Chapter 52
Skye’s POV
I raced upward along the canyon’s edge, my feet finding purchase on the loose stones
with
instinctive precision.
Finally, I spotted what I was looking for a large boulder perched precariously near what appeared to be a sheer drop. To anyone approaching from t would look as though the rock sat directly on the cliff’s edge. What they couldn’t see was the small plateau behind it, offering the perfect bading some
1 slipped behind the boulder, pressing my back against the cool stone as I fought to steady my breathing. Pulling og my hoodie, I torked my silver hair carefully beneath the fabric. My distinctive hair color had always been both my greatest beauty and my greatest liability–now mces than ever as prey in a hunting game.
Closing my eyes, I focused on my hearing, filtering through the night sounds until I detected the soft footfalls and hushed voices of the hunters beginning their pursuit. The game had officially started.
My thoughts drifted to Adrian’s thunderous expression by the campfire. His reaction to Ryder’s song had been unmistakable–barely contained raze simmering beneath a thin veneer of Alpha composure. I couldn’t help but recall Nadia’s warning about their supposed competition.
Were they actually engaged in some ridiculous contest over me?
The idea both angered and confused me. On one hand, the thought of being treated like a prize to be won was deeply offensive.
On the other hand, was I reading too much into their behavior? Adrian had maintained a respectful distance for weeks, showing none of the aggressive pursuit one might expect from someone engaged in romantic competition.
An Alpha participating in such juvenile antics seemed absurd. Adrian was a leader, responsible for an entire pack. Surely he wouldn’t lower himself to competing with someone eight years his junior for a woman who wasn’t even his mate.
A sudden shriek pierced the night, followed by Nadia’s triumphant laughter. Another “rabbit” had been caught, and judging by the sounds, not far from my hiding place. I instinctively covered my mouth and nose with my hand, as if that could somehow mask my presence from werewolf senses.
My heart hammered against my ribs, adrenaline flooding my system with the primal thrill of potential discovery.
Nadia’s footsteps and her captive’s resigned grumbling gradually faded as they moved away from my position. I released a careful breath, allowing my tense muscles to relax slightly.
I’d successfully evaded the first hunter.
Leaning back against the boulder, I gazed out at the breathtaking vista before me. From this height, the canyon sprawled majestically under the full moon’s glow, its stratified walls painted in silver and shadow. The stars seemed close enough to touch, their brilliance undiminished by city lights or pollution. It was exactly the view Adrian had promised me.
I was so absorbed in the scenery that I didn’t register the presence behind me until hands shot out from the darkness, clamping firmly around my waist. I opened my mouth to scream, but a palm quickly covered my lips, muffling the sound before it could escape.
I struggled briefly before catching a familiar scent–the distinctive ocean scent that belonged to Adrian. My body instantly relaxed, though my heart continued its frantic rhythm for entirely different reasons.
How had he managed to sneak up on me? For someone of his stature–well over six feet of solid muscle–to move with such stealth seemed almost supernatural. He’d approached like a shadow, without disturbing a single stone or creating even the faintest whisper of sound.
Gradually, Adrian released his hand from my mouth, circling around the boulder to sit beside me on the hidden plateau. The carved wooden wolf mask still concealed his features, lending him an almost mythological appearance in the moonlight–a forest god come to claim his tribute.
“How did you find me?” I whispered, both impressed and slightly disappointed that my hiding place had been discovered
ickly.
“Your scent,” he replied simply, his voice slightly muffled behind the mask.
I frowned in confusion. “But I thought I didn’t have a typical werewolf scent. That’s why I’ve been able to hide from other wolves all these years.”
1/2
Chapter 52
Adrian tilted his head, the mask’s carved features creating eerie shadows across his face. “I know your shampoo, your body wash, your unseren. K explained. “I know how you smell when you’re nervous…”
He paused, leaving his words hanging in the air for a moment. Then, leaning slightly closer, he continued in a lower tone that sent heat pooling in my stomach.
“And I know your scent when you’re excited.”
M
Even behind his mask, I could feel the intensity of his gaze locked with mine.
Heat rushed to my face as my mind immediately flashed back to that day in his SUV after my first shift–the mortifying wetness between my thighs, the unmistakable aroma of arousal that had filled the enclosed space.
He had recognized it then, just as he recognized it now.
Because to my horror, my body was betraying me once again, responding to his proximity with a traitorous warmth that I knew his enhanced senses could detect.
I quickly averted my eyes, desperate to change the subject. “Fine,
you
caught
me.”
”
I
conceded. “You win. You should go find your next target now.
I attempted to stand, intending to make a dignified retreat back to
camp as a captured rabbit.”
Instead, Adrian’s hand shot out, closing around my wrist and pulling me off–balance. I tumbled backward, landing squarely in his tap, his strong arms immediately encircling my waist to prevent me from escaping.
With his free hand, Adrian reached up and removed his wolf mask.
The moonlight cascaded across his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jawline and the depth of his amber eyes. My breath caught in my throat as I took in his handsome features–the strong brow, straight nose, and full lips that curved into a slight smile. The silver glow seemed to transform him into something otherworldly, too perfect to be real.
I found myself staring, momentarily forgetting my predicament as I admired the play of light and shadow across his face.
“Why are you so afraid to be alone with me?” he demanded, his breath tickling my ear. “What exactly
く
are you afraid of, Skye?”
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