Hunted: A Haven Realm Novel

by Young, Mila

  Oryn was pacing to the door and back, his fists curled by his side. “I’ll murder the priestess. Rip her spine out and shove it up her ass.”

  Fear looped around in my head that if he went off like this to the priestess, he could get himself killed. “How about we find the toxin to help your pack first?”

  “But I’ve seen no other animals go feral,” Dagen added.

  “Meaning, something specific was used to target wolf shifters,” I said.

  “Then we leave now,” Oryn said, reaching for the door handle.

  “We’re not going anywhere in this storm.” Nero moved to stand near his friend. “Let’s get an early night and we depart at first light. Hopefully, the rain will pass by then and the wolves will be sleeping.”

  I joined them and placed a hand on Oryn’s waist, pressing up against him, and he wrapped me in an embrace. “I’ll do everything to find out what poison it is and heal your pack.”

  “That means the world to me.”

  Nero nodded. “We’ll do this together. I’ll take Scarlet to her house in Terra to run the tests.”

  For days, I’d been eager to return home, and now that it was happening, I hesitated. The whole idea of facing the priestess sat on my mind like a boulder. Would she be waiting at my store? Should I head into Terra alone to avoid the guards apprehending my men? Talk about asking for a death sentence, and if I got caught, I wasn’t dragging them into my troubles. Maybe I’d get them to wait for me at the border between our lands.

  “Me too,” Oryn added. “We’ll combine forces to face any attacking wolves.”

  I inhaled their musky and timber scents, closing my eyes. Both men held me, and their company felt familiar and like home. Still, Dagen came to mind, a part of me yearning to have him with us. Such thoughts were silly, and he’d made it clear as day where we stood.

  “So, you in, Dagen?” Nero asked. “The more the merrier.”

  He huffed, and I glanced over my shoulder as he collapsed in a chair, his expression dark.

  I’d love to have you with us.

  His head jerked up and he met my gaze. For those few moments, I swore he’d apologize for his earlier words, stroll over and take me into his arms. Instead, he climbed to his feet and turned toward the hall, vanishing.

  “Give him time,” Oryn said.

  An explosive thunder detonated outside, and Oryn tightened his hold.

  Nero headed to the spit roast. “Almost done.”

  Despite the delicious aroma, I’d lost my appetite.

  Except the ache in my gut went beyond dealing with the priestess, but admitting to myself I’d have to choose how I dealt with the shifters. Did I move in with them, or did they relocate with me? Heavens, this was moving too fast. Except the cold hard truth slapped me in the face. They had packs depending on them, and they couldn’t go.

  But I couldn’t leave my shop… everything I held dear about grandma was there. But departing from the men… I couldn’t take another breath. I might as well chop off a leg before I walked away. No solution came to mind, only heartache.

  I cringed at knowing Dagen tapped into my insecurities, my problems, my yearnings. Well, considering I had no control over him or my thoughts, I had to accept he’d be privy to every crazy notion that went through my head.

  Joining Nero near the roast, I sprinkled salt across the meat. “Delicious.”

  “Once we help Oryn, I’ll introduce you to my pack. They will love you, spoil you with anything you desire.”

  “You think?” I chewed on a hangnail. “They won’t hate me for being human?”

  He shook his head. “Nope. Not when they see how amazing you are, how much you mean to me. Hunters have taken humans as mates in the past. It’s not illegal in theDen.”

  I bounced on my toes. “I can’t wait.” And I meant every word. The dread of our mission going wrong twirled on my mind, but I couldn’t deny what my heart pined for.

  * * *

  “What’s poking my butt?” I squirmed and shifted onto my back on the bed of furs as I lay between my two shifters.

  “Little lamb, that’s all me.” Nero laughed and pressed himself up against my hip, his hardness nestled against me.

  Oryn was on his side, my head resting on his outstretched arm. “We’ll have no problems keeping warm tonight. So you can lose the other blanket.” He scanned the fabric still wrapped around me.

  Hell, I’d considered it, but then what? We’d get it on in a threesome? “What if you can’t control yourselves?”

