by Liv Brywood
Lucian said, “I’m going with you.”
“No, I need you to organize the pack. I’m leaving now. I can’t stand around waiting for teams to form while she’s out there with him.”
“Okay. Go.”
Nosh raced toward the entrance but when he got outside he stopped. He needed to shift so he could scent Gwen. She hadn’t traveled as extensively as Mazus so her scent would be easier to track. His ribs still hurt from fighting Mazus, but he had no choice. If he had any hope of finding her, he needed a wolf’s senses.
He took a deep breath and released it in a long whoosh. He summoned the animalistic side of himself. The bones in his back cracked and searing pain radiated down his legs. He dropped to the floor and writhed as the muscles condensed in his arms and legs to form paws. Fur sprouted and grew to cover his body. His nose elongated into a snout. He panted as the last few cells in his body morphed into wolf.
A wild howl burst from deep within his throat. He threw back his head and released all the pain and tension in a long, keening cry.
He pawed the ground in an attempt to draw up her scent. It was all around him, curling into his nostrils and swirling into his lungs. He’d have to follow the trails leading away from the den in order to find her.
After trotting through the gate and through the narrow granite-lined path, he turned toward the stream. On the off chance that she wasn’t with Mazus, he wanted to start his search at the only place she’d go to in the middle of the night.
Her scent glided across the ground near the stream but it was old, not strong enough to be recent. He trotted in a circle while trying to decide which way to run. Which way would Mazus have headed?
There were countless small caves in the mountain but no one lived in any of them. Mazus wouldn’t risk going into the other pack’s territories. So where would he go?
As the seconds ticked by, his heart pounded in his chest. What if he couldn’t find her? What was that bastard doing to her right now? Was she even alive?
He snarled. If Mazus had so much as touched a single inch of her, he’d kill him. Without anything to go on, he raced through the forest in a desperate attempt to locate a fresh scent trail.
***
Gwen couldn’t stop shaking. As she fought to overcome her terror, she pictured Nosh. His soft almond-shaped eyes and long black hair gave her the will to fight. She wasn’t going to sit around and wait to be rescued.
Mazus paced back and forth in front of the cave’s entrance. If she could catch him off guard, she could shove him off the ledge and escape. But every few feet, he’d stop and turn to stare at her. His gaze raked across her body, sending shivers of revulsion down her spine. So far, he’d left her alone. But for how long?
She sucked in a breath and blew it out. If she had any hope of being free, she needed to stay calm. That had been Nosh’s number one self-defense tip. If she hadn’t been so stubborn, she could have had an extra day of training, but she’d foolishly turned her back on him. He’d left her then, but she knew he wouldn’t abandon her now. He’d come for her. He’d save her. But would he get here in time?
That sliver of doubt forced her to take action. She watched Mazus slink around the corner toward the mountain trail. If she could get past him, she'd run like hell to get away.
She slid off the bed and tread as quietly as possible. Her footsteps barely sounded against the earth. Even if she couldn’t match him in strength, she’d have the element of surprise and that might be enough to save her.
At the entrance to the cave, she leaned out to peer around the corner. Mazus wasn’t in sight. She had no idea where he’d gone but didn’t care. Now was her chance.
She bolted down the trail and past the first set of trees. When she turned to take the upper path, she skidded to a stop. Mazus stood in the center of the trail with his arms crossed over his chest.
“I figured you’d try to escape, but I’m impressed. I thought you would have waited a bit longer.”
She screamed as he raced forward. He slapped her so hard that she went reeling. She landed on her butt hard enough to bruise her tailbone. A cry of rage burst from her lips. How dare he hit her! She’d be dammed if she’d go down without a fight.
As she scrambled to her feet, an amused smile spread across his face. “Feisty. I’ll have to thank Nosh for turning you into a little firecracker.”
“Screw you.”
“Oh, you will.” He flashed a lecherous grin.
