Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

Destin

W e shifted and ran most of the day. Lana's wolf was strong despite her ordeal. My limbs still ached from my own wounds, but by the time we stopped for the night at the last hostel on our route, I felt almost normal.

There were no attacks that night. The shrikes almost seemed like a fever dream. I woke on our second morning before dawn, the early morning light filtering through the forest canopy and casting dappled shadows on the walls. For a moment, I couldn't place where I was.

Then the smell of cooking meat pulled me fully awake, and I sat up, my eyes locking onto Lana at the stove.

"You're up." She didn't look over.

"You're making breakfast." It was a statement more than a question. The scent of sizzling rabbit hit my nostrils. I was impressed. "You trapped that?"

"Yeah." She shrugged as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"And you found the stove?" My voice was still thick with sleep, and I cleared my throat.

"I did." She turned, and her lips curved into a small smile. "I hope you don't mind, but I was freezing when I woke up. I searched a bit and found this."

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. "No, it's fine. I just . . . " I looked at the camp stove. "You've used one before?"

Lana scoffed. "I'm not a princess. I have camped before."

"I didn't mean?—"

"You're not the only one who can be useful." She raised an eyebrow, then turned her attention back to the pan and flipped the rabbit leg with a stick.

My eyes fell to her stomach. Healed. My makeshift bandage was gone, and her skin was probably a smooth expanse . . .

A dull ache started in my chest, and I cleared my throat, forcing my gaze away. My wolf whined. "Sleep well?" I asked gruffly. Probably the stupidest question I'd ever asked. That was why I preferred to stay silent.

She nodded. "You?"

"Yeah." I lied. I'd slept for a solid five hours, but it hadn't been restful. Not with my wolf on edge, sensing every shift in Lana's breathing, every movement of her body next to mine.

We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the sizzle of the cooking rabbit. "I didn't want to wake you," she said finally, breaking the silence. "You seemed like you needed it."

I grunted in response.

"Here." Lana plated the rabbit and handed me half.

I took it without a word, biting into the tender meat. It was gamey but satisfying, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude. People didn't cook for me. People didn't do anything for me.

Then the reality of what we were doing cut through my momentary softening. Lana believed in the legends, the relics. She was actively trying to bring them back. I couldn't get on board with that. I'd spent my entire life trying to avoid the shifter games. The pack politics. My wolf had no interest in taking orders from anyone, and I had no interest in bending my will to another alpha. Even if her intentions were good, I knew how that kind of power would be taken advantage of. I'd watched it play out too many times to be hopeful.

Lana turned off the stove and disconnected the small propane taken. I fought the pull to watch her. My wolf was more attuned to her than I'd ever experienced with another wolf, and it was starting to piss me off. I was used to being in control of my instincts, but with her, it was a constant battle. Every time she was near, my senses were heightened to the point of distraction.

I could hear her heartbeat, smell the soap on her skin, feel the heat radiating from her body. It was intoxicating, and I hated that I was so affected.

It was only a product of our situation. I was starving. For connection, for touch, for something real. And Lana was the only thing in my immediate vicinity that satisfied those cravings.

It had to be that. If it wasn't, then I would have to face the fact that I was drawn to a wolf who believed in fairy tales and wanted to bring back relics that could potentially destroy our world.

I tore off a piece of meat with my teeth, chewing slowly as I watched her.

"Do you want more?" She turned to me, her eyes meeting mine for the first time since she'd woken up.

I shook my head, swallowing. "No, I'm good."

She nodded and took the last piece of rabbit for herself, sitting back against the wall as she ate. I watched her, my eyes tracing the curve of her neck, the way her hair fell over her shoulder.

When she finished, she set the plate down and stood, brushing off her hands. "We should get moving, right?"

I nodded, pushing to my feet.

We packed up in a few minutes and were back on the trail. The air was cold against my skin as we walked, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. I needed to show her the site. I needed to get this over with and get as far away from the relics and her as possible.

My wolf growled in protest, but I ignored him. I had a mission. A purpose. And it wasn't to chase after a she-wolf. Again, I wondered if she'd be up for a quick release. A moment to forget about the relics and the legends. Maybe she felt what I did, and we both needed to get it out of our systems. Having a night with Lana would erase my physical longing for her.

It had worked every other time.

"Time to shift." I dropped my pack.

Lana nodded and stepped into the trees so she could undress. When she was finished, I knelt and strapped her bag to her back, ensuring it wouldn't slip as she ran. She looked up at me, her amber eyes gleaming. Her gray coat was sleek and thick. She had a patch of white under her chin and at the tips of her ears. I refrained from petting her, knowing it would possibly get my hand taken off.