  Nero nuzzled up against my ear, his hand across my stomach. “Who said we needed to behave?”

  “You know how to make a girl blush. Geez, I’ve never been with men like either of you before. No one has ever touched me the way you have, or brought me to orgasm so hard. But being with two guys at once… That’s new.”

  “No, no,” Oryn said. “Not at the same time. But I have no issues with watching.” He leaned in, his lips grazing mine. I softened beneath him, hungry to have him.

  When I came up for air, Nero gently turned my chin to face him, his mouth kissing me with a passion coaxing a mewl. Oryn ran a finger across my collarbone and dipped toward my cleavage. He peeled back the fabric of my blanket dress, unwrapping me, and caressed my breasts.

  I shivered with temptation, staring at the two men devouring me with their devilish stares. “You two will be the death of me with your kisses.”

  Nero laughed and rolled me onto my side. He nudged my leg over his and he lifted me to straddle him. “Little lamb, time to show us how those gorgeous tits of yours bounce. And I promise to make it worth your while.”

  Chapter 16

  My eyes fluttered open to darkness. A faint light called my attention to the corridor, where an orange glow flickered from the fireplace. Oryn’s and Nero’s heavy breaths told me they still slept alongside me, legs entwined across my body. Every inch of me tingled from last night’s marathon and left me feeling tender down there. Who would have thought being watched would have turned me on so much? Now, I lay next to them, adoring their warmth, their constant admiration, and yet the earlier worry crept forward. The one that reminded me we would head back home today. My stomach hurt. I wasn’t ready to face the priestess, or the decisions coming my way. Most days, I had enough trouble deciding what to wear.

  With the urgency to pee pressing on my bladder, I wriggled out of the men’s hold, took my small blanket, and tiptoed around them before hurrying down the hall, where I spotted light pouring from around the ajar kitchen door. Was Dagen awake? After a visit to the bathroom, curiosity got the better of me and I poked my head inside.

  “Morning,” Dagen said, his voice gravelly, clear he’d just woken up too. He sat in a chair, leaning over folded arms on the table.

  “May I join you?” I didn’t wait and wandered in, pushing the door closed to avoid waking the guys. “How can you tell what time it is in here with no windows?”

  He pushed himself back into his seat and stretched, his spine cracking. “Hunters can sense the rising and falling moon, so it lets me know when the sun’s about to rise. It ripples across my skin, as if I’d jumped into a freezing river, like now.” He stuck out his forearm.

  I stepped closer and studied the way the hairs on his skin shifted upward. “Impressive internal wake-up alarm.”

  “Yep.”

  I glanced around the kitchen, unsure if I could head back to sleep if it was morning and my stomach was doing somersaults. Half the loaf I’d baked yesterday remained on the table. “Want egg toast?”

  “No idea what that is, but sure. I may be a hunter, but my favorite ingredient of all time is egg.”

  I took the bread and set it in front of him, then fetched him the knife. “Cut these to the width of one finger.”

  “The bread’s hard. You sure this is edible?”

  “You bet. Means the slices will soak up more of the yummy goodness and helps ensure the result is not soggy.” I busied myself with placing a pan over the fire a
nd used a slice of fat from the leftover piggy for oil. Yesterday, I’d found a container of eggs in the boxes of supplies under the table, so I pulled them out. With four of them beat in a bowl, I dipped two pieces of the loaf he’d cut into the mixture and placed them into the frying pan. At once, the delicious aroma hit, and my mouth watered.

  Taking a seat next to him, I coated more bread. “Eggs are my go-to meal too when I can’t be bothered to cook. I could eat it for every meal. But where do you guys get eggs from here?”

  “Back in my territory, my pack runs a farm of animals, including chickens, and a garden to supply food to everyone year-round.”

  “Really? I thought you would chase anything you needed.” I got up and flipped the slices, oil splattering, and I backed away.

  “We hunt any day we want, but we like variety. We also hold a monthly pack run under the full moon to bond as a pack, so we’re not complete savages.”

