JEWEL

Brooke was a witch. It was the only way to explain how she got here. I sat on the ground in the center of camp, scraping the remaining flesh off the grizzly's hide. It was hard not to glare at her. She was propped up like a princess. How had Huck even found that many pillows? They were stacked behind her back, under her ass, beneath her hurt ankle. Poor thing.

If Huck plied any more grizzly meat into her, she was going to explode. His eyes never left her greasy mouth as she chewed and chewed and chewed. The girl was bottomless. Did she have any idea how much work and risk went into getting that? And Huck had a lot of nerve. He'd been too busy staring at that gun for ages, and now he was staring at her, as if there weren't a million things that constantly needed to be done.

I gritted my teeth, struggled to my feet, and limped over, tossing the skin into her lap. "If you want to finish this for me, I can go do other things."

Huck shot me an annoyed look. "Have one of the other wolves—"

"The other wolves are already doing other things." I kept my voice sweet, but I knew what was coming. Maybe this was childish. I was instigating, but was I wrong? He was the alpha, not me. He was the one who started this, all so he could have her back. Well, here she was. Now what?

"She's injured," he said.

"No kidding?" He couldn't be serious. I looked down at my leg, ensuring it was still there. Goddess knew he couldn't fucking see it. "That's why I gave her a sit-down job."

He opened his mouth to respond, but Brooke cut him off. "I'm fine. I can do it."

We both looked at her, and she was focused on me, expression open and eager as she reached for the knife.

I extended it to her.

Huck took it before she could. "Here," he said, scooting closer to her. "I'll teach you."

I rolled my eyes. If I didn't get away from them, I was going to barf. I turned and headed in the direction of the smoker. They'd built it last night a mile away from camp, and I couldn't think of a better job.

Sunlight filtered through the trees, and birds chirped above my head as I disappeared into the forest. It should have been peaceful, but it wasn't. Not when the danger was so close. How could Huck be so dumb? She was a Trojan horse. Her story was too convenient. A car wreck? Really? Not only had she survived it, she'd somehow made it out, traveled down the mountain at night, and not even one sentinel had caught up to her? I didn't trust it, and I sure as hell didn't trust her.

"You shouldn't be walking," Bear said.

I jolted and clutched my chest. "For fuck's sake."

He stepped into my path, crossed his arms, and lifted a brow. "Those gashes on your thigh aren't going to heal properly if you keep putting weight on that leg."

"It's a good thing I have a cane then." I tried to pass him.

He matched my movement. "I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Jewel."

The sound of my name in his deep, rumbling voice caused my stomach to clench, and there was something incredibly sexy about the way he was looking at me. Stern. Protective. Damn you, daddy issues. "For someone who doesn't want a mate, you sure are in my damn business."

He studied my face, his expression completely unreadable. He didn't deny what I'd said—didn't confirm it either.

"I rejected you. Remember?"

"I remember."

"Are you going to move or not?"

"Not."

My lips thinned, and my grip on the cane tightened. I stepped to the left, then the right, but his wide body mirrored mine perfectly. I growled. "If you don't get out of my way, I will put you out of my way."

His lips twitched. "Is that so?"

"Yes, it's so."

"I'd like to see that."

I lifted the cane and swung it at him.

He dodged, laughed. Goddess, he had a killer smile.

I swung again, and this time, he caught it, pulled, bringing me so close my nose brushed his chest. A current seemed to encase us. Electric. Invigorating. My lips parted, breath hitched, and I peeked up at him through my lashes, finding dark eyes searing me.

"Move." My voice didn't sound as serious. I didn't really mean it anymore. I'd never been this attracted to another person—and something about his annoyance magnified my desire. Another evil trick from the goddess. The more I refused him, the more I would want him.

Oh well. I might as well enjoy it.

I grabbed him by the balls and squeezed hard.

He grunted, stilled, his expression straining.

"Should I twist them?"

He shook his head.

"Are you going to move?"

His eyes narrowed, and after a moment's pause, he stepped forward, pressing into my touch.

A wave of heat stole my focus, and my fingers loosened, becoming a caress I never meant to give.

Bear let out a husky breath and bent his head beside mine. "Fuck me," he breathed.

It wasn't a request, but my wolf eagerly agreed. I held my breath, battling between logic and fate. He was here. I could have him. All I had to do was ask. But if I gave in, there would be no turning back, and then I'd end up just like Mama. "Why are you doing this?"

"Someone has to take care of you."

His words kicked a nerve, but I didn't step back. I would...in a second. "I can take care of myself."

"I thought valley wolves were supposed to embrace the old ways."

