Alpha Bait Read online

  “I’m not going to hurt you. I promise, you’re safe here.”

  He didn’t know how anyone could hurt another woman. Scorch respected his position as the alpha of his Fire pack. Nothing would make him hurt one of his own or any wolf.

  “Please, don’t hurt me,” she said.

  Her voice forced him to jerk back. The tones, even layered with fear, touched him deeply. It was like his heart expanded in his chest, and all he could think about was taking care of her and tearing the people responsible limb from fucking limb.

  Untying the rope he cursed every single man and beast for the pain they could cause others.

  Chapter Two

  Victoria felt the man untying her rope. She wanted to tell him to stop, to leave her outside in the freezing cold for dead. Instead, she couldn’t find the words to stop him from helping her. His scent comforted her, surrounding her with his warmth. Her hands were still bound together in front of her body, stopping her from lashing out. She didn’t want him to help her. Chain wanted her to hurt this man who smelled of everything good and warm.

  “Don’t cry, honey. I’ll get you out of here.” He untied her wrists. All of her energy poured out of her, and all she could do was slump in his arms. She didn’t realize she’d been crying. There was no energy in her body to wipe the tears away. “I’m going to pick you up. Do you give me permission to do this?”

  Run away. Leave me to die. I don’t deserve any compassion.

  “No,” she said. Her voice came out croaky from having the chain wrapped around her neck.

  He lifted her up, settling her against his body. She gasped, trying not to cry out at the brutal pain exploding within her body.

  “You don’t have anything to worry about. I will make sure the people who have done this will pay.”

  She remained silent as his scent settled her nerves. This man was a good alpha. He smelled like apple pie and cream. It was the strangest feeling in the world to experience with his arms tightening around her.

  “My pack will not hurt you. We’ll take good care of you.”

  He took his time taking each step so as not to jostle her body. His touch wasn’t intended to hurt her, and yet with every step he took she felt hurt to her core. She had to lure this man to his death, and she didn’t know how she could do something so cruel.

  “My name’s Scorch,” he said, talking to her.

  Please, don’t say anymore. I’m going to be the one responsible for your death.

  She couldn’t speak any words. It hurt her too much to breathe, let alone tell him she was the reason he would be dying.

  “I’m the alpha of the Fire Pack. We’re a good group. We live up in the cold, frozen mountains, but we’re strong and we can make you feel warm.”

  Victoria felt warm just by having his arms around her. The sun warmed her skin even as the chill in the air kept her frozen. She felt … different, reborn almost.

  “You’ll want for nothing, honey.”

  He kept talking. His voice soothed her, calming her nerves.

  “First we’ll take care of all of these cuts and bruises. I don’t know if you’ll be good for the next full moon to be able to run.”

  No, she didn’t want to think about the full moon or what she had to do to this kind, precious man.

  “We’re a large pack, but we’re fair.”

  Please stop talking. I’m not here to be taken care of. I’m here to hurt you and your pack.

  What did Chain want with this man? Scorch had goodness coming out of every single pore of his body.

  She heard the muttering, and seconds later they were surrounded by his pack. Their smell invited her in.

  “How is she doing?” one of the males asked.

  “She’s hurting. Clear a space in the bedroom next to mine,” Scorch said. “Get Mandy. She has dealt with wounds like these before. I don’t want to take a chance on anything.”

  He barked orders out, and all the time Victoria felt like she was dying inside. Scorch took her upstairs then through to a bedroom. The room was warm, and he placed her on the center of the bed. “I’m going to drape a blanket over your body. Mandy will be up to tend your wounds.” He moved around the room as he talked. In the light she saw the blond glint of his hair. His eyes were a startling blue, and he had to be three times the size of her.

  She watched him go about the room, closing windows, shutting curtains to keep the light out. Men entered and left never once looking at her with anything but sympathy. What kind of pack had she stumbled on? All of the men had a say within this pack. Not once had Scorch showed his true colors. Was he trying to put her at ease? Chain at one time had smelled good. His smell had changed along with his attitude. He was evil through and through. Was she hoping Scorch would be different?

