Page 8

Chapter Eight

AUTUMN

F or someone who hasn’t worked out a day in her life, I’m keeping up fairly well. After we narrowly escaped the hunters, I followed this stranger forward. Where? I have no idea. His pack must be somewhere around here. Wolves travel in packs, right? The pace started off fast, and with all the adrenaline pumping through me. But now, my soggy shoes and I walk briskly, aimlessly forward, growing farther and farther from my former life. My brother, my Mother, my home. I swallow the sob that’s forming in my throat.

So lost in thought, I don’t notice where I’m going until my face is smushed against a broad, sweaty back. Oh . I step back.

Renall has stopped on the crest of a hill, and he slowly turns. The setting sun glistens off his brow as his stern face meets mine. A shiver runs down my spine that has nothing to do with my wet clothes.

“Sorry, I wasn’t … I didn’t–”

He growls something I don’t understand.

“I still don’t speak wolf, Renall.” I sigh. Between the ache in my feet from all this walking and running, and the pounding in my head from trying to determine if I made a good decision or not, my patience is wire thin.

He groans in frustration, shaking his head. Then points at the sun casting the world in pink and orange hues in the distance.

“Yeah, it’s going to get dark soon. Rest?” I flatten my hands like a prayer and place them under my head while mimicking snoring noises.

The corner of his lip quirks up, but he only nods. Then he turns again, eyes scanning the area. After a minute his ear twitches and he points to the dense trees to the left. After another brisk walk with Renall practically dragging me, we end up along the side of a steep mountain. Renall lets go of my hand finally and I rub my knuckles. He’s been silent and on edge since we left the cabin. My home. Tears well up in my eyes and I blink them away as Renall disappears behind a curtain of overgrown vines. My arms cross as I look around; we’re completely secluded. In a small valley between the bottom of the mountain and the tree line that rises on the hill beside me, it stretches as far as the eye can see. We’re also low enough in the valley that I can no longer see the sun setting in the distance.

Renall peeks his head out of the curtain of leaves and growls something I believe means ‘follow’ because he disappears back inside. Pushing back the curtain of ivy and moss, I follow him into a dark cavern. Leaves crunch under my feet, but I can’t see my hand in front of my face. It smells musty and possibly of another animal. His footsteps stop. I swallow the apprehension rising. “Uh … Renall?”

He grunts before me. I continue walking with my hand outstretched until I kick something. “Renall?” I whisper.

He grunts again, closer this time, and grabs my arm to pull me down next to him. Something’s rustling and it sounds like he’s dragging something back and forth before sparks flicker and catch on dried leaves. He leans in, blowing it to life. The fire casts our shadows onto the cave wall long and dark, and its warmth hits me immediately in the small space. I shiver, I didn’t realize how cold I was and still slightly damp from our trek through the river.

Renall rises to his feet, growling something, and points to the ground. Stay. I nod. I’m not going anywhere. I’m exhausted, and my feet are killing me. Renall disappears out of the mouth of the cave, leaving me with my own thoughts.

What am I doing? Why am I following this wolf-man? I mean, hunters were shooting at us. Maybe I can wait them out and return home … but what am I returning home to? An empty house and painful memories? Deep inside I know those hunters won’t let me go. I’ve seen the things they buy at the Gun Lot. They are professionals, so they’ve bought trackers, heat sensors, trappers, among other things. Hardcore hunters, and I don’t stand a chance … not alone. And that’s completely what I am now.

I tremble uncontrollably, either from the cold seeping into the cave mouth or the turn my thoughts have taken. I need to get out of my damp, bloody clothes before I get sick—another complication I don’t need right now. I kick off my shoes, flexing my toes. The feeling of relief is immediate. Gods, that feels good. I continue to slip out of my shirt and lay it out on a large rock near the fire. I pause, debating for a moment whether to be caught with my pants down in front of a total stranger. A man whom I saved, then he saved me and is now protecting me … but still a stranger. But, if I don’t take my pants off, I could get sick, and there are men chasing us, so no, I can’t risk that either. I strip off my pants and hang them over the rock too. My bra and panties will stay on, I don’t care how sexy or protective this wolf-man is.

As if thinking about him has telepathically brought him soundlessly back to the cave. Renall stands there naked still . Two limp animals in his hand. He silently studies me in my underwear. His face is hidden in the shadow of the cave mouth, but his eyes seem to glow in the darkness taking me all in. My heart stills in my chest as my breath escapes me. His eyes, his stance, there’s something carnally sexy about it and my body tingles in response. My nipples harden—so does his cock. A part of me wants him to bend me over this rock and ravish me right here in this dirty cave. No. No, Autumn, keep your head . Colton was murdered, and the same monsters are now after me. I can’t be having sex with shapeshifting strangers in caves. I fold my arms over my traitorous breasts and break the spell between us. Renall shakes his head, bringing his kill into the firelight. There’s blood on his beard and lips. He drops two dead rabbits at his feet before he tears into them with his teeth. I notice they have two wide bite marks and blood dripping from each. He caught them in wolf form. I watch, stunned and horrified, as he peels the meat from the bone and eats it raw. Mother always taught us to value nature. Only take what you need and replace it. We planted a new tree for each one we used to build our cabin. My stomach twists and churns. But after all the running and walking and crying I did today, I’d have to say this rabbit meat is a need.

