Page 37

V an was absorbed in focusing upward as a shadow gracefully passed over him, capturing his full attention.

He studied their surroundings and spotted the owl gracefully alighting on a branch in the distance.

It had been tailing them since they left their cliffside abode that morning, its presence becoming more and more palpable as time went on.

“What is it?” Peterson asked, coming up behind him.

He nodded pointedly at the owl. With a silent nod, Peterson acknowledged his understanding and followed his line of sight, no words needed between them. The creature’s unwavering determination to follow them was filling them with growing unease.

Their attention shifted back to Jayden, who was now the center of their world. Gracefully navigating the rugged landscape, she traversed the uneven terrain with unwavering confidence. Even now, Van couldn’t shake the overwhelming feeling of awe and wonder that suffused him upon finally finding her.

“There’s something off. It’s more than the owl. I feel like we are being watched… followed,” he murmured.

“Do you want me to shift and do a recon?” Peterson asked.

“Not yet. We are almost at the cave. Once we get there it wouldn’t hurt,” he said.

“We call for an airlift out once Jayden finds what she’s looking for. I’m ready to get out of these damn woods,” Peterson muttered.

“You aren’t the only one.”

He had originally intended to call in reinforcements by this point in time.

The trouble was that the signal was weak and unreliable under the thick canopy.

In order to establish a connection with the satellite signals, they required a spot with a wide, unobstructed view of the sky.

Once they reached the crest and ascended above the tree line, the vista of the vast expanse of mountains unfolded before him.

They exited the forest and began to climb by mid-afternoon. He searched the area as they ascended, searching for any tracks. Jayden hesitated at the area where blood had littered the ground months before. It was obvious she was thinking about the last time she had been here.

He exhaled a sigh of relief when they finally reached the entrance to the cave. With luck, they would be flying home before dark. If not, he could think of worse places to spend the night.

He followed Jayden through the narrow opening into the sizeable area of the cave’s first chamber. Markers and ropes, embedded by eager scientists, divided the enormous cavern area into sections. Jayden paused and stared at the bright yellow lines and white signs with a puzzled frown.

“What happened here? What are all these yellow things?” she asked.

He stepped up beside her. “Finding humans is pretty cool; and well, our archeologists think they’ve discovered a brand-new toy store.”

She snorted out a laugh and shook her head. “Shifters are weird.”

He grinned and kissed the tip of her nose. “Yeah, but we are also very cute, cuddly, and lovable.”

Her smile faded and her eyes swept down to his lips. “Yeah, some of you are.”

Peterson’s low rumble filled the air, capturing her attention as she locked eyes with him.

Van was certain she had no idea of the effect she was having on them.

Her hair was tousled from their trek, her lips slightly parted in anticipation, and her eyes locked onto them like a child being offered a tray of freshly baked treats.

The mere thought of her succulent, pink lips enveloping a specific area of his anatomy made Van let out an involuntary groan as he moved closer to her. Their lips met in a fiery kiss, her arms coiled around his neck, their embrace filled with intensity.

Her lips parted under his and her tongue teased the edges of his teeth. Their breathing became as one. He loved the way she tangled her hands in his hair and tugged on it, demanding more.

Her breath hiccupped and her eyes, which had been closed, flew open when Peterson stepped close enough to sandwich her between them. Peterson’s eyes glittered with desire and determination.

“You two aren’t making this easy,” Peterson muttered.

Van didn’t break his kiss with Jayden. He was pleased—very pleased—when she pressed back against Peterson. It was getting harder to wait for her full acceptance of them. She broke their kiss and bent her head until his lips rested on her forehead.

“I need to find… what my grandfather sent me to retrieve,” she said, lifting her head to study his face.

“We’ll set up camp. It’s too late for a retrieval team to come today,” he said.

She nodded, looking over her shoulder at Peterson. Van chuckled when Peterson dropped a quick kiss to her lips. She released a strained snort and shook her head.

“I have a feeling you two are going to drive me crazier than I already am,” she muttered.

“We’ll do our best,” he teased.

