by Cathryn Fox
“Really?”
“Yeah,” he says grinning like a mischievous kid. “That’s why I know so much.”
I give him a suspicious look and in response he simply offers me a playful smirk full of secrets. I get the distinct impression that Logan doesn’t really mean wisdom, or that his smarts come from his name. Names are very important in the packs, so I’m not really sure why he would lie about the meaning of his. Unless it has something to do with the secrets he holds close. I wish I had Miss Kara’s laptop so I could look it up.
We remain quiet for a long time and listen to the animals scurry about and the birds squawk overhead. Rays of sunshine filter down and warm my body. I turn my face to the sun to absorb the heat, but what I’d really like is a nice long shower to wash the forest from my skin.
“I like your name. It’s pretty.” His glance races over my small body, which is almost completely swallowed by the oversized clothes he snatched for me. His smile is warm, wolfish and it makes my wolf stir to life in response. “I think it suits you,” he adds.
“You don’t know anything about me,” I blurt out, suddenly uncomfortable with the turn of conversation, not to mention the way he’s looking me over. I dart a glance around the clearing, not wanting to talk anymore. “We should go.”
“Good idea.” Logan instantly starts packing our supplies. “We have a lot of ground to cover before nightfall and I still need to find us a tent.”
“A tent?”
“Yeah. I’ll have to jack one because I can’t imagine we’ll get lucky enough to stumble upon another cave.” When he turns and catches the fraught look on my face, one I can’t seem to cover, he questions, “You don’t want to freeze to death out here, do you?”
No, I don’t want to freeze to death but I don’t want to snuggle up with this alpha and use our naked bodies to create heat either. My brain instantly recalls the way we woke up only a few short hours ago. As my wolf bristles and those memories stir all her senses, a soft, primal growl crawls out of my throat.
“You okay?” His brow furrows as he kicks debris on the fire to smother it.
As smoke billows upward, I watch it absently and say, “Define okay.”
He angles his head. “What, you have issues with sleeping in a tent with me?” When I don’t answer he says, “Come on, Pride. We slept together last night and you don’t seem any worse for wear.”
“We didn’t sleep together.”
“You know what I mean.”
I scowl at him. “You shouldn’t have moved me.”
He throws his hands up in the air. “You would have frozen to death in your sleep.”
“You still shouldn’t have moved me.”
“So what, dying is better than sleeping next to me?”
“Yes.”
He gives a humorless laugh. “You’re really something, Pride.”
“So are you,” I shoot back, because this alpha is unlike any other wolf I’ve ever met. With a simple smile he has the ability to stir my senses and rattle my focus. That in turn means this boy threatens my very survival.
After this morning’s attack I’m smart enough to know that without him I can’t make it out of here alive. But the real question is, can I make it out of here alive with him?
9
August 27th. Two days until full moon
* * *
We continue to head north, and for the most part we walk in silence, the quiet broken only when Logan stops to point out the difference between edible berries and ones that will make me violently ill.
As we pick a few along the way and fill our stomachs, he also talks about plants. He distinguishes between the poisonous and the ones that hold healing properties.
With my thirst for knowledge and my desire to survive in the wild, I can’t deny that I’m enjoying his science lessons. I pay close attention, absorbing and hanging on his every word. I store the information and memorize the foliage because deep in my gut I can’t help but think there is going to come a time when I might need to draw on it.
Continuing through the dense forest, we keep off the main path and push on for hours, until blisters form on my feet, and a sticky layer of sweat coats my body. I ignore the discomfort and continue my forward trek, shoving low-hanging tree branches out of my way and keeping an eye out for possible traps.
As I move through the trees quickly, my footfall silent on the rough terrain, I turn to catch sight of Logan. He appears to be having a hard time negotiating the forest in his human form. The way he twists and turns and ducks and bends around the low hanging limbs is almost laughable. Although, judging by the few curse words I hear him mumble under his breath, he doesn’t seem to be finding humor in it like I do.
Off in the distance a noise reverberates off the mountain and when I come to a halt Logan nearly crashes into me. His body presses against mine and a shiver of awareness trickles down my spine. I suck in a sharp breath and hold it, my ears perked for movement.
“It’s a long way off,” he whispers from behind, but I scan the forest to be sure and try not to think about the way his breath is causing the fine hairs on my nape to tingle.
After deciding the noise is coming from some hikers we spotted about over hour ago, and not hunters, I allow myself to relax a little. I’m not sure if it’s the same group Logan stole from and I’m not about to stick around to find out.
“Let’s move,” Logan says his thoughts obviously running in the same direction as mine. Even though we’re off the beaten path their too-close proximity prompts us to move quicker. I’m just grateful that so far we’ve been able to avoid any direct threats, or contact with other people.
I stifle a yawn as day bleeds to night, and as the near full moon rises higher in the sky I calm my restless wolf and try not to think about what will happen in a few short days. As I fight down a pang of unease, I turn to Logan who still seems lost in his own thoughts.
I take a moment to assess him, and while his athletic body doesn’t appear to be tired or winded, I want to do my share of the work so I ask, “Do you want me to carry the bag for a while?”
