Trust (5 page)

T
aylor plodded
behind Alder as they ascended Mount Ezra. Despite her short legs and impractical shoes, she kept pace with him pretty well, which was no small feat.

“Do you
really
think there are werewolves here?” Taylor asked from behind him.

Alder slowed just enough for her to catch up.

“There’s a whole pack of them on this mountain,” he told her. “They’re nocturnal. Probably asleep in their den right about now.”

The Whiteriver pack wouldn’t be a threat to him and Taylor, but he would have preferred to be off of their mountain before they woke for the night. While the treaty between the two packs would prevent any aggression on their part, he doubted they wouldn’t come sniffing around to see what he was up to.

“Have you seen them before?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“What were they like?”

He could tell she was anxious again and knew she’d probably drawn the same conclusion as he had. Unless they found horses or a hot air balloon, they weren’t getting over the mountain before nightfall, not by a long shot.

Mount Ezra wasn’t an overly large mountain. In his wolf form he could easily clear it in a day, but even his own human form wasn’t adequate enough to navigate the steep cliffs and rocky slopes that deftly, let alone Taylor’s.

The sensible thing would have been to tell Taylor the truth, shift, and carry her over the mountain. It was only noon, if he did it now, he might still make it to his own territory shortly after dark.

He had almost told her several times, but it seemed the longer he waited, the harder it became. Most humans believed that werewolves were monsters. He didn’t think Taylor would hate him or even be afraid of him once she got used to idea of his being a werewolf. But he knew that for better or worse, she wouldn’t look at him the same once she knew, and Alder just wasn’t ready for that.

“They’re a lot like you and me,” he said, eager to dispel any negative preconceptions she had about his kind. “This particular pack is mostly female. They’re led by one alpha male, Silas.”

Taylor blinked in surprise. “Silas? That doesn’t sound like a werewolf name.”

He couldn’t help but smile. “And what does a werewolf name sound like?”

She lifted a shoulder. “I dunno.
Gur-roth
or
Var-dred
or…why is that funny?”

Alder shook his head, still smiling. “They’re not as different from humans as you think.”

Taylor gave a thoughtful nod. “I suppose not. Their mothers are human, after all. Aren’t they? At least, that’s what the fringe people say.” She rolled her eyes. “They think werewolves take their women away to the mountains to breed with them.”

“Many of them come willingly,” he said, curious as to how she would react. “Being the mate of an alpha is a very honored position. In a stable pack with a strong alpha, those women lead happy and fulfilling lives.”

And if Taylor were his mate, Alder would make sure she and any offspring they had would be well provided for. He wanted to tell her as much, but it was yet another thing that would have to wait until later.

“You sure do know a lot about werewolves,” she said, absently chewing her lip. “Hey, are you one of those people who study werewolves? Like that French woman who wrote those werewolf books? Is that why you live out here?”

“No, I’m not studying werewolves.”

“Yeah, you don’t really look like a researcher,” she said, grinning. “So what
do
you do out here?”

He hesitated. He wasn’t going to lie to her, not when he’d have to tell her the truth soon enough. But he also wasn’t ready to come clean.

“You don’t have to tell me,” she said, picking up on his reluctance.

Alder liked that she finally seemed to be getting comfortable with him, and he didn’t want to shut her out. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s—”

Taylor held up a hand, shaking her head. “No, it’s really okay, Alder. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me. Most men would have left me in the dust by now. I don’t want to pry into your personal life. I’m just glad you’re still here.”

It wasn’t the first time she’d expressed the sentiment. The morning after they’d met, Taylor had been surprised when he’d returned, believing that he’d left her. Alder remembered being slightly offended that she’d thought so little of him, but he was beginning to realize that it was more likely she thought little of herself. There was a vulnerability to her, one that she hid well, but was all too apparent to a predator such as himself.

There were many things he wanted to say to her, but he was also beginning to realize that Taylor wasn’t the type of female who responded to pretty words and promises.

