She’d just have to be more alert, watch him closer.
“Come.” Aiden tugged on her hand. “We can’t stay here.”
Without the shelter of his warmth, the wind cut through her, stealing her breath. She couldn’t stop shaking.
She had no idea where they were. She’d only glanced at the map posted at the bed and breakfast, unable to recall any sort of cliffs. She debated using her gift to get back town, but she had a feeling they would have to survive the dogs first. “Do you know where we are?”
She followed him step-for-step, but ended up stumbling over the craggy surface, nearly taking a tumble. Aiden reached out to steady her, not even giving her a glance, as if he knew her exact position. Then he quickly dropped her arm as if disgusted by her ungainliness.
Not wanting to be more of a burden, Shayla reached for the strap of her satchel. “I can carry it.”
Aiden just nudged her forward. “I can manage.”
Shayla cocked her head at his gruff tone, a little taken aback at the rage that hovered around him. No matter what she did, it only made it worse.
“My phone! Do you still have it?” She bit back a groan, feeling like an idiot for not asking sooner.
She swore she heard his teeth grind at her question.
He hunched his shoulders, refusing to even look at her. “I dropped it in the struggle.”
And any thought of rescue slowly faded.
He sounded so furious that Shayla clamped her mouth shut to keep from asking more. He marched ahead, a slight limp to his gait, and her brows furrowed in consternation. “Did that dog bite you?”
Aiden clenched his fists, cursing his weakness. He could not allow her to doubt his ability to keep her safe.
The past few months of inactivity made him slow.
Made healing sluggish.
The only way to reverse the affects would be to shift. Impossible to do so while in her presence unless he wanted her to run. He was so focused on listening to her breathe, reassured by her light steps behind him, that his foot landed wrong and he went down on one knee.
Agony shot up his injured leg.
Aiden gritted his teeth, mortified at the simple misstep. When he tried to rise, his arms shook under his weight. Neither of them could go on like this. No matter how much it pained him to admit it, how much he wanted to deny it, he was worthless to her in his current condition.
He had to keep her safe and that meant getting rid of the threat. For that, he needed a distraction, a way to keep her busy and out of harm’s way while he dealt with the problem.
“Are you all right?”
“Fine.” He brushed away her hands when she reached for him, nearly shoving her off her feet. Heat spread up his face, his humiliation complete. When he stretched out his arm to steady her, she flinched. Shame tightened his shoulders, and he turned away.
She was a human, damn it.
So why did it matter that she thought him an oafish boor?
“You’ll be able to move faster without me. Head north. Follow the path. We are at the perimeter of my land. The hounds won’t venture beyond the border.” Werewolves were the bigger predators. The scent of so many wolves would stop the search dead in its tracks. “The patrols will find you. Tell them I sent you.”
Shayla was already shaking her head. “You can’t ask me to leave you in the middle of nowhere. You’re injured.”
“My men will come back for me.” He peered into the darkness, unable to look her in the eye as he abandoned her. Without her near, he’d be able to loop back and stop those who wanted to harm her.
His wolf whiffled in agreement.
He heard her rise and tensed.
She slowly circled, her dainty shoes coming into view when she stopped in front of him. He followed the curvy line of her legs, past her lush hips, the nip in her waist up to the gorgeous set of—
“Eyes up here, mister.”
Aiden blinked and snapped his head up. A wave of heat flashed through him at being caught gawking like an awkward teenager. The blush on her face eased his discomfort, and the corner of his lips curled, ridiculously pleased to know that he had the same effect on her.
Then he frowned.
Flirting when he should be formulating a plan to keep her safe.
His wolf’s tale thumped once in playfulness, before he went back to healing the damage his body had sustained as best he could with what limited energy that remained. All the restlessness of being imprisoned should have left him a raging beast. He’d expected his wolf to burst out of his skin at the first opportunity, killing anything in his path, but her presence kept him in check.
All because his beast didn’t want to scare her off.
He floundered at the realization. For the past fifty years, his wolf never had time for humans unless they were a threat, something to hunt. Now he was acting like she was one of the pack.
Shayla stubbornly crossed her arms. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Don’t you understand? I can’t keep you safe.” When she didn’t move, he gave into the fury that had settled over him the last two months and roared. “What do you think will happen if you stay? They will use you against me. Once they have you, we’re both dead.”
“But—”
She wasn’t going to give up. He had to make her leave. “You smell.”
A fiery blush filled her face, and her eyes narrowed dangerously. He clamped his teeth shut against an explanation, cursing his damned interfering mutt. That wasn’t what he meant to say. She didn’t stink, though he wished to God she did, anything to cover up her tantalizing scent and ease the hunger that continued to rage under his skin.
He was a step away from losing control.
He had to get rid of her before he did something stupid…like ravish her out in the freezing cold with danger lurking in the shadows.
“You aren’t exactly a bouquet of daisies either. I’m not your responsibility. Let’s not forget that I’ve saved your life more than once. I can be useful.”
“Yes, by bringing back my men. The people chasing us are ruthless killers. I can’t be holding your hand anymore.” Aiden ignored the way his wolf bared his teeth at the impending separation. He lifted the straps of her bag over his head, his grip tightening, reluctant to let her go even though it had been his idea.
