Cruel Alpha Daddy (Silver Meadows Wolves #4)

Chapter 8 - Fiona

After Rider leaves, I lay down on the old bed and cry. It’s dusty and dirty, but I don’t give a damn. I’ve never been so miserable in my entire life, and my confusion over my feelings for Rider has left me feeling incredibly sick.

My stomach lurches and twists. The kiss was electric, being in his arms was a thrill I thought I’d never feel again. What a horrible realization to have—that I never actually got over him but just buried the feelings as deeply as I could and pretended they went away.

Sobs begin to tear through me, so powerful that my lungs burn as if I’m being held underwater. I hate this situation, but part of me wishes Rider would come back and put his arms around me again.

Even after everything that’s happened, he still feels like home.

The memory of our last night together in Delta comes back to me, and the pain running through me increases tenfold.

Stop this! Don’t let yourself get caught up with someone who could treat you like that!

I moan into the pillow, crying even harder. It doesn’t matter. Everything he said to me, the way he left me—none of it matters. My heart is still bound to him, and I can’t let him go.

Now I’m trapped in a marriage with a man I can’t have… a man who doesn’t want me, and never will. The man who abandoned me when I needed him most.

I clench my fists, willing strength back into my body. My gasps turn into long, slow breaths.

I can do this.

The only thing that matters is getting back to Caleb. I’ve been strong for the last six years to protect my son, and I can do it forever if I have to.

My feelings don’t matter. I just have to get out of here!

I sit up and wipe my eyes. I’m painfully thirsty now, as well as sore and bruised, but I force myself to ignore the pain.

There must be a way out of here.

I go over to the door and press on it gently. I hear the clank of the chain against the handle and give it a hard shove. The door bounces a little in the frame, but it won’t open.

I run my hands around the edges of the door, checking the edges and paying close attention to the hinges. Most people forget that doors have two sides, and you can usually undo the hinges with a screwdriver or crack them with a crowbar.

The hinges are old and rusty, but still strong. If I had tools, I might be able to get it open, so I search the room.

The old cupboard has nothing in it except layers of dust. In the drawers underneath, there is quite a bit of paper and some old-fashioned pens. The dresser has just a couple of old dresses, pants, and shirts.

The room is fairly dark, so I have to poke around in every corner and under the bed to look for anything I might be able to use to get the door open. Recoiling in disgust after finding a few piles of rat shit, I return to the door and stare at it with determination.

Then, the sound of approaching voices sends fear streaking through me.

What if it’s Tobias? I’m locked in here. Easy prey!

Heavy footsteps enter the cabin and approach the door. My heart pounds in my chest, and I can hardly breathe as I back away towards the bed.

“Are you in there, my luna?” an unfamiliar male voice calls.

Surprised, I take a few steps forward.

“Yes, it’s me, Fiona,” I answer hesitantly.

“My name is Ryan, and I am friends with Rider. He has asked me to keep an eye on you.”

“Good,” I reply. “Open this door immediately.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, I am under direct orders from the alpha. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

My mind races. Obviously, I can use this situation to my advantage, but I’m not sure how.

“Food and water would be nice,” I say, making my voice hard and commanding.

“As you wish. I’ll return shortly.”

His footsteps fade away, and I wait anxiously by the door. I’m hungry and thirsty, but my plan is to just shove past him and run the second he opens it.

When Ryan returns, I’m dismayed to see he’s brought two other guys with him to block the hallway. I have no choice but to accept the handful of protein bars and bottle of water and back away again.

“We will check on you regularly, my luna,” Ryan says respectfully. With a short bow, he leaves, and I hear the chain again as he locks the door.

I sit miserably on the bed, eating a few protein bars and gulping down the water. I was hoping they might bring me some utensils. Even a butter knife can be extremely useful.

Now what do I do?

The sounds of people arriving in the village are pretty distant, so I believe if I could find a weak point, I’d be able to get away without being seen. I run my hands over the walls, looking for cracked planks or loose screws.

Along the outer wall, I suddenly find a plank that’s bouncier than the rest of the wall. I press on it hard, and the wood groans in protest.

Stepping back, I take a look at the wall. The planks in one section are a slightly different color to the rest.

It’s a boarded-up window!

New strength floods through me as I feel around for the edges of the wooden planks. Excitement builds as I get a good grip on one of them and tug it easily away from the wall. The wood shrieks a little as it cracks, and nails scatter across the floor.

I’m going to see my son!

Darkness has been creeping into the cabin for some time now. The sun must be setting. I can’t bear to stay away from Caleb for another night.

