Page 6 of Lachlan

The primal roar she’d heard minutes ago had only added to her misery. Although, she was pretty sure there were no bears or wolves in Scotland. Maybe once upon a time, but not now.

Once upon a time…

It sounded like the opening line of a typical fairy tale.

One that went,Once upon a time, there was a girl called Belle—no, not that Belle! This Belle didn’t have a father who loved her. In fact, she didn’t have anyone who loved her?—

Oh God, this wasn’t a fairy tale. It was a pity party!

Could she possibly be becoming delirious from being in the cold and damp for so many hours?

Was she going to fall into a cold-induced coma next, from which she never awoke?

One day, one spring or summer, would an innocent tourist be walking these mountains and find Belle’s preserved body inside this cave?

Would it still be preserved once the temperature rose and the snow melted?

She wrinkled her nose at the thought of someone finding her decomposing body.

Unless the animal that she’d heard roar found her first and, viewing her as fresh meat, decided to eat her?

Good God, her thoughts were turning hysterical, not delirious?—

“Don’t be frightened.”

Belle was slow to react to that growly voice.

Firstly, because itwasa very deep and growly voice.

Secondly, because she was so stiff from the cold, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to turn her head to look at whoever or whatever that voice belonged to.

Thirdly, and most worrisome of all, the growly voice had come frombehindher and not the mouth of the cave she’d been staring at for hours.

Behind her, where there wasn’t an opening that led deeper into the mountain.

CHAPTER THREE

Lachlan could only stare, transfixed, at the woman sitting on the uneven floor and leaning back against the just-as-uneven wall of the cave.

She wore a pale blue woolen hat that covered her hair, but several tendrils hung loose at the sides of her face, revealing those straight tresses were midnight black, the length probably just below her shoulders.

The rest of her was covered by a long, puffy, dark-blue coat she’d pulled over her knees, no doubt to keep warm, with thick gloves of the same color on her hands.

Lachlan’s gaze was immediately drawn back to that heart-shaped face.

Her eyes were a bright sky-blue. Her cheeks were as white as the snow outside the cave. Her tiny nose turned up slightly at the end. Her lips were full and the color of ripe strawberries.

She was beautiful.

Mine, his dragon roared inside him.

Lachlan’s dragon had begun to clamor with excitement the moment they’d entered the network of caverns and passages into the mountain through the concealed opening directly behind Drake House.

His beast had become more and more agitated once they had discerned and then begun to follow the wafting scent of honeysuckle.

Lachlan had followed the allure of that scent directly to this cave.

To this woman.

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