Page 63 of Feral

He was capable of feeling something as human as joy.

“Come,” I said softly, shifting the bundle to one arm so I could reach for him with my free hand.

Slowly, as if he wasn’t quite sure how, he put his scarred hand in mine. His fingers closed clumsily around mine, engulfing them completely, and I couldn’t hold back a smile. I didn’t know if it was the drugs working, or if it was just a reaction to finally smelling fresh air, but there were signs. He was in there.

We walked around the Jeep, but when Zach spotted Jerome keeping watch by the other alphas’ car, he jerked to a stop, upper lip curling again.

Jerome didn’t react—he only looked at his friend.

“It’s just Jerome,” I murmured, pulling gently on Zach’s hand. “Remember?”

Zach huffed, glaring in the dark-skinned alpha’s direction for a few more moments before he finally deemed him non-threatening enough not to attack. It didn’t stop him from ensuring his body was blocking any chance Jerome had of seeing me as my mate clutched me to his side in a none-too-pleasant death grip.

I put up with it, just thankful he hadn’t decided to attack.

The river was really moreof a creek, only about five feet wide and three to four feet deep in the middle, with a sluggish flow and rocks covering most of the bottom.

When Zach spotted it, he gave a low sort of hum and proceeded to stalk toward it, dragging me along like a doll.

“Hey, wait up!” I called, trying to pull free from his grip as he steered us directly toward the flowing water without slowing. “We have to take our clothes o—ohdamn,that’s cold!”

I squealed the last bit, because Zach didn’t let such a thing as being dressed stop him. He pulled me straight out into the icy stream, clothes, shoes, towel, and all, and only let go when the water hit my navel.

“F-Fuck!” I shuddered, trying to raise up on my tippy-toes to save my midsection from the icy cold. Only the smooth river rocks underneath us were too slippery for that sort of balancing act, and I had to reach out and support myself against Zach to not end up getting dunked.

He gave me a quick glance, ensuring I was all right, and then returned his focus to the water. It only reached mid-thigh on him, so he had to bend down to gather some in his joined hands. He stared, mesmerized at the light playing across the surface for a moment before he brought it to his lips and drank.

Despite my now numb lower half, something soft twisted inside of me as I watched the big man so fascinated with something as mundane as a river. This was his first taste of freedom, even if the drugs still held his mind captive, and despite our dire situation, I wanted him to enjoy it.

I climbed out of the river to deposit the towel on the shore before it got too wet and pulled my clothes off as well. My pants, underwear, socks, and shoes were soaked, and the bottom part of my top equally so, but since I was already mostly wet, I decided I might as well have a proper bath.

I had to grit my teeth and force myself to step back into the frigid water, and when I reached Zach, I quickly ducked under.

He turned my way at my gasps and splashes when I resurfaced, but at the sight of my now very perky nipples, his frown changed to unmistakable hunger.

“We’re not having sex now,” I said, folding one arm across my chest to break his line of sight while I reached for his shirt with the other. “Come on, it’s bath time.”

Bathinga feral alpha determined to turn me around so he could mount me was not an easy task. But as interested in my naked body as he was, I got the distinct impression he was…playfulabout it. We’d had sex often enough while locked up in the compound, and he’d been rough and forceful about it every time. I knew he could easily force me into submission if he wanted to, and yet he allowed me to squirm out of his grip when he got a hold of my hips, as well as pull off his wet clothes so I could toss them to shore.

And I…

I wasn’t afraid.

It dawned on me when I finally managed to slip behind him to rub soap on his broad back, and he momentarily paused his attempt at spreading my legs to emit a rumbling noise of pleasure.

In there, he’d been a beast. Angry, scared, violent. Outhere…While maybe not quite human, he was… something other.

My mate.

I pressed my soap-free hand to my chest when my bond hummed. If this was my future… if he never fully recovered… I could find happiness in this.

Zach allowed me to wash and rinse his back before he turned back around again, slipping his strong arms around my midriff.

I put a wet hand on his chest, shivering when I touched the place our bond anchored on his end. “Hey, big guy.”

He rumbled in response, and I looked up into his eyes.

He looked… so different. Light. Happy.

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