Bound to the Pack (Bound to the Pack, #1) Page 5

  “What is this anyway?” I lifted the spit for another bite. “It’s delicious.”

  “Hmmm?” He looked up from his thoughts and watched me curiously from across the fire. “It’s rabbit, have you never had rabbit before now?”

  “I haven’t, no.”

  His grin came back as he shook his head, chuckled, and tossed some of the bones into the fire after stripping them of meat.

  “Hey, watch it. I may not have had rabbit before but who hasn’t been in a car?”

  His expression sobered and he nodded. “Valid point.” He smiled broadly. “There are many experiences we could share together.”

  I flushed with a heat that had nothing to do with the fire. How could he do this to me so easily?

  The rain had nearly stopped, stars peeking through the clouds, and a low howl echoed in the distance. Liam turned, looking off towards the sound. “We need to rest.” And, to himself so that I could barely hear, “I’ve a grueling day tomorrow.”

  “Do you think we’ll catch up to them?” My voice was low, hiding from the answer I was afraid of.

  “I have to.” He looked down into the embers of the fire, now burning low. “I will bury the coals so the fire doesn’t spread. Wet though the woods are, I will not take chances. If you have finished your rabbit, throw it into the fire.”

  Realizing I had just been holding the spit in my hands, I quickly ate the remainder, tossing the bones near his in the fitful flames. I was soon finished and he pushed a small pile of dirt into the shallow hole.

  Noticing my interest, he shook his head. “I hid the flames from those who may be ahead of me. I had not realized I also had to be concerned with anyone who may have been behind.” He cast a small grin at me before continuing. “The heat from the fire will be gone quickly. If you brought any more clothes, put them on.”

  “I have a blanket in my bag, I’ll be ok. What are you going to use? You didn’t bring anything that I know of.”

  He paused, shook his head again, and finished covering the last of the coals and our meal. The drop in temperature was immediate and I quickly opened the bag to pull out the large ball of cloth that was the blanket. Thinking it would be far too thin in the sudden chill, I stood and started to drape it over myself anyway.

  Liam had been clearing an area under a large pine tree while I had been wrapping up, and soon there was a dry place to lay on. It was amazing how much light a few stars could give this far away from civilization. The small clearing sharpened around me as my eyes adjusted from the light of a fire to the beautiful starlight.

  Walking over I eyed the cleared space dubiously. The pine needles were soft and springy under my feet, though they did have points, and it all seemed so... dirty. I itched to clean the area, but what could I possibly do? Wash the dirt? There was nothing for me to do except lay down and deal with it.

  Getting comfortable was surprisingly easy, the bed of pine needles was far softer than I had thought it could be. Unfortunately, it only took a few moments for me to become a shivering ball under the blanket, the ground greedily taking my warmth.

  Heavy footsteps announced Liam, though I was too cold to move and see what he was doing. The steps stopped close and he placed my backpack near me and then, before I could process it, he was laying against me. The blanket had been pulled over to cover us both, his chest pressed against my back and his arm draped across me.

  The cold receded. My mind whirled.

  I could feel his heartbeat against my back and the wind of his breath was setting my neck on fire. My own breath was getting harder and harder to come by as my heart began racing, a new heat blossoming between my thighs.

  As if he could sense my mood, his arm moved back and suddenly his hand was caressing my side, lifting my jacket and shirt slightly with each pass until his hand found skin. His light touches sending jolts through my body, soft panting escaping me unbidden.

  He pressed harder against my back and I let out a gasp, instantly aware of the swelling in his pants against the back of my legs. God he was hard. And huge. I could feel the shape of his cock even through all our clothes.

  His breathing intensified and he was growling deep in his throat, chest rumbling. He definitely wanted this, even more than I did.

  My mind and body were two completely separate beings. My thoughts were racing while my body acted out on its own, reacting to Liam’s touches.

  Did I want this? Oh, definitely.

  I don’t really know him though, not a thing about him aside from his name. Did that matter? Yes, it mattered a lot. I had only met him three nights ago and had barely spent any time with him. This isn’t me.

  My body didn’t care.

  His hand closed over my breast and thought fled. When did his hand get so far under my shirt? I shivered from the heat of his grip, nipple hardening under the roughness of his palm as he squeezed. He was definitely growling now.

  “Liam. Wait. I don’t know you, I can’t just do this.” I managed to force the words out through a mouth that wasn’t cooperating, wanting nothing more than to use it on every inch of him instead.

  “Yes. You can.” His hands never paused or even slowed in their exploration of my body.

  His insistence was building my resolve. “No. Liam, stop.”

  “You want this.” It wasn’t a question.

  “Yes... but not like this.” Definitely like this, my body screamed at me. Shut up body.

  “I’ve had several mates.”

  Just like that the moment was over, as if it had never been. I pulled away, ripped his hand off me, and sat up. “What?!” My shrill voice pierced the night.

  “I’ve had several mates...” He was clearly confused.

  “What the hell Liam!”

  “I’m virile...”

  “What the hell is wrong with you? Are you stupid? You ass!” I pulled the blanket away from him and wrapped it around myself like armor.

