by Stella Night
“Pfft, I’ve worked with five-star generals, but that doesn’t make me an officer. I’ve cooked a steak before, but that doesn’t make me a chef.”
“I’ve got degrees in biology and environmental science. I know what I’m doing.”
“Do you?” he asked, advancing forward. Amanda was forced to step back. “Because I thought I was escorting you on an official investigation. Now I find out I’m just taking a kid out on a field trip.”
“Can you just shut the fuck up for a second?” Her voice was loud and shrill in her own ears, but it had the effect of stopping Santiago in his tracks. “Christ, you’re just like the rest of them. And to think I thought you might be different.”
She began pacing around. Things felt like they were spiraling out of control. Her head throbbed again with a steady thump, adding to her frustration. Making it hard to think.
“Okay, fine, yes. I’m an intern.” She kept pacing as she talked. “But I didn’t just make copies. I was working on cataloging endangered species in the Pacific Northwest. That might sound boring, but it’s important work. And I noticed some strange things about this particular pack of gray wolves.”
“What kind of strange things?”
“Most wolves are migratory. They move around with the seasons, following their food sources. But this particular group of wolves never leaves this area. Which is odd.”
“How do you know they never leave?”
He didn’t sound as upset as before, which soothed Amanda’s frazzled nerves a bit. “A few years ago, someone from the Council came out here and managed to tag a bunch of these wolves with GPS trackers. Obviously, they’re not all tagged, but we can track enough of them to have an idea of what the entire population is doing. Anyway, other people in the office noticed this anomaly, but they didn’t look into it. They assumed it was just a funny little quirk of nature.”
“But not you?” Santiago asked.
“Not me. I became kind of obsessed with watching them. I mean, it’s just data on a screen, but it says a lot, if you know what you’re looking at. I’d keep an eye on them in my spare time, kind of a personal side project. And then a few weeks ago, I noticed that the wolves were dying.”
Amanda suddenly felt tired. She sat down on a fallen log and rested her elbows on her thighs. Santiago squatted down on his haunches a few feet away, watching her. To his credit he remained silent, letting her get this out at her own speed.
“I told my bosses. I thought they’d spring into action. I mean, this was their life’s work after all. Saving animals. Protecting nature. But they laughed at me.”
Santiago narrowed his eyes. “They laughed? Like literally laughed at you?”
Her mouth twisted up in a grimace. “Yes,” she spat bitterly. “Real laughter. They knew I had a soft spot for this group of wolves. They thought I was overreacting. That I was seeing things in the data that wasn’t actually there.”
“Did you tell them to shut the fuck up, like you told me?” he asked the question with a little smile.
Amanda couldn’t help but grin back. “Almost. I was slightly more diplomatic with them than I was with you. But they wouldn’t take me serious. They said I was being too emotional. That I was hysterical. All things that men say to women to put them down.”
“That sucks,” Santiago said.
She felt a surge of gratitude. “It really did. Thank you. I can handle being wrong, but it’s so frustrating to be ignored just because I’m a woman.”
“It’s a mistake to underestimate someone just because they’re a chick.”
Amanda looked at him. “No offense, but I’m kind of surprised someone like you has such an enlightened attitude about the fairer sex.”
“Someone like me?” he asked.
“Yeah, like a real macho, rough and tumble type. You know, all manly and strong.”
“You think I’m manly and strong?” he asked, grinning.
Her cheeks flushed crimson. “Whatever. Shut up. You know what I mean.”
He laughed. “Yeah, yeah. As for my attitude, the best soldier I ever served with was a woman. Eliza. She taught me everything I know. Kept me alive. Put her own life on the line to save mine. If I ever had any doubts about equality and all that jazz, she set me straight.”
“She sounds amazing. I’d love to meet her.”
Santiago gazed off into the woods, his eyes troubled. “Yeah, well, she didn’t make it out of our last mission.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Santiago cleared his throat. “It’s fine. Anyway, how did all of that stuff with your bosses put you out here in the woods?”
“Right. Well they told me to drop it. Said I needed to focus on my actual work.”
“So, of course, you did the opposite.”
“Am I that obvious?”
“You’re that stubborn.”
She laughed. “I couldn’t let that bull crap stand. I came out here to prove them wrong. And I’m not leaving until I do.”
Santiago shook his head. “Even if it means getting killed?”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Hope all you want. Last night was proof that these guys mean business. They won’t hesitate to kill us to hide whatever it is they’re doing out here.”
“I know. But it’s not like we have to take them down. We just need to get some proof that they’re here. And that they’re the ones killing the wolves.”
“Amanda, this isn’t our responsibility. We can go to the police right now. The Feds. The goddamn park rangers. Whoever. Let them handle it.”
“No way. I need to do this.”
Santiago got to his feet, obviously frustrated. “You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone.”
She rose, too, matching his energy. “Yes, I do. I need to prove to myself that I can do this. Besides, this isn’t just about me. This is about the animals, too.”
“Wolves aren’t so great,” he said.