She caught his insinuation. He’d have to kill her before she’d ever let him violate her. No man would ever get the chance to hurt her the way Zane had. She’d fight to the death to stop him.
Mazus sauntered toward her. “You look mad enough to kill.”
“Stay back.”
“Or what?”
He charged forward and punched toward her face. She ducked to one side. The blow landed on her shoulder, spinning her around in a half-circle.
She quickly turned and threw up her arm to block the next strike. His fist connected with her elbow. A knife of pain shot up the nerves in her arm. She wailed.
He slapped her and grabbed her by the hair. “Let’s go bitch.”
As he dragged her toward the den, she punched his ribs.
He snickered. “I hope you fight this hard when I’m fucking you.”
She clawed at his hands but he wouldn’t release her. The closer they got to the den, the more she panicked. In a final desperate attempt to get free, she jabbed two fingers in his eye.
He hollered, “Bitch!”
The second he released his grip, she tried to run. But he reacted instantly and kicked her in the back. She plunged forward toward the edge of the precipice. After landing face down, she pushed up but he was on top of her. Terror streaked through every cell in her body like wildfire. Not again. She couldn’t go through it again. She’d rather be dead.
Mazus flipped her onto her back. The dark rage in his eyes signaled his intent. She shot her knee up in an attempt to hit his cock but missed. She tried to claw his face, but he grabbed her hands and pinned them overhead. With a feral snarl he kneed her thighs apart.
She screamed.
***
A cry born of pure agony assaulted Nosh. Still in wolf form, he raced toward the screaming woman.
Gwen.
Oh God.
No.
He skidded onto the ledge to find Mazus hovering over her. From the position of their bodies, he knew Mazus had been only seconds away from raping her. Fury unlike anything he’d ever experienced in his life engulfed him. In a fit of pure rage, he surged forward and knocked Mazus off of her. She scrambled away into the safety of the den.
He growled. The low, menacing tone echoed down the mountain.
Mazus held up his hands. “I’m not shifted. It’s not a fair fight.”
Nosh snarled.
Mazus said, “One of us has to shift.”
Nosh didn’t trust him for a second. If he tried to shift, Mazus would be on him in a second. No, it would be better if he let Mazus shift.
Nosh backed up a step before jerking his snout up.
The man laughed. “Don’t trust me?”
Nosh growled. He stood in front of the only path off the ledge. Mazus would never be able to get past him as a human.
As Mazus shifted into his wolf form, Nosh could have lunged forward and knocked him off the ledge. But he didn’t fight dirty, even with someone as evil as Mazus.
The second Mazus assumed his wolf form, Nosh attacked. He leapt onto the other wolf’s back and sunk his teeth into his jet-black fur. Mazus snarled and violently shook Nosh off. For a second, Nosh went airborne. He landed on his feet but one of his back paws slid off the ledge. He quickly pulled it back but not before a flurry of loose pebbles tumbled over the edge.
Mazus slinked low across the ground. He walked back and forth giving no indication of when he’d strike.
Nosh went on the offensive. He faked left then slammed into the left side of Mazus’s body.
The other wolf skidded toward the edge but stopped just short. Nosh just needed to give him a little push and he’d fall to his death.
Mazus’s eyes sparkled the same blood red as the snake from the dream. Dark shadows etched deep grooves along his jowls as if he’d been possessed by pure evil. The transformation stunned Nosh for the split second that it took Mazus to lunge forward.
Nosh slammed against the rock face. With the wind knocked out of him, he wasn’t able to dodge another body slam. The second hit smashed his head against a jutting stone. Shockwaves of torment electrified his brain and for a second, he couldn’t move.
Mazus’s jaw closed around the back of Nosh’s neck. The wolf dragged Nosh closer and closer to the edge. Nosh couldn’t make his limbs move. He was inches away from death and utterly helpless.
