Hidden Park: Freeing Londyn (Hidden Park Series Book 1) Read online

  I grin at her because even though she is right, I still see the fierce youthful girl wanting to prove herself. "Easy little one, I know you can take care of yourself. I believe in and trust you, I don't trust them. We are pretty sure they kidnap women; they would probably try to keep if you, but they also know our pack would desecrate them. You will choose your mate; no one gets to choose you." I say smiling at her. Her shoulders drop; she knows that I will always protect her, and she gets frustrated with me, but she also knows I love her.

  "Fine. They can both come. They would pout like lost puppies if I left them behind anyways." I laugh because it is so true. Those two may be 24, but they usually act like they are still in high school. The "players" of the pack. I can't wait until they meet their mate, they won't know what to do with themselves.

  Unlike me, I don't date period. I messed around when I was younger, and the females in our pack have tried to pin me down to take a mate, some more aggressively than others, but I don't trust anyone but my family. I'm no monk and I'll have the whole one-night stand, sometimes with the same woman. They know the score, and I plan to keep it that way. The only way I would settle down is if I had what my parents had, a true life-mate. Life-mates are soul mates for shifters, the strongest bond you could ever have.

  "Take the pack plane, get in and get out. I want you home by tomorrow night." I demand; she has no reason to stay any longer.

  Hidden Park Pack is one of the wealthiest packs. It has been that way, for as long as I can remember. My parents always invested, and I do as well. We have old money that keeps being passed down. As my parents did, we make sure everyone in our pack is taken care of. Everyone contributes; we all take care of each other, and I make sure we are all one working unit.

  "Yes, sir!" She gives me a mock salute, as my twin pains in the asses come barreling in. "Road trip!" They yell in unison.

  "No assholes, just a short flight over and back. It's only a quick trip. You will watch her and keep her safe, got it!" They would turn it into a week-long vacation if I let them drive.

  "Such a killjoy!" Xav whines. "And before you say it, we will protect her, always! Come on baby sis let's go get this over with." They both put their arms around her shoulders and lead her out joking and laughing.

  I just shake my head hoping they can stay out of trouble for the next couple days. With those two, I never know. With all my siblings gone, I will most likely stay around the house. I need to get to work around town, talk with some pack members, see how everyone is doing and if anyone needs help with anything.

  My main job is to be Alpha, but our family also owns a restaurant in town. It’s not fancy, but it does well for a nice steakhouse. My head chef, Robert Ellis, was my father’s best friend and became a surrogate father of sorts. He taught us all how to cook and was always there for advice growing up. I should stop there for dinner tonight after making my rounds.

  As I headed out, I give a thought to the woman Sophia will be seeing tomorrow morning. How did she ever get the unfortunate luck to be mated with that asshole, Damien? Poor girl.

  Chapter 3

  Londyn

  Morning arrived well before I was ready for it. Knowing the doctor was coming today, holding the fate of my life in her hands and not even knowing it. From what Aria told me she was from a northern Montana pack; they are the strongest in the US. I wasn't a shifter, only a breeder, or so I've been told. I wished many times I could shift and rip Damien's head off, but I'm just a weak useless human that is to be beaten and raped until I breed a son and then will be killed as my usefulness will have run out.

  I'm sitting in my room, AKA prison cell, waiting anxiously to get this exam over. I hear a small knock, knowing I'm not allowed to speak unless I'm told, I don't answer. The knock is louder the second time, and then I hear his voice, "No need to knock."

  He thrusts open the door and walks in with his evil grin in place. "This is my mate, check her and let me know why she isn't breeding." I keep my head down; I can't look at him or the doctor who has arrived. I hear a gasp, "She's human!" I shrink further away. "That isn't your concern; she will breed my son, now check her." Damien growls at her.

  I hear two distinctive growls over him; I glance up just enough to see two huge wolves flanking a beautiful woman. She must be the doctor; she is tall with a slim body any model would be jealous of, dark-brown hair and what are the most expressive blue eyes I have ever seen. Like the sky after a storm.

