Page 12 of Alokar
Just to sleep. I wasn’t ready for anything more than that. But I’d spent many an hour watching the muscles play under the fabric of his shirt as we walked along, and wondered how it might feel to have those strong arms hold me during the chill of the night, to feel the steady beat of his heart against my cheek lulling me to sleep.
Ewok lifted his hand, carefully examining the small wad of coarse, dark fur I’d discovered embedded in the gnarled branches of a cedar earlier that morning. The matted clump caught the sunlight, and for one blessed, heart-pounding second, I thought we’d finally discovered a clue that would point us toward our elusive quarry. But nearby gouges carved into the bark—four parallel claw marks that spoke of powerful, curved talons—and a pile of dark, berry-flecked scat scattered beneath the tree told a different story. Just another bear marking its territory.
Ewok had lifted the fur to his nose, nostrils flaring as he drew in a deep breath before declaring with absolute certainty that it carried the musky scent of a black bear, instead of the grizzly we saw earlier. How he could distinguish such subtle differences in animal odors was beyond me, but I’d learned not to question his uncanny abilities.
“You know, I’ve never had bear meat,” he mused, glancing over his broad shoulder at me with curious brown eyes. “Is it any good?” Since he led Bertha, I let him take point on the narrow trail. The stubborn mule behaved far better when she got to play the leader.
I’d packed enough dried rations and supplies to sustain me for two full weeks, but with Ewok’s hunting prowess, my provisions remained largely untouched. “We could hunt one and find out,” I suggested, my voice carrying a note of amusement. “With your skills tracking and taking game, we could stay out here indefinitely—at least until the first snows.”
His rugged features flashed with exaggerated horror at the thought of spending months in the wilderness, and I couldn’t help but giggle. But then he grinned—that warm, genuine smile that made my stomach flutter, taking in my words with a thoughtful nod. He didn’t seem opposed to the idea at all—if anything, there was something almost eager in his teddy bear brown eyes.
The only real horror I felt at the prospect of an extended stay in the backcountry was the gradual deterioration of my grooming habits. I managed to maintain some semblance of cleanliness with the pack of baby wipes I’d brought, scrubbing away the day’s accumulation of dirt and sweat each evening, and I dutifully brushed my teeth both in the morning and at night. But my long dark hair felt increasingly greasy and tangled despite my attempts to braid it back, and I knew I desperately needed a proper bath. If I remembered the winding trail correctly, that refreshing possibility might soon present itself.
“What are you planning to do after we find and kill this Bigfoot?” Ewok asked, his voice taking on a more serious tone. “What comes next for you?”
The question caught me off guard—I honestly hadn’t allowed myself to think beyond the consuming need for vengeance. “College, maybe?” I said, though even as the wordsleft my lips, the idea of sitting in classrooms and lecture halls held little appeal. “I was supposed to start my freshman year this week—orientation, dorm assignments, the whole college experience. But this....” I gestured broadly at the evergreens surrounding us, at the wild, untamed landscape that had become both my hunting ground and, in large part, my home. “Finding the creature that killed my father and making it pay—that’s more important to me than any degree.”
“And what happens if you never find the beast?” His voice dropped to barely above a whisper, rough with an emotion I couldn’t quite identify, as though he immediately regretted voicing the question. “What if you never get the revenge you’re seeking?”
The words hit me like a physical blow, and I felt my jaw clench with fury. “Don’t say that,” I snapped, my voice sharp enough to cut. “I won’t stop hunting until that monster lies dead and bleeding at my feet.”
Ewok released a long, weary sigh, his broad shoulders sagging slightly as he resigned himself to my stubbornness. “No matter how long it takes,” he said quietly, “I’ll stay with you until you get your revenge. You have my word.”
Damn, he was sweet. The simple sincerity in his voice made my chest tighten with an emotion I wasn’t quite ready to examine.
We continued walking through the pines in comfortable silence, our footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of fallen needles beneath our boots. The only sounds were our steady breathing and the occasional creak of leather from our gear. Other than my father, Ewok was the only person I’d evermet with whom silence felt natural and peaceful rather than awkward or strained.
Along the Nooksack River, at a sweeping bend just before the water tumbled and rolled over the thundering cascade of Nooksack Falls, lay a hidden clearing nestled like a secret garden between the evergreens. A slender distributary meandered away from the river’s main current, its gentle flow coming to rest in a pristine pond surrounded by smooth granite boulders worn to perfection by countless seasons. The way the massive stones lay scattered created a natural barrier that made it difficult for larger animals to traverse, especially when the easier water source of the main river beckoned nearby. The natural protection kept the pond basically untouched, and it was so impossibly clear that I could count each individual pebble lining the sandy bottom.
Ewok and I had become experts at establishing camp, and within minutes, I had my tent erected on level ground while he’d gathered enough flat stones to construct a fire pit. The afternoon sun had only just begun its lazy descent toward the western peaks, painting the sky in the faintest blush of gold. Since we typically shared our evening meal at sunset, we had plenty of time for other pursuits. Namely, a bath.