  His face darkened with every word. “Humans make no sense. I was definitely not ready to leave the reservation.”

  “And what is that supposed to mean?”

  He stood up and stared at me, looking as if he were about to just take me. ‘Please yes!’ my body screamed.

  Shut up body!

  He turned and took a few steps away; frustration, confusion, and anger all painted on his face. “I will wake you before first light.”

  “Wait, where are you going?” Fear crept in, cooling some of my anger.

  “Hunting. I find myself with an excess of pent up energy.”

  The thought of being left by myself in the dark wilderness sent a chill down my spine. “You’re just going to leave me here?”

  “I was under the impression that is exactly what you wanted. To be left alone.” With that last statement hanging in the air between us, he strode off into the night.

  I found myself alone, angry, and confused. “And cold,” I sighed.

  Chapter Twelve

  Liam

  I tore through the forested hills as a wolf, the frustration of the night's events coursing through me. A constant low growl was in my throat and I couldn’t stop it if I tried, not that I wanted to.

  Humans make no sense.

  I need prey. Large prey. Scouring the hills I searched for something, anything, to catch my focus.

  There.

  The scent of a buck reached me and I tore off in its direction. There was no subtlety or caution in my movements, I wanted it to know I was coming. I needed to burn off energy, I wanted a chase.

  Crashing through the undergrowth I caught sight of the deer racing away, its tufted white tail up as an alert as if every living thing within earshot hadn’t already heard me. It was a younger buck, one I would usually let live a few more seasons, but it was old enough to be prey.

  It led a long, if futile chase, and I let out an uncaring howl as I stood over its body, its soul now free to rejoin nature. I gave a double prayer, one for the sacrifice, one for the waste. I had traveled too far from camp t
o bring back all the deer would give and the guilt of not using the whole animal pressed in on me, doing more to calm me than the rest of the hunt had.

  The infirm and scavengers will eat well here for a while, at least.

  Looking back in the direction of my distant camp and the confusing woman sleeping there, I felt my head clearing for the first time in what felt like hours. Humans could be infuriating.

  Infuriating, but intoxicating.

  Jen

  I woke with a start. When did I fall asleep? Where was I? Last night came crashing back on me as I looked around the clearing, the horizon to the east was lighting up with the promise of sunrise.

  At least I can tell which direction is East for all the good it does me. I am such an idiot.

  Liam was nowhere to be seen, though he had obviously been back at some point. Another small fire sat in the same shallow hole from last night, uncovered at some point and restarted. Several new skewers had been covered in chunks of some unknown meat and stood roasting by the fire, smelling even better than the rabbit from before.

  Pulling pine needles from my hair, clothes, and the blanket, I set about making everything as neat as possible. Which, since I had spent the night sleeping on the ground, was a complete waste of time. At least the blanket was folded properly.

  Putting it in the backpack, I grabbed one of the water bottles and walked over to sit on the same log Liam had made into a seat the night before.

  I sipped at the water and tried to sort through the events of the past few days. Staring into the flames as if they held the answers to my problems, my thoughts and emotions swirled around each other uselessly.

  How long I had just sat there I couldn’t tell. The sun had risen its own height above the horizon and I was absently twirling the empty bottle between my fingers. The meat seemed to be cooked on one side so I had turned the spits. They now looked to be done on this side, as well.

  Sighing, I stood and began to pace by the low fire. Where is he? He didn’t just leave me here, did he? I paused in my pacing.

  After last night I wouldn’t be surprised. What is wrong with me? I somehow felt that I needed to apologize to him, but I also felt I had done the right thing in saying no.

  As if he had been waiting to make a dramatic entrance, the man himself stepped into the small clearing. He was pulling his shirt over his head, my pulse quickening at the sight of his bare, well-muscled torso. What is with him and being shirtless?

  “Hey, Liam, listen... about last night. I’m sorry.”

  His voice was soft, making his words that much more intense, and he didn’t look at me as he spoke. “You need to return home.”

  “What? No! I’m staying with you.” A slight panic rose within me, I did not want to be alone on these hills another minute.

  “I must travel quickly, you will be unable to keep up.”

  I winced at the truth of his words but also realized I didn’t care. “I don’t know my way back or where you’re going, so either way is the same to me. I found you last night, I’ll find you again.”

  Yeah, right. Big talk Jen.

  “We are not yet far onto the reservation. We were fortunate none of the packs were in this area or there would have been uncomfortable questions. Go back to your car. If anyone finds you, just tell the truth. You are from the town nearby and came looking for a friend but got lost. You will be escorted back.”

  With a sudden clarity I realized he was saying all this to convince himself, not me, that my going home was for the best. “No. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

  He finally looked over at me with those words, his eyes finding mine and holding my gaze for a time while he was lost in thought. I didn’t even want to blink for fear of interrupting whatever he was working through.

  “Are you implying that you wish to be with me?” The emphasis made it clear that he didn’t just mean being with him on this ridiculous chase.

  “Yes.” The word escaped me before I could even think the question over.

