Page 31 of Hunted

Aksel growls and scrambles to his feet, not caring that he’s completely naked. “Careful cousin.”

The smirk on his face makes my skin crawl. There's something predatory in how he looks at us, and I'd have preferred the wolf stumbling on us. I pull the leaves tighter against my chest, suddenly feeling more exposed than ever.

"What are you doing in my territory, Tor?" Aksel's voice is low in warning.

Tor raises his hands in a placating gesture. "Easy there, cuz. I was just out for a hike to come and visit my cousin, enjoying the fresh air." His gaze drifts back to me, and I feel my face flush anew. "Didn't mean to interrupt your activities."

A twisted sort of thrill seems to dance in his eyes.

“Well, you did interrupt,” Aksel growls. "Now fuck off."

But Tor doesn't move. He simply stands there, watching us with that infuriating smirk. The silence stretches, thick and heavy, until finally he speaks again.

"You know, when Zara told me on the plane that she was coming here for research, I'll admit, this isn't quite what I pictured."

I open my mouth, but no sound comes out. What could I say to that?

Aksel starts toward him, and I can feel the tension radiating off him in waves. "I won't tell you again, Tor. Get the fuck out of here."

For a long moment, Tor doesn't move. Then, finally, he shrugs.

"Suit yourself," he says easily. "I'll leave you two researchers to it."

With one last lingering look, he turns and disappears back into the bushes, the crunch of leaves and snap of branches marking his retreat.

I release the breath I've been holding, my body sagging with relief. Aksel doesn't relax, though. He stays standing before me, tense.

"He'll be back," Aksel mutters, turning to face me. "We should go. It's not safe out here anymore."

As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. I don't want to be around whatever twisted game Tor is playing when he decides to make his next move.

So I nod and allow Aksel to pull me to my feet. He takes my hand, walking me back toward the cabin briskly.

I can't help but glance over my shoulder as we go, half-expecting Tor to reappear from the tree line. But the forest remains silent, almost mockingly, as if it's holding its breath in anticipation.

And I can't shake the feeling that this is far from over.

16

ZARA

The shrill ring of my cell phone cuts through the quiet cabin, making me jump. I fumble for it on the coffee table, my heart racing as I glance toward the bathroom door. Aksel is still in the shower, the sound of running water barely audible over the pounding in my ears.

I swallow hard as I see the caller ID. It's my boss at the research lab back in Minnesota. Guilt twists my gut as I accept the call.

"Hi, David," I say, trying to keep my voice even and professional.

"Zara! How's the research trip going so far?" His tone is light, but I can detect the slightest hint of impatience.

I glance toward the bathroom again, picturing Aksel's naked form behind that thin door.

"Well, the storm when I first arrived really set me back," I say carefully. It's not a lie, but it's far from the whole truth. "I just got a chance to set up my equipment and take some initial readings a few days ago.”

There's a pause on the other end of the line, and I can hear the impatience in David's voice when he speaks again. "I see. And when can we expect your first report?"

My free hand clenches into a fist in my lap. "I'll try to have something for you by the end of the week. But the internet connection here is spotty, so I may have trouble uploading it immediately."

Another pause, longer this time. When David responds, his tone has taken on a distinctly disapproving edge. "You know how important this research is, Zara. I expected more from you."

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