CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Renee froze when she saw a tall, imposing man step into the shack behind Karina. She shook her head slowly as he approached her.
No, no...it couldn’t be…
The man crouched in front of Renee and smiled. “Miss Goodwin, it’s lovely to see you again.”
Renee let out a strangled cry and shook her head. Her confusion gave way to horror. “Mr Pratt...” she wheezed. “No...”
Trafford Pratt reached out and touched her cheek. Renee jerked back, recoiling from his touch. She looked up at Trafford and Karina. “You...you two...”
Trafford shrugged nonchalantly. “Karina is a distant cousin of mine. But we keep in touch. And we call in favors now and then.”
Trafford glanced at his seething cousin and shook his head. “Karina’s tantrums can be really violent. She kicked another cousin’s teeth out once when we were kids.”
Karina glared at Trafford. “Well, what are you waiting for? You want her, don’t you?”
Trafford’s easy smile infuriated Karina. She marched over to Renee and spat, “Both Zack and Trafford seem enthralled by you. You have a way with men, don’t you? You’re nothing but a slut, a whore!”
“Karina,” Trafford said sternly. “That’s enough.”
Karina scoffed. “Just do it and get it over with, Trafford, so we can both get what we want. I want Zack and you want his fat, slutty PA.”
As Karina gave Renee a hostile look, her lips curved suddenly and she laughed. “Ah, I see what you’re up to, cousin,” Karina cackled “This one has lots of meat on her bones. There should be enough of her to go around.”
Renee shrank back when she saw Trafford’s eyes glow and turn feral.
Smirking, Karina crouched in front of her. “My cousin went to great lengths to get you. Trafford is a major shareholder of that car service company. That’s how he could send that driver to you. My cousin is very quick and resourceful, and he never stops until he gets what he wants. And he wants you, real bad,” Karina whispered.
“Let me give you a survival tip,” Karina went on. “Trafford wants to have some fun with you. After that, he’ll probably just get rid of you. But...if you please him and his pack well, he may let you live.” Karina canted her head and said, “Now aren’t you going to thank me for the tip, you ungrateful little slut?”
“His p-pack?” Renee stuttered just as the door opened quietly.
Her eyes widened in horror. It was her kidnapper. The stocky driver of the car entered the shack and stood behind Trafford.
“Alpha,” the driver said.
Trafford smiled and gestured at the driver, “You’ve met Yakob. He drove you here.”
At a command from Trafford, Yakob dropped on all fours and shifted into a hyena.
“No...” Renee whimpered.
Karina said in a bored tone, “Trafford is the Alpha of a powerful hyena pack. You should be honored that he wants you.”
“Please...let me go,” Renee whispered.
Karina raised her hand to slap Renee but Trafford stopped her. “You want to go, Renee?” he asked calmly.
“Yes.”
Trafford nodded. “All right.”
Renee stared at Trafford suspiciously. She knew he wouldn’t let her go so easily. There had to be a catch.
This was a trap. She could feel it in her bones.
Trafford flicked out a claw and smiled. “I’ll give you a chance,” he said. “I’ll cut the ropes, so you can run.” He sliced the ropes and whispered, “Run, Renee. Run as fast as you can. Go.”
The ropes fell away and Renee scrambled up. “Go on,” Trafford said, stepping back with an indulgent smile. “I’ll give you a head start.”
Renee stood up and staggered towards the door. Karina was watching her with amusement and anticipation. The show was just beginning.
Renee knew that they weren’t really letting her go. They were just toying with her.
At Trafford’s side, Yakob snarled and crouched, ready to pounce on her. Renee bit down a scream. How many of them were there? Were there more hyenas outside, lying in wait for her?
She was outnumbered and she didn’t have a weapon with her.
She couldn’t take them on.
Running was the only option.
Renee wrenched the door open and stumbled out into the dark woods. She looked around wildly. The abandoned little shack was surrounded by trees, and Renee didn’t know which way to run. The trees and shadows all looked menacing and forbidding.
But there was no time to hesitate. She had to get away.
Swallowing a panicked cry, Renee started running. She darted between the trees and looked over her shoulder as she ran. She saw nothing but moving shadows and gnarled, twisting branches, reaching for her like skeletal fingers.
Dashing away her tears, she kept running, hoping to get away from those terrible monsters.
She heard laughter through the woods. The demented, maniacal laughter echoed all around her.
The hyenas were laughing at her.
They were coming for her.
Trafford was the Alpha, and he had sent his pack after her. It was a test, a horrific, bloody game.
Renee tried to muffle her sobs. The beasts were hot on her trail. The scent of her fear would lead the ravenous monsters right to her.
Renee heard the excited yelps of the hyenas as they closed in on her.
She could see demonic eyes glowing between the trees, and she could almost feel their scorching breaths upon her neck.
She tripped over a twisting tree root and fell heavily to the ground. Raising her head, Renee let out a terrified, desperate scream.
The pack would be upon her any second now.