"Mom, for the last time, I'm fine. Please, just drop it," I grunted.

"Excuse me? Did you just tell me to drop it, young lady?" I flinched at her tone. That was the scolding voice I knew all too well. The one that said you better start talking to me like you got some sense, loud and clear.

"Mom, I told you, my phone broke. I'm going to be without one for a while and—"

"So, you couldn't ask someone to borrow their phone and give me a call? You haven't been in contact with me for days." Her voice hadn't let up. "I've been worried sick over here. I put out a police report and everything on you!"

I removed the phone from my ears, scrunching my nose. "You did what!?"

"I called the cops!" she exasperated. "What else was I supposed to do?"

"You didn't think to drive over here and see if I was okay or something?" I wouldn't have been here anyways. But she didn't need to know that.

"That's why I called the cops! Jesus, child. You're going to get an earful from your father later. I'm just glad my baby is okay. Next time, you need to find a way to get in contact with me sooner. Got me losing my mind over here, worrying about you. Making my blood pressure go up. Don't you think my blood pressure is high enough?" She sighed, dramatically.

"Listen mom, I'm sorry. I got to go, okay? I'll make sure to try and get in contact with you later. Love you, bye." I hung up before she could respond. She was going to murder me. But I guess I'd rather have died by the hands of my mother than strangers.

Claudia's eyes roamed over my small, studio-sized apartment. It had one kitchen, one bedroom, barely a bathroom, and a living room that I was perfectly fine with. Too bad I was one-month overdue on rent and still without a job. I guess I could kiss the job search goodbye though. I might have had to kiss this apartment goodbye soon too.

It took a lot of lot of convincing and pestering in the tunnel last night. But I hadn't given up until he agreed to allow me to retrieve some of my belongings. Too bad I couldn't fight my way out of the option for an escort. At least, we were making progress. Nowhere near my innocence though, sadly. I'd later found out there was no opening on the other end of the tunnel. So, I couldn't have made a run for it if I wanted to. I was glad I hadn't tried.

I wish I could have been honest with my mother. But my family wasn't worth dragging into my situation. I loved them too much to put them in harm's way. Knowing my mom, she would have fought tooth and nail to bail me out. But this wasn't something she could storm her way through, unless she wanted to be ravished by a pack of wolves.

"Is everything fine?" Claudia asked. Her hands were folded behind her back, and her steps were slow, as she paced around the living room.

"Just peachy." I sighed. "What are you looking at over there?"

"You have exquisite taste. . ." She smiled. "This place is so small but it looks so luxurious. I admire the way you've tidied up the place to make it your own. You've got a knack for design."

"Uh, thanks. I guess?" I shrugged. "It's nothing much, really. It's all simplistic."

"I like simplistic," she said, her smile broadening.

"Oh, really? By the way, um, thanks for letting me borrow your phone."

"It was no problem, really. Anyways, are you all set to go?" She removed the phone from my outstretched hand, slipping it into her back pocket.

"Yeah, I suppose." After one last glance around, I dragged the few bags I packed out the door. Claudia traveled behind me. Her body heat caressed the back of my neck. That was how close she was. I tensed and massaged the back of my neck.

"I'm not going to try and make a run for it again, if that's what you're worried about," I muttered. Personal space was a huge pet peeve of mine. I didn't like when people invaded my space.

Claudia chuckled. It was light and sweet. The kind of voice someone would struggle to say no to, as everything else about her was. "I got the feeling you weren't. But I still need to keep an eye on you. No matter what I believe."

"Oh." I looked around absent-mindedly. The walk to the car was short. When we were sat in the black SUV, the engine cranked to life. I watched the buildings and houses shrink beyond the streets surrounded by woodland. Their small images dimmed to nothing. The ride was smooth, but my thoughts were rough.

Was this how it felt to be kidnapped? If I screamed for help, no one would answer. No one would know. They acted like everyday people. They used the same materialistic things and lived in the same kind of environment as everyday people. But they weren't everyday people. Sure, their greetings were the same. Their customs were mostly the same. But it contributed to their everyday life as it did ours.

