Finally, they reached a quiet spot and stopped. They stood for a moment, looking at each other.
“Um,” Dana started, biting her lip. “I’ll be just over there.” She pointed through the trees.
Ethan shook his head. “No. You stay with me, remember?” He wasn’t letting her get any distance away, not with the threat to her life.
She scowled at him, arms folded. “At least turn your back. I’m not getting naked in front of you.” Pity.
“Not yet,” he murmured but dutifully turned around.
Her sharp intake of breath let him know that she’d heard him and he smiled to himself. It was a fine line that he was walking between seducing her and pushing too hard. It was actually quite fun. Yeah, he was kinda twisted.
He listened to the sounds of her undressing behind him. He heard her unzip her jacket. He heard the sound of her untying her boot laces and the thud of her boots hitting the ground. He heard her zipper being lowered and the sound of her jeans being pushed down. Swallowing hard, he strained to hear every sound, torturing himself by picturing the scene behind him. He heard her remove the rest of her clothes and then there was silence. Something butted his back and he turned to see his moose.
“Beautiful,” he murmured. Unzipping his own jacket, he looked at her. “You can watch if you like, sweetheart.” He winked at her.
She snorted and firmly turned her back. He laughed and she turned her head to glare at him. “Suit yourself,” he smirked.
He stripped naked and shifted into his wolf form. He barked to let Dana know he was finished and she turned to look at him. She bent her head down to sniff at him and he raised his muzzle to her. In their other forms, she towered over him. Big mean predator that he was, he was no match for her hooves. They were more than just their animals though, their human natures allowed for all kinds of shifter mismatched relationships. A wolf mated to a moose was not so strange compared to some.
Ethan rubbed his fur along the side of her long face, making sure to get his scent on her. He could swear that she rolled her eyes at him. Turning, Dana trotted into the woods and he easily kept pace beside her. They wandered for a while, investigating various scents and sounds of the woods, always close to each other. Finally, they arrived at a lake. Dana waded in and swam for a while, occasionally diving under the water. He swam alongside her, admiring her grace in the water. After a while, they waded back to shore and he shook the droplets from his furry coat.
Bang! Bang! Two shots rang out. He felt something fly by him, just narrowly missing. Dana’s moose called out in pain. Turning, he saw her run for the shelter of the trees. He followed her through the trees, always keeping her in sight. He could smell her blood and it infuriated him. Someone had dared to hurt his mate and they would pay. He longed to hunt them down and rend their flesh with his own teeth and claws. Only one thing was more important right now and that was ensuring that his mate was not hurt any further. The only thing that held him together was the fact that Dana was still moving which gave him hope that the injury wasn’t too severe. Finally, she slowed and came to a stop.
Shifting back to human form, he approached her. Her legs were trembling and she breathed heavily. Her left foreleg was hurt but not badly, merely a scratch where the bullet had grazed her. The other shot had grazed her left back leg. Neither injury was serious but he was still furious that she had been hurt. He was supposed to be protecting her and he hadn’t even sensed that anyone was close. Too distracted by his new mate, most likely. He was disgusted with himself.
“Change back,” he said to Dana. “I need to check your wounds.”
Dana nodded and shifted back to her human form. She was crouched on all fours, wet from her swim in the lake, and shivering. He sat beside her, placing his hand on her back to steady her as she moved to a sitting position.
“Let me see,” he said, picking up her arm as gently as possible. Still, she hissed in pain. “Sorry, sweetheart. It didn’t look too bad on your moose but I have to check.”
As he’d thought, the wound was shallow. No doubt it hurt, but she’d be fine and her shifter genes ensured that it would not even scar. Letting go of her arm, he checked her leg. Again, it would heal fairly easily. He sighed in relief.
Looking at Dana, he saw that she was still shaking, her face pale with shock. He picked her up gently and placed her between his legs, wrapping his arms carefully around her and cuddling her into his body. She snuggled in, accepting his comfort. He sat for a short while, giving her what little warmth he could with them both soaking wet. He kissed the top of her head and waited for the shaking to subside.
***
It was a horrible feeling. She was unable to control the shaking. No matter how hard she tried, her body continued to tremble. She burrowed closer to Ethan, letting him hold her. Gradually, the shaking stopped but she still didn’t pull away. It was all just too much. She’d had enough and nobody would blame her for leaning on her mate.
“You’re alright, sweetheart,” Ethan said softly. “The bullets just grazed you. They’ll heal quickly.”
Her face was wet and she realized that she must have been crying. She sniffled a little and pulled her face from Ethan’s chest. She looked down, unwilling to meet his eyes, and finally remembered that they were both naked. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment to find herself butt naked and sitting between his legs. She couldn’t help herself. She peeked. And, oh my, her mate was huge and fully aroused. She blushed even harder.
“Shh,” Ethan soothed her. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
She finally looked up at him, noting his concerned expression. “What happened? Did you see who was shooting?”
“No,” he growled. He looked down at her. “I’m sorry, Dana. I was supposed to be protecting you.”
“Shush,” she placed her finger over his lips. “You did protect me. I’m still here.”