I stood and walked a few paces into the trees, then started stripping off my clothes, shoving them into my bag. I didn't worry about getting out of view. I should have, but a part of me wanted her to watch. Selfish, yes. I was owning it.

I loosened the straps of my bag as far as they would go and gave in to my wolf. I'd done it enough times successfully without ripping my bag, and I hoped this wasn't the anomaly. The transformation was quick, and I felt the familiar rush of power as my senses heightened. The forest came alive around me—the rustle of leaves, the snap of twigs, the earthy scents.

Lana waited next to a Cedar, and I stepped up beside her, my muscles coiled and ready for the run ahead. We took off, our paws pounding the ground in unison. The wind whipped through my fur, and Lana kept pace with me, her movements fluid and effortless.

We wove through the trees, leaping over fallen logs and ducking under low-hanging branches. Mid-morning, we stopped to hunt. I spotted a group of grouse pecking at the ground near a clearing, and we split up, circling around them silently. With a burst of speed, we lunged, our jaws snapping down on our prey.

The taste of warm blood filled my mouth, and I tore into the bird, devouring it in seconds. Lana did the same, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. We didn't need to speak. Couldn't, since we weren't pack mates. But the hunt was in our blood, connecting us in a way that words never could.

After our meal, we continued north, the air growing colder with each stride. We paused to drink from a stream, the water icy and refreshing. With every step, the chill seeped deeper into my bones. The pads of my paws grew numb, and my breath puffed out in white clouds.

I led us into a clearing with fresh spring water trickling nearby. The sky above us was open and exposed. My wolf bristled at the vulnerability, and I immediately set to work. I couldn't control the space, but I could protect us from the wind and cold. I retreated to the tree line and started gathering branches and leaves.

I chopped a few large branches free with my hatchet, then arranged the fallen limbs into a crude lean-to, bracing them against the trunks of the trees. I piled leaves and pine needles on top for insulation, creating a barrier against the elements. It wasn't much, but it would do.

Next, I searched for tinder and kindling, picking up dry twigs and dead grass. Lana jumped in to help. When we had enough, I positioned the materials in a small depression I'd dug out with my hands, then pulled out my flint and steel from my pack. With a few strikes, sparks flew, and a small flame flickered to life. I fed it slowly, adding larger sticks until the fire crackled and danced.

I cleared my throat as I stood, brushing the dirt and needles from my hands. "This should be enough to get us through the night."

Lana nodded. "It's good. I wouldn't have thought to make a shelter."

I sat on the ground next to the fire. "You learned this stuff when you went camping?"

"More or less."

I waited, wondering if she'd say more. She stepped closer to the fire, holding her hands out to the warmth. I was rewarded for my patience when she blew out a breath and continued.

"When I was sixteen, my dad dropped me and my brother in the woods with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Told us to find our way home."

I blinked. "Intense."

Lana shrugged. "It was. He'd given us some practice beforehand. But it was different relying on myself."

I nodded. "And he taught you to fight?"

She wet her lips. "I've been training in Krav Maga since I was twelve."

I raised an eyebrow. "Krav Maga?"

She smiled, the firelight glinting off her eyes. "Self-defense."

I swallowed hard, ignoring how my pulse quickened at the thought of her getting fired up and fighting. I hadn't seen more than a blur of shadow and feathers in the hostel. "Sounds like you're more than capable of handling yourself, then."

Lana's smile faded, and she looked back at the fire. Sorrow and maybe a little anxiety filtered over from her, and I instantly wanted to lift her spirits.

I blew out a breath. "Do you want to spar?"

Lana's eyes flicked to mine. "Now?"

"Yeah, it's a good way to warm up before bed. Unless you want to freeze your ass off tonight." I wasn't sure what had possessed me to suggest it, but I didn't regret it.

Her lips twitched, and she stood, brushing off her pants. "Alright then. But don't cry when I win."

I rolled my eyes. "Let's see what you've got. Princess."

Lana stepped back, and the two of us circled each other. I kept my stance loose, my hands up. She moved like a dancer, her footwork precise and fluid. I threw a few jabs, testing her, and she blocked them with ease. When she countered, I barely had time to react, her fist grazing my ribs.

I grinned. "Not bad."

"Not bad?" She feigned a look of shock.

I shrugged. "I just wanted to see how long it would take you to get a hit in."

Lana's eyes narrowed, and she lunged. I blocked her punch, then ducked under her arm, spinning her around. Her back pressed against my chest, and I was hyper-aware of the heat of her body against mine. My wolf growled, and I released her too quickly, stumbling back.

