Ayla kept her pace steady, weaving through the trees, darting past shrubs, and vaulting over fallen logs as if they weren't there, fully aware of the wolf closing in behind her.
How could he not be?
She'd just kneed him in the groin to break free, and she knew he wasn't going to take it well.
What she didn't know was how he was going to respond if he caught her again.
The wolf, apparently named Titan, had an enormous ego and seemed to harbor a strong desire for her.
Out in the vast, endless woods, she didn't really have any place to hide.
She ran for the next hour, her eyes darting around in a desperate search for any place that could serve as a temporary shelter.
Anything that could hide her from her pursuer and give her a brief chance to catch her breath.
Titan stayed close behind, matching her pace with ease, and she could hear him crashing through the brush as they moved along.
He was quick and impeccable at trailing her, needing nothing to do so, keeping track of her effortlessly, even without her scent.
He could have given Dominic and his crew a real challenge for their title as the top trackers after her.
That's when she heard it: "Little wolf, little wolf, run while you can. One day soon, just know, I'll be your man."
The slightly unhinged man had somehow slipped into her thoughts, and from the way it sounded, he was set on making her his.
How could he pull that off without even knowing her name?
"I will never be yours. I am not property to claim."
Her thoughts were sharp and clear, but her emotions didn't match, making her wolf unsteady for the first time in her life.
Before she knew it, one of her paws slipped, making her stumble and scrape against a tree before tumbling to the ground and sliding into a patch of briars.
Ayla let out a small yelp, trying her best to stifle it, but she couldn't quite manage.
Unfortunately, her slight stumble gave Titan the perfect opportunity to catch up and pounce on her.
"I never would have taken you for someone who could be rattled so easily."
She wasn't the type to just accept things quietly or make anything simple, though.
"I'm not."
Thinking fast, she realized that with him pinning her in his wolf form, there was only one move that might throw him off balance.
The shift to her human form happened quickly, though the familiar pain from her first attempt without moving still lingered as she merely grimaced.
It worked just as she had planned, though, allowing her to start slipping out from under his paws.
It wasn't without its consequences, leaving a trail of nail marks along her abdomen as she slid out from beneath his massive true form that was pinning her to the ground.
Clenching her teeth and letting out a sharp breath, she darted forward and slid beneath a nearby bush, peeking through the leaves in the darkness for his next move, her hand pressed firmly against her bleeding wounds.
"I can smell the blood. Is it really worth injuring yourself just to avoid talking to me? Let me check your wounds. The scent could attract enemies. You've left too much of it out here now. Clearly, you can't stay out here alone anymore. Stop being so stubborn."
That got under her skin.
"You are the enemy."
"No. I'm not."
She let out a small huff, glanced at her throbbing side, and chose to confront him in her own way as she emerged from the bush.
"Stubborn? Me? You're the one constantly attacking me and pinning me to trees or the ground. Why can't you just leave me alone? If you're not the enemy, then stop coming after me."
Titan smirked slightly before saying, "You're the most captivating wolf I've ever seen. Beautiful, smart, tactical. I want to spend my life figuring you out. You have me completely entranced. I'm just trying to talk to you. Now, you're hurt because of your stubbornness. I promise I won't restrain you, unless you want me to, if you just let me check your wound. Deal?"
Ayla was wary of the deal on the table, but she couldn't ignore the blood trickling down her side.
"No attacking me, no touching me, and we have a deal."
Titan nodded in agreement, but there was a hint of mischief in his eyes as he moved toward her.
"You've got impressive skills for slipping away from me, I'll give you that. But that wound needs cleaning and care before you can even think about heading wherever you're going," he said, leaning back and studying the damage his claws had caused when she escaped.
Ayla couldn't help but notice how gently his hand was now embracing her hip as he glanced over the blood-soaked skin that stood between them.
What was he playing at?
"No touching, remember?"
She knew he wasn't the type to abandon his hunt easily, but for now, he was keeping his word, so she arched an eyebrow and watched his every move closely.
"Well. Come on, there's a stream just ahead where we can wash this off and find out how bad it really is."
Not knowing exactly how much danger she was in, she realized keeping the fresh blood wasn't an option, so she chose to follow him with slight hesitation.
"For once, I guess I will be the girl who follows the guy. Just this once."
Titan flashed a bright smile at her words.
For the moment, he held the upper hand.
The last thing he wanted was to pressure her, so he didn't try to take her hand or touch her as she'd requested.
Titan made it clear he was respecting her wishes as he gently led her toward the water.
"So, still not willing to share anything? Where are you from? Who are you traveling with? How did you get separated? Your name? It's a shame, really, because you already know so much more about me than I do about you."
Ayla wasn't amused.
She glanced at him when he turned to make sure she was paying attention, then looked forward again, fully aware of exactly what he was up to.
He seemed more determined than ever to break down her walls; he just had to find the way.
"How about I take a guess instead? You're traveling with a small group. You're interested in one of them, but you don't have that overpowering feeling that he's the one for you."
"That's none of your business, and honestly, it's pretty rude to say something like that. I can't believe you'd think it's okay to talk about my personal life."
He knew he'd hit a nerve.
"You didn't say I was wrong, so you must be seeing one of them. Is that why you think you shouldn't be interested in me? I caught the scent of arousal earlier, and it smelled absolutely divine."
Ayla stopped almost immediately.
"You could smell…but I…you are mistaken. Honestly, you're an arrogant prick. You were just merely being played so I could get you distracted and escape. Nothing more."
Titan glanced back to find she was no longer behind him, and the look on his face said everything.
"Right," he chuckled, "you can't fake that smell. You can fake everything else, but that sweet scent of desire isn't something you can just switch on and off."
