Chapter 9

I led Eve to her campsite. She had a poor sense of direction, and the previous day she had run in a panic, paying no attention to her surroundings. She followed me slowly, struggling to climb over some of the small rocky rises and the foliage that had fallen to the ground after the storm. The world looked completely different than it did the day before. Tree branches had fallen, the low-lying foliage had been crushed or ripped from the ground. The path was steep and narrow, with loose rocks and gravel that made it difficult to maintain our footing.

When she tripped for a third time, she fell into my arms. Pulling her body against mine, I felt how her soft curves fit so perfectly against me. "Sorry, distracted," she mumbled, pushing away.

I rolled my eyes at her. "If you spent less time looking at my behind and more time watching where you were walking, you wouldn"t trip so often."

Eve"s eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed with color. I had noticed this reaction whenever she was embarrassed and also when she was aroused. She ducked her head and looked away. It was the way she looked up at me, her eyes peeking up from beneath thick lashes, that had my blood warming. I doubted I would ever get enough of my Eve. But now was not the time to seduce her again. It was a miracle that we had actually left the cave that morning.

Eve froze when we finally reached her campsite. Somehow, the small tent was still within the field. It had collapsed on one of its sides but was still somewhat standing. The surrounding grass had been flattened and blown flat by the wind, which only added to the desolate appearance of the tent. The storm had absolutely decimated the plains, and the nearby trees had fared little better.

"I am sorry about all the damage the storm caused to your camp. Perhaps visiting my tribe will take your mind off things and let us purchase some food and supplies?" I said.

Eve bit her lip as she surveyed the damage. She looked across at me. "There are a few things I need to do first. Let me contact my commander and let him know about the situation. About you. This might take a while. I"m sure he"s going to have many questions. If I need you, how will I find you?"

I flinched. She didn"t want me to stay here with her? She didn"t want me to gather her belongings in preparation to leave? Was Eve sending me away? Did she not feel the overwhelming need to be close to each other?

I nodded stiffly. "I"ll be within shouting distance. It"s wise to patrol the area and make sure the storm hasn"t driven any predators this way. If I"m lucky, perhaps I"ll have the chance to hunt for fresh meat for you.

"I remembered the tales that my dam had told me as a youngling about how intense the first few days after finding your fated mate could be. It was nearly impossible to leave their side. Some would even forget to eat and drink, never leaving their beds. At the time, I was young enough to think that they merely got sick, but as an adult, I now realized that they were up to quite different activities.

I set off and walked the perimeter at a brisk pace. My heart thumped, a sense of doubt growing deep within. Had Eve not wanted me close to her? I had falsely assumed that she felt the need as strongly as I did. Perhaps finding your mate didn't affect her species as it did mine.

Eve had disappeared a while ago into what remained of her tent and hadn't emerged since. It was a mystery what she had been doing inside, and I couldn't muster the courage to approach. Every time my legs moved in that direction, I hesitated as thoughts of her not wanting me around surfaced in my mind.

It was only because I kept circling her camp that I spotted the movement. I froze, disbelief nearly crumbling my legs beneath me.

A male. One of her own species.

Bitter disappointment flooded through me. I had allowed myself to think myself special. I had thought the smiles she showed me meant she liked me. Yet now… another male so casually touched her things.

A rage filled me, thrashing my heart. Instinctively, I reached for my spear. Somehow, I had the state of mind to recognize that fighting him would not impress my Eve.

She was never mine. She never would be.

My eyes burned as I stood there, blinking. I turned from her camp. How had I been such a fool? Finding a female alone? Needing protection? Needing someone to love and care for her?

Eve had never needed my protection. She had never asked for it. It was clear she was quite capable on her own. Maybe she didn't even want a mate? Perhaps she had taken her pleasure in my arms when the opportunity arose, and wished now to go back to her own life. After all, she had never agreed to come meet my tribe.

Females were rare enough as it was. To find one looking for a mate… I was such an idiot.

I trudged away from her camp. Pushing through the broken plants, I headed in no particular direction. A part of me thought about how I should just collect my belongings and leave this place behind. I doubted I'd ever be able to return anywhere near this place, not with my memories of sweet little Eve haunting me.

Yet I was sickened by the thoughts just as much as my body demanded I return to her side. My body was screaming for me to return, to race back to her. Pain swelled inside me, knowing I would give anything just to see her smile in my direction one more time.

Eve wasn't mine. It wasn"t fair to her for me to keep pursuing her. I could challenge the male for her, try to win her favor. But if she liked this male… She was more likely to resent me than see me as the virile male that would make me a better mate. It wouldn't matter how much I adored her; she would always hate me.

Pacing back and forth, I wore a trail into the soft ground beneath my feet. As I did so, I left a trail of imprints on the soft earth beneath me. My instincts were urging me to confront the rival male, to assert my claim over my mate and find a secure place to guard her. My rational mind was telling me to do none of that.

I had never felt so conflicted. I had never felt more lost.