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Everything about her should send off alarm bells, but instead I want to take her, strip her down, and claim her over and over. To mark her so many times that her wolf has no choice but to goddamn show itself already.
“What if we lose her to the disease?” Lucien murmurs, as if reading my mind.
“It won’t happen.” My spine stiffens. “I’ll tear the fucking world apart before I lose my fated mate.”
Bardhyl
Asnap of lightning spears over the darkening sky, quickly followed by a thunderous growl. The earth trembles in response, and the first drops of rain hit my face.
Meira is running alongside me while I scan the area for shelter. Hiding in a tree isn’t going to cut it, not with the storm rolling in. When I look across my shoulder to Meira, her gaze is sharp, taking in our surroundings.
Farther to our right, the mountain climbs harshly, a rockface appearing behind the trees. My hand slips into Meira’s, and I guide her in that direction. Maybe we’ll be lucky and find shelter.
We swerve through the thicket of the woods when the land suddenly ascends severely, rising and rising into the cliffs overhead.
The rain comes down in fat drops, soaking us. My skin pricks with cold, and I draw Meira to my side.
“There,” she calls out, dragging me to her left. I spot the darkened hollow in the side of the mountain. Four other caves lay waiting for us, and I’ll take any at this moment. I release her hand and hastily pick up small branches and twigs near the trees not yet wet. Wet timber is a bitch to make fire from, so I rush with haste, grabbing an armful. Meira does the same, collecting larger branches covered in leaves. We’re soon rushing into the nearest cave with our bundles.
I exhale as cold water drips down my back from my hair. I move in deeper and dump the wood on the ground, then sniff the air for any indication of an animal or the undead being in here. It’s pitch black, but all I smell is the stale cave.
I take out the lighter from my pocket. I’m not a caveman; I came prepared. A quick flick and the cave illuminates, revealing a long, narrow area that offers us the chance to be farther from the entrance of the cave.
I get to work and build a small fire in the middle of the cave, giving us plenty of space to sleep behind it.
By the time I finish and kneel in front of the flames, bathing in the heat, Meira has made a makeshift bed of large palm-like leaves layered on the floor.
Outside, the rain pummels the land, coming down in sheets.
“That storm came out of nowhere.” Meira joins me by the fire, warming her hands. The orange glow beams over her beautiful face. And this is exactly where I want to be… enjoying the rays of her smile when she glances at me with a question on her pouty lips.
“Food would be amazing right now,” she says, and I think she’s batting her eyes at me. Does she think that’s going to work? I’m not going out there in this weather to search for an impossible meal.
“It would be,” I respond. “When you come back with something for us, I’ll have a small spit over the fire.”
She glowers at me, and I chuckle at how predictable she is sometimes, though I’ve been with her long enough to know she doesn’t typically flirt to get things she wants. Is this a sign that she’s growing comfortable in my presence?
“You’re not exactly being a gentleman,” she answers while sitting down in front of the fire, crossing her legs.
“Never claimed to be one, or a hero, or anything else. I am what you see in front of you. An Alpha following orders and keeping you in check.”
She tilts her head in my direction. “Then why did you kiss me?”
“To show you that you’re wrong.”
She stiffens and folds her arms over her chest. “Excuse me?”
“You think you have everything sorted out and that running away will solve your shit. But nothing in life goes as we expect it, now does it?”
She narrows her eyes, that cute little nose wrinkling.
I push loose strands of hair out of my face. “You never expected me to kiss you, and now you can’t get me out of your mind. I know you can’t. It’s written all over your face.” And it’s constantly on my mind, the sweet cherry taste of her lips, her racing breaths, and how she clutched on to me, desperate for more.
“No, it’s not. Don’t kid yourself,” she barks in response.
I laugh, and already I smell her desire on the air, the faint slick, delicious scent that stirs my wolf. It calls to him, and here she tells me she’s not thinking about me. Right.
I shift toward her, and she responds by scrambling to her feet, backing away.
