Feint of Heart Read Free Page B

but what I could see was so perfectly proportioned that I had to push fingertips into my wound to remind myself to breathe. In fact, I almost wished the moon would rise, even though the appearance of that glowing crescent would mean I'd failed in the Hunt and in my bid for territorial affirmation. Because if Alexis was stunning now in near pitch darkness, what would she look like under the cool luminosity of the waning moon?
    "This should soak up the blood," the young woman murmured as she walked back toward me from where she'd been scraping Gavin's lost knife against the cliff face. I could barely smell the collected moss around the fruity aroma that encircled me, and the female's words trilled through my bones like a wood thrush's song. I realized I was panting—bad form when two-legged—and closed my mouth with an audible snap.
    "May I?" she asked, reaching toward my stomach with her laden hand. I was barely able to nod, but Alexis didn't really need my approval. She gently pressed the damp plant matter against my open wound, and what should have sent shock waves of pain through my system instead made my legs go weak with pleasure. I collapsed at her feet.
    Her laughter sounded like water tinkling merrily over stones. "Hey, careful there, big guy." She slipped down onto the leaves beside me so she could continue to put pressure on my laceration.
    We were nearly eye to eye, the female's pupils dilating until their usual molten chocolate coloration was completely invisible. Touching a pack princess was forbidden, but I couldn't help myself. I reached forward and grabbed the long tresses that fell in silky waves from the back of her head, then I pulled her into a kiss.
    "Mmm." She hummed her approval against my lips and swung one leg across my lap so she was straddling my erection. I hadn't meant to move so fast, but I slid into her wet folds as if we were two magnets clicking together against our will.
    She wasn't a virgin. And she was willing. Which meant I wasn't breaking any taboos.
    Right?
    Then I couldn't even piece words together in my mind because Alexis was raising herself off my rigid length, cold air doing nothing to dull the heat growing between us. When we came together again, she pushed me deeper into her warmth and I came without thought for her pleasure.
    Alexis's eyes enfolded my consciousness just as her body enfolded my skin. "There. Perfect," she murmured. "You'll follow wherever I lead now, won't you?"
    Of course .
    I didn't even need to say the words aloud. Alexis and I both knew that I'd follow her anywhere.
     
     

Chapter 5
    "We don't have to wait for them. They'll catch up."
    The plan made perfect sense. The night was awastin' and we had Crazy Wilder to hunt down. So I fell into wolf form alongside the beguiling bitch and took off at a trot.
    My wound should have jolted me alert every time my foreleg rubbed against the exposed flesh. But instead I seemed to float on a sea of sweet persimmon pulp. Every thin layer of humanity that I'd built atop my wolf over the years fled, and I sniffed then licked at the sex juices dripping from the female's vulva.
    In response, Alexis turned her face around and nipped at my ruff teasingly. Then she was disappearing into a thicket and I pushed more speed into my paws to draw closer once again.
    The rain had stopped, and stars were beginning to push their way through the clouds when I caught the first scent of Chief Wilder's trail. It was hard to tell around the all-consuming passion induced by Alexis's proximity, but I gave a quick yip and angled in that direction anyway. Moon rise wasn't far off, so it was imperative to follow every lead.
    The female seemed less enthused by my decision, though. She pushed against my shoulder, trying to force me back onto the path. When I resisted, she shook her head repeatedly in a very human sign of negation.
    No, wrong way. I squinted my eyes as the words drifted across my brain. Surely it wouldn't hurt to follow this scent