Chapter 5 #2
The sound of Liana’s scream punched through the trees like a gunshot.
Eddie’s heart slammed against her chest. She was already sprinting before she could form a conscious thought.
Her boots tore through the packed snow, a growl rising in her throat.
Her bear surged forward, ready to take over.
Eddie’s senses sharped as her bear pressed on.
Branches whipped past her. She pounded the earth, and snow exploded. She rounded the corner and found tracks leading to the water.
Dammit! Liana hadn’t listened to her. Eddie pushed faster until she came to the clearing.
She skidded to a halt and saw her. Liana had hauled herself halfway onto the muddy bank, completely soaked.
Her body was racked with tremors. Her hat was no longer on her head, and her wet hair clung to her cheeks.
“Eddie,” Liana gasped. “Something was in the woods. It was watching me—”
Liana’s voice ended on a sob. The fear that radiated from her sent Eddie’s bear into a rage.
“Don’t move.” Eddie dropped to her knees beside her. Her voice came out much steadier than she expected. Her gaze swept the tree line. No movement, but—
Her nostrils flared. Her bear gave a low warning growl.
Wolf.
A snarl tore through her chest. She couldn’t shift now and go after the animal. She had to attend to Liana who was soaked and freezing.
But her bear understood they needed to see to their mate first. That was their top priority. Hunting down the rogue wolf that had caused fear in Laina would have to wait.
For now.
“How did you fall in?” Eddie asked.
“I wanted to take a short walk to stretch out my muscles. I wanted to see the water. I could hear it. I couldn’t believe that it was not frozen. I slipped—” Liana’s teeth chattered, which made it hard for her words to come out clear.
Eddie’s jaw flexed. Stubborn woman. When was she going to learn to listen to her? She had given her specific orders to stay on the deck but she’d ignored her.
“You’re okay. I’m here.” Eddie reached for Liana and pulled her completely away from the water. She did a quick sweep of Liana’s form and didn’t see anything broken, but she was soaked and freezing.
“I know I saw something in the woods. It disappeared when I screamed.”
Eddie’s stomach dropped. Rogue wolves liked to hunt by scent, stalk the weak, and an injured human who disobeyed orders would be a beacon for any who were nearby.
Eddie didn’t need to see what Liana had seen. The wind assisted her. The wolf had been extremely close to Liana.
“We’re getting inside. Now.” Eddie hooked an arm around Liana’s back and lifted her.
Liana winced as her sprained ankle moved. Eddie cradled her against her chest. Liana gasped and gripped Eddie’s jacket.
“You don’t have to —”
“Shut it, woman,” Eddie growled. Now was not the time to argue about being carried.
Eddie spun around and made her way toward the cabin. Heat radiated from her body automatically. Liana leaned into her. It should have felt good to have her woman in her arms, but not under these circumstances.
A dark object in Liana’s hand caught Eddie’s attention. Upon closer inspection, it looked like a black, smooth, glossy rock.
Was that how Liana had fallen into the creek? Because of a rock?
“Why do you have that?” Eddie muttered.
Liana clamped her fingers around it tighter and pressed it to her chest.
“I found it near the creek. It’s beautiful, and I wanted to keep it as a souvenir to take back home.”
Eddie’s bear bristled at the thought of Liana leaving them. Her jaw clenched tight with the idea of not having Liana around. In their short time together, Eddie already knew she would do what she must to convince Liana to stay.
Her clan had been very adamant that she needed to take a mate.
Eddie had focused her entire life on ensuring her clan was for the better.
Even before she’d assumed the title, she had been raised and groomed for the role of alpha.
She had been taught from a young age that what she wanted didn’t matter.
Her people came first. She put everyone before her.
Eddie had no problem meeting the needs of her people, but for some strange reason her people wanted to see her mated.
She knew it was out of love. They wanted her happy.
She’d finally taken some time away from all of the clan politics, and then fate went and sided with her clan and delivered her life partner practically in her lap.
Eddie carried Liana quickly through the snow back to the cabin. Tremors racked Liana’s frame. Eddie’s pace increased. She had to get her warm before hypothermia set in. By the time she shouldered the door open, Eddie shook from holding Liana’s body.
Warmth from the fire washed over them. Eddie stalked her way to the hearth.