This was what he’d wanted.
He should be pleased.
So why then did a howl of denial scrape against his throat at the idea of leaving her alone and vulnerable?
* * *
“Stupid, idiotic man.” Shayla snatched up her bag and stomped away, fuming at his caveman attitude. He pounded his fists against his chest, ordered her around, and expected her to obey like some helpless twit. She wanted to demand he take her the rest of the way, but his volatile mood warned her not to push or she’d find herself trussed up and left behind like some prize to be claimed.
She had half a mind to do what he asked and leave.
But that’s what he wanted.
The man who’d saved her life wouldn’t send a woman off alone in the wilderness without a reason. She slowed her pace, racking her brain to figure out his plan. He wasn’t as stupid or helpless as he wanted her to believe.
She should be furious about being left in the dark.
Literally.
After another minute, only one answer came to mind, but she couldn’t believe he’d be foolish enough to go after the people chasing them. He was injured and weak from his stay in that nasty prison. It wasn’t a fight he could possibly win.
She nearly stumbled over her feet when she recalled one important fact…he was a man. Of course he would go charging off into danger.
His gaze branded her, urged her to turn around, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
Maybe the more important question was what kind of man needed patrols? Ones who were tossed into dungeons, obviously. No way in hell was she going to allow herself to be managed by him or his men. He was an idiot if he belie
ved otherwise.
A large rock loomed out of the vast nothingness around her. She sidestepped around it, half expecting Aiden to come charging after her. The absolute silence preyed on her nerves. The night seemed darker as she counted down the seconds. When she was sure that he’d stopped watching, Shayla crept around the boulder and sneaked back.
Only to find her caveman gone.
“I knew it!” Being right did little to ease the anxiety pounding inside her skull. She almost felt defeated, worried about what trouble he’d land in on his own, before her natural confidence reasserted itself.
She’d just have to go rescue him herself.
Chapter Seven
Aiden stubbornly placed one foot in front of the other, his mind screaming at him to turn back. She had him so twisted in knots that he wasn’t sure if his instincts were warning him of danger or if his need to be near her was making him stupid.
His damned wolf remained silent, punishment for sending the woman away. His leg muscles stretched and pulled as he climbed the bluffs. The position allowed him to overlook the stretch of land in all directions. After so many days and nights in a tiny cell, the vastness of it threatened to crush his chest. Wind whipped around him, and he greedily inhaled, battling the unexpected, paralyzing fear that left him out in the open and exposed, just waiting to pick him off.
Lost in his private struggle, he only became aware of being followed when a twig snapped behind him. He dropped to the ground, gritting his teeth when the action left him lightheaded.
His mouth watered at the possibility of prey. His wolf inched forward, using Aiden’s eyes to study their surroundings. The darkness sharpened into shades of gray. He lifted his nose and cursed to find himself upwind.
Static charged the air until every hair stood on end.
A large predator.
His body went rigid.
A branch stirred, more of a shifting of shadows that gave away its position. Moving swiftly, low to the ground, he vaulted over the vegetation and collided with his prey.
Human.
A soft grunt exploded from the body as they slammed into the mud-slicked earth.
A soft, curvy body.
A snarl curled his lips, and his fangs were at his attacker’s throat when the tang of citrus burst over him. He instantly hardened with lust.
“You.” Aiden jerked his chin up, shock rocketing through him at such a near miss. He quickly ducked his head, struggling to contain his wolf. Only the beast didn’t want to be contained, he wanted to nestle back into the cradle of her body and lay claim to the prize he’d captured. The sight of her sprawled out beneath him taunted him with the realization that if he’d been one second slower, she would have died at his hands.
How the hell could she have located him so quickly?
“You abandoned me to go after them.” It was stupid, she’d just met the man, but the hurt of betrayal thickened her voice.
“I had no choice.”
Shayla wanted to throw up her hands in frustration. “You are in no condition to go traipsing off alone.”
She knew it was a mistake the instant she spoke.
He slowly turned to face her, those green eyes of his seemed to glow, and she immediately recognized her caveman. She forced herself to relax despite the tension she felt thrumming through him. She’d almost swear he had no intention of letting her go.
“If you don’t get off of me soon, neither one of us is going to be able to extract me from the mud. It’s sucking me under.” She didn’t care for the feeling one bit, reminding her a little too much of the hungry castle they only managed to escape.
He grunted, rising like a hulking shadow, menace still radiating from him. “I should leave you here.”
Shayla half-sat and tugged on her pant leg to no avail. The mud had effectively cemented her in place. She scraped a handful of it from her hair, then paused, hefting the small fistful, and narrowed her eyes at the big bully.
“Don’t you dare.” It was a command, his voice harsh in the silent night.
Temptation to fling the mud made her grip tighten until the glop oozed between her fingers. The big, brave man took a step back as if afraid of a little mud.
“I will leave you.”
Shayla hesitated, but couldn’t detect any trace of a lie. “You already did that once. I’ll only find you again. Promise we will go straight back. No more of this vengeance shit.”
