ROMANCE: BIKER ROMANCE: Werewolf Rider (MC Shifter Pregnancy Romance) (New Adult Paranormal Romance Short Stories) (38 page)

“I’m losing my patience, girl. I may have to whip you myself before we go back. Or better yet, have a turn with you before the old man.”

I shuddered and missed my step, twisting my ankle against as I fought for footing on the steep hill. The gasp of pain escaped my lips before I could stop it. I froze and so did the calls. Trembling, I held my place, like a frightened rabbit and hoped I wasn’t visible.

“There she is.” The knight stepped out from behind a tree not twenty yards from where I lay against the hill, helpless. There would be no standing, let alone running on my blasted ankle for some time. Probably not until after I was married and back in England. “You’ve caused a bucket of trouble, haven’t you, girl?”

He approached me and I pressed myself back against the mud. “Don’t come any closer,” I said, trying to be braver than I felt. My hands groped for a weapon, but found only bits of grass and twigs.

“Oh are you going to throw a clod of dirt at me then?” he asked, squatting down before me.

“Please. I can’t go back.” Begging for mercy was my last option.

“There now, I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want old snaggle tooth in my pants either.” He lifted a hand and pressed it against my cheek. “You’re trembling. Are you hurt?”

Perhaps this knight was of the noble variety? A rare breed indeed. I nodded. “My ankle.”

“Then you won’t be running from me?”

I shook my head. “Please, have some pity.”

The knight stood and stared down at me, hands on his hips as he considered me. “I suppose I could say I saw nothing.”

My heart dared to soar with hope.

“Then again, I could also have a go with you, and tell them I found you like that with your head bust open on a rock.”

“What?” I scurried back against the ground, causing a tiny avalanche that only caused me to slide further toward his feet.

“Probably one of the Rebels did it to you while your corpse was still fresh. It shouldn’t be hard to tear the rest of this off.” He leaned down again and yanked hard at my skirt so that I slid all the way to the bottom, between his legs. My velvet skirt, or what remained of it, was in his hand. He tossed it to the side, leaned over again and ripped the bodice of the dress off as well before losing his own jacket to the ground.

I lay there below him only in pantaloons and my corset. “Let me go!” I screamed, scrambling at the ground, wincing from the shooting pain in my ankle.

He pulled out a knife and held it over me, the blade gleaming in the bit of moonlight that had snuck through. I stopped moving, and stared. “Be quiet or I’ll cut you,” he warned and stuck the blade between the crisscrossing twine and my skin then ripped through it in one motion. The cursed thing fell away, revealing my naked breasts, but also releasing my lungs. The blood rushed through and I felt suddenly lightheaded and dizzy as he dropped his trousers.

“No!” I screamed, not caring about his threat. If I could get another of the knights to come here, maybe…

He kicked me in the side, on my tender bruise and it stole my breath. Stars burst before my eyes as he laughed above me. This was it. I was going to be ravaged by this man and bludgeoned by a rock. No one would guess at the truth or even care, except perhaps dear Rebecca.

I sobbed quietly as he kicked open my legs and positioned his knife to rip through the last layer of fabric protecting me.

A twig snapped behind my head, above the hill. The knight paused to glance up and his face froze in terror. In a heartbeat an enormous black form hurtled above me, knocking the knight to the ground. I sat up and scooted back, throwing a hand over my mouth to prevent my own scream.

I’d never imagined wolves to be as large as the one before me. It was almost as tall as I was, on all fours. One massive paw held down the knight’s wrist, preventing him from wielding his knife and the great maw of the beast barred its razor teeth as spittle dribbled down on the knight’s face.

“Please,” the knight begged. “Good doggy. Go eat the girl. She’s far more tender than I am.”

A low growl rose from the belly of the thing and before I or the knight could scream, it ripped out his throat. Blood sprayed out and over my face and bloomers as I finally shrieked. The wolf seemed to glare at me over its shoulder before ripping out the knight’s heart and swallowing it.

