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“No, these rocks and trunks are all fake, and ones I made.”
“How did you do that? They look so much like the others around it.”
“Baby, I’ve been here six years. I had to find things to do to keep me busy. It helped to have these projects.”
She hugged him. “Wow, I’ve got me a not only hunky but brilliant mate. I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”
He snorted. “No, I’m the lucky one.” He kissed her for a long time before raising his head. “If you’re in danger, go out this way and hide in the cluster of bushes by the base of the hill. You’ll be well hidden. I’ll feel your fear and come immediately, and I won’t be far.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Let’s go back.”
When they got to the main room, he showed her where the bread and butter were and how to toast a piece of bread on the fire.
“I’ll definitely be back before lunch.”
Simone kissed him one more time, and watched him walk away. She couldn’t understand how desolate she felt at that moment. He’d been gone less than a minute, yet she felt abandoned and lonely.
Simone stared around the cave and was at a loss on what to do, so she decided to get dressed to make her feel more in control. She buttered half a piece of bread and ate it as she explored the cave.
When she got back to the main room, she thought about finding one of the rescuers, so they could get a note back to her friends letting them know she was okay. She just knew they were going crazy, and she hated it. She knew he wouldn’t be pleased, but she hadn’t been happy either when he decided to keep her hidden. Maybe she could get it done and be back before he was.
She scrambled to get her shoes on and then grabbed one of his jackets. She sniffed the coat that was down to her knees. She knew she looked ridiculous but didn’t want to get cold. Also, his scent helped settle her and gave her the strength to walk out of the cave. She looked around and memorized the area so she could find her way back.
Simone carefully climbed down from the rocky hill and started for the forest. Within fifteen minutes, she knew she had made a mistake. She was so lost she had no idea which way to go. She tried listening to see if anyone was close, but all she heard was the wind and the rustle of leaves.
She leaned against a tree. “Come on, girl. You can get out of this. Think.”
She wasn’t used to being in a forest. She’d lived her whole life in a city. She was also starting to feel the cramping of need for her mate, which was more painful than she had ever experienced yet or imagined it could get.
Simone pressed her face into her hands. “Oh, God, Blake. I’m so sorry.”
Sounds of breaking sticks and branches told her someone was coming her way. She tried to see who it was and was tempted to call out, but fear held her immobile. She thought about hiding but couldn’t find anything dense enough to cover her, and the tree she was leaning on was too thin.
The first thing she saw was fur, and she almost exhaled, thinking it was Blake, but when the wolf came into full view, she knew it wasn’t. This one was not as dark or as big as Blake.
“Oh, God.” She frantically looked around for anything when the animal started stalking her way. It was down on his hunches, and its sounds were terrifying. “Please…”
The wolf was six feet from her, ready to pounce when another wolf sprang between them.
She exhaled. Blake had found her. He was slightly bigger than the other wolf, which made her feel better. The two growled at each other, and the sounds sent chills up her spine. She’d give anything to be back in the cave, but she’d screwed up and had put them in this dangerous predicament.
They seemed to communicate, making her guess the wolf was another shifter. They started to circle and lunge at each other. She screamed when the other wolf attacked Blake, but Blake could grab it by the scruff and toss it aside.
She heard voices approaching them and knew exactly when the wolves did.
They both turned to men and still faced each other. The other wolf looked rougher than Blake had, and there was a wild look in his eyes, and the fact he hadn’t fully changed to a human scared her.
“Jacob, go,” Blake said. “You know I won’t allow you to touch my mate. I’d kill you first.”
Jacob shook himself. “How…”
He sounded like he hadn’t talked in a long time.
“How did you find your mate?”
“She was broken down on the road,” Blake said. “You know what this means, right?”
