“They do not hate you,” the woman said. “But they anger for what you did to their chief. You fled his protection.”
“He abducted me!” She was furious that they were giving her the cold shoulder because she had been trying to get home. This wasn’t her home!
“His punishment was mild on you. If it were one of the people, he would have flogged them for all to witness,” the woman said.
She shuddered to think of him doing so to her. Would he be that cruel?
“I just want to go home,” Hannah said, tears tingling in her eyes.
“Patient. With him,” the old woman said, caressing her face with her thin fingers. Then she slipped away into the night, leaving Hannah with questions. What did she mean by her being patient with the chief? She suspected he had sent the woman over to try to confuse her, but she was smarter than that. Her plan to leave here was on.
She stayed around by the fire for some time, keeping her distance from him. But she watched him. He possessed a charisma that made people drift to him. Perhaps, if he weren’t her captor, she would admire him.
A yawn escaped her and she stood up. She headed for the teepee. She heard a footstep and turned around. It was the woman, Anika. She spat at her feet, shoving her aside as she walked past. The woman wanted her gone, unfortunately Bear Claw had come for her. She did not want any drama. She had no interest in the man. She could have him for all she wanted. But she lacked none of the understanding of the language to pass the message across.
However, she had picked up a few words which were used in their day-to-day communication. The language didn’t seem difficult to understand, but she had no need for it. She wouldn’t be here to make use of it.
She sighed in pleasure as she curled up on the fur. It was softer than the one she had lain in, in the past days. She was tired, her eyes quickly closing as she fell asleep.
Suddenly, her eyes flew open. Someone was next to her. A big bulk of a body with a spicy scent. It took her a moment to realize who it was. Bear Claw.
She turned her head to him and gulped. He was staring right at her. She could feel his hot breath. He was beautiful, she silently admitted, with those thick arched brows. The nose which looked like it had been broken several times. His long hair had been let lose, and now scattered over his bare shoulders.
“You can’t sleep here,” she said calmly, her heart racing.
“I. Sleep here,” Bear Claw said.
She sat up. There was no way she was going to sleep here. So close to him. It was not right! Just because she was out here in the wild unchaperoned didn’t me she would behave like one of them.
His arm reached around her, pulling her to him. She gasped as their bodies met, his eyes staring intensely at her.
“Let me go,” Hannah whispered. Her heart pounded even more. She felt something strange. One she had never felt before. It scared and excited her. This brooding man was trouble.
“You will sleep here, by my side. Only here,” Bear Claw said.
“It is not proper! Where I come from—”
He silenced her with a finger over her lips. She gulped. Her heart felt like it was going to explode. What was happening to her?
He said something in his language like a curse as he let her go, putting some distance between them. But it was not enough. But where would she go to this night to sleep? Here was safer than elsewhere if she had to be sincere. Her back felt back to the fur. Her body was still, her heart raced fast. She was on the alert. He had better not try to do anything to her. She would scream at the top of her lungs and if no one came to help her, she was going to bite him. She might not be a fighter, but she would fight for her virtue.
Her eyes closed, but she could not sleep. Not when he was just so close to her, if she stretched her hands, she could reach him. This was so awkward. If it was his intention to make her uncomfortable, he had indeed succeeded.
“Sleep,” his voice filled the room when she turned for what seemed to be the hundredth.
How could she? He was not the one who had raced through the forest all day, was almost devoured by a wolf, and now she had another circling her even while she slept.
For the first time in a long time, Hannah slept well. Arms wrapped around, and she felt a great warmth that made her cling to that warmth. She didn’t want to be cold ever again. Her eyes flew open and she scrambled, detangling herself from the chief. His eyes opened, piercingly at her. She wanted to yell at him, but she was at fault. Sometime in the night, she had rolled to his side of the bed. How long had she been there? She hated herself for enjoying the comfort. She could feel his eyes on her as she hurried outside. It was still early, but she was eager to begin her day, far away from the chief.
Chapter 7
Bear Claw was in a good mood. He caught himself laughing a couple of times, a sound that earned him curious looks. Why should he not be happy, he asked himself? He had woken up in the arms of a beautiful woman. A woman he desired. She had come to him sometime in the night, not of her own will, but her unconsciousness. He had not pushed her away; instead his hands had gone around her, pulling her to him. In that moment, he understood what a mate meant. He had felt his burden lifted, and a certain peace descended on him. She had remained in his arms for hours, until the cock crowed, and her distaste for him resurfaced. Regardless, her presence fueled his positive mood for the day.
“You had a woman ride you last night?” Hopi asked as he sat amongst the men.
The other men roared in laughter.
“I heard you have the white devil in your teepee. I heard no screams, or is she the silent type?” another man asked.