I leaned over and released the contents of my stomach on the forest floor. The wolf whimpered slightly and turned its enormous visage on me.

The world went black.

Chapter 2

Rebel

I’m not sure which pounding was worse, the one in my ankle, my side, or my head. I groaned as I slowly sit, leaning back on my elbows and squinting into the sunlight.

Where was I?

The tops of the enormous pines let me know that I was still in the forest somewhere. So the wolf didn’t get me! At least there was that. Then I remembered I was mostly naked and finished sitting a bit too fast before realizing that I was still in my undergarments, but also had on what appeared to be the jacket of the knight who attacked me.

My urge to rip it off was strong, but not as strong as my urge to remain covered until I found out where I was. I tried not to think about the possibility that another knight found me and had his way after I fainted.

The flash of the wolf, blood staining his teeth sprang to my mind, making me jump and squeal from the resulting pain.

“Well would you look who’s up!” A female voice made me turn to find the owner, a short, solidly built woman about my age with raven hair, cropped short as a man’s. Her face was naturally beautiful, without a hint of rouge and she wore trousers like a man as well. In fact, I’d seen it’s like before – or at least heard it described. It was rebel blue.

I’d been traded one horrible fate for another then another. It was like a nightmare.

“Now then,” the girl asked, “What’s your name?”

I snapped my mouth closed. The rebels were responsible for stealing from Castle Glen, murdering at least five peasants and one Lord, and attacking nearly every supply run the Duke had called for over the past year. My father had resorted to decoys and tricks in order to get simple things like food to the castle.

“No trouble then,” she said, tugging the end of my braid. “Of course we know who you are. Lady Ceana.” She made an over-exaggerated curtsy and laughed. “Looks like you’ve had a bit of a rough night, eh, Milady?”

“You seem confused,” I snapped. “You’re a rebel and you think you’re a boy at that.”

She laughed even louder. “Now who’s mixed up? You’re the one laying around in her bloomers, barefoot. You could’ve been bit by a snake, never mind falling off a cliff in the dark and fog. Lucky for you, Connell found you.”

“Connell?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“You’ll meet him soon enough.” She put a hand on her hip and squinted at me. “I’ll never understand the silly frocks you lasses wear. If you’d had on a pair of trousers and some boots you would have gotten away on your own without Connell’s help. You could’ve scaled a tree and waited till mornin’. But no, you had to have one of those binders on and all. We saw the whalebones. It’s a wonder you made it as far as you did.”

“I cannot help what is in fashion,” I say, blushing. My hubris prevented me from wanting to wear men’s clothing, but at the same time she was right on every count.

“So if someone told ye to cut off your arm for fashion’s sake, would you do it?” She rung a rag out in a barrel of water and made for my face.

I tried to dodge her, but ended up grabbing my rib in pain once again. “If my father threatened to cut off my other limbs if I didn’t? I likely would,” I answered, giving in to her.

She cleaned me off gently, and offered me some fresh clothes. “They’re not up to your standards of course, but I think you’ll find them better than what you’ve got on.”

I accepted the bundle and she nodded at a patch of trees.

“I’m to dress in the open?” I asked, appalled.

She laughed again and nodded, stoking a fire that warmed a vat of stew, which made my stomach grumble. “Suit yourself. You can stay in that rapist’s jacket with his blood all over you, or you can change and join us for lunch.”

“I see. And how long am I to be your prisoner?” I asked, making my way over to the tree she’d indicated.

“Prisoner? Lass, you were running for your life from our enemies. That makes us friends. I doubt I could get rid of you if I tried. By the way the name’s Sima by the by.”

Sima went on, stirring the pot and humming a tune while I tried my best to find a decent place to change. It did feel good to get those garments off of me, but I couldn’t help but wrinkle my nose at the Rebel uniform I’d been handed. Blue trousers and a white peasant shirt that tied at the neck. I had the bottoms on and the top over my head when a whistle came from behind. I fumbled, fighting with the shirt until it was tangled round my head, my chest exposed.

