Legend (A Wolf Lake Novella) Read Online Free PDF Page B

to sleep. Fear and adrenalin had left her exhausted.  
    Sometime during the night, someone had brought her a blanket, slipping in and out quietly. But otherwise, the small room was empty and dark. Taking stock of herself, she realized that she was sore, her body feeling like she'd run a marathon but without the caloric burn. She was also hungry and had a desperate need to pee.  
    Standing, she walked to the alcove entrance, tentatively sticking her head out. Roland stood guard.
    "Get back inside," he growled
    "I need to go to the bathroom."
    "Too bad," Roland said, uncaring. He had been ordered to watch over the woman. Nafarius called it guard duty; Roland called it babysitting. "Get back inside."
    "Fine, I'm sure there's a corner in here that will work well."
    Roland surged to his feet, his scar blazing red with anger as he took a threatening step forward. "Mark my home and I'll tear you apart, no matter what Nafarius says."
    "What would you have me do?" Sam asked.
    "Hold it!"
    Sam stood toe to toe with Roland. He towered over her, his face set in anger, but she refused to back down. He had run her to ground, kidnapped her and now held her prisoner. She was hungry, tired and scared and she was pretty sure it was all his fault.
    "Excuse me," came a quiet female voice.
    There was a moment of silence, Roland staring down at Sam, his body filled with tension. She could practically feel him vibrating with leashed violence. Holding her ground, Sam nevertheless broke eye contact to peer around him.
    Standing behind Roland, her eyes wide, was a woman. Blonde with blue eyes and petite, she held a steaming bowl of something that smelled delicious. "Hello," Sam said, hoping that the bowl was for her.
    Roland didn't bother turning around. "Maddie, what are you doing here?"  
    "Nafarius wanted me to bring her something to eat." Maddie's eyes went from Roland to the woman and back again. As the pack's beta, there was only one other man superior in strength to Roland. Even then, the power disparity between him and Nafarius was often too close to call. The fact that this intruder stood up to their beta fascinated - and frightened - Maddie.
    Reluctantly, Roland stepped aside, permitting Maddie to pass.
    Retreating back inside, Sam watched as the woman ducked around Roland to join her.  
    "Hi," the blonde said shyly. "I'm Maddie."
    "Sam," she said, cringing as her stomach growled loudly. "Sorry."
    "Here," Maddie held out the bowl of food. "Please, eat."
    Sam sat cross-legged and dug into the stew. Rich, thick and hearty, it went a long way towards making her feel better. "Thank you," she said, using a piece of warm bread to clean the last of the stew from her bowl. "That was delicious."
    "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I made it myself," Maddie admitted.
    They sat in companionable silence for a moment, Sam wondering about the elephant in the room and whether or not to ask. Figuring she had nothing to lose, she asked, "Soooo, you're not...?" She couldn't bring herself to finish. The question itself was ludicrous, this woman likely to laugh at her.  
    "A werewolf?" Maddie finished for her. "Yep, born and bred."
    Sam checked her out, did a double take, then shook her head. "I don't believe it. There is no way," she said. "I mean, werewolves cannot possibility exist. There has got to be another explanation for what I saw...like..I'm dreaming, or lying somewhere unconscious...or, perhaps hallucinating."  
    "Would you like to see?" Maddie offered quietly.
    Sam stared at her. If she said yes and nothing happened, then she would know this was all just a dream. Some sort of mixed up message from her brain after too many years studying myths and legends. But what if...what if something did happen? What the hell would she do then?  
    When did you turn into such a chicken? Sam groaned, that voice was back and she was seriously starting to resent it. True research isn't starting with a conclusion and working backwards... She had always been so certain the