by Rayna Tyler
Though I was currently frustrated from thinking about Maris, my lack of rest was a result of contemplating the new direction my relationship with Preston had taken. It had been hard to close my eyes and relax when all I could think about was him, his masterful hands, his breathtaking kisses. I was never going to be able to look at my car again without remembering the phenomenal, absolutely-best-I’d-ever-experienced orgasm he’d given me.
It left me wanting more, wanting him—in my bed.
I longed to be near him, to spend time with him, to engage in our usual playful banter. It didn’t help that I hadn’t seen him since he’d followed me home in his truck, escorted me to my room, then given me a torturous kiss before disappearing down the hall. He’d been locked away in Reese’s office, and I’d been preoccupied with assisting in the restaurant kitchen and dealing with customer-related issues.
After Preston’s meeting, I’d hoped to spend some time with him and learned he’d been called away to meet with Bryson. I’d always found that going for a run in my wolf form was a therapeutic way to relieve stress. Since I had a couple of hours before I needed to be back in the kitchen to help with lunch, I’d decided to purge the Maris issue from my mind and maybe get rid of the pesky headache at the same time.
There was still a chill in the air, and other than the sporadic places beneath the trees that never got any sunshine, most of the snow we’d gotten earlier in the week had already melted. Halfway to my intended destination, I stopped briefly to inhale the pine-laden air and let the sun’s late-morning rays wash over my wolf. She’d been exceedingly pleased and intolerably annoying now that I’d openly accepted my connection to Preston. Though I wasn’t ready to agree to a claiming, I was willing to give our relationship a chance and admit to the world that he was my mate.
I hadn’t been able to speak with Reese yet, but with Nick’s acceptance of my relationship with Preston, I had a feeling my oldest brother would also approve. I thought about the other morning when Reese walked into the kitchen and found Preston with his hands wrapped around my ankle. At the time, my brother’s lack of a reaction had shocked me. Now, under closer scrutiny, I wouldn’t be surprised if he already knew Preston was my mate. Later, once I tracked Reese down, I planned to ask him.
By the time I reached the secluded area where I normally stopped, my muscles ached and my wolf was exhausted from maintaining a steady pace. At least the dull throb in my head was gone and the stressful choke hold on my body had dissipated. The small clearing was one of my favorite places. I’d spent more than one summer sunbathing on the large flat rock located in its center without having to worry about being interrupted.
Glancing at the position of the sun, I figured I had another hour before I needed to be in the kitchen to help Abby with the lunch crowd. I decided to take a break before heading back to the lodge.
Due to some strategic marketing on my part, it hadn’t taken long for word to spread about the resorts reopening, and the restaurant was showing a steady increase in business. Not only did we draw in the resort’s guests and the occasional tourist who visited the falls, but I’d noticed an increase in the amount of locals who drove up from Ashbury.
I believed a lot of our increased business had to do with the large wooden sign Nick had handcrafted and posted on our property near the main thoroughfare to the falls. My brother was a genius when it came to taking a piece of wood and turning it into a work of art. Every time I visited his cabin, I drooled over the coffee table sitting in his living room.
Mandy and I were trying to convince him to open up a small shop and sell some of his pieces. Not that our business couldn’t afford the expenditure, but I was certain the money he’d make from the tourists alone would pay for the new house he planned to build for Mandy.
I placed my front paws on the edge of the rock slab, heard twigs snapping, and froze. Several seconds passed before I heard another snap and realized I wasn’t alone. I sniffed the air and caught the scent of a male I didn’t recognize. A male who smelled a lot like a wolf. Judging from the direction of the noise, whoever was out here had to be approaching from the hilly incline that led to a nearby ridge on my right.
This area was nowhere near the designated run for the guests, and too hard to find if you were unfamiliar with the area. Further up the hill was an old dirt road that ran the length of our property and could be used as a short cut to reach the falls. Anyone who’d grown up in this area and knew about the road was also aware that it eventually connected with the main highway between Ashbury and Hanford.
It was the same road members of our security team used to patrol the property. After finding the bear traps, Bryson had orders to check this area regularly and ensure our guests’ safety.
My heart raced, and I perked my ears, unable to shake my apprehension. Other than dense forest, there wasn’t any reason for someone to stop near this spot. Even if a person visiting the falls had gotten turned around and was lost, they wouldn’t normally stop until they saw a sign or reached the resort and got directions. I slowly dropped on all fours and focused on the ridgeline, searching for any sign of movement.
I observed a reflective glare right before I heard a whoosh and a searing pain tore through my left hind leg. Fuck. I yelped and dropped to the ground on my belly. It took a few seconds to register that someone had fired a shot at me. If I’d gotten on the rock as I’d planned, the bullet would have hit the center of my chest and I’d be dead. After I heard another zing and a piece of bark flew off a nearby tree, I realized this wasn’t an accident—someone was trying to kill me. I stayed low to the ground and inched my way between a large boulder and a towering aspen.
Hunting was illegal in this area, but it didn’t stop the occasional poacher, and it hadn’t stopped Al’s grandson from setting traps. I’d never met Eli, or had a chance to catalog his scent, but he wasn’t a shifter, so I knew he couldn’t be the shooter.
