Page 16 of Wolf Heart

I shake my head, and my gut tightens. Too many damn years I’ve gone without being able to see her, without being able to talk with her. Is she tall like me and dad? Or is she short and feisty like our mother was?

“So, what do you think?” Dex points his chin at the girl’s back. “Think she could be the one?”

My wolf agrees with him, clawing inside my chest to be free. “She could be feeding you bullshit and you’ve both eaten up by a pretty face.”

“What female would do that and be rejected by an Alpha’s son and in front of the whole goddamn pack world this side of the mountains?” He kicks a stone that skittles down the path.

“That so?” I shrug. “Could be she wants adventure and to see the world before settling down.” Or she doesn’t know the fucking horrors out here. Ones we’ve had to deal with for nine fucking long years.

We make it back to camp, and she looks around like she expects a damn hotel or something.

The giant cottonwood tree, whose exposed roots jut out across the ground, stands open in the center of the camp. Its branches fan out like fingers.

There’s a hollow in the ground by the trunk so we’ve built lean-tos. A wall of brambles, fallen branches, and thorny vines we’ve ripped up surround the base of it and create a wall on one side.

Sap covers the tree’s trunk, giving off a rich, earthy odor, which helps hide our smell from predators.

All around are scattered leaves, creating an unbroken perimeter around the tree in a five-foot and ten-foot diameter. Nothing can shamble across the first line without waking us up.

She rubs her arms. “No fire?”

“You’re kidding, right?” I arch an eyebrow. “You want the monsters to come to a buffet of us while we sleep?”

Her face pales. “Those are just rumors to keep wolves with the pack and behind the barrier.”

“And how many times have you been past the barrier? Or away from your pack?”

“Well—” She shuffles her feet. “Never. But that doesn’t mean—”

“Let me stop you right there, sweetheart. Monsters are real. And anyone tells you differently, they’re lying.”

She crosses her arms, lifting her chin. “My name’s Juniper and I’ve had my share of monsters.”

“Wolves?” I chuckle. “No, these make your animal brethren seem like lost pups in comparison. I’ve seen a beast strip a man of his flesh in seconds. The unfortunate soul’s insides still smoking in the early morning air.”

“Stop it, Raven,” Aspen frowns at me and sits down on his tattered blanket. “You’re scaring her.”

“She should be fucking terrified.” I shove a loose branch back in place to keep the wind off us. “Maybe then she’ll realize what a stupid mistake this is and ask to be taken back.”

“No.” She shakes her head. “I-I can’t go back there.”

I roll my eyes. “I bet if you ask nicely, the pack will let you back in. And maybe that fated mate of yours will realize his mistake and be willing to help you find your mother and make sure that the creatures don't eat you."

She shakes her head and moves closer to Aspen.

Whatever. My bet is once we travel for a day or two and she sees one of the creatures, she’ll be begging to return. Or she’ll freak out enough that she’ll shift, which I have no doubt she can do and she’s just playing us. That will prove to my two friends here that she’s not part of the witch’s prophecy to cure us.

“Get some sleep. We leave at first light.” I lay down on my blanket, turning my back to her.

“Out here? Don’t you have a tent or something? I saw you both near a roamy one with woven, silken threads.”

Dex flops down with a grunt. “Nope. Just having a bit of fun while we were there.”

I can tell by his tone that he and Aspen tried to fuck some females but got distracted finding Juniper. The one we've been searching for to break our pack's curse.

“Here,” Dex says, and I hear light patting, “You can sleep by me. Promise I don’t bite.”

“Why don’t you have a tent at least?” She settles down between me and Dex, but I don’t turn around.

I continue laying there, staring out into the darkness. Trying to ignore her female scent of wild lavender and musk that I could get drunk on.

“Don’t you get cold during the winter? Or what if it rains?”

Aspen clears his throat. “You aren’t lying when you say you’ve never been on this side of the barrier. Not even during your rebellious stage?”

She pauses for a moment like she is choosing her words carefully before she answers.

“No,” she says so softly I almost don’t hear her answer. “Or maybe I’m getting a late start on my rebellion.”

If that’s what she thinks this is, she’s going to be in for a rude awakening. I give her two days tops before she turns tail and forgets this adventure.

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