Wolf in the Woods

by N. J. Walters

  And the fact remained that she really didn’t know him. They might have shared a life-altering experience, but he was virtually a stranger. She knew he’d grown up in a wolf pack. Oh, and he was willing to put his life on the line for her. She would never forget that. He was a man of honor and principle.

  Her wolf liked him and so did she.

  And he had died in her arms.

  No matter how she tried to rearrange the events and memories of the night, she couldn’t change that one fact. Billy Gallagher had died. Yet, here he was, up and walking, which should have been impossible after the massive blood loss and the raging fever.

  “Addie.”

  A shiver skated down her spine. This was a pivotal moment in her life. If she took his hand, everything would change.

  Whether it was for good or bad remained to be seen.

  Maybe she was being dramatic, feeling vulnerable and emotional after the trauma she’d been through.

  It was only a kind gesture. She was reading too much into it.

  She took his hand.

  His fingers closed around hers. They were warm and his skin was callused. She hadn’t noticed that before. He obviously worked with his hands. She liked that.

  She liked him. Way too much for a man she barely knew.

  Her wolf whined, not liking to hear her speak of him that way. Too bad. She was going to play things safe, which meant they needed to get out of here, and fast.

  “Lead the way,” she told him.

  He peered down from their high perch on the hill. “Where did we meet yesterday?”

  She pointed off to the left. “Down there.”

  “Then that’s where we’re going. I can backtrack from there.”

  “Maybe you could drop me off near pack land.” That would be better for her. She could sneak home and avoid Simon.

  He made a sound more like a snort than agreement.

  “Do you have a phone so you could contact your family?”

  He shook his head. “I have one in my pack, but I won’t get any service until we’re closer to my truck.”

  They both munched sandwiches and then dug into the energy bars, practically inhaling the food as they walked. Werewolves needed a heck of a lot more calories on any regular day. With the shifting and running she’d done, coupled with being up all night, she could eat twice the food they had between them and still be hungry.

  And she couldn’t imagine what he was feeling right now. He had to be beyond exhausted. He stumbled occasionally but kept going. The man didn’t know the meaning of quit. The food gave them a much-needed boost of energy, but it wouldn’t last. They needed sleep, and that wasn’t going to happen until they were somewhere safer.

  They were both silent as they passed by the small clearing where the fight had taken place. It still smelled faintly of blood and would until the next rain.

  Billy focused forward, putting one foot in front of the other, quickening his pace. She understood his sense of urgency. Neither of them wanted to be caught out here by Simon.

  “How far is it?” she finally asked.

  “At least a couple hours of hard walking.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “I’d been hiking for quite some time before I stopped.”

  She didn’t care how much time it took as long as they kept moving.

  “Would it be easier for you if you shifted?” he asked.

  She hadn’t really thought about doing that, which showed just how tired she was. It was so ingrained in her not to shift around outsiders that she hadn’t considered it. Now that she’d eaten, it would be much more convenient for her to travel as a wolf.

  “You wouldn’t mind?”

  He ran his free hand over her hair. It was tangled and damp from the night in the river and didn’t smell very fresh. “Why would I mind?” He leaned down and kissed her forehead as casually as if he’d been doing it for years. The gentle caress sent heat rushing all the way to her toes. “Wolf pack, remember? I’m around folks who shift all the time.”

  He leaned back and peered down at her. “Do you have enough energy to get through the transformation? There’s a couple energy bars left. You should eat them first.”

  Her chest tightened and ached to the point of pain. Other than her parents, no one ever worried about her. Billy seemed to do it without thought, as though it was as natural as breathing for him to put her needs first.

  “What about you?” He needed nutrition even more than she did.

  “There’s still trail mix and jerky.” He held out the two remaining bars. Knowing the extra calories were needed, she took them. It was the smart thing to do. She’d be quicker and the walk would be easier, which meant he could expend his energy worrying about himself.

