The Werewolf King Series

RORY

One moment, Mike was there, squeezing the life out of me, and the next, he was gone.

It took a while before my body started to breathe again, like when you hold your breath underwater and then come up gasping for air.

Only this time, it felt like I had just swam a marathon. I was so weak.

The world seemed blurry and foggy. There were still stars in my eyes, but I was alive. I could feel the tingling sensation as oxygen slowly returned to my toes after being choked.

The bruises on my wrists were aching, but at least I could still feel. Right?

Ugh, my forced positivity was making me sick. I’d just been attacked. There was no silver lining here.

My eyelids felt heavy, and I kept trying to keep them open, trying my best to stay awake, fighting the shock. I had never been in a situation like this before, and I wasn’t sure how to recover.

“Are you okay?” A deep, rich voice called out to me. He sounded worried.

When I saw his large figure approach me, I wanted to hide. The last thing I wanted right now was human contact. But, this must be the man who pulled Mike off of me.

“I-I think so,” I managed to say through my sore throat. “You got here just in time.”

Just in time. What if he hadn’t...?

No, I couldn’t think like that. I wouldn’t let myself go down that road right now. It was too fresh, too raw. I wasn’t a psychologist, but that couldn’t be healthy.

“You have no idea how long I...,” the man started to speak again, and I could see him more clearly now.

He was tall, incredibly so, and well-built. Not surprising, given I’d just seen him throw Mike off me like he was weightless.

He was wearing tailored clothes, and the blue of his dress shirt matched his eyes—eyes that seemed almost unnaturally bright. But, before I could notice anything else, a voice interrupted him.

“You,” Arya yelled, and I had never heard her sound so upset.

She looked wild as she took in the scene. Her once green eyes were locked on mine, and in this light, they looked almost black. How was that possible?

“You little whore! You couldn’t keep your hands off of him, could you?” she screamed and reached out to scratch my face.

My body was too slow to react, but thankfully, the large man stepped in to save me—again. Twice in less than ten minutes. That had to be a record, right?

“Back off, Arya. It wasn’t her fault,” he said through clenched teeth, and I wanted to know who he was to her, to speak to her so boldly.

She practically owned this place with her brother, and everyone seemed to respect her. I could have sworn I saw a maid bow to her yesterday.

“Not her fault? She probably wanted to fuck him before they were caught! Please, Darius, don’t defend her.” She lunged at me again, but he caught her mid-air as if she was a child.

“Lunge at my mate again, and I’ll have to punish you,” he growled. Actually growled! What was happening here?

The words he used registered a moment later, and while his accent was clearly American, I wondered where the Australian slang came from.

We had just met, but he was saving me for the second time, so I guessed it was okay for him to call me his friend.

“Wha-? No,” she screamed.

“Yes, Arya. And she is not the one to blame. Tell me, are you so blind that you can’t see the bruises on her neck and arms?”

I instinctively huddled down, knowing I couldn’t hide but wanting to. I felt exposed here, and more people were starting to gather.

“I-I… What are you saying, Darius?” Her voice finally lowered.

“I’m saying your mate attacked mine, and I got here just in time to save her.”

She turned to me now with tears in her eyes, but I quickly looked away. I didn’t deserve her anger, and I didn’t want her pity—if that’s what was coming next.

“Rory…,” she started, but the man interrupted her.

“Rory needs to rest. Have Caroline take her upstairs and give her a change of clothes. I don’t need to tell you that tomorrow’s ceremony is off.

“You’re lucky I left him alive,” he told what I now assumed to be his sister in a voice that could shake the walls.

I mean, who else but her brother would be giving orders like that? He clearly ran this place.

“Darius, I can take her—” she started, but he cut her off again.

“We have things to discuss, Arya, and it’s not for everyone to hear. Leave Rory alone.” His voice got louder, and she actually lowered her head a bit.

“Rory, this is Caroline. Caroline, take Rory upstairs and get her some clothes. She is my mate, so treat her accordingly,” he said to me, pointing to a nearby blonde woman.

She bowed her head even deeper than Arya had, which I found strange, but what worried me the most was this man’s outstretched hand waiting to help me up.

As kind as he’d been to defend and protect me, I wasn’t ready to be touched.

Would he get upset if I said so? I mean, it shouldn’t be surprising, and I was never a touchy-feely person to begin with.

“I-I, well…thank you,” I managed to say, the pain in my throat still discouraging me from talking too much as I used the wall to help myself up.

“You’re welcome, Rory,” the handsome stranger replied warmly, but he said my name almost in a whisper as if trying it out for himself. That was strange, wasn’t it?

“Follow me, Luna,” Caroline said, leading the way down the hallway. I managed to find the strength in my legs to trail behind her.

“My name’s Rory, not Luna.”