Page 52 of Racing the Storm

I was half-way through filling the pack when I heard a small, distressed noise from Mikael, and I wandered out to see him standing at the window.

“Mikael…”

He held up his hand and shook his head, then mouthed, ‘Slow your heartbeat.’

I was terrified to move, so I waited—and after a short moment, a light passed by the window. It was only by luck alone that I managed to slow my heart to a human pace, not sure why he asked me to, but trusting he had a reason for it.

“They’ve got Wolves with them,” he murmured when the light had passed. “They’re listening and watching.”

“Fuck,” I breathed out. He had pitched his voice low enough that not even a Wolf could pick up the sound, and I quickly did the same. “Do you think they heard me before?”

“I doubt it. Your heart was at rest, just like mine. But it’s obvious someone alerted the town that we escaped in this direction. We’re going to have to leave. We can’t wait for Kor.”

I nodded, more scared than ever, but it made sense. “Your friends in Paris?”

“Maybe. Worse comes to worst, we commit a few more crimes and cross the border. When we get there, maybe we can find a private airfield and someone willing to bring us home.”

A plane would be faster than the possible boat Arturo left, but it would also be easier to track. That much was obvious. And there was a better chance of finding someone who could let us on anonymously.

“Should we head back to the cave?” I asked.

Mikael was obviously conflicted. “They’ve begun searching the town, which means they’ll probably start searching the hills soon enough. I don’t know if it’s worth the risk.” He turned, and I followed his gaze to the intricate wall clock. It was two in the morning, which meant we’d have to chart a course toward Paris and find somewhere to lie low before the sun rose.

We could make better time than a car by running as our wolves, but still not enough to make it to the chaos of the city before we were noticed.

“I think we should take the chance on sleeping here,” he said.

My eyes widened. “If these humans come home…”

“We incapacitate them and run,” he said with a shrug. “I don’t think they’re coming back any time soon, though. A lot of clothes were missing and nearly all of their toiletries.”

The idea of sleeping in a bed—of hiding out in this little flat for a day and being allowed to just pretend for a moment that things weren’t upside down—it was too tempting. “Is there anything at the caves we still need?”

Mikael shook his head. “I grabbed the phone Kor left and the cash. We’re going to need to abandon most of it though. Even between us, if we’re running as wolves, we won’t be able to carry it.”

Nodding, I watched him pull the curtains tight, and when all traces of the outside world were shut out, I crossed the room and pushed into his arms. He gripped me, a noise of surprise escaping his lips, but I felt him smudge a kiss against my temple as I squeezed my eyes shut.

“I almost asked you if this was what it was like during the First War, but that seemed wrong and cruel.”

He huffed a quiet laugh and nosed through my hair. “Sometimes it was. We spent a lot of time sitting around waiting—enough that we were taken off our guard more than once. But I don’t think that’s going to happen today.”

Biting my lip, I pulled back just far enough to look at him, and I felt another surge of warmth in my gut. His nostrils flared, and I realized he was smelling my desire.

“Danyal…”

“I can’t help it,” I told him. “I haven’t let anyone touch me since you. And I’m not saying I want to cross lines we’re not ready to cross, but…”

His hand lifted, and he cupped my cheek, his thumb dragging a line under my bottom lip. “I will take whatever you’re willing to give me…for the rest of our lives. If it’s only this—if it’s only this moment, I can live with it. When we get back to Corland, if you decide that you want to move on, I won’t stop you.”

I felt a strange pang of hurt in my chest. “You wouldn’t fight for me?”

“Have I earned the right to do that?” he asked.

My eyes narrowed. “Have you earned the right not to?”

He seemed startled by the question, and almost without thinking, he moved his hand to my throat. The gentle pressure had me wanting to submit, though I held fast. “Danyal,” he said on a half-growl.

I reached up and pressed my finger to his lips. “Don’t. If they hear you rumble like that…”

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