  Crap. She was starting to get a headache thinking about everything going wrong in her life.

  “What the hell are you doing, Scorch?” A woman charged in the room shouting. Victoria saw her hands were laid on her hips with a glare decorating her face.

  “Fuck off, Lidia,” Scorch said. There was no real aggression in his tone.

  “I’m here for a weekend, and you’re wasting your time on this woman. Leave the pack to deal with her, and now come to fucking bed.”

  Scorch turned on the woman. “Get out of this room. If you can’t handle waiting then get the fuck off my property.”

  He shoved her out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. “I’m sorry about that.”

  Why was he apologizing to her? She was invading his lands and his pack.

  Several minutes later there was a knock at the door. A blonde woman entered the room with her head downcast. “I’m sorry to take so long, alpha.”

  “Mandy, stop bowing your head in my presence. I’m an alpha, not royalty.” Scorch held the woman by the shoulders, smiling.

  “Sorry, I keep forgetting everything. Dale is grabbing my kit. I hope I have everything I need.”

  “I’m sure you will.”

  Victoria had stepped into some alternate universe where the alpha cared about his pack. Another man entered the room, and suddenly she was left alone with Mandy.

  “I’m going to remove this sheet from your body.” Slowly the other woman went about removing the sheet and assessing her injuries. “You’ve been hurt bad. Scorch told me your voice is scratchy.” She tutted as her fingers touched her neck.

  Victoria flinched away from her touch once again. She wasn’t afraid, but she didn’t want anyone to be hurt by what she was going to do for her alpha.

  “It’s okay. No one is going to hurt you here.”

  Mandy went about cleaning every scar that had been reopened. “You’ll heal soon. Some food and rest will see you all fixed in body.” She washed away all the dirt then caressed ointment into her skin. Tears stung Victoria’s eyes at the sweetest care being given to her. This pack was not a threat to Chain at all. None of them smelled evil. They didn’t have a plan to take another pack either.

  The woman tutted over her and cleaned away each new cut and bruise. “I can’t do anything about the bruising I’m afraid. I’ll keep an eye on them to make sure there is no long term damage. We’re wolves, so we’re quite resilient to a lot of stuff.” She hummed again, shaking her head. “Whoever did this deserves to die. An alpha wouldn’t be able to do this kind of thing. They’re bound to always protect. They cannot hurt their pack.”

  Think again. Chain has discovered a way to hurt me and the whole of our pack.

  She kept her lips closed. Chain had a way of knowing when he was defied.

  “Were you with a human mate?”

  Victoria jerked her head in acknowledgement.

  Another tut and a shake of her head. “This disgusts me. I know other male wolves can inflict this kind of damage on other males as they’re not bound by their alpha, but for a human mate to do this, it sucks. Your mate wasn’t female, was she?”

  Victoria shook her head. She wasn’t attracted to females.

>   If she could, Victoria would cry at everything the woman was saying. Chain had found a way to hurt them all without laying a finger on any of them. He’d also made other males in the pack do his killing for him. Male wolves couldn’t attack a woman or rape her. Other female wolves could hurt other females while males could hurt other males. The Alpha was bound to look over them all to avoid such conflict. It was a strange dynamic they lived in.

  “There. You’re all better. Or at least, you’re all better for now.” Mandy cleaned away the mess, placed the blanket back over her and sat on the bed. “You rest now. Scorch will bring you some food, but I don’t want you to move unless you have to. Please, follow my advice, or you’ll be in a lot more pain.”

  Nodding her head, she watched the woman leave. The moment she was alone, Victoria sat up staring down at her body. The wounds hurt, but the ointment the woman used helped her to feel somewhat normal.

  Get out. Run away.