No one would suspect wolf shifters because in our world, those creatures didn't exist.

I'd learned a few things about Claudia during our drive to my apartment. She was the kindest of the bunch. She was quiet. She didn't cuss a lot. And she had never been outside of Calamitous until the day she turned twenty-one. That was two years ago. I figured Bennett wasn't kidding when he said they didn't often interact with humans. Pack business seemed to be the only reason certain members left the mountains. But it still blew my mind.

I gazed out the window and sighed.

Driving up the mountains was much better than running down on foot. It was much better than being chased too. That dark, all-too familiar, unsettling presence nearly attached itself to my wolf. It was like a . . . like a black cloud but less foggy and more solidified. I wished I could have seen more of it. But I was also glad I hadn't. I didn't know what would've happened if I looked back and it had caught up.

I frowned at the memories sneaking into my head. No, I didn't want to be reminded of yesterday. It was too much to recall first thing in the morning. Caffeine was normal first thing in the morning. Memories that'd make my brain explode without caffeine was not welcomed first thing in the morning.

Upon driving into town, my chest felt heavy. Eyes wandered over me just as Vincent warned. I saw them outside the window. Even though the windows were dark and tinted. The people in the area could smell my scent. It probably wasn't hard to miss when I left. My scent lingered with others in the crowd, but everywhere else I was alone, it trailed on its own. Especially along the path from the house into the woods.

The staring was hard to adjust to.

I'd always hated attention growing up. Being an introvert and struggling to socialize with others, I stayed in my own corner, hoping someone would answer my silent pleas for friends. I could only communicate when people communicated with me first. Even then, it was a hassle to keep the conversation going. I could never tell if people were judging me or not.

That was exactly how this felt.

The truck eased to a stop outside a black gate. Bennett stood out front in between two men I hadn't recognized. Their eyes flashed gold at the car then eased back into the brown I spotted, at first.

"We're here," Claudia announced.

I noticed the brand-new window slipped into the second-floor slot of the house, first. Damn, people in this town worked fast. Now that I was looking at the alpha's home—really looking at the alpha's home—even the outside had the modern cabin feel I felt inside. The roof was gray, the window's outlining's were white, and the rest of the house was painted in light brown.

"Home sweet home." There was a hint of sarcasm in my tone. I went to reach for the door handle when a small hand wrapped around my wrist.

"Safety measures. . . um, as asked of me." Claudia sent me a sympathetic smile. I eyed the rope she lifted in front of my face. Its brown, itchy material taunted me. One look and I already wanted to scratch my skin.

"I have to wear that?" I spoke, slowly. "To go inside the house that's . . . right there?"

"You do." She gestured towards my wrists. Shit. I had thought because we were right outside the house, I wouldn't have to be bounded. Apparently, I was wrong. I'd give them credit. They knew how to take precautions.

I scowled and turned. "Damnit. Of course. Just . . . be gentle. Please?"

"Gentle as can be," she murmured.

She began binding my hands together behind my back. I winced. The rough texture of the rope slid across my skin. I sucked in a breath and closed my eyes. Pain latched onto the open wounds slit across my wrist.

I'd been left with quite a few cuts and bruises after my shift. I'd noticed them in the tunnel. It was somewhere after Vincent and I had called a quits on the bickering. For someone who lacked patience, he surely knew how to entertain an argument. Most of the cuts and bruises covered my legs. A few of them were over my hands. Then, there were my wrists. They all hurt the same.

I couldn't bring myself to look at them. Part of me was still traumatized. I knew I'd never be able to wash the image of the animal I'd become out of my head. The way my hair had grown into fur. The way my teeth and jaw had morphed into animalistic features. I hardly wanted to recall the rest.

"There we go." Claudia gave the rope two gentle taps. "Ah, sorry," she quickly apologized when she saw my shoulders jump up.

She jumped out the car and rounded to my side. I followed her movements out and huffed. Did no one around here understand the meaning of gentle? Or were they all just heavy handed? I guess heavy-handed was fitting for shifters. Whatever it was, it felt like my poor little body was being manhandled.

