Chapter 12 #2
Exhaustion wrapped around the ball of anxiety in my chest as I assaulted the bag until my arms turned to rubber and sweat stung my eyes. Pausing to mop my face with the bottom of my tank top, I rolled my shoulders and struck out again.
Uppercut, cross, jab.
Smack, smack, sma—
“Damn. What’d that bag ever do to you?” a familiar voice asked, interrupting me mid-jab.
The familiar woodsy scent of the newcomer reached my nose, and I whirled around and froze. The forgotten bag slammed into me, nearly knocking me off my feet, but I didn’t care because Mackiel Denael stood in the doorway.
Relief washed over me, threatening to take my legs out from under me.
Mack was home.
His lips curled up into a smirk, revealing the dimple in his right cheek as he dropped his rucksack and flung his arms wide. “What? Aren’t you happy to see me?”
I abandoned the bag and vaulted across the small space, throwing myself at him. He braced and caught me mid-leap, flinging his arms around me and burying his nose in the crook of my neck.
Mack was the only wolf who wasn’t put off by my scent, which was good since I slept in his bed. His lips found mine, and the days we’d spent apart melted away as our tongues tangled. I could feel how much he missed me pressed against my belly, but I pulled back to look him over.
“Is everything okay?”
His brow furrowed.
“I thought you weren’t due home ‘till next week.”
“The alpha called me back early.” His gaze dipped down to what I was wearing, and he said, “You’re working out in my shirt?”
I crossed my arms over it, pushing out my boobs and hoping I could make him forget what he’d seen. “I was sleeping in it, actually, and I couldn’t sleep.”
His big brown eyes latched onto mine. “You okay?”
I shook my head, absolutely not okay, but also unsure of where to start. There were so many things I had to tell him, but I blurted out the mistake that was haunting me the most. “I didn’t know he was a dragon when I left him alive.”
Mack wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close.
He kissed me on the top of the head before hooking a finger beneath my chin to raise my gaze to meet his.
He was so damn pretty it made my chest ache.
Long, dark eyelashes framed eyes that could talk me into pretty much anything.
Heavy stubble covered his jaw and upper lip, giving him a rugged, unrefined vibe only enhanced by his silky chestnut curls bound in a low ponytail.
“I don’t know much about dragons, but I do know that this pack can take one,” he said.
Mack was so much more than a giant murder lizard. I couldn’t believe I’d even considered that creep attractive when I had this. Mack always knew what to do and say.
He squeezed me to him. “Let’s go home.”
“I can’t. Rust will be here soon, and I’ll need to get to work.”
“I saw Rust on my way in. He ordered me to keep you busy for the day.”
“A dragon is coming for us, and you want me to skip training?”
“You don’t think the alpha has a plan?”
I pulled far enough away to read Mack’s face. “What do you know?” I was about to launch into a whole barrage of questions, but he held up a finger to stop me.
“Just a second.”
His eyes went distant, like they always did when he conversed with the pack. Going through the Bloodrite had connected the minds of my packmates in some sort of mental group chat. Since my wolf was batshit crazy and had to be bound, I couldn’t quite plug in.
I’d always wondered what it would be like, but after the dragon had spoken directly to my mind, I was glad nobody else could. Maybe I was meant to be a lone wolf because I wouldn’t want to openly share my thoughts with anyone.
Mack frowned and focused on me. “You have orders to see the witch for a binding tonight.”
“I’m not due for another week. Did the alpha say why I need to go early?”
“We’ll be leaving in the morning.”
Was Dad finally sending me to the ranch? A thrill of excitement shot through me until I remembered the complications attached to that plan. “Wait. We, as in you and me?”
“And the alpha and Rust.”
That was different. “And where will we be going?”
Mack shrugged. “He didn’t say. Just instructed us to pack.”
“Pack for what kind of weather? And for how long?”
Mack eyed me, likely noting the panic in my tone, but he didn’t get it.
He traveled to the farm often and didn’t have a dragon promising to hunt him to the ends of the earth.