“These ones are. There aren’t too many of them left. I’m not gonna stand around and let these assholes wipe them out.”
“Amanda, this isn’t a game.”
“I’m not leaving. I’m doing this, with or without you.” She shoved her hand out towards Santiago. “So what do you say partner? Are you with me?”
He exhaled heavily. “Well, I’m not going to leave you out here by yourself.” His hand covered hers, sending an electric tingle up her arm.
“You won’t regret this,” she said, trying to ignore the feelings awakening within her.
“I already do.”
Chapter 7
Amanda stood up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on Santiago’s cheek. The kiss was chaste, with no real heat behind it, but it left Santiago reeling.
A wave of desire crashed over him, threatening to overwhelm his better judgment. His heart pounded in his chest and he felt lightheaded. What the hell was wrong with him? How could this woman drive him out of his mind with a simple peck on the cheek?
She looked up at him, head cocked and dark eyes concerned. “Are you alright?”
He was pretty goddamn far from alright. Her gorgeous face hovered so close to his, tempting him to lean in and show her what a real kiss was like. He stiffened at the thought of scooping her in his arms, pressing her body to his, and slanting a kiss across those full lips.
He needed to say something, anything, or else she’d know something was up. He averted his gaze, staring at the woven branches of the shelter. He’d built it under an old oak tree with exposed roots. The roots made the perfect beams to hold up the walls. He was damn proud of it.
His thoughts began to cool. Then a slight shift in the breeze filled his nostrils with the heady scent of her.
Like lavender and vanilla. And something else. Something deeper and more intoxicating. The natural scent of her, no longer masked by soap and shampoo. It was like heaven to his sensitive sense of smell. He could breathe her in for the rest of his life.
“Hello? Earth to Santi
ago.”
He shook his head as if coming out of a trance. “Yeah, sorry.”
“I thought I lost you there for a second,” she said, patting his chest with her hand. “Stay with me, buddy.”
His whole body tightened up at her touch. He hoped desperately that she couldn’t feel how hard his heart was beating against his rib cage. “I’m good. Just thinking.”
He risked a glance at her face. Her smile beamed back at him. Excitement twinkled in her eyes. “That’s good. We need to figure out our next move.”
She practically hopped up and down with energy. She was so vibrant and alive, just the sight of her filled him with warmth. He cleared his throat gruffly, trying to hide the feelings warring inside him.
“Our next move. Right. Well, you’re going back into the shelter to rest.”
“What? No! We need to be doing things.”
Santiago could think of a few things he wanted to do right now, but he wasn’t about to say them out loud. “We are doing things. I’m going to find some food. Whatever happens next, we’ll need our strength.”
“And what am I supposed to do?”
“You need to tend to the fire. Make sure it doesn’t go out. But also make sure it doesn’t get so big that it burns down our shelter.”
She frowned. “I thought we couldn’t have a fire. Because they’ll see it.”
He nodded. “Only at night. We’re safe right now. There’s not enough smoke to give away our location and they won’t be able to see the firelight. Besides, we’re going to need it to cook dinner.”
“Okay,” she said, suddenly turning serious. “But don’t go too far, alright? The last time you left…”
She trailed off. He knew damn well what had happened after he’d left her alone at the camp. “I’ll stay close. I promise you’ll be safe.”
She nodded. “Alright, since you promise.”
She looked so fragile and vulnerable in that moment. It was easy to forget she’d just suffered through a traumatic experience, since she’d been all fire and fury a moment ago. He wanted to reach out and hold her, but he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to control himself if he did.
He needed to get away and get his shit together. This was not the time to be falling in love. Things were complicated enough. There weren’t any cold showers out here, so he’d have to make due with putting a little distance between them.
“Listen,” he said. “There’s water in the canteen I took off the guy. Drink up. Conserve your energy. I’ll be back soon.”
She nodded. “Good luck out there.”
He turned and walked away, even though he felt like running.
About a hundred yards out, once he was sure she could no longer see him, Santiago leaned up against a tree to compose himself. Amanda had him all knotted up inside. He didn’t like feeling out of control like this.
He inhaled slowly and deeply, forcing himself to relax and let his mind clear. It wasn’t like him to get rattled so easily, but Amanda seemed to have a knack for it.
He needed to stop thinking about her and focus on finding food. But as he trekked deeper into the woods, she continued to cloud his thoughts.
When she’d awoken, Santiago had been dead set on taking her out of these woods and back to civilization. Whatever was going on here, it was bigger than they could handle. He had no idea how many men were out here, but he knew they were armed and well-equipped.
These weren’t some amateurs out on a wild weekend. These were trained killers. Mercenaries, by the looks of it. And they weren’t going to leave these woods until they found what they were looking for.
The smart move was to leave. This wasn’t his fight, or Amanda’s, even though she was making it her fight. So why the hell had he agreed to stay?
For some reason, he couldn’t say no to her. And it wasn’t just because he was attracted to her. He’d said no to plenty of attractive ladies before. What he felt for her was something deeper than simple attraction.
