Page 12 of Gone Hunting

I lie, since I don’t know myself. “Nothing. Just turn around and cover your eyes or something. Celia needs to get dressed.”

Liam crosses his arms. “I think it’s only fair we see her as she is. She’s seen us, right, boys?”

I know Liam is just curious about Celia. She isn’t like anyone, or anything, we know. Still, I’m ready to pelt him in the head with a rock.

Koda storms away, giving us more space than we probably need. “You heard him, Liam. We’re making Celia uncomfortable. You know better than to do that to a female.”

It takes hearing those words for Liam to finally see the light. “Sorry, Celia. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way.”

Celia eases her way toward the trees. I’m not sure if I should follow. But then my beast doesn’t give us a choice. It’s like my wolfneedsto be by her side and ensure she’s safe. I allow him to guide me and lead us forward, his senses enlivening mine as we shadow Celia. He recognizes something within her that I haven’t yet discovered. I want to, though. There’s a reason she’s here. I just have to figure it out.

“Can we at least watch herchange?” Liam asks. He raises his hand. “I’m asking for strictly scientific purposes.”

“What does that even mean?” I ask.

It’s Gemini who answers. “He wants to see if shechangeslike we do or if it’s different.”

I shrug, trying to downplay my answer. “It’s similar. Maybe a little faster.”

Gemini raises his eyebrows. “Faster? We’re pretty fast, Aric.”

I recall how I only barely tracked herchange. “I know,” I say. “Just let her call the shots, okay? If she wants to show us, she’ll do so when she’s ready.”

Celia turns and tilts her head. I can’t guess what she thinks of me. I hope it’s something good.

“Take your time,” I say. I smirk when I realize she’s working hard to keep her attention on my face and nowhere else. “We’ll wait for you as long as it takes.”

Celia’s steps are hesitant as she walks past the wolves. She speeds up once she clears Koda. I’m certain she’ll take off and I jog after her, trying to keep some distance yet not quite managing as much as I intend. My wolf is drawn to her tigress. Like an invisible rope, she pulls him along, encouraging him to keep close.

I force myself to stop when she reaches the edge of the forest and disappears behind an old oak, the trunk is massive. I suppose it suits her need for privacy and maybe gives her time alone.

I force myself to turn away, so she doesn’t find me waiting for her like a lovesick puppy. I’m just in time to face Koda’s reprimanding glare.

“Aric,” he says. “What are you trying to do here?”

My stance tightens as I try to beat back the heat creeping up my neck. “Get her to trust us,” I reply.

“Get her to trustusor score yourself some hero points?”

All right. I see where he’s headed and I can’t really blame him. Wasn’t I the one who found females annoying just this morning? “I’m not sure what you mean,” I reply. Hey, just ’cause he made the right call doesn’t mean I have to own up to it like a wimp.

“Yes, you do,” Gemini says. He’s not mad, not in the way Koda is. But he is questioning my decisions, something that doesn’t sit well with me as an alpha.

“Are you accusing me of doing something immoral or something that goes against our pack?” I question. “Or are you telling me I should have left her where I found her to fend for herself?”

Gemini lowers his chin, admitting defeat. “Yeah,” I say slowly. “That’s what I thought.”

Liam’s focus jumps between us, worry keeping him silent. He seems to want to say something, but just as he starts, he quickly shuts his mouth.

Celia steps away from the tree, pushing her long wavy hair back from her face as she steps carefully through the withering grass. The sweatpants are huge on her and she had to roll them many times so they’d stay on her tiny waist.

I may have more to grow, but Celia has reached her limit. She’s small. But she must be tough to have survived the harsh forest elements overnight.

My lips press tight as I try not to laugh at how sweet she looks. My T-shirt hangs low enough to be a dress on her and mud streaks her cheeks in rough and awkward lines. Aside from the few glimpses I caught when we first met, this is the longest I’ve looked at her human form. Like before, I can’t get enough of her.

“Whoa,” Liam says. “You’re really pretty.”

“Um—”

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