  The two wolves are as equally beautiful. Both with the same dark-brown fur that would match the woman’s hair. I could tell they were fierce and could most likely take down Damien and probably the whole pack all on their own. I could only wish.

  "I would like to exam her alone please Mr. Johnston." The doctor says bringing me out of my musings. "Fine!" Damien snaps and walks out. A little more slowly I see the wolves stalk out behind him.

  Closing the door, the doctor speaks, "Hello, my name is Sophia Jennings." She reaches out to shake hands, and I instinctively shrink back, pulling my arms into myself. I feel bad for probably offending this doctor, but I don't want to be touched.

  "I won't hurt you, sweetie; I promise. Can I look at your face and neck?” I muster up the will to look up at her and see sympathy, pain, and anger all in her blue eyes. I quickly look down and whisper, "Why? Don't you need to just look at me...uhm...down there?"

  I hate fearing this woman; she seems nothing but kind. I haven't known kindness in so long, apart from Aria. I fear it's not real and don't want to let my guard down. She moves slowly towards me, moving her hands towards my face. I instantly freeze and squeeze my eyes shut. Shaking, waiting for the first hit to come. Then I feel her hands softly on either side of my face tipping my chin up.

  "Open your eyes, please look at me." I slowly open my eyes and see her move close to me. I barely withhold another flinch. "I want to help you, please let me. I swear; I will not hurt you." She whispers; apparently aware others will be listening. I see the sincerity in her eyes. The warmth and kindness, a look I didn't even know existed.

  "You can't help me; no one can," I mumble so quietly I'm sure she wouldn't hear. I should have known wolf hearing would pick it up. "You're not here, willingly are you?" Shit. I don't want Damien to hear me, but I want to get out; I want Aria to get out.

  I glance at the door fearful that he will hear me. Digging deep and determined to at least get Aria out, I shake my head no. I look at her and see; she wants to help; she's thinking. I motion with my hands for something to write on. Hoping she understands I don't want anyone to hear me. She reaches in her pocket and pulls out a notepad and pen and hands it to me.

  I was imprisoned 2 yrs ago. Aria is Damien's daughter, he killed her mother after she was born. He is evil. Please get her out of here somehow. Help her.

  I give the notepad back to her. She reads it quickly and snaps her head and looks at me. She writes under my note:

  What about you?

  I stop and look at her, debating what to say but go with the truth.

  I have an IUD. If I don't breed soon, he will kill me. I just want her safe, PLEASE!

  She looks at the notepad and then stuffs it in her pocket. "Can you please get undressed and lay down on the bed, so I can exam you." She says this in a normal tone as if we weren’t just passing dangerous notes.

  I do as she asks, trying to go into the place in my head that I go when Damien does what he does. "Here, let’s put the blanket over most of you. I need to exam you; I will be as gentle as possible." She moves my sheet over me to cover my chest down to above my knees.

  "I'm going to talk you through it and tell you exactly what I am doing as I do it, so you know what is coming." I close my eyes and nod my head to let her know I understand. She goes through the pelvic exam and pap smear that I haven't had in over two years since I've been here. She talks me through it; I tense occasionally, but she gets me through it without much panic and only minimal pain. It must be her excellent bedside manner. I can tell she really
takes care of her patients.

  Once she's done, she collects her tools I belatedly think, this can't be the most sterile environment. "I want to draw some blood to test as well; it won't take long." She goes through her bag fetching the necessary tools to take a few vials of blood. Still holding the sheet around my body hoping I can get dressed soon.

  After she finishes my blood draw, putting it all away in her bag. Damien bursts through the door with the twin wolves hot on his trail. "What the hell is taking so long?" He barely restrains himself. I know he's holding back so the wolves don't kill him, pity. It makes me want to smile for the first time in forever; I know better, so I just keep my head down.

  "I needed to exam her entire body; I noticed bruising in her face, neck and wrists. Any trauma can affect the ability to bear children." Damien does not like people questioning his actions, and Dr. Sophia making a comment on my battered body is a roundabout way of questioning him. "That is none of your business; this is my mate, and I will treat her as I wish. Were you able to find what is wrong with her or not?"

