The Wolf's Pursuit

by Rachel Van Dyken

  "Well," Hunter stuttered. "What do you think?"

  "I think…" Gwen grinned and let out a small laugh. "I think I underestimated you."

  "Music to my ears."

  "Of course it is." She rolled her eyes. "How do we make it to the food?"

  "The trail, you must stay on the trail." Hunter pointed to the beginning of the maze. "And you must listen to my voice as I guide you."

  "Listen? Whatever do you mean?"

  Hunter pulled out a blindfold and tied it around her head. "The last time you were here, I blindfolded you. I was a cad, an absolute terror, truly you should have shot me the second you found out, so I aim to earn back a little of that trust."

  "By blindfolding me again?"

  "Yes." Hunter chuckled. "Trust me to get you to where you need to go — trust me to guide you."

  "You are asking me to trust a wolf?"

  "I told you I was rewriting the story, remember?"

  Gwen sighed and then nodded her head. "Alright."

  "What was that?" Hunter whispered in her ear, allowing himself to nip her neck with his teeth.

  "I said alright," Gwen said through clenched teeth.

  "Good." Hunter sighed into her neck. He wanted to kiss every part of her, hold her close like this and never let go.

  "Take five steps and then turn right."

  He followed as Gwen did exactly what he said.

  "Now take two steps and turn right again."

  "Are you sure?" she asked.

  "Am I wearing a blindfold?" He laughed.

  "No." She took a breath and walked two steps ahead. "Now what?"

  "Patience." He kissed her neck again. "We need to pause."

  "Why?"

  "So I can take down your hair." One by one, he pulled the pins out. Her dark hair cascaded down her back in waves. It was heavy in his hands. He closed his eyes and moaned.

  Gwen leaned back against him. He flipped her around and kissed her hard across the mouth, dipping his hands into her thick hair and gently tugging.

  "Are we there?" Gwen whispered hoarsely.

  "Do you care?" Hunter tilted his head and kissed the side of her jaw, then had to touch her lips again. His tongue trailed her lower lip then his teeth gently tugged it and sucked. Her flavor was so unique he couldn't get enough.

  "No." Gwen swayed toward him.

  "No, you don't care, or no, the kiss was bad?" Hunter spoke against her lips.

  "Hunter." Gwen sighed.

  "What?"

  "Shut up." Her hands forcefully grabbed his head as she crushed her lips against his. Her arms went around his neck as she forced her body against his. He would happily die this way. He flipped her around and began unfastening her dress.

  He fumbled with the buttons and then with a curse finally got one loose. Blazes, how long was this going to take?

  Gwen cleared her throat and reached behind her to hand him her dagger.

  Clearly he had married a genius. He grabbed the knife and ripped the dress at the seams, not even thinking to ask her if she minded. After all she had provided him with the means to do so.

  The dress fell to the floor, leaving yet another battle for him to fight. The corset. Why the blazes did women wear those things?

  He sighed in frustration and then pulled Gwen back against him. "I should feed you before I ravish you."

  "Should you?" she replied hoarsely.

  No. No, what he wanted to do was attack her in the middle of the maze, but he had promised to romance her. Romancing did not include a quick toss with one's wife… besides, he had reason to believe it was her first time.

  "Walk ahead three more steps and turn left. It will lead you out of the maze." Gwen stepped out of her dress and walked. He shamelessly watched her hips sway back and forth as she made her way out. Like a lovesick lad, he panted after her and quickly removed the blindfold.

  "It's beautiful." Gwen's smile brightened as she looked at the food that had been prepared for them. "But…" Her smile faded. "You are missing something."

  "Impossible." Hunter felt panic rise in his chest. "I specifically asked for a full meal. Do you not care for duck? Should I have included soup?" His hands began to sweat as he took in the meal. What was lacking?

  "You are missing wolf," Gwen said simply, and shrugged.

  "I'm right here."

