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Chapter Five

Jade

Jade had awoken several minutes earlier after the best sleep she’d had in years, and watched Noah as he slept deeply next to her in his own sleeping bag.

The day before had been full of surprises.She hadn’t expected him to apologize, but it was the kiss that rocked her world.And when she slowly recovered, she realized she would never be the same again.

Hearing his apology through their mind link solidified for her that they were destined to be together.When she told Noah she was willing to give him space, she had been willing to sacrifice her happiness for his.If he decided that he didn’t want to be her mate, she would have let him go as soon as their objective had been completed.

Part of her knew that his rejection could have severe consequences, but she thought if she had been in the same position, not having a choice because fate had destined Jade to be with someone, she would fight it with everything inside her.And she couldn’t do that to Noah.

But when he said he wanted to see how their relationship progressed naturally, she felt the coil around her chest loosen.There was always a possibility that he could change his mind, but she decided not to dwell on the fact until it happened.

Jade listened to Noah’s deep, even breathing and memorized the sound.Pushing her senses farther out, two things had her brow furrowing, one more serious than the other.

First, the snowstorm that was predicted for the end of the week had accelerated its pace.The wind whipped around the tent before dissipating, bringing in the heavy scent of snow in the distance.The storm would probably arrive the following afternoon at the latest, which moved up their timetable.

The second, and most worrying, fact.The breeze brought the scent of two distinct bear shifters and they had been close to their camp within the last two hours.They were closer than either she or Noah realized, which meant they could find their base in a couple of hours and hike back to the car by this afternoon.

Since they hadn’t destroyed the tent, Noah must’ve pitched it somewhere invisible until you got close enough and the wind pushed their scent in the other direction, leaving the bear shifters unaware.With any experienced assassin, they would have scented both of them right away and attacked.

Or they were playing with them.

Jade’s eyes shot open at that particular thought, a feeling of dread washing over her.It was supposed to be a recon mission, but they might have a fight on their hands and she had to prepare Noah.

Jade barely touched Noah’s shoulder to wake him and he immediately sat up, aware and scanning his surroundings.Jade explained everything and Noah stood, packing without question.

“We should find a cave or another type of cover, so if we need to hunker down or escape, we have some place that isn’t easily accessible and we can hear anyone approaching for several miles,” Noah suggested.

Jade agreed and within minutes, their campsite looked as though no one had been there and they hiked west, heading away from their ultimate destination.

They lucked upon a hidden cave, several feet from the ground but surrounded by trees and scrubs.They set up the tent and unpacked the non-essentials, before donning their lighter packs and heading in the direction of the shifters’ scent.

Despite the occasional wind gust letting Jade know she was on the right track, the weather held.By mid-afternoon, the scent brought them to a series of wooden barns and smaller, one-room cabins, but no house on the property.The way it was set up, it had been obvious that it was an abandoned ranch.

“I remember arriving on a long dirt road, but we arrived in the dead of night and they hadn’t turned out their headlights.This place has no outside lighting.”

Jade nodded.“I smell a variety of scents, but there are too many to nail down a hard count.”She pulled out her GPS receiver and shot a quick text to Ghost with the longitude and latitude of the place.

“I don’t see movement, but there’s no dissipation of the scents.It’s like they are near…”

Noah’s eyes lightened in realization.“Underground.”

Jade sent that information off to Ghost, wondering if he could get a scan with heat signatures of the property.

Noah stilled next to her and she scanned her surroundings, wondering what he picked up on.

“I have a bad feeling.The kinda feeling I got before a mission went south and people died.”

Jade glanced down and caught the message Ghost sent.

Intel received.Come home.

“Let’s hike back, spend one more night and head back to the car in the morning.We’ll have plenty of time to avoid the storm.”

Noah nodded but moved his MP5 against his chest, joining two holstered HK Mark 23 .45 caliber handguns.They trekked back toward the cave.The only sound was their breathing and the crunch of snow under their boots.

Jade sensed company and tapped Noah twice on the shoulder, their signal trouble was near.She pointed to the cluster of small pines, perfect for camouflage.Noah raised his eyebrow and she nodded toward the tall pine and pointed up.Noah nodded once and set off toward the trees as Jade leapt up onto the highest branch that would hold her weight, about fifteen feet in the air.