  He nodded, but didn’t seem any less tense, his stare still mesmerizing me.

  “I still don’t know anything about you though, Liam. That has to change...” I stopped as he held up a hand.

  “If you wish to be with me and we are to continue on together into the reservation, there is information about it all that you will be expected to know. This is your final chance to leave all as it is and return to your life. If you choose to pursue this, understand that once told you will be watched closely. If this knowledge passes your lips you will be punished. Severely. You must answer truthfully, now, before all of nature.”

  The weight of his words settled around me, but had little effect. How could I have come this far without any answers and say no, now, on the verge of getting them? Besides, what did I have in my life now? A broken heart on the mend? A best friend, apparently full of secrets, who was on the run from... something? An almost obsessive need to clean? The decision was an easy one to make.

  “Tell me.”

  His posture relaxed some, though he was still clearly tense. “I’ve never had to explain this before. Please, allow me to gather my thoughts.”

  He walked past me, past the fire, and bent down to pick up an animal pelt that had been lying on the ground. How many times had I walked past that exact spot without noticing it?

  Crouching down by the fire, he began removing spit after spit, sliding the cooked meat off onto the fleshy side of the pelt. He shook his head from time to time, clearly arguing with himself.

  When all the spits were cleared he stood, pushing the dirt surrounding the pit onto the coals as he had with the previous fire. “It would likely be best if I just begin by showing you.”

  He started to take off his shirt.

  Why does he even bother wearing one? He’s in and out of it every time the wind changes. Tossing the shirt aside he unbuttoned his jeans and looked at me with eyes full of worry.

  “Oh. Oh God, Liam, I don’t need...”

  With a quick series of pops his jeans slipped off the hind quarters of the massive wolf I had just seen a few hours before. My scream was utterly silent.

  Hitting the ground as I fainted was only slightly louder.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Liam

  That could have gone better.

  Back in human form, I dressed quickly after checking on Jen, wondering again why I hadn’t simply left her here last night. Having to slow myself down to her pace would make catching up to Kristen nearly impossible, though I wasn’t about to give up. They could have already been caught by a passing patrol.

  Stupid, but I’ve made my decision. My eyes sought out her prone form. And she has made hers.

  She was beginning to stir, so I stepped back slightly to give her space as she regained consciousness. The last thing she needed right now was to come to with me looming right over her. She caught sight of me and, her eyes widening in fear, scrambled away.

  Holding up my hands defensively, I let her calm her breathing and absorb what she had just seen. I drew in her scent, smelling the rapid flickering of emotions that passed through her. Disbelief, anger, fear, curiosity, worry, and finally settling on confusion.

  “What... what was that? What are you? A werewolf?” Her worried grin said that it was a joke she didn’t believe.

  “Yes.”

  The grin slid from her face and she regarded me blankly. “But... the full moon isn’t for a few days. Right? This doesn’t make sense.” I could smell panic beginning to well up within her as she continued. “This can’t be real... can it!?”

  “The full moon is tomorrow night, it has no bearing on our ability to shift, though certain ceremonies require it. And I assure you, it is very real.” I lowered my hands slowly, now that the initial shock was over she was handling this far better than I could have hoped for. She was talking, not running.

  She looked up at me, thoughts racing through her mind, emotions roiling within her. “Wait... is Kris? What exactly are we
trying to stop?”

  Her use of ‘we’ eased more of my concern. She seemed to be starting to accept what she had just seen and was still thinking of us as a pair. “Kris is a ‘werewolf’ as well, yes, though the proper way to refer to us is ‘shifters.’ We are trying to stop her from bonding with Troy.”

  “Bonding? Troy is a were... one of you, too?”

  Anger flared within me, causing a flash of fear to come from her. I calmed myself with some difficulty. “No. He is from a tribe of cougars. He is stepping well above his station with his pursuit of Kristen. He was exiled from his own tribe, but I’ve been unable to discover why. Bonding is a similar rite to your marriages, only far, far stronger.” He shook his head. “Kris should know better than to do this.”

  “Were... cougar? There are different kinds of... you?”

  “Shifter. And obviously.” It was difficult to keep my voice level, being lumped together with the likes of Troy.

  Her eyes burned with anger. “It might be obvious to you, but I only just learned about all of this, what, five minutes ago!?”

  Realizing this would be a long conversation and a waste of time, I picked up the bundled venison and stepped towards her, extending my hand. She hesitated for a moment, thinking through everything that had happened over the night, then accepted my help in standing.

  Good, this may just work out after all.

  Turning, I set off towards the game trail I had caught Kris’s scent on earlier.

  Jen

  As I brushed myself off and began following Liam into the woods I realized that, somehow, I was no longer afraid. I was angry. A little at him and a little at myself but, surprisingly, the vast majority of it was directed towards Kristen.

  Was I so closed minded and blind that this was always right there under my nose and I just hadn’t been able to see it? Should I have seen it?

  We’d been friends, best friends, since junior high. Never, not once over all these years had Kris even mentioned this. How could she have kept this a secret from me for so long?