Page 10 of Bound

“Now, now, no crying in my lab, zero zero three.” He moves to his workbench and grabs something, turning back with anexcited gleam in his eyes. I try not to react to seeing the knife in his hand as he turns it back and forth, eyeing my body as he starts to grin.

“I think today we start the next phase of testing.” Before I can react, he raises the knife and plunges it deep into my chest.

I wake with an internal jolt, but my body barely reacts. I take a moment to ground myself in the present, letting that nightmare of a memory fade from my mind as I try to recall the last thing I remember before falling asleep.

I escaped!I ran for weeks, then I found a cave to crash in. Then… I had dreams of wolves and humans touching me gently, which is very different from my usual nightmares.

My nose twitches at the smell of raw meat. My heart drops in panic.No! They’ve caught up to me!

I try to calm my breathing, not wanting to freak out just yet, as I try to assess my body. When I finally manage to take a deep breath, I realize I can no longer feel the muzzle.

I quietly sniff the air, and the smell of raw meat is so strong, as if it’s right in front of me. I try to see what else I can smell and realize there’s someone else here. Another wolf… More than one. Are they shifters or wild wolves? I’ve never come across either, outside of my family, so I’m unsure.

Concentrating on the sounds around me, I hear the shuffle of feet, making me panic. Who else is in my cell with me? Are those feet or paws?

In the distance, I hear birds chirping and the crackling of a fire. A small amount of tension leaves my body as I realize I must still be in the cave.

My stomach rumbles, and I know I can’t feign sleep much longer. I need to face whatever is in front of me, as terrifying as that is. What if I open my eyes and Dr. J is waiting for me? I squeeze my eyes shut tighter.

I can’t go back there.

I would have killed myself years ago if it were possible. Iwon’t be able to handle going back there again. A tear trickles down my cheek as I try to calm myself.

Something gently touches my head, and my eyes shoot open.

I stare into a pair of beautiful green eyes, so vivid they almost glow in the dim light of the cave.

Kneeling before me is the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen, his presence stealing the air from my lungs. He pulls his hand away from me as I slowly lift my head and stare up at him.

His long brown hair is tied in a loose knot on top of his head, a few strands falling free to brush against his sharp cheekbones. His beard is short, barely more than a dark roughness along his jawline. He’s wearing a tight henley with the sleeves pushed up, showing off his strong shoulders that taper into a lean yet muscular frame, and though he looks powerful, there’s something unexpectedly gentle about the way he holds himself.

His green eyes look concerned as they stare down at me.

“Hi, sweetheart. I’m Maddox.” His voice is deep but steady, carrying a warmth that feels more protective than threatening. The endearment makes my chest tighten. It’s been so long since anyone spoke to me like that. Is he the one who removed my muzzle? “You must be hungry.”

My nose twitches, and his scent floods my nose. He smells of cedar layered with leather and faint ash, like embers cooling in the dark. His scent feels heavy, powerful, and commanding. It unsettles me but draws me closer at the same time, like standing too close to a fire I’m not sure won’t burn me.

“There’s some fresh meat here for you.”

I follow his thick tattooed arm to where he points to the meat that’s sitting on a large leaf beside me. Seeing raw meat like that makes me recoil. It’s too much like being fed in my cell, andI want nothing to do with it. I’d rather starve. I back away from the meat and Maddox, sitting up and pressing my back against the cave wall as I stare at him with wide eyes.

He holds up his hands, palms toward me, obviously trying to stop me from freaking out. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Yeah, right.I’m not going to believe him blindly. It’s been a really long time since I met someone who was nice for no reason. People always want something in return. Especially men.

In my early days of being captured, some of the guards would speak sweetly to me and bring me treats. But I quickly learned they wanted something in return for it. They were worse than the men who were straight-up mean, because at least you knew what they wanted from you.

I watch Maddox warily and wait to see what he does next. Will he strike out at my refusal to eat? Will he yell at me?

Slowly, he lowers one hand and points to the meat again, and I turn my head away so I don’t have to look at it. I keep his face in my peripheral view and see him frown. He doesn’t like that. I swallow nervously.

“She doesn’t seem to want to eat it.”

As he speaks, I realize we aren’t alone. My head slowly turns to the side, where two wolves and two more men are all staring at me. I suck in a sharp intake of breath at seeing so many men here.

The two wolves lying down are almost identical shades of gray and brown, but I can see small differences between them. One has a small white tuft on his chest. He tilts his head as I look at him.

I notice one of the men standing with them is frowning at me. His black hair is longer on top, flopping to one side and shaved at the sides, with a thin line etched through part of hiseyebrow. His bright blue eyes are sharp, almost piercing, like he’s trying to look straight into my soul. There’s something about his appearance that makes me think he might have some Asian ancestry. Those features make his gaze more intense.