So instead, he reached out and took her hand, holding it firmly as they continued up the mountain.

‘
E
xhausting
’. That was what Taylor had called hiking through the woods. She seriously regretted using that word now, because she no longer had a suitable adjective to describe climbing up a freaking mountain.

Within the first few hours of climbing, two things had become apparent. The first was that Alder was a world-class mountaineer. The second was that he hadn’t planned on her sucking so badly.

While she stumbled and staggered behind him, Alder skillfully navigated the rocky terrain, frequently having to stop so she could catch up. He must have been really sick of having to wait for her, because eventually he began dragging her along under the guise of holding her hand.

As they scaled a slope of loose stones, one of the rocks gave way under her foot, causing her to slip. The mountain wasn’t steep enough that she’d fall to her doom, but she would have taken a nasty blow to her head, had Alder not caught her.

“Crap,” she hissed, grabbing her ankle. She wiggled the joint, unsure if it was injured or if it was just sore from all the traveling she’d been doing.

Alder crouched down, taking her foot into his hand. He moved to unzip her boot.

“Don’t!” she cried, jerking her foot back. “It’s okay, really.”

In truth, she’d been sweating a lot, and she’d rather walk on a broken ankle than have Alder smell her feet, let alone see her blisters.

Alder ignored her and pulled off her boots one by one. He left her socks on but rolled one down to scrutinize her ankle.

“It’s not broken, but you’re better off losing the shoes.”

Taylor didn’t argue. She was so over those boots.

Alder stood, only to pick her up a second later.

“This really isn’t necessary,” she huffed, trying to squirm out of his grasp.

“I’m carrying you until we get past these rocks,” he said, punctuating the statement with a stern look that left no room for debate.

Taylor relented, relaxing in his hold as he climbed. After a few minutes, she grew bold enough to rest her head against his shoulder.

Alder was sweating as well, though he smelled a hell of a lot better than she did. Maybe it was just…
pheromones
.

When she was in high school, she’d read a book on sexual attraction in her effort to find a scientific means of getting a hot boyfriend. Instead of helping her, it had made her situation seem all the more hopeless.

Men were unconsciously attracted to specific physical aspects. Full breasts, wide hips, and facial symmetry were all considered desirable qualities in a potential mate. Then there were those vague qualities like voice pitch and pheromones, things that were hard or impossible to control.

While she no longer had acne or the figure of a small boy, Taylor hadn’t blossomed into a swan. Everything about her was kind of average. She was short, but not too short. She wasn’t really overweight, but she wasn’t exactly skinny either. Her face was nice enough, but there wasn’t any one thing about it that stood out as particularly pretty.

Alder, on the other hand, had all of the qualities a woman could possibly want in a man. He was strong, handsome, kind, and loyal, and for some reason he seemed to want her. It
had
to be pheromones, because she really didn’t have much else going for her.

She closed her eyes, getting a bit too comfortable in Alder’s arms.

“I’m not as useless as I probably seem,” she informed him. “I just have a different set of skills than you.”

“Oh?” Alder said, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

“Mhm. I’m good at a lot of things. Magic tricks, card games, hide and seek, and I can make a mean omelet.”

“I’ve never had an omelet.”

She cracked open an eye. “Really? Well, when we get back to your place, I’m going to make you an amazing omelet.”

“I’ve never had a woman cook for me, either,” he told her.

“I’ll cook all kinds of things for you.”

Taylor recognized afterwards how that had sounded, but she decided not to take it back.

She realized Alder had stopped walking, and she glanced up at him questioningly. He was giving her one of those intense looks, like she was some sort of puzzle he was trying to solve.

“What is it?” she asked.

“We’re past the rocks,” he said. She felt disappointed, and it must have shown on her face because he soon added, “I can keep carrying you, if you’d like.”

Her face warmed. “No, I’m good.”

