Vivian Arend - Moon Shine

If they gave in to their animalistic desires, she’d be a willing participant. She’d take him into her body, accept him, but hate him later. His human side knew this, and the wolf unhappily acknowledged his guidance and retreated.

Evan rolled them partway again, rising to his feet and bringing her with him. “We need to go somewhere private to talk.”

Amy brushed leaves from her backside as she sighed heavily, then nodded. “I don’t want to, but yes, I suppose so.”

He risked it. Caught her fingers in his and tugged her to face him. A wild crackle of attraction passed between them.

“Somewhere safe. Somewhere we won’t be interrupted, and where I’m not worried about your Alpha charging in.” She opened her mouth, but he cut her off before she could give him some smart-ass comment about not needing to worry. He fucking needed this. “I’ll deal with Sam later. This isn’t about our packs, it’s about us. I’ll call my Beta, you talk to whoever you need to at the computer store. The world won’t explode if we’re gone for twenty-four hours.”

Her gaze narrowed, her anger focused to a sharp cutting beam. “You’re too damn cocky. Maybe you should turn down the arrogance and turn off the assumptions for a while.”

“I’m your mate. I’m trying to make things go quicker and easier. I hate how much you’re suffering.”

A hard rock shook her again, and she gasped even as she snapped an agreement. “Fine. I’ll explain later why you’re a jackass. Back to the shop for our clothes?”

“Yes. Do you know a place we could go?” Giving her charge of that decision might ease open the door she’d slammed shut between them, and he didn’t care where they went as long as he was with her.

Her emotional pain remained the strongest sensation, and every time she looked at him, her anguish spiked. Deep and intense, heavy enough he wondered how she’d carried the burden, no matter how strong she was.

Amy nodded slowly. “I know a place.”

Evan squeezed her fingers. “We’ll figure this out,” he reminded her. “I promise.”

In the second before she shifted back to her wolf-form, her eyes reflected the haunting hurt inside her. He joined her, his mind racing as she led him back to the shop.

It was barely noon. The past twelve hours had more than shaken him. His world had turned inside out and too many questions remained. How much more would happen before the earth settled, and where would they be in the final standing?

One thing he knew for certain—he’d found his mate, and he wasn’t letting her go.

She insisted she would drive. Evan was smart enough, this time, to shut up and let her have her way. Of course, she knew his Hummer was out of commission at the moment, although he didn’t know that she knew that.

The tangled web she’d woven drew tighter.

Part of her desperately needed to get away from him and think through the implications of their discovery. Finding out Evan was her mate wasn’t just having a rug pulled out from under her, it was having the roots of her existence torn away.

She’d told the truth. At this moment she pretty much hated everyone involved in the mess. Him, herself, her wolf. The only creature she’d give a break was Evan’s wolf because the beast hadn’t fucked up yet, although it had come close.

Amy pulled in front of the Moonshine Inn and waited for him to arrive. Maybe to a casual observer this trip would appear insane. Heading into the bush with the man she’d been systematically working to destroy for nearly a year? Yeah, not a move worthy of the brightest crayon in the box.

But they were wolves, not humans, and that changed everything.

Mating instinct made the trip both less and more crazy. She was safe—he’d never in a million years hurt her. Not physically at least, and she was strong enough to defend herself from an assault.

Emotionally, though? The situation was a ticking time bomb. Her strength meant she was capable of permanently rejecting him, but that denial would tear them both apart. Far more violent than any vengeance she could have planned—ripping their wolves apart forever would be the ultimate revenge.

And yet as hot as her anger burned…she hesitated to take the final step. She wasn’t a fool who would continue to guard the safe once the treasure was stolen. The situation had changed, and until she had all the facts, she’d put her retribution plans on hold.

If part of her hoped for a miracle? She’d blame such romantic sentiments on her wolf. On the part inside her that wanted on a far more visceral and instinctive level.

Her wolf rode close to her skin. Aching for contact with Evan’s wolf—the beast wanted to roll in his scent and wallow at having found her mate.

Amy slapped her down, the internal battle between them nothing new, and yet this time subtly unique. Her wolf was stronger than ever, and Amy worried she could be too easily swayed from human logic if she wasn’t careful.

Human vengeance made no sense to a wolf.

Evan tossed a canvas bag in the backseat and got in, adjusting the shoulder strap as she took off. He glanced in her direction, but she refused to meet his gaze.

“Any troubles getting time off?” he asked.

The first of many secrets she’d have to share. “I own the shop.”

Evan’s body language changed. “Impressive.”

“You’ve been a great supporter. Thanks for crashing your computers so often.”

It was unfair that his soft chuckle amused her, the deep sound sending goose bumps rolling up her arms. Damn the man. She didn’t want to like anything about him. She wanted him to be the evil, self-serving bastard she’d tracked to Whitehorse.

Her wolf snapped at her, and Amy jolted in surprise.

“Whoa, careful.” Evan caught the steering wheel, pulling to correct their dangerous sway into the oncoming traffic lane.

“I’m fine.” Amy adjusted her handgrip. Ten and two positioning, fingers curled so tight her knuckles showed white. “Sorry.”

He didn’t answer her, and the car went completely quiet as she headed out of town and down a logging road leading into the mountains. The gravel was well maintained, but she had to stay alert, the narrow switchbacks taking them toward the mountain peak.

She turned down a side road, crossed the final one-lane bridge over the creek, and rounded the corner.

“Sweet mercy, that’s gorgeous.” Evan leaned forward and peered out the window. “How come I didn’t know this was here?”

“Canyon pack land.”

“Ahh. That makes sense.” Evan pointed into the trees. “Company.”

A wolf stood at attention on the rocky ridge to the south of the cabin, allowing himself to be seen. Amy dipped her chin, and he vanished.

She understood why her pack was watching, but she’d left direct orders none of them were to contact her unless she gave approval.

“Sentries. They’ll leave us alone, but they maintain a constant patrol in the area.” Amy put the car into park, leaving her bag in the trunk. If this didn’t go well, they’d be back on the road in the next hour.

The cabin was beautiful. One side had been built against a stand of towering spruce that guarded the log structure from the bitter north winds. The west windows faced over the expansive valley rolling for miles before them while the tiny back porch looked toward the mountain. When the sun finally rose over the tall peak in the morning, the entire sitting area flooded with colour and warmth.

Fixing up the old cabin had been her contribution to the pack—a place to retreat when needed. Somewhere for souls who craved quiet to find it, only a short distance from Whitehorse.

It was her time to take advantage of the isolation.