Page 33 of Forged Alliances

“Race you to the first waterfall on the path?” Dax asked, his blues alight with mischief as he slammed the driver’s-side door. Sierra’s chest warmed. The sunlight, the loamy scent of earth, and the surrounding forest life dosed her veins with the best sort of high.

“You’re on,” she responded, setting into motion before the words left her lips. Dax barked a laugh, the sound rich in the air as Sierra hurtled for the embrace of the woods.

* * * *

“Even with the head start I kicked your ass.” Dax crouched at the top of the trail winding around the waterfall, the churning water roaring in Sierra’s ears. His cocky grin grew insufferable fast as his shoulders rose up and down in exertion. Sierra made her way to him, her breaths cycling faster from the speed of their run. They’d both mad-dashed up here in human form, and lightness sank its claws in at the sheer joy of the way he played, a childish carefree way she hadn’t embraced in longer than she could remember.

“Yeah, let’s see how well you’d do in animal form,” Sierra retorted, crouching to lean against one of the flat rocks alongside the path. She reached out to skim her fingers through the cascading water, the delicious chill sending a shiver down her spine. “Lazy cats don’t win races.”

“Apparently neither do stubborn pups,” he shot back, the wide grin on his face unrestrained. Unlike the coy smiles he passed when flirting, this one was raw and real as if the sheer joy of the gorgeous summer day infected him as well.

Sierra couldn’t resist taking advantage of the rare earnest moment from him. “How’ve you been faring through all this?”

Dax took a seat beside her on the ground with his long legs crooked as he leaned forward to rest his forearms on his knees. “I’m tired. Tired of the bullshit keeping me and mine from returning home. Tired of Drew still being a problem and that there’s even a chance the Cowardly Lion might snag both the territory and leadership of the Silver Springs pack smacks of bullshit.”

Sierra nudged his calf with her boot. “That’s not even a consideration, and you know it.” Her voice came out in a near growl, filled with a conviction that stirred her soul. She understood his strain all too well, got how the sheer injustice could make this fight seem endless. If any morality were to prevail, Dax would win these fights and claim his pack. Unfortunately, she’d seen enough of life to know those hopes were as arbitrary as a summer storm.

“Better quit all this encouraging shit, Kanoska. Folks might start thinking you like me,” he teased, nudging back with his leg. Even though his voice remained light, the weight of his gaze was anything but.

“You’re not the worst,” she muttered, her cheeks warming under his scrutiny. “I’ll admit, I don’t mind talking to someone who hates his brother as much as I hate mine. It’s refreshing.”

“I’m glad my family problems warm the cockles of your ice-cold heart,” he drawled, his lips curled and his eyes dancing. Heat coursed through her. Beyond the tug from the mating bond, she had grown to genuinely like Dax Williams.

Gorgeous face and sexy body aside, the man was her equal, strong enough to respect, and despite the power games they played, her strength didn’t make him back down or shy away. If anything, her stubborn resilience encouraged him to play dirty. Even with her shattered past and the damage sliced into her psyche, he didn’t try to fix her or smooth over her jagged edges, just like she didn’t try to convince him the relationship with Drew was one worth fixing. Both of them had learned early on your own blood could hurt you the worst. That family was a choice.

“What will warm my heart is delivering your brother’s head on a plate. He’s caused so many problems for this region with this upheaval that you’re no longer the only one who wants a bite out of him.” She kicked a couple of stones around, sending one flying over the ledge of the waterfall. The fluid motion mesmerized her, a flow that sparked crystalline under the rays of the sun.

As she turned to look at him, Dax leaned forward, his fingers slipping through her hair as he cupped the back of her head.

His lips brushed over hers, nothing like the fiery explosions that had erupted between them before. This gentle scrape of a kiss shocked her with adrenaline, coaxing the deep, burning core of her to the surface. The sun glowed along her skin, the warmth and light dizzying when combined with the sensations of his fingers tangled through her hair and his lips on hers. She melted into the kiss, embracing the heady swirl of euphoria that emerged as they continued this tentative exploration.

This wasn’t some mind-scorching encounter where clothes hit the floor. No, this bordered on much more dangerous territory. The tenderness infused in his motions, the way her heart ached bittersweet, so overfull it grew painful. He left an indelible mark on her she never wanted to erase.

The scent of him, all cedar and sweat, had become a drug for her, the sort that traveled straight to her heart. Despite the resistance to the bond, they’d forged a connection most only dreamed about, one she’d never in a thousand years believed she’d find. His tongue slipped out, a caress against her own as Dax deepened the kiss. Every ounce of her begged to surrender and not just due to hormones running rampant.

Sierra pulled away, shattering the thick tension between them laced with the crisp scent of the falling water. “Tomorrow, after you fight Enrico, let’s do this.” She reached up to slip a strand of hair behind her ear. “I mean, if you’re on board.”

Dax crooked a brow at her, his gaze dancing with the spark of hope. “You’re talking about the mating bond?”

Sierra met his gaze head on, refusing to hide her feelings any longer. “We’ve got something between us, and while I can’t predict the future, I don’t want to miss out on this.”

He snorted. “Should I be surprised you’re planning when we seal the deal?” Dax reached out to wrap an arm around her and tug her against him. Her heart stuttered in her chest, the admission between them filling her with a giddy zeal. “What’s wrong with taking you here and now by the waterfall?” His voice grew husky with desire.

Sierra’s gaze sparked, filled with the mischief he inspired in her. “Because you’ve got training to do for tomorrow.” She hopped up, dusting her knees off before she reached down to grab her canvas bag. A smile stole her face, as bright as the glow she felt inside. “And if you’re rolling around here, you’ll never stand a chance at beating me to the next waterfall.”

Before Dax could react, Sierra loosed like an arrow, plunging deeper into the woods.

He set off at once, kicking up dirt behind him. The woman loped up the stones of the narrow trail before them with the steadiness of a wolf, every step with that lupine agility. Dax watched her strides, marking them in his memory as he pursued, both man and cat thrilled at the way she played with him. Sweat pricked his brow, and the wind rippled the hairs along his arms as he raced after her.

Within minutes, she’d gone off the trail and out of sight.

“Sierra?” Dax called, slowing down for a heartbeat as he mopped his forehead with his shirt.

He caught the rustle of the nearby bushes too late.

Sierra lunged fist-first, hurtling toward him.

He lifted his hands to block her fists, dampening the force of the blow. His boots dug into the dirt as he staggered back a pace.

---