Star Cursed (Zodiac Wolves #2)(3)

Anger simmered in my gut, a familiar feeling I decided to embrace. I was going to make them pay for what they’d done. My parents might have treated me like shit, but they were still family. And Wesley? I'd loved him more than anyone else in my life, and he was dead thanks to the Leos and their allies. Sure, Jordan hadn’t been the one to deal the killing blow, but he was just as complicit in all of their deaths. He’d pay just as much as the rest of them would.

Of that, I’d make sure.





Chapter Two





Hours passed. I tried to sleep, but my mind was all too aware that I was in enemy territory and there were two guards only a few feet away at all times. Besides, I had no idea how long I'd been out after Jordan had injected me. Days, maybe. Long enough to transport me from the Ophiuchus pack lands in Canada to the Leo territory in Arizona. I touched the injection site, wondering what he'd used to knock me out. My shifter blood should have fought most drugs off, but obviously, he'd found a way to sedate me for hours at a time.

After tossing and turning on my hard cot, my body grew restless and I got up. I was used to spending most of my day fighting and training, not trapped like an animal. I started stretching to pass the time, working through each pose until I was limber and all the lingering aches and pains were gone. Then I began running through the forms Kaden had spent so much time teaching me. It wasn't the same, practicing without out him, but it helped keep my mind off of things. Like the mating ceremony Jordan had mentioned.

My body moved smoothly, and it was now second nature for me to dodge, roll, and kick. I had a sudden flashback to the first few days of training when I hadn’t been able to stay on my feet at all, and a grim sort of satisfaction went through me as I continued practicing. I’d come so far thanks to Kaden's persistence and his belief in me. I was hardly the same person Jordan had tried to kill at the Convergence.

When I was panting and dripping with sweat I stopped to take a break. It wouldn’t do any good to wear myself out too much in case Jordan suddenly came back. I sat down on my cot and went over the facts I knew in my head. The Leo pack lived in Arizona near Phoenix, but I didn't know anything else about their territory. It was currently Leo season, so they’d be stronger than any other pack until we passed into Virgo season. A huge disadvantage for me. Escape seemed impossible, and I had a brief moment of despair as I wondered if I’d ever get out of here. I pictured myself trapped here for years, withering away until I eventually succumbed to the mate bond and let Jordan claim me as his alpha female.

No, I told myself. You’ll figure a way out. You have to.

Besides, I didn't have years. I had maybe two weeks until the next full moon, that was all. If I could get outside at night, I might be able to use moonlight to escape. Until then, I’d have to bide my time and wait. Giving up wasn’t an option. I’d find a way back to Kaden. Somehow.

One of the guards brought me more water, but otherwise, no one spoke to me. I didn’t know what time it was, and it drove me a little mad not knowing if it was day or night. I closed my eyes and reached out with my senses. Day, I decided, though I had no way to tell if I was right. I waited, both dreading and hoping Jordan would return, while time trickled by at a glacial pace.

Finally, I heard someone walking down the hall again, and sat up straighter. From the pull in my gut, I knew it was Jordan before I even saw him. I steeled myself against his presence, telling myself there was nothing he could say that would make me fall for any of his bullshit. Since distance seemed to help me keep a clearer head, I backed up against the wall, as far from the door as I could possibly get.

I scowled as Jordan opened the door, but he didn’t look put off by my sour face. In fact, all he did was flash a charming smile and make a motion with his hand. Three more shifters walked inside at his command, carrying food, chairs, and a folding table. This was the largest group of shifters I’d seen since I’d woken up. I blinked, wondering what he was up to now. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

"I was hoping to have dinner with you tonight," Jordan said.

"And I was hoping to be back with my own pack, but we don't always get what we want," I replied.

Unfortunately, my stomach chose that moment to let out a loud growl. It had been many hours since I'd eaten the last meal Jordan had brought me, and I'd long burned it off with my combat practice. Traitor, I thought, looking down at my stomach.

Jordan's smile only widened at the sound, which he'd obviously heard. Fucking wolf senses. "We both know you need to eat. What difference does it make if I do it with you?"

“Fine,” I said but tried to convey just how much I didn’t want to with that single word.

If Jordan noticed my acidic tone, he didn’t acknowledge it. He gave me a cocky smile as the three shifters worked behind him, setting up the table and two chairs, then spreading out the plates and silverware. My stomach gave a quieter grumble at the sight of the food, and once again, the smell made me begin salivating. The only benefit was that my hunger made me forget the mate bond's pull just enough to make it almost bearable.

Jordan nodded to one of the guards, who stepped forward with a set of keys that jangled as he selected the right one. I took note of which key he used, a slightly bigger, brighter one, as if the locks had been replaced recently on this cell. When he let me out, I noted that the other guard stood at attention, and felt his eyes boring holes into my back.