Page 44 of Under Dark Skies

She fluttered her eyelashes in return. “Find us some shelter and I’ll see what I can do to expose you to at least another one or two,” she said. A flash of heat in her eyes sealed the deal.

“Challenge, most definitely accepted,” he said. Rafe had to consciously stop from picking her up and running until they found a place. These woods, like so many places close to settled areas, would hold all sorts of things—tree stands, lean-tos, cabins, or old campsites.

He struggled with his hormones until the rational side won the day. The silence that eventually fell between them was comfortable and warm. It soothed him—and freed his thoughts to wander. He chewed over recent events, looking for faults and errors.

Second guessing was a bullshit waste of time and energy. Assessing your choices and predicting their effects would always be a sound strategy. He ran through every scenario he could think of.

“For what it’s worth, I think you did the right thing,” Layla said. She kept her eyes on her surroundings, though he could tell she was assessing his reaction. The connection between them hummed.

“Noticed me falling into doubt mode, did you? Well, it’s a relief to know it wasn’t an obvious failure. My gut tells me she’s the right person to give the information to,” he said.Fucking finally.

Layla didn’t hesitate to reply, “We need someone with her connections, for sure. And, I think there’s a good person there, too. I’d like to trust her.”

“You and me, both,” he answered. Tension he hadn’t realized he was carrying eased away. Finding your mate had all kinds of fringe benefits he’d never dreamed of.

He added, “My thoughts on getting to Griffen ASAP haven’t changed. You’ll find Darla. I’ll have a leader. We’ll be together. Is that cool with you?” Though he was ninety-nine percent sure he knew her answer, he needed to hear her say it.

“It makes sense—and realistically where you go, I go. So, yes, it is cool. Very cool,” she replied.

He was about to continue, but he caught a glimpse of an opening in the trees up ahead and what looked like a neat wall of logs nestled inside it. Excitement lightened his steps as he approached.If this is a mirage, I swear I’m going to punch a tree.

Another few yards saved him from a fistful of splinters. They’d found a log cabin. Triumph filled his voice when he directed Layla’s attention toward the clearing and said, “You asked for shelter, and here we are!”

“You are—and I totally mean this—my hero,” she said. The applause was maybe a bit extra, but he wasn’t too proud to admit it felt really fucking good, anyway.

The cabin was small yet sturdy—relatively unscathed by woods or weather. A coating of grime on the tiny window indicated it hadn’t been lived in for quite some time. They weren’t going to have to intrude on a current occupant.

And they’d have plenty of privacy.

Rafe opened the door.

Thirty-Nine

Layla

Layla felt like she could pass out when they finally arrived at the cabin. It looked to be set up well; just one room, but with a fireplace, a kitchen, and a bed. As she stood in the doorway, she held onto the handle, feeling her body quiver.

Rafe took note of it immediately. He touched hips, then lifted her head by the chin with one finger. “Are you okay darling?”

She smiled. That word always did something to her. To her heart, her body, her mind. She still felt exhausted, but her tension was slowly diminishing, like ice in the sun.

“You know, I love it when you call me darling.”

Rafe smiled. His face looked slightly bruised from the battle, but his pure joy made his expressions shine. “It comes naturally with you. I hoped that you wouldn’t mind it.”

“I really adore it.” She pulled him by the neck and their lips collided. They held one another in a silent kiss, breathing in one another’s soul. She felt his strength through his mouth, then decided that she wanted to feel his entire body before they rest.

“I think I want to make love.” Layla pulled away, and whispered against his lips. He leaned his forehead on hers, and closed his eyes. He breathed in deeply. She had never been so in love.

“I think that is something we can do.” He took her by the hand then guided her to the bed. He laid down on it, and pulled her against his chest. She closed her eyes, trying to rest her muscles against his.

“I’m sorry about everything, Layla. Everything is so fucked up. It must be terrifying to be witnessing this from the outside.”

Layla nodded against his chest. It was certainly upsetting to see him changing into a wolf, to have seen so much violence within only a few days. But that fear seemed to dissipate whenever she was close to Rafe. She lost so much, but what she gained was a gift made of beautiful dreams.

“I appreciate you saying that. But I’m beyond happy that I’ve found you Rafe. I really mean that.”

He stroked her head, and she could feel his strength, even through this gentle action. She felt her thighs getting warm, and knew that she needed him.

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