Chapter 2

Kael acted as if I had not just slapped him hard enough to make his lip bleed.

He turned toward a shelf, pulled out a strip of cloth, and started wrapping a gash on his arm. His chest mark had faded, but I could still see the faint crescent beneath his skin.

I folded my arms.

"Explain the creepy glowing tattoo."

"It is a Mate mark."

Kael pulled his bandage tighter.

"That explained nothing."

Kael tightened the bandage with his teeth.

"The Moon Goddess gives every wolf one person who can become their deepest bond."

"She has terrible taste. She should read a background check before assigning strangers."

His gold eyes lifted.

"No one speaks of the Moon Goddess that way."

"Congratulations. She learned something today."

Kael saw me move toward the waterfall.

"Do not go outside."

I turned.

"Why?"

"You will die."

Water thundered over the cave entrance.

"Wow. Your tourism board needs work. First kidnapping, then a death warning?"

"It is not a warning. It is a fact."

I walked back until I stood directly in front of him.

"Then give me facts. Where am I, and why did those men look at me like a lottery ticket? Why did they say humans are extinct?"

Kael did not answer immediately.

"Do not decide what I can handle," I said. "Say all of it."

"This world is Veyr," he said. "You do not belong here."

I laughed once, without humor.

"Great start."

"The last recorded human died more than three hundred years ago. There has not been a pure human since."

Kael's jaw flexed once.

"So I am a museum exhibit?"

"Worse."

Kael's fingers curled around the bandage.

"Wolf females are disappearing. Fewer carry pups, and fewer survive birth. Old records say human women can carry wolf children when wolves cannot."

Then I lifted my dead phone as if I were still streaming.

"Welcome back to the channel. I woke up in another world, became an endangered species, and everybody wants my uterus."

Kael's jaw tightened.

"I did not say that."

"You did not have to."

I let my phone fall to my side.

"Is that why you carried me here? Because you think I can carry your heir?"

"I brought you here because you are my Mate."

Kael looked toward the waterfall.

"What is the difference? They want to divide me between packs. You want to keep me for yourself."

Kael stepped forward.

"I will protect you."

I shoved my hand against his chest before he could get closer.

"Do not tell me it is for my own good. I have heard that sentence right before people used me."

His gaze dropped to my palm against him.

"I did not say that."

He caught my wrist and moved my hand aside. His skin burned under my fingers.

"I said I will protect you."

"By locking me in a cave?"

His hand stayed between us.

"By keeping you alive."

I stared at him.

"If I were not your Mate," I asked, "what would you have done after smelling that I was human?"

Kael's eyes darkened.

"Taken you somewhere safe."

"See? You know the normal answer is not throwing a woman over your shoulder."

His expression went flat.

Then my stomach growled.

Loudly.

Kael reached for a slab of roasted meat and held it out.

I eyed it.

"What is it?"

"Deer."

Kael watched me take the meat.

"Actual deer? Not a former person?"

He stared at me.

"Actual deer."

I took it. Hunger beat dignity. I had barely swallowed two bites when he spoke again.

"You should understand something. You cannot leave me."

I lowered the meat.

"Try that again. Slower."

Kael did not flinch.

"The packs will hunt you. The Northern Alpha will take you; others will fight him for you. Alone, you will not survive a day."

"So your plan is what? I make babies while you stand guard?"

The meat cooled in my hand.

"You will have my protection."

"That is not an answer."

Kael's fingers tightened on the cloth.

"You will have my children."

Then I laughed so hard I nearly choked.

Kael frowned.

"What is funny?"

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

"You are a rogue with a cave, a murder problem, and apparently no furniture. And you are pitching me a dynasty?"

His entire body went still.

"I can provide."

"With what? Rabbit stew and emotional kidnapping?"

Kael moved toward the cave exit.

"Fine," I said. "You keep playing alpha husband. I am going for a walk."

I shoved past him toward the waterfall.

Kael caught my elbow before I reached it.

"No."

I twisted free.

"Watch me."

He moved in front of the exit, shoulders filling the narrow passage.

"Evie. Outside is dangerous."

"You are dangerous. At least outside is honest about it."

I waited until his eyes shifted toward the sound of distant howls.

Then I did the only sensible thing.

I ran straight into the waterfall.

The cold hit like a slap. I scrambled down the rocky slope, soaked through in seconds, and crashed into the forest before Kael could grab me.

Then something roared behind the trees.

Not a wolf.

The creature that stepped into the clearing had six legs, a jaw full of hooked teeth, and eyes like burning coals. It was twice the size of a lion.

I raised the broken branch in my hand.

"Okay," I whispered. "This is not ideal."

The beast lunged.

I ran, branches tearing at my arms. It chased me through the brush, close enough that hot spit hit my neck. I hit a dead end at a ravine and spun around.

The thing sprang.

A black shape smashed into it from the side.

Kael's wolf hit the monster hard enough to splinter a tree. They rolled through mud and leaves, teeth tearing, claws ripping. I backed against the ravine wall, gripping the branch until my knuckles burned.

The beast caught Kael across the ribs. Blood sheeted down black fur.

Kael did not retreat.

He tore its throat out.

When the creature finally stopped moving, Kael staggered toward me in human form, blood running down his side.

"Are you hurt?" I asked.

His laugh was rough.

"You ran."

"You gave a terrible speech."

Instead, he dropped to one knee because blood was pouring from his ribs.

I tore a strip from my shirt and crouched beside him.

"Hold still."

Kael watched my hands as I pressed cloth to the wound.

"You are helping me."

"Do not make it weird."

My fingers brushed an old scar below his ribs.

Letters had been carved into his skin.

I wiped the blood away.

The words appeared clearly.

KILL ON SIGHT.

I looked up at the rogue Alpha who had just bled for me.

"Kael," I said. "What did you do to make the whole world want you dead?"