Page 44 of Bewitched by the Werewolf (The Bewitching Hour #5)

“Was that your brother?”

I watch as Hunter walks away from Ryder, his back turned towards us.

I haven’t actually met him yet, I haven’t met anyone in Ryder’s family.

He also hasn’t offered to introduce me to any of them.

Not that I can blame him. I’m not exactly the type guys take home to meet the parents.

I’m more of a wild indulgence to fulfill their crazy quota.

To Ryder, however, I’m not crazy. I’m perfectly sane. Maybe it’s the hunting werewolves’ bit.

“Yeah, that’s Hunter,” Ryder replies, ignoring his brother and focusing on me instead.

“He didn’t want to stick around to say hello?” I ask sarcastically. I’m pretty sure I already know the answer.

Ryder’s lips pinch as he gives me an apologetic smile. “He’s not ready, yet. I haven’t told him about you, about us, yet. Plus he’s a little preoccupied with a female of his own.”

I take a second look in Hunter’s direction and again see him wrapping an arm around Alexandria, who’s wearing a short white dress and looking like it’s her wedding day. Hunter presses a soft kiss to her temple, and I watch with a hint of longing.

“They look good together. If I had known there was a dress code, I would have worn something more appropriate.” I gesture to my all-black attire more suited for hunting or a funeral than a backyard bar-be-cue.

“I think you look perfect.”

Ryder steps closer and wraps a possessive hand around my waist. The heat of his body warming my own and stirring a needy heat farther south.

His crisp orange scent spikes and washes over me.

It’s intoxicating in a way I never thought a smell could be.

I want to roll around in it, spread it across my skin like oil.

Shifters like to spread their scent over each other, and I wonder for a moment if I’ve been hunting werewolves for so long, some of their mannerisms have rubbed off on me.

“It’s a special night for Hunter and Lottie. He plans to solidify his mate bond with her tonight.”

“Oh? Is there going to be a ceremony or something? Do you marry like humans do?”

He grips my hip and plays with the end of my ponytail with his free hand, admiring the red strands and twining them around his fingers then letting the strands sift and fall free.

I’ve noticed his fascination with my hair and wonder if he has trichophilia.

(The technical term for a person with a hair fetish) Inwardly I hope he doesn’t and it’s just my hair he has a fascination for.

“No, no ceremony. Shifters bond in a special way.”

“And what way would that be?”

His body tenses and his pupils dilate as he stares down at me with an intensity I’ve never seen in another man before. He brushes the bare skin of my exposed neck with a gentle and covetous caress that sends shivers down my spine.

“We chase, we catch, we fuck, and we bite. Under a full moon is preferred but not required. Under a blood moon is considered lucky for the couple. If you believe in such things.”

Goosebumps race a path from my neck down my arm and chest, pebbling my nipples and I suck in a small shallow breath.

His touch, mixed with his words, have me wanting to feel those sharp teeth pressing into my skin and claiming me for himself.

What a strange compulsion. Maybe I’m part shifter.

What a funny thought, that I could be part of what I’ve been chasing for all these years.

“And will we be partaking in any activities tonight?” My voice is low and laced with desire. Other than the mate bond part, most of what he described sounds fun.

His expression hardens and the lustful haze lifts. “No. The chase requires a shift, and I will not be shifting tonight.”

I frown up at him confused. “But I thought you said shifters can’t fight the shift during a blood moon?”

“It’s difficult but not impossible.”

“I don’t mind if you shift and run, Ryder. I can wait here for you. I can even help with the horny part of the night if you like.”

I try to persuade him with a teasing grin and run my palm up his chest, digging my nails into his muscles how I know he likes. A small purring growl rumbles in his chest and for a moment I think I’ve convinced him.

“I appreciate the offer, but it’s best for everyone if I remain in human form tonight.”

The way he says the words have me watching him more carefully now.

He’s been trying to convince me for days that shifters are harmless and safe to be around in any form.

So why wouldn’t he want to be around anyone while shifted?

I try to read his expression, but he’s mastered the ability to appear emotionless.

Even so, I’ve already begun to learn him, learn the smallest of alteration in his expressions.

There’s also something about his scent that shifts.

It gives me the impression he’s afraid but determined.

“What are you afraid of Ryder? You told me shifters are harmless. So why are you afraid to shift around me? Or have you forgotten I’ve already seen your true form?”

He tries to harden his expression even more, and I can feel him begin to pull away from me.

Retreating away from the truth and me. No, the fuck he isn’t.

Not now. Not when we’ve come so far and I’ve learned so much.

He will not retreat now. He wanted to show me all of Snowberry and shifters and he’s going to.

I hold tight to his shirt and pull him closer to me, making sure he can’t run away. “Don’t run away from me,” I plead in a quiet voice. I had meant it to be more powerful, but my heart skipped a beat in my throat when I thought he may pull away from me.

