Hunter's Heart (Alpha Pack #4)(56)

The grenade detonated, spraying fur, blood, and entrails everywhere.

Ryon lay there, his lifeblood flowing from his body. Strange that in this place of soul-searing heat, he could feel cold.

As his vision faded, his body growing heavy, he heard Zan move to Aric, begging their friend to hang on. What in the hell did Zan think he was going to do? Fetch a needle and thread and stitch their mangled limbs and torsos back together?

Ryon couldn't see at all and could barely hear by the time a hand touched his shoulder.

"Ryon, hang on," Zan ordered from somewhere far away. "I'm a Healer, and you're going to be okay."

Warmth began to spread throughout his limbs. But despite his friend's healing ability, it would be a very, very long time before any of the survivors of this horror were all right.

The Christmas reunion that he'd dreamed of, the promise of which had urged him over every rock and around every tree in that godforsaken country, never did happen.

It would be months before he was well enough to learn that his mom and Lisa had died in a car accident on the way to the airport. They'd been trying to reach Ryon's side.

He was alone in the world, and couldn't help but think it would've been better if he had died, too.

. . .

"I'm so sorry," Daria whispered.

Jerked back into the present, Ryon gave her a small smile. "That was years ago, and Mom and sis would both kick my ass for thinking like that. It's what got me through."

Scooting close, she cupped his face in her hands. "I love you, my mate. You're not alone. Not anymore."

His breath caught. "You mean that?"

"Yes. More than anything. I know we haven't been together long, but I know."

He crushed her to him, pulling her into his lap. "I love you, too. So much, baby."

Right there, he peeled away her top. Freed her br**sts and tossed the bra aside. He moaned as she leaned into him, nibbling his jaw and neck, hands exploring his chest and stomach.

Her fingers found his pants and freed him. Grasping his hard, needy flesh, she pumped him slowly, driving him insane. He growled as she moved off him briefly to rid herself of her own pants and underwear, but he took the opportunity to remove his, too. Then she was straddling his lap facing him, the warmth of her sex nestled against his throbbing rod.

Her mouth met his in a clash, their desire rising like a red tide. She smelled so damned good to his wolf, and when she wiggled on him, he nearly came like a teenager. Their tongues tangled and tasted, and he moved against her, making his intent clear.

Reaching between them, she guided the head of his c**k to her entrance, and sank down on his shaft. He closed his eyes in pure bliss as her heat gripped and stroked his sensitive cock. The fire built steadily, threatening to send him over the edge much sooner than he wanted.

But any hope of holding back was lost when she urged, "Claim me, the way it should have been for us the first time! Please!"

His fangs lengthened, and with a low, feral snarl he struck, sinking them into the soft skin of her shoulder. She cried out as her sweet essence flooded his mouth. So much more mind-blowing than the bite he'd given her to save her life. His senses detonated, along with his release.

He shot into her, and his pleasure was increased when she tightened around him, clinging as she found her climax. They shuddered together endlessly, breathing hard when they finally came down from the incredible high.

For a time, he simply held her. Pressed tender kisses to her neck, lips, everywhere he could reach. Then he gently sat her aside, cleaned them both as best as he could. Then he took her inside the tent and spooned her, never wanting to let go.

Daria loved him.

That was all he needed in this world. At peace, he fell into a deep sleep.

. . .

A finger of guilt pricked at Daria's conscience. She loved him to distraction, and that's what made her decision so difficult.

Like his Pack friends, Ryon was stubborn to the core. Once he'd set his path, there was no straying from it. He was taking her out of her uncle's territory, to meet his team. They would leave here and she would never get another crack at stopping August's nefarious practices.

She would be tempted to give up, let the Pack handle what to do next-if Ryon had never told her the story of how his team was turned. Everything for the Pack began there. Because of whoever had made those rogue wolf shifters, her new friends had suffered. Just as Ben now suffered because of what her uncle, Bowman, and Malik had done.

She could not, in good conscience, leave and go on about her life knowing that August was getting away with crimes worse than murder. She would not risk him coming back to haunt her family and friends.

Ryon rolled away from her, grumbled a bit, and fell silent. Daria's guilt ate at her conscience long after his breathing had evened out in sleep.

Long after she left his side and slipped into the night.

Chapter Eleven

Ryon's curse knifed through the pitch-blackness as he patted the empty place where Daria had been.

Cool to the touch. He raked a hand through his hair in frustration. How long had she been gone? Five minutes or five hours? It took a matter of mere seconds to meet with death in the forest, especially at night.

Sweet Jesus. Since his wolf's night vision didn't work well unless he was in that form, he fumbled and located the flashlight he'd brought inside the tent. Because the light could alert any of August's goons camped nearby, he'd saved it for emergency use only. The thought of Daria stumbling across a band of men armed with assault rifles, or Ben in his bestial form, more than qualified.