Ethan kissed her finger, making her shiver. She looked at him and saw the hunger in his gaze. The same hunger burned within her. They were mates and their shifter natures pulled at them, desperate to reconnect with each other, assuring themselves that they were alive and together. They were alone and naked, surrounded by nature. As shifters, they didn’t carry sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy was impossible since she was on the Pill. There was nothing to stop them from having this moment. Her gaze dropped to his lips as she licked her own.
Ethan groaned. “Dana…”
She flattened her palm against his chest. “Ethan. I want you. I’m just not ready to mate. To be claimed. Can you do that?”
He closed his eyes, his face screwed up as though in pain. “Yes, sweetheart. I can hold off on the claiming. I promise I will never claim you without your permission. But please don’t tease me if you don’t really want this.”
“I want it, Ethan,” she whispered. “I need it. Please.”
With another groan, he opened his eyes and swooped down to kiss her. Their first proper kiss, it was everything she had expected and then some. He didn’t just kiss her, he devoured her. His kiss was gentle, yet demanding, and she was swept away in sensation, barely aware of turning her body to face his.
When he broke the kiss, she whimpered in disappointment and then gasped as she felt his lips travelling down the side of her neck. He paused for a moment when he reached the spot where he would one day mark her, he sucked on the skin there, grazing it with his teeth, before moving on. Lifting her slightly and bending her back, his mouth played in the valley between her breasts before kissing around her right nipple, teasing her, before finally latching on. She moaned in delight as he sucked firmly. One hand held her securely while the other drifted around to cup her other breast, his thumb strumming her nipple. His teeth worried at one nipple while he pinched the other with his fingers. She squirmed and felt moisture gather between her legs. Her pussy quivered and she wondered if she would embarrass herself by coming before he ventured further down. She pushed her lower body closer t
o him and she felt him, rock hard, against her abdomen.
The sound of a snapping twig made them both freeze. Ethan cursed and then set her down gently, standing to look around them.
“We need to get out of here,” he said, reaching down with his hand to help her to her feet. She winced a little, her earlier leg injury exacerbated by the new one. Ethan simply picked her up and cradled her close to him.
“I’m going to forget how to walk,” she grumbled.
Ethan smiled down at her. “I’m sure it’ll come back to you.”
Dana sighed. Her body still called out for her mate and the interruption made her grumpy. What if she had missed her only chance to be with him? She wanted him. She was honest enough with herself to admit that. Was she ready to permanently attach herself to him? No. There was nothing wrong with a little ‘try before you buy’ though.
“We’re not finished, sweetheart,” Ethan smirked at her, clearly guessing her thoughts. “We’re just moving somewhere safe where I can give you my full attention. And it will be my full attention, Dana.”
She shivered a little under his direct gaze. She was aware that they were both still naked, like Adam and Eve wandering through the woods. Part of her was a little turned on by it. Naked in the woods, as nature intended. She knew that Ethan was right though. Now was not the time or place to indulge themselves. The person who had shot at them could still be in the woods and their priority should be getting back home and away from the threat.
Ethan carried her back to where they’d left their clothes and they dressed quickly. Dana was a little slower with her injuries and Ethan came over to help her. He helped her get her T-shirt and jacket on, zipping it up for her and dropping a brief kiss on her lips.
“Warmer now?” he asked and she nodded.
Sweeping her up once more, he carried her through the woods and back to the car. As much as she enjoyed being his arms, she really wished people would stop hurting her long enough for her leg to heal. Constantly being carried about was embarrassing.
Once in the car, Ethan wasted no time in driving off. After a while, Dana noticed that they didn’t seem to be headed home.
Looking across at him, she asked, “Where are you going?”
Shooting her a glance, he answered “Clinic.”
“I don’t need to go to the clinic,” she insisted. “You said yourself that the bullets just grazed me.”
“Better safe than sorry,” Ethan said firmly. “I’ll be happier when the doctor checks you out. My wolf is really pissed right now, sweetheart. I need this so please don’t argue.”
“Fine,” she sighed. She understood that his wolf was driving him, concerned with the safety of his mate. She would be the same if their situations were reversed. She didn’t really want to go to the clinic but she’d play along to soothe his wolf.
***
This time they saw a male doctor. A wolf. A young and handsome male wolf. Ethan’s own wolf snarled.
“If you want to wait outside…” the doctor began, smirking at Ethan.
“No,” Ethan stated flatly. He wasn’t leaving her, not even for a minute. She was hurt, she was in danger, and this doctor was practically eating her with his eyes.
Turning to Dana, the doctor said, “Why don’t you get undressed…”
He wasn’t even aware he’d moved until he heard Dana shout his name. He had the doctor pinned to the wall, his hand around his neck.
“Ethan,” Dana said, her hands pulling at his arm. “Let him go.”
Gradually, he persuaded his hands to release the doctor, who glared at him. They were both snarling.
“Knock it off!” Dana yelled. The snarling subsided but he continued to stare at the doctor.
“Maybe we could see someone else?” Dana suggested with a sigh.
