Free Sherry's Wolf by Maddy Barone

broken three months before. But she was glad to sit down, since her legs still felt like jelly. She had left her cane behind at the Plane Women’s House, since she didn’t think she would need it for a leisurely horseback ride. “I’m good. Whose house is this?”
    Stag shrugged evasively. “A friend’s.”
    “Where is he? He must be around; the fire is burning and the house is warm. Does he mind that we’ve just barged in?”
    Stag sat in the other chair and looked into her eyes. “He’s not around. We have the place to ourselves for a week.”
    “Oh, that’s ni … A week?”
    Stag nodded solemnly. “We need some time to get to know each other without anyone bothering us. We’ll stay here for the next week.”
    “ A week ?” Something in her throat ballooned, cutting off her breath. “Do you mean stay here for a week? In this house? By ourselves? Alone ?”
    He nodded, watching her with an odd look on his face, like a naughty little boy who knew he was in trouble but hoping he could talk his way out of a spanking.
    “I’m supposed to be in the kitchen tonight!”
    “Des is taking care of it.”
    That’s what he said this morning when he invited her to go for a ride. “Oh. My. God !” She jumped out of the chair, her jelly legs forgotten until she stumbled and almost went down. She jerked away from Stag’s steadying hands. “Don’t touch me! Did you plan this? We weren’t just wandering around out there, were we? You brought us right here on purpose!”
    “Yeah. We need some time alone.”
    She backed so close to the fireplace she felt a spark land on her. She jerked forward, and when Stag stood and reached for her she stepped to the side, holding her hands out to warn him off.
    “Don’t touch me! You lied!” She couldn’t believe he had practically kidnapped her. “I want to go back. Now.”
    He folded his arms across his chest. “No.”
    “What?” When had Stag ever told her no? When had he ever refused to give her what she asked for? “I want to go back,” she insisted.
    “No,” he said again, mildly, firmly.
    Sherry stared, stunned. “But you have to. It’s too dangerous out here. Anyone could find us and kidnap me!”
    She searched his face for some sign that he would give in. She found none in his calm, unyielding expression.
    “Oh, wait,” she snorted disdainfully. “Someone already has.”
    Stag unfolded his arms, drawing her attention to his bare, perfectly sculpted chest. “The house is being guarded by Taye’s Pack. You’re safe here.”
    “Reeeeally.” The sarcasm she’d used all her life to defend herself burst into full bloom. “Safe from what? Huh? Safe from you ? From where I’m sitting, that’s not what it looks like, boyfriend.”
    Stag’s shoulders stiffened. “I won’t hurt you.”
    “Reeeeally,” she repeated. It wasn’t a question; she loaded all the insulting doubt she could muster into the word. “Then take me back right now.”
    He crossed his arms over his chest again. “No.”
    Sherry mimicked his arms-crossed-over-the-chest pose, anger clenching her muscles tight. “What have I ever done to make you treat me like this?”
    He ticked reasons off on his fingers. “When I first claimed you, you called me a monster. In the Clan’s camp you refused to even look at me. You refused to talk to me. When I brought you to Taye’s den to live with his Pack, you refused to stay there. At Christmas you demanded I give you time to see the counselors and promised you would talk to me afterward. But when I returned, you demanded more time. You are going to keep your promise, Sherry. We have a week to talk and get to know each other better.”
    “Talk? Just talk?” Sherry was careful not to look at the only bed in the place. “I’ll go crazy with nothing to do.”
    He nodded to the chest of drawers by the bed. “I had them pack your knitting.”
    Tears threatened. “How can you do this? I want to go back. If I scream for help the wolves will