A flurry of movement came out of nowhere to knock Mazus loose. Nosh struggled to get his paws under him. As he stood on shaky legs, he watched in horror as Gwen leapt onto Mazus. Gwen had shifted into her wolf form. She’d locked her jaw around Mazus’s leg. The trapped wolf kicked and tried to get away.
When he finally broke free, Gwen hurled her body forward and the two went tumbling toward the edge. In slow motion, Nosh rushed forward to grab a mouthful of Gwen’s hip. His teeth sunk into her flesh but didn’t stop her from pitching over the edge.
A long cry followed by a sickening thud sounded from down the mountain. Nosh used every last ounce of strength to pull Gwen back onto the ledge. When she was safe, Nosh walked to the edge and peered over. About halfway down the mountain, Mazus lay with his neck twisted at an unnatural angle. He stared up at Nosh with vacant eyes. Mazus was dead.
Behind him, Gwen shifted to her human form. She gingerly touched the gash in her hip before running to hug him.
“I thought I was going to lose you,” she cried.
Nosh rubbed his snout against her skin and inhaled her scent. The scent of his mate.
***
After Nosh shifted back to his human form, Gwen rushed forward. She wrapped her arms around his sweat-drenched body. She’d come so close to losing him.
“Shh,” Nosh whispered as he clung to her.
She didn’t realize she was sobbing until she started to choke between sobs.
Nosh held her out in front of him. “Did he…”
“No,” she said.
“Thank God.”
“I tried to fight back but he was too strong.”
“But you fought back. You defeated him and now he’ll never be able to hurt you again.”
She dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands. “I had to. I had to.”
Nosh knelt in front of her. “You were defending yourself. You were defending us. You did the right thing.”
“I know. I just… I’ve never killed anyone before.”
Nosh gathered her into his arms. She welcomed his protective embrace.
“I don’t want to lose you,” she whispered.
Nosh brushed the hair from her eyes. His palms cradled her face. “Gwen, look at me.”
She did.
“I know that this is the worst possible time to be saying this, but I love you. I love your strength and your courage. I love the way you fought for me. I love that you saved my life. But it’s even more than that. I can’t imagine living my life without you. I never want to let you go.”
Gwen bawled. She’d never been so happy in her life. She couldn’t believe he loved her. But he didn’t know everything. He didn’t know that there was a strong chance that she couldn’t ever give him the family that he deserved.
Nosh said, “Why are you still crying?”
She sniffed. “I haven’t told you everything.”
“You said he didn’t hurt you.”
“Mazus didn’t, but Zane did.”
“Oh, sweetheart. We’ll take everything slow. I promise I won’t rush you.”
“It’s not that.”
He pulled her into his lap and cradled her body against his. “Talk to me.”
“I… Akila said… I’m damaged.”
“No, honey. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
“I mean, my body.”
“The scars don’t bother me.”
She groaned in frustration before blurting, “I can’t have kids.”
Nosh froze.
She rushed forward. “You’re an alpha and you need kids and I can’t give them to you but maybe I can but I don’t know—”
“Wait. Slow down.”
She took a calming breath then blew it out. “Akila said that the attack may have permanently damaged me. I probably can’t have kids. She’s not sure I can bring a baby to term.”
“Oh honey, I’m not worried about that. As long as I have you, I’ll be the happiest wolf in the world.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know…”
He tilted her chin up and gazed into her eyes. She relaxed slightly.
He whispered, “Honey, I love you. Kids or no kids.”
“Really?”
He smiled softly. “Well, we can still…”
She blushed. “We can try.”
He kissed her gently and slid his arm around her waist. As his lips brushed against hers, she melted. The fear she’d held inside for so long dissolved. She was ready to move forward with her life.
They didn’t break the kiss until shouts and pounding feet signaled the arrival of the other wolves.
Lucian was the first to reach the ledge. “You found her.”
“And Mazus,” Nosh said.
“He’s dead.”