  "Yes. You are." She beckoned him with her finger. Hunter did not have to be told twice. He took a deep breath and then kissed her as softly as he could. Again, he did not want to scare her. Poor thing was probably more terrified, knowing of his reputation.

  "Hunter, stop." She pushed him away and leveled him with a glare. "You promised romance."

  "I, uh…" Eloquent.

  With a grin, Gwen pulled a knife from the table, walked up to Hunter and held it near his throat. "Kiss me, Wolf."

  Hunter looked away and then in an instant grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her forward. The knife clattered to the floor. Gwen wrapped her legs around him, and he found that he truly wasn't hungry for food.

  But he had planned so carefully, all for her, to rewrite the fairytale to — "Oh, don't stop." He moaned as she licked his ear.

  Gwen's nails dug into his neck as she pulled her body tighter against his. He was going to lose his mind if he didn't get her naked. He could see it now: madness by desire.

  "Gwen." He placed her on her feet and tried to shrug out of his tight jacket. Why did this always happen to him?

  With aching slowness she put her hands flat against his chest and helped push the jacket off, but not before nearly killing him in the process as she kissed and nibbled on his lips every few seconds.

  Her hands untucked his shirt and lifted it over his head. Those same hands explored his chest, his stomach, every part of his body that was exposed.

  "You are so strong," she murmured as she kissed his shoulder. Hunter felt his chest puff up, unable to help himself. It was what every gentleman longed to hear, You are so strong, so large, so capable, so sexy, so… He chuckled and turned her around so he could rid her of her corset. His nimble fingers worked across the strings. Once loosened, he dropped it to the floor, and she stepped out.

  With a satisfied smirk he knelt down and slowly unrolled her stockings, kissing the naked skin on her thighs and moving down. He licked the smooth skin behind her knees, and bit along her tiny feet.

  Shaking with desire, he tossed the stockings aside and then tugged down her drawers. They fell to the ground, but his hands remained on her hips as he examined her ivory skin, glowing in the firelight. Her beauty was too much — it was all consuming. He closed his eyes and exhaled. Gwen reached down and ran her fingers through his hair and then tilted his chin up. He opened his eyes and rose to his full height, then kissed her briskly across the lips and stepped back.

  Naked.

  Finally.

  He grinned as he examined her nakedness from head to beautiful toes. Everything about her was perfectly proportioned to drive a man insane. And she was all his.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Red—

  For you… I'd wait forever.

  —Wolf

  Hunter appeared nervous and if there was one thing she knew about Hunter, it was that he was seldom nervous. This was the man who'd practically tossed women's skirts in public and expected people to cheer for him in the process! His hands continued to shake in front of him as he brought each of her fingers to his lips.

  "You are still dressed," she pointed out.

  "That I am." He smirked.

  With a coy smile, she knelt down and grabbed the knife she'd previously dropped. She pointed it directly at his chest. "Remove them. Now."

  "Remove what?" He tilted his head and smiled that wicked, beautiful, insane smile.

  "Your breeches. Now."

  "So demanding."

  "You think this is a game?" She grinned even wider and then walked behind him. And held the knife closer to his neck as she kissed and blew into his ear. "I'm not playing aro
und." His skin smelt like soap and leather. She breathed it in, causing the knife to tremble within her hand.

  "Oh, but I wish you would, sweetheart," he drawled.

  Carefully, she lowered the knife to his pants. He tensed.

  "Afraid?"

  "You do realize you have a knife closest to what makes me a man."

  "Do you trust me?"

  "You ask me this now?" His voice was hoarse. She kissed his neck. He moaned. "Fine, yes, yes, oh, yes." He tensed again, this time trying to reach for her, but she quickly turned him around and stripped him of his clothes.

  "I mean to repay you for tying me to a chair…" She hadn't ever allowed any of her escapades as a spy to get further than this, in fact she had no idea what she was doing, but she wanted to be owned by him, wanted him to make her his. But at the same time, she had a strong desire to make him suffer.

