Prowl (Winter Pass Wolves Book 3) by Vivian Wood, Amelie Hunt
Authors: Vivian Wood, Amelie Hunt
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Chapter One
A very Burke stood , the gun weighing heavy in her hand, as she pointed it directly down at the gorgeous werewolf kneeling a few feet from the tips of her toes. Awaiting her judgement, it seemed. His ash blonde head was bowed, hair clipped so short that she could almost see his scalp, the style left over from his long years of active military duty.
Soldier, stranger, lover… Chase Harbin was so many things, all conflicting with one another. Avery swallowed, easing her finger over the trigger.
If only her hand wouldn't shake so much. If only her heart wouldn't thunder quite so loudly. If only Chase would look at her, raise his head and look her in the eyes, maybe…
Maybe what? Maybe she would… shoot him? End the life of the gorgeous unarmed man prostrating himself at her feet? End this thing between them, once and for all? Kill ten birds with one stone, possibly saving her life in the process?
"I should kill you."
Avery's words rang out like the tolling of a bell, falling leaden in the silence that lay between them. Only then did Chase raise his head, staring up at her with those eerily-lit emerald eyes, his gaze seeming to sink right into her soul.
“You won’t kill me,” Chase uttered. The surety and his voice only shook Avery more, made the choice harder. As if what she needed to do wasn't already impossible, after what they'd shared…
When Avery was silent for several long beats, Chase spoke again.
"You're too good inside, Avery," he told her, again with that same unnerving confidence. "No matter what you believe. I know you, Avery."
"You know nothing," Avery hissed. "You're not the only one the secrets. I may not be perfect, my family… The Hunters…" She paused. “None of that changes what you are . You know that, don't you? None of that changes the fact that you're a…"
Chase stared up at her, his jaw tensing, anger flashing in those gorgeous green eyes.
"A what? Say it, Avery."
"A monster," Avery whispered. "What you are, the curse you carry… Your kind should not exist."
Chase stared directly at her gun for several long seconds, considering.
"You don't really believe that," he told her. "If you did, we wouldn't be having this conversation. There would be no moral dilemma for you, Avery. In fact, you don't hate me at all. No, the problem is that you l—"
“Don't you dare!” Avery snapped. Heart pounding, mouth dry, she begged herself to pull the trigger, end this before the danger grew even greater.
"Lust. You lust after me," Chase said, an undercurrent of humor in his tone. "Or is it more than that, little Hunter? What are you really afraid of, Avery?”
“My father's command is already in jeopardy. Killing you would only solidify his power in the eyes of the other Hunters. And if he found out about… this thing between us… He'd string me up as a traitor in the blink of an eye. No questions asked," Avery said. It was completely true. Her father would be the least of her worries if anyone found out that she'd consorted with a werewolf. If her uncle got so much as a whiff of it, Avery would be a dead woman walking.
"So fuck them, Avery. There's a reason I found you shooting tequila and trying to chase away your worries at the bar that night. You’re miserable," Chase said.
Avery shook her head, lowering the gun a few inches.
"Yeah, thanks for pointing that out." A humorless smile lit her lips.
"Run away with me, Avery," Chase said. "Start a new life. You deserve it."
Avery's hand fell to her side, the gun pointing at the floor, her finger leaving the trigger entirely.
"It would be like signing both our death warrants," she told him somberly.
"I can keep you safe, Avery. I'll protect you–"
A bubble of laughter escaped Avery's lips, quickly turning into a muted sob. Tears brimmed in her eyes at the very idea of all that he offered — freedom, a life that was her own. It was… unthinkable. A fantasy.
"Get out," Avery told Chase, unable to meet his gaze. "I
A very Burke stood , the gun weighing heavy in her hand, as she pointed it directly down at the gorgeous werewolf kneeling a few feet from the tips of her toes. Awaiting her judgement, it seemed. His ash blonde head was bowed, hair clipped so short that she could almost see his scalp, the style left over from his long years of active military duty.
Soldier, stranger, lover… Chase Harbin was so many things, all conflicting with one another. Avery swallowed, easing her finger over the trigger.
If only her hand wouldn't shake so much. If only her heart wouldn't thunder quite so loudly. If only Chase would look at her, raise his head and look her in the eyes, maybe…
Maybe what? Maybe she would… shoot him? End the life of the gorgeous unarmed man prostrating himself at her feet? End this thing between them, once and for all? Kill ten birds with one stone, possibly saving her life in the process?
"I should kill you."
Avery's words rang out like the tolling of a bell, falling leaden in the silence that lay between them. Only then did Chase raise his head, staring up at her with those eerily-lit emerald eyes, his gaze seeming to sink right into her soul.
“You won’t kill me,” Chase uttered. The surety and his voice only shook Avery more, made the choice harder. As if what she needed to do wasn't already impossible, after what they'd shared…
When Avery was silent for several long beats, Chase spoke again.
"You're too good inside, Avery," he told her, again with that same unnerving confidence. "No matter what you believe. I know you, Avery."
"You know nothing," Avery hissed. "You're not the only one the secrets. I may not be perfect, my family… The Hunters…" She paused. “None of that changes what you are . You know that, don't you? None of that changes the fact that you're a…"
Chase stared up at her, his jaw tensing, anger flashing in those gorgeous green eyes.
"A what? Say it, Avery."
"A monster," Avery whispered. "What you are, the curse you carry… Your kind should not exist."
Chase stared directly at her gun for several long seconds, considering.
"You don't really believe that," he told her. "If you did, we wouldn't be having this conversation. There would be no moral dilemma for you, Avery. In fact, you don't hate me at all. No, the problem is that you l—"
“Don't you dare!” Avery snapped. Heart pounding, mouth dry, she begged herself to pull the trigger, end this before the danger grew even greater.
"Lust. You lust after me," Chase said, an undercurrent of humor in his tone. "Or is it more than that, little Hunter? What are you really afraid of, Avery?”
“My father's command is already in jeopardy. Killing you would only solidify his power in the eyes of the other Hunters. And if he found out about… this thing between us… He'd string me up as a traitor in the blink of an eye. No questions asked," Avery said. It was completely true. Her father would be the least of her worries if anyone found out that she'd consorted with a werewolf. If her uncle got so much as a whiff of it, Avery would be a dead woman walking.
"So fuck them, Avery. There's a reason I found you shooting tequila and trying to chase away your worries at the bar that night. You’re miserable," Chase said.
Avery shook her head, lowering the gun a few inches.
"Yeah, thanks for pointing that out." A humorless smile lit her lips.
"Run away with me, Avery," Chase said. "Start a new life. You deserve it."
Avery's hand fell to her side, the gun pointing at the floor, her finger leaving the trigger entirely.
"It would be like signing both our death warrants," she told him somberly.
"I can keep you safe, Avery. I'll protect you–"
A bubble of laughter escaped Avery's lips, quickly turning into a muted sob. Tears brimmed in her eyes at the very idea of all that he offered — freedom, a life that was her own. It was… unthinkable. A fantasy.
"Get out," Avery told Chase, unable to meet his gaze. "I
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