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J ayden snuggled back against the heater curled around her. She was enjoying her dreams too much to wake up. After yesterday, she wasn’t sure she would ever feel warm again. Right now, she was nice and toasty. Her bed wasn’t super soft, but it was soft enough that she didn’t want to leave it.

The only problem was her bladder. She groaned, hating the idea of getting up, but realizing she had little choice unless she wanted to have an embarrassing accident. With a sigh, she forced one eye open, then the other.

A frown of confusion caused her to blink and rub at her eyes. She didn’t remember building a shelter. In fact, she wouldn’t have unless she was in dire straits. Building a shelter like this would make it too difficult to conceal her tracks.

She stiffened when the heavy band around her waist and the heater pressed against her back moved. Her eyes widened as memories that she had thought had been dreams came flooding back.

Van and Peterson—They had found her.

She slid her hand down to the weight holding her down. Yep, it was an arm. A large hand was curled against her belly, reminding her that she needed to visit a tree or bush soon.

She carefully lifted the hand without waking the man. Gingerly scooting out from under the blankets covering her, she rolled onto her knees and glanced at the sleeping man. Her breath caught at the beauty of Van’s face relaxed in sleep.

He mumbled in his sleep. Worried that he would notice she had risen, she pushed the pillow they had made using a shirt and moss up against him. It was still warm.

Pushing off the ground, she rounded the firepit, grabbed her boots, and exited the makeshift tent.

Shivering, she pulled on her boots before her feet could get cold, then hugged the oversized jacket she was wearing closer to her body.

She stuffed her hands in the pockets. It felt like another storm was moving in.

She glanced around the ledge, searching for Peterson. Another blast of cold air hit her and she grimaced. She would worry about finding Peterson after she relieved her aching bladder.

Spying her lance, she grabbed it and worked her way up and over the rocks until she was a good hundred yards from the camp. Scanning the surrounding area to make sure she was safe and alone, she squatted and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Nothing like a bit of frigid air in the nether regions to wake a girl up,” she muttered.

“Jayden!”

Her head jerked up when she heard Van’s panicked shout. She muttered an oath before she rose, pulled up her pants, and fastened them. She blanched when he shouted her name again.

Nothing like letting the bad guys know where they were! she thought with dismay.

Grabbing her lance that she had dropped next to her, she hurried back the way she came. She was rounding the rocks when she heard Peterson’s voice. He was livid!

“What do you mean you lost her? How the hell did you do that?” Peterson snapped.

“She snuck out while I was asleep,” Van retorted.

“How the hell did you fall asleep?”

Van released a low growl. “I was up all night on guard duty so you could get some rest, remember?”

“I’m sorry, man. I shouldn’t have left. This is all my fault,” Peterson muttered, dropping the string of fish he had been holding.

“Well, I’ll forgive you if you plan on cooking those for breakfast. I’m starving,” she said, peering down at them. “You know, the way you two were yelling, anyone within five miles of us probably heard you.”

In perfect unison, the men turned, their scowls conveying disapproval while their expressions hinted at a subtle sense of relief.

Leaning against her lance, a sudden bout of lightheadedness washed over her, causing her to sway slightly.

She wondered if her exhaustion and feeling unwell were causing her vertigo, or if it was the intense, relieved glances they were giving her.

As she swayed, they must have noticed because in an instant, Van had swept her up in his arms while Peterson stood close by, concern etched on his face.

Peterson reached out to caress her cheek with his fingers.

As she involuntarily shrank back, a mischievous twinkle appeared in her eye and she twitched her nose playfully, accompanied by a wry smile.

“Your hands smell like fish. I want to eat some, not smell like one,” she replied with a wary expression tinged with amusement to ease her response.

“Oh, right. Sorry. Why did you take off? How are you feeling?” he muttered.

“I needed to pee, and I’m fine. I think I’m just hungry,” she replied.

“Peterson—”

“I’m on it,” Peterson replied.

Jayden rested her head against Van’s shoulder, savoring the gentle rise and fall of his chest with each breath.

The rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat offered a strangely reassuring sensation.

