#5 When the New Moon Falls
Chapter 31

Austyn

I had no idea what happend. One second I was mad as hell at Leo for no good reason, complaining about him to anyone who would listen, and then I was waking up somewhere small and dark. I remember hearing Leo discipline my guard wolves and feeling even angrier at my mate. This was my fault, not theirs. Leo needed to take his anger out on me, not them.

I stormed through the house in my pajamas, feeling Amber, Mallory, Emma, and Fern hot on my heels. By the time I reached the yard, Leo was gone and so were the guard wolves. He was so pissed off at them that he forgot to leave anyone else for my protection. A black car sped up to my house, driving right through the grass. I couldn’t see who it was, I just started yelling at the car’s tinted windows. The driver’s door opened, a whoosh of air fluffed up my wet hair, and then I felt something sharp and cold jabbed into my neck.

I felt around in the darkness, trying to figure out where I was. I felt something soft under my hands, like carpet. I tried to stretch out and banged my head on something metal. I grumbled at the cramped space. I saw a light in the corner and started fumbling around towards it. With a heavy push, the light fell out and I realized that I was in the trunk of a car.

I rolled around until I was looking out the newly created window. We were speeding down a dirt road, trees flashing around us. I had no idea how long I had been unconscious so I didn’t know how far we had driven. The car bounced along the dirt road and the outside world started to look familiar. The grass and weeds were overgrown, the fence in disrepair, but I could never forget the smell of lavender and honeysuckles.

Whoever kidnapped me was taking me back home, to the cabin I was raised in with my parents and the place where they were murdered. I groaned as the car jerked to a stop and I slammed into the back of the trunk. I braced myself for company. The trunk opened and I blinked against the bright sunlight. I struggled to clear my vision so I could focus on my kidnapper.

“Kayden?” I croaked. Kayden snickered at me, grabbing my arm and yanking me from the trunk. I tripped over the bumper of the car and landed, face first, on the gravel driveway.

“Get up.” Kayden growled, kicking my side in his signature move. I stood on shaky legs and dusted off my knees. Kayden grabbed my arm again and dragged me towards the house.

I couldn’t help but look around. I hadn’t been back here since the day my parents died. My mother’s once beautiful flower garden was nothing but weeds and decay. The door that was once a bright, happy yellow was now ugly and faded. Ivy had grown up the sides of the house. The porch swing was hanging off of one of the chains, squeaking as it sagged in the wind.

My foot went through the third step to the porch and I cried out in pain as the jagged wood sliced into my calf. Kayden jerked me forward and tossed me inside the house. I stumbled into the couch, which was covered in a dust cloth, and steadied myself so I wouldn’t fall.

“What the hell is this about?” I snapped at Kayden.

“I’ve had enough of you talking to me like that, slut!” Kayden slapped me across the face, hard. I was still sore from Frank’s abuse and I was tired of taking these hits.

“Get over here.” Kayden’s voice was rough, his expression cold and dark.

He pushed me towards the first floor bedroom. Inside was a single mattress on the floor. The rest of the bedroom set was covered like every other piece of furniture in the house. On the wall next to the mattress was a bolt, a metal chain coming from that. I started digging my heels into the ground, knowing what Kayden’s plan was. He kicked the back of my knees and I collapsed on the floor. He clasped the chain tightly around my ankle.

“What do you want, Kayden?” I glared at him.

“I told you before, don’t you listen? You are mine.” Kayden’s voice was annoyed as he leaned down and grabbed my face in his hand. Roughly, he tilted my head to the side and looked at my bare neck.

“That stupid Alpha didn’t mark you. You will both pay for that mistake.” He shoved against my face and I fell over.

“Why do you want me?” I asked, struggling to sit up.

“I, specifically, don’t want anything to do with you. Robin, on the other hand, won’t stop whining for his mate. He’s stupid and won’t accept the rejection.” Kayden started walking away, sounding bored.

“So you brought me here for Robin?” I wanted to keep him talking, keep him from leaving me locked in this room by myself.

“Robin would have gotten over it. But, my father devised a plan that involves us completing the mating bond.” Kayden smirked at me with a dangerous expression.

“What plan?” I pressed.

“Enough with the questions.” Kayden growled before leaving the room and slamming the door behind him.

I grumbled, staring at the chain coming from the wall and tugged at it, trying to replace a weak point. I jiggled the clamp around my ankle. It was no use. Damn werewolves. I flopped back down on the dirty mattress and stared at the ceiling, trying to come up with a plan to get out of here.

I had no idea how much time had passed, an hour maybe? Eventually, Kayden returned with a tray of food. He dropped the tray in front of me.

“Eat. You need your strength.” He ordered.

“Why?” I cried.

“You’ll replace out when I’m ready for you to replace out.” Kayden backhanded me.

“You were exiled! Your father wants nothing to do with you. You’re lying about his plan.” I knew I was poking the bear, or the wolf, but I needed answers. If he was pissed enough, he’d spill his guts. His ego was too large to be questioned. Kayden crouched down, his face inches from mine,

“You stupid bitch, you think you know more than me?” He grabbed a fist full of my hair and yanked me downwards, physically making me bow to him.

“You think my father would actually exile me? Strip me of my rank? No. It was a ruse. New Moon has stood tall and mighty long enough. They will fall at the death of their Alpha. We will assume their territory and members. I will be the Alpha of a super pack.” As I suspected, Kayden spilled his guts to me.

“It’s interesting because Frank Storm said the same exact thing right before my mate ripped him into teeny tiny pieces.” I snarled. Kayden slapped me again. I barely reacted, he needed some new moves.

“Frank Storm was a pawn. His job was to get you to the edge of the terrority line. He couldn’t even do that.” Kayden scoffed.

“No, he was to busy trying to rape me!” I screamed in his face. His eyes flashed black and I sensed Robin’s aurora.

“He did what?!” Kayden’s voice came out cool and dangerous, and I knew it was Robin speaking through him.

“Leo saved me and killed his own father. What have you ever done for me, Robin? You just let your stupid human form abuse me.” I spit at him, wanting to hurt him as deeply as I could. For a brief second, Robin’s face fell, his eyes flashed with pain. Then, Kayden returned. His hand wrapped around my throat,

“Stop toying with him, you slut!” I clawed at his hand, gasping for breath. My voice came out as mangled nonsense.

“Marking you will destroy your mate. He will want to kill himself, but I won’t let him. I will force you to watch me rip his body apart. Then, you will see how useless you are against me. Then, you will submit. You will birth my heir and soothe my wolf. That will be your existence.”

Kayden’s authority surrounded me as he tried to use his Alpha command on me. It was nothing compared to Leo’s and even his didn’t work. I felt my face turning blue as I began to lose consciousness from the lack of oxygen. He released me and I crumbled to the floor, blacking out.