  Damien wants these wolves out of his pack, I can tell he doesn't like having them here. "From what I can see, there is nothing wrong with her. I can do further tests at my office back home if you would like to bring her there?" She says as if she didn’t know this man was holding me prisoner, and I were truly his mate.

  Please, please let him say he will; I know he won't, but I can only hope. "No. She doesn't need to go anywhere." Inside I deflate. The only escape I have will be death. "Of course, if that is your wish." She turns towards me with a card in her hand. "If you're ever in our area, please come to my office for a more thorough examination." I take it slowly, knowing Damien will most likely take it from me and throw it away. I drop my hands on my lap.

  "Let's head home brothers!" Dr. Sophia exclaims brightly, taking the attention away from me. Everyone turns heading out forgetting me. "I'll walk you out." Damien says gruffly. Good, maybe he will stay away for a while.

  The door slams, then I hear the tell-tale sound of the lock engaging. He's going out; he only locks the door when guards are not at my door, that happens when they all leave the area. I sigh in relief; he should be gone until hopefully tomorrow, probably hunting (women and animals) or drinking. As long as it's away from me, I don't care. I stand up to get dressed before I remember the card in my hand, he didn't take it, and she didn't tell him about the IUD. It has an address in Montana. If I can escape with Aria maybe I can get us to that address. It's nothing more than an address, but it has firmed the determination in my mind. I will get us out of here, or at least Aria, and get there. They will help her; she's a shifter like them. For the first time in two years, I have a exciting feeling in my gut, hope.

  Chapter 4

  Tristan

  After the long day of working, I was exhausted. There were a few problems around the pack, with pack homes, a couple of businesses, or with each other, it was almost never ending. I usually have the twins or Sophia helping or at least supporting me. Sophia just works in her clinic in town but likes to be among the pack as well. I was looking forward to a relaxing evening.

  Knowing Sophia, she and the twins would be returning soon, I grabbed a beer and the makings of a sandwich out of the fridge. As I take a long draw on my beer, Sophia's burst into the kitchen so loud, and fast I almost dropped my bottle, that would have sucked.

  "Tristan! We have to help her!!" Sophia was in a state. "Are you ok, what's wrong, Soph?" It panicked me that something might have happened to her at the Phoenix Pack. I grabbed her by her shoulders and looking her over then over her head as Xavier and Cole came running in as well.

  "What the fuck guys, what happened!" I was quickly losing my patience someone better talk. "Nothing happened to me, but the...the girl...Tris, we have to help them, please." Sophia was begging me. Looking down at Sophia, my heart was breaking, I have never seen her look so hurt, lost, and scared for someone else before.

  She was always compassionate and kind, but never too attached to any of her patients. Something about this girl really got to her. "Come on let's sit and talk; you all want a beer?" I offer to them all, knowing now at that neither Sophia, nor my brothers were hurt.

  "Dude, do you have anything stronger? We all will need it when you hear this shit." Xavier says seriously., which was odd, Xavier was the one that was never serious. I go to the sideboard and grab four glasses and the bottle of whiskey. I set it the glasses down, poured each of us a double shot, then sit on the couch.

  "Someone talk." For Sophia's sake, I hoped that we could help. "The girl, Damien's mate, he's holding her prisoner and from what I can tell, he beats and rapes her regularly. Apparently, he's been holding her for the past two years wanting to impregnate and have her deliver an heir before he kills her."

  I knew Damien ran the Phoenix Pack ruthlessly but, even this was pushing it. "Soph, if she is his mate, there is nothing we can do. She belongs to him. You know how mate bonds work. If we went after her that would be akin to starting a war between our pack and theirs." I wanted to make Sophia happy but, there was only so much I can do.

  "No, listen. She can breed wolves, but she's human. He also hasn't marked her as his mate. He just calls her his mate to keep others away from her." Stunned, I couldn't even formulate a response. I look to Cole and Xavier for confirmation. They would be able to smell if she was a wolf breeder.

