“Move along, pup,” he warns in a register so dark it raises the hair on my arms.
The kid doesn’t waste another moment before shifting back into his wolf form, running for the hills. It’s then that I realize perhaps I should do the same.
When the man turns, cobalt eyes fasten on me, pulsating with what can only be tendrils of lightning. He assesses my petite frame, shivering lips, and chest that rapidly rises and falls under his leather coat. My heart hiccups when he takes another step towards me, minimizing the gap between us. Seeing him even closer now, I’m stunned; never did I imagine I would be paired with someone this irrationally good-looking.
Reaching behind my sore neck, I wonder if he has something similar on his mind. That is, until I pull two crinkled leaves out of my tangled hair.Right. Definitely not.
He tucks the gun away for safekeeping and hums to himself, spotting something on the ground. Bending towards the snow, he retrieves the cloth for me once again, brushing off the pine needles. Nostrils flare as I drape it over my hair, twist, and tuck the rest into the jacket. With two blinks, his irises have already settled back to their deep, gleaming blue.
“Better?”
Nodding, the towering male clears his throat. "I'm Axe Skornokovy. Alpha of Bleeding Sun." The brawny name pulses through me.Axe.There’s a familiarness I can’t quite place, probably floating around somewhere in the back of my scrambled brain.
He extends his hand and I push back his sleeve to accept, almost gasping from the warmth of his rough skin. A tingling current seeps into me, drawing me closer to him.
"My name is Vespera." I stutter. “Vessa. I-I prefer Vessa.”
As quickly as it was offered, he rescinds his touch. Axe tugs me against him, ushering me in the direction of my previous post. “Do you have any idea how dangerous this place is for a human? You could have easily gotten yourself killed, if not for intruding on the festivities, then for simply knowing about our existence in the first place."
He scans the creek’s surroundings. The lycan then takes the map and slings the other strap of his pack over his shoulder. "Let’s get moving.”
With that, he strides away, leaving me blindsided.
From what I know about lycan mating traditions, males bury their teeth in their mate’s neck the minute they get them alone. Before anyone else can intrude or object.Does he not intend to claim me?
Clutching the leather, I follow close enough to be a shadow. For a moment there, I genuinelywantedhim to. Gods, is that insane? Judging from their size, those hands could snap my neck like a twig. Why would I want those teeth anywhere near me?
After fifteen minutes of shivering, I call out for him to stop. I need to catch my breath. By now, the frigid wetness of the snowy ground has seeped inside my shoes. My toes are too numb to take another step.
The moment I begin to sway, Axe is there. Crimson smears my cheeks as he tucks his arm under my legs and hoists me up to his chest. My arms instinctively wind around his thick neck. A soft groan escapes me as I revel in the blissful sensation.
"Hang in there, Vespera."
“It’s Vessa," I whisper into his collarbone, the perfect little nook to warm my face.
He soldiers on, bearing the weight of me. As comfortable as I am in his arms, I force myself to remain awake. For some reason, my thoughts are still hung up on the way my nerve endings panicked from the sparks of his hand clasping mine.
Shouldn’t he have felt something too?
When we finally reach the row of small pavilions, Axe sets me down on a nearby bench. He lets his hand rest on my waist, steadying me, until I lift my head. Meeting his assessing stare, my temperature spikes.
His voice drops to a whisper as he releases me. "I'm going to sign you out and get your things. Don't go anywhere, and most importantly, don't speak to anyone, alright?"
I watch his long figure walk away and join a queue of about eight other males holding hands with their newfound partners. One couple in particular catches my eye as I watch the man lean over and nuzzle into his female's bloody neck.
My heart jolts once more. Why didn’t this alleged Alpha mark me back by the creek? Why risk leaving me here all alone?
Another mated pair strolls past me, eyes widening at the sight of Axe, who sticks out as the tallest in line.
“Is that the Commander?”
“I dunno, but it sure looks like him.”
After what feels like hours, Axe finally wheels up behind me with my suitcase and duffel bag. I rise from the bench.
A flash of concern crosses his face, but before he can open his mouth, I blurt, "Am I actually your mate or are you trying to stage an abduction here?"
He places his hand at the small of my back. "Come. The car is this way."
