Page 24 of Wild Fated

"When I was sixteen, my dad dropped me and my brother in the woods with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Told us to find our way home."

I blinked. “Intense."

Lana shrugged. "It was. He’d given us some practice beforehand. But it was different relying on myself.”

I nodded. “And he taught you to fight?”

She wet her lips. "I've been training in Krav Maga since I was twelve."

I raised an eyebrow. "Krav Maga?"

She smiled, the firelight glinting off her eyes. "Self-defense."

I swallowed hard, ignoring how my pulse quickened at the thought of her getting fired up and fighting. I hadn’t seen morethan a blur of shadow and feathers in the hostel. "Sounds like you're more than capable of handling yourself, then."

Lana's smile faded, and she looked back at the fire. Sorrow and maybe a little anxiety filtered over from her, and I instantly wanted to lift her spirits.

I blew out a breath. "Do you want to spar?"

Lana's eyes flicked to mine. "Now?"

"Yeah, it's a good way to warm up before bed. Unless you want to freeze your ass off tonight." I wasn't sure what had possessed me to suggest it, but I didn't regret it.

Her lips twitched, and she stood, brushing off her pants. "Alright then. But don't cry when I win."

I rolled my eyes. "Let's see what you've got. Princess."

Lana stepped back, and the two of us circled each other. I kept my stance loose, my hands up. She moved like a dancer, her footwork precise and fluid. I threw a few jabs, testing her, and she blocked them with ease. When she countered, I barely had time to react, her fist grazing my ribs.

I grinned. "Not bad."

"Not bad?" She feigned a look of shock.

I shrugged. "I just wanted to see how long it would take you to get a hit in."

Lana's eyes narrowed, and she lunged. I blocked her punch, then ducked under her arm, spinning her around. Her back pressed against my chest, and I was hyper-aware of the heat of her body against mine. My wolf growled, and I released her too quickly, stumbling back.

She turned, her eyes blazing. "You're holding back."

I raised an eyebrow. "You want me to go all out?"

Lana nodded, her breath coming in quick pants. "What’s the point if you don’t?"

I hesitated but then nodded. I shifted my weight, and this time when I lunged, I didn't hold back. My fist connected withher forearm, and she winced, but she didn't back down. She countered with a series of quick jabs, and I had to move fast to block them.

Lana was quick, but I was stronger. I grabbed her wrist, twisting her arm behind her back. She grunted, then dropped to one knee, using her momentum to flip me over her shoulder. I landed hard on my back, the air whooshing out of my lungs.

I blinked up at her, stunned, and she grinned down at me. "The more force you put into it, the more I can use against you."

I chuckled, then reached up and grabbed her hand, pulling her down on top of me. She gasped as she landed on my chest, and for a moment, we were both still, our breaths mingling in the cold night air.

I wanted to kiss her. Hell, I wanted to do more than that, but I couldn't push. Not when I didn't know if she wanted it, too.

Lana's cheeks flushed, and she scrambled to her feet. "I think I'm warm enough now."

I nodded, pushing myself up. "Mmm."

We sat by the fire, eating the dried meat and nuts we'd packed. The food was simple, but it filled the gnawing emptiness in my stomach. As the fire died down, the cold crept back in, beginning to seep through my clothes. Time to get under our blankets before it was too late.

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