  They both nodded their heads solemnly. "She's right Tris. We stayed in our wolf forms the entire time we were there. She smelled, different. She wasn’t marked; he kept her locked in a separate room away from the pack. There was something special about her besides just being a human breeder. He definitely didn't want us near her. You could see the bruises and smell the fear she had, and we were standing outside that room. She is so broken man." Cole looks lost in thought as he tells me this.

  Sophia interrupts his train of thoughts, "That's not all, there is also Damien's daughter, Aria. The woman I examined said I have to help her. She doesn't even want help for herself. She just said to help his daughter." She hands me a note that I read quickly. "She was too scared to say anything out loud in case someone heard. She wouldn't even tell me her name." She continues as I keep looking over the note.

  Something in the note resonates with me; I feel like she is personally calling out to me for help. "I don't know how we can get either girl out without starting a full-on war. I promise Soph; I will think about it and hopefully; we can come up with something in the next couple of days." I can't give her more than that, I want to help, but I don't know how.

  "I guess that is all I can ask. I did get a couple of vials of blood before Damien came back in. I wanted to analyze it. See what different markers there are that make her human but, also able to breed." I smile at her, even while upset she still has her mind on science. "I can come sit with you for a bit in your lab if you like?" I could tell she was still upset, and I wanted to be there for her. She smiles up at me. "Come on big brother, I think we both need the company." Finishing up our drinks, Xavier states, "We are going to head out, maybe ask around if anyone has heard anything about that pack that could help us. Possibly find a way in." I just nod my head and follow them all out.

  In Sophia's lab, she pulls the vials out of her portable cooler. As soon as she opens the first vial the smell hits me. It's like nothing I ever smelled. For a moment, I understand how vampires crave blood. However, this is different; I don't want to drink I just want to be near it.

  “That smells, uh different.” I say, confused why it smells so odd. "It smells like human blood to me but maybe with a hint of something different, but it’s not strong.” She says. Well, it’s strong to me so what is wrong with me or it.

  “Hmm, look at this. She is of a shifter blood-line.” Sophia says, distracting me. “She’s half, I think. I would have to run more DNA tests, but it looks like she’s half wolf shifter and half human. Her human parent must keep her from being able to shift but still able to breed with a shifter.
Interesting.”

  She keeps mumbling things that make no sense, cells, hemoglobin’s, goblins; I have no clue. All I’m wondering is...Where is this woman’s pack? Why has no one saved her? I voice this out lout to Sophia.

  “Tristan, I don’t think she has a pack or family. She just wanted to die. She doesn’t care about anyone but Damien’s daughter. She has nothing left to live for.” When she says that, it makes me sad. There is someone out there that doesn’t feel life is worth living. Sophia is right; we have to help her, but how?

  Chapter 5

  Londyn

  I've been pacing and thinking all day since Dr. Jennings left. Now I’m trying to sleep and all I can do is toss and turn; my mind won’t shut off. As luck would have it, Damien hasn't come back, and my door remains firmly locked. I have to get Aria out of here. I will give her the card and tell her to run; I know they will help her; they have to.

  I hear the lock turn, and I instantly freeze. No, please not again. "Londyn?" I hear Aria whisper and my body quickly relaxes. "Hey Aria." I whisper back; we have learned to always keep our voices low, never knowing who might be listening. She usually comes to me after I’ve been with Damien. Her presence always makes me feel better.

  "Can I ask you something, Londyn?" Her voice is shaking; I can barely see her face in the dark room. With no windows, I don’t have any moon light. "Of course, always, you know that," I reassure her; I want to help her without exception, not that I can do much to help her as a prisoner. At least, she has a little more freedom than me. Even being homeschooled, she's allowed to walk around the complex and shift and run with other women.

  "If I could sneak you out, and...and you ran away, could...could I go with you?" I am astounded, why would she think I wouldn't want her to? "Aria," I want her to know how serious I am. "I would under no circumstances leave this place without you. But, if you could escape, I want you to take the chance as soon as your able. I know you're a prisoner just as much as I am." I stare into her eyes, hoping I am convincing how serious I am. I want her safe. I want her away from here. She is nothing like her father; she is good and kind. I don't want her trapped in a loveless mating only to be abused as I am. Her eyes lose some of the fear, but I know there is more she is hiding.