Page 2 of Plus-Size Sold Mate
Even if I survived those tests, sometimes just barely, he noticed, and it was enough to make him poke until he got the answers he wanted.
For as domineering as he is, his sister Naia was always subtler.
Where Hayes was a sharp blade, Naia was a slow-release toxin. She would sit across from me during meals with a sweet smile, asking what sounded like harmless, normal questions. She pretended to be my friend at first, giving me just enough hope, only to snuff it out with her true intentions.
She might not be as brutal as her brother, but she’s just as indoctrinated by their father’s way of thinking, and I havethe feeling her self-control only makes her that much more dangerous.
When Hayes realized what I was capable of, he and Naia were on me, questioning me and trying hard to figure out ways to use it to their advantage. At least, how their dad could use it.
I heard enough whispers in the pack to know why.
Apparently, he had lost a fight with another Alpha, and ever since, the others have been questioning him. They could’ve killed him outright after he was shamed in front of them, but his kids safeguarded him long enough to let him heal and regain his bearings. Still, he’s been on thin ice in their eyes, which has only made the family more desperate.
Magic may be banned across most reaches of the island, but not according to Wraith Peak. They want it more than anything if it means gaining an advantage.
For someone losing control over his pack, I’m the perfect weapon.
But even when they forced me into corners, pushed me to the point of exhaustion, and tried so hard to turn me into what they wanted, I gave them nothing. That’s exactly what I still plan on doing.
I only managed to get away because of the fractured pack. There was a public challenge to Dawson’s leadership, and the moment I found out about it, I ran. They were all too distracted to see I slipped away.
That chaos got me this far, and now, I can’t waste it.
Climbing out of a ravine, fingers digging into dirt and grass to keep my momentum going, my vision starts turning hazy. Already, the sky starts to pale, slowly giving way to the threat of early dawn.
I know I’m almost there. So close to getting exactly where I need to be.
A howl splits the air behind me, causing me to falter just long enough for me to misstep again. I stumble, heart lurching as that cold reality hits me so hard I can’t just run away from it.
They’re closer than they should be. Regardless of how fast I’ve been going, draining my magic the whole time, they’re closing in.
Forcing my legs to move faster despite my body’s immediate protest, my powers sputter inside me like it’s moments away from giving out after being stretched way too thin.
Another howl answers, then another. There are at least three, from what I can detect, but without much more to go on, I can’t know for sure.
If Dawson sent more than one wolf, then he’s desperate to get me back, and something about that makes me even more furious.
Just when I think I’m about to hit a second wind, my knees buckle. I stagger and break through another line of trees while I heave, using a nearby tree to keep me standing. I suck in a deep, aching breath, hoping I’m at least over the implied border.
Like a car hitting empty, my reserves drain abruptly, leaving me cold and trembling.
With no more magic left, it’s up to my natural stamina now, as scant as it feels.
Then, my spine tightens up at the crunch of footsteps behind me. Of course, they’re too light and controlled to be human.
Slowly turning, I see them emerging from the trees.
Three wolves, varying from grey to black, step into the clearing with their yellow eyes fixed on me.
In what feels like an attempt to mock me, they shift back until fur disappears, taken over by smooth, pale flesh.
While I don’t know two of them, I do recognize the one named Quinn. He’s a bit higher on the totem pole, but not by much. Only a select few wolves in the Wraith Peak pack have significant authority, while most are just fodder.
All three of them look at me with the same gleam in their eyes, and all with the same purpose.
“You’re a long way from home, Sera,” Quinn says, grin far too smug. “For a lousy wolf, you can run quite a distance.”
“I’m not on Wraith Peak land anymore,” I return, straightening as best as I can despite my trembling legs.
