Brodin felt a complex mix of emotions. How could he feel such a strong pull toward this woman from a distant planet?
Then he heard a sound. He nudged her and she went still. Damari still.
They waited.
A mephite nosed out of the bushes.
The animal had large back legs for jumping, light-brown fur, and a small set of horns on its head.
He saw the way Poppy watched it. Like a predator. She was learning to use her new enhanced senses.
Sensing danger, the mephite bounded away.
Brodin nudged her.
Poppy took off fast.
The hunt was on.
They raced through the night-soaked forest. Poppy dodged and leaped, following the mephite’s trail.
She was very good for someone with no training. A natural. Surrendering to her instincts.
Then something pinged on Brodin’s senses. He slowed.
Ahead, Poppy jumped and caught the mephite.
As it wriggled against her, she laughed with joy.
Brodin scanned the trees. Something or someone was watching them.
He detected no scents or thermal traces. His internal radar told him they were close to the southern boundary of the safe zone.
Poppy looked at him, her face flushed.
It was like a hit to his gut. She was small, pretty, but fierce in her own way.
She let the mephite go.
Brodin looked at the dense vegetation again. He sensed nothing now.
“I’ve never been this fast,” she said. “I wasn’t sporty at school.” She tucked some of her golden hair behind her ear. “I was smart, and at school with older kids. I had no chance against them at sports.” A small, sad smile. “I was also a little clumsy in my teens.”
He’d bet she was cute as a youngling. He nudged her and she stroked his fur down his back.
“I bet you’ve never been clumsy in your life. You have all that animal grace.” She grinned. “But now I’m fast.”
She spun and raced away.
Brodin watched her, then threw his head back and let out a howl. Then he chased her.
He didn’t go full speed. She darted in front of him, and when he reached her, she bounded away with a laugh.
So much life. After seeing her so still, and in so much pain, he was happy to see her like this.
She’d been through such terrible things.
He’d give her a few more minutes before he urged her back toward the city.
“You can’t catch me,” she taunted, as she pushed through some bushes.
Brodin growled playfully and picked up speed. He leaped into the air and caught her, gently rolling onto the leaf-covered ground.
“Oh.” She looked up at him, so pretty with her big, blue eyes, flushed cheeks, and wide smile.
He shifted. His muscles changed and lengthened. A transformation wasn’t painful, but it felt uncomfortable as things contorted. In seconds, he was a man again, lying on top of her and keeping her pinned.
Her lips parted. “It’s incredible how you do that.” Then she blinked. “You’re naked.”
“Does that bother you?” He was careful not to put too much of his far greater weight on her. Poppy was so much smaller than him.
“Oh, well…” Her flush deepened.
“The Damari are used to changing and taking off our clothes. I left my things back where we started.”
“So, you guys are comfortable being naked?”
“Yes.”
Brodin’s nose twitched as he detected a faint, spicy scent. His gut clenched. His sense of smell was acute, and he picked up Poppy’s desire. His cock lengthened, and he shifted his hips, trying to keep it from touching her.
Gorr. Warning bells rung in his head. She was still recovering, coping with too many new things. He had no right to be touching her in any way.
Then she cupped his cheeks. Ah, gorr. His control was slipping.
“As a wolf, your eyes are gold, but your fur is the same silver-gray as your hair.” She stroked his stubble.
“Most Damari have gold eyes as wolves.” He cleared his throat. “We should—”
She shifted against him, her body brushing against his.
Her eyes went wide.
His hard cock was now pressing into the juncture of her thighs. She could hardly miss that.
“Poppy…” His voice was deep, with a feral edge.
“You want me,” she breathed.
He growled. He had no idea why she said that with such surprise. He needed to get up, take her back to the cabin, then go for a cold dunk in the river behind his place.
Her fingers tightened on his cheeks, and then she lifted her head and kissed him.
The touch of her soft lips on his was tentative, almost sweet. He was used to bold, aggressive lovers, but this…this was something different.
His muscles locked. The touch of that small tongue ignited something inside him.
A spark of pure desire.
With a growl, Brodin opened his mouth and kissed her. He plunged his tongue against hers, drawing in the taste of her.
She moaned, her hands sliding into his hair.
Brodin’s gut knotted with need. His cock was steel hard. He claimed her mouth, absorbing the sound she made as her body twisted beneath his.
He wanted to claim all of this small woman from Earth.
Then, a faint sound penetrated the lustful haze in his head.
He lifted his head, Poppy’s breathing coming in pants. Something else was setting off his senses.
He glanced around the trees and the shadows between them.
“Brodin?” Her voice was husky.
“Someone’s watching us.” His whisper was near sub-vocal.
But she heard him and swallowed. “A patrol?”
“No.” It wasn’t one of his people. He pushed to his feet and helped her up. She averted her gaze from his naked body. So cute. “Do you sense anything?”
Her brow creased. “I… Wait.” She swiveled, staring at the dense bushes.
There was a noise. A flash of movement.
With a growl, he exploded into action and gave chase. He thundered through the forest. Even as a man, he could move fast.
It wasn’t a pack member. There was no scent. No thermal signature.
He was surprised to see Poppy keeping up with him.
They came out at the cliff top. He skidded to a halt. Moonlight gleamed off the small lake down below. They were right at the boundary of the safe zone.
“Brodin, look.” She pointed.
There were tracks and marks in the damp soil.
It looked like there had been a struggle. And that’s when he smelled it.
Blood.
The tracks led away along the cliff top.
He crouched and sniffed. A low growl sounded in his throat.
“I scent Fillian.”
Poppy followed Brodin’s huge form as he tracked the lost wolf.
She was fighting really hard not to stare at the naked expanse of his back. He had muscles upon muscles, and his skin was so sleek. Her gaze dropped.
She gave a mental groan.
His ass was a thing of pure beauty. Round, firm, hard.
A punch of desire smacked her in the gut.
God, Poppy, a teenager is missing. Get your mind off Brodin’s ass.
It was hard to do when it was right in front of her.
Really hard to do when she could still feel that passionate, primal kiss.
Brodin had kissed her. Sure, she’d started it, but it had only taken him a second before he’d taken over.