A man’s deep laughter came from beside my head as I felt large hands gently tug the shirt down off of my burning face and over my body, only to linger at my waist.

“I’d hate to have saved you from a ruffian only to lose you to a shirt, Lassie.”

The face of my captor – or savior if I were to believe the Rebel lies – was a  handsome one. Rugged and angled with bright green eyes and long raven hair that fell wildly over his broad shoulders. His skin was sun-kissed from living on the base of the mountain and I couldn’t help but glance down at his chest, bare beneath the fully open shirt that matched my own.

The devil has a handsome face to fool young women into following his ways. I had to remember that, though the touch of his calloused fingers through the thin material of the shirt made it difficult to concentrate on much of anything.

“How dare you look,” I said, unwilling to move.

“I am Connell McCriag, nice to meet you. Oh and you’re welcome.”

“For scaring the willies out of me and spying on me as I changed?”

“No. For saving your life last night and your maidenhood from the looks of it.”

“You saw that?” My face burned harder and I cursed my porcelain skin for being so obvious. He’d seen my chest twice now. But that means he also saw the wolf and must’ve chased it off.

“How did you manage it?” I asked, a bit softer now. Even if he was a fierce warrior, he still risked his life to save me. I suppose I did owe some thanks for that.

He quirked his thick eyebrows up and shot me a sly grin. “You mean not  stealing your maidenhood for myself?”

My mouth dropped open, but even I had no retort to such villainy. Instead I answered with a slap across his face.

He grabbed hold of my wrist, and moved in close. He smelled of the forest and something more. Whatever it was it made my heart beat quicken. “That’s not a polite way to treat the man who saved you. But I suppose it’s what I should expect from the Duke’s house.”

I swallowed. “As for the Duke, he can die a slow and painful death for all I care. And as for the slap, you deserved it. You were the one being crude, but what should
I
expect from a thief and a murderer?”

“Do not judge me so quickly and easily, Princess. I’ve never stolen in my life. I have killed, however, you aren’t wrong. But murder? I kill only those like the man who attacked you last night.”

“You’ve stolen from my father. Perhaps not you, but the Rebels as a whole and you are a part of them.” I realized that he’d let go of my wrist some time ago and we were still standing so close I could feel the heat emanate from his body.

“I am the Rebel leader so I suppose that would implicate my guilt. But did you ever stop to wonder if a man such as your father might have spun the truth to suit himself?”

Once again, I found myself speechless. The woods suddenly felt as though they were closing in and I slid down the side of the twisted tree to sit. Connell knelt beside me.

“The Duke believes that women are to be sheltered and kept like fragile vases. Beautiful, but replaceable with little practical use. We do not believe that. In fact, I suspect you are one of the most intelligent people I’ve met.”

“Flattery,” I whispered, still trying to come to grips with the idea that everything I’d ever known may have been a lie. Then again, why should I trust this man’s word? I wish I hadn’t fainted. I wish I could recall what had happened last night after the wolf attacked.

“Hmm. Either way I’ve already wasted my precious time enough on the daughter of my enemy.” He stood, leaving a cold breeze in his place. “Unless you’d like to join us for lunch?” He offered a hand. “No reason we cannot talk and eat.”

I stared at his hand and felt my stomach grumble again at the mere memory of Sima’s stew. But to take his hand meant I’d given in so easily.

“Even stubborn Princesses have to eat. How else will you maintain your sarcastic wit?”

Fueled by the indignation of his remark I stood, without taking his hand and strode past him, back toward camp. The sound of raucous laughter reached me at about the same moment as the delicious smell. The sound made me shudder, recalling the knights and the banquet hall just yesterday. My stomach won out, however. I reasoned that if Connell wanted me alive for whatever reason, he’d prevent the others from doing me harm.

