7

Aspen

I woke with a start, clutching my hand over my heart. That was the strangest dream. I'd been running through the woods and crashed into a freezing river. But I wasn't quite drowning. It was more like floating and I was content to drift downstream. Until I looked at the moon and it yawned, showing off a mouthful of teeth.

Freaking creepy.

I shivered in the chill morning air, trying to shake the remnants of the dream. My breath framed my face in puffs of fog as the early gray dawn loomed outside my open nest-crate. Anxiety was getting the best of me. I hadn't been able to close the doors last night for fear they'd be chained again while I slept. My thoughts were racing. No wonder I was having nightmares.

Things weren't well in the sanity department.

In all fairness, my heat was coming soon.

I patted my pockets before realizing that even if the show let me take my phone with the whole drugging/kidnapping thing, it would have still been dead. It sucked, but I didn't need to know the exact time since biology was running the clock now.

Tomorrow the moon would be full and the traditional run would begin. That was about the time my heat usually started.

It was only my fifth heat, but the other four followed a similar pattern. I'd wake the morning of the run feeling excess blood pumping everywhere–mostly in the downstairs region. My wolf would be extra testy and controlling.

Or maybe you're just weak.

I smiled internally, giving her a metaphorical pat. Our heat was definitely coming soon.

A building hunger in the days prior was my first symptom. I remember reading that some females couldn't stomach food for the week before their heat started though. It was one of those things that would've been nice to talk with other women about. To find out what was normal and what wasn't. I'd learned a bit in school and filled in more blanks from the internet. But being raised by my papa left a whole lot of questions he didn't have answers to.

Like now. Why wasn't I that hungry?

We will be. Let's go hunt.

Shouldn't Ranger be the one hunting? I stretched out my arms over my head, enjoying riling my wolf. She had no issues waiting for a man to come save her.

I still hadn't decided if I wanted to stay… Wherever here was. But I needed to figure it out fast before I had to ride out the heat–potentially alone.

Or with Ranger.

I wasn't sure if I wanted that either.

One thing was certain, this heat would suck if I didn't at least have a vibrator. If I wasn't waiting for Ranger, then I needed to hike off this mountain, find a nearby town, and hope they had a cheap hotel and a sex store that specialized in wolf shifter toys.

Oh, no. My eyes widened as the realization dawned on me.

The team Ranger sent to move our belongings from the trailer would've packed up my bedroom. I bolted upright and clasped my hands together, praying harder to the Moon Goddess than I'd ever done before.

Please don't let my papa have seen my dildo collection.

*

That was it.

I couldn't wait anymore.

It's been one morning. My wolf groaned.

Yeah, well, being a damsel in distress was the most boring thing I'd ever done in my life.

I gathered up the top bedsheet, making a quick pack with some of the 550 cord.

Ranger is coming. My wolf tried to force the shift as I reached for a bottle of water to stow in the pack. I smacked my own hand, making her claws retract.

Will you chill out? I was just going to explore the area and see if I could find any signs of where I was. Maybe run into more of the Luna contestants.

The trail cams were still on and recording, making me wonder if we were all isolated for the show. It felt very Alone -ish. That particular show didn't do well the one time they included a bear shifter. She went into animal form and hibernated the whole winter. It took a team to find her after the Arctic spring started.

I thought she earned the money fair and square despite what the humans argued.

Hoisting the makeshift bag of food and water over my shoulder, I started to hike away from my camp. I couldn't just sit around. Plus, I had traps to check. And the anxious feeling never quite left, leaving me restless. What if I was waiting for Ranger, but he was somewhere hurt?

He's not.

How do you know? I was getting a little tired of her complete confidence in the guy.

Feel it. She slammed against the barrier separating us, making me gasp for air as it felt like my heart skipped a beat.

That weird feeling in my chest intensified. It was a pulse now instead of an empty ache. The drumming was weak and infantile, but I just knew if I nurtured it, it would strengthen.

Is this the fated mate bond?

That's what I've been trying to tell you.

This is real. I relaxed into the sensation as I walked, rubbing the hard plate between my breasts.

He's really coming. Just wait.

A branch snapped in the distance.

He's h–

"Aspen! Where are you?" The shrill female's voice echoed down the mountain, sending a lone crow in the trees to flight.

Fallon. I wasn't sure if I was disappointed or elated to hear her voice, but I caught myself before returning her loud cry. We were too close to the coming heat and instinct had me leaning into self-preservation, not wanting to give away my position to whoever else might be close by.

We couldn't have that.

Not when we'd be vulnerable soon.

The heat's really creeping up on me. I gave an embarrassed chuckle, fanning myself with the open sides of my flannel shirt and realizing my thoughts were spiraling and hormonal.

Just go with it. My wolf urged me forward. Quietly.

I moved as fast as I could in human form, careful to check and not disturb my traps. When I was far away from my nest and closer to the small brook that would draw animals to it anyway, I added my voice to the ruckus Fallon was making as she crashed through the woods.

"I'm over here!" I cupped my hands over my mouth, projecting my voice downhill. "Find the water and follow it upstream."

"Thank the fucking Goddess!"

I tightened the cord on my makeshift bag around my back and looked around, finding low branches to climb. Shimmying up the pine tree was easy enough.

"Found the water," Fallon cried, falling to her knees by the brook just a few yards away. Her black hair was a tangled mess and dirt marred her face. She splashed herself and I climbed back down, wanting to give her time to compose herself without an audience.

A trail camera blinked on the tree across from me. I stuck my tongue out at it.

"Keep walking upstream. I'll meet you there." I picked my way along the bank slowly.

When I reached the clearing where the trees and brambles parted, Fallon turned the bend. She still had twigs and leaves in her hair, but her face was full of relief as she wrapped her arms around me.

"I didn't know if I'd find you."

"You found me." I patted her back awkwardly. She didn't seem like the type of person who hugged and I wasn't sure how hard I should squeeze in return.

Fallon pulled away, looking at me with wide eyes still rimmed with black makeup and old tear streaks she hadn't been able to wipe off. "I did something I shouldn't have done."