“When it comes to driving someone crazy, no one is better than we are at it,” Peterson agreed.

“Whatever. As long as you two set up a place to sleep and cook something to eat, I’ll deal with it,” she retorted, slipping out from between them.

“Damn, but I love a bossy woman,” Peterson muttered.

He couldn’t help but chuckle at the delight clearly depicted on his friend’s face.

Jayden held onto her spear firmly as she walked towards the back of the cave, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.

He found himself in silent agreement with Peterson’s viewpoint.

Jayden’s playful defiance added an exciting twist to their interactions, promising years of lively experiences ahead.

“She is finally trusting us,” he murmured.

“Thank the Goddess. It’s taken long enough,” Peterson replied.

“Yeah, but it was worth it. Let’s check in and put in a pickup request. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had about all the primitive life that I can take for a while. I’m ready for a hot shower, proper food, and a soft bed,” he replied.

“Oh, I’m ready.” Peterson grinned. “I’ll take care of the setup if you want to get a fire going and start dinner. There should be something around here that I can use to make us a decent bed.”

Van’s chuckle was warm and infectious as he nodded in agreement. His laughter came to an abrupt stop as a faint scent wafted towards him. Just as he was about to warn Peterson, he suddenly lurched backward. His hand trembled as he reached for the silver cylinder embedded in his chest.

Peterson’s furious growl echoed through the room as he shifted, catching his attention.

Peterson’s clothes were ripped to pieces as his wolf materialized.

Peterson’s red wolf filled the cavern with its menacing snarls that reverberated off the walls.

He knew his friend was trying to warn Jayden of the danger they were in.

His forward stumble ended with a sudden drop to his knees, followed by a tilting motion that led to his collapse onto the cave’s sandy surface.

Peterson let out a sharp yelp of pain. Van watched helplessly out of the corner of his eye as Peterson staggered, an expression of fury crossing his face.

Through his blurred vision, he faintly noticed the silver darts piercing Peterson’s shoulder, chest, and hindquarter.

His paralyzed body was consumed by a sweeping wave of rage.

A dose of tranquilizer that large could be lethal for a person—even a shifter with a high metabolism such as theirs.

Jayden… please… run.

The silent plea swept through his mind even as a pair of camouflage green and sand-covered boots appeared in his line of sight. A man squatted next to him, gripped his shoulder, and rolled him onto his back.

The man stared down at him with shrewd dark brown eyes and a slight smile of satisfaction on his lips when he realized that Van was immobilized.

Another man, this one carrying an assault weapon, stepped up behind him.

Van’s vision was edged with darkness, and it was impossible for him to get a good look at the man.

“Find the human,” the man squatting next to him ordered.

“What do you want us to do with these two?” the operative behind him asked.

“Secure them. Once we get the information we want from them and the human, you can dispose of those two,” the man stated, rising to his feet.

Van tried to grit his teeth, but his whole body had gone numb. His eyes flicked over to where Peterson’s red wolf lay unmoving. As the darkness grew in his mind and the drugs overtook control of his body, he cursed his inability to keep his promise to protect Jayden.

“Get them out of here,” the man said with a jerk of his head.

“Yes, sir. You heard him. Find the human female and move ‘em out. I want everyone back at the base camp before dark,” his second-in-command shouted.

“Who-who—?” Van forced out between numb lips.

The man gave him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and chuckled. “That human has cost me a lot of money. It’s nothing personal… well, except for your brother’s helping out.”

Shock hit Van hard at the mention of his brother.

His mind struggled to piece together what the man meant, but the drug had done its job and he was losing his battle to stay conscious.

His eyelids slid closed despite his fight to keep them open and darkness descended as Jayden’s name whispered through his last conscious thought.

Jayden’s mumbled words were barely audible as she hurried away from the two infuriating men, determined to resist the temptation that threatened to break her promises.

She was going crazy with desire for both of them, the longing burning deep within her.

It became apparent to her that she would now be forced to swallow her pride and admit her mistakes.

“So much for never falling in love,” she muttered.