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The menacing lips of the encroaching animal raise. “Food.” It lets out in a guttural grunt.
That’s not creepy.
“No. Mine.” My gray eyed savior jogs between me and the huge dog.
Three times. I might owe him.
Soft lapping of the waves near my feet is the only sound as they stare each other down. It’s three solid breaths before the tan fur flashes around the silhouette of the man and the hulking form of the one eyed dog backs away.
I think the half-breed is laughing as he moves into the recesses of the plane.
Pretty sure I died in the crash and this is some sort of fucked up afterlife.
It’s the only explanation.
Gray eyes turns to me and his jaw is tight. But, he’s holding a blanket. Letting the bottom drop away from his hands, he holds it out unfurled for me to curl into.
“My hero. What was with the stand-off?” The wool is itchy on my neck and I don’t care. It feels good to have a barrier against the looming night.
He shakes his head. “Pack dynamics are strange. You’re either in it, or not. Welcome, you’re officially our newest member.”
I can’t stop the giggle that erupts. “Was that the initiation? Do I have duties? I really can’t stay, ya know.” This is as good as anywhere, for the moment.
Until he finds out what I am and how much I’m worth. All those old leeches won’t like that I’m off the supply line. They’ll pay dearly to get me back.
His lips purse as he looks down at me. “My name is Michael. When you figure out where you’re going, I’ll see what I can do.”
“Hi, Mikey.” Why does he wince as I stick my hand out?
He twists his mouth and chews on the inside of his cheek while his brows furrow into a knot above those eyes. "I don't really like that nickname."
Well, this is awkward. I tuck my hand back beneath the blanket. “My name is Hope. In civilization, people shake hands. They don’t do that in the woods?” Dropping to squat on my heels, I manage to overlap the edges of my wrap so I’m in a little burrito.
At least I can feel my fingers again.
Michael looses a long sigh. “Most people do, but I don’t. I’ll get a fire going, you’ll be safe now.”
From this angle, I get a perfect view of his toned ass walking away from me into the woods.
Chapter 11
Michael
My boots squish with every step. Who’s never seen a lake before? I can’t believe that crazy girl dove right into the water. She was down there forever.
She must have bumped her head harder than she realized in the crash.
It’s pretty remarkable she managed to survive that without a scratch.
Tossing another small branch into my arms, one of the jagged points from a broken twig rakes across my forearm, breaking the skin.
Damn. Good thing I heal fast. Not as fast as my mom, but—
My gathered bunch of wood tumbles to the ground and bounces off of my feet.
She can heal like my mother.
Maybe faster. I heard the crash. We didn’t take long to get to the wreckage. She was already completely whole. Perfect.