Wounded Kiss (To Be Claimed 1)

Lev’s sharp silver eyes never turn from me when he asks, “You all right?” Without looking up or back at him, I nod slightly, biting my lip as I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I breathe in deep before I turn to stare out the window. There’s nothing to look at but trees. I continue to nervously bite my lip. “Where are you taking us?” I question without having the balls to look either of them in the eyes. My heart gallops and the pitter-patter is almost too much. I feel like I’m going to faint. They’re silent and neither seems to make an attempt to answer.

“Did you drug me?”

The quick no is followed by a sharp intake of breath and then he says, “We didn’t drug you.”

Up and down, my nerves climb and fall. All I can do is shove my hands between my thighs to keep them from trembling.

Lev’s hand lands on my arm gently, just to get my attention. “I’m sorry. I really am. I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. No one is.” I finally look at him. His brows are raised and his lips slightly parted. He looks as though he’s trying to coax a wounded animal out from under a car or something. I nod my head and steel myself to ask the only question that matters right now.

“Why did you take us?” His silver gaze takes me in briefly and then his eyes shoot to Jude’s in the rearview mirror. Jude is silent and Lev purses his lips. My breathing hitches at their hesitation.

“Well, I didn’t personally take you.” That’s the only answer Lev finally gives me, placing his hand against his massive chest for emphasis. Jude snorts in the front and then shakes his head.

Anger creeps up, causing a deep crease in my forehead as my brow furrows.

Jude asks, “We heard your friend call you Grace. Is it okay if we call you that?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” I’m surprised by how sturdy my voice is.

“Okay, Grace,” Jude starts, “our Alpha is the one who …” he hesitates and glances out the rear windshield before looking straight ahead again. “Um.”

“Grabbed me?” I say to complete his sentence. My shoulders stiffen at the memory of their Alpha’s hands on me. His thumb rubbing soothing circles on my neck as he commanded me to calm Lizzie down. With how tight my throat is, I don’t know how I’m breathing.

There’s no time for niceties. I need information. That’s how we’ll survive. It’s how I’ll save both myself and Lizzie. The constant thump in my chest reminds me of that. I eye Lev who’s sitting back, taking up all of the room back here while watching me with an amused expression kicking up his lips.

“Yeah, grabbed you.” Jude swallows hard and glances over his shoulder to the car behind us again. Lizzie’s in that car. I know she is. She’s safe. I’m safe. I’ll figure out a way for us to be safe. I will. I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to either of us.

“Okay.” I drawl out the word in an effort to get him to continue. He clicks his tongue and meets my eyes in the rearview.

“He doesn’t want me to talk to you about this, Grace.”

“Why not?” I can’t help getting pissed. I need to know. “I deserve to know.”

“He wants to tell you himself.” I let that sink in for a second before realizing their Alpha must have been at the offering if he’s the one who grabbed me. Why take me and then ride in a different car in that case? A frown pulls at my lips and my hands fist in my lap. I don’t have time to wait.

“Why isn’t he riding with me if he took me?”

“Because of your friend, Lizzie,” he says and my heart stops at the mention of her name.

“You said she was all right,” I blurt out, cutting him off as I lean forward in my seat a bit to get closer to him. It’s foolish, I know it is, but I can’t help the note of anger that creeps into my tone at the end. I need to be calm; I know that much. Play along, get information. I can’t let my temper get the best of the situation.

“She’s fine. Don’t worry,” Lev reassures me, gently pushing me back against the seat. “Devin wants you to put your seatbelt on.”

I stare at him like he’s gone mad and snort. Is he fucking kidding? “Who the hell is Devin?” I don’t care that my voice is raised. Completely ignoring Lev now, my head whips back to Jude. With quickened breaths and a tight throat, I say, “And what was that you were starting to say about Lizzie?” So much for keeping my calm …