Page 23 of Forced Alpha Bride

Damon rubs my hands between his, shaking his head as he scowls at me. “You didn’t have long, do you realize that?”

I shake my head and try to protest, but no words come out. Damon rolls his eyes, rocking back on his heels as if to beseech the sky.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he growls. When he looks back down, he throws himself on top of me, wrapping his arms around me and covering my body with his.

For a moment, fear paralyzes me worse than the cold, but it doesn’t take long for me to realize he’s warming me up. His arms around me are strong but gentle. Even though he’s heavy, his weight blocks out the snow and freezing wind. To my surprise, he’s very warm, and I can feel his heart beating against mine.

“I think I’m strong enough to get up now,” I whisper.

“Give it a minute,” he mutters.

I stay quiet underneath him, wondering exactly where this is going to go.

Would he really do it, right here and now? Is he crazy?

Then my body starts to shiver violently, and pain streaks through my chest. My teeth chatter so hard, I split my lip. I’m in so much pain, I can barely breathe.

“What’s happening?” I gasp.

Damon shakes his head, still holding me tightly against his chest. “I’ve warmed you up enough for your body to realize how cold you are. If we don’t find shelter soon, it’s over for you.”

“But not you?”

“Maybe,” he says with a shrug. “But I’m used to living rough, and I’m not that lost. If I turn downwards, I’d probably find a landmark.”

“Can’t you get us both back?”

“You won’t make it,” he says flatly. “Even if I carry you as fast as I can, you won’t make it back alive. That’s assuming I can even find a trail.”

“Oh,” I mumble, trying to stay coherent through my violent shivering. “How long do we have?”

Damon looks down at my face. His dark eyes are so deep and soft, it moves something inside me.

He doesn’t look like a big, scary man… he looks like a lost little boy.

“Maybe an hour,” he whispers. “If you’re lucky. I can keep you covered up here, and it might slow things down. Maybe if you slip into a coma, we could revive you… depending on how long we’re out here.”

Jesus fuck. Is that what my options have come to?

“I’m kind of starting to wish I didn’t run,” I mumble.

“Why did you run?” he demands, eyes wide. “I don’t understand.”

I try to raise my voice, but I’m too weak to really yell at him. “I know you,” I finally stammer. “I know all about you, and you’ll never be alpha of Gryphon Eyrie!”

He glares at me, but he doesn’t look angry, just sad. I feel sympathy for him, as well as a deep connection between us that lives behind my fear.

I’m delirious. This is all just the effects of my brain cells dying.

“Winnie, whatwasthe plan?” he demands. “Were you really just going to run into a blizzard and get yourself killed? Did you think that far ahead?”

“I was going to a cabin,” I mutter. “Krista told me about it. She gave me a map. I lost it, and my supplies.”

“I’ve never heard of a cabin up here.”

“It’s private, hidden. She said no one could find it without the map.”

“Where is it? Can you remember anything at all?”