Alder carefully set her down on the ground and they resumed their trek. She noticed that Alder kept glancing down at her feet, and she realized that he was checking to make sure she was walking okay. Taylor made a point not to wobble, even though it did still hurt. Eventually, he seemed satisfied.

As they ascended the mountain, she wondered what it would be like to have a man like him caring for her every day. Could she possibly be selfish enough to let him?

“
N
o way
,” Taylor said, pushing Alder’s hand away. “Frog legs are one thing, but that’s just wrong.”

Alder felt his jaw clench. It was nearly evening and Taylor’s stomach had been growling all day. Each time he offered the rest of the beef jerky she refused it, willfully allowing herself to starve.

She wasn’t his mate, not yet. Nothing had been consummated between them, but their close contact during the past few days, coupled with the night they’d lain next to one another, had led to her bearing his scent. As far as his wolf was concerned, she was his female and it was his responsibility to ensure she was provided for. That was why her refusal of the beef was so maddening.

“You need to eat,” Alder insisted, pushing his hand forward again.

They had only just reached the summit of the mountain. At this pace, they would arrive in his territory by early morning. During the past few hours, he’d given a lot of thought to how he would tell Taylor the truth about what he was.

Barring any inconvenient run-ins with the Whiteriver pack, he decided the best thing to do would be to get her settled into the cabin for a few days. He’d instruct the rest of the pack to steer clear of her, and once she was comfortable and felt safe, he would ease her into his world.

“I’m not gonna starve,” Taylor said, trying to push his hand away again. “You know, the human body can survive for weeks without eating. I once saw this documentary where this guy—”

“Just eat it,” he said impatiently.

“It’s a byproduct of the subjugation of animals,” she said, hopping over a fallen tree. Alder noticed her wince when she landed, but she continued walking without further signs of discomfort. “Do you know what they do to those cows?”

“Season them?” he offered.

She shot him a glare, but it vanished almost immediately. Her eyes widened as she pointed at something behind him. “Whoa, look at that!”

Alder turned, already knowing what she was looking at. The mountain dropped off in this area, forming a steep bluff that gave an excellent view of his territory.

Halcyon Mountain and the valley that rested at its foot were the most coveted stretch of land in the Carolinian region. Mount Ezra provided a natural barrier between the valley and the human states, ensuring that their territory remained safe and isolated. The twin lakes in the valley drew wildlife from miles away, providing a steady stream of prey for his pack.

From a distance the massive lakes looked like puddles at the foot of a hill. Alder pointed towards the one on the left.

“The cabin is by that lake,” he told her. “It’s small and in need of a few repairs, but we’ll have it fixed up for you in no time.”

Staring down over his territory with Taylor at his side, Alder felt a rush of pride. Earning such a prized piece of land had been no easy feat, and he looked forward to telling her about the battles he’d fought to secure the mountain valley for his pack.

The salty smell of tears drew his attention to Taylor, who quickly swiped at her eyes self-consciously. Before he could question her she turned and wrapped her arms around him, enveloping him in a tight embrace.

“Thank you,” she whispered into his chest. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Alder was torn between confusion at her strange reaction and pleasure at her touch. Deciding not to waste the moment, he returned her embrace, encircling his arms around her slight form. Only a day before, he’d had her body pinned against a tree, his tongue in her mouth and her breast in his hand. Somehow, this seemed far more intimate to him.

As the sun started to sink behind the western mountain, Alder reluctantly pulled Taylor back. He leaned down, placing his forehead against hers.

“Going down will be much faster, but we have to get going,” he told her.

She nodded. “Okay.”

N
ight fell
over the mountainside like a black sheet. The moon was full, but its light was obscured by the forest canopy. Taylor held on tightly to Alder’s hand, as if his touch could ward away all the dangers that were concealed by the darkness.

The animal noises that had kept her on edge the night before were gone, leaving the forest eerily quiet. The sound of every twig and branch that crunched under their feet echoed in the vacuum of silence.

