Wolf Bite (The Blue Mountain Wolf Pack #5) - Emma Dean Page 0,31

his wolf rumble in pleasure as his eyes closed. “You were stressed. I wanted to make you feel better and take the next step at the same time. You take care of everyone, but who takes care of you?”

“Noah.” His answer was immediate, but he knew what she meant. Liam just didn’t understand. “Why do you care?”

“You don’t get to take care of me unless you let me take care of you.” Her voice was so soft. Liam didn’t think he’d ever hear Zoe sound like that, and she’d chosen to speak like that to him.

“Fine, but when we get back, I’m going to make you scream,” he promised. “I don’t care how, but I’ll make it happen.”

Liam cracked an eye open to see her smiling like what he’d said was somehow charming.

“Why did you call me little wolf?” she asked, washing the soap from his hair.

“It’s a term of endearment,” he admitted. “Like baby or sweetheart. But you’re not just my little wolf.”

His hands caressed her back as she held onto him. Liam sighed, knowing that it didn’t matter if they hadn’t slept together. Zoe had slammed her hand into his chest and wrapped those delicate fingers around his heart.

“You’re also my moon, Zoe.” He kissed her cheek and smiled at her before getting out.

She would have no idea what that could mean, but Liam knew she was smart enough to guess. He wrapped a towel around his waist and grabbed one for her.

He was all in now.

As if there had ever been another choice for him.

Liam knew he’d been an idiot to think he could have ever rejected the woman who took down a wolf shifter as a human with nothing but a hatchet.

Like he could ever have resisted the challenge her attitude presented. She was everything he could have possibly wanted.

Now all he could do was try to be enough for her to stick around.

11

Zoe

She could still taste Liam on her tongue, and it was distracting. Zoe forced herself to focus on each step, so she didn’t trip and fall like an absolute idiot. She hadn’t expected to feel so smitten with him after watching him give in to her.

Liam walked alongside her in some forest that fell under Blue Mountain territory. He was in his human form and she felt guilty that he wasn’t with Noah like he usually was.

“Maybe this was a bad idea,” he muttered, stopping in the middle of the trail. Liam tilted his head and it looked like he was listening for something just like a dog would.

“Why?” She tried to keep her eyes peeled, but she had no idea how to really use any of her new senses.

“You smell anxious. I shouldn’t have brought you so soon after you were attacked by a wolf in the forest.” Liam turned and adjusted his backpack, focusing on something she couldn’t hear.

“I am anxious, but I feel safer than I did than the last time I was in the forest,” she whispered, trying to hear what he was hearing. “What’s wrong?”

“There doesn’t seem to be anyone nearby. I can hear pretty far, but I’m not picking up on anything out of the ordinary.” Liam didn’t exactly frown, but his eyebrows came together in concentration. “Noah and Alexander are too far.”

Zoe took a deep breath and focused on her ears, closing her eyes to help her concentration. Instantly the noises of the forest felt deafening. She could hear the beating of Liam’s heart and she was relieved that it was steady and calm.

Each movement he made rustled his clothes and she could almost hear the earth beneath his feet shift under his weight. Leaves rattled in the wind and there was a sound occasionally that made her think a bird had landed on a branch or maybe jumped off.

Small noises from animals living in the forest filtered through first. As her attention expanded outward Zoe could hear the flapping of bird wings as well as the pitter patter of foxes and raccoons.

“What are you listening for?” she asked.

“Humans are loud. They stomp around and breathe heavily. Usually, they’re carrying something that makes a lot of noise, like backpacks. Sometimes I can even hear the electricity coming from their phones if there’s nothing else around. They’re almost always talking to each other.”

She didn’t hear any of that. “What about Alexander and Noah?”

“Their footsteps are lighter. They’re both good hunters. It’s doubtful you’ll even hear them brushing against undergrowth or disturbing other animals. It’s easier to find