Silenced: Book 1 of the Bound Trilogy

~Devin’s POV~

Twenty minutes later, we pulled into my drive. I looked out the windshield to my home. I loved this house. I had built it myself and I hoped to one day bring my mate here. I built everything with her in mind while keeping it the way I wanted it.

The entire structure is made out of logs that Jack and I had cut down ourselves, and the lower level is made with stones. There were was a wraparound porch that went all the way around the second floor of the house. The front of the second floor was mostly glass and you could see into the living room and the loft at the back of the second floor. The main floor had an entrance under the stairs to the second level, and was shaped in a sort of octagon. The second and third level held the living room and bedrooms. The main floor contained the kitchen, a game room, and a laundry room. Overall, the effect of the peak roof, the wrap around balcony on stilts, and the stone first level, all surrounded by the forest was…Home.

I just hope that Leah would like living here. I still need to talk to her about us but I didn’t want to push her into anything.

When the car came to a stop Jack jumped out while I waited for Leah to give me a sign that she was ready to get out and explore her new home. She turned her head and gave me a small smile. I squeezed her hand, hopped out of the car, and made my way to her door. Opening it, I took her hand and helped her jump out.

I watched mesmerized as she took a deep breath of the air around us and exhale slowly. I could tell that her wolf was happy to be out in the open air and near the woods.

Thinking about her wolf made me realize that she had not shifted since my car hit her, and who knows how long it was before that.

“Leah,” I said aloud, “do you want to go for a run later?”

She tilted her head and gave me a questioning look. ‘Run?’ Her words flowing into my mind.

“Do you want to shift into your wolf and go for a run in the woods with me later?” I clarified.

I could tell that she was talking to her wolf as her eyes became distant and she stood absolutely still. We stood there for no more than a minute but it seemed longer to me when her eyes refocused on me and a small smile played on her lips. ‘My wolf wants to go for a run. But not later. She says she would like to go now as it has been too long since she has been let out.’

I smiled back at her and turned to let Jack know that we were going for a run and to see if he would want to join us. When I looked toward the house, I noticed he had already gone inside. Knowing him, he was raiding the refrigerator of whatever was left by the women of the pack. Most of the older women didn’t think I knew how to cook and feed myself so they would drop off casseroles and other goodies for me to eat. I usually let Jack take whatever he wanted as he was over here more than he was at his own home.

Sending him a message thru the pack link, I let him know that we were going for a short run before we headed in and to make himself at home. What I got back in return was a grumbled ‘Yeah, yeah’. Chuckling, I took Leah’s hand and pulled her around to the back of the house.

The back was on a slope leading down to the forest and made it easier to see if anyone was coming from that direction. Walking slowly down the slope to make sure Leah didn’t fall we made our way to the tree line.

I let go of her hand and headed behind a nearby tree to take off my clothes and shift into my dark as night black wolf.

When I came back out from behind the tree, I noticed that Leah was still standing where I had left her.

‘What’s wrong love?’ I sent to her through the link she had established.

I saw her tilt her head and then her words floated into my head. ‘Why did you go behind there?’

I stood stock-still. Then I couldn’t help it. I let started to laugh, and coming from the mouth of a wolf was not normal. It came out more as a snorting cough.

Letting the humor seep through our connection I said, ‘Because I didn’t think you would want to see me naked just yet, love.’

A beautiful pink blush stained her cheeks as she took in what I said. Chuckling some more I told her to go behind one of the trees and take her clothes off so she can shift. I don’t know if she remembers how but I’m sure, her wolf will talk her through it.

Sure enough, a few seconds later a beautiful white and silver wolf stepped from behind a nearby tree. Again, I stood still. I tried to catch by breath as she had taken it away.

Leah was beautiful in her human form in a fragile ethereal way. In wolf form, she was magnificent. You could see the scar over her left eye. She had received that injury before she ran into the road and the only way to get a scar was to be cut by silver or another wolf. I did not want to think about that right now so I just looked at her. Taking in her beauty. She stood tall and proud at five foot one. I stood almost a foot taller at six feet. Her wonderful pale brown eyes were golden in her wolf form. She was everything that was grace and elegance in a wolf and I wanted to bow down to her beauty. Instead, I shook my large head and yipped at her playfully.

Leah returned this with a wolfy grin, turned and ran into the woods. Letting out a playful howl I took chase.

We had been running for only fifteen minutes when I felt panic start to roll off her. I tried to connect through our link but she had me blocked. I sped up so that I could catch her and find out what was going on but she sped up.

I did not know what was happening so I just followed.

~Leah’s POV~

When we got to Devin’s home, it was beautiful. I don’t think I have ever seen anything like it before. Well without my memory who knows if I have or not, but it was still beautiful. When we got out of the car and I took that first whiff of fresh air, my wolf started to go crazy inside me.

I was thankful when Devin suggested going for a run. Even though, I had to ask my wolf what he was talking about. When she explained, I agreed that it would be fun so I told him yes. He took my hand and led us around the house and he went behind one of the things that towered over the house. My wolf told me it was a tree and that we would be running through a lot of them. I could feel her jumping and fidgeting inside of me.

When Devin stepped out as his wolf, I was breathless. To distract myself I asked why he went behind there. When he told me, it was so I would not see him naked a funny feeling started inside of me. I felt warm and tingly, and something funny was happening inside my stomach. I heard him chuckle which sounded weird coming from a wolf and did as he said changing behind a tree. I again had to ask my wolf how to do this. I was beginning to feel stupid and frustrated. Having to ask what everything is and how to do things was getting annoying. I hope I get my memory back soon so I can, hopefully, stop acting like an idiot.

Once in wolf form I stepped from behind the tree and looked at Devin. I saw him standing there staring at me. I did not know what he was doing so I just tilted my head and watched him. My wolf was urging me to go to him and rub on him, but I did not know how he would take that so I just stayed where I was. When he yipped at me, I gave him a wolfy grin and took off into the woods.

I do not think I have ever felt this free before. I heard his playful howl as my wolf and I dodged trees and low hanging branches. I sped up enjoying the feel of the wind in my fur and all the wonderful scents wafting towards me. I could smell the trees, the dirt, and even water running several hundred yards away. It was amazing and I did not want it to end.

I do not know how long we were running for when I suddenly became uneasy. I kept getting this feeling that I was being chased and that I needed to get away. I felt the panic well up inside of me and without a second thought, I took off faster.

All I could think was to run. To get away from what was chasing me. To find safety. I felt something brush my mind but I pushed it away and kept on running. I know my wolf was telling me that everything was ok and to calm down but the panic had taken over.

I did not know what I was doing except to try to escape whatever was behind me.