She blinked hard, wishing she could see him better. “You’re serious. They’d be able to smell your scent on me?” That didn’t seem fair to her at all.
He nodded. She felt the slight movement of his head rather than saw it. “Very serious. It’s a way of letting all the single males know that a female has been claimed. Once we are mated, they know if they approach you they will have to deal with me.”
She drummed her fingers against his chest. “That seems to favor the males and not the females. I mean, you can have sex with whoever you want, but a female has sex with a male werewolf once and she’s marked for life.”
He trapped her hand with his, flattening her palm over his heart. “It is nature’s way of ensuring the survival of the race. Besides, if a female’s mate dies, she is free to sleep with whomever she wants and even mate again if she chooses.”
“Great.” Exasperation tinged her voice. “I should have experimented when I had the chance.”
The low, menacing growl startled her. She found herself flat on her back before she knew what was happening. Joshua loomed over her large and fierce as he clasped her face in his hands. “You are mine.”
Why she was teasing the already enraged beast, she didn’t quite know. But something inside her made her taunt him back. “I thought I had a choice.”
“You have made your choice.” He became very still above her. She could feel the tension rolling off him, filling the cave until it sucked almost all the air out of the confined space. “Or have you changed your mind?” His fingers tightened almost imperceptibly on her face. “Do you think that I cannot protect you?”
She was horrified at his misinterpretation of her words. “No, you big idiot. Of course I trust you to protect me.” Honestly, who could understand the workings of the male mind? “And, God only knows why not, but I haven’t changed my mind.”
He gave a bark of laughter and she could feel the tension slowly seeping from him. “You are the only person who dares to speak to me with such disrespect.”
“It’s not disrespect,” she protested. “But Joshua, sometimes you take way too much on yourself. You’re only human. Well, werewolf, anyway.” Her attempt at humor didn’t even make him crack a grin. She sighed. “You’re not all-knowing, all-seeing.” Reaching her hand upward until she found his jaw, she lovingly traced the hard line. “You were willing to die for me. What woman could ask for more?” Just thinking about his actions today made her insides melt. He hadn’t put into words what he felt about her, except in sexual terms, but she felt his actions spoke for him.
He lowered his head until their foreheads were touching. She could sense his hesitation and held her breath, hoping he’d tell her how much he’d come to care for her. Instead, he sighed and kissed the tip of her nose. “What am I going to do with you?”
She could think of quite a few things personally. “If you’ve got to ask,” she teased. Alex had a feeling nobody teased Joshua or made him laugh. He needed more of that in his life.
He shook his head, leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. He hadn’t laughed, but she could tell he was smiling. That small sign made her extremely pleased with herself. Joshua definitely wouldn’t be an easy man to live with, but he was the one she wanted. She knew no other man would make her feel the way he did.
She opened her mouth to try to coax his tongue inside, but he pulled away. Rolling quickly, he returned to their original position so that she was draped across his body again. “Enough of that.” He coaxed her head down to his chest and she was tired enough to let him. “When I mate with you and claim you as mine, it will not be in some dark cave in the dirt.”
The possessiveness in his voice made her shiver. She knew he would be a demanding lover. Her core dampened and softened, the inner muscles rippling as she arched her hips against the bulge in his jeans. He opened his legs and trapped hers between them, holding them still, but keeping her locked close to him.
“Sleep,” he muttered gruffly. She smiled as she felt the leather jacket being tucked gently around her shoulders again. He sifted his hand through her hair, relaxing her further. She yawned again and nestled her cheek against his soft chest hair.
Lying in the dirt, bruised and battered and sore, she’d never felt more content. With the beat of Joshua’s heart against her ear, she drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Nineteen
James drove down the long, winding road, watching the sun slowly sink behind the mountains. He could feel the tension seeping into his muscles and rolled his shoulders, trying to relax.
He hadn’t been back this way in years, but it was all so familiar. He recognized landmarks and noted changes to the landscape as the car moved steadily forward. The steady hum of the tires on the pavement and his steady breathing were the only sounds he could hear. He hadn’t bothered with the radio, knowing any reception he got would be spotty at best.
He tried not to think about Alexandra, but it was no use. He wanted to know where his daughter was. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.
After protecting her for so many years it was sheer torture to leave her in the hands of another man. Yet it was what he’d had to do, and he knew he’d do it again in a heartbeat. He’d seen the way Joshua had looked at Alex. The man wanted her.
And for the first time in her life, Alex had shown interest in a man. He’d seen the spark in her eye when she’d looked at young Striker. It would be a good match. One he could live with.
For right or wrong, he’d sent them off together to give their attraction time to grow. He’d wanted a different life for his daughter, but fate and genetics had overruled him. Alex was a werewolf, whether she wanted it or not. The best thing he could do for her was to encourage her to accept all aspects of herself, to show her she was the same person, only with a little something more.
He emitted a low growl as he thought about what might happen between Joshua and his daughter as they spent another night on the road. It wasn’t something a father wanted to think about, yet it was why he’d sent them off together in the first place.
