Page 17 of Alien Huntsman (Alien Wolf Tales #2)

CHAPTER 17

T essa hummed softly as she mixed fresh berries with a few spices she’d found tucked away in Korrin’s sparse pantry and spooned them into a baking dish. Sunlight streamed through the cabin’s windows, casting golden patterns across the wooden floor where the pups tumbled and played. Every few minutes, she’d glance over at them and smile.

Her body ached pleasantly, reminding her of the night before. The memory of Korrin’s hands on her skin, his mouth trailing fire across her body, sent heat flooding through her. She pressed her thighs together, biting her lip as she worked the crumble topping between her fingers.

“Behave,” she whispered to herself, but she couldn’t stop smiling.

When Korrin had mentioned going to speak with Seren about her, a flicker of anxiety had passed through her, but he’d kissed it away.

“Stay here,” he’d murmured against her lips. “Let me make sure they’re prepared to welcome you properly.”

The pups whined, sensing her distraction, and she knelt to give them a quick cuddle. “He’ll be back soon enough,” she assured them, though the words were as much for herself as for them.

Rising to her feet, she washed her hands, then slid the crumble into the small oven. The cabin felt different without Korrin—quieter, smaller somehow. But it still felt like home in a way the bakery never had, even before Lenora.

She stretched, wincing slightly at the twinge between her thighs. Worth it, she thought with a private smile. She moved to the window, gazing out at the forest. Somewhere beyond those trees was the Vultor enclave, where Korrin was telling his pack leader about her. About them.

“I wonder what they’ll think of me,” she mused aloud, not particularly worried but curious. The pups crowded around her ankles, demanding attention, and she laughed.

“You’re right. I shouldn’t worry.” She bent to pick up Storm, cradling him against her chest. “If they’re anything like your grumpy guardian, they’ll pretend not to like me at first, then won’t be able to resist.”

She was just pulling the berry crumble from the oven when the pups’ playful tumbling abruptly ceased. Their ears pricked up, bodies tensing as they crowded together near the door. A low, collective growl rose from their throats.

“What is it?” she whispered, setting the hot dish on the table.

The growling intensified. Bashful backed up against her legs, trembling but still making that threatening sound.

Something moved outside. Footsteps, heavy and unfamiliar, crashing through the woods.

Her heart jumped into her throat. It wasn’t Korrin—she’d recognize his purposeful stride anywhere. Besides, the pups would be yipping with excitement, not growling in alarm.

She grabbed the iron poker from beside the fireplace, clutching it tightly as she approached the door. The pups followed, their small bodies vibrating with tension.

“Stay behind me,” she murmured, though she wasn’t sure what protection she could offer them if danger lurked outside.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door and stepped onto the porch, poker raised defensively.

Edgar Thornfield stumbled out of the tree line, his fine clothing snagged and dirty, face flushed with exertion. Sweat plastered his thinning hair to his forehead, and his breath came in labored gasps. When he spotted her, his irritated expression immediately transformed into what she supposed was meant to be a charming smile.

“Tessa! Thank heavens I’ve found you!” He straightened his jacket, trying to recover some dignity despite his disheveled appearance.

The poker nearly slipped from her suddenly numb fingers. “Edgar?” she managed, her voice faint. “What are you doing here?”

Behind her, the pups crowded the doorway, their growls growing louder as they sensed her distress.

His gaze flicked to them, his smile faltering for a second before he fixed it back in place. “I’ve come to rescue you, of course.” He took a step toward the porch, extending his hand. “The whole village has been in an uproar since you disappeared. When I heard you might be up in these mountains, I knew I had to come for you myself.”

“I don’t need rescuing. And you can stay right where you are.”

She tightened her grip on the poker as Edgar ignored her, and the pups huddled protectively around her ankles, their growls intensifying.

“How did you find me anyway?” she demanded.

Edgar smiled, the expression not quite reaching his eyes. “Your friend Scarlett’s grandmother has been telling everyone you’re alive and well, somewhere near the village.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “You can imagine my relief. I’ve been beside myself with worry.”

His concern rang hollow. There was something calculating in his gaze that made her skin crawl.

“Well, as you can see, I’m perfectly fine.” She gestured towards the place where he’d emerged from the woods. “You can head back now and let everyone know.”

Edgar’s smile faltered. His eyes swept over the rustic cabin with undisguised disdain. “Surely you don’t intend to stay in this… hovel?” He laughed as though the very idea was absurd. “Come back with me, Tessa. Lenora has been absolutely distraught.”

She couldn’t suppress her snort of disbelief. “Lenora? Distraught? The woman who paid to have me kidnapped?”

Edgar waved a dismissive hand. “Rumors and misunderstandings. She’s your stepmother—she loves you.”

“She does not.” Her voice hardened. “And neither do you.”

His expression darkened momentarily before smoothing into something placating. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve come all this way for you.” He gestured grandly toward the forest. “If you married me, you’d have the finest house in the village. Servants. Beautiful clothes. Everything you could ever want.”

The pups growled louder, sensing her growing anger. One of them—Bold, she called him—stepped forward, hackles raised.

“I have everything I want right here,” she said firmly. “I’m not going anywhere with you, Edgar.”

“Not even to regain control of the bakery and your house?”

“What?”

He smirked at her.

“Did you ever actually see the will?”

The implications of his question stunned her so much that he took another two steps towards the porch before she came to her senses.

