Page 7 of Found

My mate waited.

3 /EVERLY

I woke up breathless,tangled in sweat-damp clothes, my body thrumming with aftershocks of pleasure that refused to fade. The dream clung to me like a second skin, vivid and intense—golden eyes watching me, massive hands exploring my body, and that deep, rumbling purr vibrating against my skin as he’d claimed me. I pressed my thighs together, embarrassment and arousal warring for dominance as I tried to shake off the lingering effects of the most erotic dream I’d ever experienced.

My body still quivered, sensitive and wanting. I groaned, covering my face with my hands. This was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Here I was, stranded on some godforsaken alien planet after my “relaxing vacation shuttle” had malfunctioned, and my brain decided now was the perfect time for vivid alien sex dreams?

“Get it together, Everly,” I muttered, forcing myself to sit up.

I’d had dreams before—normal ones, boring ones, even the occasional sexy encounter with actors or ex-boyfriends. But this? This had been a full sensory experience. I could still feel the press of his tongue, the weight of his massive body covering mine, the way his claws had gently scraped along my skin.

A shiver ran through me, heat pooling between my legs all over again. Damn it. I did not need to be turned on while lost in an alien jungle.

But my body wasn’t listening to reason. I slid my hand between my thighs, biting my lip as the memory of the dream slammed into me—those piercing golden eyes, his broad striped chest, the way he’d growled praise against my ear as he’d?—

I gasped, arching as release hit me fast and hard, pleasure cresting through my body in waves. It was sharp, quick, and satisfying enough to leave me boneless against the makeshift bed of leaves I’d gathered.

And slightly mortified. What was wrong with me? Trauma-fueled alien sex fantasies? Was that a thing? If it was, I definitely needed therapy when—if—I ever made it back to Earth.

Sighing, I pushed myself up on shaky legs. I needed to clean up and get moving. Staying in one place too long wasn’t safe. I’d learned that the hard way on my second day here when something with too many teeth had tried to make me its dinner.

I gathered my few salvaged belongings and pushed through the thick underbrush, seeking out the sound of running water I’d heard the night before. The jungle around me pulsed with alien life—massive ferns that shifted away from my touch, iridescent insects that hummed with metallic tones, trees with bark that seemed to breathe in the early morning light.

After a few minutes of stumbling through dense foliage, I found a small water hole, clear and shimmering, morning light dappling over its surface. Perfect.

I crouched at the edge, splashing cool water onto my face, trying to wash away the lingering heat from my dream. Not helping. The memory of a sun-warmed lagoon flashed in my mind—the exact setting from my dream, where he’d stalked me through crystal waters before catching me against smooth stones.

“Stop it,” I groaned, dunking my head under the water to silence my thoughts.

Focus, Everly. Survival first. Alien fantasy psychoanalysis later.

When I surfaced, I shook out my hair, squared my shoulders, and turned to leave?—

And came face-to-face with a very large, very fanged, very alien lizard.

I froze, my heart stuttering to a halt before slamming into overdrive.

It was not a normal lizard. It had six legs. Six thick, muscled, clawed legs and way too many teeth arranged in multiple rows behind lips that pulled back in what could only be described as a predatory smile.

I made a choking sound, somewhere between a gasp and a scream.

The lizard hissed, its vertical pupils fixed on me, its mottled green-and-black hide rippling as it tensed.

Oh, hell no.

I bolted, sprinting for my life. The jungle blurred around me as I ran, branches whipping against my arms and face, vines catching at my ankles. The sound of thundering footsteps crashed behind me, gaining with every second.

The lizard was fast—unnaturally fast for something that large. I could hear it closing the distance, feel the ground trembling beneath its weight with each pounding step.

My lungs burned, muscles screaming as I pushed myself harder. I ducked under a low-hanging branch, leapt over a fallen trunk, desperate to put something, anything between me and those teeth.

And then?—

A roar split the air.

Loud. Deafening. Primal.

A shadow launched from above, tackling the lizard mid-charge.

---