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The first drops of rain pelted them as the storm clouds gathered overhead. Perfect. The rain would mask their scent and make tracking them more difficult.

Lightning cracked across the sky as Maya pulled him under the shelter of a dense pine thicket. She paused, her wolf ears swiveling to catch any sounds of pursuit. Kieran forced himself to stay silent despite the pain, trusting her newly heightened senses.

When she moved again, it was with renewed purpose. The rain fell harder now, soaking Kieran's naked form. The cold was actually helpful, numbing the worst of the pain from the silver bullet still lodged in his side.

Through bleary eyes, Kieran spotted the dark mouth of a cave up ahead. Safety. Shelter. His wolf recognized it instantly.

"Perfect," he managed. "You found us a den."

Maya dragged him the final distance with a herculean effort, her wolf form trembling with exertion as they cleared the cave entrance. The thunder crashed outside as if celebrating their temporary victory.

Inside the cave, she gently released his neck and moved to the back, checking for other inhabitants with efficient sweeps of her powerful nose. Finding none, she padded back to him and began the shift.

Kieran watched through half-lidded eyes as fur receded, limbs elongated, and his beautiful mate took human form. Even naked and exhausted, Maya moved with determined precision, gathering what dry vegetation she could find to create a bed for him away from the cave entrance.

"You need to stay warm," she said, her voice husky from the transformation. "The silver is fighting your healing abilities."

She knelt beside him, pressing her warm body against his side, sharing her heat. Where their skin touched, the burning of the silver poison retreated slightly.

"How did you know where to find this place?" Kieran asked, reaching up to touch her face.

"Wolf habitat mapping. It's literally what I do for a living." Her lips quirked in that half-smile he found so endearing. "Plus, your wolf shifters' territory patterns weren't that difficult to decode once I started looking for them."

Kieran laughed despite the pain. "Remind me never to underestimate you, Dr. Collins."

"Too late for that." She carefully examined his wound, her touch clinical but tender. "The bullet's still in there. I need to get it out or the silver will keep poisoning you."

"Do it," he commanded, his eyes locking with hers. No hesitation and no doubt.

Lightning illuminated the cave briefly, highlighting the determination in her eyes. "I might not be a medical doctor, but I've extracted enough tracking devices from wolves to know the basics."

"Such pillow talk," Kieran smirked, then winced as she probed the wound. "I knew there was a reason I kept you around."

TWENTY-ONE

MAYA

Maya laughed, the sound echoing against the cave walls. "Hold still or I'll have to pin you down."

"Under different circumstances, I might enjoy that challenge." His silver-blue eyes flickered with heat despite his pain.

Maya carefully prodded Kieran's bullet wound, her touch clinical but tender. The silver-laced metal gleamed malevolently in the flash of lightning that illuminated the cave. Blood seeped slowly from around the foreign object, but what concerned her more was the network of blackened veins spreading outward from the wound like poison-filled tributaries.

Maya focused on the task, using her newly enhanced vision to locate the bullet lodged against his rib cage. The silver had prevented his shifter healing from working properly, but somehow their connection seemed to counteract the worst effects. With careful, steady fingers, she dug into the wound, following the path of destruction until her fingertips brushed metal.

"Almost there." She bit her lower lip in concentration. "This is going to hurt."

Kieran's jaw tightened. "Just do it."

With a swift, decisive movement, she extracted the bullet, immediately tossing the toxic metal as far from him as possible. Blood welled up, but already she could see his natural healing beginning to respond.

"I need to dress this. Don't move."

Maya darted outside into the storm, her naked form drenched within seconds. The large gash across her back stung as rain hit the raw flesh, but she pushed aside the pain. Her newly awakened wolf senses helped her quickly find what she needed—large, waxy leaves and the sticky sap of a balsam fir. She gathered an armful, the rich scent of the forest intensified by her enhanced smell.

Back in the cave, she crafted a makeshift bandage, spreading the antiseptic sap onto the leaves before placing them over his wound.

"You're a natural," Kieran murmured, his hand brushing against hers.