Page 13 of Beast

It didn’t take long to get to the mountains Stellan spokeof. I stayed in my wolf form, preferring it greatly in the cold forests. So farfrom the small valley I grew up in, I saw many wonders. There were frost giantsin the mountains, their massive forms almost too much for my eyes to take in. Ihid my body deep in the snow and they passed me by. I took it as a sign fromFreya that my quest would be fruitful.

I hunted freely. Without the restrictions of rank, I ate farbetter than I did with the pack. Rabbits at first, and then small deer were myprey. When my strength was up, I took down a buck on my own. Oh, I feasted. Mybelly was full for the first time in my life. The week I spent traveling to themountains was strangely fulfilling. On my own, I was strong and capable. Myfoster mother was wrong. I did not die. I did not fade. I was lonely. But theneven among the pack, I was lonely.

I searched for the magical doorway Stellan spoke of, but theNightmare Man found me first. He was tall, not as tall as the frost giants, butmuch taller than me. His stick-thin body belied his strength. I underestimatedhim, as I underestimated this First. I should have run, but I attacked the thinman instead. Still, if it was only a battle of strength, I would have won. TheNightmare Man had a weapon. There was a terrible sting when he shoved it intomy arm. My strength faded, and I changed without willing it. One moment I was astrong wolf, and the next I was small and frail and freezing in the snow. Iremember the way the air and snow bit into my skin. It was so cold it burned. Itried to change. I needed my fur.

“It’s no use, shining one,” the thing above said as I laythere. He spoke my language perfectly when he wanted to. “You can’t change.Don’t fight it. I’ll get a good price for you. One of these days my clan willhave to thank that jackass Torin. We’ve made more money off the slave trade inthe last ten years than we could have imagined. Behave now, little dog, andsoon you’ll have a new master to take care of you.”

The Nightmare Man picked me up and carried me. My weightslowed him not at all. He found a cave, but the entrance shimmered, and when hewalked through it, I found myself in another world. The new world was warm,without a hint of snow. It took a day to get to the village and my cage.

I shake my head and pull myself back into the present. Iworried at first that I was in Hel, the place where wolves go to die, but thismale makes me doubt it. He must be the master the Nightmare Man spoke of. Iwatch him, trying not to let my appreciation show. I saw several males over thedays I spent in the cage. None of them showed me his glorious fangs and claws.All the men seemed appalled with me. They looked at me with disdain, as thepack did. This First isn’t afraid of me. He fought me. He fought forme.

“Come,” he says, his voice taking on that deep cadence thatpulls at me.

I am shocked. That word makes sense. “You want me to come?”

“That’s just cool,” the second man with midnight hair says.There seems to be two of him.

After I calmed and accepted the First’s dominance, thesecond man with black hair was allowed inside the tent along with a prettyred-haired woman. The two men won’t let their woman get as close to me as sheobviously wants. The woman complained but backed down when the one with thesword growled.

“I am not cold at all,” I reply. Their words suddenly makesense. They seem to be learning my language. Or perhaps there is some magic atplay, after all.

The second dark-haired man smiles broadly. He seems to doall the smiling for the two. “I wasn’t talking about the temperature, dear.I’ve spent too much time with my wife. It’s a human saying. It means I thinkthe technology is very advanced. I’d like to take one apart and figure out howit runs.”

“Small words in the beginning, Ci,” the First says. Hefrowns. I like the fine line it puts in between his eyebrows. “And she won’tunderstand slang at all.”

“What is slang?” I ask, settling on the word I don’trecognize.

The First turns to me. His eyes seem kind as he walks overand kneels down. He takes my hand in his. His skin is cool to the touch, but Ilike the feel of it against my own. “It means this is going to be hard,sweetheart. Trust me. There are going to be words you don’t get.”

I don’t “get” half of what he says. I do understand therequest. He asked me to trust him. I breathe in. He’s so close. I open mysenses and let him fill me. Oh, I like his smell. I lean over and let my noserun against his neck. He smells of many interesting things. Beneath all of itis a scent that is uniquely his own. I sigh as I catch the scent of hisarousal. He is interested in me. I feel my own body respond, softening andpreparing. The First wants me.

“Hey!” the black-haired man—the irritable one—calls out.

“Back off, Beck.” The First holds still and lets me smellhim. He honors me by allowing me this close. And in front of his kin. “Sheisn’t doing anything to hurt me.”

I revel in him for a moment. This is the closest I have everbeen allowed to another being. Even when Sven forced me, he simply shoved me onmy knees and thrust in from behind while some of his kin held me down. Hedidn’t allowed me the intimacy of rubbing skin to skin and covering myself inhis scent. I like this First’s warmth and the faint sound of his heartbeat. Ibreathe him in, memorizing his smell. Like a memory, a smell is something tothink upon long after the action is done.

After a moment, I lean back. The First stares down at me, acurious look on his handsome face. He is so beautiful, with vibrant green eyesand sensual lips. His face is not covered in hair. His skin is perfect, and Ilong to trace the utterly masculine line of his jaw.

“I hope that wasn’t some formal greeting, sweetheart,” theFirst says with a chuckle that does strange things to my insides. “I’m afraid Iwon’t be able to return it right now. You stink something horrible, love.”

I frown, my heart sinking. He does not like my scent. It isa bad sign. I swallow down my emotions. I should have known. The pack alwaystold me I am cursed. No one will want me. I should have stayed alone ratherthan trying to seek out a new pack. Now I am in a world I do not understand. Icannot even change anymore.

“Hey,” the First says quietly. He places a hand under mychin and forces me to look up. His voice shifts to a musical, cajoling tone.“It’s all right. We can get you clean, and then I’ll sniff you all you like.You can teach me all your kinky ways. You’ll find that I’m a tolerant man. It’sjust customary where I come from to not reek of…all the things you reek of.Come on.”

He stands up, his muscular frame unfolding gracefully. Itake a moment to study him. He does not seem to require immediate compliance.He seems a patient First. Perhaps it is why the others follow him. He is tall,perhaps a full head taller than me. When I stand, my head fits neatly under hischin. I appreciate his lean build. He took off the strange clothing thatcovered his chest, and now I can admire the strong muscles found there. He isdifferent from the males of the pack. He has no hair on his chest. I like it.His skin is pale, almost luminous. There is no fat on his body. Only long,muscular lines. His stomach is covered in muscle that leads to lean hips. Hispants cover the part of him I wish to see. I am curious if he will allow me tolook at his male parts. Are they as beautiful as the rest of him?

He grins down at me. “I’m glad you like the package,sweetheart. It’ll make things a lot easier between us. Now let’s get youcleaned up.”

I gasp in happy surprise. I understand. He wants me to groommyself. It is easier when I am in my wolf form, but I can do it if it pleaseshim. I nod and decide to start with my hands. I lick one hand and frown. I donot taste very good.

“Whoa!” the First says.

I look up. He seems positively horrified.

“Do you think she was raised by wolves?” The red-hairedfemale’s eyes are wide as they study me. Shame washes over me. I am as stupidas the pack said. I do not understand even the simplest command. It must showin my eyes because the female softens. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to offend.We don’t lick ourselves clean.”

“Sometimes you do, lover. Beck often orders you to lick himclean,” the softer of the two dark-haired men says. It earns him an elbow inthe ribs from the woman.