Alexandra's Legacy

Chapter Eighteen

Joshua grabbed Alex just as her knees crumpled. Her face was completely white as she stared up at him in growing horror.

“I didn’t know.” She twisted her head so she could see the wound better. “I thought a piece of one of the trees had splintered or I’d bruised it on a rock or something.” Her voice got fainter with every word.

He eased them both to the ground and examined her arm. “It seems to have just grazed you,” he told her gruffly. “You were lucky.” He didn’t want to think about how close he’d come to losing her just when he’d found her. If the hunter responsible weren’t already dead, he’d find him and kill him.

“Yeah. I feel really lucky these days.” He ignored her sarcasm as he grabbed the wet rag, dipped it into the cool water and began to clean the six-inch furrow that stretched from just above her elbow to just below her shoulder. She flinched and he could hear her breath hiss out from between her clenched teeth, but she didn’t cry out.

Easing himself into a seated position behind her, he wet the cloth again and resumed cleaning. There was dried blood and bits of cloth from the lining of the jacket embedded in the wound. “Lean against me.” He pressed against her stomach with his free hand, loving the way the soft skin felt as he slid his palm over it.

She seemed to hesitate, keeping her body erect, but finally she slumped against him. He concentrated on cleaning the dirt and blood from her arm, but he was very aware of the warm weight of her pressed against him.

Her head was tucked beneath his chin and he could still smell the slight scent of the soap she’d used in the shower this morning. He moved his head back and forth, brushing the top of her head with his chin.

She was still wearing a bra, but the thin pink cotton didn’t leave much to the imagination. Besides which, the firm, silky texture of her breasts was burned into his brain. He knew exactly what they looked like. Felt like. And how they tasted.

His body stirred and his cock lengthened and thickened in response to her presence. She definitely brought out the elemental side of his nature. He shifted so that he was closer, his erection pressing against the small of her back. He swallowed a groan of pure pleasure as he touched his hard flesh against her softer skin.

“Joshua?” Her voice was shaky and he could feel her trembling. He was an idiot. Here she was injured and he was busy copping a feel.

He inspected her arm and, satisfied he’d cleaned it as best he could, he tossed the cloth to one side. “I don’t think we should cover your wound. It’s probably better to let the air get to it.”

She tilted her head back to look at him. “Okay.” He could tell he was confusing her. Hell, he was confusing himself.

“Do you want to get a quick bath before we go back to the cave?” He stood, leaned down and lifted her easily.

A light rosy flush covered her cheeks as she glanced at him and then away. “Yes.”

He settled her on a rock and went down on one knee in front of her and unlaced her boots.

“I can get that,” she protested.

He pushed her hand away. “You need to take it easy.” He slipped one boot off and swore when he saw the blood on her sock. “Why didn’t you tell me your feet were hurting?”

“We couldn’t stop.” She shrugged as if it were no big deal. Technically, he knew it was just some blisters that would heal, but it still hit him like a punch in the gut. He removed her other boot and sock very carefully, lifting and examining her other abused foot.

He sat back on his haunches and stared at her. A bluish-purple bruise covered part of her face, a blatant reminder of the truck accident earlier in the day. She also had a long bruise across her chest and he knew it was from where her seatbelt had kept her from going through the windshield when the truck had rolled. Circles could be seen beneath her tired gray eyes, making them appear almost sunken in her face. Her lips were pursed and he could tell she was in pain.

Her arm had a six-inch gash from where a bullet had grazed her and her hands were covered in dirt and blood from her forced trek through the woods. Her feet were bloody and raw in places and he knew she wouldn’t have an easy time walking tomorrow, but he had no doubt she’d march along beside him without a word of complaint. He almost didn’t want to remove her jeans, afraid to find more bruises.

Joshua scrubbed his hand over his face. All he wanted to do was to take care of her and get her to safety. Instead, she had been battered and bruised and was running for her life. Some protector he was. Disgusted with himself, he got to his feet. “Can you stand?”

“Of course.”

“Of course,” he muttered.

“Look,” she snapped, her hands on her hips. “I don’t know what’s sticking in your paw buddy, but don’t take it out on me. All I want is a bath and some sleep. No one is forcing you to stay.”

He stood there amazed and amused by her feistiness. Only a few moments before she’d looked like she would collapse any moment and now she was giving him hell.

“I’m definitely staying.” Reaching out, he unbuttoned her jeans and tugged down the zipper while she batted ineffectually at his hands. “And I’m certainly helping.” He whisked her jeans down around her ankles and had her step out one foot at a time.

“I can do it by myself,” she muttered, taking a step back when he reached for the clasp of her bra.

“Surely you can’t be shy.” But he realized that she was. “Not after this morning.”

Her scowl deepened as her cheeks got redder. “It might be no big deal for you to run around naked, but it’s not something I’m used to, okay.”

Shaking his head, he scooped her up into his arms and waded out into the stream, aiming for a rock right in the center of the slow-running water. He settled her on the rock so that only her legs from the knees down were actually in the stream, and waded back to the shore for the makeshift washcloth. The water barely touched his thighs, but it was cool and wet and that was good enough for him.

