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Finally, he took a step and jerked his chin toward the wilderness surrounding them. “Then start running.”
30
She knew she’d made a mistake the second the boast left her mouth. Still, she couldn’t take it back.
And he didn’t want her to. His eyes flashed dangerously—some primal part of him couldn’t resist such a direct challenge.
Good.
He took a step and immediately backed away several more. “No.” His tone lacked that unsteady rasp it had seconds earlier. “This isn’t—”
Loren didn’t think. Her hair flew out behind her as she pushed past him and lunged. Whatever he’d done back at her old house…
Maybe it was desperation—or a fluke—but she could access that shadowy part of herself again. Shifting this time was almost as easy as breathing, though not painless. Every muscle throbbed, suddenly hot, reminiscent of the shock of diving into water from a height.
She hit the ground unsteadily, struggling to regain her bearings on four legs instead of two—but that wasn’t all she needed to quickly adjust to. A heavy thud echoed from nearby—dried leaves crunching and a low growl—the sound of another figure shifting. Every hair on her body stood on end.
As a man, Bill McGoven was intimidating enough, but in this form… His presence overwhelmed and dominated every nerve in her body. His smell was ten times stronger, slamming into her lungs with the force of a punch. A disarming musk mingled within the usual aroma of pine as if, in lieu of words, his very essence proclaimed his intentions.
Game on.
Run!Pure instinct took over as she sprinted between two trees. Instantly she saw that this area was nothing like the farmland near New Walsh. It was rugged and wild. Her heart pounded as moonlight drenched her from overhead, painting everything in an ethereal glow. Beautiful wasn’t a strong enough word to describe it.
Towering evergreens loomed above, and rocky outcrops tore through the landscape, requiring her to adjust on the fly to dodge any obstacles. Micha’s training ironically came in handy as she did her best to navigate the brutal terrain.
But she was nowhere near fast enough—McGoven gained on her easily. She could hear his ragged breaths. Smell him even more…
Defeat was inevitable, but she made him work for it, driving as fast as she could through the territory. With every inch gained, her body thrummed with the thrill of the chase.
Until, something in the atmosphere shifted without warning—it was as if an invisible pressure weighed her down, putting greater importance on every step. Every breath. This wasn’t a game any longer. This was a test. A primal war.
And she was risking far more than losing an argument.
Increasingly, her pulse surged, goading her on. Faster.Faster!Up ahead, a small clearing came into view, but as the wind shifted direction, she inhaled a scent that proclaimed her defeat.
In a burst of fluid muscle, a black wolf flew from the shadows, barreling toward her.
And it was over.
Despair wasn’t the emotion that had her roll onto her back the second he came near, however. Neither was fear. Her chest heaved as stray twigs crunched underfoot, and the wind blew a familiar scent directly into her lungs—during the tortured few seconds of his approach, she’d shifted back into human form.
Still a beast, he crouched over her, so massive he blotted out the sky. Viewed in this way, he was terrifying, capable of hurting her so easily if he wanted to. As his jaws parted, ivory teeth bared, that very outcome seemed inevitable.
So why was her skin prickling, her limbs so heavy she couldn’t move? The wolf lowered his head, and hot breath fanned her exposed throat in warning. When he finally made contact, however, it was with lips so soft they felt like silk. Too quickly for her to even track the transformation, the body on top of her became all male with human limbs that trapped her beneath him. Gone was any hesitation. His hands palmed her waist, every finger trembling with possession.
With confidence that took her breath away, his lips feathered over her jaw, finding her mouth—but calling the resulting act a kiss would have been an insult. He tasted her, allowing her to become accustomed to the gentle, probing rhythm of his tongue.
And then, his teeth caught her lip without warning. Pain and copper exploded over her tongue, but there was no explaining the rush of desire she felt rip through her next. A craving for something… Anything he could give.
What that was, exactly? He seemed to have some idea.
At the urging of his touch, her entire body came to life—times a million. That aching, desperate warmth wormed beneath her thighs, driving her to clench them together just to ease it.
But he was in between them, far too heavy to dislodge—and she didn’t want to. When he settled against her, all thoughts of discomfort left her mind. His touch was the cure. His fingers, his desire…
She exhaled, her eyes wide, as that emotion emanated from him in waves, evident in how he held her. Touched her. Pressed his lips frantically against her jawline. She moaned, tilting her head back to allow him better access.
Suddenly, he froze.