James knew Joshua would protect Alex with his life. Furthermore, if he was Striker for the Wolf Creek pack he had the skill, intellect and muscle to do so. But any man or werewolf, no matter how skilled, could be brought down. There were rival werewolves searching for them. Not to mention bounty hunters were always a problem.
He pushed his foot down harder on the fuel pedal. James knew he’d soon have to stop for the night. The daylight was fading and he didn’t want to approach Wolf Creek after dark. At this point, there was no way of knowing who was friend and who was foe. He started scanning the sides of the road, searching for a place to pull over and wait out the long, cold night.
* * *
Joshua opened his eyes and stared at the dim light creeping in through the slim opening in the rocks. Dawn was breaking and he damn well deserved a medal for sainthood after the night he’d put in. Alex was draped across him, her body almost boneless. It had been an exquisite torture to hold her in his arms all night long.
A quick flick of a few buttons and two zippers, a quick roll to put her beneath him, and he could have been buried inside her moist, welcoming heat. The thought was enough to make even the strongest man sweat, knowing all that was his for the taking.
He knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Her sexual drive was heating up and was getting closer to its peak. He wanted her home safe within the confines of the compound and tucked into his bed when the time finally came to claim her.
Not that it would be easy. In spite of her claim that it was him she wanted, they’d still have to go through the ritual of allowing other males to state their case unless he wanted an all-out battle on his hands. Although the way he was feeling at the moment, a bloody brawl sounded like a good way to work off some of his tension.
Alex chose that moment to stretch before shifting around to find a comfortable spot. Joshua gritted his teeth and clamped his a
rm around her waist to keep her from squirming around on top of him. The throbbing of his cock matched the painful throbbing in his shoulder this morning. Although his shoulder wasn’t causing him near as much discomfort.
He looked down at her, but all he could see was the top of her head. She had her face buried against his chest and her arms tucked snugly around him. She was usually so vibrant and full of life when she was awake, it was strange to see her so still and restful. She was a tall woman, so it was easy to forget she was slender of build.
Joshua slid his fingers over the small of her back and then upward. She arched toward his fingers. “Mmm,” she moaned. “That feels nice.”
The hard points of her nipples were pressing against his chest. He could feel them through the thin fabric of her bra. It would be so easy to just ease her over onto her back, open her bra and spread the fabric apart, exposing her breasts for him to touch and taste. It was so tempting.
“We have to get going.” His voice sounded deep and raspy after a night of sleep. Of course, the fact he had a raging hard-on didn’t help either. He hated to disturb her, but he expected that today was going to be as bad, if not worse, than yesterday. They were closing in on the Wolf Creek pack territory and the males from the other packs, as well as the bounty hunters, would be getting desperate.
Alex raised her head and blinked at him like a sleepy owl, her eyes a pale silvery gray in the early morning light seeping into the cave. He loved her eyes. With their unusual color and thick, brown lashes, they were a sight to behold. And extremely expressive.
He loved to watch all her emotions flash through them. If eyes were the mirrors of the soul, then she had a beautiful one. Not that he had any doubts on that score. Not after the few days he’d spent with her. And what the hell was he doing waxing poetic over her eyes? They had to get going.
Still, he didn’t sit up and dislodge her. She’d had a hard day yesterday and deserved a few minutes to wake up on her own. It had nothing to do with how damn good she felt cradled against his body.
The bruise on her forehead was a lovely shade of purple and yellow this morning. He touched it gently with his fingers, probing carefully around the edges. “How do you feel?”
She closed her eyes and sighed. “Good. But then again, I haven’t moved yet.” She started to lever herself away from him, but that drove her hips into closer contact with his groin. He hissed out a breath and rolled, shifting her to the ground beside him.
“Sorry about that.” She ducked her head, but not before he caught a glimpse of the light blush covering her cheekbones.
“No problem.” He grunted as he sat up, his own muscles protesting. He swiveled his neck from side to side, feeling his bones crack as he climbed to his feet. The hard, cool ground had made his muscles stiff, so he raised his arms in the air, stretching them. He bent his elbows and let his hands fall behind his head when he clasped them behind his neck. It felt good to work the kinks out of his body. If he’d been alone, he would have changed into his wolf form last night and curled up in a corner of the cave, but that would have meant leaving Alex to lie by herself.
She seemed accepting enough of his wolf form when he was fighting, but he didn’t think she was ready to accept a wolf sleeping beside her at night. Or maybe it was him who wasn’t ready to test her. Either way, he wouldn’t have traded last night for anything. Having Alex lie so trustingly in his arms was something he wouldn’t soon forget.
He watched her as she rolled up onto her knees and then carefully placed one foot flat on the ground and pushed herself upward. She groaned and he could hear the slight crack of her bones as she rolled her neck and shoulders.
“Now how do you feel?” He lowered himself back to the ground, hauled on his boots and began to lace them.
“Like I was in an accident and then trekked through the woods all day yesterday.” She groaned again as she lowered herself back to the ground and reluctantly pulled her boots over to her.
