Her laugh does something to my fucking soul, I swear. “You’re such a goof.”
“That’s why you love me.”
Shit—
“Uh—,” I stop. Swallow. “Why’re you smiling like that?”
Her eyes are soft. “Yeah, Max. That’s why I love you.”
Direct fucking hit.
I stare at her, wide-eyed. Kenny shuffles up onto her knees until she’s hovering over me, and my words stick in my throat as her head lowers. Her lips brush mine.
Once. Again. I make the neediest fucking sound that’s ever come from my throat as my mate presses soft hands against my cheeks and kisses me. I can still feel her smile as my hand slips around her neck, my tongue teasing her lips open.
Cherries and chocolate and Kennedy.
I want that combination every damned day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks.
All of it.
Something rustles in the trees up ahead, and I reluctantly break away, looking over my shoulder.
Kenny stills. Her whisper is low. “Is it another snake?”
Frowning, I scan the trees before climbing to my feet and helping her up. “No.”
This is… bigger.
My hand slips into my pocket. Silently, I press a button on my phone. An SOS code that goes to everyone in our pack.
“Kenny,” I say quietly. I catch a flash of movement. “When I tell you, I need you to run, baby. Promise me. Okay?”
“What?” She turns to look. “Is it a bear?”
“Kenny.” My voice is sharp, and she stills. “I’m not fucking around. That’s not an animal.”
I know this forest. Know the movements of every animal in it. And there’s nothing natural about the eyes that peer back at me through the bush.
Red eyes.
Slowly, I reach for my bag, shifting to keep Kenny between us. “Not until I tell you. Promise me, Kennedy. Theo is coming. Run until you get to him.”
“Max.” Her voice wavers. “I can’t leave you—,”
“Yes. You will.” I hate myself for it. But to keep her safe… there’s nothing I won’t do. “There’s a feral alpha in those trees, Kenny. You’re going to run.”
Her breath hitches. “Don’t you dare—,”
He explodes from the bush, and I throw myself forward. My words burst out in a roar. A bark. Analpha bark. “Run!”
He tries to dart past me, his face a twisted, almost unrecognizable mask of anger and snarling as I jump into his path, my own snarl curling up my throat in a warning.
Almost unrecognizable.
But… I do recognise him.
Holy shit—
