by Ramona Gray
Kane turned his attention back to Reese. He would never admit this to anyone but he was fascinated by the human. Had been since the moment he had seen her odd-coloured eyes and smelled her strange scent. Hell, fascinated wasn’t exactly the right word. He wanted desperately to mate with her. Since the moment he had licked her neck and had smelled her immediate and strong desire for him, he had wanted to take her.
He snorted inwardly. What the hell was wrong with him? He hated the humans. Humans had slaughtered his parents. They had hunted them down like dogs and murdered them. He had spent his entire life having as little to do with the humans as possible and now he wanted to fuck one.
Of course, for a human she was surprisingly intelligent and strong. The idea to cover herself with branches to keep warm was a good one. The fact that she was not complaining about her back had, he admitted grudgingly, impressed him. She was a large human, the largest female of her kind he’d ever seen. He wondered if that was part of the reason he was attracted to her. Despite what he had said about her weight earlier, he liked how she looked. She was bigger than the female shifters he usually mated with and although he mated roughly, he thought she could probably handle him despite her fragile human bones.
He thought about the bruise on her back and anger stirred within him. When he had lifted her shirt and seen the bruising spreading across her back like a malignant flower, he had been struck with an almost undeniable urge to return to the auction house and tear out the man’s throat.
Even now, just thinking about the bruise on her soft skin made him feel anxious and unsettled. He stood, circled a few times, and settled on the ground again. What was wrong with him? He had never felt any type of concern or a need to protect any of the females he had mated with before. Hell, he hadn’t even mated with this one and he had no intention of doing so. That was asking for more trouble than it was worth. Even if she did have firm, full breasts that fit perfectly into his large hands, and lips that looked like they were meant to be wrapped around his thick cock.
He chuffed loudly. Although he preferred to stay in his wolf form, he was finding it almost a necessity around the human. He was having trouble controlling his erections and he didn’t want the human seeing how she affected him.
He closed his eyes and tucked his tail around his nose. Dagon would most likely choose her as his mate anyway. Her body was made for bearing pups, and the alpha would quickly curb her stubborn and independent nature. His stomach lurched at the thought of exactly how Dagon would break her will.
He stood and stretched before sitting and staring moodily at the woman buried under the branches. It was none of his concern. His alpha wanted a mate and he was bringing him one. He was doing what Dagon asked of him and that was all that mattered.
He will not want her when he finds out she’s mad. You could take her as your own mate.
He growled softly. He did not want a mate. He preferred rutting and mating with as many different females as he could. He had no interest in mating with one female for the rest of his life, no matter how temptingly soft her skin was.
The branches moved and the woman made a soft groan as she shifted. The branches were trembling lightly and he knew that despite the cover of the heavy needles, she would still be cold. He was tempted to go to her, curl up next to her and allow her to fold her body into his and take some of his warmth. Instead, he turned his back to her and lay down. His obsession with the human needed to stop.
Chapter 4
Reese tugged wearily at the tree branch. It had been another full day of walking, another day of eating charkas and plants, another day of watching Ghita and Theran flirt while she stumbled tiredly after Adina, Hanif and Kane. The branches had helped a little but she had still barely slept. She felt nearly frozen to the bone when she had crawled out from the branches this morning.
She sighed and tugged again at the branch. She had never been so goddamn tired in her life. The lack of sleep, the hours of walking and the small amount of food had combined to make her feel like she was dying.
You’re overreacting. Keep it together, she told herself sharply. The shifters’ reactions to her perceived madness had her convinced she would most likely be killed by the other pack members. She needed to suck it up and figure out a way to escape.
And go where? You were nearly killed by a goddamn flower yesterday, remember? If you even manage to escape from the shifters, you’ll be dead within a day.
The branch let go with a sudden snap and she fell on to her considerable ass. She stood and rubbed lightly at her butt before reaching for another branch. At least she hadn’t fallen on her back. It still throbbed heavily and she touched it gingerly. She’d had Adina look at it earlier in the day and the blonde had assured her that it looked a little better but it certainly didn’t feel better.
She tore off the branch and stared down at the small pile at her feet. There wasn’t nearly as many as she had gathered last night but they would have to do. If she didn’t lie down soon she would simply collapse where she stood. She gathered the branches and carried them to the campsite. Adina was eating a handful of charkas and she held a few out.
“Here, eat these.”
Reese shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”
Adina frowned. “You’ve barely eaten today. Take these.”
“I said I wasn’t hungry,” Reese said grumpily. “I just want to sleep, Adina.”
She lay down and nodded her thanks when Adina helped her spread the branches over her body. She tucked her head into her arms. She wrinkled her nose at her own smell and closed her eyes resignedly. There were gaps in the branches and she could feel the cold air seeping through her clothes but she was too exhausted to care.
She realized abruptly that she probably wouldn’t survive the night. Oddly enough, the thought didn’t frighten her. Instead she felt a simple sort of relief. Death meant that she would no longer be cold and her legs and back would stop hurting. She closed her eyes and dozed.
