Page 50 of Save Me Enemy

He leaves the hut, leaving Jax and I behind to wonder just who this man really is and what his issue might be. Jax turns back to me, ripping the fur away and taking stock of every bruise and scratch on my body before he sighs in relief and presses his forehead to mine.

“I thought Corey blew your head off.”

He sighs, and I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him tight.

“Rowan saved me, saved us. We owe him our lives. We’ll have to find a way to thank him, if we can get past how rude he is…”

“I am not rude!” Rowan hollers from outside.

“Eavesdropping is rude!” I yell back.

Rowan guffaws. “Trespassing is breaking the law, eavesdropping is the least you deserve, little runt!”

Chapter20

Jackson

Iwake with Cricket moaning and touching herself in her sleep. I’m instantly ready, and I slip my hand under hers and take over with such finesse that she gasps and her eyes fly open in surprise. So she wasn’t sleeping after all…

Her eyes are heavy with need, her lips parted, her small gasps making me crazy. She’s so ready, in fact, she’s almost done. With a growl I grab her and roll her over on top of me and she slips over my thickness with an ease I’ll never tire of.

In the haze of only just waking my vision is still blurred, and her body looks like a dream as she bounces above me and strokes my chest. I can feel our heartbeats combine, rhythm stabilizing to match the other, and every time she sits fully on top of me she hits in time with our hearts’ rhythm.

She leans over me and I tangle my hands in her hair, pulling her to my mouth and kissing the only lips I will ever need with all the passion I’m feeling. This is how it’s meant to be, this is what having a mate means. This is not like a one-night stand or a steady relationship, this is a life. A future. This is the mother of my child.

Cricket sits up, moaning loudly, and I stroke her stomach with reverence as her climax tears through her. I imagine how she’ll look when she’s heavy with child, I imagine she’s heavy with child now, and the image itself sends me reeling through my own bursting finish.

“If you’re finished?” an angry voice hisses from outside the yurt and we both freeze, pleasure forgotten.

Neither of us had remembered we weren’t alone here, and even if we had I don’t think it would have mattered. Rowan steps inside without any care as to the position we’re in and he raises his eyes and crosses his arms until we detach from each other and cover ourselves.

“That thing is tracking you,” he tells us, his face the picture of cold hatred. “He knows where we are, he knows how to draw us out. I say we don’t let him. I say we drive him off and finish the job.” Rowan eyes the wound in my leg. “Your healing has accelerated nicely…”

I’d forgotten with all the passion of the moment. There’s barely an ache left, only stiffness hinders its movement.

“I informed Ryder about what’s happening over my CB radio,” Rowan continues. “He’s setting up a trap. All we have to do is get Corey there. Both packs will be waiting…” He eyes Cricket then, concern flashing through his eyes. “She won't make it if he’s chasing you. I’ll stay here and protect her. He wants you dead, Jackson, he’ll make chase. If he doesn’t, I’ll herd him after you and make sure he doesn’t circle around. Ryder says to take him to the tree, I’m assuming you know where that is?

My mouth has gone dry, fear clenching my heart like a vise. Corey knows where we are, he knows where Cricket is. He has to die. He has to die today. Full of rage I stand and pull Cricket up with me, crushing her against my chest and kissing her hard on the mouth. Rowan scowls, clearing his throat and leaving the yurt without another word.

“I have to…” I whisper fiercely, and she nods as I press my forehead to hers.

“I know.” She sniffles, wiping away a single tear. “I’ll be okay, I know it. Please, Jackson, you have to be careful. Promise me that while I wait here and hide that you’ll be cautious?”

“I have so much to live for, and every single one of those reasons is right here,” I tell her fiercely.

With one hand I stroke her face, and with the other I brush my knuckles over her flat stomach.

* * *

Leaving Cricket is one of the hardest things I’ll ever do, but as I leave the little home and look around, I know without a shadow of a doubt that she’ll be safe. The land where Rowan’s chosen to live is fortified like a Viking village, with axes and swords laying at advantageous positions and tripwires set on any entrance to the camp. The camp itself is situated on the edge of a cliff overlooking a wide rushing river. An old railroad bridge crosses the divide, the only safe way off the cliff, meaning there’s no way Corey can flank us. Cricket will be safe, Rowan will protect her. I know it.

I follow Rowan out of the camp and listen eagerly as he tells me where the traps and trip wires are. My heart is with Cricket back in that yurt, and until I can be with her always, I’ll feel like my heart isn’t mine at all.

“Here, look…” Rowan bends, naked as always, and points out tracks in the dirt. “He’s shifting constantly. See here how there are paws and then handprints? The next step shows toes, and then back to paws. He’s luring us, making sure we know where he is.”

“Not leaving any confusion as to whose these tracks are, it’s as if he wants us to follow him…”

“He did,” a garbled voice answers Rowan, and we slowly look up and recoil in horror.

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