Lucas wanted to come with her. She shook her head resolutely and pushed past him. When he followed her, she whirled on him with anger in her eyes.
"Am I your mate, or your slave?" She said. Lucas only looked at her, confused and perhaps a little hurt. For a moment, it felt good to hurt him. He had brought her into this mess. "I was fine before you came along," she said, "and I will be fine alone in the forest for one day."
He bowed his head and let her pass. Adrianna suspected he would follow at a distance anyway.
She was wary, but nothing challenged her in the forest. She saw a monstrous snake, but it didn't seem to notice her and she was able to walk the other way.
After an hour or two of searching, she found a couple of likely branches and carried them back to the camp. Her ire had dissipated by then, having had space to think things over.
Lucas was there acting as though he hadn't been trailing her, but he had a dried leaf stuck in his hair. Adrianna went to him and picked it out. She raised her eyebrows, but said nothing.
He watched her while she sat on a log behind their tent, and used a knife to strip her branches. He had picked up on her newfound sense of purpose, and was curious, but it seemed he didn't want to push her after her earlier coldness.
"I was a helpless village girl at home," she said, gritting her teeth with effort as she made long knife strokes. "I'll be damned if I'll be one now. If I am to be part of your pack, I will make myself worthy of it." She set her jaw and looked defiantly at him, expecting some resistance. But he smiled resignedly.
"That's one of the reasons I chose you." He said.
Adrianna rested the end of her branch against the ground, leaning on it as though she needed it for support. "Why?"
"You are fierce and clever," he said, "Like one of us."
She looked at him carefully. She hadn't told him about her new ambition. Not yet. She had to think it over. There were decisions to be made.
"I was not born a wolf, but a human, the relic of a dying race." She said. She put the branch down, and knelt down on the ground with Lucas. "I belong to your people now, but I can't stand on this side and watch humanity struggle."
He opened his mouth to ask what she meant - but she climbed onto his lap, straddling him, and pressed her body up against his. She felt his body's immediate reaction, as he brought a hand up to wrap in her hair.
"I am carrying your child." She murmured. Catelynn had told her, somehow able to detect it in her scent, even so early on. Thinking of the younglings in the camp and their free way of living, Adrianna couldn't help feeling tentatively excited at the possibility of raising her own child.
She wondered if Lucas already knew. He held her tightly and kissed her furiously, his tongue seeking hers as though he needed to taste her. He kissed away a tear as it ran down her cheek. His teeth grazed her ear.
Suddenly breathless with need and other unnamed emotions, Adrianna raised her skirt – a mere slip of fabric that reached her knees – pushed aside clothing, and lowered herself down on him. She felt him enter her. His manhood was rigid and throbbing, his skin hot. He filled her perfectly, groaning as she rocked against him.
He took her by the hips and thrust up into her, not content to let her set the pace. His desire for her reached new heights and overflowed, and this time Adrianna felt equal need. Their lips only broke apart when the need to breathe became urgent, and quickly came back together.
She didn't even think to worry about anyone seeing them. But the pack, living closely together, had a way of making themselves scarce at moments like these. If they heard her moans and cries, Lucas' murmured declarations of love, and Adrianna's soft answer, no one ever let on.