Finally, the scent of the air changes from deep woods to something more familiar—fresh-chopped wood from the pile, lingering hints of smoke from this morning’s fire, even the old coffee grounds I dumped outside.Home.
As if sensing it, too, I feel the injured woman’s hands loosen in my fur.
Not yet,I will.Hold on!
Her hands tighten again, making me growl. Not in anger. Just surprise.
The fuck?
She’s definitely responding. This makes no sense.
Unless—
No. It’s not a mate bond. It can’t be.
We reach the clearing around my cabin, and I shift back abruptly, so abruptly that she slips from my back with a surprised yelp.
I curse, reaching back to catch her just in time.
“Don’t fall on me now,” I growl, the words coming out way angrier than I mean them to. “Come on. We’re home.”
We. I didn’t mean that the way it probably sounded.
Almost like she lives here, too. Ah crap, now I’m overthinking it.
It’s all because she was responding to my silent pleas as if she could sense them through the shift, which makes absolutely zero sense.
“I…can’t…” She leans her head on my shoulder, clearly exhausted, her hands growing slack on my neck. “I’m sorry.”
With that, she slides again.
I swear, scooping her into my arms.
It’s easier this way, anyway.
She must have used the last of her strength holding on. She shivers in my arms, eyes closed, head resting against my chest.
Damn it. Damn it all.
“Stay with me,” I growl, wondering if this kind of command will still get through to her in my human form, too. But whether it does or doesn’t, she’s already out, her breathing slowing again as she shivers against my chest.
I thrust my key into the lock—if it weren’t for my enemies, I’d never lock it at all—and throw open the door.
The scent of home washes over me, deep and comforting, but I can’t stop to appreciate it.
“Stay here,” I command as I lay the injured woman down on my bed. “I’ll get the fire going.”
Chapter four
Sparks
One last fucking match. That’s all I’ve got.
The woman groans in her sleep, and I hold my breath, begging the little flame to catch as I hold it to the kindling. There’s no time to go back for more matches now.
Seconds tick by, just the sound of her shivering.
Then, just when I think it’s going to fizzle out against wet wood, the bit of starter catches. And ignites.