The primal part of him, the wolf that lurked beneath his skin, was telling him she was special. Different from all the other women he’d known. He couldn’t be completely sure, but he thought she might be the perfect mate.
The problem was that he’d never found a mate before. So he didn’t know if what he was feeling was the call of destiny or just plain infatuation. He’d heard lots of shifters talk about finding a mate, back before he left the pack. But it wasn’t like they gave him a pamphlet titled “How to Know When You’ve Found Your Mate.”
Santiago wished he had a handbook like that right now. Something to guide him. Something to tell him if what he was feeling was true.
He growled, frustrated by the whole thing.
And even if she was his mate, there was something else keeping him here in these woods. While he was trying to convince Amanda to leave with him, a part of him was hoping she’d convince him to stay.
It was that wild pulse of untamed power calling to him, pulling him towards it like a magnet. He’d never felt anything like it. Hell, he’d never even heard of anything like it. But it pulsed out there like a glimmering star, waiting to be discovered.
Santiago had to know what it was. He had to find it. More importantly, he had to find it before those assholes with guns found it.
There was no doubt in his mind that was why they were here. Someone had shelled out a lot of money to outfit these guys with the best equipment available. People didn’t spend that kind of money for no reason.
But a secret mystical source of power was an excellent reason.
And the mercenaries out here were not the good guys. He doubted they wanted it for some altruistic reason. If they were willing to hurt people to get it, they’d probably be willing to hurt people with it.
He couldn’t let that happen.
How he was going to do that was another issue. But he would have to figure that out later. Right now, it was back to basics. They had shelter and water. Now they needed food.
He shucked his stolen clothes off and piled them neatly by a crooked tree. It was a landmark he could find easily upon his return. The cool breeze felt good on his naked skin. Being out in the middle of nowhere, about to shift, was the only time he ever felt truly free.
He opened himself up to the change, letting the wolf inside him loose. A rush of power surged through him as he shifted. A new universe of scents and sounds appeared to his animal senses.
Bright trails glowed around him, some dim and some bright. These were the leftover scents of animals passing through here. He picked out a fresh trail, glowing brighter than the rest. A deer that had come this way not twenty minutes before. They would be eating venison tonight.
In the distance, just on the edge of his senses, he could feel the ancient power thrumming with energy like a live wire. It beckoned to him like an old friend, calling him home.
Soon, he thought. But not yet. It was time to hunt.
***
Santiago was almost back to their hidden camp when he heard Amanda shout. He dropped the deer carcass and sprinted in her direction. The yell had come from east of their camp.
Not again, he begged silently. Please, don’t let me fail her again.
Another shout came from just up ahead. He burst through a copse of pine trees, preparing himself for the worst. Amanda was neck deep in a gurgling stream, splashing around.
“Amanda!” he cried. “What’s wrong?”
She looked up at him with wide-eyed surprise. “What? Nothing.”
“But you shouted.”
“Oh, crap. Was that too loud? The water’s so cold. I wasn’t expecting it.”
He blinked at her, unsure how to react. “You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were in trouble.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t think you’d be back for a while. I decided to get myself clean.”
Santiago was simultaneously irritated and relieved. “You shouldn’t have left camp.”
“Said the man who left camp last night.”
“I mean because of the fire.”
She twirled around in the water, a beaming smile on her face. “The fire is fine. I piled a ring of stones around it. Made sure it’s not too hot. The shelter is safe.”
He couldn’t argue with that. It was what he would have done if he had to leave the fire unattended. Still, frustration welled up within him. After everything they’d talked about earlier, she wasn’t taking this seriously.
“This isn’t a vacation, you know.”
She shot him a wry smile. “You told me to relax. Well, this water is quite relaxing.”
He wanted to argue with her. To try to hammer home how much danger they were in. But then she stood up in the water, and all the words tumbled out of his brain.
The water came up to her waist. Amanda wore a frilly pink bra, totally inappropriate for this excursion, but Santiago wasn’t about to complain. The wet material was almost see through, giving him an eyeful of her rosy nipples beneath. The cold water had hardened them to points that strained against the fabric.
He couldn’t stop staring. Amanda looked like a water nymph out of a fairy tale, rising up from some ancient spring.
“You should join me,” she said, extending her hand to him.
Droplets of gleaming water trailed down her shoulders and her breasts. He wanted to trace the wet lines with his fingers, to follow the curves of her body with his hands. And he wanted to see what treasures were hiding from him beneath the rippling surface of the water.
“We should go back,” he said, even though he had zero desire to walk away from her.
“No, we should enjoy this as much as we can. Come on.”
She splashed out of the water. A pair of skimpy pink panties adorned her wet hips, clinging to her body like they’d been painted onto her. His eyes were glued to the dark patch of hair barely visible between her legs. He stiffened at the sight of her, revealed in all her glory.
“Don’t just stand there staring,” she said, laughing. Amanda reached out to tug on his arm, intending to drag him into the water.