“Day one,” she whispered to herself. “Only two more days, and I have to find a way to make sure he keeps his promise.”
Autumn turned her body, staring at the ceiling. Though she hated to admit it, there was a small part of her that still felt attracted to Jacob.
The way he stared at her with such burning intensity, his deep, resonant voice with authority, even his posture that always exuded dominance all of it brought back feelings she had long since buried.
“No,” she muttered, shaking her head. “I can’t be trapped again. He kidnapped me, for God’s sake.”
But the image of Jacob haunted her, even when she closed her eyes. The touch of his gentle yet possessive hand, the familiar masculine scent of his body, and the light kiss on her forehead that left a burning sensation all of it confused her own feelings.
Fear and attraction mixed together, creating a storm of emotions that kept Autumn from sleeping even though her body screamed with exhaustion.
Morning dawned with sunlight streaming through the blinds. Autumn woke up feeling momentarily disoriented, before the memories of her kidnapping flooded back into her mind.
She got out of bed, walked to the window, and pulled the curtains completely aside. The view before her was breathtaking pine forests stretching to the foot of the mountains, with a lake sparkling in the dawn light.
“Under different circumstances, I might have liked this place,” she whispered to herself.
A knock on the door startled her. Autumn hurried to straighten her nightclothes.
“Yes?” she called hesitantly.
The door opened, revealing a young woman whom Autumn recognized as Elise, one of Jacob’s pack omegas.
“Good morning, Miss Autumn,” Elise greeted with a friendly smile. “Alpha Jacob asked me to bring you your breakfast and help you get ready for the day.”
Elise wheeled a small cart filled with a delicious-looking breakfast pancakes with maple syrup, fresh fruit, and steaming herbal tea.
“Thank you, Elise,” Autumn said, approaching the cart. “How are you? It’s been a while.”
Elise seemed pleased that Autumn remembered her. “Yes, Miss. I… we’re all glad to have you back.”
“I didn’t come back voluntarily, Elise,” Autumn said quietly. “You know that, don’t you?”
Elise dropped her face, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. “I only did what Alpha told me to do, my lady.”
Autumn sighed. There was no point in making Elise feel guilty. “I understand. So, what are Jacob’s plans for today?”
“Alpha would like to show you around the property after breakfast. He would like you to wear casual but comfortable clothing for walking around.”
Autumn nodded, taking a cup of tea and inhaling its aroma. Earl Grey with a hint of lavender was her favorite. Of course Jacob would remember such a small detail.
"Elise," Autumn called out softly as she began gathering clothes from the closet. "Do you know what happened to the pack while I was gone? How... how was Jacob's leadership?"
Elise paused, seeming to consider her answer carefully. "It was very difficult at first, my lady. Alpha Jacob became... different after you left. More strict, less tolerant of mistakes."
She continued in a softer voice. "But lately, especially since he learned of your presence, he's changed. He's become calmer, more thoughtful in his decisions."
Autumn took in this information as she took a bite of her pancakes. "And the Barrett pack? I heard they tried to invade our territory?"
Elise nodded. "Yes, my lady. They took advantage of the situation when our pack was unstable. But Alpha Jacob managed to deal with it in..." she hesitated, "...quite drastic ways."
"How drastic, Elise?" Autumn pressed, feeling anxiety creeping in.
“He didn’t kill anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Elise replied quickly. “But he forced Alpha Barrett to sign a treaty that was very beneficial to our pack. Some say he used threats against Alpha Barrett’s family to force him.”
Autumn closed her eyes for a moment. That sounded like the Jacob she knew before she left manipulative and willing to exploit his weaknesses.
After finishing her breakfast, Autumn cleaned herself up and got dressed in the clothes Elise had picked out for her blue jeans, a light green blouse that matched her eye color, and comfortable hiking boots.
Just as she finished brushing her hair, there was another knock on the door.
“Come in,” Autumn called, already knowing who it would be.
Jacob stood in the doorway, looking fresh and handsome in a navy flannel shirt and black jeans. His usually neat black hair was now slightly messy, giving him a casual look that Autumn had rarely seen on him.
“Good morning,” Jacob greeted, his eyes sweeping over Autumn’s appearance with an appreciative glance. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Autumn replied simply, not wanting to overreact.
Jacob smiled, as if reading Autumn's awkwardness. "Ready for today's tour?"
"Do I have a choice?" Autumn asked sarcastically.
"There's always a choice, honey. You can stay in your room all day if you want," Jacob replied casually. "But I think fresh air and a nice view would be more enjoyable than staring at a wall."
Autumn sighed, acknowledging the truth of Jacob's words. "Okay, show me the place."