He tossed her the cloth as he lay down in the stream, submerging himself totally. He heard her protest and knew he was going to catch hell for getting his bandaged shoulder wet. She didn’t understand it wasn’t that big a deal to him. He’d been hurt worse so many times before that today’s injuries barely qualified as scratches.

Raising his head out of the water, he barely had time to snag the wet rag out of the air before it struck him.

“Now I’ll have to bandage your shoulder again.”

Shaking out the cloth, he rubbed it over his neck and chest, working his way lower. Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she watched his every move. Her scantily clad breasts shifted up and down with every breath. Her nipples were visible beneath the thin fabric. She shifted, parting her legs slightly.

He swallowed a groan.

He continued to wash his body, paying particular attention to his groin and thighs. She licked her lips as he stroked the cloth over his erection. The sac between his legs was heavy even as it pulled closer to his body. Damn, but he wanted her.

Knowing he was playing with fire, he took the two steps necessary to bring him to her side. “Your turn.” He handed her the cloth, took a step away and waited.

Alex could barely breathe. Her lungs didn’t seem to want to function properly at all. Joshua was like something out of the perfect female fantasy as he washed himself, totally unabashed by his nudity and his obvious arousal. Sculpted muscles rippled and flexed with every movement he made, showcasing his sleek, hard body. He was the quintessential male predator preening for the female of his choice.

She had no doubt Joshua could have any woman he chose. There was an animal magnetism, a latent sensuality, about him that would draw any woman’s attention. Just watching him wash himself had liquid arousal flowing between her thighs. She knew that should probably embarrass her, but she was too turned on to care. Her nipples were hard buds, completely outlined against the tight cotton fabric of her bra.

She knew they still weren’t safe, couldn’t linger here any longer than necessary, but she couldn’t summon the energy to move. After all the death of today, a part of her simply wanted to experience the sensation of being alive.

Laying the cloth down beside her, she reached for the clasp of her bra, but Joshua stopped her. “I think it might be better for you to leave that on.”

She stared almost unbelieving at him, but he was deadly serious. “All right.” She dropped her hands away from her bra and picked up the cloth. As best as she could, she washed her hands, arms, torso and legs, at all times aware of Joshua’s eyes on her, watching every single stroke of the cloth as she moved it over her skin. She might still be wearing her bra and panties, but his hot gaze made her feel as if she were totally naked.

It felt like heaven to have the cool water rushing around her feet as she kept them submerged in the water. As the dust and dirt and sweat began to vanish beneath her scrubbing, she felt almost human again.

She grimaced at the thought. She wasn’t really human was she? Being part werewolf definitely made her something more than human. Alex shoved that thought to the back of her mind. She’d deal with it later. When they were finally safe in Wolf Creek.

Dipping the cloth into the water, she then twisted it until almost all the water was gone and then held it out to Joshua. “Can you do my back?”

His expression was totally unreadable as he took the thin strip of fabric and stepped behind her. There was no hiding the fact he was still turned on. His cock was at full attention as he’d watched her rubbing the cloth over her body. Intense heat rolled off him as he shifted closer to her.

She leaned forward to give him better access and groaned when his large hands covered her shoulders, kneading the tense, stiff muscles. “That feels good,” she moaned when his thumbs found a particularly sore muscle. He used just enough pressure to work the kinks out the stiffness, but not enough to hurt her. The man had magic hands.

He continued down her back, sweeping his hands down her spine, easing aches she didn’t even know she had. She slumped further forward until her head was almost touching her knees. With her eyes closed, she relaxed, allowing his caressing fingers to lull her.

She muttered a protest when he finally stopped, and shivered when she felt the damp coolness of the cloth being dragged over her back. The sun was sinking behind the mountains and the temperature was dropping rapidly. Goose bumps broke out on her arms and legs and she wrapped her arms around herself, flinching when she accidentally hit her bad arm.

Joshua quickly finished washing her back and handed her the cloth. Without a word, he scooped her up into his arms and waded back to the shoreline, setting her on her feet long enough to gather their clothing. He handed her the bundle and then picked her up again, carrying her through the woods and back to the cave. Alex was much too tired to protest, and Joshua didn’t seem to even notice his injuries. At this point she didn’t mind the ride at all.

Closing her eyes, she rested her head against his chest, conscious of the deep, steady beat of his heart. She must have dozed because one second she was being carried through the woods and the next her feet were being lowered to the floor. She swayed, but he kept his arm around her until she was steady.

“You need to put your jeans on,” he murmured. “And your socks.” She made a small sound of protest and he smoothed his hand over her hair and down her back. “I know they’re grungy, but it’s going to get cold tonight.”

Knowing he was right didn’t make it any easier. She stepped away and set the bundle of clothing on the ground, fishing through it until she found her jeans and blood-stained socks. The light was almost negligible inside their hideaway now and she hurried before she lost what little there was.

