Savage Satisfaction by Lila Dubois Page A

planned to keep you in these cages for more than a night. They were
meant only to show you how serious I was and to protect us while you grew used
to your collars. But now…now you will remain in this cage until I say
otherwise.”
    * * * * *
    Mirela screamed and cursed in Romani.
    Christoffer was not used to this kind of stress. He lived
his life for pleasure, in all its various legal and illegal forms. Even when
he’d been sent here, it had been nothing more than another adventure. Life was
fun. Life was sex and Class-A drugs.
    The night in the forest, planning his quick escape from this
place, seemed months ago instead of only days. William was Alpha, his Alpha,
and Christoffer could not walk away or disobey. When William had ordered
Christoffer to bring Mirela to him, Christoffer had felt an overwhelming need
to obey.
    Christoffer had grown up in a strong pack and obedience to
his Alpha came as naturally to him as breathing. His life of carefree
indulgence was possible only because he knew how to obey an Alpha. His Alpha,
his father, had borne the burden of life’s troubles for all the members of his
pack. Like any father he’d huffed and puffed about Christoffer getting a job,
making his own money, but in the end the Alpha had to support each member of
his pack.
    No matter where Christoffer was in the world, he always knew
that whatever problem he encountered he could pass it on to his Alpha and
continue his carefree life until the Alpha told him what the solution was to
be.
    But now that security was crumbling. He had found a new
Alpha, but this man was not a wolf and he had no paternal lenience.
    And now that Christoffer had acknowledged William as an
Alpha there would be no escape.
    “I have to be harsh with you. I-I have to.” William
staggered, shook his head, winced, then went on. His voice was barely audible
due to Mirela’s tortured screams. “If I am not you… You will hurt her. No, you
will.” He pointed at Christoffer.
    “Who will I hurt?” Christoffer asked. William wasn’t making
sense. They were in trouble if he passed out.
    “My mother,” William whispered.
    “If you take my falcon,” Mirela said in English, “I have no
reason to live. I would rather you kill me than make me live without the sky.”
    “I will let you fly when I wish it.”
    “It is my only pleasure,” she ranted. Her hair hung in wild
tangles around her face. She looked like a gypsy witch. “It is all I love.
Without it I am lost. You want me to follow you around day and night, begging
to be allowed to fly? I would rather be dead.”
    William staggered back, his strength finally gone.
Christoffer reached through the bars and caught him by the shoulders.
Electricity raced through his fingertips where they touched William.
    With his assistance, William dropped to sit on the floor.
Christoffer knelt behind him, drawn instinctively into protection mode.
    Protect the Alpha. Protect the Alpha.
    “Perhaps I can offer you something. A gift,” William said
faintly.
    “You will remove the collar?”
    “Do not push me.” William slapped his hand on the floor. The
action was too vigorous and he had to pause to catch his breath. Christoffer
rubbed his shoulders. No Englishman should be this muscled. Focus,
Christoffer, you’re in the middle of a crisis. “I will, if I am satisfied
with your obedience after a few days, take your collar off during the day,
though you will remain locked in here.”
    Mirela looked as though she would protest. Christoffer
glared at her. The girl had a one-track mind and didn’t know to quit when she
was ahead. What did she expect? She’d just ripped open the man’s face.
    William tried to stand. Christoffer crouched, hooked his
hands under William’s arms and pulled him up.
    “You need a doctor,” Christoffer reminded him.
    “Doctor, yes…” William looked at Christoffer, who bit back a
yelp. William’s face was laid open to the bone. There was blood on his neck and
all down the right