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The leaves and brush rustled with our movements. It was just us and nature.
Lincoln was only a few feet ahead of me. I pumped my legs faster until we were neck and neck, and then, with a bark, I took the lead as I leaped over a fallen branch.
I charged forward, pushing my legs until they burned with exertion. I’d missed this.
I inhaled deep breaths, breathing in the fresh air and nature. Lincoln’s scent wasn’t too far off. I could hear his paws thudding behind me.
Nope. He wasn’t going to beat me. We were running in a large circle around the cliff with the waterfall. It had been easy to figure that out, and we were getting close to the finish line.
I pushed harder, faster, until I almost couldn’t breathe. The stream was ahead. I didn’t slow. I pushed off the ground and launched myself over the running water, and then I landed on all four feet on the opposite side.
I finished the last bit, ending where we’d taken off, and turned just in time to see Lincoln come up behind me.
I yipped loudly at him. He lunged at me. I yelped as he attacked me in a playful manner.
We played for a few moments. I might have beaten him in the race, but there was no doubt who would win in a real fight.
Lincoln nuzzled my neck and then backed away. He went back to the spot where his clothes were. I trotted to mine too and began my shift back. Then I dressed.
I ran my fingers through my hair as Lincoln came out from the trees.
He gave me a wide grin as he finished tugging his shirt back on. “You weren’t joking when you said you were fast.”
I put my hands on my hips and puffed out my chest. “I never joke about how fast I can run.”
He put his hand on a tree trunk and blew out a breath. “You don’t even seem out of breath.”
I shook my head. “I used to run all the time back home. I never was much of a fighter.”
He nodded. “The speed is good. We’ll work on the fighting.”
Right. Because I was going to need to know how to defend myself.
Lincoln’s eyes appraised me for a long moment, sending a rush of heat through me. “We’ll work on fighting technique in both wolf and human forms.” He reached out and grabbed my hand. “But first I want to show you our spot.”
He lifted my hand to his lips. “It’s your spot now, too. The three of us can meet here whenever we need. No one else knows about it. It should be easier for Sawyer to get out by himself now that Willa is gone.”
I let him guide me toward the stream. There were rocks poking out of the running water. He led me across them to the waterfall.
He climbed up the rock formation first and then offered me his hand to help pull me up. We moved along the jagged edges until we came to a mouth. It was a small opening, so when Lincoln dropped down to his hands and knees and crawled inside, I kneeled down and looked.
His head popped back out, making me shriek and then giggle.
He laughed. “Come on. It gets bigger inside.”
He disappeared again.
I dropped down to my hands and knees and crawled into the opening. The rock bit into my palms and jabbed my knees. I didn’t duck low enough, and my back scraped along the top of the ceiling.
I cursed under my breath, but kept going. I didn’t have to go far.
Lincoln was a few feet in front of me, and he was standing.
Bright light flooded the cavern. I blinked rapidly, temporarily blinded.
Once I could see again, I finished crawling through and stood. “Wow!”
He hadn’t been kidding. This was a secret hideout, complete with lanterns, food, and bedding. The water even ran through the back of the cave for a place to bathe.