She turned, her eyes blazing. "You're holding back."

I raised an eyebrow. "You want me to go all out?"

Lana nodded, her breath coming in quick pants. "What's the point if you don't?"

I hesitated but then nodded. I shifted my weight, and this time when I lunged, I didn't hold back. My fist connected with her forearm, and she winced, but she didn't back down. She countered with a series of quick jabs, and I had to move fast to block them.

Lana was quick, but I was stronger. I grabbed her wrist, twisting her arm behind her back. She grunted, then dropped to one knee, using her momentum to flip me over her shoulder. I landed hard on my back, the air whooshing out of my lungs.

I blinked up at her, stunned, and she grinned down at me. "The more force you put into it, the more I can use against you."

I chuckled, then reached up and grabbed her hand, pulling her down on top of me. She gasped as she landed on my chest, and for a moment, we were both still, our breaths mingling in the cold night air.

I wanted to kiss her. Hell, I wanted to do more than that, but I couldn't push. Not when I didn't know if she wanted it, too.

Lana's cheeks flushed, and she scrambled to her feet. "I think I'm warm enough now."

I nodded, pushing myself up. "Mmm."

We sat by the fire, eating the dried meat and nuts we'd packed. The food was simple, but it filled the gnawing emptiness in my stomach. As the fire died down, the cold crept back in, beginning to seep through my clothes. Time to get under our blankets before it was too late.

I stood and walked to our makeshift shelter, ducking under the branches. Lana followed, and we rolled out our mats, then lay down on the pine needles, our bodies just inches apart.

I stared out at the dark sky, the branches above us swaying in the wind. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but one kept surfacing over and over. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to relax. Lana's breathing slowed, and I finally allowed myself to drift into the darkness.

I slept like a rock until a sound pulled me back to consciousness. It was faint but persistent. A shuffling, fabric against fabric. I opened my eyes, and my breath hitched. Lana was still next to me, her back turned.

I frowned, my brain still foggy from sleep. I reached out, my hand hovering just above her shoulder. She was shivering. The air was cold. Biting. But it didn't affect me the same way. I had more body mass, and whatever else made men heaters and women ice cubes.

I couldn't just lie there and do nothing. My wolf growled, and before I could second-guess myself, I closed the distance between us. I slid my arm under her head, pulling her against my chest.

Lana tensed, and I felt her breath hitch. "Destin, what are you doing?" Her voice was barely a whisper, sending a shiver down my spine.

I swallowed hard. "You're shivering."

"I can take care of myself."

Her ears were ice cold against my arm. "I'm cold," I lied, hoping she couldn't hear the thundering of my heart.

She was silent for a moment. Then she let out a soft breath. "Fine. If it helps you sleep."

I lay on my side, my arm wrapped over her hip, my body pressed against hers. I felt the contours of her form through the thin fabric of our clothes. Her scent was intoxicating. I inhaled deeply, my pulse quickening.

Lana adjusted, and her socked feet slid up between my calves. She sighed as my warmth spread through her, and I stifled a groan. I closed my eyes, trying to keep my hips back far enough that she wouldn't feel what was happening below the waistband of my pants.

I exhaled, and my lips brushed the shell of her ear. Her heartbeat quickened. Her emotions spiked. She wanted me. Even without my psi abilities, I could sense it in the way her body responded, in the way her breathing hitched every time I moved.

My wolf growled, urging me to press. But I couldn't. Not without her explicit consent. No matter how badly I wanted her, I wouldn't cross that line.

The tension in her muscles, the way she was holding herself back, drove me mad. I waited for her to do something, anything, but she only curled deeper into herself.

My wolf clawed at my insides. This was torture. Holding her like this, knowing I couldn't do anything about it. I wanted to run my hands over every inch of her body, to taste her skin, to hear her moan my name. Then, when I dropped her off at the site in the morning, I wouldn't have to think about her. To imagine her scent every damn day.

My annoyance grew with every breath she took. Every second that passed without her turning toward me. I was pissed that my wolf was in a frenzy for her. I was a rogue shifter. I lived in the wild and didn't answer to anyone. And here I was, lying next to a she-wolf with her feet between my legs. I was getting whipped before I'd even had a taste, and my wolf was all in on it.

Then I was pissed that she wouldn't put me out of my misery. It wasn't her fault, but it was late. My blood wasn't circulating properly in my head, and I had to blame someone.

I finally closed my eyes and accepted my fate. I was going to lay there with my balls in a vice grip.

At least Lana had stopped shivering.