Not that it mattered, I was no match for a rifle. With an injured leg, I wouldn’t get very far. Even if I could outrun him, a hunter with any kind of experience would be able to track me from the trail of blood I’d leave behind.
The shooter also had the advantage of being up high and could easily pick me off if I decided to run. Right now, hiding behind the large boulder was the only protection available. I didn’t want to think about what would happen if the guy decided to come down the slope and finish what he’d started. All I could do was stay hidden and hope that one of our security guys passed by before he decided to come looking for me.
PRESTON
Today was the first time in months that I’d woken up without my cat riding me hard to search for Berkley, though I never needed his encouragement to want to be with her. He was still irritated with me for leaving her at the door to her room instead of bringing her to ours. He was, however, more relaxed now that I’d proclaimed my intention to make her mine—rather ours—without receiving any resistance from Berkley.
When I claimed her, and hopefully it would be soon, I planned to start by leaving my mark on her gorgeous ass. Afterward, I’d mark the base of her neck so every male she came in contact with knew she belonged to me.
From the tidbits I’d gleaned, Reese hinted that Berkley’s trust issues stemmed from their father’s abandonment and refusal to take an active role in their lives. When I combined that information with what I’d learned about Drew and Maris, it gave me a better understanding as to why she’d been reluctant to accept me as her mate. Our relationship was finally moving in a positive direction, and I’d planned to take full advantage of it.
My plans changed shortly after I got out of bed and received a call from Reese. He hadn’t been able to make it to Nina’s party, and, after speaking briefly with Nick, he was concerned about Berkley and wanted me to go over everything that happened in the bar. Our discussion led to other topics, and before I knew it, I’d spent most of the morning in his office.
I had returned to the lodge after meeting with Bryson when I saw her shi
ft into her wolf—a beautiful creature whose fur matched the chestnut shade of Berkley’s human side—then head into the forest. I’d learned by observing her from a distance that she found solace in dealing with her problems by running in her animal form.
As much as I wanted to be the one she came to for support when she was upset, I understood the need for independence, the desire to escape life’s pressures. Dealing with similar stressful situations had guided my decision to join the military.
Not that I regretted the decision. If I hadn’t served my tour, I wouldn’t have Reese’s friendship, and I certainly wouldn’t have found my mate. The latter was something I was thankful for every second of every day.
Not only was protecting Berkley part of my job, it was a responsibility that came along with being her mate. A job I’d been committed to from the time we’d connected and I knew she was meant to be mine.
My concern for her safety might have escalated into a frustrated panic if I hadn’t already known where she was going. When it came to letting her wolf run, Berkley was notoriously predictable for visiting the same place. As I had on numerous other occasions, I got one of the company jeeps and headed for her favorite clearing.
I respected her privacy, didn’t want her to be aware of my presence, and chose to stay downwind so she couldn’t scent me. It was the reason I took a short cut through the forest, suffered the jostling ride along a narrow, rutted trail that required four-wheel drive instead of using the access road bordering the resort’s property.
After finding a secluded place near a copse of trees to park, I decided to hike the remainder of the way. Thanks to the stealth of my cat, the thick leather boots I wore didn’t hamper my ability to traverse the ground without making any noise.
I planned to get close enough to get a glimpse of Berkley, confirm she was safe without letting her know I was nearby, then hang back until she returned to the lodge. As soon as my cat caught Berkley’s scent, he had other ideas. He wanted to track her down and continue what I’d started with her the previous evening.
Having Berkley publicly accept me as her mate was a major milestone, one I didn’t want to jeopardize by having her assume me following her meant I didn’t trust her. And I wasn’t about to let the hardened state of my cock, or the insistence of my animal, hinder my decision.
I’d been so distracted with thoughts of Berkley that my mind didn’t immediately register that someone was firing a rifle, but it did recognize the anguished yelp of Berkley’s wolf. A wave of panic gripped my heart, a ripple of dread following in its wake seeped deep into my soul. By the time I heard the next shot, I was jumping over underbrush and dodging between trees to get to my mate.
My mind filled with images of Berkley hurt, suffering, or worse, dying. I’d been in numerous situations a lot more dangerous than this, seen what a rifle could do to humans and animals. The fear and anxiety I’d felt then was nothing compared to what I was feeling now.
My cat was agitated, wary, and ready to kill whoever had hurt our mate. He was pushing me hard to shift, but I refused. As much as I agreed with my cat, my main concern was Berkley. I couldn’t help her if I was in my animal form. Until I could determine whether or not the shooter was a hunter intent on killing anything on four legs, I didn’t want to provide him with another animal to aim at.
“Berkley!” I shouted, letting her know I was nearby and informing the shooter that he wasn’t out here alone. Hopefully, my presence would send him fleeing, or at least draw his attention away from her. Getting to Berkley was my primary goal. I’d worry about tracking down the piece of scum later.
I increased my pace and made plenty of noise as I raced toward the clearing, praying with each step that she’d still be alive when I got there. Even in human form, I possessed some of my cat’s speed and agility, making it hard for someone to shoot me. Trying my best not to stray from the path, I used the surrounding trees as shields.
