Page 4 of Wolves Bound by Desire

“Wa…”

“Water?” Anders nodded. He walked away and returned a moment later with a small clay cup. With care, he lifted Gerald’s neck and poured the water. A little trickled down his chin, but he swallowed some of it.

“Thank…”

“Of course.”

“Gerald, I…” Misti shook her head. She couldn’t ask more of him. The man was dying, and he should have some moments of peace before he passed.

“Your father…”

“Hush. Don’t you worry about my father or me or anything at all. You just relax.”

He opened his mouth.

“Stop.” An idea came to her. “Do you want me to sing to you?”

Gerald nodded. Then he turned his head to the side and coughed. Blood spattered onto the grass.

She hadn’t sung in years. Her father had claimed she was tone deaf, but the others in the pack had seemed to enjoy her singing voice. After someone had complimented her and her father overheard, he had the flatterer whipped. Misti hadn’t sung since.

It only took her a second to think of which song to sing. She sang about the sun rising on new tomorrows, about the peaceful blowing of the wind, about the blossoms growing full and bright. Her pitch rose as she sang of new life and lowered as she sang of possibilities. It was a song full of hope and optimism, but her heart ached, and her voice faltered over some of the words.

Dimly, she noticed a few splotches of water trickled down Gerald’s face. Her tears, she realized, and worse, she noted his glassy, lifeless eyes.

4

The despair in Misti’s eyes, the tears rolling down her cheeks, the agony twisting her beautiful features, they all made Anders want to pull her into his arms to try and soothe her. Only knowing that she’d shove him aside, or worse, try to kill him again, prevented him.

She had come so close to killing him. He had almost wished for death. There wasn’t a means for their situation to end well, not for either of them. And it’s all my fault. Because he had allowed his cock to dictate his actions.

Well, he had never claimed to have much common sense.

“He’s gone,” she whispered, her words hardly carrying to him in the windless air.

“I did try. I… I’ve made a real mess of things.”

“Yes, you have.” She placed Gerald’s hand on his chest and stood, hands on hips. He tried to keep his gaze on her face, but it wasn’t easy. Her kissable lips twisted into a scowl, but her flashing eyes aroused him, the curve of her neck enticed him, and the wrinkling of her nose as she drew in a shaky breath had him torn into pieces. His she-wolf was hurting.

He had no right to think of her as his. He had no claim on her. She hadn’t allowed him to, and frankly, he couldn’t blame her for that. Their being together would mean a life on the run. During his exile, he had thought himself free from the Shadowed Stars, but then his father had called him out of the blue, and he realized he had been trailed the entire time. There was no way for them to be together.

And yet, he still wanted to fight for them. That was why he had pleaded his case to the Red Nightwalker guard. At the very least, he had wanted to try and ensure Misti wouldn’t be forced to become an exile herself. Although her father is as vicious as mine. It’s possible he’d demand her head for her betrayal.

There was so much he didn’t know about her, but he was drawn to her beauty, her fierceness, her power. She was strong and capable and unlike any other woman he’d ever been with.

Or maybe he just didn’t want to be alone in what could be the last few hours of his life. Because once he had decided to sleep with her and not kill her, his own life had become forfeit. Plus, not only did his father and his pack want him dead, so did her father and her pack as well.

Wordlessly, she began to use a large stone as a means to dig. He kneeled beside her and helped. The soil here was loose, and with him changing his fingers to claws, they were able to dig a grave fairly quickly.

Only after they had buried and covered Gerald did she speak. “Gerald trusted you,” she said slowly, as if she couldn’t believe that.

“He did.” Anders wanted to add that she could trust him too, but he refrained.

“Jason used poison… I wonder if Father knows about that, if all guards now have poisoned blades.” She shuddered.

“Are you cold?” His own body felt almost too hot despite his nakedness, but he would hold her and keep her warm, and if his hands should start to wander…

Misti ignored him. “Why would Father keep that from me?” Her gaze turned positively murderous. “He has been shutting me out and keeping me in the dark for years. His own daughter. He has always resented that I was born without a penis, as if that was my fault. He’s the one who supplied the sperm! And that’s all he provided me over the years.” Her chest heaved as she drew in deep, shaking breaths.

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