Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
I couldn’t help but follow my little dove into the woods.
I saw her carrying an axe, but I knew she’d need a lot more protection than that in these parts.
The wolves are absolutely ruthless this time of year.
Food is scarce in the winter, so anything that remotely breathes and has a heartbeat is fair game.
I maintained my distance, staying light on my feet as I followed her trail through the forest. I also kept far away enough so that she wouldn’t be alerted by a second set of prints in the snow.
She stopped, inspecting several trees around her before I saw her select one and start chopping.
She is nothing if not determined. I watched her swing the axe over and over until the tree tumbled to the ground.
She quickly fastened a rope around the trunk and began dragging her prize back to her cabin.
I have to say, I was impressed. I didn’t think she’d make it this far.
The temperature alone is enough to make people want to remain inside their warm homes.
She’s a fierce little thing. Stubborn. Oh, how I love that about her.
I followed her, maintaining distance but keeping her in sight. She couldn’t see me, but I could see her. Suddenly, her head jerked to the side, and she called out, wondering if anyone was there. I knew it wasn’t me who made the noise, so that could only have meant it was wolves. It was game time.
She took off running when they made their appearance, so I bolted, jogging alongside out of sight just long enough until I cut over while she wasn't looking and BAM. She crashed right into me. I couldn’t have timed it better.
Once I scared the wolves away and hauled her to her feet, I picked her up, and here I am now, carrying her back to her cabin.
She sleeps peacefully in my arms, but her body shakes from the cold.
I need to warm my little dove up and fast. The trees clear, and her cabin comes into view.
I pick up the pace to a slow jog until I make my way up her porch stairs.
I watched her lock the cabin before she left, so I know the key has to be in her pocket somewhere.
I rotate her in my arms until I’m able to check every pocket in her jeans, ultimately finding what I’m looking for and unlocking the door.
I rush her inside to the couch and lay her on it, heading back outside to grab some firewood piled on the porch.
It looks old and rotting, but it should do the trick.
Immediately, I throw it into the fireplace and begin saturating the wood with some accelerant to get the ball rolling. I need to get this fire going quickly.
The flames roar to life the second I toss a match on top, instantly providing a welcome warmth. I scoot the couch to face the fireplace, allowing the heat to do its job, and I throw a blanket on top of her for good measure. Now, I wait.
Ella stirs about twenty minutes later, sitting up on her couch and peering around. She makes eye contact with me and startles.
“You’re okay. I’m not gonna hurt you. I’m the one who saved you in the woods. You were on the verge of hypothermia, so I brought you back here to warm you back up,” I tell her, my hands thrown up in surrender.
“How did you know where I lived?” she chokes out, and I bring her some water.
“You told me after I saved you from the wolves. Not many cabins out here, so you get familiar with the ones that are,” I answer.
“And how did you get us in here?” she asks, taking a sip of the water.
“Well, when I realized the door was locked, I figured you had a key somewhere on your person, so I checked your pockets.”
“What’s your name?” she rushes out.
“Eli,” I answer, pulling a random name out of my ass to give her instead of my real name. I have a feeling she’s trying to make sure it doesn’t start with an L, given my little note.
“Well, thanks for saving me, Eli, but I think you should go now,” she states, removing the blanket and trying to stand, but she winces.
“Your ankle is injured, it’s why I had to carry you,” I state, crossing my arms over my chest. “Let me help you. You also have cuts on your face that need cleaning.”
She looks at me hesitantly, contemplating her options here, before saying, “Okay. Just these things, and then I need you to leave. I don’t even know who you are.”
“Fine,” I agree, smirking. “Do you have a first aid kit anywhere in the cabin?”
“There’s one under the kitchen sink,” she says, sitting back down on the sofa.
I check and find it exactly where she said and grab an ice pack on the way back.
“Put this ice pack on your ankle. It will help with the swelling,” I instruct while grabbing alcohol wipes, Q-tips, Neosporin, and a few butterfly bandages from the first aid kit.
She has a pretty gnarly gash on her right cheek and a few minor ones along the left side of her face.
I start with the smaller ones, cleaning them with alcohol pads first. She winces from the burn.
“So, Ella. What are you doing out here all alone? A girl like you doesn’t have a significant other for the holidays?”
“A girl like me?” she huffs, making the cutest offended face.
“Yeah, beautiful.” She blushes, trying to hide the flush on her cheeks.
“I caught my fiancé cheating on me yesterday,” she whispers, her features turning to those of sadness. She stares off, like she’s playing it back in her mind, and the urge to grab her face and kiss her to pull her out of it surges through me.
“What a dickwad. I’m sorry,” I say apologetically, clenching my jaw. If I ever see this motherfucker, it’s on site.
“With my best friend of all people,” she adds, wincing like I’m going to judge her based on that information.
I stare at her for a moment before I grab the bottom of her chin and force her to look into my eyes.
“They didn’t deserve you then, little dove. You will regain your wings in time. It’s their loss, and fuck ‘em for that.”
She stares at me for a moment before she breaks eye contact. I continue with her cuts, patching all the smaller ones before I make it to the biggest.
“This one is probably going to hurt the most. It’s rather deep.”
She nods, and I suddenly feel her hand on my leg before she applies a little bit of pressure, preparing for the worst. I dab it with the alcohol wipe, and her grip tightens further on my leg.
“Whoa, Wonder Woman. You’re gonna take my leg off with that strength,” I joke, and she pulls her hand away.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean–”
“No, it’s fine,” I interrupt, grabbing her hand and placing it right back where she had it. “By all means, squeeze away.”
She chuckles before obliging. With every tap of the alcohol pad, she squeezes harder and harder until finally, I’m done with that part. I take the butterfly bandages and apply three along the cut, then use a Q-tip to apply a thin layer of Neosporin across it.
“So, what were you doing in the woods?” she blurts out, as though she’s been dying to ask that question for some time.
“I live in the next cabin, about four miles east of here. I was out hunting for a deer when I heard your screams,” I say, hoping that’s sufficient.
“You hunt deer with a shotgun?” she questions, raising an eyebrow. Smart cookie this one is.
“No, the shotgun was with me for the purpose of scaring away wolves. They’re pretty bad in these parts around this time.
Food is scarce, and they’re starving. I left my rifle when I heard the screams at my spot to have less to run with.
” I really am good at making up shit on the spot, I think to myself.
“Well, I guess you’re my knight in shining armor,” she tells me. “Do you have a wife or girlfriend or anyone wondering where you’ve been for so long?”
“No one, little dove. It’s just me.”
“Good, because then I can do this.” She takes me by surprise and plants her lips on mine. I’ve never had a woman be so forward, let alone one I don’t know.
“Now, you have been properly thanked for saving my life,” she breathes out, and her eyes dip down to my lips again before her tongue darts out, licking her own.
“Careful, little dove. You don’t know me, and you don’t want to start something you can’t finish,” I growl, grabbing her by the chin again.
“That’s part of the fun,” she says. “I need the distraction. I’m in my “fuck men” stage, but I can make an exception. My life is falling apart, and I almost died today. You saved my life and are quite the eye candy. I say it’s a win-win. No strings attached fucking.”
I smirk, taking that as permission before I say, “Be careful what you wish for, little dove.” And I grab her by the throat, slamming my lips to hers.