Bennett was standing at the entrance. He gestured to the men beside him. Both men pulled the gates back, opening them for Claudia and I. Bennett nodded to them then joined Claudia at my side. The men hadn't followed. They held their positions at the gate.

I avoided all eye contact outside the gate. There were eyes lurking everywhere. Those who sniffed us out and happened to be in the area, stood a safe distance away from the entrance. Some of them shot me dirty looks. Some of them gazed upon me with curiosity. Some of their lips were pulled into a snarl, while their eyes glowed gold with anger.

Those hues never failed to make me feel things. Bad things that I wanted to claw out of my memory. I knew those were the ones who would have loved to see me suffer. The ones not much explaining would have helped plow my way into their good side. No matter how much convincing, I would always be guilty in their eyes. There was a few of those in every bunch.

I swallowed back the noise crawling up my throat. Oh man, I was going to be sick. God, I couldn't wait until this was all cleared up. Their alpha was going to grovel before me when he realized how wrong he was. I'd make sure of it.

"Don't worry. As long as you're within these gates, you're protected. No one would dare trespass on the alpha's territory. Entering the alpha's home without permission is considered an ultimate form of disrespect," Bennett whispered in my ear.

"Funny, your alpha said otherwise last night. . ." I murmured. It was hard to tell what they thought of me. And I hated not knowing. Whether they liked me or not. Whether they were just following orders or not.

We were now approaching the front door. Bennett twisted the knob and pushed it open. My nose wiggled at the smell of pine fused into the house.

The first time they brought me here, I had been passed out. Now that I was awake and able to get a good look at everything, I took in the beauty of his home. It was everything I imagined it to be. From the color of the walls to the mostly naked halls. My toes clenched when I neared the black door that'd seal my demise. The dark corner of the hallway was fitting for it.

"Come in," a voice called after Bennett's knock. Claudia released my wrists and pushed the door open. I saw his folded hands first. His forehead was leaned against them, his elbows posted on the desk. When his eyes flicked up, I had to force myself to still. My first reaction was almost to hide behind Claudia. It was still pretty tempting.

"You two can place her belongings in the room I prepared." Vincent nodded at Bennett and Claudia. "Please." Why did he always seem like he was in a bad mood? The energy was just dripping off him. I guess I should have cut him some slack since he lost a brother. . .

Vincent eyes wandered over the walls of the white-painted room before landing on me while he stood to his feet. There was another bookshelf in here. Two, actually. The room resembled an office space. Vincent was rounding the desk now in a slow pace. I hesitated, throwing a glance back over my shoulder. Claudia and Bennett were already exiting the room. The lock clicked.

By the time my head whipped back around, Vincent was standing directly in front of me, holding his hands out. "What?" I frowned.

A strange glint surfaced his eyes. "Don't you want the rope removed?" There was an impatient edge to his words. My eyes fell to his hands. I hadn't realized he'd been reaching for my arms. He was still, waiting for me to give permission.

"Oh, u-uh, yeah!" I nodded. Vincent bent forward slightly. The end of his chin almost brushed against my cheek, then my neck. I inhaled a sharp intake of breath as his scent wavered over me. I could feel his body heat syncing with mine. It was hard to keep my body from reacting. Especially since his chest had almost pressed into my shirt.

Talk about bodies on top of bodies. This was too close. Not even Claudia stood this close to me. How hadn't this kind of contact bothered him? Was he used to interactions like this? Sexual encounters, maybe? Question after question sparked in my mind. Damnit, I was thinking too much as usual. I was the only one making this more awkward than it needed to be.

He finally backed up some, with the rope in hand. "I had to show them that they were safe and you wouldn't run free again," he said. I didn't understand what he meant at first. However, I realized he was talking about the rope—giving me an explanation. He didn't even have to.

"Go ahead. Sit." He gestured towards the seat in front of the desk, opposite of his.

Follow orders and maybe he won't be too mad, my thoughts coaxed me. Maybe a miracle would happen. Maybe evidence would rise and work in my favor. Everything would go back to normal. Only things wouldn't go back to normal.