  “That sounds like it would be kind of fun, if I were a wolf. During full moons, I always cleanse my herbs. They say that such nights can clear away impurities.” With a plate in hand, I scooped up the slices and placed them in front of Dagen. “Enjoy.”

  With the next two in the pan, I took the salt to the table to find the food gone and Dagen licking his lips. “What did you call this again? It’s good.”

  “Egg toast. It’s even better with salt.” I set the salt bag down.

  “Gotcha. So tell me. Do you think once we’re apart, our connection with each other will break?”

  “Maybe. Or you could be stuck with my funny thoughts in your head for life. Who knows? The universe has a strange sense of humor.”

  “Funny thoughts? Let me know when you have any of those so I can laugh.” He smirked. “So far, it’s all been you getting horny, worried about losing Nero and Oryn, and facing the priestess. Kind of repetitive if you ask me.” He leaned back in his seat, his brow cocked.

  “There’s more. I’ve thought about you lots too.”

  He shifted in his seat. “Why does it bother you so much whether or not I like you?”

  The sizzle of the oil drew my attention, and I hurried to turn the egg toast. “I don’t think it’s fair to judge me with the same stick you do for all humans. Everyone’s different.”

  “True.”

  Back at the table, I sat down. “What? You’re agreeing with me! Wow.” It was progress.

  He didn’t respond but studied me as if I were a strange creature he’d never seen before.

  “My grandma used to say no matter someone’s race, we are unique and have both good and bad inside us.”

  “She sounds wise.”

  “I miss her so much.” On my feet, I collected the egg toast, added a new batch, and returned to my chair. “Some days I wake up and swear she’s in the house. I once even called her name as if she were still alive. How crazy is that?”

  “Not at all. I mourn my brother to this day. Some days, I feel like he’s near me, and I talk out loud to him.”

  “I do the same.” I reached over and touched his hand, knowing too well the agony of losing someone close to you. “Sorry to hear about your brother. Was he younger than you?”

  Dagen nodded. “Years ago, I had stupidly fallen for a human girl, Marian, when she had crossed over into my territory. Like a fool, I made plans to propose to her like your kind does. When she hadn’t come back for over a week, my brother secretly went to find out why. But he never returned home. So I took off to find them, only to discover my brother hung by the throat, dead, and paraded in the middle of the town. Marian was there, calling for the deaths of all wolves. Insisting we’d kidnapped and raped her.”

  He dropped his head.

  “Shit! Why would she do that?” I didn’t recognize the name, or I might have asked Bee to cast a curse on her.

  He lifted his gaze, and his eyes glistened. “A week later, I abducted her for real to discover the truth. Turned out I was just a fun time, and when her parents spotted her talking to my brother, who was naked, she panicked and told them a lie. She apologized for my brother, but how the fuck could she stand there and just say sorry for getting someone killed? That day I lost a part of myself. I could handle breaking apart when she wasn’t my true mate, but I’d been a fucking idiot. To bury my kin because of my mistake tore me apart.”

  My insides curdled. Hell! “Oh, gods, that’s horrific.” I tightened my hold on his hand when a burned smell hit me, and I jumped up and flipped over the slices in the frying pan.

  “Losing anyone is terrifying enough, but that… I’m so sorry.” I approached Dagen, not waiting for his response, and took him into an embrace as he remained in his seat.

  His hands seized my waist, and his warmth leeched onto me. My thoughts flew to my parents, the day wolves had mauled them to death.

  I held on to Dagen. That same rawness spread through me now, convincing me I’d forgotten how to breathe. I hadn’t wanted to live and for years I’d hated wolves. Wanted everyone to die gruesomely.

  Dagen shifted and looked up at me, his arms still on my hips. “I didn’t know you lost your parents to wolves. Which pack was responsible?” His voice darkened, and he rose to his feet, towering over me. With a swivel, he sat me in his chair and he crossed the room to the skillet, saving the food, turning them over.

  I scanned the pile of toast. I picked up a piece, sprinkled it with salt, and jammed it into my mouth, needing something other than the ache in my heart.

  Swallowing the last mouthful, I replied, “No idea, but does it matter? The damage is done.”

