Chapter Ten
Bryon knew he was no longer in the dank cell, but somewhere quiet and fragrant. He felt his body jerked around, but couldn’t control any part of himself. His eyes wouldn’t even open. The toxins in the water he drank were still too concentrated in his system. More needed to burn off before he could move of his own will.
His clothes were ripped off. Cold water and a scrub brush bit at his skin. He smelled floral and citrus scents. Soft hands rubbed warm oils over his chest, abs, legs, and under his balls.
He forced his eyes open to find himself on a concrete floor, a woman kneeling over him. She glanced at his open eyes but quickly looked away and continued rubbing oil on him. He tried to speak but wasn’t coordinated enough. He relaxed and closed his eyes. The hands on his beaten, aching muscles felt too good to ignore.
Next thing he knew, rough hands jerked him up. His legs barely held him standing and the men dragged, more than helped, him walk. A cold stick was jabbed into his side and a paralyzing shock constricted his muscles. His lungs froze and abs contracted, curling him into a partial ball.
When his body loosened, his strength was gone. They certainly knew how to handle a shifter. From the moment he drank the water, he’d been completely in their hands. Question was what were they going to do with him?
They entered a dark room with exotic music, and he was tossed to his knees. The smell of food made his stomach cramp. How many days had he gone without anything to eat? His wolf came to the forefront, ready to seize control. His arms tugged against the chains wrapping his wrists together behind him. ALFA policy and procedures strictly forbade shifting with humans around. But he wasn’t strong enough to hold back his other half.
Then another scent captured his attention. The most incredible scent he’d ever experienced. His wolf immediately knew what the smell meant. Bryon couldn’t think. Mate! Bryon didn’t understand. Mate? Here? In Cloustien?
His world was slowly spinning, although he wasn’t moving his body. There were several others in the room with him. He smelled them all and they were disgusting. Sex permeated the air. Seductive music played. He searched for that divine smell. Where did it come from? Then his ears picked up a voice. A soft voice that filled his heart with longing. What’s wrong with him?
The scent he longed for returned to him in full breaths. She was here, close to him. He could feel her presence, but he couldn’t move. He was so tired. Once again, rough hands grabbed his arms and dragged him forward. The cattle prod was again shoved into his side. He clenched his teeth together to fight the pain. Then it was gone.
He fell forward and hit his chin on the floor. But that pain was little compared to the wrench of his head being shoved back. Then there she was, right in front of him. Her eyes showed concern and compassion for him. Then widened to complete surprise. Did she know him? He’d never seen her before, and he’d been in the town for almost a year. He thought he would have seen her by now.
She was so beautiful, so perfect. Except she was sitting beside him. He had to get her away from that bastard before he hurt her. Suddenly, he was lifted from the ground and moved away from her. He struggled to get free, to get back to her. Then she was gone from his sight. Everything inside him died. He had to find her.
He was shuffled into another room and tossed onto something soft and welcoming. Cool, slick material rubbed against him. Unceremoniously, his loincloth was jerked off and he was kneeling again, but this time, his hands were chained straight up over his head. His knees sank into the same soft material he lay on.
Then the room was quiet. With one breath, he knew he was in the prince’s personal room. The stench filled his nose. He was finally able to lift his head and look around. He was chained to the ceiling in the middle of a huge bed overflowing with pillows. What the fuck was going on? What kind of weird shit was this asshole into?
Bryon shook his head trying to clear the fuzz, but it hung on. The door opened and her smell hit him. He breathed deeply. She was here. As well as that son of a bitch. Would that bastard ever go away?
The bed jostled. The prince was pulling the beautiful woman onto the bed. Seemed she was rather short or the bed high. Maybe both. The wolf in him growled. Nobody should touch their mate.
The prince looked at him and smiled. “Well, what is this? Sounds like we do have an animal inside, Mr. Day.” The wolf came closer to the surface. It wanted to be closer to their girl.
She looked at him then back at the prince. “His name is Day?”
“Yes,” the prince said. “Bryon Day, if my intelligence is correct. Isn’t he just scrumptious?” The prince reached over and ran his hand along Bryon’s crotch. There had been so little activity there for so long, he wasn’t sure there would be any response. Hopefully not to the prince’s touch, but hers . . .
“Here, my little schatzi.” The prince brought her hand up and placed it on Bryon’s chest. Her eyes locked with his. Controlled panic seeped from her pours, along with a hint of desire. Her hot touch crashed through him, zapping his nerve endings, sending his wolf into an ecstatic high. Something else was starting to go high also. The prince smiled. “Yes, that’s what we want.” Goddard moved back so the woman could kneel in front of him, only inches away.
He felt her heat, smelled her want growing. God, this was going to kill him. She pulled back, shaking her head.
“This isn’t right, Goddard. Can’t you see he’s in pain? Let him go. He can lie on the bed.”
He tugged on the chains, but his arm strength had yet to return. Yes, he’d lie on the bed with her. The prince forced her hand back onto his chest, pushing her close again. The touch was burned into his skin. His head dipped, his nose close to her hair. Sunshine and lemons. His most favorite smells as a child and now. Fresh, clean, uplifting. Warm.
She leaned against him, putting her mouth to his ear. “Play along,” she whispered then clamped her teeth on his earlobe. He growled from the slight pain. When she leaned back, her eyes begged him for something. What did that mean? She was playing, toying with him?
Chills slicked over his torso when her fingertips brushed his flesh. Her breath was hot against him. Fuck, he wanted her and there was no hiding his desire. He nuzzled his nose along her hair. A low rumbled vibrated his body. She looked up at him with large eyes. She felt it, too.
Her wet panties told him how much she liked it. He arched toward her, pressing his painfully hard cock against her stomach. He wanted her taste, whether from her mouth or her pussy. Didn’t matter. She’d taste so good both ways. Her hands slid up around his neck and she looked up at him.