Wolf Bonded (Wolfish 1)

Something draws me into this room where all the others left me looking in from outside. My fingers search the dim until they find a switch that turns on several strings of glittering lights that drape from corner to corner making the bedroom look like a virtual fairyland.

I stand in awe as I look around me.

As much as I didn’t want to come here at first, I have to admit that it is pretty spectacular. There are several personal effects scattered around the room; stacks of books, a small pile of metal rings on one of the dressers, and an easel that still has paint cups sitting on a tray.

I walk over to the easel and touch one of the large brushes leaning against the tray. I wonder who else lived here besides the mansion’s old owner, and what kind of work they did. Romulus sure doesn’t strike me as the artsy type. I bet whoever used these paints was the person responsible for painting all the night sky murals on the ceilings.

“What the hell are you doing in here!?”

I know that voice, even without having heard it for the past few days.

That voice belongs to Rory.

Before I have the chance to turn around, Rory grabs me by the arm and whirls me around to face him. I try not to stumble over my own feet.

He stands in front of me, dark hair falling into his eyes—but not enough to hide the rage burning inside them.

“I’m sorry,” I blurt out. “We were just looking around and—hey, what are you doing here?” I realize my question sounds entirely stupid because this is his house, after all, and I’m the one intruding.

Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to care about my question at all.

“Who’s we?” he asks.

“Me, Jess, Aimee, and Tom.”

There’s no point in lying. If they haven’t been discovered already, they will be soon.

His face contorts a bit at the mention of the last name I say.

“Where are the others?” Rory asks. His voice is getting more tense and his grip on my arm has started to hurt. For the first time, I feel a flutter of fear in my stomach.

I’ve been caught.

The idea hits me like a brick in the gut.

I knew it the moment he spotted me, the moment he jerked my sorry ass off the mat. But it’s taken me a second for that to set in … and what that means.

We’re trespassing on their land. I’ve seen Rory react when I’ve overstepped my boundaries before with the barn, and this time I’ve leaped steps ahead and gone and broken into his house.

So, it’s no wonder my pulse quickens to the point that I can feel my blood rushing in my ears.

“I said …” Rory repeats himself after a moment of my dumb silence, “where are the others?”

I don’t hesitate this time.

“I think they went to check out the wine cellars.”

At this point, I’m really just hoping he lets me go home without pressing charges.

Rory stares off at the space above my shoulder, saying nothing. I wait for as long as I can, but the silence weighs too heavy, and I find myself babbling.

“The door was unlocked, I’m really sorry Rory, we didn’t know anyone was here.”

“And that made you think it was a good idea to come inside?” His eyes flare like they’re made of black flames as he finally looks at me, really looks at me. He sure does “angry” well.

“Come on,” he growls at me as he pulls me by my arm and leads me out of the room.

We don’t stop until he’s dragged be down into the wine cellars, the voices of my friends echoing ever louder with each step.