Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 113406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“Never again,” she agreed. As he breezed his finger over the claiming mark on his neck, mouth curving, she chuckled. “You want to go look at it, don’t you?”
“I will as soon as I can feel my legs.” He tugged her closer so that he could kiss, lick, and sip from her mouth. “I’ll be even happier when our scents mix.” There were certain steps that needed to be taken before a mating bond could fully form. He wondered what it would take to advance theirs, and he suspected that maybe Madisyn’s doubts weren’t all completely soothed. If that was so, she didn’t appear to be conscious of it. “How’s your cat?”
“Content. Your wolf?”
“At peace.” Catching her face between his hands, he kissed her again, thanking her for that. “Still up for a run?”
Her mouth curled. “Yeah, why not? But we’d better do it outside. My cat has a lot of fur, and we both know you’ll have a hernia if it ends up all over the bed.”
He frowned, trying to look offended. “I’m not that bad.”
“Sure you’re not,” she said, voice dry as a bone.
Hand in hand, they walked through the lodge and out onto the back porch. “Don’t shift straightaway,” said Bracken. “My wolf wants some attention from you.”
She saluted him. “It’ll be nice to see your wolf again.” He’d shifted in front of her a few times before, giving his wolf some time with her. He was an impressively built beast. Bones snapped and popped, and then a large gray wolf stood in Bracken’s place.
She squatted as the wolf padded over to her. “Hey, handsome.” She stroked him as he licked at her jaw and pushed into her personal space, just as he always did. “You be careful with my cat. She’s special.” And then Madisyn shifted.
The wolf sniffed at the cat as he circled her, rubbing his body along hers, scent-marking her. The cat batted at him, claws sheathed, and then fled. The wolf gave chase.
They ran for hours, jumping over crumbling logs, ducking low-hanging branches, and skirting mossy rocks. When they weren’t wrestling each other to the ground, they were playfully chasing rabbits and squirrels. Several times, the wolf had to stop the cat from trying to squeeze into burrows in the ground to follow their prey.
The sky was dark when they returned to the lodge, tired and sleepy. The cat lazed on the porch, and the wolf curled himself protectively around her. Instinctively bristling at the protective move, she gave a low snarl. He licked at her fur, soothing her until she settled. Then they both drifted to sleep.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Mug of coffee in hand, Bracken stepped onto the back porch the next morning and glanced around. There was still no sign of his mate.
He’d woken alone, but her cat’s scent had been fresh enough for him to be sure that she hadn’t been gone long. His wolf had wanted to hunt her down, but Bracken had urged the beast to give the cat her space. If they made her feel smothered, she’d be less inclined to relax here. Plus, it was a good sign that she’d risen with the drive to explore the surrounding land.
Bracken had expected her to be back by the time he’d finished his coffee and bagel. She hadn’t. And despite not needing to worry, despite feeling through the mating bond that she wasn’t afraid or in pain, panic began to choke him nonetheless. He wondered if it would always be like that. If he’d always feel that knot of irrational fear in his stomach whenever he had no idea where she was. He hoped not, because it would drive her crazy over time.
He still had his episodes. Still woke sweating and totally disoriented, as if thrown from a nightmare. Still had that dull feeling in the pit of his stomach until he opened his eyes and saw her right there. True to her word, she hadn’t again gotten out of bed in the morning without waking him first. Not until this particular morning anyway. But then, they’d both been in their animal forms, so it hadn’t really been a problem. His wolf didn’t have that issue upon waking.
Bracken downed his second coffee of the morning, placed the mug on the porch swing, and followed his mate’s scent into the trees. He noticed that she’d left territorial marks on some of them. That made him smile. The cat had already claimed the land, even if she didn’t quite think of it as her home just yet.
Since contentment was pulsing down their bond, he expected to find her sleeping on a branch or relaxing on the rocks near the ravine. He didn’t. He found her in the hollow of an old log. Playing with a dead vole. One she’d probably killed herself.
Squatting in front of the log, Bracken tilted his head. “Morning,” he greeted lightly, feeling a rush of relief that he could see her with his own eyes . . . even if she didn’t look all that happy to be interrupted. In fact, the little cat gave him a look that dared him to try and snatch her prize. His mouth twitched into a smile. “I don’t want the vole,” he assured her. “I just want you.” He tapped the ground, coaxing softly, “Come on out here.”