Chapter 13

Liz

She should argue or try to bargain her way around his offer.

But she didn't want to.

In reality, the moment she'd first scented him, she'd wanted him. Given the circumstances, she was wise to be wary of him, but what more could an alpha do to prove that he was trustworthy?

He'd fought six alphas for her. Even killed one to save her. Beyond that, he'd also walked away from her, despite her heat's perfume begging him to ravage her.

And he said he would traipse through the wilderness to take her to her nana despite the danger, so she lifted her lids and gave him the only answer she wanted to give.

"Okay."

The skin around his eyes creased and his lips tilted up, morphing his handsome face into that of a devilish rake who made her stomach melt to the floor. His fingers rubbed her scalp in a touch so sensual her nerves had trouble processing it. After tucking the last chunk of hair behind her ear, he pulled his hand away, making her miss the connection, before offering her a stack of clothes.

"Get dressed. If we're going to make it to my den before tomorrow evening, we must leave as soon as possible."

Liz took the outfit from him, blushing as she realized how little his shirt covered, and went to stand. She paused, realizing he'd get an eyeful of her rear if he watched her walk to the bathroom, especially with her tails preventing his shirt from covering her.

He'd eventually see all of her, but being so brazen when they weren't somewhere safe didn't feel like a good idea.

As though sensing her hesitance, Blaide turned his back to her, set his pack in the chair, and started rummaging through it. She took his cue and darted to the bathroom.

Liz dressed quickly then, after washing her hands, leaned down and sipped water from the sink spigot, the rush of cool hydration too much for her to resist. Her ear twitched toward the door as Blaide moved around in the other room, but she took her time. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was but stood up and dried her face before she drank too much.

Sighing at her reflection, she made a mental note to sip water as often as she could, since omegas needed much more during their heat than normal, and she figured stopping to go to the bathroom might be a rare opportunity. The amount she'd needed to drink before her last estrous had been obscene, but she'd still felt like a dried husk afterward. This time she had the help of Blaide, so hopefully with her heat ended much quicker, she wouldn't feel so wrung out afterward.

The clothes he'd given her were a little too big, so she cinched the built-in belt tighter on the pants and decided the shirt would have to do as it was. It kept trying to slide off one shoulder since the neckline was too wide, but it covered the important bits and was comfortable enough to move in easily. Wishing she had a brush, she finger-combed her hair as well as she could before stepping back into the bedroom.

Her insides melted as his yellow eyes softened when he saw her, but he flung the pack onto his back and raised a brow.

"Where's the blade I gave you?"

Liz gestured to the side table and cowered as his expression darkened. Blaide picked up the knife and stalked toward her.

Before she could react, he lifted the hem of her shirt, snapped a tiny sheath onto the waistband of her pants, then slid the knife into it. He stepped back as her hands finally rose to ward him off, but she dropped them as he slid his fingertips along her jaw.

"Always keep it with you. Never hesitate to use it."

She nodded.

"Ready?"

She swallowed and nodded again, wondering how long she'd slept and what time of day it was. Blaide took the few steps required to cross the room and lifted his hand over the door handle. When he looked over his shoulder at her, Liz straightened her spine, tugging the shoulder of the shirt up and following him to the door. Blaide extended a hand toward her, palm up, and Liz slid hers into it. Neither of them could hide their shudders from the electricity the slight contact sent up their arms.

Blaide opened the door to reveal a deep violet sky streaked with the last rays of evening sun and a flurry of activity in the nearby windows. The street below held a decent crowd, but nothing like earlier in the day.

As Liz followed Blaide down the stairs, she couldn't help but marvel over how tall he was, since she never saw over his head even though he was lower on the stairs than she was. After turning in their room cards, Blaide thanked the teller and wasted no time beginning their adventure.

When they got to the dim street, she stepped closer to him, letting her shoulder bump his arm with every step. Being close to him soothed her as she fought off visions of alphas jumping out from every darkened alley they passed.

It wasn't until they'd walked almost an entire block that she questioned whether he actually had a plan. No matter how much she'd begged, the soldiers wouldn't let her through the gate, so she'd expected him to sneak them out through some secret passage, but he was heading straight for the men who'd denied her twice. They got within hearing distance of the blockade before she could ask, and she didn't want to spoil whatever he had planned by saying the wrong thing. So she clamped her lips shut and stayed by Blaide's side.

He stalked straight up to the guard standing at the mouth of the barricade.