"We do."

"No." He shook his head, his lips brushing my jaw seemingly by accident. "In the old ways, we had guardians. And any alpha with half a brain would assign one to someone as stubborn as you."

My brow furrowed. No one talked about guardians anymore. Not even in the valley. "What do you know about guardians?"

"I know I'm yours."

I turned to see his face, unintentionally brushing my lips against his. A jolt ricocheted through my blood, and something snapped between us.

With a groan, he kissed me deeply, demanding, desperate, and my arms circled his neck, pulling him closer as I lost myself in sensation. Luxury. That was the only way to describe him. He was food I refused to taste because I knew I'd want more. I couldn't afford him, and that made him even more delicious.

His big hand splayed across my lower back, pressing me closer as he tasted and took and became someone else. This wasn't the man who averted his eyes. There was nothing innocent, polite, or reserved about the way his touch traveled down, gripping my ass, hoisting me up, pressing my back to a tree.

He pulled back. Black eyes locked on my throat. Massive fangs seemed eager to bite.

I bit my lip hard. He was so much more dangerous than a grizzly. At least with the grizzly, I didn't want to be devoured. I had to stop this, and I had to do it now before it was too late.

"Who's Aria?"

Bear's gaze snapped to mine, and the silence that fell reminded me of death.

"Bear?"

"Where did you hear that name?"

"From you. When you were feverish."

He searched my gaze, a million emotions seeming to flash across his. Then, as if waking from a dream, he lowered me to the ground and stepped back.

Oh. I swallowed hard. So she was someone else. Like mother, like daughter, I'd been fated to an already taken man. Damn the goddess and her foul sense of humor. My cane lay on the ground ten feet away. I couldn't even remember dropping it. With a slow breath, I pushed off the tree and started toward it.

"Here," Bear hurried over, picked it up, and returned it to me.

I levied my weight against it, focusing on the ground as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. "I need to check on the smoker."

This time, he didn't stop me, and I'd never felt more alone than I did as I walked away from him. Fate stole everything. She stole my mother, Huck, and now him too. The longer I lived, the more convinced I became that suffering was my destiny, and no matter where I went, what I did, or how hard I tried, there was always going to be someone more important.

"Jewel," Bear called softly behind me.

"It's fine. You don't have to explain. It's better this way."

"And what way is that?" he asked, sounding annoyed now.

I looked back over my shoulder, surprised to find him so close.

"It isn't what you think," he said.

I scoffed. Had my father told my mother the same thing? "It doesn't matter."

His jaw twitched, and he looked like he had something to shout. But instead, he stormed toward me, and in one swift move, scooped me into his arms and began carrying me in the direction I needed to go.

"I can walk," I said, pressing against his shoulders.

"This way is faster, which makes it more efficient and better for the pack."

My mouth clamped into a firm, thin line. But I'd have been lying if I said I hated it. If it were anyone else, maybe I would have fought harder. The feel of his arms around me, secure, effortless. I shook my head. "Fine, but don't even think about kissing me again. That was a one-time thing."

"You kissed me."

Heat radiated up my neck. "By accident."

He grunted. "Is that what that was?"

"Yes, it was. You're the one who escalated it."

He hummed. "I kind of did, didn't I?"

I glared at him, and the rest of the journey passed in charged silence. I wasn't sure which was worse: being in camp with the enemy, or having my greatest threat help me tend the smoker. I shifted into my wolf in between task, allowing my leg to heal faster. The sooner it was better, the sooner he would leave me alone. Being around him was too difficult. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't help but think about Aria. Who was she? Did he love her? Was he thinking about her now?

Wolves came and went, carrying enough meat to feed the pack for dinner. When the sun was finally setting, Bear tried to carry me the same way.

"See?" I said, showing him the thick, dark scabs fully formed. "I am perfectly capable of walking."

He relented, but he kept pace at my side all the way back.

A fire roared in the center of camp, and the women were painted in red clay.

"What's happening?" Bear asked, watching as they danced around the flames.

"They're drawing down the moon," I said. Damn Huck. "It's a ceremony to give thanks to the goddess." And also a good way to alert every sentinel from here to the top of the mountain of our location.

This was because of her. Brooke sat in the same spot she'd been in, watching the women as if they were performers meant to entertain her. She wasn't one of us. She didn't deserve a ceremony. How could she be luna when she didn't even know our ways?

My eyes narrowed, and I threw down the cane.

"What are you doing?" Bear asked.

"My leg feels better. I should thank the moon for it."

If she wanted a show, I would give her one, and by the time I was finished, she would know just how much she didn't belong.