Page 44 of Claiming Ours (Anchor Bay #2)

BAYLEE

I woke with a gasp, my pulse racing despite having been asleep. Soothing warmth engulfed me on both sides while the cool air brushed against my exposed cheeks, enticing me to fall back asleep. The faint golden glow highlighting the sky outside the makeshift tent signaled it wasn’t quite morning.

It was way too early to be awake after the exhausting day and late-night fun with Liam and Memphis. So why was I, and with my heart pounding in my chest?

Lids heavy, I started to nod off again, assuming it was my internal alarm from my early morning runs before the busy workday. Inhaling the crisp, clean air, I scooted closer to Liam’s radiating body heat.

Almost asleep, my eyes popped open again at a rustling sound outside the tent. Fully awake now, I slid away from Liam, careful not to rouse either him or Memphis, who lay sprawled out on my other side, and pushed up to my elbows.

With the heels of both hands, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and then squinted out at the clearing, searching for the cause of the noise. A quick movement in the thick trees, barely noticeable in the early-morning sun.

Running the tip of my tongue along my dry lips, I glanced between the two men. I wasn’t positive about what I saw, the silhouette too small to be a large predator, and they needed their rest for the long day ahead. No need to wake them yet.

“Where are you going?” Liam’s husky voice froze me where I’d shimmied out from between him and Memphis.

I scanned his closed lids and chest, rising with deep, even breaths. He looked seconds away from falling back asleep.

“Bathroom. I’ll be right back,” I whispered.

It wasn’t technically a lie. Now that I was up, I needed to pee. It just wasn’t the sole reason I was leaving the tent.

Pushing to stand, I straightened the loose T-shirt I’d packed to sleep in and tiptoed to the edge of the tarp.

Forgoing socks, I slipped one bare foot into my boot and then the other, all while keeping a watchful eye on the area where I caught movement minutes ago.

Grabbing Liam’s discarded flannel from the day before, I pulled it on, the sleeves long and baggy.

Nose pressed to the collar, I inhaled, loving the manly scent that filled my lungs, reminding me of him.

Out in the dawn glow, I paused, taking a precious moment to appreciate the utter peace that came in the mornings. These moments were why I treasured Alaska. There was freedom for me in the vast silence it offered, as if the world stood utterly still and all that mattered was that moment.

A deep, threatening growl broke the tranquility, freezing me in place. The horses stomped their hooves, snorting and shifting along the line, fully aware of whatever animal was out there.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, alerting me to the threat somewhere behind me.

Heart slamming against my ribs, breaths quick and shallow, I slowly twisted around.

That was when I saw it, the shadows no longer concealing the animal as it prowled out from between two thick trees.

The massive wolf snarled, the fur along its spine raised.

No. Not a wolf.

Eyes squinted and head tilted, hoping to see farther, I studied the somewhat familiar dog as it drew closer. It watched me, studying my reaction as I did the same, attempting to remember why the particular husky seemed familiar.

Recognition hit me so fast and out of nowhere that I actually stumbled back with a gasp, hand coming up to loosely wrap around my throat.

At my sudden movement, the dog’s ears went back, coupled with a painful whimper as he slowly lowered to his belly and laid his head between his paws.

Nothing signaled a threat from the dog; instead, he seemed terrified and vulnerable.

My heart sank, knowing that meant he was probably injured.

“Henry?” I whispered. When the dog continued to watch me, not responding to the guessed name, I racked my brain. “Damnit, Baylee, think. Harvey?” The dog huffed, and I swear he rolled his eyes. “Okay, so clearly not Harvey.”

I chewed on my lip while gazing at his rust-covered muzzle. My stomach churned, realizing it was probably dried blood.

“Hank?”

His ears went up, and he shifted to stand on unsteady legs.

“Hank,” I breathed in relief. “Are you hurt, buddy?” I started toward him, only to freeze with a single boot in the air.

“Wait, where is she, your owner? Fuck, what was her name?” Hand out, I dared another step toward the frightened animal, but he turned and bolted back the way he came.

“Hank,” I whispered. “Come back here so I can help you.”

He paused at the edge of the clearing and looked over his shoulder, a pitiful whine cutting through the quiet morning.

Without thinking of the consequences, only Hank, I started off after him, leaving my two protectors behind.