Ayla frowned, her voice edged with irritation.
"You were right earlier, you don't know anything about me. The best part is, before you find out, my friends will be here to back me up."
That time, her words carried a sharp edge.
"You think your pack will need to save you from me, but that's not the case. It's the lone wolves, the dark witches, and the prowling creatures of these woods that your friends will really have to protect you from."
His words were sharp, stripped of the charm and flirtation they once carried as he spoke.
Suddenly, Ayla felt a faint sense of happiness that he was helping her, just a little.
And what about her friends?
Where were they, and did they have any idea what was hiding in the shadows?
That's when her stomach let out a not-so-quiet rumble.
"When was the last time you had something to eat?"
Her lips curled to the side.
"Well, before the sun came up this morning. It's been a pretty long day of people chasing me."
If she had a talent for anything, it was making people feel guilty in just the right way.
Ayla might have been out of practice, but she hadn't lost her touch.
Titan was already scanning the woods with every sense, hunting for anything that could keep her going.
"Whether you're being chased or not, you need to take care of yourself. Once I get you to the water, I'll find you something to eat."
A lady in distress can really set a man's primal instincts into high gear.
Before long, they reached the little creek, where the water was cool enough to be perfectly refreshing.
Ayla wasted no time slipping into the waist-deep, crystal-clear waters that stretched out before her.
All she could picture was how stunning it must be in the daylight, with sunlight dancing across its surface.
Now that she was submerged in the water, washing away the drying blood from her skin, Titan set off to search for anything scurrying through the trees to feed her.
The new wolf in her life had gathered a few large rabbits and was heading back to the well of perfect water when he caught sight of the moonlight dancing effortlessly across her skin.
She looked like a goddess bathed in its light, and he couldn't take his eyes off the breathtaking sight before him.
Hidden behind the trees, just beyond the water's edge, he watched her bathe in moonlight and cool water, the shimmering droplets glistening on her skin like tiny jewels.
He took a moment to admire the beauty of the nameless wolf, savoring the serenity before he had to break her peace.
It felt like a glimpse of heaven to him.
Ayla was the most independent and fearless she-wolf he'd ever encountered, and he'd come across plenty in his time.
Knowing she must be starving after running all day, he realized he couldn't just stand there watching her, so he stepped through the trees and revealed his presence.
"Finally! I thought you were going to stand there all night, just watching me and keeping my dinner hostage," she blurted when he came into view.
She knew.
Ayla knew he was standing there, watching her, and she let him, feeling his presence.
Was she simply trying to mess with him?
"Well, if you knew I was back, why didn't you come out and grab some of this rabbit? I'm not your servant. Come on, let's check the damage while you eat."
Ayla let out a light laugh.
"You expect me to eat that as it is? No way. I'm starting a fire. We're roasting our rabbits tonight. I'm not a savage."
"We are wolves; we eat our food raw. Why would we bother starting a fire and attracting attention just to make the meat tough?"
She just shook her head.
"Do I look like a wolf to you? I'm pretty sure I currently have two legs and two arms. When I'm a wolf, I'm a wolf. Right now, I'm human."
Amusement flickered across Titan's face as he turned to join Ayla in gathering twigs and branches.
"A fire it is. This is a first, but at least I'll be able to get a better look at your wound. I usually keep a low profile and stay in wolf mode out here, but let's give it a try your way."
Ayla shot him a sideways glance.
She could tell there was more he wanted to see, but neither of them mentioned it.
Before they knew it, the fire was crackling warmly, the rabbits were skinned and roasted, and the pair were biting into their dinner.
"So, you're different, Miss Nameless Wolf. Someday, it would be nice if you told me what it is, your name, I mean. I do have to call you something."
"It's probably best if you don't know my name. Given your position or rank, you're the last person I'd want to know who I am."
He wanted to hear her say it, but he didn't want to pressure her.
"Let's not worry about that right now. Your wound, lift your arm so I can take a look. Come on."
It already looked better than it did when it first happened.
The waters worked their magic, just as Titan expected, though he had a feeling he could speed up the healing even more if things went his way.
"Looking better since the swim and food. How's it feeling, Stubborn?"
"Stubborn? Is that what you are choosing to call me? Real original. It feels fine. I've had worse."
"I imagine you have. A long life spent running and hiding... I'd guess. You must have been through it plenty to be as skilled as you are at our age. I'm assuming you're close to my age, maybe a bit younger, since you won't share any details."
She stared him straight in the eyes, trying to tell if he was actually guessing.
His fingertips followed the contours of the lines along her side, nearly healed on the exterior but still sensitive to his touch
Goosebumps rippled across her skin, traveling from head to toe.
"We heal from the outside in, a natural defense to keep the scent of blood from drawing in predators," he said, continuing to gently trace the dark lines.
Ayla fought hard to resist, but Titan's nostrils flared slightly as he caught that familiar scent once more.
For the second time that day, he could smell just how aroused Ayla was getting by his touch and close proximity.
It was working, little by little; he was slowly breaking down Ayla's walls.
His fingers traced the edges of each deeply carved claw mark, light enough to sense his presence but not enough to feel the touch itself.
"Let me clean them so they don't get infected before they heal completely. I promise it's nothing more than me just trying to help."
Ayla felt uncertain, her stomach twisting into knots.
She had never felt so nervous or frightened in her entire life as his scent seemed to intensify around her.
This man sent her entire nervous system into overdrive, but was it thrilling or dangerously unsettling?
"You can clean the wound, but that's it. Nothing more."
She didn't know what he was planning, but if he swore it was completely innocent, it was probably something that would make her uneasy.
Right?
What exactly had she gotten herself into?