The Falcon Ridge Series Book 4: Art of a Girl

(Chapter song ‘The Pretender’ by Foo Fighters)

SAMMY

I wake up feeling warm and covered. As the fog in my head begins to clear, I listen for the sounds of the outdoors. It’s quiet. Too quiet. I’m on my back and I flop my hand to the side. Expecting to feel grass, I feel something else.

Fabric.

I slowly open eye and try to fill in the blanks as my sight hits a small window with yellow curtains. I travel around me and see walls with flowered wallpaper. A single light on a white ceiling and I'm under warm blankets and sleeping on clean sheets on a double bed.

I rub my eye as I sit up. I look down and I'm dressed in a t-shirt that's way too big. I have socks on that are also too big and I'm bathed.

I swallow as I climb out of bed and look out the window. I'm two stories up in a house that’s white and surrounded by fields and other buildings.

"Good. You're awake!"

A man's voice causes me to yelp and spin around. I slam my hands to the window ledge and wall with panic on my face.

A man, around my age, is at the door with a tray of food and water. He has short, well-cut blonde hair, a fit body and brown eyes. His smile was a sight for sore eyes. He’s wearing a plaid shirt and jeans. He looks…normal and I internally thank God, but I can’t stay here. She feels like she’s still sleeping and I can’t risk her waking up with him in the room.

I watch him carefully set the tray down on a dresser. "I'm sorry I startled you." He glances at me and smiles again.

"Where am I?" I whisper.

"You're safe. Come. I brought you food. You must be starving." He offers me a seat on the bed and opens the legs up on the tray.

My stomach growls when I smell the food, but I don't want to move. My eyes lock on his as he picks up the tray and slowly places it on the bed. He puts his hands up as a shoe of peace and backs away.

I take little steps, then crawl onto the bed to the tray. My eyes flick to the bacon and eggs on the plate and my mouth waters. I really don’t think I should be eating his food. I don’t know who he is and things have gotten so weird lately, nothing is out of the realm of possibility. But, I'm so hungry, I cant fight it. I pick up a fork full of eggs and a strip of bacon. Once the food hits my mouth, I can't stop. I shovel the food in and barely chew before I swallow. I’m drawing in the satisfaction as the pain in stomach dies down.

"Hey." He laughs and I freeze. My mouth shrinks and I back up as he steps to the bed.

He puts his hand up. "Slow down. You'll choke." He advises as he tilts his head to me.

He takes a few more steps toward me and I quickly back off the bed, and walk backwards toward the window again.

“Just…stay calm, alright.” He stops and speaks quietly. "What's your name?"

"Sammy." I squeak.

"Sammy. That's a pretty name." He grins as he sits on the edge of the bed. He reaches out and takes some bacon. He shows it to me, then eats it himself like he’s trying to prove it’s not drugged or something.

"Where am I?" I ask again.

"Just outside Aurora." He supplies.

My stomach drops. A sickening feeling comes over me and fear fills me. I wildly look around the room, then outside the window. "Aurora? I'm in Aurora?" I turn to him with wide eyes before shaking my head quickly. “No, I-I can't be here! I can't! "

I race around the bed and run for the door, but the man grabs me around the waist.

"No, you don't!” He picks me up and holds me as I scream and kick my legs.

"LET ME GO!” I wail.

"Calm down, little girl. You're not going anywhere." He holds me tighter.

" Please! I can't be here! Let me go!" I protest as I continue to fight.

He drops me onto the end of the bed, leans down to me, and points to my nose. "I just pulled your naked, unconscious body out of the woods. You were half dead when I found you. You're not going anywhere until I know you’re alright.”

I glance around the room then back at him. “I need a phone. I have to call home. I can’t be here.”

"When you're back on your feet, you can call whoever you want. Right now, you need food and rest." He pulls the blankets back and motions me into the bed. "I'm Kurt. Kurt Morgan. You're safe here. Whatever you're afraid of won't get you here."

My fear wasn't for me, but for him and whoever else was in this house. The longer I’m here, the less I can guarantee anyone's safety but my own.

I climb under the blankets and Kurt tucks me in like I'm a lost puppy he found. "Get some sleep. I'll check up on you in a little while." He picks up the tray and walks to the door. He gives me one last look as he closes the door.

