Page 23 of Wild Fated

Then the reality of what we were doing cut through my momentary softening. Lana believed in the legends, the relics. She was actively trying to bring them back. I couldn’t get on board with that. I’d spent my entire life trying to avoid the shifter games. The pack politics. My wolf had no interest in taking orders from anyone, and I had no interest in bending my will to another alpha. Even if her intentions were good, I knew how that kind of power would be taken advantage of. I’d watched it play out too many times to be hopeful.

Lana turned off the stove and disconnected the small propane taken. I fought the pull to watch her. My wolf was more attuned to her than I'd ever experienced with another wolf, and it was starting to piss me off. I was used to being in control of my instincts, but with her, it was a constant battle. Every time she was near, my senses were heightened to the point of distraction.

I could hear her heartbeat, smell the soap on her skin, feel the heat radiating from her body. It was intoxicating, and I hated that I was so affected.

It was only a product of our situation. I was starving. For connection, for touch, for something real. And Lana was the only thing in my immediate vicinity that satisfied those cravings.

It had to be that. If it wasn't, then I would have to face the fact that I was drawn to a wolf who believed in fairy tales and wanted to bring back relics that could potentially destroy our world.

I tore off a piece of meat with my teeth, chewing slowly as I watched her.

"Do you want more?" She turned to me, her eyes meeting mine for the first time since she’d woken up.

I shook my head, swallowing. "No, I'm good."

She nodded and took the last piece of rabbit for herself, sitting back against the wall as she ate. I watched her, my eyes tracing the curve of her neck, the way her hair fell over her shoulder.

When she finished, she set the plate down and stood, brushing off her hands. "We should get moving, right?"

I nodded, pushing to my feet.

We packed up in a few minutes and were back on the trail. The air was cold against my skin as we walked, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. I needed to show her the site. I needed to get this over with and get as far away from the relics and her as possible.

My wolf growled in protest, but I ignored him. I had a mission. A purpose. And it wasn't to chase after a she-wolf. Again, I wondered if she’d be up for a quick release. A moment to forget about the relics and the legends. Maybe she felt what I did, and we both needed to get it out of our systems. Having a night with Lana would erase my physical longing for her.

It had worked every other time.

“Time to shift.” I dropped my pack.

Lana nodded and stepped into the trees so she could undress. When she was finished, I knelt and strapped her bag to her back, ensuring it wouldn't slip as she ran. She looked up at me, her amber eyes gleaming. Her gray coat was sleek and thick. She had a patch of white under her chin and at the tips of her ears. I refrained from petting her, knowing it would possibly get my hand taken off.

I stood and walked a few paces into the trees, then started stripping off my clothes, shoving them into my bag. I didn't worry about getting out of view. I should have, but a part of me wanted her to watch. Selfish, yes. I was owning it.

I loosened the straps of my bag as far as they would go and gave in to my wolf. I’d done it enough times successfully withoutripping my bag, and I hoped this wasn’t the anomaly. The transformation was quick, and I felt the familiar rush of power as my senses heightened. The forest came alive around me—the rustle of leaves, the snap of twigs, the earthy scents.

Lana waited next to a Cedar, and I stepped up beside her, my muscles coiled and ready for the run ahead. We took off, our paws pounding the ground in unison. The wind whipped through my fur, and Lana kept pace with me, her movements fluid and effortless.

We wove through the trees, leaping over fallen logs and ducking under low-hanging branches. Mid-morning, we stopped to hunt. I spotted a group of grouse pecking at the ground near a clearing, and we split up, circling around them silently. With a burst of speed, we lunged, our jaws snapping down on our prey.

The taste of warm blood filled my mouth, and I tore into the bird, devouring it in seconds. Lana did the same, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. We didn't need to speak. Couldn’t, since we weren’t pack mates. But the hunt was in our blood, connecting us in a way that words never could.

After our meal, we continued north, the air growing colder with each stride. We paused to drink from a stream, the water icy and refreshing. With every step, the chill seeped deeper into my bones. The pads of my paws grew numb, and my breath puffed out in white clouds.

I led us into a clearing with fresh spring water trickling nearby. The sky above us was open and exposed. My wolf bristled at the vulnerability, and I immediately set to work. I couldn't control the space, but I could protect us from the wind and cold. I retreated to the tree line and started gathering branches and leaves.

I chopped a few large branches free with my hatchet, then arranged the fallen limbs into a crude lean-to, bracing them against the trunks of the trees. I piled leaves and pine needleson top for insulation, creating a barrier against the elements. It wasn't much, but it would do.

Next, I searched for tinder and kindling, picking up dry twigs and dead grass. Lana jumped in to help. When we had enough, I positioned the materials in a small depression I'd dug out with my hands, then pulled out my flint and steel from my pack. With a few strikes, sparks flew, and a small flame flickered to life. I fed it slowly, adding larger sticks until the fire crackled and danced.

I cleared my throat as I stood, brushing the dirt and needles from my hands. "This should be enough to get us through the night."

Lana nodded. "It's good. I wouldn’t have thought to make a shelter."

I sat on the ground next to the fire. “You learned this stuff when you went camping?”

“More or less.”

I waited, wondering if she’d say more. She stepped closer to the fire, holding her hands out to the warmth. I was rewarded for my patience when she blew out a breath and continued.

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