  "I am not entirely comfortable with the look you have in your eyes, sweetheart."

  "Rope?" She lifted an eyebrow.

  Hunter's eyes widened. "We are both naked. And you want me to go searching for rope?"

  "Precisely." She crossed her arms. He groaned, his eyes glazing over as he watched her chest rise and fall. "Hunter," she interrupted. "The rope, please?"

  "Fine."

  She watched him exit through the maze, his godlike body flexing in the firelight. So many muscles tensed and relaxed when he moved. She imagined she could watch him all day and never tire.

  Within minutes he returned. "Rope." He lifted it into the air and then threw it at her feet. "Do your worst."

  Gwen laughed. "You really should not have said that."

  "I do not fear little girls in red capes."

  "I am not wearing a cape, nor am I a little girl."

  "Believe me…" His eyes caressed her body before he smoothly turned his head to the side and answered, "I know."

  She tried to ignore the way his look made her face heat. "Besides, I've never been afraid of the big bad Wolf, and you did say we are rewriting the story. I imagine the Wolf is about to be begging Red."

  "I never beg."

  "We shall see."

  His eyes brightened as she grabbed one of the chairs and motioned for him to sit in it. He licked his lips and sauntered over to the chair.

  "Close your eyes," she ordered.

  He did as he was told. Gwen smiled to herself, as she felt her body heat just watching her husband sit calmly, waiting for her. All hers. He was all hers.

  "Now…" She purred as she approached him and began wrapping the rope around the chair. "Hold your hands behind you, and press them together."

  Gwen tied the rope firmly around the chair and then used the ends to bind his hands together. When she was satisfied, she pulled back and grinned.

  "Open your eyes."

  Hunter smirked. "I'm not yet screaming, Red. Perhaps you are not as good a spy as you originally thought?"

  "What? You think all I wanted to do was tie you to a chair? Make you uncomfortable?"

  His mouth snapped shut, and he narrowed his eyes. "What is it you want?"

  Gwen carefully walked toward him, knowing full well that the sway of her hips had him hypnotized. When she was finally close enough to touch him, she leaned forward, giving him full view of her feminine body in the firelight, and brushed her lips against his ear. "I want to make you burn."

  Hunter swore. His body flexed as he tried to get out of the bonds. Gwen wagged her finger back and forth in front of him.

  "Tsk, tsk." She wrapped her arms around his neck and then slowly straddled him. She might be innocent, she might be a virgin, but spying had given her one skill that no innocent maiden possessed.

  Knowledge of how to make a man talk.

  And even though her own heart was nearly slamming out of her chest, even though her body burned with desire for him to touch her, she wanted to be on equal ground, equal footing. Part of her realized Hunter needed more than a lover — he needed a partner. Someone he could spar with, a person who would challenge him, a wife who would not always do as she was told.

  As soon as her skin made contact with his, he let out a long string of curses and closed his eyes. "Gwen." He swore again. "This is…"

  "What?" She kissed his neck; he growled in response.

  "This is such perfect torture."

  Muscles flexed and strained as he tried to touch her. She watched as sweat began to form at his temples, and then he leaned his head forward and touched her chest. "I cannot take much more of this, Gwen."

  "The mind is stronger than the body, is it not?"

  "No, I say not. Now release me before I die."

  "One cannot die from want."

  "Watch me." He growled and then kissed her hard across the mouth. His neck strained to push his mouth harder against hers.

  Shivering in response, she pulled back, just far enough that his lips could not touch. "How badly do you want me to release you?"

  Hunter looked down and then back up. "Do you truly not know the answer to that question?"

  With reluctance, she moved away from his lap and began to untie his bonds, as slowly as she was able. When he was free he did not move.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Counting to five."

  "Why?" Perplexed, she walked around to face him.

  "Five seconds. You have exactly five seconds to grab your weapon of choice or hide. But know that I will find you."