  She climbed out of the bed and headed toward the window. Staring out over the snow covered mountains she was struck by the beauty of the scenery before her. She had never seen anything so beautiful in all of her life. The glinting snow struck her to the core. It would be a good way to die. Climbing up onto the window ledge, she looked at the rising sun feeling the chill in the air and the heat upon her skin. Once she killed herself, Scorch and the whole of this pack would be safe. Victoria didn’t see any other way out. This was her only option. Her fear of Chain was absolute. She would do whatever he asked to stop others feeling the pain he could inflict. If she gave Scorch to him, he’d be happy, and the whole of their pack would find some kind of peace.

  ****

  Scorch entered his room taking a shot of brandy. His hands were shaking while his blood was pumping through his veins. The woman that had just entered his life was different. He sensed something about her that he couldn’t put his finger on.

  “What? The little bitch doesn’t need you by her side?” Lidia said, cursing as she walked into view. She wore a sheer black negligee, one he’d removed from her once before. Wolves never had an issue with nudity. Lidia spent way too much time in the city surrounded by humans. He wore a pair of pants, and they were itching his skin. On the way to his room he’d passed several wolves, male and female, naked.

  “You’re staying to bitch about a woman in pain?” he asked.

  “She’s not part of your pack yet you go running to her like she is.”

  “For a lawyer and an intelligent woman, you could have fooled me about being fucking stupid.” He whirled around, glaring at the woman he’d been fucking. Staring at her now he felt sick to his stomach. He smelled her jealousy, and it disgusted him.

  “How dare you?”

  He laughed. “I dare because it’s the truth. This is why you’ll never be a queen within a pack, Lidia. You’re cruel, selfish, and everything an alpha is not looking for.” Scorch looked her up and down, hating everything he saw. “You’re a good fuck, but an alpha is bound by kindness and acceptance. We cannot inflict pain on one of our pack. You possess neither of these qualities.”

  “You bastard,” she said, raising her hand. The wolf inside him gripped her arm, stopping her from lashing out. He had no intention of hurting her, and so he held her arm steady.

  “Do not start something you will never want to finish.”

  A knock at the door sounded. Releasing her arm, he stepped away.

  “Pack your things and get the fuck out of my pack. You’re not welcome here, and if you think you will be, I’ll have you escorted off my property.”

  “You’re insane. You’re getting rid of me because some little injured bitch is here?”

  Going to the door, he ignored all of her jibes. He didn’t have the patience to deal with Lidia. She was cruel to the core, and he hated himself for wanting to be with her even a little bit.

  Mandy stood waiting for him.

  “Any news?” he asked.

  “She’s hurt real bad. I’ve cleaned the cuts and put ointment on her. The scars will heal up in no time when she’s had some rest and some food.”

  “I’ll get her some soup from the kitchen,” he said, closing the door behind him.

  “Okay, get me if you need me to take care of her.” Mandy touched his arm, smiled, and left.

  He ignored the shouting behind him, heading toward the kitchen. Several pack members asked him about their new arrival. To each person he gave a new update, being calm with each of them. Pouring out two bowlfuls of soup, he crumbled some bread into each and then headed back up to the bedroom where he’d put her.

  Opening the door, Scorch was brought up short by what he saw. The woman, name unknown, was standing, looking out of the window. She held onto the frame, and he knew she intended to jump. Placing the bowls on the nearest counter, he walked toward her, needing to get her to see him.

  “Don’t jump,” he said, reaching out.

  She jerked, looking at him. “I’ve got to jump.” Her voice was scratchy but healing up nicely. Scorch loved the sound of her voice. He felt the wolf within him growl, wanting to get closer to the female.

  Don’t make her jump.

  The last thing Scorch wanted to do was make her jump.

  “No, you don’t have to jump at all. I know what has happened to you is horrible, and I’ll fight for you to protect you.”

  Her green gazed settled on him. The redness of her hair stood out against her pale skin. He wanted to run his fingers through the soft length while also caressing her sweet, tempting body.

  “You don’t know me,” she said.

