free herself. The beast with glowing eyes...
But this was Kyle, not the faceless threat from her shadowy past. Although he was strong and dominating, he never hurt. Women in town whispered Kyle rode his women like he rode horses, always in control, letting them know who their master was. And the women loved it.
“Save a horse, ride a wolf,” she muttered.
Kyle turned, giving her a sharp look. “What?”
“Nothing. Just talking about riding. You know, horses ...”
Damnit, she always babbled when nervous. But he put a finger to his lips and scanned the area.
Arianna shut her mouth. He’d heard something. So she focused and blocked out her emotions. And then she heard it as well, a sound amid the scrape of wind against the trees.
It came from the woods above them. Excitement and dread coiled in her stomach. “That’s a child.”
Kyle’s expression hardened as he nodded. Her blood ran cold as memories surged. An icy blow upon her cheek, the sharp pain making her cry out.
The memory made her head hurt, and she reluctantly let it go. But she would not let go of her determination to find the young.
Kyle tensed, every muscle coiled and ready, his expression ruthless. If he looked at her that way, she’d run screaming down the mountain and never look back.
They’d traveled no farther than a quarter mile when she scented the young. She followed Kyle’s lead, hid her pack and shifted simultaneously with him. Arianna followed the enormous gray timber wolf through forest.
Wind ruffled her fur, swirled dead leaves and brush at her paws. A weatherworn log cabin came into sight through the thick brush and pine trees. The log walls looked musty and old, with one grimy window peering out like a cataract. The door looked warped, but strong enough. A hunting cabin, probably, abandoned by the Skins who built it as shelter.
She hung back as Kyle loped close to the cabin, his nose pressed to the ground. After he circled the perimeter, he returned, nudged her hindquarters in a clear order to follow him. As they hid behind some brush, he shifted back.
Arianna shifted into Skin form as well. Don’t screw this up. These young need you, not your fear.
Kyle’s gaze narrowed. “I scent Skin, but nothing fresh. Whoever’s in there is Lupine.”
“Then let’s go.”
Fingers laced around her wrist. “No. You remain here.”
Not so fast, hunter. “Let me handle this. You’ll come on too strong and scare them.”
Something dangerous glinted in his gaze, then his eyes flashed amber. Arianna steeled herself, knowing he was still cranked up from their earlier encounter, now furious at those who dared to hurt innocents. “I know what they’re going through. I know what to say to them. They need soothing.”
Clenching his fists, Kyle closed his eyes, seeming to wrestle the beast back into its cage. When he opened his eyes again, they were normal. “Go on. But I’m right behind you.”
Relief filled her. Kyle’s beast had been restrained for now. When they were alone later, who knew?
After slipping a small flashlight into her jeans pocket, she crept to the cabin and turned the rusty doorknob. Locked.
Using brute werewolf strength, she broke the lock, then headed into the darkness. Silence greeted her. She sniffed the air. The pungent scent of unwashed bodies, dirt, urine and fecal matter assaulted her nostrils.
Someone was here, and she could scent him, but not see the young. Arianna took a cautious step toward the bed and her boot jammed against something soft and yielding, Kyle muttered a low curse.
Arianna focused all her wolf senses. Everything became clearer. Then she almost wished it had not. Horror snaked down her spine. A small figure curled by a rumpled, filthy bed. Hunched on the dirt floor, the creature looked like a small animal.
It was a dirty, very thin little girl about four years old with big, sad eyes. Daisy, the youngest. Her ash-brown hair was matted and dirty. Arianna aimed the pencil-thin beam
But this was Kyle, not the faceless threat from her shadowy past. Although he was strong and dominating, he never hurt. Women in town whispered Kyle rode his women like he rode horses, always in control, letting them know who their master was. And the women loved it.
“Save a horse, ride a wolf,” she muttered.
Kyle turned, giving her a sharp look. “What?”
“Nothing. Just talking about riding. You know, horses ...”
Damnit, she always babbled when nervous. But he put a finger to his lips and scanned the area.
Arianna shut her mouth. He’d heard something. So she focused and blocked out her emotions. And then she heard it as well, a sound amid the scrape of wind against the trees.
It came from the woods above them. Excitement and dread coiled in her stomach. “That’s a child.”
Kyle’s expression hardened as he nodded. Her blood ran cold as memories surged. An icy blow upon her cheek, the sharp pain making her cry out.
The memory made her head hurt, and she reluctantly let it go. But she would not let go of her determination to find the young.
Kyle tensed, every muscle coiled and ready, his expression ruthless. If he looked at her that way, she’d run screaming down the mountain and never look back.
They’d traveled no farther than a quarter mile when she scented the young. She followed Kyle’s lead, hid her pack and shifted simultaneously with him. Arianna followed the enormous gray timber wolf through forest.
Wind ruffled her fur, swirled dead leaves and brush at her paws. A weatherworn log cabin came into sight through the thick brush and pine trees. The log walls looked musty and old, with one grimy window peering out like a cataract. The door looked warped, but strong enough. A hunting cabin, probably, abandoned by the Skins who built it as shelter.
She hung back as Kyle loped close to the cabin, his nose pressed to the ground. After he circled the perimeter, he returned, nudged her hindquarters in a clear order to follow him. As they hid behind some brush, he shifted back.
Arianna shifted into Skin form as well. Don’t screw this up. These young need you, not your fear.
Kyle’s gaze narrowed. “I scent Skin, but nothing fresh. Whoever’s in there is Lupine.”
“Then let’s go.”
Fingers laced around her wrist. “No. You remain here.”
Not so fast, hunter. “Let me handle this. You’ll come on too strong and scare them.”
Something dangerous glinted in his gaze, then his eyes flashed amber. Arianna steeled herself, knowing he was still cranked up from their earlier encounter, now furious at those who dared to hurt innocents. “I know what they’re going through. I know what to say to them. They need soothing.”
Clenching his fists, Kyle closed his eyes, seeming to wrestle the beast back into its cage. When he opened his eyes again, they were normal. “Go on. But I’m right behind you.”
Relief filled her. Kyle’s beast had been restrained for now. When they were alone later, who knew?
After slipping a small flashlight into her jeans pocket, she crept to the cabin and turned the rusty doorknob. Locked.
Using brute werewolf strength, she broke the lock, then headed into the darkness. Silence greeted her. She sniffed the air. The pungent scent of unwashed bodies, dirt, urine and fecal matter assaulted her nostrils.
Someone was here, and she could scent him, but not see the young. Arianna took a cautious step toward the bed and her boot jammed against something soft and yielding, Kyle muttered a low curse.
Arianna focused all her wolf senses. Everything became clearer. Then she almost wished it had not. Horror snaked down her spine. A small figure curled by a rumpled, filthy bed. Hunched on the dirt floor, the creature looked like a small animal.
It was a dirty, very thin little girl about four years old with big, sad eyes. Daisy, the youngest. Her ash-brown hair was matted and dirty. Arianna aimed the pencil-thin beam
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