around her waist, and before she could blink the knife was taken from her and tossed aside. Fury erupted inside her and Cherise attacked, fighting with all she had. She tried to headbutt whoever was holding her, but he was so big her head simply hit his shoulder. He grunted but otherwise didn’t flinch.
Panicked, she kicked and flailed until she had no strength left to fight. She slumped in her captor’s arms. A voice reached out to her, promising her she was safe, that everything would be all right. She didn’t believe it. Couldn’t.
He lifted her into his strong arms. She recognized the scent of the person holding her. It was the scent of safety. Cherise curled closer, trying to absorb his warmth. She was so cold.
“I’ve got you.”
Something inside her let go. Cherise gave up the fight and let herself fall into oblivion.
Chapter Eight
“Jesus Christ.” Cole looked at his best friend and his alpha, both men staring in disbelief at the woman who’d passed out in his arms. “Did she think we were going to kill her?” The expression of horror on her face, the way she’d run from them suggested that’s exactly what she’d thought.
“It’s my fault.” Gator vibrated with barely suppressed energy. “I heard her leave the house and went after her. She was just past the trucks when I stepped out from behind a tree. She might have thought some wolf from her former pack had found her. Because she can’t shift, I’m not sure how good her night vision is.”
“She’s exhausted.” Jacque strode toward Cole and touched Cherise’s pale skin. “I’m not sure she even knew who we were.” He shook his head, his disgust plain on his face. “She’s been through more than any woman should have to face, and she’s done it alone.” He pinned Cole with a searching gaze. “But she’s not alone anymore.”
Cole nodded in agreement. He knew Jacque was offering Cherise a permanent place in their pack. “No, she’d not alone anymore.”
Guilt assailed Cole. He should never have left her alone during the long night hours. Hell, he shouldn’t have made love with her earlier. She needed food, rest and care, not him pounding into her body until they were both exhausted with pleasure. As much as he’d enjoyed himself and had hoped to tie her to him with physical bonds of mutual desire, she’d needed something different from him.
And he’d let her down.
“Let’s go.” Jacque led the way.
Gator grabbed Cherise’s backpack and hung back to walk beside Cole. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean to frighten her badly enough to run. I was pissed she’d snuck out.” He dragged his hand over his face and released a ragged sigh. “She was out the door before I even heard her, for fuck sake.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” He wouldn’t let Gator take the blame for something that was solely his fault. “I shouldn’t have left her alone. She’s exhausted and undernourished. She’s been running for days and—” He broke off. He didn’t need to spell things out for his friend. Gator knew Cole had slept with her earlier this evening instead of letting her rest.
Gator slapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll feed her and have her back to full strength in no time.”
But what would happen then? Would she try to run again?
Cole peered down at the almost lifeless woman draped bonelessly against him. The only hope he had was that she had seemed to recognize him at the end and had actually curled into his body. He took hope in that.
The fight was far from over.
But he was as stubborn as she was. More so. He could offer her a place in their pack. And when she was strong enough, he’d offer her a place by his side and in his bed forever.
The walk back took longer than their mad dash through the woods, and by the time they neared the cabins, Cherise was coming around. “Cole?”
She blinked up at him and he could tell she was having a difficult time getting her bearings. “Everything is okay.” And if
Panicked, she kicked and flailed until she had no strength left to fight. She slumped in her captor’s arms. A voice reached out to her, promising her she was safe, that everything would be all right. She didn’t believe it. Couldn’t.
He lifted her into his strong arms. She recognized the scent of the person holding her. It was the scent of safety. Cherise curled closer, trying to absorb his warmth. She was so cold.
“I’ve got you.”
Something inside her let go. Cherise gave up the fight and let herself fall into oblivion.
Chapter Eight
“Jesus Christ.” Cole looked at his best friend and his alpha, both men staring in disbelief at the woman who’d passed out in his arms. “Did she think we were going to kill her?” The expression of horror on her face, the way she’d run from them suggested that’s exactly what she’d thought.
“It’s my fault.” Gator vibrated with barely suppressed energy. “I heard her leave the house and went after her. She was just past the trucks when I stepped out from behind a tree. She might have thought some wolf from her former pack had found her. Because she can’t shift, I’m not sure how good her night vision is.”
“She’s exhausted.” Jacque strode toward Cole and touched Cherise’s pale skin. “I’m not sure she even knew who we were.” He shook his head, his disgust plain on his face. “She’s been through more than any woman should have to face, and she’s done it alone.” He pinned Cole with a searching gaze. “But she’s not alone anymore.”
Cole nodded in agreement. He knew Jacque was offering Cherise a permanent place in their pack. “No, she’d not alone anymore.”
Guilt assailed Cole. He should never have left her alone during the long night hours. Hell, he shouldn’t have made love with her earlier. She needed food, rest and care, not him pounding into her body until they were both exhausted with pleasure. As much as he’d enjoyed himself and had hoped to tie her to him with physical bonds of mutual desire, she’d needed something different from him.
And he’d let her down.
“Let’s go.” Jacque led the way.
Gator grabbed Cherise’s backpack and hung back to walk beside Cole. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean to frighten her badly enough to run. I was pissed she’d snuck out.” He dragged his hand over his face and released a ragged sigh. “She was out the door before I even heard her, for fuck sake.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” He wouldn’t let Gator take the blame for something that was solely his fault. “I shouldn’t have left her alone. She’s exhausted and undernourished. She’s been running for days and—” He broke off. He didn’t need to spell things out for his friend. Gator knew Cole had slept with her earlier this evening instead of letting her rest.
Gator slapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll feed her and have her back to full strength in no time.”
But what would happen then? Would she try to run again?
Cole peered down at the almost lifeless woman draped bonelessly against him. The only hope he had was that she had seemed to recognize him at the end and had actually curled into his body. He took hope in that.
The fight was far from over.
But he was as stubborn as she was. More so. He could offer her a place in their pack. And when she was strong enough, he’d offer her a place by his side and in his bed forever.
The walk back took longer than their mad dash through the woods, and by the time they neared the cabins, Cherise was coming around. “Cole?”
She blinked up at him and he could tell she was having a difficult time getting her bearings. “Everything is okay.” And if
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