She woke only an hour or so later. Already her limbs were stiff and numb with cold, and she lay listlessly under the branches. After a few moments it occurred to her that she could hear soft moaning and she wiggled out from under the branches, wondering what it was.
She scanned the darkness and jerked with surprise. Theran, naked and in his human form, was on his knees behind Ghita. Ghita was equally naked and on her hands and knees. She made soft moans and grunts as Theran fucked her.
Reese stared quietly for a moment before looking away. Her cheeks flushed when she realized that Kane, his green eyes glowing softly in the dark, was staring at her. She quickly turned over, the branches sliding from her body, and stared into the trees behind her. After a few minutes, she climbed to her feet and staggered her way toward the trees. Ghita’s soft moans cut out but Reese didn’t turn and before she had even gone a few feet, the girl’s moans began again.
Her body shaking with cold and exhaustion, Reese lifted her skirt and pushed down her underwear before squatting next to a large tree. When she was finished, she staggered a few feet away before her trembling legs gave out and she collapsed on the hard ground at the base of a tree. She moaned and closed her eyes. She was so cold and weirdly weak. She would rest for a few minutes, catch her breath, and then make her way back to the camp. She didn’t care what Hanif said or did, she would try and curl up with him and Adina. The worse that would happen is he would kill her.
When Reese didn’t return after a few minutes, Kane stood and trotted across the camp. He paid no attention to the rutting couple and Theran didn’t stop his thrusting as he passed by them.
He inhaled deeply, found Reese’s scent easily, and followed it into the woods. She was lying beneath a large tree and he shifted into his human form and knelt beside her. Her eyes were closed and her skin was pale. He shook her roughly.
“Get up, human.”
She moaned but didn’t open her eyes, and he felt an odd trickle of fear in his belly at how cold her skin was. He scooped her u
p and sat down, resting his back against the tree and placing her on his lap. He wrapped his powerful arms around her and pulled up her legs, tucking her skirt over her feet.
“So cold,” she muttered.
“I know, girl,” he whispered. He pushed her head into his thick neck and she burrowed weakly against him. He was warm despite his nakedness and the cold air. Even in her semi-conscious state she pressed against him, seeking out his warmth.
He tucked her bare arms against his chest and then slid his hands under her shirt. He rubbed her cold back gently, mindful of the bruise, and she moaned quietly at the feel of his warm hands.
After ten minutes, he put his mouth to her ear. “Better?”
“Yes. Thank you,” she sighed. Her breathing slowed and deepened, and he buried his face in her soft, dark hair. She smelled strongly like the pine branches she had been lying under, but beneath that he could smell her own unique scent. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply as she slept against him.
Just before dawn he carried her back to the camp. Her formerly pale skin was flushed with warmth and she was no longer trembling. The others were sleeping soundly and he carefully tucked her back under the branches before shifting to his wolf form and moving away from her. He lay down and waited patiently for the sun to rise and the others to wake.
* * *
“You look better today.” Adina smiled at Reese as they trailed after Ghita and the shifters.
“I feel better. I actually got some sleep last night and it didn’t seem as cold. Did you find it warmer?”
Adina shrugged. “Hanif is so warm, a blizzard could come through and I wouldn’t notice.”
Ahead of them, Theran slapped Ghita lightly on the ass and the girl giggled loudly. Reese smiled a little. The truth of it was, she didn’t really know what happened last night. She remembered waking up and listening to Theran and Ghita having sex. She remembered staggering into the woods to pee. After that, it was a blank. Well, not entirely a blank. She’d had a strange dream where Kane had been rubbing her back with his warm hands and talking to her in that low, raspy voice of his.
She glanced at the large gray wolf. It had only been a dream. She had woken this morning under the pile of branches. The shifter had been in his wolf form and ignoring her and the other women like he always did.
She thought about the way he had licked her. How it had felt when his hard hand had first squeezed her ass and then cupped her breast. A small shiver of desire went through her and she shook her head angrily. Apparently a good night’s sleep had been enough to bring her libido back to life. Unfortunately, her libido was hot for the stupid shifter.
Ridiculous. He refused to even help keep her warm at night and she was imagining what it would be like to have sex with him. She should be thinking of ways to escape him, not sleep with him.
She was jolted from her thoughts by Adina’s hand squeezing her arm. The terrain had been steadily growing steeper, and she looked up to see a lake in front of them. The day was overcast and cool. Thunder had been rumbling in the distance for most of the afternoon and the lake water looked murky and cold. A small rocky mountain jutted out to the right of the lake and it was in this direction that Kane was leading them.
There was a worn path of dirt and rocks at the base of the mountain and Reese craned her head. About thirty feet above them the path narrowed and wound its way across the side of the mountain.
Adina clutched her hand. “They cannot expect us to cross that,” she squeaked nervously.
Kane was already starting up the path and Reese sighed. “I believe they do.”
“I cannot.” Adina was backing up. Her pale face was even whiter than normal and tears were sliding down her cheeks. “I – I am afraid of heights.”
Kane had stopped on the path and he turned and barked impatiently at them.
“Just give us a minute for Christ’s sake!” Reese snapped irritably.