  She wouldn’t be able to hold his hand, though. And that was more of a consideration than she’d realized.

  She ate the bars and handed him the empty wrappers to tuck back into the pack.

  “Can I watch?” He raked his fingers through his hair, lightly tugging on the ends. “Hell, I’m sorry. That’s all kinds of inappropriate.” He started to turn away, to give her privacy.

  “I don’t mind.” Why had she said that? She wasn’t in the habit of getting naked around men. Although after everything they’d been through, it was a bit late to be worrying about that. He’d already seen all of her there was to see.

  And he didn’t feel like a stranger. She wanted to share the intimate experience of shifting to her wolf with him.

  “You sure?” He frowned, lines creasing his forehead.

  Not really, but she wasn’t about to back down or change her mind. Her wolf wanted this and so did she.

  She nodded and took several steps back. Once she was in the shade of a tall pine tree, she removed the shirt and, as the gentle breeze cooled her bare skin, allowed the change to come.

  Her bones popped and began to reform. Her jaw elongated and her forehead flattened. Fur pushed out from beneath her smooth skin. She fell forward, but before her hands could hit the ground, they were paws.

  Addie stood there, proud in her wolf form. Eyes wide and filled with some emotion she couldn’t quite read, he simply stared. He swallowed several times and finally cleared his throat. “You are so gorgeous.”

  Her wolf tilted her head up and raised her tail slightly, pleased with his praise.

  “Your fur is every color that’s in your hair.” He eased closer and reached out, only to pull his hand back before he touched her. “May I?”

  Anticipation spread through her limbs, making her tingle all over. She sat and dipped her head slightly.

  He touched the top of her head, running two fingers back and forth. When she didn’t object, he stroked his large hand down her back. Her spine arched automatically, the wolf not wanting to lose contact.

  “Doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen it happen, I’m still in awe of the whole thing.”

  So was she. So many wolves in her pack seemed to have lost the wonder, the reverence for the process, taking their wolves and their heritage for granted.

  He grabbed the shirt she’d shed from the ground and shook it out before hooking it over one of the straps of his pack. “I’ll keep this close in case you need it.”

  She trotted by his side as they continued their trek. He didn’t feel the need to fill the void with useless chatter. She liked that. Like her, he remained alert, constantly looking around and sniffing the air. It wouldn’t do to get careless.

  Time passed as they covered a fair distance. They snacked on the trail mix and jerky to keep up their strength. She figured they had to be getting close to where he’d left his truck. They were still in the thick of the forest, so it was difficult to sense anyone else around. But as far as she could tell, they were alone.

  She’d no more than had that thought when she caught the scent of something that made her heart stutter and then begin to race.

  Addie thrust herself in front of Billy. He almost tripped over her before he managed to stop. Unlike most men, he did
n’t demand to know why she’d blocked him. He crouched beside her, one hand on her back, and watched and waited.

  There was a wolf out there. And it was coming this way.

  Chapter Five

  Billy wasn’t sure what was wrong, but he trusted Addie, and she was obviously concerned about something. He didn’t think a bear or other animal would cause her to stop. Only another person or persons would do that.

  He listened and heard a faint rustling not far from them. Then he sniffed and stilled. With his newfound sense of smell, there were many unfamiliar scents, but this was one he recognized—wolf.

  And not just any wolf. Simon was out there, looking for Addie, stalking her. He recognized the scent from the clearing where they’d had the fight. He’d been afraid this would happen. There was no denying the other male wolf was obsessed. He’d seen it in the way Simon had talked about her, looked at her.

  Well, he couldn’t have her. Billy had fought for her once and would again. Not that he expected he’d fare much better this time. He was exhausted and still had no idea how he had fundamentally changed. As for Simon, he was well rested, well fed, and knew exactly what he was capable of.

  Addie wrapped her jaws around his hand and tugged. He followed her lead and crouched behind a low bush. She was right. Best to hide if they could and avoid all confrontation.