As soon as I’m sure he’s not coming back, I rip the blankets off me and rush to the window. I open it up and climb out, carefully gripping the siding and trim. My heart races as I slowly scale my way down the outside wall.

Once my feet touch dirt, I spy the woods at the front of the property and take off as fast as I can. I get to the corner of the dirt level front porch, my waist is grabbed and I’m stopped in my tracks.

" NOOO!! LET ME GO!! PLEASE!!!” I wail as I fight against the body that has me.

"SAMMY! IT'S ME! STOP!"

I kick and fight a bit more before the voice registers in my brain. I drop my feet to the ground, lean on the arms around me, pant my breath, and look over my shoulder. "Dr. Rennet?"

In the corner of my eye, he smiles as confusion fills me. "Yeah. See. You're safe now?" He loosens his arms and spins me around to face him. I won’t lie and say it’s not a relief to see him, but how?

“I don't understand. How can you be here?" I study his face looking for answers.

"I live here. Imagine my surprise when Kurt called me to tell me he found you. I'm so glad you're safe. It must have been so scary when the wolf left you naked in the woods." He says quietly as he tucks my hair behind my ear.

"Dr. Rennet. Please. I have to call Bastian. He's probably going out of his mind." I pull on his suit lapels as I beg for his help.

He grabs my hands off him. "We will, Samantha. We'll go to my house, get you some proper clothes and I'll call the Alpha. Ok? My car is right over there." He motions to a black SUV in the driveway.

I shake my head in panic. I think I felt her move. "No! I can't be here! It's too dangerous! Please. Call Bastian now!"

He grabs my arms. "Samantha! I assure you…” He holds me still and focuses my eyes on his. “No harm will come to you and I'd prefer if you were safe with me."

I stop and my jaw falls slack. “Wait. How did you know I have a wolf? I never told you that.”

He smiles. “I’m a doctor, Sam.” He turns me and leads me to his SUV. There's a driver in the front and he lets me get in the back. He sits beside me. “I figured it out.”

"Home." He barks.

As we pull out, I look at the doctor. "I'm scared. My wolf was bringing me here for a reason. I need to go my home. Far away from here. This isn’t good, Dr. Rennet.”

"You are home, Samantha." He slowly turns his head to me.

"What? What do you mean?" I cinch my brows.

"Your wolf did what I told it to. It brought you home. Brought you to me." He looks deep into my eyes as I piece the puzzle together. “By the way. Call me Chase. Chase Torrent.” He smirks with a wink and takes off his glasses.

"You… You’re the...the…" I slide across the seat and frantically grab for the door handle and try to open it. The car picks up speed and joins a two lane highway "No! You can't be!" I swing at him and he grabs my throat.

He pulls my face to his as I choke. He reaches up and removes two blue contacts from his eyes. His dark eyes stare into mine and glow red. "I am, Samantha. And you’re mine.” He growls. “You will rule by my side. We’ll destroy the Alliance and everyone in it. I will fulfill my father's dream better than that rat bastard ever could. If he was alive, I’d make him regret throwing me away for his bitch daughter.” He spits with an evil grin.

"No! I won't let you!" I choke as I try to fight him, but he reaches up and touches the side of my head.

"Sleep."

That was the last word I heard before I was thrown back into the recess of my mind. I slide to a stop on my stomach in the void and whip my head up. I see the door start to close and panic. “NOOOO!” I scramble to my feet and run to the door as it closes again. "LET ME OUT!! LET ME OUT!!" My voice echoes in the black as the pink lights shimmer around me.

‘Can she see?’

I turn to wall and stare at the image of Chase seeking my eyes on the outside. Tears fall as my mouth hangs open.

‘Yes.’

My wolf has control now and its voice sounds like mine but deeper.

Chase grins. ‘You'll see Samantha. You'll rule by my side either by choice, or by force.’

A growl comes from the dark and I spin around. Sharp claws and teeth lunge for me. I throw up my hands as I’m knocked to my back and violently dragged into the dark recesses of my mind by the beast.

“HHEELLLPPPP MEEEE!!”

I'm cut off from the outside world.

"BASTIAN!!!"