Tired, hungry, and in pain, Taylor forced herself to push forward. She kept the image of the mountain valley and the lake at the forefront of her mind, reminding herself that in a few hours she’d be sleeping under a roof again, preferably with Alder by her side.

Scratch that—definitely with Alder by her side.
Naked
. She wasn’t sure what stars had aligned to bring him into her life, but she planned on enjoying every minute with him. At least, up until he inevitably realized how screwed up and completely unworthy of him she was.

A wolf howled in the distance, causing every muscle in Taylor’s body to lock up. Fortunately Alder stopped as well. In the dim light, she could see his brow furrow in concentration as he listened to the far-off cry.

“It’s all right,” he said, tugging her along.

She followed, but she could tell that there was something off about Alder. He always seemed so sure about everything, but this time there was an uncertainty to his tone that made her nervous.

The trail they’d been following the past couple of days didn’t extend down the mountain. While going down was quicker, the terrain was still rough and Taylor was having a hard time pretending her ankle wasn’t messed up. She was barely managing a brisk walk and couldn’t imagine having to run for her life.

Somewhere in the darkness, an animal snarled. Her heart began a furious hammering against the cage of her chest. Alder didn’t like the sound either, and his hand moved to the small of her back, urging her to move faster.

Nervous, she asked, “Do you think they know we’re here?”

“Yes,” he replied, sounding none too pleased.

Her eyes widened in alarm. “What are—”

Alder stopped abruptly, silencing her with a finger to her lips. There was another howl, this one much closer than before. They were on the edge of a small clearing, and Alder stared at the far side of the moonlit patch of land, his lips pressed into a grim slash.

Pulling his hand from her mouth, she whispered, “What are we doing?”

“Waiting for them,” he said, as if that didn’t sound like the worst idea ever.

Her eyes darted around the empty clearing. “Shouldn’t we be running?”

“Running implies weakness,” he said. “If we act like prey, we die like prey.”

Holy shit
, she thought, or maybe she said it aloud. She wasn’t sure of anything, because a second later, the first wolf appeared.

She saw its silhouette slinking through the forest. A dark shadow of fur and teeth, the werewolf looked like a normal wolf on steroids. It emerged into the clearing, bigger than a St. Bernard and scarier than a Rottweiler. Its large head was bent and its white teeth were bared as it slowly approached. The only thing that kept Taylor from completely losing it was that Alder seemed perfectly calm. She could only hope he was packing a gun as well, one with silver bullets.

As the wolf neared the center of the clearing, it began to change. It all happened in the span of a few seconds. It reared up on its hind legs, its body elongating, bones and muscles popping and rearranging themselves. Taylor’s mouth fell open as its human form took shape.

It was a woman, a very large, Amazonian woman. She had muscular limbs and long black hair that fell over high, taut breasts. Her face was harsh and angular and her yellow eyes were narrowed on Alder and Taylor.

The werewolf came to a stop in the center of the clearing, loudly cracking her neck. Alder squeezed Taylor’s hand.

“Trust me,” he said, just loud enough for her to hear.

Taylor nodded because nodding seemed like the appropriate thing to do, but she had her doubts. While Alder was a big guy, if that thing decided to go furry again she wasn’t sure he could take it alone. She began looking around the clearing, seeing if there was anything she could use as a weapon. For the first time, she wished that she hadn’t unloaded all of her bullets into the good senator’s chest cavity.

Just as her gaze was settling on a large stick that looked like it might be useful, something else caught her attention. Movement in the trees. A rock settled in her stomach as three more wolves entered the clearing, smaller than the woman was, but no less menacing. The grey fur on the backs of their necks was puffed up as they approached, looking ready to spring at Taylor and Alder at any second.

Her heart stammered. One werewolf they could handle, maybe. But
four?

“Holy shit.” This time she definitely said it aloud. “I’m gonna die a virgin.”