  Dagen crouched in front of me, taking my hands in his, a wrinkle capturing the bridge of his nose. “How did you stop hating wolves after what they took from you?”

  “My grandma helped.” I smiled, though Dagen’s face blurred behind tears. “She always reminded me that nothing is ever clear-cut. There are reasons things happen, secrets I perhaps wasn’t aware of. ‘Wolves don’t just attack,’ she used to say, but whatever the reason, I couldn’t hold an entire race accountable for what a few had done.”

  He smiled, and softness captured his expression. “Your grandma could have taught me a few things I’m sure.”

  “She would have liked you. She always loved a challenge.” I laughed, and Dagen joined in, the sound comforting, as if he’d finally allowed himself to breathe.

  On his feet, he cooked the next batch. For the first time, a sense of calmness seemed to engulf him. Gone was his constant frown. I hated telling people about my parents, but I couldn’t keep him out of my mind.

  “I’m glad I found out,” he said. “Makes me feel less alone.”

  “Misery loves company.” I dipped the last slices into the egg mixture, ready for the pan.

  Dagen grabbed another morsel to eat as Oryn entered the room.

  “What smells so divine?” His gaze landed on the stack, and he gravitated toward them. He claimed two pieces and gobbled them in a few bites. “Why didn’t you make these for us before?” He stared at Dagen for a response.

  “Wasn’t me! Scarlet made breakfast.”

  “Girl, just when I thought you were perfect, you’ve blown me away.” Oryn went for his third.

  Nero staggered into the kitchen, half his hair sticking into the air. He headed for the plate and snatched two slices. “Okay, were you all going to eat these without telling me?”

  Reclined in my seat, I gnawed on my lower lip as I checked out the three men gorging on food, standing there naked, and I’d never felt more at home in their company. We belonged together, and despite not understanding how such strong emotions clung to my heart, not a smidgen of doubt remained.

  Dagen wiped his lips and announced, “I’m coming with you to Terra.”

  “About time you came around.” Oryn fist-bumped him, and Nero hugged him with a single slap to the back while jamming more food into his mouth.

  “But I’m serious, Sharlot,” Oryn said. “I need you to make more of this once we get to your place.”

  I
nodded, yet my head buzzed with the words your place. “Once you take me to the border, I’ll go on my own to test the river water in my store. The priestess and her guards would kill you on the spot.”

  “No,” Dagen insisted. “I’m not letting you out of my sight if there’s a chance you’re in danger. We will be in our human forms in Terra, so no one will suspect us.”

  “Agreed,” the other two said in unison.

  I huffed. “Hope you’re right because I can’t risk you getting caught in Terra.”

  “We’re the masters of stalking. We’ve got this,” Oryn added.

  Nero darted out of the room while Dagen collected an empty jar from the kitchen and poured river water from the bucket into it. Right, he was on top of the plan already. I was on my feet as Nero reappeared, holding on to my bag with two fingers and my red cape in the other.

  “These are yours, little lamb.”

  I snatched my belongings, and the crimson cape slid across my hand, torn in half. The last time I’d seen it felt like a lifetime ago, a time when I’d sworn my world was under my control. But ever since entering the Den, my world had turned upside down. And now I was about to return home with three wolf shifters. My breaths sped, and I pressed the cape to my chest.

  Dagen was there, massaging my back. “You’ll be all right. Focus on the mission. Find a solution for the toxic river. Everything else comes later. Okay?”

  “Yes, thank you.” I stuffed the jar of water into my backpack and was about to jam the fabric in there when I had a better idea.

  Setting my bag on the chair, I unwrapped my blanket and let it fall down to my feet.

  The shuffling in the kitchen died, and I glanced up to find three sets of eyes fixed on me, starved hunger behind them. I laughed. “Geez, doesn’t take much to get your attention.”

  I placed a strip of red material around my chest and tied it up between my breasts to ensure it stayed put. The other half of the cape I fashioned into a skirt that fell halfway down my thighs. My clothes were probably torn to shreds in the woods from when Oryn had tossed them away.