Her Wild Magic Read Free

everything he’s got.” He grasped her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. “I will keep you alive,” he said solemnly. “But you have to do exactly what I tell you. And no matter what happens, no matter what you see, stay close to me.”
    When she continued to stare at him in amazement, he gripped her shoulder and gave her a none-too-gentle shake. “You got that?”
    Max got it, and she was about to tell him exactly what he’d get if he didn’t stop manhandling her, when a blast exploded, bursting against her eardrums and slamming her body against his broad chest. She heard a roar—an inhuman sound filled with rage and anger—and a second later, a black fog blocked out the sun.
    The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was the sheriff’s yellow-gold eyes burning fiercely in a face that wasn’t human.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
Chapter Two
     
     
     
    Caleb stood within the shadows of the cabin, keeping watch over his mate as she slept. She hadn’t regained consciousness since the blast, but the mate bond assured him she was bruised but otherwise unharmed. Unfortunately, in order to protect her, he’d been forced to shift to his were form. Now, when she awakened, he’d have to deal not only with her resistance to their mating, but to her fear of him.
    The road ahead wasn’t going to be an easy one, but at least he had the comfort of knowing she was safe for now. The cabin he’d brought her to lay hidden in the mountains high above Haven, its location known to only a trusted few. It wasn't much to look at, just the one room containing a bed, kitchenette, and a small adjoining bathroom off the back, but the strongest spells known to his kind protected it. He could leave her, confident she would come to no harm while he tracked and destroyed his enemy.
    She murmured in her sleep, and he moved out of the shadows, seeking the reason for her unrest. When she moved her legs restlessly, rubbing her thighs together, he growled his approval. His little spitfire needed him, and he needed her. She was quickly becoming the center of his world, and God help anyone who tried to take her from him.
    Giving in to the need to touch her, he squatted next to the bed and lightly traced a finger down the side of her cheek. She wrinkled her nose and swatted his hand away. He smiled, accepting the inevitable. She resisted him, even in her sleep. Not that he expected anything less; his mate was no submissive. She was a woman with a mind of her own, and that suited him just fine.
    “Open your eyes, baby. We need to talk.”
    “Later,” Max groaned, keeping her eyes firmly closed. “I hurt too much to talk.”
    Caleb’s heart raced with alarm. He’d checked her thoroughly. There’d been no sign of broken bones or internal bleeding, but more importantly, as her mate, he’d felt nothing that indicated any serious damage. But what if he’d missed something?
    “Where does it hurt, sweetheart?”
    “Everywhere…I feel like—Oh, my God.” Max’s eyes popped open, and her gaze locked with his.
    He almost flinched at the look of horror that crossed her face.
    “You turned into a—” She sat up abruptly, her eyes wide with fear as she huddled against the headboard.
    Caleb stood up slowly and took a step back. He knew his size alone was intimidating, and after what she’d seen, she had every reason to fear him.
    “Easy, baby,” he said softly, holding his hands palm out. I know you must be scared, but you’re safe with me. You remember who I am, right? I’m Sheriff Caleb McCain.”
    “I remember who and what you are.” She scrambled off the bed and snatched up the lamp sitting on the bedside table. “Just keep your distance!”
    Caleb looked away, not wanting her to see the smile tugging at his lips. Did she really think she could injure him with a lamp? He weighed well over two-hundred pounds and stood close to seven feet tall. In his were form, he nearly doubled in size and was