I blinked slowly up at a bare ceiling.

My mouth was sour.

A human had told me once what it felt like to have a hangover. Alcohol didn’t affect wolves like it did humans. Our metabolism burned through it too fast. But Jesus Christ, did it feel like I’d nearly drunk myself to death.

I groaned, putting a hand over my eyes. The light around me wasn’t bright, but it still hurt.

“Hello.”

I dropped my hand and turned my head.

A woman sat on the floor of a large room. For a moment my vision blurred and I swore it was Alpha Hughes, and I wondered what had happened. What I’d done. If I’d hurt anyone.

But it wasn’t the Alpha of all.

She was older, for one, and so beautiful that it took my breath away. She was dressed simply, wearing loose-fitting pants and a shirt with an oversize neckline that hung off one bare shoulder. Her long, light hair was up in a messy bun, strands hanging around her face.

No, this wasn’t Michelle.

For one, she was smiling quietly, and it looked like she meant it. She was tired, but her back was ramrod straight, her head tilted toward me. Her hands were folded in her lap.

A wolf.

A powerful one at that, though she wasn’t an Alpha.

“Hello,” I said. My voice came out rough and weak. I cleared my throat. I was thirsty.

Her smile widened briefly. “How are you?”

“I don’t know.”

She nodded. “That’s okay. It’s to be expected, I think. Many things have happened. Not knowing is perfectly understandable. Can I tell you something?”

I nodded. If it weren’t for how shitty I felt, I would have thought this a dream.

“Your hair is long.”

“That’s what you want to tell me?”

She chuckled. “No. It’s just… an observation. Different, but not in a bad way. What I want to tell you is that you’re not a prisoner, no matter how it looks at the moment. Do you understand?”

“No.”

“We have to be careful. Precautions. We don’t know how much of a hold has been put over you, and while I don’t think this will be permanent, we need to hedge our bets.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She pointed toward the floor in front of her.

A line of gray powder went from one side of the room to the other, separating us.

I inhaled.

It burned.

I said, “Silver.”

“Yes. So if you feel like attacking me, don’t. It would only end badly for you. And no one wants that. Especially no one here.”

Tags: T.J. Klune Green Creek Fantasy
Source: readsnovelonline.net