She fought against acknowledging the overwhelming feeling of comfort and safety that washed over her as she melted into his embrace, but it was a losing battle.

Her senses were overwhelmed by the two wolves’ presence.

She was overcome with another wave of lightheadedness, leaving her feeling weak and disoriented, as if she had become a stranger in her own body.

As hunger gnawed at her, she realized she needed to eat.

She was honest enough with herself to admit that it felt good to have some company after weeks of solitude, with only the hooting of the owl for companionship.

Peterson retrieved her lance from where she had dropped it after Van’s sudden embrace.

He carried it back down to the camp as Van gingerly navigated the rocks while keeping a firm grip around her.

Despite her desire to assert her self-reliance, she couldn’t help but be entertained by the men fussing over her, treating her like a fragile blossom.

In this unfamiliar territory, she felt a mix of excitement and apprehension, unsure of what to expect.

“I did a perimeter check before I went fishing,” Peterson was saying as he placed her lance against the lean-to before picking up the fish he had caught.

“Did you find anything?” Van asked.

Peterson nodded. “Yeah. I went out a few more miles and found where the shifters who had been following Jayden had made camp. It was empty. I followed their scent for another couple of miles. I think they got tired of chasing her because they were making a beeline back toward the service road and not bothering to hide the fact.”

Jayden felt a glow building in her stomach when Peterson shot her a warm smile and winked at her. Van carried her over and lowered her to her feet. She sank down on a log they had added to her campsite. She looked around her with a bemused smile.

“I must have been out for a while for you guys to have done all of this,” she said, waving her hand at the shelter.

“Almost two days. You needed your rest and time to heal,” Van replied.

She looked up when Van wrapped one of the wool blankets around her shoulders before placing the other one over her legs. She didn’t move when he laid the back of his fingers against her forehead. He released a pleased grunt when he noticed her skin felt cool to the touch instead of heated.

“No fever, that’s good. How is your throat? Do you feel any tightness in your chest? Headaches? How does your leg feel?” he asked.

“I’m fine. No aches or pains except in my stomach because I’m hungry,” she replied.

“There are some crackers and a couple of energy bars in the backpack. That should hold her over until I’ve got the fish ready,” Peterson said.

Van gave a curt nod in response and disappeared back into the lean-to where her backpack was stashed. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders more tightly when another stiff breeze swept through the trees. It felt like there was another storm coming.

“Why are you two here?” she blurted out.

Peterson paused as he bent over the fire and frowned at her. “Because you are.”

Van partially unwrapped the protein bar and held it out to her. She took the offering and bit into it. Her stomach twisted with hunger pains and she had to resist the desire to eat too fast.

“Thank you,” she mumbled around the sweet and salty bar.

“Would you like something to drink?” Van asked.

“A cup of tea would be wonderful,” she replied.

She decided if they wanted to pamper her, who was she to argue? It would keep them busy and give her time to sort out the emotions raging through her like a raging river. The idea sent a shiver through her.

No more cold water, she thought with distaste.

Peterson’s low growl of concern made her realize he had witnessed her shaking and pulling the blanket tighter. She gave him a reassuring smile and shook her head when he opened his mouth. Pampering was okay, but there needed to be a limit.

“I’m fine. I was just remembering how cold the river was,” she said. “That fish is beginning to smell delicious.”

Peterson looked down at the fish he had placed on a spit over the fire. “I found some salt and pepper in your supplies.”

“Right now, I’d probably eat it raw if I had to,” she confessed.

She averted her eyes when she saw the flash of anger in his. Van stepped close and held out a cup of hot tea. She took the cup, moaning with pleasure at the heat and tantalizing aroma of orange spice.

“Thank you again. I could get used to this. I don’t think my parents or grandparents ever spoiled me this much,” she teased, trying to ease the awkward tension she was suddenly feeling.

“Get used to it, because it is going to happen frequently,” Van said, sitting down beside her.

She swallowed before taking a sip of her tea. “Are you sure that the two shifters following me left?”

Peterson nodded. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure. From the last place they stayed, I’d say they were probably out of food and not prepared for the weather to be so crappy.”

“Why do you say that? How can you know?” she asked.