He shakes his head. “It’s light, but we should probably start thinking about sheltering down soon.”
“We don’t have a tent.”
He sniffs the air. “I’ll track back to where I heard those hikers.” He points to a cluster of trees. “Why don’t you rest for a minute and get a fire going. I won’t be long.”
“Do you want me to come?” Still uneasy after the events of the day a chill scurries up my spine, and suddenly I don’t want to be left all alone out here, doused in darkness with danger all around me.
“No. It will draw less attention if only one of us goes. Besides, I need you to set up camp and keep watch over our supplies.”
Not wanting to press, or show any signs of fear I nod then take the bag from him—which is by no means light—and work to push down the anxious feeling invading my stomach. I remind myself that I’m a strong wolf, a survivor, and I’m not going to let one bear attack shatter my confidence. As I diligently try to gather my composure, I walk to the trees and drop the bag with an undignified thud.
As Logan darts off in the dark, I settle myself on a tree stump and peel off my boots. Wet socks stick to my oozing blisters, and I take extra care to remove them. Cringing, I examine my sores as I drape the wet socks over a rock. A cool breeze tickles my toes as I stretch my legs out and drag the backpack closer to me.
I pull out the matches and with my goal to get my clothes dry before I have to climb back into them, rustle around the ground to find enough sticks to light a fire.
I think about morphing into wolf to heal my feet, but with the full moon so close I quickly decide against it. Hikers are nearby and I don’t want to do anything to provoke her into action or taunt her hunger.
After I get a good blazing fire going, I grab the pot and decide to go find some water. Now that I’ve stopped moving I can feel a chill in my bones and could use something hot to drink. I’m
sure Logan would enjoy a cup, too. That last thought stops me in my tracks. Disconcerted, I remind myself that we’re simply running together for one reason and one reason only. Survival. He is not my friend.
I slip away but when I can’t find water, I gather fresh snow and fill the pot. As I head back to the shelter I think more about Logan, and how he’s able to seep under my skin without even trying. But thinking about Logan has me missing things I shouldn’t have missed.
When I round the large oak tree, my skin prickles in warning and my steps automatically slow. I peer into the dark and what I see instantly snaps my attention back to the present and has my survival instincts kicking into full gear.
Startled, I step back, and hold my breath when I come down on a soft twig. I wait for the thin piece of wood to snap, to give away my coordinates, but fortunately, I’m light on my feet and don’t weigh enough to break it. Once I’m out of the clearing, I press my back against the scratchy bark and camouflage my body in the shadows. As the scent of the hunters reaches my nostrils, my ears perk and I listen to their exchange.
“Do you think it’s them?”
“I don’t know. Let’s wait until they come back. They can’t be gone too far.”
With the utmost care I begin to retreat, but when I hear leaves crunching behind, I stiffen. I prepare to turn, to attack, but a big hand closes over my mouth to silence me. As my body crashes hard against a rock solid chest, I let my canines push through my gums, ready to bite through my assailant’s hand. But when I catch hold of his scent I nearly howl with relief.
“It’s okay, Pride. It’s me.”
As my heart crashes against my ribs, I nod and Logan eases his hand away. He puts his mouth closer to my ear and whispers. “We need to go.”
We back away slowly and once we’ve put enough distance between us and the men we can only assume are officers we turn and bolt. Even though I’m tired, the adrenaline pumping through my veins gives me a fresh burst of speed. We cut through the trees and run until we reach the other side of the mountain. Once we’re well out of sight, we stop to catch our breaths.
Logan grimaces as he looks at me. “You okay?”
I lean forward, brace my hands on my knees and take a moment to scold myself. “I should have heard them coming.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Pride. These guys are professionals and know how to close in.”
I shake my head and dart him a quick glance. “What if I’d still been sitting there?”
“Then you would have smelled them and escaped before they reached you. Or you would have shifted and killed them.”
“They have silver, Logan.” I stop to shiver. “They could easily have stopped me.” I pause for a minute and think. At least it was the PTF and not another tracker, because death would be preferable to the master’s demands. At the thoughts of my master and what he wants me to do with Stone an angry tremble moves through me.
“I can’t do what he wants me to do. I just can’t.” I whisper under my breath before I can stop myself.
Logan opens his mouth like he wants to say something but then seems to change his mind.
“We’re both tired, Pride.”
My mussed hair whips across my face as I give a vicious shake of my head. “I won’t let that happen again,” I say. “I need to stay alive.” What Logan doesn’t understand is that I have a mission, and death will simply prevent me from accomplishing it.
Logan looks around to take in the mountainside. “At least they’re not tracking us by scent.”
Once again I think of Stone and my pulse leaps. “My master will put another tracker on us. I’m sure of it.”
Logan stares at me for a moment then asks, “If he sends another tracker do you think he’ll let you go? Let you take your freedom?”
I give another hard shake of my head. “No. He’ll send Stone.”
“Stone?”
“He’ll never let me go.”
“Why?”