He gave me another shrug. “I’m sure we’ll know more after the binding tonight.
The alpha said to take the bloodstone to Sereana’s with you.
” His lips curled in disdain around my aunt’s name, and I didn’t blame him one bit.
“Okay.” Apprehension stiffened my spine as I wondered what fresh hell I was in for. I’d been hoping my role in her game was completed when I’d shown up with the stone, but I had a bad feeling about tonight.
“Maybe we should go eat first, and then head home.”
“We’re going God-only-knows-where in the morning,” I said. “I need to be on my A game.”
“Yeah, but I’m home, and I missed you.” Dipping his head, he brushed another kiss across my lips. “You could use some rest, and I know exactly how to put you to sleep.”
I started to protest, but he released me and pushed himself up before grabbing my hand and tugging me toward the weapon rack mounted on the north wall. Pausing in front of wooden practice swords, daggers, maces, and a set of pugil sticks, he flashed me a smile, showing off his dimple once again.
“I’ll make you a deal.” He plucked a pugil stick off the rack, examined it, and then tossed it to me before grabbing the other for himself.
“Duel me. Take me down three times, and I’ll spend the day training with you.
I had to leave the farm around midnight to get here this early and haven’t slept yet.
” He flashed his dimple at me again with a shrug.
“Who knows? You might actually have a chance.”
I’d never been able to resist a taunt, which he damn well knew. I spun my stick around to warm up my wrists. “You’ll train with me all day?”
“If you win. But when I take you down three times, we’re getting breakfast, and then I’m dragging you to bed and wearing your ass out.” His smirk was hot enough to melt my panties. “Then you’ll sleep beside me until it’s time for you to see the witch.”
My stomach growled, and I wondered whose side it was on.
He took a cheap shot at me. I saw it coming and lunged backward, creating space between us and leaping into position on the balance beam, giving him the same look I’d give a pup who stepped out of line during training.
I clicked my tongue. “Have to cheat to win, huh? Pathetic, Mack.”
“Always trying to antagonize the big bad wolf.”
I barked out a laugh. When he didn’t join me, I said, “Oh, sorry. You were being serious?” Schooling my expression, I rolled my shoulders and bounced on the balls of my feet. “Since it’s just the two of us, level with me. That is the only library book you’ve ever read, isn’t it?”
He gasped in mock offense and hopped up on the beam facing me, swinging his stick around. “Rude, Zee.”
“What’s wrong? Your big, bad ego can’t handle it?”
“You’re about to see exactly what my big, bad ego can handle.”
The side of his lips curled up in a smirk I planned to wipe the floor with.
The pugil sticks were about six feet long with dense foam padding on either side that had grown worn and lumpy with age. As Mackiel and I squared off, he aimed his weapon at me accusingly. “No shots in the junk. I mean it.”
Fighting back my grin, I nodded. “Okay, fine. Boobs are off-limits, too.”
His gaze predictably dropped to my chest, and I used the distraction to attack. Sliding in under his outstretched stick, I whacked his front leg and jumped back. He countered in time to barely graze my shoulder. When I straightened, he winced.
I shrugged my shoulder. “Was that supposed to hurt?”
“Not yet. I’m just warming up.” He launched himself at me.
I threw my stick up in time to deflect. The instant his downward motion halted, I jabbed, nailing him in the arm.
With no momentum, my attack didn’t have enough force behind it to do any damage.
He countered, and I took a blow to the hip.
Ouch. That one stung. Time to stop messing around.
He swung his stick around, but this time, I blocked. Reverberations jarred my arms.
“Really?” I asked, surprised by how much weight he’d put behind the strike. “That’s how you’re gonna play it?”
He grinned. “If you can’t handle the heat, feel free to step out of my kitchen.”
“Your kitchen? Not today. In fact, not ever.” I threw a stiff jab at his stomach. He blocked, knocking my stick away and testing my balance. As I wobbled, he attacked again, but I recovered and ducked. He overextended, and I swung upward, grazing his chin.
I fought him for more than an hour, but in the end, Mack won, and I was all too happy to admit defeat.