Growling with determination, I rip another board off the wall. I get cuts on my hands, but I don’t even care. I pull off one more plank, and the hole is big enough for me to crawl through.

To my relief, there’s no glass, just an open space. I pull myself up, wriggle through, and fall into a pile on the ground on the other side.

I don’t hesitate for a second—I shift into my wolf and bolt.

No mistakes this time! I’m coming home, Caleb!

As I run through the woods, I keep my senses on high alert. My ears are pricked up to catch the slightest sounds, and I keep my nose high as I search for any sign of other wolves. Hope blooms in my chest as I see the next line of mountains rearing up ahead of me. I’ve still got a lot of ground to cover, but I’m definitely on my way home.

That’s when I hear a sound behind me.

No! Not again!

I keep my ears pointed in that direction and take a big sniff of the air. They must be downwind, and I can’t catch the scent. I’m beginning to think I imagined it when I hear it again.

Fear flooding through me, I turn and run. My suspicions are confirmed when the noises behind me increase—I’m being chased.

My chest cramps up, but I refuse to let the terror win. I put all my effort into running, focusing on seeing Caleb again. It gives me the strength to keep going, and I run faster and farther than I ever thought I could.

But by the time I reach the next peak, the other wolf is still gaining on me.

I’m trembling with exhaustion as I turn to run down the mountain. He’s still right on my tail. Sobs of fear escape me, even as I try to hold them in.

I can’t stay ahead of him!

I hear a sharp, short growl, and I’m knocked off my feet as the other wolf pounces on me. We hit the ground hard and roll, getting bruised and bloodied as we roll down the hill together.

A huge tree stops our fall, smashing the breath from my lungs and making me cry out. The shock shifts me back to human form, and I look up in terror, waiting to see Tobias looming over me.

“Rider?” I shriek, recognizing him even in the pale light of the stars.

“Fiona,” he gasps. “Stop trying to run away! Please!”

“What happened to you?” I ask, seeing the bruises and cuts on him.

“You should see the other guy,” he laughs softly. “I hunted Tobias down and taught him a lesson he won’t soon forget. But come on, let’s get you home.”

You aren’t my home!

He stretches out his hand. I stare at it for a second, then take it, letting him help me up. Then I yank as hard as I can, making him stumble forward. I land a kick on his ribs and try to harden my heart against his cry of pain as I turn and run.

It’s too soon to summon my wolf. All I have is my own two feet and strength of will. I can only hope I’ve disabled Rider long enough to get ahead of him.

Then I hear his footsteps behind me again.

No such luck.

Knowing I can’t outrun him, I stop and turn, ready to fight again. He lets out a roar of rage as he gets close and tackles me to the ground before I can make a single move. There is a moment of total confusion as we struggle, though I manage to slap him across the face.

“Fiona, fucking stop it!” he yells, grabbing my hands. “What the hell is going on with you?”

“I have to get back!” I scream, struggling against him. I’m frantic now, desperate to get back to Caleb and hold him. I can’t bear the thought of him waking up without me for one more day.

“I know this is tough,” Rider says. “But I can’t just let you go. It will be a bloodbath.”

“It will be, anyway, when Bailey comes for me!”

Rider sighs, tightening his grip on my wrists. “I’m working on that. I just need to think about it for a while. There has to be a way out of this that will make everyone happy.”

“You have to let me go,” my voice comes out in a long wail of sorrow. “Please, I have to get back to—to—”

My voice catches in my throat, and I can’t speak another word. I want to tell Rider, but at the same time, my urge to protect my son from Rider’s violent world is too strong.

Rider looks down at me, his eyes glinting with a cruel light. “Fiona, do you have another man in your life?”

The idea is so preposterous—but at the same time, kind of true—that I burst out laughing.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I say, shaking my head. “I haven’t been with anyone since I was with you.”

“Not for six years?” he asks, surprised.

I just shake my head.

He sighs, softness creeping into his expression. “Fiona, do you know what Tobias and his gang would have done to you?”

“I’ve got a pretty good idea, yeah.”

“No!” Rider yells, tightening his grip on my wrists. “You really don’t! They would gang-bang you, torture you, make you bleed. The worst thing is, they’d do it slowly—it could even take days. You’d be begging for death in the first few hours, trust me.”

“Okay,” I answer, swallowing down a lump of fear. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

“Understand me,” Rider says firmly. “It is not safe for you to run around out here. They will find you, and I am the only one that can protect you.”

It hurts, but I believe him. Sorrow floods through me as I think about being away from my son another day, but I can never return to him if I’m dead.

“Okay, Rider,” I whisper. “You can take me back.”