Page 52 of Tangled Fates

So, we had to hurry up and eat so we could shift back into human form.

Dean came back quicker than I figured he would, and we feasted on a deer he had dragged up the hill for us. Each of us took a haunch before we let him have his pick of the hide, especially since he had expended the energy to go get it for us. We ate until we were stuffed while Hudson continued to keep a look out. But, with Dean’s eyes already fluttering closed out of sheer exhaustion, I stepped up to the plate without a second thought.

“I’ll take this next watch,” I said as I morphed back into his human form. “Let him sleep, and he can take my original shift.”

Hudson shifted as well. “Suits me. I need some shut-eye anyway.”

Raven was finally successful in imagining clothes for herself as she shifted back into her human form. Clad in jeans and a sweater, her successful presence made me smile as I quickly morphed back into my human form as well.

I hated the way my human skin succumbed to the cold so damn quickly.

Raven drew in a deep breath. “Yes. Okay. Dean needs rest and Hudson needs a break. Levi, you be on the lookout, then I’ll tag you out before I wake Dean. We’ll just keep cycling through and give each other breaks as sleep attempts to drag us under.”

I shrugged. “Fair enough for me.”

With full stomachs and even fuller minds, Hudson and Dean huddled together toward the back of the cave to stay away from the harsh winds that kicked up. With every mile we put behind us as we climbed that fucking mountain, the chillier it became. Our wolves needed rest, though, which meant we had to huddle for body warmth since a fire would do us more harm than good.

And as Raven sat there between them, with both men sawing some very serious Z’s, I felt her gaze on my back as I stood in the middle of the circular entrance to our temporary home.

With all of my senses trained out toward the forest.

“Hey there,” Raven said as she approached him from behind.

I flinched at the sound of her voice and quickly whipped around. The sound of her tired feet dragging across the floor of the cave sent a surge of adrenaline rushing through my veins, and I had to focus in order to steady my raging heartbeat.

However, once Raven came to stand at my side, her presence alone settled me back down.

“Can’t sneak up on a man like that at a time like this,” I said breathlessly.

She stood beside me. “My apologies.”

I shook my head. “None necessary.”

Her body shivered, and I watched her trying to hold still. Trying to usurp control over her body as the chilly wind kicked up, rustling the trees around us. It was cold, all right, especially after the intense thunderstorms from earlier that day.

So, without a word spoken, I reached out and wrapped my arm around Raven’s back.

“Body heat works wonders,” I said.

She leaned her head against my shoulder. “So I figured with those two snoring back there.”

We paused to listen to them struggle for their lives as they continued to slump further down the cave wall.

I chuckled at their sounds. “Can’t sleep, I take it?”

Raven shrugged. “I mean, a cave isn’t exactly comfortable.”

“Well, you might need to get used to it. We go camping pretty often.”

Her nose wrinkled. “Sorry. Not a camper. Maybe camping in an R.V. somewhere. Or a little cabin in the woods off in the distance. But this sleeping on the ground shit is for the birds.”

The wind kicked up so badly that even I grew colder, so I turned and pulled her flush against my body. With her chest to mine and her ice cold face pressed into the crook of my neck, I blanketed her with my arms.

Anything to keep my Alpha safe.

“Thanks,” Raven whispered as she snuggled closer.

A comfortable silence fell between us, and for the smallest of seconds she grew limp against me. I peeked down and found her eyes closed, and had we been sitting, she probably would’ve fallen asleep against me. I wore that shit like a badge of honor, her feeling comfortable enough to fall asleep with me. It meant that she trusted me with her most vulnerable position.

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