I'd been longing to go back to my sheltered, anxious way of living. The life where I was struggling to make ends meet. I'd planned to forget I ever entered this town. Met any of these people. Learned of their secret. Amaury nor that night would have existed if I forced myself to forget. But I knew that wouldn't work because I'd always be reminded of one crucial detail.

Even if my innocence was proven, the creature that was now a part of me, wouldn't allow me to forget. The voices in my head were still unclear. No, there were a lot of things that were still unclear, playing tug-a-war with my mind.

"What's going on? Aren't you going to chain me and lock me up again?" I asked, lowering myself into the chair. Vincent studied me. His bottom lip twitched as if he wanted to smile or something. But he held his composure.

"You broke the window and jumped from the second floor of my house. That was quite the stunt you pulled. Probably the bravest or dumbest thing I'd ever witnessed anyone do." He shook his head mockingly. "What am I to do with you. . ."

"Who knows? Maybe if you let me go all of your problems will disappear. You won't have to deal with me anymore." I shrugged.

"Let you go and all of my problems will disappear, huh? Do you really think all of this can go away that easily? If I just let you go?" He arched an eyebrow at me, frowning. "I don't think you understand how lucky you are to have ended up in this pack and not someone else's, Genesis."

"Why is that?" I challenged.

"Why is that. . ." Vincent placed himself on the edge of his desk, inches away from me, dragging his fingers along the surface. He kicked his right leg over the other and tilted his head. Another sigh fell from his lips as if he even he wasn't happy with what he was about to say.

"Other alphas aren't as . . . lenient as I am trying to be. I should probably start there. Some aren't even willing to compromise. There is no tolerance for disrespect. You might've been dead long before you even had a chance to escape." His words were sharp and his tone was clipped.

My mind wandered far too fast for me to handle. How did I explain the eyes? The voice in my head? The wolf who begged me to stay by his side? Though, it was said in a dream, I hadn't forgotten about it.

Those were the answers he sought. And to clear the mysterious circumstances of his brother's death which he thought led back to me. But he couldn't do so without the answers I hadn't provided yet. I knew I couldn't stall forever.

I gulped and diverted the topic. "There are others . . . um . . . p-packs?"

"Why wouldn't there be?" he asked, sounding genuinely confused for once.

"These packs," I paused, "do you all follow the same rules and traditions?"

He crossed his arms and leaned forward. "Not exactly. Do all of you humans follow the same rules and traditions?"

"No, not really," I said, staring down at my lap.

"The same goes for all of the packs across the globe. Different beliefs. Different laws. Different traditions. But mostly the same ideas." His eyes narrowed as if he'd just caught himself. "You tend to ask a lot of questions for someone who's being held captive." My breath nearly caught in my throat. But I held my composure as he did.

"You tend to answer a lot of questions for someone who's holding me captive," I retorted. He didn't respond. In fact, I couldn't figure out what he was thinking as he watched me with a wolf's eye.

"As your shifts regulate, you'll have plenty of time to learn more about the wolf ways."

"How long will that take?" I stared blankly at him. He hadn't batted an eyelash at me.

"I don't know," he answered, honestly, "you're a bitten-turned werewolf. Very rare."

The atmosphere in the room thickened. I pressed my legs together and followed his eyes. I wasn't sure how long we held each other's gaze. But it felt like an eternity. The room seemed to shift in circles. The sound of, what I assumed was Bennett and Claudia transporting my belongings outside the room, faded into the background.

"So, what are you going to do?" I spoke slowly, my tone matching his.

"I'm going to teach you to control it myself while you're under surveillance here. I have no choice. However, you should focus on remembering what happened that night. You asked me to think about this rationally. Well now, I need you to do the same.

"My brother is dead. You're the only one who knows what happened. And you say you didn't do it. If you want to convince me and everyone else you're no murderer, I need you start remembering. Tell me everything. Don't leave any details out. Because your time is ticking."

His words shouldn't have affected me as much as they did. But it was inevitable. What if I couldn't do it? I felt all the pressure cracking down on me. So much, I wasn't too sure I wanted to live anymore.