The Luna’s Choice by Kat Silver

Chapter 124: Ayla

My wrists and shoulders stung. My head was pounding as I tried to open my eyes. Someone had stripped me down to my undergarments. I could feel my thighs touching cold stone and something hard against my back. The smell of wolfsbane burned my nostrils, but it was almost better than the fowl smell filling the rest of the room.

I finally pried my eyes open, lifting my head as my vision focused.

I was in a dimly lit large room with a high ceiling. It was too dark to see how high it went, but there was enough light to see the body that hung from it. I gasped at the gruesome scene. Bile rose in my throat as I recognized the tattoo on the forearm.

It was Conner Elkins. What was left of him.

“Ayla,” a terrified voice called.

I turned to see Kylee and Ma. They were locked up in a cage on the other side of the room.

“Kylee. Ma,” I croaked, wincing as I moved.

I managed to look up. My arms were tied over my head by thick, tight ropes. From the smell and the sting, they must have been soaked in wolfsbane. It was seeping into my bloodstream through the raw open sores on my wrists.

“Kylee,” I said hoarsely, “how long have I been out?”

“Over two days,” she said, tears running down her face.

“Are you hurt? Ma doesn’t look too good,” I said, hearing her writhe in

the cage next to Kylee.

“I’m okay,” Kylee replied. “Ma’s struggling. We’ve been here for four or five days now.”

Shit.

“She’s going through withdrawal, Kylee,” I told her.

“I know,” she said softly. She had finally accepted Ma’s addiction.

have water?”

said. “I’ve been giving her as

”

replied. “If she starts seizing,

for any weakness in the ropes. I was tied against a wooden post with a metal ring fixed on it.

familiar voice echoed

footsteps coming toward me through the dark. A wave of shock ran through me when he came into the light.

***

Theo

took over

volatile as it was. For this

into this wolf before me.

on Lennix. He was smaller and leaner than us. Kieran almost relished how easy it

he wouldn’t get

between us, stopping

in my head.

he didn’t have Ayla. Kieran growled one more time before relinquishing control, allowing

the fuck is he doing here?”

firmly. “You need all the help you

and handed me a

said. “Now’s

the shorts on and went back to the table.

But I think I know what he’s using to mask his scent.” She pulled a labeled spray bottle out.

would he get it?” I

“I don’t know of it being commercially available, but it may not be too hard. He’s not using this specifically. This stuff doesn’t eliminate our scent

large enough concentrations, but the user would

does this help us?” Kingston

stalker’s messages with her and she pulled a couple out of their evidence bag. “Something about these bothered me. I studied handwriting analysis in school.

last statement