Page 75 of Knot Their Soldier: Part One
“And yet here you are, helping your competition,” Blaze continues, cocking his head to the side with a sly grin. “Don’t you want to be the one to catch her?”
Viper growls, his tone shifting into something feral, his eyes narrowing to slits. “She’s mine.”
“Prove it.”
Chapter Thirty
Halley
Spindly branches leave painful scratches on my bare skin, the bark has scraped it raw, and my feet throb from stepping on pine cones. The pain is worth it, because I’ve almost reached the peak. I’m going to win.
It’s been two hours since I washed in the stream, stripping the smell of my pheromones and sweat from my skin. I coated myself in the mud, smearing it over my bra and panties, smothering any lingering scent with the earthy aroma of the forest.
I strategically laid deceptive trails, hanging items of clothing on low branches, then retraced my steps to vanish into the undergrowth.
I jog along an animal-made path, mud squishing between my toes.
Without my boots, my tracks are harder to spot, but I’m forced to pay attention to where I place my feet. I’ve avoided being caught so far thanks to my careful and deliberate pace.
There have been a few signs of the team’s presence in the forest. A burst of birds startled from a tree. The prickle of awareness at the base of my spine, telling me a predator is on my tail.
A few minutes ago, there was the distinct sounds of a fight. Grunts echoing through the silence of the forest. I couldn’t tell who won the tussle. I’m not even sure what happens to the loser. How hard do they fight? Do they injure each other?
I try not to think about it, because the thought of them engaging in hand-to-hand combat is turning me on. I’ve been aroused since this started. My panties are damp and clinging to my swollen nether lips. I know there is a trail leading down my mud-covered legs, but I don’t have the luxury of dealing with it.
The camp is close.
Just a little longer and I’ll have my victory.
Proof that I’m tough and capable.
I creep through the trees, crouching low and using my hands to steady my weight as I strain my hearing for any unnatural sounds. I hear nothing. No more grunts or groans.
I pause behind a thick tree, its trunk wider than my arms can stretch. My fingers twitch. My heart is racing. I’m so close, I can feel it.
I take a deep breath and peek around the tree.
There’s no movement and only the smell of damp wood and earth.
I dart for the next tree.
My thighs are burning, and my lungs are on fire as I ascend the incline. I’ve pushed myself hard today, and it’s only a matter of time before my adrenaline runs out. I suck in lungfuls of air and wipe the sweat off my brow. The mud is melting off me, my scent seeping through its disguise. I might have been able to evade them so far, but I doubt I’ll be able to for much longer.
The camp is just beyond the next row of trees. I can see the sunlight from the camp clearing spilling into the forest shadows.
The sight of it fills me with relief. I did it. I made it back. I almost giggle in excitement, but a sound stops me dead in my tracks.
Crack.
A branch snapping behind me. Far too close.
My skin erupts into a full-body shiver. The fine hairs on the back of my neck raise.
The sound of heavy footsteps approaching sends a zing of desire through my core. My nipples tighten.
My hunter has found me.
I hear him inhale as he approaches me. I’m sure he can smell my arousal now, the evidence leaking down my thighs.