Once she had her jeans on she sat on the hard dirt floor and carefully eased her socks over her sore feet. The cold water of the stream had helped soothe them somewhat, but Alex knew tomorrow would be no picnic. She shrugged. She’d deal with that when she had to. There was no point worrying about it now.

She opened her mouth to speak, but yawned instead. It wasn’t a lady-like yawn either, but a large, jaw-cracking one. Joshua lowered himself to the hard ground beside her, clad in his jeans and socks as well.

“What about your shoulder?”

“Don’t worry about it. The bleeding has stopped and a damp bandage won’t hurt it.” Gathering her into his arms, he lay back on the hard-packed ground using what was left of his T-shirt to cushion his head. Plucking the leather jacket off the ground, he draped it over her torso, making sure her shoulders were covered.

Alex relaxed immediately as the heat from his body began to seep into her chilled skin. She could feel his erection pressing into her stomach and lifted her head slightly so she could look at him. It was hard to see him in the dark, but she could just make out the outline of his face and the gleam of his dark eyes. “Why?”

There was no need for her to clarify further. He knew what she meant. His large hand pressed against her bottom, holding her close to him. “Don’t ever think I don’t want you.” She could hear the strain in his voice as his low, rasping tones made all the hair on her body stand on end. “But I won’t take you. Not yet.”

“Why not?”

His hand slid over the curves of her behind making her gasp with pleasure. “Because once I come inside you, mate with you, I’ll mark you with my scent. When we get to Wolf Creek, everyone would know that you were mine.”

She blinked hard, wishing she could see him better. “You’re serious. They’d be able to smell your scent on me?” That didn’t seem fair to her at all.

He nodded. She felt the slight movement of his head rather than saw it. “Very serious. It’s a way of letting all the single males know that a female has been claimed. Once we are mated, they know if they approach you they will have to deal with me.”

She drummed her fingers against his chest. “That seems to favor the males and not the females. I mean, you can have sex with whoever you want, but a female has sex with a male werewolf once and she’s marked for life.”

He trapped her hand with his, flattening her palm over his heart. “It is nature’s way of ensuring the survival of the race. Besides, if a female’s mate dies, she is free to sleep with whomever she wants and even mate again if she chooses.”

“Great.” Exasperation tinged her voice. “I should have experimented when I had the chance.”

The low, menacing growl startled her. She found herself flat on her back before she knew what was happening. Joshua loomed over her large and fierce as he clasped her face in his hands. “You are mine.”

Why she was teasing the already enraged beast, she didn’t quite know. But something inside her made her taunt him back. “I thought I had a choice.”

“You have made your choice.” He became very still above her. She could feel the tension rolling off him, filling the cave until it sucked almost all the air out of the confined space. “Or have you changed your mind?” His fingers tightened almost imperceptibly on her face. “Do you think that I cannot protect you?”

She was horrified at his misinterpretation of her words. “No, you big idiot. Of course I trust you to protect me.” Honestly, who could understand the workings of the male mind? “And, God only knows why not, but I haven’t changed my mind.”

He gave a bark of laughter and she could feel the tension slowly seeping from him. “You are the only person who dares to speak to me with such disrespect.”

“It’s not disrespect,” she protested. “But Joshua, sometimes you take way too much on yourself. You’re only human. Well, werewolf, anyway.” Her attempt at humor didn’t even make him crack a grin. She sighed. “You’re not all-knowing, all-seeing.” Reaching her hand upward until she found his jaw, she lovingly traced the hard line. “You were willing to die for me. What woman could ask for more?” Just thinking about his actions today made her insides melt. He hadn’t put into words what he felt about her, except in sexual terms, but she felt his actions spoke for him.

He lowered his head until their foreheads were touching. She could sense his hesitation and held her breath, hoping he’d tell her how much he’d come to care for her. Instead, he sighed and kissed the tip of her nose. “What am I going to do with you?”

She could think of quite a few things personally. “If you’ve got to ask,” she teased. Alex had a feeling nobody teased Joshua or made him laugh. He needed more of that in his life.

He shook his head, leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. He hadn’t laughed, but she could tell he was smiling. That small sign made her extremely pleased with herself. Joshua definitely wouldn’t be an easy man to live with, but he was the one she wanted. She knew no other man would make her feel the way he did.

She opened her mouth to try to coax his tongue inside, but he pulled away. Rolling quickly, he returned to their original position so that she was draped across his body again. “Enough of that.” He coaxed her head down to his chest and she was tired enough to let him. “When I mate with you and claim you as mine, it will not be in some dark cave in the dirt.”

The possessiveness in his voice made her shiver. She knew he would be a demanding lover. Her core dampened and softened, the inner muscles rippling as she arched her hips against the bulge in his jeans. He opened his legs and trapped hers between them, holding them still, but keeping her locked close to him.

“Sleep,” he muttered gruffly. She smiled as she felt the leather jacket being tucked gently around her shoulders again. He sifted his hand through her hair, relaxing her further. She yawned again and nestled her cheek against his soft chest hair.

Lying in the dirt, bruised and battered and sore, she’d never felt more content. With the beat of Joshua’s heart against her ear, she drifted off to sleep.