Lucian looked at her then at Nosh. “What happened?”
“Mazus was about to kill me but Gwen shoved him over the edge.”
“I had no choice.”
Lucian said, “Of course not. He got what he deserved.”
Nosh said, “He’s about half-way down the mountain. Can you send a group to retrieve his body? I want him buried as soon as possible.”
“Will do. Do you need anything else? You guys look pretty beat up,” Lucian said.
Gwen shook her head. “We’re okay.”
“Good. We’ll celebrate later.”
Nosh grinned. “We have a lot to celebrate.”
Chapter 16
Gwen brushed her hand across her belly in an attempt to squelch her nerves. Nosh stood over the fire in the center of his room. He added another log to the flames. It had been a long day.
Lucian had left a few minutes earlier after reporting that Mazus had been buried. A quiver of guilt rattled her conscience, but she kept reminding herself that she’d had no choice but to push him.
Nosh turned to face her. Firelight cast a sensual glow across his bronzed abs. She swallowed as he approached. She’d never made love to anyone. She had no idea what to do, so when Nosh reached for her, she took his lead.
He slid onto the bed next to her and gathered her in his arms. “Are you doing okay?”
“I’m nervous.”
“Don’t be,” he whispered. “I’ll go slow and if you want me to stop, just say so. You can always say no, okay?”
She nodded.
“I love you, Gwen. With everything in my heart.”
He didn’t have to say it. Love glistened in his eyes and poured off of his skin. In her soul, she knew, without a doubt, that he was the man she’d been waiting for her entire life.
“I love you,” she murmured.
He groaned and bent to kiss her. The same soft lips she’d come to cherish moved across her mouth in a gentle, searching kiss. His belly trembled against hers. It gave her a measure of comfort to know he was nervous too.
He didn’t show it though. His hand moved with quiet intention along her jaw and down the side of her neck. He traced the line of her collar bone while sliding his tongue between her lips.
She sighed into the kiss. Every inch of her body thrilled to his touch. As his hand grazed the tops of her breasts, desire pooled hot and thick in her belly. She never knew she could be touc
hed with such reverence. A wave of regret hit her. If only he’d been her first.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You went away for a second. Stay here with me.”
“I am.”
She pushed aside the errant thoughts. She was starting to realize that regret was a wasted emotion. She couldn’t change the past, but she could do everything in her power to learn from it and move forward.
Nosh’s lips traced a trail from the edge of her mouth to her earlobe. When he nuzzled and sucked on the ultra-sensitive skin, she moaned. As his hand tenderly cupped her breast, she whimpered. The sensations overwhelmed her.
“Wait,” she whispered.
Nosh stopped but didn’t move away. His topaz eyes shimmered with flecks of gold. The look projected everything he wasn’t saying. He loved her. He respected her enough to stop when she asked him to. And for that, she’d love him for the rest of her life.
She leaned up and kissed Nosh. He tentatively brushed his thumb across her nipple. She shivered and sighed.
“You’re so soft,” he groaned.
She covered his roaming hand with hers and squeezed. “More.”
As he caressed the curve of her breast, his lips found her neck. She lay back against the pillow. He propped up on one elbow while he traced little circles across her breasts.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I’m so glad we found each other.”
“I’m glad we did too.”
He leaned over to spread kisses along her neck. When he dipped lower, she laced her fingers in his hair. Every kiss filled her with love and chased away the darkness that had been locked inside her body for so long. It was as if she was being reborn through his love.
Every touch was another step toward reclaiming her body. The persistent feeling of shame dissipated with every caress. The dirty aura which had clung to her skin for months was being washed clean with his tongue.
Tears of joy formed in the corners of her eyes. She was finally free.
Nosh’s lips captured one nipple then the other. The whole time, he kept his gaze on her face. She wanted to tell him to relax, that every time he touched her, another part of her healed. But as soon as she opened her mouth, his lips brushed across her sex.