“Wait.” Joshua grabbed what was left of his T-shirt and tore two long strips off the end. He scooted over in front of her and pulled her right foot into his lap, carefully removing her sock. Her foot was sore in several places. He knew she needed some healing salve and a few days of rest for her feet, but that couldn’t happen yet. Taking one of the strips, he carefully wrapped her foot and then tugged her sock back on. Then he did the same with her left foot, carefully inspecting it as well. One wasn’t any worse than the other. She could walk, but it wasn’t going to be fun.
When he was done, he helped her put her boots on, brushing her hands aside as he laced them up himself. He stood and then pulled her up beside him. “How does that feel?”
She took a few steps and smiled at him. “Better, thanks.” She glanced down at the remains of the shirt in his hand. “I don’t think there’s enough left for you to wear.” She bent down and hefted the jacket off the ground. “You should wear this.”
He shook his head. “You need it more.” He could already see the goose bumps on her arms. The morning was cool, but it would heat up as the day wore on. “Here.” He handed her the T-shirt. “There should be enough for you to wear. It will help keep you warm.” He took the jacket from her and held it while she slipped the remains of the shirt over her head.
It fell to just below her bra and was more of a crop-top than a shirt, but it was something. Shaking out the jacket, he held it while she slipped her arms inside. He didn’t miss the slight wince on her face as she moved. He knew the wound on her arm was sore, not to mention the fact that the muscles across her chest and shoulders were stiff from yesterday’s accident.
Not for the first time, Joshua wished she had already gone through her change. Once her werewolf had integrated fully within her, she would heal much faster. She’d be less vulnerable too, able to shift to her wolf form and run swiftly and silently through the forest.
Very carefully, he pulled her into his arms. She melted against his bare chest immediately, rubbing her nose against his chest hair. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her scent, letting it soothe him.
“It’s going to be another rough day.” He wouldn’t hide anything from her. She had to be prepared.
“I know.” She continued to rub her cheek against his skin as if she couldn’t get enough of him. He knew her actions were unconscious, part hormones, part instinct. His erection, which had gone down slightly, sprang to life again.
“If there were any other way…” he trailed off, uncertain what else to say. They both knew there was no other way, no going back.
“I know,” she whispered again, her arms tightening around him one final time before she stepped away. Straightening her shoulders, she reached into the pocket of the jacket and pulled out the sheath with his hunting knife. She handed it to him hilt first. “My gun and two knives are gone. This and your handgun are all we have.”
He closed his hand over the knife sheath and pushed it back toward her. “You keep it.” She started to protest, but he held up his hand. “If I sense anyone else near us, I’m going to shift. I can protect you better that way.”
She nodded, but still seemed concerned. “All right.” The sheath hooked easily over the waistband of her jeans and she adjusted it several times until she was satisfied it was within easy reach.
He checked his gun. “There are only two bullets left in here and they’re not silver.” He handed it to her and watched as she tucked it into the pocket of her jacket.
Her stomach growled loud enough for him to hear, reminding him that neither of them had eaten since around noon yesterday. But she never said a thing about being hungry. Then again, he’d known she wouldn’t. She was an amazingly practical and resilient woman.
Her hunger probably hurt him more than it did her. For him, it was another reminder of how he had failed to take proper care of her. He also knew she’d be pissed with him if she knew what he was thinking.
Taking her hand in his, he twined their fingers together. “Remember, if I tell you
to do something, just do it. There may not be time for me to explain.”
She nodded and gave his hand a squeeze as he led her out of the cave and into the early morning sunshine.
Alex squinted against the glare, which really wasn’t all that bright. But after being in the dark cave all night, her eyes needed time to adjust. She would have loved to have the time to just look around and explore the area. The birds were singing an early morning song and the air was clean and crisp. She pulled the jacket more firmly around herself and then stared at Joshua’s naked back wondering if he was cold. Not that he’d tell her. Heaven forbid he admit to any kind of weakness.
She glanced over her shoulder and watched as the cave disappeared from sight. She hated to leave. At least there had been the illusion of safety while they’d been tucked inside. Now that they’d left it behind, she felt vulnerable again.
It was only a matter of time until one group of enemies or another found their trail. These were all experienced woodsmen, both hunters and werewolves, and there were God only knows how many of them after her and Joshua. Still, she’d rather be with Joshua than with anyone else. No matter what happened, she’d fight by his side until the end.
It had felt strange, yet amazingly familiar to awake in his arms this morning. It was the second morning in a row she’d done so, but it seemed as if she’d been doing it for years. She hadn’t wanted to leave the comfort and warmth of his large body. He’d held her securely throughout the long night, cradling her against him, keeping her safe while she slept.
Joshua had already been aroused by the time she’d opened her eyes and became aware of her surroundings. There had been no mistaking the rather large erection pressing into her belly. She’d responded immediately, her inner muscles contracting and softening. There was something about Joshua that her body recognized. They belonged together and she planned to make that a reality once this ordeal was over.
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