in my state.

"No one's going to hurt you here. Stay the night. When it's light out and the storm passes, we'll help you get home," Finn adds.

Logan stiffens and heads back outside. Gryph and Finn exchange a knowing look and Cole looks ready to escort me away now.

"Why?" My question comes out harsher than I mean it to, but I know what kind of danger I could be in. It's something my fathers have warned me about my entire life. I'm unclaimed in a world starving for my kind. Of course, there are laws that should protect me, but not everyone obeys them and out here in the middle of nowhere, who would ever know?

"You were hurt. That's the only reason we brought you back with us... I-we couldn't leave you unconscious, out there alone in the storm with night coming." Gryph locks his honey-brown eyes on me, practically begging me to believe him.

It would have been easier for them to leave me behind... But they took care of me when they had no reason to.

"Thank you. Just one night, right?" I shift my gaze between the men. Gryph nods enthusiastically, happy to be making headway. Finn relaxes into his chair, pleased with the compromise, but Cole just frowns.

"We can pack your share up in the morning and help you carry it back-"

"No. I mean keep it for your troubles. All I want is the horn." I cringe, worrying I've said too much. Something flashes in Finn's eyes but he says nothing. Gryph doesn't press the issue, just takes the win of me not running away tonight.

My gaze drifts to the storm raging outside as I think about my family, wondering if they're okay. I can already hear the lecture that no doubt waits for me when I get home. I just hope they'll give me a chance to explain once I get there and that I'm not too late.