I turn away and my gut clenches so hard I think I’m going to be sick.
“What is it?” Logan grabs my arm and turns me back to face him. “What do I need to know about this Stone?”
“He’ll bring me back because he’s been broken. He’s the master’s puppet and will happily do his bidding.”
“And?” Logan studies me and his eyes harden as they move over my face. “What is it you’re not telling me? What is it your master wants you to do?”
I draw in a heavy breath and as I let it out I say, “In two days I’m supposed to mate with Stone.”
Logan’s blue eyes widen as he lets loose a long slow whistle. “I see,” he says as he looks past my shoulder, to some distant spot in the forest. I watch the muscles on his jaw tense when he says, “And I take it you don’t like Stone.”
“No. I don’t.”
“Yet your master is going to mate you with him anyway?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To tame me.”
He gives me a perplexed look. “He thinks a mating will tame you?”
“No. He thinks puppies will.” I feel a burst of anger but tamp it down before I say, “And believe me, I’m not going to bring a pup into this world and let it suffer at the hands of my master.”
His voice drops to a whisper and understanding passes over his faces when he says, “I can see why you ran.”
I look at him and when I see worry shadows beneath his eyes I turn the question on him. “Why did you run, Logan?”
“Because the opportunity presented itself.” He shoots a glance and redirects the conversation. “Do you think Stone is out here, scenting you?”
“I’m not sure but can only guess he is. I haven’t picked up any traces of him yet though.”
“Good.” He looks me over, and I don’t miss the concern on his face. “At least the clothes you’re wearing will help mask your scent.”
“Not with the way I’ve been sweating in them.”
“Then tomorrow I’ll go shopping, to restock.”
“What’s your currency exchange?”
He grins is slow. “How about I let our suppliers live.”
His predatory smile and the way he talks so callously about life and death elicits a shiver from deep within and reminds me I’m running with a dangerous wolf.
“I lost our supplies so I should be the one responsible to restock,” I say.
Logan mistakes the shiver rocketing through me. He steps closer and the air around us charges as he runs his hands over my arms, using friction to create heat. His touch makes me feel strange and unbalanced.
“It’s okay, Pride. It’s a bump in the road, it’s not the end of it.”
As he cares for me, the way an alpha would care for his mate, my numb feet take that moment to throb and despite the pain I’m thankful for the distraction. I step back, severing the intimacy. I pull a face as I glance at my purple, blood-crusted toes.
“I lost my boots.”
Logan winces when he sees the sad state my feet are in. He bends down and starts untying his boots. “Take mine.”
“I’m not going to take your boots,” I shoot back. “You need them.”
“I won’t need them tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because I couldn’t find us a tent, which means in order to stay warm, I’ll have to call on my wolf.”
I shrug and reach for my zipper. “Then I guess I won’t need them either then.”
Logan grabs my hand and stops me. When I look at him in confusion, he says, “No, there is no sense in us both staying awake. You sleep. I’ll stay watch.”
As I continue to stare at him, still unable to figure him out, or why he’s being so nice to me, a cool breeze ruffles his hair and rich, Pacific blue eyes—eyes that promise freedom—reach out to me.
“We’ll take turns,” I say, hoping my voice isn’t as shaky as my insides.
A long pause and then, “Fair enough.”
With that settled we go to work
on gathering sticks to make a lean-to against the rocky cliff. It might not keep us very warm, but at least it will protect us from the wind and keep us hidden from the hunters who are out on night patrol.
I stifle a yawn, and think about the coffee I left behind. Since Logan is taking first watch, I’m sure he could have used a cup right now. Once again I mentally kick myself for losing our supplies.
“You want to sleep first?” I ask.
“No, you go ahead.”
I turn my head when he begins to strip, then gather his clothes and bring them with me into our tight shelter. A moment later Logan joins me in wolf form. I can’t seem to take my eyes off his powerful streamlined body, and without conscious thought, I reach out to stroke his soft fur. His coat is much thicker than mine, more conditioned for living in the outdoors.
He nips at my hand and I quickly pull it back. I understand his message so I curl up in a ball and press myself against the nook in the rock. He wraps his large frame around me and using his large body as well as the warmth of his fur, he protects me from the harsh elements.
As I absorb his warmth, and burrow deeper into his body, I consider the turn of events and can’t help but think how weird it feels to be here, protected by this strong alpha. Especially considering that last night I refused to sleep anywhere near him, only to wake up naked with his body practically wrapped around mine.
Once again my mind races, wanting to know more about this boy. As if he can sense my rambling thoughts he growls low in his throat, and nips at me again.
“Okay, okay,” I say and growl back. I close my eyes and calm my erratic thoughts and although I know I should probably be thinking about how easily this skilled wolf can kill me in my sleep, I let myself drift off.
I don’t know how long I slept, but when I open my eyes, I see long fingers of light filtering in through our shelter. I run my hand along Logan’s back to get his attention. The fur along his spine bristles and he gives a soft growl as he lifts his head to look up at me.
Even though he can’t understand what I’m saying in my human form, I frown and ask. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