  Gwen searched frantically for the knife. Where the devil had she put it!

  "One—"

  "Hunter, I think—"

  "Two—" He sounded almost bored.

  Gwen saw a flash of silver and grasped the knife between her hands.

  "Five." He brought his hands in front of him and cracked his knuckles.

  "Wait." Gwen held out the knife in front of her. "You said you were counting to five."

  Hunter's eyes snapped open. A hungry look rippled across his face as he leaned forward. "Silly Red, didn't you know? Wolves always lie." He lunged for her body. She ran through the trees, through the forest to be exact, but Hunter caught her wrist and brought her backside firmly against him.

  His rough whisper sent shivers down her spine. "Have you any idea what I am about to do to you?"

  She gulped as his rough hands slowly caressed down her arms and then cradled her waist. "I want you, in every way, Gwen."

  "Then take me."

  He chuckled. "Oh, I plan to. Remember, the story is being rewritten."

  "And how does it end?" she whispered as Hunter began to slowly massage her shoulders.

  "The Wolf devours Red."

  Hunter lifted her off her feet and cradled her body as he stalked through the trees to the fireplace. He laid her softly across the fur blankets and hovered above her.

  "So beautiful," she whispered as she gently touched his muscled stomach. He closed his eyes and then lowered his body over hers.

  "Not as beautiful as you."

  "Why, Hunter, did you just admit to being less beautiful than another creature?" She laughed nervously as his lips descended and began working their way down her stomach.

  "Minx," he whispered as he kissed her navel and then jerked her body up so their chests were touching. "You are more beautiful." He kissed the side of her neck. "More unique." His lips nipped her earlobe. "More desirable." He kissed her eyelids. "Than any woman I have ever come across." The last part he said looking directly into her eyes. The warm golden glow of his eyes seemed to flare to life just before his mouth crushed hers, his tongue begging entry into her mouth.

  She opened herself to him — to everything.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Wolf—

  I didn't know you had such patience, though after last night… I'm yet again proven wrong. Apparently it is not just wolves that beg, but spies, and Hunters as well…

  —Red

  The woman was killing him. Every touch, every kiss, every caress, nearly drove him mad with want. Mad with passion, with lust, with so many
emotions he wasn't sure what was up or down. What his name was, or why he had been so scared to become one with someone again.

  A soul mate was just that, someone who saw into the depths of one's soul and instead of retreating, held on for dear life.

  That was Gwen.

  He nestled her tightly into his body and kissed her cheek. A lock of hair had fallen across her face. He brushed it away and sighed.

  He was bound to her. Promised to her. His heart felt as if someone had taken it and fused the broken pieces together. The fire blazed behind him, his stomach growled with hunger, but all he wanted to do was watch her sleep. He imagined her belly swelled with his children and pride burst through his body.

  Home. Finally he was where he belonged. Next to the woman… he sighed as his hand shakily rubbed her arm. Next to the woman he loved.

  ****

  Hunter awoke to complete darkness. Gwen moaned next to him, and then he heard a door shut. He jolted awake as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Someone was there. At his house.

  He quickly searched for one of the discarded candles on the table and lit it. His eyes had yet to adjust as he made his way through the trees and out into the entryway.

  Nothing looked amiss, but the door was wide open. He went to shut it and cursed. As he turned, his eyes caught something on the far wall.

  He walked closer and lifted the candle. In blood red lettering was one word. Traitor.

  Hunter almost dropped the candle. He steadied his breathing and studied the handwriting. It did not appear familiar.

  Something was horribly wrong. The only people who even knew of this house or knew he would be here had been Dominique and Montmouth. Then again, he had told Wilkins, considering just a few days previous he had turned in his resignation to the Crown.

  He began pacing across the floorboards. Someone must have followed them home last night, which meant they'd either waited for him and Gwen to fall asleep or broken in early this morning.