  Some primal instinct reared up in protest, but he ignored it. If there was ever a time to use some common sense and reason, it was now. The urge to go after his foe was strong. That wolf had hurt Addie, hurt him. He dug his fingers into her fur and held on, letting her ground him.

  She poked her nose around the edge of the bush and sniffed again. When she looked back at him, worry clouded her eyes.

  Since he couldn’t speak out loud, he pointed to her, back to himself, and then in the opposite direction. They needed to get out of here. “Fifteen minutes.” He mouthed the number instead of saying it aloud. From his calculation, they were probably no farther away than that from his truck.

  There was no way of knowing if Simon had found his vehicle and disabled it. All they could do was get there and hope for the best.

  She inclined her head in acknowledgment, stayed low to the ground, and began to cautiously move. He was right behind her.

  He’d always been aware of his surroundings when he was out in nature, but now his senses took it to a whole other level. Every stick and rock stood out and was easily avoided. He naturally walked lighter, picking the best path to avoid detection.

  And always his eyes were on the female wolf in front of him. He didn’t mind letting her take the lead. That way he could keep a watch behind them. It would be stupid to underestimate Simon just because he didn’t like the guy. He was a werewolf and would have superior tracking skills.

  Billy sped up slightly and touched her on the flank. When she paused and glanced over her shoulder, he pointed her to the right. They were about ten minutes out. So close, but he wouldn’t relax until they were on Salvation Pack land.

  He lifted his head from time to time and sniffed the air. Simon’s scent should have been dissipating. Instead it seemed to be getting closer.

  Shit, the guy was on their trail.

  The urge to break out into a run was strong, but that would only give away their location. Think, he ordered himself. There was no water nearby that they might use to camouflage their scent. The only saving grace was the wind direction. They could scent Simon, but he wouldn’t be able to do the same with them. He would have to sniff out their tracks. He’d do it, but not as quickly as he could have if the wind was in his favor.

  There were some rocks ahead. Not many, but enough to possibly confuse their scent. Even an extra minute could mean the difference between making it out of here cleanly and having to fight.

  Neither of them paused. There was no time to stop and discuss strategy. He simply pointed to the rocks. She nodded her understanding and went toward them.

  He cast a worried glance over his shoulder. There was a constant twitch in his spine, his new instincts assuring him someone was out there. The fine hairs on his arms rose slightly.

  Addie was already picking her way over the rocks, her sleek body moving nimbly and quickly. When she reached the end of the small formation, she leaped gracefully into the air and landed silently almost twenty feet away.

  Now it was his turn. Keeping bent as low as he could, he followed in her footsteps, or rather paw steps. When he reached the last rock, he too jumped. He didn’t expect to get as far as she had, not without being able to get a running start. The world flew past him. The air caressed his bare arms and face.

  Instead of landing hard, the balls of his feet touched down lightly, his knees bent so he was in a crouch. He stared over his shoulder, awed at the distance he’d covered. He’d gone even farther than Addie.

  Wow, he loved his new skills.

  When he tried to straighten, a wave of dizziness washed over him. He started to topple, but she was right beside him, letting him lean on her strong wolf body.

  He rubbed his hand over his face and inhaled silently and deeply. Yeah, he wasn’t nearly at full strength.

  The truck was within reach. Picking up the pace, he set a course straight for it, one he wouldn’t have chosen before. There were obstacles, but they went over, under, or around them.

  They were going to make it. He glanced over at Addie. The second his gaze landed on her, she looked his way. Her expressive dark-honey eyes held a boatload of worry.

  He started to nod to reassure her, his attention on her rather than on where he was going. His foot landed hard. His mistake registered as the twig beneath his boot snapped.

  A wolf howl echoed through the woods.

  The time for stealth was over. “Run!”

