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"We need to go." He looked at me as if the answer was obvious. Letting out a pained huff, I grabbed my clothes and stepped into the cool morning air. It felt like winter was pushing at my back, making goosebumps rise across my exposed flesh.
The hazy morning fog clung to the base of the trees. The sun wasn't high enough yet to burn it off, giving the forest an enchanted feel. It was a lovely patch of land, soft and inviting, but I was too annoyed to enjoy it.
Pulling on Joon's oversized shirt and my pant, I glared at my mate. He flashed me a cocky grin, and my wolf snarled at him. Leaving me needy wasn't funny in the least.
"Don't think you can play with me like that and then just leave me in this state without consequences," I warned, hating how hard it was to talk with my clit swollen and my skin still tingling from his tongue.
"It's important to leave your mate wanting more." The smug look on his face made me want to poke him in the eye. Hard.
I walked right up to him and tipped my head back to look him in the eye. "I will remember this," I warned, moving a hand slowly down his chest, over his abs, and right to the front of his pants. His rigid cock pressed tight against the material, and he hummed as I gripped it through the fabric.
"This is mine," I said, my voice slow and husky. "And if you insist on playing with me…." I paused, letting my words sink in. He smiled wide, loving every second. "Then I will not be playing with you." I gave his balls a soft tap with my other hand. He grunted, his big hands suddenly gripping my ass hard.
He leaned in to kiss me, and I turned my head. "Nope. I was just told we needed to go." I spun, buttoning my shirt.
"Come here," Joon growled. His voice dropped, so deep and sexy.
Turning slightly, I gave him a coy smile over my shoulder. "Make me."
The corner of his lips twitched, and I ran.
I raced through the trees, pushing down the urge to laugh and squeal. Joon was just behind me, letting me keep a slight lead. I could hear his playful growls as his long legs carried him quickly through the brush. Rushing toward a downed tree, I moved to jump over it, but Joon's muscular arms wrapped around me and pulled me to him.
I let out the softest giggle I could muster, wanting desperately to laugh long and loud. Joon spun me, pressed my body to his chest, then kissed me hard. His long fingers channeled through my hair while his tongue twisted skillfully with mine, tasting, feeling, and loving me.
I didn't want the moment to end.
Joon jerked back, breaking the kiss. He stood to full height as his eyes darted over the trees around us, sensing something I couldn't. My wolf sat at attention to his alarming movements. I was ready to run or hide.
Joon's dark eyes narrowed, and he sniffed the air. I pressed into him, looking around the best I could, but I couldn't see the threat he so clearly felt.
"Come," he said.
He grabbed me by the waist to lift me over the downed tree, then hopped over in one swift motion. We moved quickly down the steep hill, my legs struggling to keep up. I stumbled, and Joon scooped me up. He ran at full speed, not stopping until the ground leveled out.
"What is it?" I whispered as he placed me back on my feet.
He gave a jerk of his head, and I went quiet. The line between his brows became deeper as we crept through the trees. The land next to us grew, jutting upward into a massive wall of boulders and dirt, finally looming thirty feet above us.
Keeping my hand firmly in my mate's, I moved toward what looked like a little meadow. Joon pulled me to a stop, and I followed his eyes, seeing tents and smoldering fires within a pocket in a mountain. It was the guards' camp from last night. We had made it down and around, the ground sloping just as Byriel said it would.
Joon sniffed the air. The ease in his muscles was noticeable, but my wolf found no comfort in it. We were too close to the encampment of palace guards, and we were walking straight toward them.
Joon pulled me along, right into the camp. I wanted to run and hide, but I shoved down my fear, trying like hell to absorb my mate's confidence. I just wished I understood how he knew these wolves weren't a threat.
Then I heard it.
Lex was chatting and laughing somewhere within the camp. He was in the middle of a tall tale. His voice was loud and animated, and I could practically envision his hands moving through the air as he talked.
A palace guard stepped out of a tent and eyed us, but he didn't stop us or demand to know what we were doing. Joon didn't give him a second glance, still pulling me along. More wolves appeared, but no one said anything about our presence. It was so odd I almost forgot my fear.
We cut around a large tent to find Lex and Blue smiling and eating next to a few other wolves, a dying fire at their feet. The flames were gone, but deep grey smoke swirled up from the black logs making the cold air smell of warm cedar and hot embers.
Lex's face lit up. "Good morning, puppies! We've been waiting forever for you to get here." He pretended to be cross, patting the ground next to him.
I glanced at Joon, and he released my hand, looking at the tents around us.
"Alpha Byriel is talking to the important wolves over there," Blue said, pointing to a tight group of pine trees in the distance. Byriel and three other wolves, two alphas, and a beta talked at the edge of the camp. All four held intense expressions, leaning close so no one could hear what they were saying.
