Page 39 of The Hunt

She didn’t have to continue with the mating.There was an exit, but she didn’t take a step toward it.There was no way she was going home without her mate.

Putting the clothes on, she picked up the crossbow and pocketed the key.It was time to go hunting.

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Jaxson didn’t likethis.He counted at least ten wolves, and it was like they were magically multiplying in front of his very eyes.

In their childish game, Calliope came to save him.But she was neither a wolf nor a strong human.She was just a woman, a human woman, his mate.

He didn’t know how this game was playing out.They were far from Calliope, he knew that, as her scent had gotten weaker.

The wolves didn’t talk to him, they just morphed from faceless people into wolves.No one talked, but they did howl.

He should have mated Calliope when he had the chance, but he wanted her to make that choice.This was not about what he wanted.He had already been the monster in their tale, the bully.He had pushed her aside, rather than admit he had developed feelings for her.He was the asshole, not Calliope, and now there was a chance he might never make it right for either of them.

He watched as the wolves lifted their heads as one and sniffed the air.Jaxson couldn’t smell anything.

He attempted to scream out to Calliope, to tell her it was a trap, only no noise came out.He was screaming and making words, but there was no fucking sound.What the hell was this?

Was The Hunt trying to kill Calliope?He didn’t get it.She was human.She didn’t stand a chance against all these wolves.It was doomed to fail.

He needed to get out of the ropes.The more he wriggled and tried to break free, the tighter they got.He had to get to Calliope.She had to know this was a trap.

And then, like in a horror movie, he smelled her seconds before he saw her.She was dressed in a pair of jeans, a shirt, and she held the crossbow in front of her.She looked magnificent.

“You took my mate,” she said.

That was all she said, and then she fired that crossbow.The first wolf she hit turned to dust.In the shock, the wolves didn’t move, and then they started to work together.

She fired a second time, and it made connection with a second wolf.He didn’t know how she was able to reload it, but she kept firing, even as the wolves set to attack.He had no choice but to watch as they rushed at her.

There were explosions of dust, and he felt sick to his stomach.He continued to fight the tight confines of the rope, but it was getting tighter.

“Get the fuck off me,” Calliope said.

He watched as she was taken down, and as they went to scratch at her, Jaxson channeled that connection they had.If he could feel her pain, he was going to allow her to feel his strength.

She snarled, growled, and the wolf landed on top of her.He watched as she gripped its throat and tore it out.No blood.Just dust.

He focused on Calliope, and for every attack, he had a counterattack.He had to protect her, save her, and make sure she made it out alive.Jaxson was so focused, it took him a second to realize that together they had ended the pack.There was no wolf lurking, nothing.He didn’t even have that funny feeling he’d been getting.

It was over.

The ropes suddenly disappeared and Calliope rushed to him and sank into his arms.

“It’s over,” she said.“They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“No, no, they weren’t real.”

“I felt you,” she said, and laughed.“I felt you inside me, helping me, guiding me to do what was right.”She cupped his face.“I never want to go through that again.I never want to see you get pulled away from me like that.It’s not going to happen again.We’re mates, Jaxson.You and me, like it always was.I want you to mark me.I want to be yours.No more waiting for the right moment and no more fighting this.We could have lost each other multiple times down here.I’m done fighting this with you.”She pressed a kiss to his lips.“I love you.I want to be with you.In everything.”

They were magical words.

“I love you too.”

She kissed him.

He took possession of her lips.The kiss deepened, and then he had no choice but to break the kiss, and he trailed his lips down toward her neck.She let out a gasp.

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