I pushed her back toward a tree, my chest heaving. She snarled, but she didn't back down.
The tension between us grew, thick and heavy, until it was too much to bear. At the same time, we shifted back into human form, our wolves receding beneath our skin.
Rissa stood before me, naked and breathing heavily. I couldn't stop my gaze from roaming over her, taking in every curve, every inch of smooth, tanned skin. Normally, being naked around my wolves was no big deal. We were naked around each other all the time. It was normal.
Not this time. My heart pounded in my chest, urging me to close the distance between us, to claim what my wolf so desperately wanted.
I needed to leave. I needed to look away. But Rissa stepped closer, her chin lifting defiantly. "If you're not going to do anything, stop looking at me like that."
Her words shattered the last of my self-control. I reached for her, ready to yank her to me, my hands aching to touch, to explore. But before I could make contact, a twig snapped nearby, followed by the sound of approaching voices.
Other pack members. Reality crashed down around me, and I stepped back, forcing myself to look at the ground, to not reach for her again.
Without another word, we both shifted, darting off in opposite directions. As I ran, I tried to clear my mind and focus on the hunt. But Rissa's scent lingered, and the memory of her naked form danced before my eyes.
I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away. I had a job to do, a pack to protect. I couldn't let myself get distracted, no matter how much my wolf howled in protest.
We would find this missing woman, andthenI woulddeal with the rest.
I pushed through the underbrush, my paws pounding against the soft ground as I tracked the scent. There. I caught a hint of it. It was faint, but there, leading me deeper into the woods.
As I ran, my mind cleared, instinct taking over. The world narrowed to the scent, the trail, the mission. Find the woman. Protect the pack.
The scent grew stronger as I neared an abandoned hunting cabin. I slowed, my hackles rising. Something was wrong. The woman's scent was there, but something else lingered beneath it. Something foul, somethingoff.
I crept closer, straining for any sound. Nothing. Just the whisper of the wind through the trees and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures.
A torn piece of fabric caught my eye, snagged on a bush near the cabin's edge. I nosed at it; the scent was fresher here. She had been here. But there was no body, no sign of a struggle. Just nothing.
My wolf bristled. Something wasn't adding up. The pieces were there, but they didn't fit, like a puzzle with no clear picture.
I lifted my head to the sky and let out a sharp howl, the sound echoing through the night. A warning. A call to arms.
I prowled around the perimeter of the cabin, my nose to the ground, trying to pick up any other scents. The missing woman's scent was strongest near the door, but it was muddled, mixed with something else I couldn't quite place.
I pushed the door open with my snout, the hinges creaking in protest. The cabin was dark, the air stale and thick with dust. I shifted back to my human form, my eyes adjusting to the gloom.
The single room was bare, save for a few pieces of broken furniture. No sign of habitation, recent or otherwise. But the scent was even stronger in here, almost overwhelming.
I moved further into the room, my steps cautious. There, in the corner, was a small pile of clothes. I crouched down, picking up a shirt. It was similar to the one we'd used to track her scent.
But why was it here? And where was she?
Chapter 9
Rissa
I unlockedmy classroom door and flipped on the lights. The familiar scent of crayons and tempera paint filled my nose. This space usually grounded me, but not today.
"Get it together," I muttered.Focus on the day ahead. Focus on the kids.I bustled around the room, setting out art supplies and checking the schedule. Placemats, circle time, story time.
Soon, the patter of tiny feet sounded in the hallway. Excited chatter and squeals of laughter grew louder as my students arrived.
"Good morning, Miss Rissa," chorused a group of children as they bounded into the classroom.
I smiled and greeted each one with a hug or a high five. "Good morning, everyone. Let's put our backpacks away and get ready for a fun day."
I immersed myself in their bubbly energy and guileless smiles. Helped zip up coats, tied shoelaces, and doled out plenty of praise. The worries that had plagued me started to fade as I threw myself into my work. This was where I belonged. Nurturing young minds and guiding them to grow. I couldn't let whatever was happening with Nathan derail me from that purpose.
