Alyssa's Wolves (Wolf Masters, Book 4)(4)

Without a word, she followed her saviors out of the diner and climbed into the back seat of their truck. She silently prayed to herself she hadn’t just jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

“Relax,” Charles stated as he started the engine. “No one’s going to make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

Relax? Was he kidding? She’d just climbed into the back of a truck with two men she knew nothing about. She was at the mercy of whatever they wanted to do with her. How was she supposed to relax?

Alyssa looked out the window as they pulled out of the lot. Whatever happened, it couldn’t be a worse fate than what had been in store for her yesterday. She slumped down into the seat, her eyes heavy. So tired. She clutched her bag with tight fingers as though her only worldly possessions might disappear with a poof if she let go.

“We’ll just drive for a while and then grab something to eat. Is that okay?” Reese angled his head over his shoulder to question her.

She nodded. “Thank you. I really appreciate your help.” At least she could be polite.

Reese smiled. “No problem. If I had a sister your age, I’d hope someone would help her out if she was ever in the bind you clearly appear to be in. Let’s get out of here. Get some distance behind us. If you need anything, yell. You look like you could use a nap. We’ll wake you when we stop.”

Exhausted beyond measure, Alyssa finally felt safe enough to let her guard down. She slumped against the door and closed her eyes. She had no idea if one of them would decide to claim her, but at least for the moment, it didn’t seem anyone was going to force anything.

Alyssa slept the entire day and most of the night, waking only occasionally to eat and use the restroom when they stopped for gas. She barely exchanged words with her rescuers. Every mile they put behind them put her more at ease.

When the sun rose again the next day, she sat up to look at her surroundings. “Where are we? I haven’t even asked where you’re going.”

Charles glanced at her in the rearview mirror and chuckled. “I noticed. That boyfriend of yours must have really frightened you.” He obviously didn’t buy her story but also didn’t pressure her for more details.

“Yeah…” she mumbled. “He did.”

“Well, we live on a farm outside Corvallis in Oregon. You’ll love it. My parents are the kindest people I’ve ever met. Don’t worry about a thing. You’ll be welcome there for as long as you need. We’ll be there in a few hours.”

“Do you mind, um … I mean…” She bit her lip before sitting up straighter and continuing. “Would it be too much to ask for you to pretend you’re like … with me?”

“Both of us?” Reese chuckled now. She was glad to know she was so amusing.

“No. Of course not.” She shivered. “I didn’t mean … I just…”

Charles reassured her. “Don’t worry. No problem. But, for the record, no one in our family would think it was strange for you to share us. It’s kind of the norm among my brothers.”

“You share? Women?” Alyssa cringed and scooted closer to the door. God. Maybe this had been a horrible mistake. She’d just gone from a pack that shared women to a pack that shared men? Greeatt.

“Don’t look so frightened. We aren’t going to rape you.” Reese turned all the way around in the front to look at her. “We just have a tendency to share is all. Charles and I haven’t really outed ourselves to the family just yet, but if you want us to pretend you belong to us, we can do that. I’m not sure I understand quite why, but we can play along.”

Okay. Deep breaths. They seemed harmless. If they intended to take advantage of her, wouldn’t they have done so already?

“This isn’t really necessary, you know. My family won’t care what your reasons are for fleeing, but if you need time to think about it, that’s okay with us. Take all the time you want. I’m sure once you get comfortable you’ll see you don’t have to pretend.” Charles glanced her way again but kept most of his attention on the highway.

“Do you think perhaps … maybe…” How could she say what she was thinking? That she actually wanted them to claim her. Anyone would do as long as it wasn’t that greaseball Dwight Wells. If they were by chance followed from Oklahoma, it would make her life a whole lot easier if she was mated and claimed before her pack caught up with her.

Reese narrowed his gaze. “Are you asking us to claim you?”

Alyssa nodded.

“Wow, your plight is worse than I imagined.” He reached over the seat as if to touch her but then pulled back. “Let’s not jump the gun here. We don’t even know you. Maybe, in time, that could happen I suppose, but there’s no rush. You’re so young. What are you, like eighteen?”