“See you in the morning,” he called out as she entered the small bedroom he’d set up for her.
Chapter 4
Booker didn’t sleep well the night before, because he’d been worried about Aspen. She carried a lot on her shoulders, and it was obvious she was very protective of her family. If he had a family like hers, he would be just as protective, too.
“You ready?” she asked as she zipped up her jacket. The morning air was quite brisk, and they’d need the extra layers. He was hoping to find a moose early so they’d have time to pack it out of the forest before her flight arrived after dinnertime.
“Let’s head out,” he stated, picking up his rifle. As much as he wanted to help her with her gun and backpack, he didn’t. It was hard to let her do her own thing, but he understood her aversion to touch. “I know of a meadow not far from here that usually has some great activity.”
“I’ll follow you,” she offered with a smile.
As they walked, he couldn’t get her scent out of his mind. It was driving him mad with lust, and he had to focus on the hunt and not his hard cock.
There was already a foot path carved out through the forest from his constant trips around his land. The meadow would be about three miles in, but the land was flat. They’d be there in no time.
As they approached, he stopped to call out to the moose, mimicking their sounds. Aspen used a piece of old bone to scrape at the trees, coaxing a bull to make an appearance. They worked in tandem for almost an hour before they heard a noise across the meadow.
Booker slowly raised his gun when the massive animal came into view. In his peripheral, Aspen slowly sank low to the ground, giving him a clear shot. He took a deep breath, calming his erratic heart from the thrill of the hunt, and in return…he caught her scent again.
It was like he’d stepped into a floral shop, but even more spectacular. Holy fuck, she smelled like heaven.
“Shoot now.” Her voice was so soft he almost missed it, but it was enough to bring him out of the euphoria of it all.
He released his breath and pulled the trigger.
“Nice shot,” she cheered and stood upright. When she turned toward him, he leaned the gun against the tree and took a step toward her. All he wanted was to pin her against the tree and kiss her senseless.
“Aspen,” he growled as she backed away, bumping into a mature birch tree. His hand landed above her head, but he froze when she gasped. “I want to kiss you right now.”
“Please, Booker, don’t,” she begged, wrapping her arms around her tiny body. She closed in on herself, and that alone made him pause.
“Don’t be scared of me,” he ordered. All he wanted to do was take her home and shelter her for the rest of his life. This woman…she was everything. “I would kill myself if I ever caused you to fear me, Aspen.”
“I’m not ready, Booker,” she blurted, finally relaxing when he pushed away. He didn’t step back, though. He wanted to be as close to her as she would allow. “I want to touch you…I really do, but not here. It isn’t the right time or place.”
Her confession relaxed his need for her, but only slightly. “Let’s get this moose back to my cabin.”
“Okay,” she said, releasing a breath. “I’ll run back and get the sled.”
He nodded and moved away so she could head back up the trail, but instead of leaving, Aspen paused. “Go on, Aspen. It’s okay, honey. I promise.”
She lifted her hand for a second, but dropped it and turned for the woods. He watched her until she was gone from his sight.
Aspen returned to Booker’s shed and retrieved the sled. Her heart was still going a hundred miles an hour from their connection in the meadow. Her mating scent had amplified as she watched him hunt the animal.
She wasn’t going to deny it turned her on. He was human, but Booker was also as strong and protective as an alpha wolf. There was no denying her beast when it claimed him, but she had to go slow.
Thankfully, he was as well informed as Charlie had been when she’d showed up, telling the pack that humans already knew shifters existed. And like Charlie, Booker didn’t have a problem with her being one of them.
They were still getting comfortable with the news from the humans and with the fact that a bear clan had moved into their area, butting their territory right up against the Ward line.
As she walked, Aspen listened to the forest, keeping track of any sounds that would indicate there was danger. It had been bred into her to always be alert. Knowing Booker was out in the meadow alone, she quickened her steps to get back to him as soon as possible. There were things out there that could attack him when he was focused on processing his kill.
She was as protective as her alpha brother, but that was in her blood. She’d held back her alpha tendencies throughout her life because of Nash. He was the rightful alpha to the pack. But out there, on Booker’s land, she had time to be herself.
The wolf inside her stirred and the magic she kept repressed flared. It made her feel stronger…more powerful. She felt her face shifting slightly; her eyes hazing over to reveal her true identity. Instead of giving over to her animal, she forced it back down before Booker saw her. She didn’t know how he would take seeing her in her alpha form.
“Down, girl,” she whispered. “It’s okay to let it
