Twisted

Chapter Eleven

After hitting the pissed-off wolf, she did what any woman with a brain would do. She ran like hell.

Dodging downed pine trees and storm damage, she hurdled several snags, only falling twice. Jumping up and taking inventory, she ran harder. How dare he lie? He’d hunted her for months. Her people had killed his. Damn Terrent.

How could he lie to her? The thoughts whirled in her head so quickly, her ears rang.

He’d lied.

They’d mated.

Son of a bitch.

Hurt slid through her veins. Wait a minute. That wasn’t hurt. Fury roared through her veins.

She should’ve hit him harder. A lot harder.

He suddenly rose up before her, a powerful figure in a dangerous storm.

She skidded to a stop, her ankle catching on a tree branch.

Her yelp of surprise coincided with her rolling into a ball.

She hit him mid-center.

He folded over with a muffled “oof,” grabbing her in a bear hug. His shoulders smashed a blue spruce. The towering tree split in two, branches pelting the ground until the trunk sides hit hard.

Terrent held her at arm’s length. Bruises spread across his face, and his lower lip had fattened. “Jesus, woman. You’re a menace.”

Her hand clenched into a fist.

He shook his head. “Hit me again, and I promise you won’t sit for a week.”

She slid her dominant foot back in a fighting stance. How dare he threaten her? “You lied to me.” Yeah, she was mad.

Something hurt in her chest, too.

His strong jaw hardened. “I’m sorry, but I love you and didn’t want to lose you.”

“I know that, you stupid son of a bitch.” She’d stomp her foot, but in the mud, she’d probably fall on her ass.

He frowned, cocking his head. “You do?”

Did he think she was a moron? “I may be brain-damaged, but I know love when I see it.” The hurt hit her full force.

“You didn’t trust me enough to believe you. To still love you after knowing the truth.” Damn if that didn’t cut through her sharper than any knife.

He scrubbed both hands down his damaged face. Even so, relief relaxed his shoulders. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“You kept my memories from me. Stuff I should’ve known.” She wasn’t quite ready to let him off the hook.

“I know.”

“Is that why we fought? The day I was taken by the Kurjans?” The wind whipped her hair into her face, and she shoved the curls back.

He frowned. “No. We fought because you wanted to hunt werewolves with me, and I thought the idea was too dangerous.”

“So I knew? All about our people’s pasts?”

“Sure.” He sighed, eyes darkening. “Your reaction was similar the first time, and I didn’t want to take the risk of losing you this time. Plus, I thought you had enough to deal with from being kidnapped and working so hard to regain your memories. I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “I’m not damaged.” He had to believe she was complete. She couldn’t go through life feeling that he didn’t see her as strong enough to be his mate.

“You’re perfect.” His frown matched the storm raging around them.

Though, they were natural enemies. He should’ve come clean. Why hadn’t he? “Once you were trained, why didn’t you go after the Vaile pack?”

His expression went blank. “I sought information and discovered the names of the men responsible for attacking us. Most of the raiding party that had destroyed my pack was killed in the war. So many died in the first war.”

“Most of the raiding party?”

A shield fell over his eyes. “Except for three men.”

“And?”

“I hunted them.” His voice remained calm and devoid of emotion.

She breathed out while chills danced down her spine.

“You killed them.”

“Yes.”

Well, okay then. Couldn’t exactly blame him. But, had he been atoning for that revenge his whole life? Being alone just to make amends? Protecting the world from werewolves in an effort to make up for the killings? “So, you’ve done your time, Terrent. You don’t have to be alone any longer.”

He blinked.

She sighed. Getting through to him would take time.

“What about my people who still live? I mean, are they all jerks like Felix?”

“I don’t think so.” Terrent glanced around the quiet forest before focusing back on her. “What little research I’ve done show they’re decent people now who are, I mean were, led by a jackass. Though . . . they’re still assassins.”

She didn’t feel like a killer. “So, what now?”

“Well, now we need to find you somewhere to live.” Terrent wiped blood and rain from his cheek.

“So you can go hunt werewolves.” Her shoulders slumped.

“Yes. We fought about this before. I’m not fighting about it again.”

Awareness opened her eyes. Finally. “No, Terrent.” She shook her head. “We argued because you have to make a choice to not be alone any longer.” Yeah, the words felt right.

“Your whole life, you’ve been alone. Even when you hunt, I bet.”

A flush covered his high cheekbones.

She nodded. “You have your friends in a compartment.

Your enemies. Your allies. Now, you want to put your mate in one, too.” The poor guy had no clue what taking a risk meant.

“You want me, there’s no putting me in a compartment. Somewhere safe while you go off and work.”

He studied her with the alertness of a hunter. One in thoughtful contemplation. Not hungry right now, but with the threat that he could take a bite at any moment. “Really.”

“Yes.” She tilted her chin. “If we’re going to be together, I want all of you.”

His lids dropped to half-mast. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Sure, I do.” Her lungs heated. “No more scurrying me to safety . . . no more putting me in a compartment or lying to me for my own good. I want it all.”

“Or what?” he asked softly.

“Or hit the road, jackass.” She ignored the chills sweeping down her spine. What the hell was she doing? The man had just killed two powerful wolves. In fact, the wildness danced all over his skin as a warning. A warning a smart woman would certainly heed. “Well?”

His eyes morphed to wolf mode.

Oh crap.

He nodded. “Okay.” The biceps bunched in his arms.

“You want all of me?”

She gulped. “Yes.”

“All right, little wolf. I suggest you run.”

She tripped before she made it three yards. Even worse, he didn’t jump on her, he just waited patiently for her to shove to her feet and run. Branches scraped her arms, while pine needles tangled in her hair. Breathing out, she soared over a log. Her heart beat wildly, and a thrill coursed through her veins. The wildness of the wolf inside her sprang to life.