"Sergeant Filden, long time no see. Last time we met, you were still a corporal. Glad to see being in the guard has given you a chance to move up and you're still in one piece."

The alpha's slitted orange eyes widened before a small smile flitted across his oblong face. A quizzical expression flashed across his features when he glanced at Liz, but then he studied Blaide from head to toe and let relief ease the creases on his forehead.

"Good to see you're doing well, Corporal Woodzmin. When you didn't reenlist, we were all a little worried, especially since your unit went through so much. But you didn't hear that from me of course."

He sent a glance over his shoulder at the man standing next to a vehicle near the wall. He continued speaking before he'd even turned all the way back toward them.

"What are you doing on this little rock?"

"Settled here to get some peace. Looking to get home now before it gets nasty out there. We got caught in the city's mayhem during a supply run, but now that the gate isn't so busy, we're ready to head back out. I figure my place is much safer for us than any hotel we might find here."

After looking between them for a moment, the soldier turned and waved at the vehicle. The alpha who stepped out was burly yet plain, but as he sauntered over, Liz decided she was glad for Blaide's protection. There was an edge to the male, something brutal and sharp, which made him seem more dangerous than the ones she'd faced in the alley.

"No civilians may leave the city."

His scratchy voice made Liz tighten her hold on Blaide's hand even though he hadn't given her more than a cursory glance. Squeezing right back, Blaide reached his other hand into his pocket and pulled out a card. He stepped forward and handed it to the new alpha, putting more of his body in front of Liz as he did so, and her heart pounded in her chest over the possessive move.

The guy studied both sides of the card before handing it back and lifting his chin.

"You sure leaving the city is the best idea? The enemy has already landed troops in the jungle."

"Yes, sir. We're safer in my den than in the crush in here."

Liz's stomach curdled as the plain man's eyes raked over her, and Blaide gave her hand a warning squeeze. She met his eyes and followed his pointed glance, not feeling the way her fingers mangled her tail until he silently chastised her. Forcing her hand to let go of her tail, she reached across her front and wrapped her palm around the outside of his wrist, clinging to the arm she'd already monopolized.

The evil-eyed alpha nodded before motioning to the soldiers manning the blockade.

"Guess that's a good point," he said, giving the all-clear for Liz and Blaide to pass.

Despite wanting to dart through the militarized area and escape to the jungle beyond, Liz stood by Blaide's side when he didn't immediately move.

"If we encounter any enemies, I'll call it in on the radio in my den. Most of the people in the town near me hunkered down to wait it out, so be sure to point the troops to Frigg when they get here."

Liz swallowed at Blaide's solemn words, then tried to hide how her entire body locked up when Corporal Filden responded.

"Yeah, knowing you, you'll be reporting a gravesite if you run into any Krantor. He'll make our job easier, Captain."

The men nodded to each other before her furry knight led her through the blockade.

Never had Liz wished more to have bland coloring. Her fiery red skin no doubt stuck out amidst all the concrete, even though her black hair and the dark clothing helped her blend in. She tried to ignore the watchful eyes of the guards as she followed right on Blaide's heels, still holding his hand with both of hers.

The rumble of engines faded as they stepped through the gate, the thick wall buffering much of the city's sound. With ears perked forward and boots set on a path Liz couldn't see, Blaide led them into the thick trees.

Liz used him as a compass as he guided them to his den. As the chirps of birds quieted and the daytime animals settled to sleep, gentler noises rose, the nocturnal beasts stirring as night took over. As the minutes passed by and she settled into the new surroundings, Liz took a deep breath. Filled with Blaide's delicious wild scent, the smell of the jungle lost her interest as waves of heat rose from her toes and caught in her lower belly.

The longer they walked, the hotter Liz became. Even with the strong pheromones from the alpha she'd entrusted with her life right in front of her, she didn't skyrocket to mindless need the way she had previously. She stayed in a floaty, wondrous state as they traversed fallen trees and cut through underbrush.

It wasn't until Blaide slowed his steps and swiveled his ears to check their surroundings many miles later that Liz understood why she hadn't succumbed to the mindless desperation of estrous.

Blaide's purr gentled the world around her, giving her a comfort so rich she'd never felt so secure, not even when she'd sat on her nana's lap as a child.

With a start, Liz realized it had been several hours since she'd thought about her nana. She firmed her resolve, sensing deep in her soul that she'd made the right choice in trusting the alpha. He'd get her to Nana and help her rescue the stubborn woman.

She trusted Blaide to follow through on his promises.