She knelt and laid Liana gently on the thick rug.
She tugged the soggy boots from Liana’s feet, careful not to cause her any pain when it came to her injured ankle.
Liana’s breath hitched. Eddie couldn’t tell if it was from the cold or something else.
“Stay here. Whatever you do, don’t go to sleep,” she ordered. She rose to her feet. “I’ll get you towels and dry clothes.”
She vanished down the hall. Her bear slammed into her chest with a force that caused her to stumble into the wall.
Mate.
Eddie shook her head and ignored her beast. Her bear wanted to go back and curl around Liana to allow her heat to help warm her.
But there was no way Liana could shift into her bear inside the cabin.
At the moment, they had to be sure pneumonia didn’t set in for Liana, and getting her out of those soaked clothes was a must. They were unable to leave the cabin due to the amount of snow.
She doubted the plow trucks had cleared the road.
While shoveling, she hadn’t heard one car pass by the entire time she’d been outside.
Eddie grabbed towels from the linen closet.
She flew into her room and snagged wool socks, fleece pants, and a long-sleeved shirt for Liana.
Eddie’s clothes were too big for her, but at least they were dry.
She made a mental note go and retrieve Liana’s luggage from her car later.
For now, Eddie’s clothes would have to do again.
Eddie returned to the living room. She eyed the fire and dropped the items in her arms onto the floor next to Liana.
She moved swiftly to the fireplace and tossed a couple of logs into the flames.
She needed to build the fire up to get the cabin warmer for Liana.
She shucked her coat and boots then went back to her.
She knelt by Liana and began stripping the wet clothes off her.
It was a struggle to remove her soaked pants and shirt.
Eddie tried not to stare at Liana as she removed her panties and bra.
Her smooth brown skin was highlighted by the firelight.
Her large breasts had the most perfect shape with her dark areolas.
Her nipples were tiny hard buds that Eddie ached to take in her mouth.
She averted her eyes and continued. This was not the time to ogle this beautiful woman.
Liana didn’t protest, but rather, she couldn’t with the way she was trembling and her teeth chattering.
Eddie took one of the large fluffy towels and wrapped it around her.
She tucked the corners underneath her arms. She took another one and wrapped it around her legs and drew a blanket from the pile she had pushed away from the hearth and draped that around Liana as well.
She leaned in close and kept her arm around her. The heat from her should help as well.
Liana’s head turned to her. Her eyes flicked up. They stared at each other in silence. As much as Eddie wanted to be angry at Liana for not listening, she couldn’t find it in herself to not forgive her.
“You scared the hell out of me,” Eddie admitted. When she’d heard the scream, she had thought Liana had come under attack. She was a little relieved that it had just been her falling in the creek rather than the rogue wolf assaulting her.
Eddie’s bear would have unleashed her power had that been the case.
There would have been no stopping the change.
Her bear would have wanted blood had a single hair on Liana’s head been harmed.
The protective nature of her bear was at an all-time high.
Her animal was not going to let this woman out of her sight.
“I’m sorry,” Liana whispered. “I just wanted to see the creek.”
“You should have asked me. You’re lucky I heard you. This is Montana in the winter. A few minutes longer and you could be—” Eddie couldn’t finish her words. She gave Liana a squeeze and hoped that between the heat from the fire and the warmth from her body, Liana would thaw out.
A shiver rippled through Liana again. “You would have said no.”
“I probably would have.” Eddie snorted. She pulled Liana closer to her and rested her chin against her temple.
She couldn’t help but want to start her campaign to get Liana to stay.
“There are many beautiful sights to see here in Lurton. When we’re not under a storm warning, I could show you around. ”
If Liana was so intent to see a creek, she would love the mountains, the open plains, their beautiful town. It didn’t matter what season they were in, Montana was always breathtakingly beautiful.
“That would be nice,” Liana replied softly. She leaned into Eddie and inhaled sharply. “You are like a furnace. How are you so warm after being outside?”
“It’s just my physiology.” Eddie shrugged.
She reached up and pushed some of Liana’s hair that had escaped her braids out of her face.
She tucked it behind Liana’s small, rounded ear.
She was fascinated by the long coiled hair with its golden ends.
She would love to see it wild and free along her pillows back home.