“I don’t know how Rylee allows you on missions. You are accident prone.”
“Shit happens only when I’m around you.”
“I’m not the one always inches from death.”
She whimpered in frustration. “Not fair. I was trying to hide from you.”
“Maybe I should leave you here without water and food, while I go into town and interrogate witnesses about Randi’s disappearance.”
“Are you nuts? You don’t get to interrogate human witnesses, and if you leave me here for much longer I’m going to pee myself.”
He laughed. “We’ll both be wet, thanks to your log trick. Only I’ll smell better.”
“Oh, that. Sorry.”
Something stung her, and she yelped.
“What happened?”
“I think a spider bit me.”
She expected him to make some snide remark, but instead, he reached in and licked her nose.
“Don’t worry, Abella, I’ll get you out.”
“I told you…don’t…” She shut her mouth. If he got her out, he could call her runt if he chose.
His face disappeared. No. Don’t go. Cricket yelped.
“Relax, I’ll have you out soon.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “Okay.” The log rolled. Great. I’m going to be stuck upside down. “What are you doing?”
“Looking for a weak spot.”
Upside down, she clawed at the ceiling and bits of fungi crumbled onto her face. Ooh, gross.
“Good. Charred. Don’t move.”
“Not that I can.”
“Close your eyes.”
She did so.
He raked his powerful claws above her over and over. Splinters rained on her face, and then fresh forest air.
I’m free. Before she could crawl out, he grabbed the scruff of her neck and lifted her out as if she was a pup. Who knew what type of punishment he’d mete out? “Hey, put me down.”
The large white wolf laid her on her back. Cricket trembled as if she’d just fallen through an icy lake. He stood over her and began licking her face. A gentle loving tongue. Wiggling like a nervous Chihuahua, she wagged her tail, whimpering in pure satisfaction. She exposed her throat, happy to submit to her rescuer. Warmth spread through her body. No other wolf, except for her mother, and on rare occasions, her father, had treated her with such love and attention. And that was when she was a pup, long before her parents left her in the pack with her evil half- sisters.
Slade mouthed her nose, then let go and cocked his head. “Are you okay?”
Cricket snapped out of her helpless stupor and shot up. She shook her fur, getting rid of any creepy crawlies from her body. “Yeah, thanks. I’m good.”
“Good thing, you weren’t alone.”
“We are a team, so it’s nice to know we can count on one another watching out for our asses.”