He let her run, delighting in the way her scent wafted back to him as she pushed through the night air. She’d almost made it to the other side of the clearing before he finally bolted, grabbing her by the legs and bringing her down.
He regretted it the moment he heard her grunt as she hit the ground hard. If he hadn’t gotten so caught up in the chase, he would’ve thought ahead to keep from hurting her. He turned her legs loose to move up her body and she flipped over.
At least he hadn’t hurt her so much that she couldn’t move.
“Damn it, Callie. I hope I didn’t hurt you when I had tackled you. Are you hurt?”
Damn but she smells good.
He couldn’t pinpoint the exact aroma. It was a mixture of intoxicating fragrances that tantalized his nostrils. He drew in a long, slow breath, determined to commit her scent to his memory for life.
Her skin glowed under the light of the moon and her chest rose and fell with her uneven, quick breaths. She was even more beautiful than earlier with the rose of excitement coloring her cheeks. Her dark hair spread out around her head, framing her face like a piece of newly discovered art.
He held his body next to hers and felt the press of her firm breasts against his chest. She was lean, athletic, but she still had the rounded body of a real woman. His cock rose to push against her crotch and the heat rising there met with the warmth flowing from between her legs.
Studying the curve of her neck, he let the image of his fangs sinking into the soft flesh rip through him. He’d take her, both her body and her heart, and claim her.
“Callie.” Her name was like a song on his lips.
Instead of growing steadier, her breathing quickened. He took another breath and brought in the definite odor of arousal. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. But now was not the time or place to quench either of their needs.
“I hate like hell to say it, but we’ve got to get back to my brothers. Shit!”
She brought the knife she’d whipped out from behind her to his throat. “Get off me.”
“What the hell are you doing? Why are you acting like this? We helped you.”
“And I appreciate it. But trying to make me stay with you?” She shook her head. “That’s so not happening. I don’t like getting ordered around and I’m no one’s captive.”
He grinned and hoped she’d find it charming. “We weren’t ordering you around and you’re no captive. Unless we have to make you one to keep you safe.”
She pushed on his shoulder and he edged away from her. He rose as she did and gestured toward the knife. “You don’t need that, you know.”
She held the weapon higher with the sharp blade still pointed at him. “Maybe not, but I’ll keep it just the same.”
His inner wolf howled in protest, pushing him to jump her and take the weapon away. He could do so before she’d realize what he was doing. He’d push her to her hands and knees, then fuck her from behind. Although he yearned to listen to his wolf, he forced his beast into submission.
“What do you want me to do, Callie? Do you want me to let you roam around the woods alone?”
“I was fine hiking by myself.”
“Uh-huh. Yeah, you did a fine job. Which is how you ended up in the bottom of a trap.”
She blinked. “What do you mean by calling it a trap? Is it yours? And what were you trying to catch in it? A poor, defenseless female hiker?”
“One, you’re not poor or defenseless. And two? It’s not mine or my brothers’.”
“What’s it for?”
He gestured toward the path where his brothers waited. “Blue and Pete are going to wonder what’s taking us so long.”
“Let them wonder. And answer my question.”
“There are these things. They kind of look like wolves, but they’re not.” He saw her eyes widen and he knew. “You saw one of them, didn’t you?”
She recovered, but he’d seen the truth on her face. “I’m not sure. I saw…something.”
“Yeah, you saw one, all right. It didn’t bite you, did it?”
“No. I was in the hole and it stayed on the outside. What was it? Tell me.”
“It doesn’t matter now. Just know that they’re dangerous. Especially to women.”
She was sexy even when she frowned. “Why especially to women?”
They didn’t have time to talk about it. Explaining about The Cursed and how they tried to capture human women to mate with would have to wait until she found out about other things first. He didn’t like the idea of being without his brothers in the woods either. The Cursed liked to attack at night, and if they got enough of them together, they’d even attack a werewolf. Lately, the attacks had occurred less often, but he wasn’t about to push their luck.