  They both tore through the trees, not trying to muffle their passing. Right now, it was a race for their lives. The wind flew past him. His breathing deepened. Sweat beaded his forehead, but he kept going. There was no stopping.

  Addie was right beside him, her lithe wolf form taking huge strides.

  He ran faster than he ever had in his life, arms and legs pumping. His knapsack jostled against his back. He thought about dumping it, but that would mean slowing down to shrug out of it, so he kept going.

  “There,” he whispered, knowing she would hear him. They burst through the tree line and onto an old dirt road. His truck was fifty feet away.

  Exhaustion pulled at his limbs, and his running became more erratic and less graceful. He was no longer silent either. His boots thudded against the hard packed ground.

  Keys, he needed keys.

  Another howl split the air. This one too close for comfort. He didn’t look behind, only ahead, slowing long enough to drag the keys from his jeans pocket.

  Then he was at the truck with Addie panting hard beside him. Hands shaking, he fumbled the keys. “Come on. Come on,” he muttered. He wished he had a newer truck, one with a key fob that would allow him to press a button and have the damn door unlock. But his truck was a much older model, one he didn’t mind leaving unattended on a back road for a couple of days.

  Success! He jammed the key into the slot and managed to turn it. He yanked the door open. “Get in,” he yelled.

  She bounded into the driver’s seat but quickly scooted over. He jumped in behind her and almost had the door closed when he saw Simon coming hard and fast. The male wolf wasn’t slowing down.

  Leaving the door, he jabbed the keys into the ignition, cranked it over, and threw the truck in gear.

  Simon leaped toward the back of the cab just as they pulled away. The driver’s door slammed shut when they hit a bump. Both he and Addie were tossed around. He glanced in his mirror and breathed a sigh of relief. They’d made it.

  A huge wolf head suddenly appeared at the back cab window. Fury darkened his eyes, and saliva dripped from his powerful jaws.

  Beside him, Addie shifted back to human form. “What should I do?” she yelled.

  “B
uckle up,” he told her. He drove erratically, swerving from side to side, hoping to lose their unwanted passenger.

  That only angered the wolf, who threw himself at the window. It didn’t shatter, but a long crack formed in the glass.

  He heard the snick of her seat belt and braced himself, braking as hard as he could. She screamed. He cursed. The wolf slammed into the cab and flipped over it, landing on the bonnet of the truck.

  It all happened in a heartbeat, but it wasn’t over. He hadn’t managed to get rid of Simon.

  The wolf growled and launched himself at the front windshield. Billy hit the gas hard. The wolf was tossed in the air. But this was no normal wolf. This was a werewolf. He managed to dig his claws into the roof. They went through the metal like a hot knife through butter, and one of them almost caught Billy in the skull when it came through into the cab. It snagged the backpack he still wore instead. He leaned forward, ducked as low as he could, and held on to the wheel.

  “What now?” she yelled. “He’s not giving up.”

  He was running out of ideas, but he wasn’t slowing down. Then a thought came out of the blue. “There’s a rifle behind my seat.” His father insisted he take it for protection, but he always left it in the truck. Now he was glad as hell it was there.

  She reached behind but couldn’t quite get to it with the seat belt on. She unlatched it and practically dove behind him. Simon had released his grip on the cab and slid back into the bed of the truck.

  “I’ve got it.” With the rifle aimed toward the back window, she braced herself against the dashboard.

  The huge wolf slammed himself against it, shattering the glass just as she fired. The wolf gave a sharp cry but didn’t stop. The big head shoved through the opening, powerful jaws aiming right for Billy.

  She jammed the muzzle against the wolf’s skull. “A bullet to the brain from this distance will kill you.”

  Holy fuck, she was some kind of woman. Totally naked and completely calm, she held their attacker at bay. Was it wrong of him to find her hot? It might not be the time for it, but his cock was hard as a rock, straining against the front of his jeans. It might be a physical reaction to the adrenaline, but it was Addie, too. She was amazing.