Chapter 16: (Elina)

Elina stared through the narrow earthen crack onto the barren snow fields, the dark shadow of the mountain stretching outward like an inky spike against the white background. The fresh scent of powdery snow lingered in her snout, the taste of freedom so close ... and yet so achingly unobtainable. She longed to be out there. She needed to be out there; anywhere but here. It wasn’t right for a Freiji to be bound like this; to be forced to see the azure skies but not run beneath them.

Sitting on her haunches as close as she could get to the opening, she flared her nostrils to just get one more sniff of the fresh air. The collar bit into her tender neck as she strained against the unseen tether that bound her, her pleading whines swallowed by the whistling wind as it mocked her.

Nothing she’d done had been able to loosen his hold on her; no thrashing would release her, nor gnawing would find purchase on the intangible cord that bound her. It sapped her strength, her will sitting like a boulder, completely unresponsive regardless of how much she strained or pleaded.

It shouldn’t be possible. It wasn’t possible. And yet, here she sat, imprisoned by a feral that grew more powerful by the day. As though draining her of her very essence, he would stare at her with those hungry eyes, devouring every speck of her will until she couldn’t even summon any paltry resistance.

He’d won. Completely. Utterly.

She was nothing.

A shiver ran down her spine, the air in the den growing oppressive as though crushed beneath the mountain itself. It was stifling, like trying to breathe in air that was far too humid. Her tail curled around her legs, her body lowering to make herself a smaller target, her ears plastered to her skull. He was back.

Elina yelped as his jaw gripped the nape of her neck like an unruly puppy’s and dragged her back to the depression that served as their bed. He didn’t even growl anymore, as though she wasn’t worth the effort. He would just drag her back and lay beside her until his mate appeared. Then he’d make Elina watch while he mounted his mate, his eyes always on Elina.

Laying flat on the bed, the soft fur nestling her comfortably, their scent all over it. It was all over her too, like they’d claimed her as some kind of trophy. No matter how she shifted, it was always there, worming its way into her brain.

With him laying beside her, his throat inches from her jaws, she couldn’t even gather the strength to bite. It was futile. Like a child throwing a tantrum, she’d no sooner be able to hurt him than lift the mountain. The few times she’d gathered the nerve to do so, he’d casually batted aside her attack. Like admonishing a pup, he’d just clamped his jaws around her neck and held her there until she’d given up. He hadn’t even growled, like it was more a chore than anything else.