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The silent plea swept through his mind even as a pair of camouflage green and sand-covered boots appeared in his line of sight. A man squatted next to him, gripped his shoulder, and rolled him onto his back.

The man stared down at him with shrewd dark brown eyes and a slight smile of satisfaction on his lips when he realized that Van was immobilized. Another man, this one carrying an assault weapon, stepped up behind him. Van’s vision was edged with darkness, and it was impossible for him to get a good look at the man.

“Find the human,” the man squatting next to him ordered.

“What do you want us to do with these two?” the operative behind him asked.

“Secure them. Once we get the information we want from them and the human, you can dispose of those two,” the man stated, rising to his feet.

Van tried to grit his teeth, but his whole body had gone numb. His eyes flicked over to where Peterson’s red wolf lay unmoving. As the darkness grew in his mind and the drugs overtook control of his body, he cursed his inability to keep his promise to protect Jayden.

“Get them out of here,” the man said with a jerk of his head.

“Yes, sir. You heard him. Find the human female and move ‘em out. I want everyone back at the base camp before dark,” his second-in-command shouted.

“Who-who—?” Van forced out between numb lips.

The man gave him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and chuckled. “That human has cost me a lot of money. It’s nothing personal… well, except for your brother’s helping out.”

Shock hit Van hard at the mention of his brother. His mind struggled to piece together what the man meant, but the drug had done its job and he was losing his battle to stay conscious. His eyelids slid closed despite his fight to keep them open and darkness descended as Jayden’s name whispered through his last conscious thought.

Jayden’s mumbled words were barely audible as she hurried away from the two infuriating men, determined to resist the temptation that threatened to break her promises. She was going crazy with desire for both of them, the longing burning deep within her. It became apparent to her that she would now be forced to swallow her pride and admit her mistakes.

“So much for never falling in love,” she muttered.

The impact of her words dawned on her with sudden, crystal-clear realization. As the epiphany hit her, she felt the ground sway beneath her, causing her to grasp onto the wall of the narrow passageway for support. She turned and leaned back against the wall, raising her hand to her chest, covering her heart, as she stared back in the direction she had just come.

“I love them,” she whispered.

Despite her softly spoken words, her voice reverberated loudly in her ears. How had things ended up like this? Her laughter bubbled up, almost reaching a hysterical pitch, and she hastily muffled it with her hand.

Hell, how did it happen?

She had done everything she could to drive them away. Biting her lip, she closed her eyes and dropped her chin as she pictured everything that had happened since she had first seen them. That had been the hook, she realized. The first moment she had seen them in the snowy woods, first in their wolf forms, then in all their splendor of naked, male flesh.

“Damn it to hell,” she groaned.

She opened her eyes and with a slight push, moved away from the wall, feeling the rough texture against her fingertips as she trailed them along the uneven surface. Fighting her feelings seemed to be an impossible task. She had enough self-awareness to recognize that about herself. Her desire for them burned fiercely, and she was willing to do anything to make them hers. Moving through the different stages, her mind swirled with emotions from anger and denial to eventual acceptance.

Her lips curved into a bemused smile as she ventured into the dark crevice, the musty smell of damp earth filling her nostrils. She rummaged through her pouch and retrieved a small flashlight she had swiped from the compound. The cold metal cylinder in her hand served as a stark reminder of the gradual changes in her life.

It’s a lot easier to press a button than light a candle from flint, she mused.

Pressing the raised button on the side, she directed the light down the twisted passage, feeling the walls closing in as she ventured further into the mountain. It didn’t take her long to locate the rock her grandfather had mentioned, nor the loose stone concealing the hole where the inscribed cylinder was hidden.

She was sliding it into her pouch when a strange noise filtered down the passage. Curious, she started forward when Peterson’s enraged howl, amplified by the contours of the passage, filled her with terror.

Her initial reaction was the desire to rush to them, but a lifetime of caution and the need for survival overrode the impulsive emotion. Her people had learned that rushing in could have devastating consequences.

Instead, she opened her senses, listening to anything that sounded out of place. She started when she heard a sharp yelp of pain. Lifting her hand, she rubbed it over her heart. As she inched forward to the opening where the passages branched, she picked up the murmur of unfamiliar voices.

“You heard him. Find the human female and move ‘em out. I want everyone back at the base camp before dark.”

Her body tensed up as a shiver of alarm coursed through her upon understanding the threat in the order. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply to combat the overwhelming fear consuming her. A profound resolve took root within her, guiding her actions. As she opened her eyes, she pondered the different choices laid out before her.

The men could harm Van and Peterson, or even manipulate them against each other, if she fell into enemy hands. If she were free, their chances of survival would increase. Her eyes were drawn to a passage a short distance down. The faint, but familiar rush of water was barely audible. In order to remain undetected, she needed to mask her scent.

She felt a sudden spark of inspiration, pushing her to spring into motion. Entering the passage, she was met with the musty aroma of ancient rocks, drawing her closer to the crevice shaped by melting ice within the mountain. As she entered the area used as a bathroom by her people, she could hear the sound of rushing water from the nearby stream. One area was allocated for the toilet, and the other was designated for bathing purposes. The waterfall, fed by the snow runoff higher up, flowed through the rock, its icy-cold water creating an almost surreal atmosphere. The water exuded a unique mountain freshness, intermingled with the smell of musty smoke.