They ran and ran, covering miles of land. They worked a herd of elk into a frenzy, drank from a mountain stream, and climbed high enough into the mountains to see Finn’s cabin down below. New scents came crashing in, but Mal and Finn didn’t slow, so she stayed with them.
Until Mal came to a dead stop. His growl was fierce, the fur on his shoulders and neck bristling.
She wavered between Finn and Mal, scenting the air.
Three.
Two carried Finn’s scent, a scent that linked them all.
One wasn’t. The air didn’t ripple. No anger or fear, just uncertainty—unlike Mal. She circled back to him, frustrated when he tried to push her behind him. Finn’s reprimand-growl didn’t make sense. But when three wolves joined them, she understood. Ellen was with them, and she was just as ready to fight. Her teeth were bared, her ears pitched toward Mal, as she crouched in the snow.
Her posture made Olivia’s wolf bristle. Her blood roared and her muscles tightened. She wanted to fight this wolf, to show her her place and defend Mal.
Finn’s howl was a warning Olivia couldn’t ignore. Neither Mal nor Ellen budged.
Getting Mal out of there was the only way to stop a fight.
She closed the distance between them, leaning heavily into his side. Her wolf groaned softly, before rubbing her head under his jaw.
His growling stopped.
She kept it up, running her nose down one side of his jaw and up the other. He groaned as she buried her snout beneath his ear. She pushed him back, putting all her weight against his chest. He went, one step at a time, until there was enough distance she could relax. Mal’s dark brown eyes glowed in the moonlight, fixed on her. She whimpered then ran away from the pack. Mal followed.
Whatever aggression Mal felt, Olivia redirected him. After leading him on a chase, she hid, scampering away when he found her. He tackled her, rolling them in the snow that still covered the higher elevation. She felt so peaceful, so at ease, it seemed wrong. Not to her wolf. Her wolf was thrilled. She assured Olivia that this was the way it was supposed to be when they found their mate. And now that they had Mal, she would never be alone.
Mal was her mate.
Mal.
Olivia agreed. She wanted him. Sullen, hotheaded, territorial, and wonderful. He was hers and only hers, and she’d let him know it.
But the non-impassioned, non-wolf side of her worried about Mal. Did he know she was his mate?
His wolf did. But, apparently, Mal was just as close-mouthed with his wolf as he was with the rest of the world. If her wolf wasn’t so happy, Olivia might have been discouraged. Instead, she raced Mal down the mountain until they toppled into a heap once more.
He seemed to like lying on her, as if he was holding her in place. She didn’t mind in the least. They were still curled up, nuzzling, when the sky started to lighten. She yawned, stretched, and followed Mal back to the hollow where they’d started.
Her wolf was sad to see Mal shift, preferring his wolf. But Olivia stared at him, so hungry for the feel of the man she couldn’t wait to be with him. Mal. Her mate. Her man. Her wolf.
Through the unexpected pain, she heard Mal whisper, “Don’t fight it.” It was hard to relax, hard to let go. She wanted to be silent and strong, but her wolf didn’t want to shift. Shedding her claws, the rip of fur giving way to skin, the pop of each arm into its socket—everything felt bruised and sore. Movement was impossible, so she lay in the dirt, gasping. “That was horrible.” Her voice was hoarse.
It was easier the instant he touched her shoulder. “You were amazing.”
She looked at him, blinking against the rising sun. “I was?”
He nodded, the ferocity of his gaze chasing away her aches and pains. Her hand sought his, letting him pull her to her feet. She wavered, but he was there. Seeing him now, she knew the wolf was right.
“Tired?” he asked.
She shook her head. Sleep was the last thing on her mind. All she could think about was what he’d said before her shift and how he’d treated her as a wolf. He’d had no problem letting her know she was his then. She saw no point in letting him throw those walls back up now.
“Mal.?
?? Her hand tangled in his thick dark brown hair, pulling his head down to hers.
He groaned, pressing a hard kiss to her lips.
“That will wait.” Finn came striding out of the woods, his voice hard and angry. “Mal, I want to speak with you in my office. Five minutes.”