“Stop right there,” she ordered him.

Her stomach knotted as Edgar took another step forward anyway. The pups pressed against her legs, their growls vibrating through her ankles.

“I appreciate your concern about my inheritance,” she said, keeping her voice steady, “but it makes no difference. I have no interest in your house or in marrying you. I’m staying here.”

Edgar’s face transformed. The practiced smile vanished, replaced by a flash of naked rage that made her grip the porch railing. His eyes narrowed, nostrils flaring, before he seemed to catch himself. The mask slipped back into place with frightening speed.

“You can’t be serious.” He forced a laugh that sounded more like a bark. “Living out here in the wilderness? With… what, these mangy little beasts for company?”

“They’re not mangy,” she snapped. “And I’m not alone.”

Edgar sighed dramatically, shoulders slumping in apparent defeat. “Agatha said you’d say that. She warned Lenora you were… enchanted with this place.” He lifted a wicker basket she hadn’t noticed before. “Your stepmother sent some of your clothes and personal items. A peace offering, of sorts.”

She eyed the basket suspiciously. It seemed an unlikely gesture from Lenora, who had never shown her a moment’s kindness since her father died.

“How thoughtful,” she said, not bothering to hide her skepticism.

Edgar stepped forward, extending the basket. “Here, take it. There are some of your mother’s things in there too, I believe.”

The moment he moved closer, all seven pups lunged forward, their growls transforming into snarls. Bold and Storm snapped at Edgar’s ankles while the others formed a protective semicircle in front of her.

He stumbled backwards, nearly dropping the basket. “Control these wild animals!”

“They’re excellent judges of character,” she said, making no move to call them back. “You can leave the basket there.” She pointed to a spot several feet away.

Edgar set the basket down with exaggerated care, his eyes never leaving the growling pups. He took three deliberate steps backwards, making a vain attempt to brush the dirt from his expensive jacket.

“Are you absolutely certain you won’t reconsider?” His voice softened, taking on the honeyed tone he used when trying to charm the village women. “This is madness, Tessa. Living out here with wild animals, far from civilization. What kind of life is that?”

She stroked Bold’s head as he returned to her side, his small body still tense with protective energy. The simple gesture calmed her more than Edgar could know.

“It’s the life I want,” she said firmly. “I’m happier here than I’ve been since my father died.”

Something flickered across Edgar’s face—disappointment, anger, calculation—before settling into resignation. He shrugged, spreading his hands wide.

“Very well. Your decision.” His tone suggested she was making a terrible mistake. “Should you change your mind, my offer remains open. The village isn’t the same without your pretty face… or your baking.”

He turned and disappeared into the trees without another word, his expensive boots crunching through the underbrush.

Tessa waited until she could no longer hear him before approaching the basket. The pups circled it suspiciously, sniffing and pawing at the wicker. She knelt beside them, cautiously lifting the cloth covering.

Inside lay several of her dresses, neatly folded, along with her hairbrush and a small wooden box that had belonged to her mother. Her throat tightened at the sight of it. Whatever Lenora’s motives, having these familiar items felt unexpectedly comforting.

She carried the basket inside, the pups trailing after her. A change of clothes would be welcome after days of washing and rewearing the same dress. She filled the basin with water from the pump and washed quickly, excitement building at the thought of Korrin returning to find her in something other than her now-shabby navy dress.

She chose a simple white dress with a red sash, then brushed her hair until it shone. She placed her mother’s box on the mantelpiece, happy with the home-like air it added to the cabin.

Rummaging deeper into the basket, she discovered something cool and smooth—a small glass jar nestled at the bottom. She pulled it out, a smile spreading across her face as she recognized the distinctive amber liquid inside. One of Agatha’s honey jars, with its hand-drawn label featuring a sprig of lavender.

“What a lovely surprise,” she murmured to the pups, who had lost interest in the basket and were now wrestling near the fireplace. “Agatha must have slipped this in.”

The thought warmed her. It seemed everyone knew where she was now—everyone except Lenora, hopefully. Though if Edgar had brought the basket on Lenora’s behalf…

She quickly pushed the troubling thought away. She wouldn’t let her stepmother’s shadow darken the day.

Cutting a thick slice of the bread she’d baked that morning, she drizzled the golden honey generously across it. The scent was intoxicating—sweet with a hint of wildflowers. Taking her treat, she settled on the porch steps to watch for Korrin’s return while enjoying her impromptu snack.

The honey tasted even better than it smelled, rich and complex on her tongue. She savored each bite, licking a stray drop from her finger. The sun felt wonderful on her face, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the peaceful moment.

A strange heaviness began to creep through her limbs. She had to force her eyes open, then blinked, finding it difficult to focus on the tree line. The forest seemed to waver, edges blurring like watercolors in the rain.

“That’s odd,” she whispered, her tongue feeling thick in her mouth.

She tried to stand, to go inside for water, but her legs wouldn’t cooperate. Her body felt impossibly heavy, as though she’d been sewn to the porch steps.

The pups began to growl from inside the cabin, the sound reaching her as if through water. She turned her head with tremendous effort, seeing them gathered at the doorway, hackles raised.

Through blurred eyes, she made out a figure emerging from the trees. Edgar. His smug smile was unmistakable even as her sight dimmed at the edges.

“You should have accepted my offer,” his voice drifted to her, distorted and far away.

She tried to call for help, but her voice failed her. The world tilted sideways as darkness rushed in.