“I’m going for a swim,” I announced with barely contained excitement, already heading toward the pond. I cast what I hoped was a saucy glance over my shoulder at Ewok, my heart hammering against my ribs at my unfamiliar audacity. “You coming?”
He paused mid-stride in his gathering of fallen branches, those large brown eyes watching me with startling intensity, afaint frown creasing his brow like he didn’t quite understand my suggestion. Or perhaps he did and didn’t approve of it.
I slipped behind one of the larger granite boulders, the set of the stone concocting a natural alcove, only visible from the river. My fingers trembled slightly as I shimmied out of my jeans and T-shirt, the fabric clinging stubbornly to my skin. Honestly, I’d worn bathing suits that revealed far more than my practical cotton panties and sports bra, but I still felt heat bloom across my cheeks as I stepped out from behind the makeshift dressing room—and directly back into Ewok’s line of sight.
His eyes went impossibly wide at the sight of me, pupils dilating as his gaze swept over my exposed form. Slowly, almost unconsciously, the pink tip of his tongue—his surprisingly large tongue—darted out to trail along his bottom lip in a gesture so sexy it made my stomach flutter wildly. He looked at me like a starving man who’d just discovered a feast spread before him and, God help me, I liked that hungry look more than I should have.
I didn’t know the first thing about the art of seduction, but I gave it a valiant effort, flashing what I hoped was my most alluring grin while waggling my eyebrows in what I prayed was a suggestive manner. “Want to get in with me and get clean?”
Ewok’s already wide eyes somehow managed to grow even larger, and to my utter amazement, a deep crimson flush crept up his thick neck to stain his cheeks. Honest to God, this massive, intimidating, gorgeous, sexy man took one look at me standing there in my grandma-inspired underwear and blushed like a schoolboy.
“You go ahead,” he managed, his voice rough and gravelly. He had to clear his throat before continuing, the sound sending unexpected shivers down my spine. “I need to gather more firewood and hunt for our supper.” With those stilted words, he turned abruptly on his heel and disappeared into the forest, leaving me standing there.
Well, shit!
Honestly, I couldn’t decide whether to be tickled by his bashful reaction or offended by his rejection. I decided to focus on the immediate goal of getting clean and worry about deciphering Ewok’s confusing behavior later.
Thankfully, the pond sat mostly within the sun-drenched clearing rather than in the shade, so hours of direct sunlight had warmed the water, which rid it of much of the bone-deep chill inherent in water that originated from glaciers.
“That was weird, don’t you think?” I asked Jubal and Bertha, who contentedly munched the tender watercress growing along the river’s marshy edge, their ears flicking toward the sound of my voice. “I mean, I’m pretty sure Ewok likes me, but he acted like a virgin on prom night when I suggested he come swimming.” I scooped a generous handful of coarse sand from the pond’s bottom, the gritty texture perfect for scrubbing away days of accumulated trail dust and sweat as I rubbed it over my arms and shoulders. “Of course, I wasn’t just asking him to come swimming,” I admitted, and Jubal blew a snort of disapproval my way. “I like him,” I confessed to my four-legged companions, keeping my voice barely above a whisper since I’d already learned that Ewok possessed unnaturally acute hearing. “I like him a lot more than I probably should.” I suspected myfeelings ran deeper than simple attraction, but I wasn’t quite ready to examine that possibility just yet. While I felt a sharp sting of hurt that Ewok declined my invitation to swim, more than anything, I felt utterly confused by the strange dynamic developing between us. I knew exactly how I felt about him—sort of—and from the way Ewok acted around me, so protective, so attentive, so unfailingly sweet, I thought I had a fairly good read on his feelings too. He was always there to steady me when I stumbled on the treacherous terrain, always ensuring I was well-fed and properly rested. Always positioning himself as my shield against any potential danger. Granted, I understood those actions didn’t necessarily mean he harbored romantic feelings for me, but I’d at least thought it meant he wouldn’t flee like a startled deer when I asked him to join me for a swim.
I swam languid circles around the pond until I heard the telltale rustling of underbrush and caught the first wisps of wood smoke that signaled Ewok’s return to our campsite. My cotton underwear clung uncomfortably to my damp skin, but I still hurriedly pulled on my clothes, not wanting to send Ewok fleeing into the forest again.
The rich, savory scent of sizzling meat greeted me as I approached the fire, where I noticed the makeshift spit constructed over the flames to cook what appeared to be two plump rabbits. Ewok had already skinned and expertly dressed the meat, sparing me the unpleasant butchering tasks.
“That smells absolutely divine,” I murmured, settling cross-legged on the soft pine needle carpet near the crackling fire. As the sun began its descent toward the jagged mountainpeaks, the evening air carried a distinct chill, making the fire’s warmth particularly welcome.