“There is no one else right now,” the doctor said, smirking at Ethan again. The pup was really asking for it. “We’re a little short staffed today and the only other doctor here got called out to an emergency.”
Ethan looked at Dana. His wolf was seriously unhappy. He needed her to be examined but he didn’t want this doctor anywhere near her.
“Could you give us a minute?” Dana asked the doctor. “I’ll be ready when you get back.”
The doctor nodded and left the room. Ethan forced his fists to unclench and looked at his mate.
“You know I’m not interested in him, right?” Dana asked, stroking his arm. “He’s a bit creepy and he’s not the wolf I want. I’ve never liked him and I always avoid him when I can.”
Ethan exhaled. “Good. I’m sorry. This whole mate thing is testing my control. I’ve never felt so jealous.”
“I get it,” Dana soothed him. Her soft hand cupped his face. “I’m a shifter too. I know how it works. But if you want a doctor to check me out, it has to be him. Nothing is going to happen. You’ll be right here to make sure he behaves. Besides, if he tries anything, I’ll hit him myself.”
She smiled at him and some of the tension drained from him. He could do this. Probably.
“Ok, sweetheart,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I’ll try to behave.”
“Can you help me get undressed?” she asked. “Not completely but I need to take my jeans off so that he can see the leg wound. If you take my jacket off, I can drape it over my lap. That should do it.”
Ethan nodded and helped her back to the examination table. Once she was arranged as she’d suggested, he went to the door to let the doctor back in.
The doctor examined her arm first, cleaning it and wrapping a bandage on it. Then he moved onto her leg, giving it the same treatment. Ethan clenched his teeth as the doctor touched Dana’s leg. Was all that touching really necessary? When the doctor slid his hand up the inside of her thigh, Ethan couldn’t contain the growl that escaped him. Before he could move, there was a smacking sound and the doctor fell backwards, out cold and blood pouring from his nose.
“Told you I’d hit him myself,” Dana said with a shrug. He couldn’t resist kissing her, his wolf overjoyed that she’d put the upstart in his place.
When he pulled back, his mate was a little breathless and her eyes glazed over. Cool. He helped her back into her clothes and carried her out of the clinic, pausing to tell the receptionist that the doctor had taken ill. Oddly, the receptionist didn't seem surprised.
Once in the car, Ethan wasted no time in driving Dana home. They had something to finish.
Chapter 25
Dana spotted the package first. It was sitting on her doorstep, looking all innocent. She knew better.
“Ethan,” she said, looking up at him. He was carrying her again, insisting that she rest her leg. It was actually pretty sweet.
“I see it,” he said, expression grim. “I’ll deal with it.”
He carried her into the house and took her straight to her bedroom. He placed her on the bed and kissed her forehead.
“Why don’t you have a nap, sweetheart,” he suggested. “I need to call Leo and let him know what’s going on.”
She nodded. It had been a rough few days and she was really tired.
Ethan crouched beside her, lifting her face to look at him. “I promise you, Dana, I won’t let him hurt you again.”
“I know,” she whispered. She did. She felt safe with Ethan.
He kissed her gently and then stood. He helped her take off her jacket and boots. Honestly, she had been dressed and undressed so many times today that she wasn’t sure she ever wanted to change again.
“I’ll be in the living room,” Ethan assured her. “Call if you need anything.”
With that, he left her to rest. She pulled off her jeans and underwear but decided she was too tired to undress further. Curling up, hugging the pillow, she was asleep almost instantly.
***
Ethan opened the front door when he saw Leo approaching. He had called him as soon as he’d left Dana sleeping and asked him to drop by. It hadn't taken him long
to arrive.
“Where is it?” Leo asked. He looked as tired as Ethan felt.
Ethan nodded his head towards the coffee table. “In there. She hasn’t seen it.”
Leo sighed. “What was it this time?”
“The box is full of packets of moose steaks,” Ethan growled. “The threat is pretty clear. She doesn’t need to know the details. Can you take this away with you?” He gestured at the box.
“Sure,” Leo said, walking over to it. “I’ll have them look it over for evidence but it’s probably a waste of time.”
“Probably.” Ethan rubbed his hand over his face. “I have his scent, I’d recognize it anywhere, but there are usually no forensics.”
“How is Dana?” Leo asked, looking into the box, a look of distaste crossing his face.
Ethan shrugged. “Tired, mostly. Her injuries aren’t too bad.” He shuddered, all too aware of how much worse it could have been. “I’m not even sure which of us he was aiming at. He barely missed me and grazed Dana twice. I don’t know if that was his intention or if he was looking to kill one of us.”
Leo scowled. “I think it’s more likely that he was aiming at you.”
“He doesn’t like my winning personality?” Ethan snorted. “The killer is focused on Dana.”
“Yes,” Leo agreed. “But shooting at her? No. That’s not his style and you know it. His kills are more personal than that. He abducts his victims and kills them face to face. He beats them almost to death before finishing it with a stake to the heart and cutting off their heads. He doesn’t randomly shoot them from a distance.”
Don't Moose With Her (Bearbank Book 1) Page 10