Page 29 of Maddox: Wild Alaska (Hawke’s Ridge #1)

My head feels like it's been hit with a hammer. I wince. That's because I was. I groan in pain and try to remember what happened. I’d been hiking in the forest, enjoying the fresh air and nature.

While I was lost in my thoughts, a woman's scream caught me off guard.

My heart dropped to my feet before I got my wits about me and took off in the distressed woman's direction.

Not that it helped any. Before I could locate her, a beast of a man appeared out of nowhere and swung a large hammer. That was it. Lights out.

I shiver uncontrollably from the cold. The ground smells of clay, making my nose twitch. I can still hear her screams echoing in my ears. I swallow thickly. My mouth so dry. I struggle to open my eyes and see anything in the darkness.

Other than my head, I don't think I'm injured, but I won't know for sure until I stop shaking. I reach out a trembling hand.

"You’re awake."

I start at the feminine voice, yet I struggle to move and locate her.

"Don't move," she says. "You're hurt." She kneels in front of me and gently touches my forehead. "He gave me a dressing for the back of your head. It's not bleeding now."

The young woman has the deepest blue eyes, and although her blonde hair hangs in disarray around her petite frame, I find her stunning.

What the hell am I thinking?

You're not dead yet—that's a good sign.

"Who are you?" I ask, trying to focus on her face through the haze of pain.

She gives me a sad smile before lying down beside me. She wraps around me protectively, and she gently rubs my back. Her breath tickles my cheek. Then, she whispers into my ear, "I'm your guardian angel. I'll watch over you."

My shivers slowly subside, and I mutter, "I'm Gabriel Hawke," before drifting to sleep.

THE END