Savage Satisfaction by Lila Dubois

forced him to his knees—as if he were a soldier at attention. He
seemed to be waiting, waiting for William’s command.
    Grandfather was right, they are savages, animals. Don’t
be fooled because they look human.
    “Christoffer,” William said, “bring her to me.”
    Christoffer’s face crumpled briefly in sadness, but then his
shoulders firmed and he turned to Mirela. She was pressed against the far wall,
horror writ upon her features as she looked at William.
    “Make this easy on me, will you?” Christoffer asked as he
reached her side.
    She babbled in Romani until Christoffer shook his head and
reminded her to speak English.
    “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You cannot keep me from the sky,” she
said, head swiveling from Christoffer to William.
    William’s heart softened. She was panicked, acting on
instinct.
    But that was what he feared most.
    A new rush of pain brought a new rush of anger—anger
combined with old grief and fear. He had to gain control over them, he would
not let the past repeat itself. He would not be his father.
    Christoffer grasped her upper arm and led her to the door of
his cell, but she jerked away.
    “You would give me to him? Traitor.” She spat in
Christoffer’s face.
    For the first time William thought more kindly of the wolf
than of the falcon. He’d been a fool blinded by her beauty.
    “Bring her to me,” he repeated.
    Christoffer, who had looked pained at her words—that is,
before she spat in his face—grabbed her arm and hauled her to the cell door.
William reached through the bars and took her arm. Mirela shrank back from him.
    He needed his other hand to unlock the door. He lifted his
palm from his face. A fresh wave of pain overtook him, nearly bringing him to
his knees. His fingers tightened their hold on her arm.
    Fumbling in his pocket for the key, he extracted it and then
unlocked the door. He released her to push it open. She tried to run but
Christoffer caught her.
    “You’ll let him take me?” she demanded.
    “Look what you did. I told you to stay calm,” Christoffer
said.
    “I can’t, not with this.” She ripped at the collar. “Didn’t
you hear him? He is controlling my falcon, your wolf. Why would you obey him?
You are angry as I.”
    “I have to obey him,” Christoffer hissed through gritted
teeth, “he’s my Alpha.”
    William lost the thread of their conversation at that
interesting point. The throbbing of his damaged face stole his attention. He
didn’t realize he was falling until strong hands caught him.
    “William,” Christoffer said, warm breath puffing against his
hair, “you need to go to the doctor. You’re hurt. You need stitches.”
    “You smell good,” he muttered, not even really knowing what
he was saying.
    “And I’d be happy to let you smell me, among other things,
but that has to be after you go to the doctor.”
    “I will deal with her first. I must. I will suffer—” He
stopped, panting, then swallowed. “I will suffer no disobedience or violence
toward me. I won’t let her be like that bitch. That bitch who almost killed,
almost killed…” William lost his thought, leaning heavily on the wolf.
    “She didn’t mean to hurt you. She’s scared.”
    Christoffer’s defense of her reignited William’s anger. He
pushed himself upright and met the wolf’s gaze. Christoffer bent his head.
William grabbed Mirela’s arm and dragged her from the cage. He pulled the door
closed and, after a pause, locked it.
    Despite Christoffer’s obedience, William didn’t yet fully
trust the wolf.
    Half dragging, half leaning on her, William took Mirela to
her cell. “I will not have disobedience from you,” he said. “I am your master.
You acknowledge this?”
    “Yes, my lord.”
    “Then you will understand why I must do this. I cannot have
you, either of you, thinking it is acceptable to be violent toward myself or
any other member of my household.”
    He pushed her into the cell and pulled the door closed. “I
had not