Time passed slowly and the relief I should have felt when the shooting stopped didn’t come, nor did it alleviate the tight pressure in my chest.
I reached the clearing and cautiously stepped inside. Berkley had taken cover and was crouched on the ground between a medium-size boulder and a large tree.
I inhaled deeply, sifting through all the scents. Besides her fear and anger, the iron smell of blood taunted my nostrils. I bit back a feral growl when I saw the large splotch of red coating the fur on her hind quarter. I wouldn’t be able to tell the extent of her injury until she shifted.
I also picked up the scent of an unfamiliar male and was surprised to discover it was a wolf. His odor was fading, which was a good indication my presence had prompted his need to leave the area. I quickly logged the remnants of his smell to memory, hoping our paths crossed in the near future so I’d be able to repay him for hurting Berkley.
Once I was done taking care of Berkley, I planned to have Nick come out here and scent the entire area. It was common knowledge among all shifter breeds that wild wolves made the best trackers. If we were lucky, the asshole with the gun had traveled on foot and would make it easier for Nick to find him.
With the possibility of being shot no longer a threat, I focused my attention on Berkley, who’d been baring her teeth since I’d arrived. “Hey, sweetness. I’m here to help, okay?” I cooed in a soothing tone, closing the distance between us. I stopped two feet away from her and slowly knelt on the ground.
“Berkley, honey, I need you to shift back for me so I can take a look at the wound.” I knew she recognized me, but her animal was hurt and her reactions would be governed by strong survival instincts. I held out my hand and presented her with my scent, hoping she didn’t decide to take a chunk out of my skin. Though I’d gladly let her gnaw on my arm if it enabled me to get a closer look at her injury.
She snarled and snapped a warning but didn’t lash out at me. Her fierce noises gradually became whimpers, and a few seconds later, she was licking my hand. It was a sure sign her animal had accepted me as her mate.
The familiar crack of bones made by a transformation filled the air, and a minute later, Berkley, the woman, was sitting on the ground in front of me. “Do not say one word.” Her fiery gaze held mine. “And get rid of the smirk.”
I knew Berkley was referring to the way her wolf had trusted me a lot faster than her human side had. “Wouldn’t dare.” I clamped my lips together and stifled a grin. Using her feisty sense of humor to deal with tough situations was one of the many things I adored about her, loved about her. Hell, I was in love with her.
“Mind if I take a look?” I scooted to the side so she wouldn’t have to move.
I wanted to examine her injury, but it was a little hard to concentrate when seeing her naked was far better than any fantasy I’d ever conjured in my mind about the woman. Though my father had taught me to be chivalrous, I was still a male and took a few seconds to admire her beautiful body before slipping off my jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders.
She winced and tipped her head to the side to get a better look at the side of her thigh. “Fuck, that hurts. Please tell me you saw who shot me so I can rip their guts out.” Her fierceness rivaled my own.
“No, but I’ll find out who did this, and I’ll hold him down for you,” I said, half teasing, half serious. She’d have to wait until Reese, Nick and I were done with him. I was certain Bryson, who treated Berkley as if she were his little sister, would want a piece of the shooter as well. She could have whatever was left, though I doubted it would be much.
I placed my hand on her thigh, examining the wound. “It doesn’t look too bad,” I lied, not happy about the amount of blood I was seeing. The bullet had torn a path across her flesh but hadn’t lodged in her leg. What troubled me most was the lack of healing. Her wolf’s enhanced abilities should have at least sealed the wound already. I removed my shirt and tied it around her thigh to slow the bleeding.
My concern spurred my cat’s anxiety, and he clawed to be free, to comfort our mate. I co
uldn’t risk letting him out, knowing the minute I did, he’d go after whoever had done this to her. Caring for Berkley was more important than seeking revenge. Later, once I had her safely tucked away at the lodge, her brothers and I would track down the male who’d done this to her and make sure he didn’t get a chance to do it to anyone else.
Cell reception on the mountain wasn’t the most reliable form of communication, so I reached for the radio attached to my belt. “Bryson, it’s Preston,” I said before he had a chance to finish answering.
“Yeah, boss, what’s up?”
“Berkley’s been shot.”
“What?” Bryson’s response sounded more bear than human, and I knew he was thinking the worst.
“She’s okay, but I have a couple of things I need you to do for me.”
“Name it.”
“First, call Mitch Jacobson and tell him we’re on our way and what to expect,” I ordered.
“Okay.” Bryson’s voice held a hint of confusion. “And the other thing?”
“Find Reese and Nick, let them know where we’re headed. Then I need you and Nick to come out here and have him scent the area, see if he can pick up the shooter’s scent while it’s still fresh.”
“Will do. Where exactly are you?” Bryson asked.
“There’s a clearing a couple of miles west of the lodge and about a quarter mile south of the back road to the falls.”
“I know the place. Anything else?” I could see Bryson bobbing his head in my mind.
“Be careful. There’s a chance whoever shot her might still be somewhere in the area.” The last thing I wanted was for someone else to get shot.
Chapter Eleven
BERKLEY
