the air and howled. She lunged and knocked the spear out of the hunter’s hand. Her body straddled above the hunter, and she heard the other two men shriek. Beth turned her head and watched them run. The sight of Gunther must have frightened them. She lowered her gaze to the man below, spotting the fear in his widened eyes and a reflection of a huge white wolf.
By the Goddess, the she-wolf must have surfaced to protect Quinn.
Beth crept back from the hunter, lowering her head to the ground and growled. The man stumbled, getting to his feet before grabbing his spear and aiming it at her head. Quinn leapt, knocking the weapon from the hunter’s hand. The man opened his mouth, his face turning pale. He turned and raced in the same direction the other two had fled.
Beth’s limbs trembled. Her mind spinning, her emotions whirled out of control. Quinn’s arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. She looked up into his face and saw he was human again. Heat surged through her neck. She glanced down and saw her bare legs. She tucked her legs to her chest and enveloped her arms around them, covering her naked breasts.
“Are ye all right, lass?” Quinn touched her face, his amber eyes melting back to the rich chocolate brown.
McGregor and Gunther groaned in pain. They’d been wounded and needed help. Quinn helped her get to her feet, and with one leap sprinted across the open pit. Beth grabbed her tattered clothing and draped it across herself the best she could. Without thinking, she sprinted over the trap, and caught site of spears sticking through Finley’s dangling body. She shuddered.
Finley was dead.
Gunther lay on his side in an increasing puddle of blood. A wooden stake was sticking out of the center of his chest. McGregor was sitting up, fussing at the gentle giant, attempting to tend to the gushing wound. A second broken spear laid by his side. “Ye bloody damn fool. Ye knew that spear was meant for me. I’m an old man. It was my time to die, not yers.”
Beth dropped to her knees and examined the nasty wound. The stake was deep and close to his heart. Gunther gripped her hand and smiled. He looked at Quinn and shut his eyes.
Quinn nodded and raced off, returning with Gunther’s clothes. He reached inside the jacket pocket and removed a giant sparkling crystal. Similar to the one Quinn had shown her in his cabin.
Gunther’s fingers shook, taking the gem from Quinn. He placed it inside Beth’s hand and closed her fingers around the cold stone. Barely above a whisper, the gentle giant muttered the word, “Gift.”
“I can’t accept this.” Beth sat shaking her head no, cradling his head in her lap, tears streaming down her face.
“Ye must.” Quinn gripped Gunther’s shoulder. “It’s his last wish. He wants you to have it.”
Gunther smiled, squeezed Beth’s other hand, and nodded his head. “Gift . . . cave.”
Beth leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Thank you, my friend.”
Gunther’s head slumped to the side, and his eyes closed for the last time.
Like water bursting through a broken damn, a rush of emotions washed over Beth. She hugged Gunther’s head to her chest and wept.
Chapter 12
Beth knelt and placed a gathered bouquet, filled with colorful goldenrod and toadflax wild flowers mixed with foxgloves and variegated ferns, on top of Gunther’s fresh grave. Their heads bowed, the men stood between Gunther’s and Finley’s final resting places. Quinn steadied McGregor by holding his arm. They’d picked a spot on the outskirts of the forest where the shade would shelter their graves from the hottest time of day, and the breathtaking heather spread wild through the meadows. Due to his prior wishes, the older deceased crewmember, Dudley, would be laid to rest at sea, once they returned to the Sea Wolf .
“Because of me, three good men are dead.” Beth rose, rubbing her hands up and down her arms.
“Nonsense, lass.” McGregor patted her shoulder. “If anyone’s to
By the Goddess, the she-wolf must have surfaced to protect Quinn.
Beth crept back from the hunter, lowering her head to the ground and growled. The man stumbled, getting to his feet before grabbing his spear and aiming it at her head. Quinn leapt, knocking the weapon from the hunter’s hand. The man opened his mouth, his face turning pale. He turned and raced in the same direction the other two had fled.
Beth’s limbs trembled. Her mind spinning, her emotions whirled out of control. Quinn’s arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. She looked up into his face and saw he was human again. Heat surged through her neck. She glanced down and saw her bare legs. She tucked her legs to her chest and enveloped her arms around them, covering her naked breasts.
“Are ye all right, lass?” Quinn touched her face, his amber eyes melting back to the rich chocolate brown.
McGregor and Gunther groaned in pain. They’d been wounded and needed help. Quinn helped her get to her feet, and with one leap sprinted across the open pit. Beth grabbed her tattered clothing and draped it across herself the best she could. Without thinking, she sprinted over the trap, and caught site of spears sticking through Finley’s dangling body. She shuddered.
Finley was dead.
Gunther lay on his side in an increasing puddle of blood. A wooden stake was sticking out of the center of his chest. McGregor was sitting up, fussing at the gentle giant, attempting to tend to the gushing wound. A second broken spear laid by his side. “Ye bloody damn fool. Ye knew that spear was meant for me. I’m an old man. It was my time to die, not yers.”
Beth dropped to her knees and examined the nasty wound. The stake was deep and close to his heart. Gunther gripped her hand and smiled. He looked at Quinn and shut his eyes.
Quinn nodded and raced off, returning with Gunther’s clothes. He reached inside the jacket pocket and removed a giant sparkling crystal. Similar to the one Quinn had shown her in his cabin.
Gunther’s fingers shook, taking the gem from Quinn. He placed it inside Beth’s hand and closed her fingers around the cold stone. Barely above a whisper, the gentle giant muttered the word, “Gift.”
“I can’t accept this.” Beth sat shaking her head no, cradling his head in her lap, tears streaming down her face.
“Ye must.” Quinn gripped Gunther’s shoulder. “It’s his last wish. He wants you to have it.”
Gunther smiled, squeezed Beth’s other hand, and nodded his head. “Gift . . . cave.”
Beth leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Thank you, my friend.”
Gunther’s head slumped to the side, and his eyes closed for the last time.
Like water bursting through a broken damn, a rush of emotions washed over Beth. She hugged Gunther’s head to her chest and wept.
Chapter 12
Beth knelt and placed a gathered bouquet, filled with colorful goldenrod and toadflax wild flowers mixed with foxgloves and variegated ferns, on top of Gunther’s fresh grave. Their heads bowed, the men stood between Gunther’s and Finley’s final resting places. Quinn steadied McGregor by holding his arm. They’d picked a spot on the outskirts of the forest where the shade would shelter their graves from the hottest time of day, and the breathtaking heather spread wild through the meadows. Due to his prior wishes, the older deceased crewmember, Dudley, would be laid to rest at sea, once they returned to the Sea Wolf .
“Because of me, three good men are dead.” Beth rose, rubbing her hands up and down her arms.
“Nonsense, lass.” McGregor patted her shoulder. “If anyone’s to
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