I hummed faintly to myself as I made a rack for the fish and placed them over the top of the flames. Yellow and orange flickered up higher as the wind grew. I glanced up at the darkening sky. Thick, ominous clouds hung low in the sky and cut off the small stream of sunshine. A storm was brewing. I needed to get my mate out of here and to the safety of my cabin as soon as possible. We might be wolf shifters, but we still preferred the creature comforts of houses. Particularly during a pelting storm.
I’d have to wake her.
I didn’t want to startle her trapped in the tight space with nowhere to go, but I didn’t have a choice. The rocks were warm as I crawled across them and paused beside her.
“Love,” I said soothingly. “Time to wake up.”
She groaned. Stretched, but her limbs hit the sides of the crevice. Her eyes snapped open and met mine, then her gaze skittered to the open space. She couldn’t get by me. She knew it. I knew it.
“How did you track me?” came her croaky question.
“Your sweet scent.”
She scoffed and rubbed her dirt-smeared face. “Under all this dirt and filth?”
“It’s the scent of my mate.”
Her eyes flashed with a glitter of ice. I’d soon thaw it. Thaw her.
“Come, I’ve cooked us food. Then we need to head home before the storm hits.”
She withdrew deeper into the crevice, if that was possible. Her lithe limbs curled tighter around her body as though to protect herself from me. I’d never hurt her.
“Come.” I held out my hand. “I won’t hurt you.” I told her the words she needed to hear.
Her nose wrinkled adorably.
“I promise on my mother’s life.”
“Well,” she said. “How do I know you don’t hate your mother?”
“This is true.” I cocked my head. “What would you like me to promise on?”
“I want you to promise me you don’t know Garth. That you’re not working with him. That you won’t give me to him. That—”
“Sweetheart,” I interrupted her. “I’d never give you to anyone.”
“Don’t call me sweetheart,” she snapped as tears glistened in her eyes.
“Okay. I won’t.” I inched back a fraction to give her room to climb out of the rocks. “Who is Garth?”
“You truly don’t know him?”
“No. I know no Garth.”
“All right.” She nodded. “If I find out you do, I’ll chop your balls off.”
“Love.” I chuckled. “You’ll be very fond of my balls, so I’d suggest you rethink that statement.”
“No.” She slid out of the gap as though she’d performed the maneuver a million times. “If Garth finds me thanks to you, then I’ll stick to my statement.”
Chapter Four
Kara
The man seemed so sincere, and he smelled so enchanting. Like crisp pine, fresh air, and lust. My body itched in awareness with him so close. My wolf form was even more eager to shift than when the moon was full.
Luna help me.