Yeah, he’d lied to her, and she wasn’t going to let him off the hook for a while. But he loved her, and he was a good man. One she loved right back.

Her body on high alert, her heart full, she dodged between two trees and onto a narrow trail. A very narrow trail Terrent wouldn’t be able to take. The laugh rumbling from her chest held as much triumph as excitement. Oh, he’d catch her. But it wouldn’t be easy.

For the first time since being rescued without any memories, she felt strong. Even if she never remembered, she had skills . . . ones she could develop. The war with the demons was killing her people, killing the vampires, and now, finally, she could help. Well, as soon as she relearned physics. For now, she had a mate to love, one who needed to see her as strong enough to be with him. One who needed to learn trust. Finally.

Her mind was so full of light, so full of hope . . . that she missed the end of the trail.

Suddenly, she was teetering on a bank.

Grabbing her by the scruff of the neck, Terrent stopped her from falling in the river by throwing them both onto the trail. The rain had finally stopped, but big drops still cascaded down from high above.

He lay on his back, eyes closed, breath panting out.

She followed suit and swallowed. “Sorry about that.”

He chuckled. “I’m almost looking forward to chasing down raging beasts next week. Werewolves are a vacation from the danger you create.”

Funny. Very funny. “Anybody could’ve almost fallen in the river.”

His chuckle turned to full-out, masculine laughter. She frowned and then joined in.

The ground shifted, and he rolled on top of her. Balancing himself on his elbows, he brushed away the curls plastered against her face. His grin flashed sharp canines. His thick hair curled around his ears, while the bruises on his strong face only enhanced the wildness always living there. “I’m going to buy the vampires accident insurance before I take you to Realm headquarters.”

A warmth wandered through her abdomen. The man defined sexy. “I’m not going to headquarters.”

He frowned. “You want to stay here? That’s not a good idea—not until a new Alpha is named and things cool off.”

“No.” She arched against him, enjoying the hot tingles that swept her nerves. “I’m going with you. To fight.”

“No.”

She grinned. “You can’t tell me ‘no.’ ”

His gaze hardened enough to speed up her heart rate. “I just did.”

She stilled, her smile faltering. “You’re not kidding.”

“No.” Heat cascaded off the wolf. “You will not fight, and you will stay safe.”

Pine needles scattered as she shook her head. Plops of water falling off leaves dropped all around them. “That’s not how this works. I’m going to do my part.”

His eyes darkened, and he pressed his groin against hers.

Fire licked from her clit to her breasts. She shivered.

“I’m not a vampire or feline shifter, little wolf,” he said softly.

“No kidding, Terrent. I’ve seen you shift.” Irritation mixed with a rapidly growing desire in her blood. Actual steam rose from the wolf ’s wet clothing. How hot was that?

“I know. We’re wolves, we mated, and you’ll damn well do what I tell you to do.”

She grinned. She couldn’t help it. “You are so outdated.”

The poor guy hadn’t a clue—always on the outside of matings looking in. “That’s not how matings work.”

“It’s how ours works.” The Alpha inside him, the wolf he’d honed to a finely trained killer, flashed hot and bright.

“We live in war. As my mate, you will obey me.”

He had not fucking used the o word. It hadn’t happened.

The man must have a death wish. “Or what?” she murmured, allowing challenge to scream across her face. No way would she obey anybody. Ever.

His fangs dropped. “There is no ‘ or what.’ ” He tugged her shirt away from her neck and scraped those sharp points on her marking.

An electrical current zapped through her body, bowing her back. “I’m perfectly—able—to fight—werewolves.” Though she wasn’t able to keep her breath, with his heated mouth wandering between her breasts, taking time to lick and nip along the way.

“You can’t even walk on a trail without almost falling in a river,” he murmured, sucking on a nipple.

How rude to bring that up. She tangled her fingers in his hair and jerked up.

The displeased growl from his chest matched the expression on his face. “Let go.”

“No. We need to get this settled now.” Before she ripped off his clothes and forgot all about her position. Her very strong, modern position.

“Get what settled?” he asked, an eyebrow rising.

Goodness, he was serious. The man had no clue. Maybe he’d hit his head when he’d thrown them on the trail. “About my going with you and working on my new abilities.”

“We did settle that.” His gaze searched hers. “Did you hit your head when we landed?”

“No.” She breathed out, fighting for patience, tightening her hold.

“Maggie, I don’t travel in style. If there’s an outbreak, we hurry to the locale, sleeping in the forest, wherever. Once we find the werewolf, we hunt, fight, and kill. The fun starts all over the next day.” He tugged his head away, and her hands dropped. “There’s no room service, few plane rides, and no luxuries. Sometimes we don’t even shower for weeks.”

Well, now the whole situation sounded horrible. Truly horrible. She wrinkled her nose, not willing to back down.

“So?”

He dropped his forehead to hers. “It’s all right to want showers. To want warmth and safety and peace.” He pressed a kiss against her lips. “You’ll find your place, little one . . .

and I’m sure you’ll help our allies. You need to be who you want, and not who you think you should be.”

Logic. The damn man was using logic and kindness to get what he wanted. “You don’t want me with you.”

“Not true.” Leaning back, he spread her shirt apart. “I love having you with me. But I do need to concentrate absolutely when fighting werewolves. I can’t fight and protect you.”

So he wanted to dump her at Realm headquarters. Even if the war ended, he was a werewolf hunter. There would always be werewolves. “I’m not as strong as you think.”

He grinned, sliding his thumbs over her clavicle to her breasts. “You’re stronger than even you imagine.” Then he pinched.

She gasped.

He pinched harder. “Let me show you.”