  “I want to get to know you. I’d be willing to get to know you.” From where he stood he saw the fullness of her curves and the sweetness of her skin. Even with the marks and bruises covering her body, he saw past that to the raw beauty within.

  “Why?”

  “You’re a beautiful woman. Give it a chance.” With each word he spoke he took a step closer until he could reach out and touch her skin. The spark ignited within him. His alpha growled, clawing at his skin. Taking a deep breath, he calmed his nerves as excitement took hold, refusing to be let go.

  Mine.

  Mate.

  Claim.

  Staring at her, Scorch knew deep down in his core that this woman was his destined mate. Grabbing her arm, he turned her around, tugging her out of the window. His touch was gentle, never once holding too tightly or with the intention of hurting.

  She went with him, tears falling from her eyes. He wiped them away, stroking her soft skin.

  “Whatever is happening in your life, it’s not worth killing yourself over. We can survive a lot, but we cannot survive a fall like this. Don’t kill yourself.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her over to the bed.

  “I’m too heavy to be carried.”

  “I don’t care.”

  He placed her once again in the center of the bed and put a blanket over her. Grabbing the bowlfuls of food, he sat on the edge of the bed. Taking a scoopful of his own, he then put the bowl on the drawer beside the bed.

  “We need you to eat. It’s meat and potato soup. It’ll be good to keep your strength up.” He fed her slowly, spoonful by spoonful. All the time he wanted to ask her questions, find out where she came from. What she was running from.

  “You’re very kind letting me stay here,” she said.

  “You can stay here for as long as you like. My home is your home.”

  “You’re the alpha?” she asked.

  Smiling, he nodded his head. “I come from a long line of alphas. We believe in bringing the best out of our pack. I hope you can see that when you’re well enough to move around. You may also get visitors wanting to know more about you.”

  “I’m not up for visitors—” She stopped speaking as the door slammed open.

  “Well I have to say this was the worst visit ever, Scorch. I hope you feel happy with yourself letting this pissing stray into your life. I’ll never be here again.”

  Scorch sighed,
standing up to look at Lidia.

  “I’ve got nothing to say to you. Your presence in this pack is fleeting and unwanted. Many of my pack have voiced their need for you to leave. It’s official now. Get off my property and stay off.”

  He waited, patiently, as Lidia turned her back and shouted all the way out of the door. She’d really thought he wanted to mate with her? Lidia was good for a fuck, but she didn’t have what it took to be an alpha’s queen.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset your mate,” the woman said.

  “My name is Scorch. What is your name?” he asked, grabbing his bowl and finishing off the cold soup.

  “It’s Victoria. I really didn’t mean to upset you or your mate.”

  “Lidia is not my mate. Do not concern yourself with her. She was merely … a distraction from life.” He smiled at her, hoping she would see that he wasn’t angry. Lidia only visited him when the need for a hard fuck came to her. With her gone he didn’t need to worry about being anything with her. “It’s lovely to meet you, Victoria.”

  He offered her his hand, which she took. The electricity was instant as they touched. His wolf growled, demanding to protect and claim the woman before him.

  She withdrew her hand, and he missed her touch.

  “Do you want to talk about what brought you here?” he asked.

  “No, if you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it.” She turned her head away almost as if she couldn’t bear to look at him.

  “That’s okay. I just hope you get better soon.” They stared at each other for many minutes with neither of them speaking.

  Only when her eyes started to droop did he stand up and walk toward the window. He locked the window, staring back to see she’d fallen asleep. Scorch moved back to the bed and caressed her cheek. “I’ll take care of you and make sure no harm comes to you.” He pressed his lips against hers, meaning every single word.

  Chapter Three

  Victoria sat at the breakfast table a week later, chuckling as she was watched three young children mess about over their food. The mother was trying to control them while the father laughed along with them. The sight before her was so totally sweet and reminded her of her own family before they were taken from her. She had been an only child as her mother couldn’t have any more children after her.