The Alien's Captive by Ruth Anne Scott Read Free Book Online Page B

and I’m going to bed. Come on.”
    Penelope Ann tugged her arm out of his grasp. “I’ll be there in a minute. You go ahead.”
    He disappeared into their bedroom. Anna straightened her sleeping roll on the couch and pretended not to notice Penelope Ann hovering behind her. She sat down on the blanket and kicked off her shoes.
    Penelope Ann sat down next to her. “Don’t take his words to heart, Anna. You know you’re as much a part of this faction as anybody. You’re as Avitras as I am.”
    “I’m not Avitras,” Anna told her. “I won’t be Avitras with him as Alpha. You should wonder at yourself, too. I thought you were better than that, Penelope Ann.”
    Penelope Ann looked down at her hands. “I’ve never seen Aquilla like this. He’s always been strong and steady. That’s the man I fell in love with.”
    Anna looked up at her. “Can’t you talk some sense into him? He won’t listen to anybody—not even Piwaka. Maybe he’ll listen to you.”
    “He told me when we first met that he couldn’t forget the Ursidreans killed his brother,” Penelope Ann replied. “I didn’t know this burning hatred ate him up inside. He kept it hidden all this time.”
    Anna touched her hand. “Talk to him. You’re the only one who can. Maybe if you tell him this isn’t the man you fell in love with, he’ll realize he’s crossed a line within himself. Maybe he’ll come back from the edge and realize he’s putting all our lives at risk.”
    “You don’t understand,” Penelope Ann replied. “I love him. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love him. I could never do anything to cross him.”
    “You can’t put your love for Aquilla ahead of what’s right,” Anna told her. “Would you risk sending your whole faction to war, just to satisfy Aquilla’s lust for revenge?”
    Penelope Ann brushed a stray wisp of golden hair out of her eyes. “It isn’t as simple as that.”
    Anna smacked her lips and went back to arranging her sleeping roll. “I’m tired of all the excuses. We both know this is wrong, and I won’t go along with it.”
    She brushed an invisible speck off her sleeping roll and flipped back the top layer. Penelope Ann stared down at it. Anna forgot she’d hidden the egg shells there. She closed her eyes as tight as she could, but they didn’t go away. They were still there when she opened them.
    “What’s this?” Penelope Ann asked.
    Anna sighed. “They’re egg shells.”
    Penelope Ann frowned. “Where did they come from?”
    Anna squared her shoulders. “They came from the stream. They’re skidhopper eggs.”
    “I can see that, but why are they in your sleeping roll?” Penelope Ann furrowed her brow. “You haven’t been sneaking eggs, have you? You know the Avitras don’t eat anything that came from animals.”
    Anna smacked her lips. “How many times do I have to tell you? I’m not Avitras. I never will be. I would give anything for a cheese omelet right now. Don’t tell me you’re feeling your best on this diet of rabbit food.”
    Penelope Ann’s eyes shot open. “How can you say that? The Avitras diet is the cleanest, most wholesome diet I’ve ever eaten in my life.”
    Anna shot her a wry grin. “Come on, Penelope Ann. There’s no one here but you and me. You can tell me the truth. Don’t you dream at night about a nice rib-eye steak, seared medium rare, with a side of creamy mashed potatoes dripping with butter? Don’t you dream about a roast chicken with cornbread stuffing and gravy?”
    Penelope Ann clamped her eyes shut and covered her ears. “Stop it.”
    Anna nodded. “I thought so.”
    Penelope Ann peeked at her. “That’s not reason to go sneaking skidhopper eggs and hiding them in your sleeping roll. What if the Avitras found out?”
    “I don’t care if they find out,” Anna replied. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m going back to the Lycaon.”
    “You can’t do that!” Penelope Ann exclaimed.
    “I can, and I will,” Anna replied. “I made a