She turned back to Adina and stroked the woman’s arms and shoulders soothingly. “It’s fine, Adina. The path is probably not nearly as narrow as it looks from down here. Nor is it that high really.”
She gave the woman a reassuring smile. “We will walk slowly and you can hold my hand, all right?”
“Can we not go around the other side of the lake?” Adina whispered.
“No, we cannot.” Theran had joined them and he gave her an impatient look. “It would add nearly two days to our journey and the rains are close as it is. If we do not cross the mountain, we will not get home before the rains come.”
Adina made a small whimper of fear and Reese gave her a brisk shake. Growing up, her mother had been no-nonsense and loving but firm with Reese’s fears and it was this tactic she employed now.
“Enough, Adina. We have no choice but to cross. Dry your face and let’s go. I won’t let you fall, all right?”
The blonde woman nodded and took Reese’s hand tightly. Reese smiled encouragingly at her and led her up the path.
* * *
“You’re doing so well, Adina,” Reese praised softly. “It is not much further now.”
Adina didn’t reply. Her face was completely devoid of colour and her hand was clenched tightly around Reese’s. She was staring straight ahead with resigned determination, and Reese made another soft sound of approval.
“I can see the other side of the lake and already the path is starting to move downward. You can feel that it is. I know you can.”
She peeked over the side of the path. Below her the lake glimmered murkily, and she tugged Adina forward. The path had been twisty and narrow, and the edge of the path was alarmingly soft and crumbly beneath their feet. She had kept Adina close to the rock face and instructed her not to look down.
Reese wasn’t afraid of heights but she would be just as happy as Adina to have her feet back on solid ground. The wind off the lake was ice cold and it kept whipping her long hair around her face. All of the women were freezing and the wolves’ fur was rippling in the wind. Only Theran had remained in his human form and he turned and gave them an encouraging look.
“Catch up, humans. Quickly.”
Reese urged Adina forward and Ghita gave them a scared smile as she clung to the back of Theran’s shirt.
“You can do it, Adina,” Reese said encouragingly. “Just another twenty feet or so and we’ll be – “
There was a sharp bark ahead of them and Reese watched in horror as the edge of the path crumbled beneath Kane’s large paws.
He gave a strangled yelp and started to slide over the edge. His paws scrabbled for purchase and Theran shouted his name before he disappeared over the side. Ghita screamed shrilly and the others watched as Kane, his body twisting and turning, plunged into the murky water of the lake.
His shaggy head broke the surface and he barked hoarsely before disappearing under the water again. Theran cursed loudly and Hanif barked frantically as they stared over the edge.
“Theran!” Reese shouted. “Can he not swim?”
Theran shook his head. “No!” There was fear in his voice. “None of us can!”
“Son of a bitch!” Reese pulled Adina forward and ripped her hand free of the woman’s tight grasp.
“Adina! Hang on to Ghita!”
She stood at the edge of the path and peered downward. Although it was only twenty feet or so to the lake, it suddenly looked much higher. Her heart pounding wildly in her chest, Reese took a deep breath and dove off the side of the mountain.
She hit the water smoothly, her body slicing through the water. It was much colder than any lake she’d ever swam in before and she kicked for the surface. Her lungs screamed for oxygen and her body was shaking with cold.
She broke the surface and took a gasping breath before looking around frantically. Kane, his green eyes filled with bright panic, was thrashing weakly not ten feet from her. She started to swim toward him with long, powerful strokes.
He howled in fear and disappeared under the water.
“Shit!” She imme
diately dove back under, searching the murky water for him. He had shifted to his human form and he was limp and sinking fast. She pushed through the water and struggled to reach him before he disappeared in the depths of the lake.
She grabbed his forearm in a tight grip and swam for the surface. She broke through the water and, without looking at him, hooked her arm around his upper chest and under his armpit and swam for the shore.
They were at least thirty feet from shore and she could feel her limbs growing numb and heavy. She ignored it grimly and kept swimming, focusing her gaze on the shore as her lungs throbbed and burned.
The others had scrambled down the path and along the shore. As her feet finally touched ground and she hauled the large shifter toward dry land, Theran and Hanif splashed through the shallow water toward them. They took Kane’s limp body from her and she collapsed on her knees for a moment, sucking in deep, gasping breaths of the cold air.
By the time she joined them on the shore, wading painfully through the cold water, the two shifters were shouting and pacing back and forth over Kane’s still body.
“He’s dead!” Theran cried and abruptly shifted to his wolf form, his clothes tearing apart around him. He howled into the cold air and Ghita and Adina clapped their hands over their ears. Hanif shifted and joined him in his howling.
“Shut up! Both of you!” Reese shouted. She placed her ear to Kane’s chest. His heart was beating but he wasn’t breathing. She tipped his head up, opened his mouth, and pinched his nose shut before clamping her mouth down on his and blowing air into his lungs. She waited a couple of seconds and then did it again.
Theran and Hanif whimpered as she bent her head a third time and blew another lungful of air into Kane. His body jerked and she gave a sigh of relief as he coughed and water erupted from his mouth. She rolled him to his side and patted and rubbed his back as he coughed and choked up the lake water.