He glances over at me and pauses, lowering his hands from his still-dripping mouth. I realize that my mouth is gaping open. I shut it, not so smoothly. His brows furrow as he looks around. He reaches for something, and when he turns around again, the rabbit meat is skewered on a stick and he holds it over the fire. The scent of barbeque meat wafts over to me, and my stomach growls in response. Renall smirks, turning the stick around in the fire. I scoot over beside him expectantly. When he hands the charred meat to me, I don’t even care how hot it is. I stuff it in my mouth and breathe through the pain. After a long day of running, this is the best meal I’ve ever had. Renall watches me before returning to his raw rabbit. He finishes skinning it and licks the leg and rib bones clean, setting them aside. The vertebrae and any organ he doesn’t eat gets tossed into the fire.

With the stress of the day starting to subside, I yawn, feeling the exhaustion in the deepest part of my bones. I go to stand, looking for a rock to prop myself up against and attempt to sleep. As I rise and put weight on my bare feet, I hiss in pain. Renall looks up, immediately concerned. I lift one leg and the bottom of my foot is one giant blister. There are more tiny ones on my pinky toe and heels. I guess it took a few moments until I got feeling back in my feet when I took those shoes off before I noticed how much pain I was in.

Renall drops the rabbit and turns to me, growling something. Gently, he pulls my foot into his calloused hands and inspects it. He touches it. I hiss again, cringing as I sit down. His eyes widen, then narrow, and he’s growling at me again in a string of sounds and grumbles, but I get the feeling—he’s lecturing me. He looks exasperated, mixed with concern. Gravely concerned … over some blisters. Surely, this is the least of our worries right now. He grabs the rabbit fur and my shoes, still growling to himself. I’m at a loss for words as he starts measuring the rabbit pelt over my shoe. He looks at me, his green eyes narrowed, and huffs.

“Alright, you’re mad. I get it. My feet hurt and I didn’t tell you. I mean, I figured we had bigger things to worry about … and people were shooting at us. Sorry, I didn’t think a few blisters were that important.”

He snorts. Turning and holding up the rabbit pelt to the bottom of my foot. His face seems so hurt and concerned. Reflexively, my fingers reach out and touch his cheek. He stills. His eyes widen as they flick to mine, green and intense.

I swallow the lump in my throat, ignoring the yearning inside of me. I softly say, “We need a better way to communicate.” I point to my mouth in an attempt to mimic talking.

Faster than I can comprehend, he kisses me. His lips are on mine, his beard tickling my face as his tongue parts my lips. Oh Goddess. Not what I meant, but my mouth still returns his kiss anyway. My body reacts to him automatically. My nipples pebble, my panties grow wet with desire. A deep part of me wants him, craves him like I’ve never experienced before. His hand trails up my foot to my calf, my thigh. Heat pulses through me as his other hand grabs my face, pulling me deeper as he climbs over me, on top of me.

This is happening. Oh Goddess. No. No. Autumn, pull yourself together, you are not losing your virginity in a cave with a guy you’ve known for less than a day. It takes all the self-control I possess to pull my lips from his and draw in a deep, calming breath as I lean back. He pants on top of me, hands still cupping my face. I place my hand flat on his chest, putting some distance between us.

“I can’t,” I whisper, low and breathless.

He licks his lips, nods, and reluctantly leans back. His erection is back, but I try not to look. I lick my lips and there’s something on them. Blood. Rabbit blood. In my mouth. UGH, gross . I gag.

Renall snorts, watching me with an amused smile. Wiping my mouth again, the spell is broken. “I like the enthusiasm, but that is not what I meant.” I point to my mouth and shake my head. I motion with my fingers the action of talking.

He mumbles something but watches me. “Okay, we need a way to talk somehow since verbally is a struggle. Let’s try a form of hand motions.” I give a thumbs up and smile big and say a fake, “Okay.”

Then I twist my thumb down and frown. “Not okay.”

He nods, understanding flooding his eyes. Scooting closer, he holds his hand out and fists it. I help him get his thumb out and hold it upward.

“Okay.”

“Rro-kay,” he repeats.

Then I twist his thumb downward. “Not okay.”

“Ro-Ro-kay.”

“Yeah,” I smile. “Close enough.”

What else can I teach him? I look around, “Fire.” I point to the fire, and with my hands I turn my palm to me and wiggle my fingers. “Fire,” I repeat.

“Rire,” he says back, robotically wiggling his fingers.

“Yes,” I squeak. Finally , we are getting somewhere.

“Food.” I point to the rabbit and mimic chewing with my mouth. “Food.”

“Rrrd.” He tries.

“Fff–” I point to me biting my bottom lip. “Fffooood.”

Slowly he plays with his teeth in front of his lips before he says, “Fffrood.”

“Yes! Yes, Renall.”

His eyes glitter when I say his name. I pause to look at it. He looks as though he wants to kiss me again. Gods, I might just let him. My panties are still damp. He knows it too. He eyes me up and down for a few seconds, waiting expectantly.

“No, Renall.” I shake my head.

“No?” he repeats, his face falling.

“Colton, my brother, just died. I’m … I’m … just sad.” My shoulders slump.

He looks at me, confusion furrowing his brow. I sigh. “Colton …” I reach for the pants in my pack and hold it up for him to smell him, “Colton—my brother.” I point to myself.

He sniffs the pants. “Roton,” he repeats.

“He’s dead.” I mimic a slice across the throat, then close my eyes and stick out my tongue. “Dead,” I sob.

He nods, solemnly coming closer to wrap his arm across my shoulders and draw me into his warm, naked body. He’s warm as a furnace and his embrace feels different, special. Being in his arms feels … warm and comforting—like my cabin used to. More like home than my cabin felt without my Mother, and now Colton. So when the exhaustion of the day hits again, I melt into his arms and fall fast asleep.