Aiden appraised her as if measuring the threat, and Shayla was very conscious of the picture she presented, every inch of her covered in mud. Mischief danced in his eyes, his hands hung loosely at his sides, almost playful, and Shayla gulped at the way her heart gave a pathetic pitter-patter in response. His body went taut as if ready to pounce if she so much as twitched.
Excitement thickened the air between them.
Until the chill from the mud slowly brought her back to reason. Goose bumps erupted all over her, and she ducked her head. No, this couldn’t be happening.
She could not be attracted to this rude barbarian.
She’d always preferred her men a tad less earthy. At least from the same century. Men who valued her intelligence, who didn’t boss her around like some helpless female he felt indebted to protect.
Then why did her body defy her by melting embarrassingly when he ventured a little too close.
She lifted her chin, her gaze irresistibly drawn back to him. Despite the ragged, mud-splattered clothing, he looked like he’d stepped through time, sword in hand, ready to defend and take what he considered his.
Her.
Then her attention focused on a slight movement in the darkness. A shape slowly took form, slinking toward Aiden’s unprotected back. Fear closed her throat, and her shout of warning emerged as a pathetic squeak.
* * *
The terror in Shayla’s eyes cut him to the core and any playfulness vanished. The loss staggered him. He tensed, trying to pull back his wolf. The beast whined in confusion, not wanting to retreat, not understanding the change. Aiden hunched his shoulders to appear less of a threat, cursing himself for forgetting she was human, even if it was for a second.
“I mean you no harm.” His lips felt numb, making speech difficult.
“Behind you!”
In the second it took for his brain to register her warning, a blow struck the back of his skull. He nearly dropped to his knees as the world threatened to go dark. He staggered and whirled to face the coward who’d sneaked up behind instead of issuing a direct challenge.
But what did he expect from a pathetic human.
The man’s shape was blurry from the blow. Aiden shook his head to clear his vision and staggered like a drunk when he took a step to face his attacker. As if sensing the weakness, the man charged. Aiden sidestepped at the last moment and brought down his arm in a hammer blow.
Instead of snapping his neck as intended, the man thudded to the earth, quickly rolled, and came up to his feet.
Behind him, he heard Shayla struggling to free herself from the muck. He silently urged her to be quiet. To remain stuck. No doubt she’d try to save him again.
He couldn’t risk her being hurt.
His wolf growled in agreement, surging toward the surface. There was no bulking up of muscles, no half changing shapes. His wolf was too weak. But beast gave him everything he had left to protect their woman.
Aiden didn’t wait for his opponent to attack. He charged forward, slamming shoulder into the other man’s gut. Air whooshed out of the guy with a heavy grunt, and Aiden managed to shove them both a few feet further away from Shayla. Mud slicked up his attacker’s body, making him hard to hold.
Aiden barely dodged the fists, his body so clumsy he was only slightly faster than the human. The attacker knew it, too, and drew a knife from his boot, flipping it over in a hold that warned Aiden he knew how to fight.
A second man crested the ridge carrying a torch and waving it in the air, the flames a signal to the others that the prize had been located. Aiden
understood what they meant to do. They were going to drive him over the side of the cliff and collect his body.
The fall won’t kill him, but his ability to heal had been compromised. He’d be too injured to fight. He might as well kill himself and save them the trouble.
His chest tightened. If anything happened to him, Shayla would be at their mercy. Claws burst from his fingertips, slicing through flesh. Teeth elongated. The process exhausted his wolf.
Aiden was on his own.
When the first man charged him, Aiden dodged the wicked edge of the blade and slashed at his attacker’s chest. The drag on his claws let him know he’d hit his mark.
The smell of blood thickened the air, bright rivulets shimmered in the firelight where he’d managed to shred the guy’s chest. Just a little deeper and Aiden could’ve dug out the heart.
The man shuddered, his stance a little shaky, but he remained upright.
Aiden had to finish him quickly before they realized how easily they could overpower him.
Chapter Eight
Shayla cursed the mud. The harder she struggled, the deeper she sank, like some damned fly on a spider’s web, waiting for the predator to finish her off. She bit her lip, helplessly watching Aiden fight for his life. The ferocity of it was terrifying. Aiden moved like a seasoned warrior, his controlled moves all sleek and deadly. The other guy didn’t have the same intensity, his bulk wasn’t built for long fights. Instead, he used his brute strength to inflict as much damage as possible in as short amount of time.
Aiden should have the edge, but his months in captivity left them more evenly matched than she’d like. She bit her lip, twisting her body to the side, and heard a large pop as the suction finally released its hold.
Panting, she scrambled to her feet, weighed down by an extra thirty pounds of mud. She waddled toward the fight when she spotted a second man edging toward Aiden’s unprotected back.
She scanned the ground, cursing her inability to see in the dark. No matter which way she turned, she was greeted by a sea of mud, not a weapon in sight.
Fear crawled up her throat. Her fate was tied to Aiden. It didn’t matter that she wouldn’t survive on her own. The thought of Aiden being hurt, shoved back into prison, crushed the air from her lungs.
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