When I was within a few feet of him, Hank slipped into the trees, trotting along a somewhat-worn animal path.

Thin branches and brush scraped my exposed legs while prickly Sitka spruce needles poked at my cheeks as I weaved through the trees, keeping Hank within sight as I followed him deeper and deeper into the forest. Each heavy breath fogged in front of my face, the morning chill even colder in the dense trees.

“Hank,” I whisper-shouted, head whipping every which way to make sure someone didn’t jump out and kidnap me. I swallowed hard, realizing that was a legit possibility, and I was putting more and more distance between me and camp. “I think I should get the guys, okay?”

A few feet ahead, Hank whined, his bright blue eyes pleading with me to keep going like two beacons in the faint light.

“This is a terrible decision,” I muttered, pulling Liam’s flannel even tighter around me to trap what little body heat I could to keep from freezing to death on this dumb, side quest.

Oh, Liam and Memphis both will be explosively pissed about this later.

Blowing out a raspberry, I continued on, following the dog I barely knew instead of turning around like any wise person would.

I should have but didn’t because… maybe Liam was right, and I had no self-preservation skills.

Or maybe after everything I’d been through, I just didn’t give a fuck anymore.

But with him and Memphis in my life, bringing me back from the brink of a grief-induced death with smiles, laughter, and love, that “I don’t give a fuck what happens” mentality was fading.

Because I did care what happened to me.

I had a future, a happy one, to look forward to.

After tromping a few more yards, the trees thinned, shifting to more of a rocky slope.

Small rocks crunched beneath my boots with every careful step.

The last thing I wanted was to trip over my own feet and send myself propelling down into the shallow ravine at the bottom of the slope that was currently filled with rushing water from the heavy rains.

My teeth chattered as I scanned the area, frustration rising as the seconds ticked by. A high-pitched whine had me huffing and making my way to where Hank lay in a submissive position several feet away.

“What was so important that—” I cut myself off and staggered back, falling to my ass when the loose rocks shifted beneath my boots with the unsteady step.

Neither the pain from the fall nor the bits of stone digging into my palms and the backs of my thighs registered as I gaped at the lifeless body. Hank’s big head turned from it to me and back again, his whimper even more urgent.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

A gust of wind cut through the area, whipping strands of hair in front of my face. I frantically swept it away to keep my line of sight clear. Breathing hard, I pushed off the muddy ground onto shaky legs and dared a single step closer to get a better look. I regretted it immediately.

There was no way to know for sure if it was Hank’s owner who brought him into the clinic—I only met her once—but the way he protected her body, brought me here, told me it was her.

Mud-coated palms up, I carefully backed away, frantic gaze bouncing everywhere, searching for the person who’d done that to her.

“I need to go get help,” I whispered to Hank as if he could understand me.

“Stay here. I’ll be back with help—stronger help.

” I swallowed hard. “Someone who’ll know what the fuck to do with all of this, because I’m freaking the fuck out.

” Every breath hurt, the cold air slicing down my throat and into my lungs as my panic grew.

The heels of my boots dug into the saturated ground as I turned and sprinted back the way I came. I ran like I was being chased and my life depended on it—it very well could. Warm liquid trickled down my icy legs as the underbrush tore at my flesh with every fast step.

Despite the cold, sweat coated my forehead and slicked the back of my neck.

A few wrong turns sent my fear skyrocketing.

Fuck. I couldn’t breathe; my throat had closed up, forcing me to stumble to a stop.

Head down between my legs, a lame attempt to not pass out from panic, I didn’t sense someone approaching, didn’t register the snap of the twigs or crunch of the leaves.

A scream ripped from my raw throat when a heavy hand settled on my shoulder. Jumping at least a foot in the air, I wrenched my body free and spun, fist already swinging.

Only for that tiny fist to be caught in a large, calloused palm. Eyes wide, I blinked up at Liam’s face, a relieved sob bubbling up. The anger and worry in his tight features vanished as he tracked the tears leaking down my cheeks.

“Baylee.” His warm hands wrapped around my shoulders and squeezed gently. “Baylee, talk to me. What’s going on?” His palms slid down my arms as he squatted low, gaze tracking along my body. “Are you hurt? Fuck, you’re bleeding. What the hell?—”

“Hank,” I wheezed. Even getting that word out hurt my raw throat.