I was surprised to find only about twenty rebels seated on the ground, eating from tin bowls. The biggest surprise was that I counted eight women among them, laughing and chatting as equals.

Connell strode past me to the pot where Sima dished out several more servings of the stew. He took his bowl and sat down, near a petite woman with blonde hair. My heart lurched and I became angry at myself for reacting that way.

I cleared my throat but Connell didn’t as much as look over at me. Was I supposed to serve myself? Hadn’t he just invited me to dine and converse? I stood awkwardly in my new clothing and held back the tears that threatened. In less than twenty-four hours I’d lost any semblance of a home.

Sima rescued me by walking over a bowl of food. “Here you go then. I suppose it’s a lot to handle, what you’ve been through. Come on and have a seat.” She took my hand and led me over to Connell and the girl who was giggling at something he said and blushing worse than I had.

I didn’t want to sit there, but Sima plopped down and tugged me down with her. I paid all my attention to my food, which was unusually spiced and quite tasty. Unless anything would have tasted so good under that circumstances.

“So you’ve deigned to eat the stolen Rebel goods?” Connell asked after my mouth was full.

The blonde tittered and I longed to strike her.

I swallowed down my spoonful and wiped at my mouth with my sleeve, due to a lack of napkins. “The way I see it, it was mine to begin with.”

They all laughed at that and I shifted uncomfortably, unsure what to do with my legs in these trousers. Nothing felt right.

“Princess, this is Keavy and you’ve met Sima.”

“Princess is neither my name nor my title. You may call me Lady Ceana.” I glared at Connell.

They all laughed again. “Nice to meet you Ceana,” Keavy said in her pretty little voice. She couldn’t have been as old as me and she was clearly so delicate. How could they expect her to fight and live the life of a rebel.

“Glad to see someone around here has some manners,” I said. I felt bad I’d judged her so harshly. I suppose I just didn’t trust the situation. Still, I had to admit it was better than being raped and beaten by Harold or his men, even if it meant expensive clothing and large home. A cage dressed as a castle, I realized suddenly.

“Are you crying again?” Connell asked, leaning forward and wiping away a tear from my cheek. “You’re going to have to toughen up if you’re going to be one of us.”

“And who, pray tell, says I’m intending on joining the rebels?” I asked, letting my tin plate fall to the ground.

“It’s the red hair,” Sima said, taking a bite. “I think it means she’s got a fiery spirit.”

I touched my hair, still mostly intact in my braid. I’d always been proud to have my mother’s deep red hair.

“It’s not like I’m a fighter,” I said, trying to reason with Connell. “Perhaps you can just find me safe passage through the forest and—”

“Oh so I’m a travel specialist now am I?” Connell asked and they once again laughed.

Something within me broke then and I laughed with them. “I suppose that did sound silly.”

Sima cocked her head and smiled. “Even if  you make it through, there’s a mountain to finish climbing and descending, love.”

So I was trapped. But was it really so bad? What if what Connell said was true and my father had set them up to look guilty when he’d been doing lord knew what.

“Connell,” I asked.

“You may call me Sir McCriag,” he answered in a high voice.

I drew a deep breath and decided to ignore his teasing. “You said my fat – I mean the Duke – had lied. I believe he’s more than capable of it, but why? What purpose does it serve him?”

Connell stopped laughing and leaned closer, green eyes sparkling. His scent reached me again and I scooted closer. “He orders the villagers to send thrice the tax limit of the king. They can barely make ends meet as it is. We simply intervene and return as much as possible to the village while keeping only what we need to survive. You can look around and see that much is true.”

I glanced at the sparse camp. It certainly explained the abundance of food and wealth available at Castle Glen despite the “intervening rebels”.

“Why not just tell the king?” I asked, scooting even closer and cutting out Keavy from the conversation.

Connell moved close, leaning on his hand so that it rested just behind my back. If he leaned in just a smidge more I could see what those lips felt like…