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Peterson watched as Jayden washed her hands and face in the warm water Van had heated for her after their meal. He hadn’t missed how she had redirected the conversation after their questions without answering them. She entertained them with tales of her journey, and they were particularly surprised when she mentioned the owl that had accompanied her shortly after leaving camp. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was the same one that had been following himself and Van.

When she described her harrowing close encounter with two shifters named Bishop and Carter, he found himself less entertained. He stored those names in his memory to investigate later when they were back in civilization. His expression softened when Jayden yawned and pulled the wool blanket around her shoulders.

“It feels like it is going to rain,” she said.

“It is,” Van replied.

As soon as the words left her lips, the sky opened, and raindrops started to fall. Jayden sprang to her feet from the log she had been sitting on and swiftly made her way towards the lean-to. With the three of them huddled around the small fire, the space would be cramped.

We’ll just have to suffer through it, he thought with amusement.

Van shot him a mischievous grin, their eyes locking in silent understanding. Being trapped between them in the lean-to would make it much more challenging for Jayden to evade a serious conversation. He followed Van, squeezing through the narrow opening.

“I’m glad you built this,” Jayden said.

In the narrow opening, he paused and winced as cold rainwater trickled down his spine, sending a shiver through his body. Jayden draped a woolen blanket over the moss bed. Van squatted next to the foot of the bed and added some wood to the fire.

“My ass is getting wet,” he muttered.

Jayden looked up, offering an apologetic smile, before crawling onto the bed. Van twisted and sat on the end. Crouching, he moved in a circular motion, skirting around the fire on the left. Sinking down onto the other end of the bed, he shivered slightly, feeling the chill in the air.

“Here, this might help,” Jayden said.

When she lifted the second wool blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders, he scooted closer to her. She extended her other arm, inviting Van to come closer. A different type of warmth filled him as he pressed against her side.

“Don’t get any ideas. This is just temporary,” she muttered.

“It doesn’t have to be,” he said.

She bowed her head and drew her knees up. Feeling her shiver, he gently wrapped his arm around her, providing a protective embrace. They had added extra branches to block the wind and rain, but it still seeped in through the entrance. They had left a small opening near the top of the structure to allow for ventilation for the fire.

“Jayden… talk to us. Why are you afraid of us? You know we would never hurt you, don’t you?” Van murmured.

“Yeah, I know that.”

“Then what is it? Why do you keep pushing us away?” he asked.

She lifted her head and stared out at the rain that was coming down fairly heavily now. The air felt strange, with an otherworldly quality that gave the surroundings a surreal atmosphere. The wind whispered through the trees, blending with the crackle of the fire and the gentle patter of raindrops, creating a symphony of nature’s sounds. It felt as though an eternity had passed since they first caught wind of her presence. The anticipation had been building for a while, and he had worried that this day would never come.

“I’m not… afraid of you. I’ve never been afraid of either of you,” she finally replied.

“Then what is it, love?” Van asked.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“What don’t you understand?” he asked.

“This.”

She turned her head toward Peterson, placed her hand against his cheek, and leaned forward. His eyes widened briefly before his eyelids lowered when she pressed her lips against his in a soft, uncertain kiss. He wasn’t sure if the groan came from himself, her, or Van.

Curling his fingers against her hip, he kept tight control over his raging emotions. He wanted to give her the chance to take this first kiss to a point where she was comfortable. She slid her hand along his cheek and tangled her fingers in his hair, tugging on it enough to elicit a low growl that he couldn’t contain.

Her tongue slid along the seam of his lips and he parted for her. She twisted, winding her other arm around his neck as she slid one leg over his lap to straddle him. Captured in her arms, he felt his control slipping as she deepened their kiss.

Their breaths came as one, breathing in and out in unison, as she fisted his hair in her hands and began to rock against his swollen cock even as their tongues danced a provocative ballet of sensual desire. The fire raging inside him was as wild as the growing storm outside.

He grasped her hips, moving his hips in unison with hers. A savage growl from Van pulled them apart. Van’s eyes glowed with desire. His wolf was barely contained.