“I’m afraid of hurting you, Tess,” he finally admits. His shoulders dropping with the confession. “I don’t want to lose control and accidentally do something that would hurt you. I couldn’t live with myself if I did. My beast is…not tame.”

“Good. Tame is boring. I like a bit of wild.”

Ryder huffs a exasperated sigh, not amused. “It’s not like that, Tess. I can’t control it. You saw what I did to those campers. I can’t let that happen again.”

“And has it?”

“What?” my question has the large stoic man dumbfounded. It’s a simple question.

“Has anything like that happened since then? Have you attacked anyone or hurt anyone else?”

Ryder is silent for a long moment before he slowly answers. “No.”

“Then what are you worried about? To me it sounds like it was a fluke. I’m not afraid of you and I don’t believe you would ever hurt me, intentionally or otherwise.”

I can see the wheels spinning in his head as he dissects the years since that night so many years ago.

Even when he told me about how he ended up there in the first place it was unintentional.

He didn’t go out seeking humans to frighten or injure.

It sounds like he didn’t even know he was around humans until it was too late.

He was young and competing with other male shifters for the attention of a female.

Not unlike many human men getting into a bar fight over a woman.

If I’m able to move beyond that night and accept it for the random event it was, so can he.

“What would I have to do to convince you?” my tone turns sultry and seductive as I run a red painted nail down Ryder’s chest. The apprehension and trepidation that just moments ago shadowed his beautiful silver eyes lifts, leaving gleaming orbs of chrome.

He is very interested, and the idea excites me. I love the forest and hunting. With my advanced eyesight and physical ability, I would give him a worthy chase. And when he catches me…Let’s just say we’ll both enjoy that.

From the corner of my eye, I notice others starting to head towards the trees, the moon now cresting the tops of the trees and bathing the forest in its soft white glow.

Soon, the moon will shift from silver white to blood red.

I’ve never seen a blood moon, and I have a feeling I may be too preoccupied tonight to see it either.

Stepping slowly out of Ryder’s hold, I walk backwards towards the woods.

Stripping my leather jacket off and dropping it to the grass.

It’ll only get in the way and make me hot while I run.

Also, I don’t want to lose it. Ryder watches me with focused intent.

I could swear he looks like he’s growing.

“If I run, will you chase me?” I ask coyly, while continuing to carefully make my way backwards. I can feel the hairs on my arm stand on end as the anticipation and excitement steadily grow with every step.

“Without hesitation,” he replies, robotically removing his boots and kicking them into a pile by my jacket. I don’t think he even realizes what he’s doing. Once his shoes are gone, he reaches for his belt and slips it out in one swift motion.

“I’ll even give you a head start,” he says, just before pulling his shirt off over his head. Should I be undressing too? The thought of running through the forest naked sends a thrill through me. However, the idea of running barefoot does not.

Reaching for the hem of my shirt I pull it off as well, keeping my black bra on. Running without a bra isn’t very comfortable either. And I plan on making him work for me.

“I’m not some meek little thing, Ryder. I can see almost just as well at night and am faster than you think,” I taunt, still moving away from him. I’m almost to the tree line, and as soon as I reach it he’ll learn just how fast I can be.

“Good. I like a challenge. Nothing worth having should be easy to catch.”

The chest on his hair thickens, his eyes glowing as claws extend from his fingers.

No matter how much I want to stand here and marvel at his transformation, I’ve reached the edge of the forest and once he’s completed his shift—which doesn’t appear will take long—he’ll be after me. My head start is almost gone.

“Run little Red,” he practically growls at me, and I can feel it reverberate all the way to my toes.

“Come and get me Big Bad Wolf.”

As soon as the words leave my lips I turn on my heal and run.

It only takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness.

I can’t see perfectly but with the full moons light filtering in through the trees, I can see just fine.

Every tree and bush, every knotted tangle of roots and fallen log.

I doge them all, sprinting through the forest. I have no idea where I’m going or in what direction. I just run.

To my right I hear a rustle and spot a flash of fur, brown fur. Not Ryder, his beast has dark grey fur. Either way I avoid the shifter, veering more left. Wind whips at my face cooling my heating flesh as I run. My legs pumping steadily beneath me taking me deeper and deeper into the forest.

After long minutes of running, I stop to listen.

Turning to look behind me for Ryder. I don’t see him or hear him, yet.

I know he’s behind me, I can sense him out there in the dark hunting me.

Tilting my head I listen to the sounds of the forest; there are muffled noises in the distance I can’t distinguish but they mean nothing to me.

I’m more interested in the soft thumping of paws growing louder and the scent of citrus.

I laugh and spin, picking up speed once again.

Leaping over low shrubs I use my momentum to propel me from fallen logs and around massive trunks. For a moment I think I may have actually out run him. But only for a moment. The sound of his howl right behind me reveals how close I am to being his prey.