His wolf had gone quiet. Ruben barely noticed, so turned on he could scarcely think. He wanted to bury himself inside her, take her right there on the bed of dried leaves, with the wild wolf pack as his witness.
Inflamed, he nuzzled her, stroking her soft skin, lingering over the curve of her generous breasts. She pushed herself into him, groaning as his hand cupped her perfect behind.
When his mouth found hers, already drowning in sensation, the first crush of her lips against his sent a jolt of smoldering heat through him.
Reveling in the feeling as their tongues danced and mated, he realized he was dangerously close to losing control. He gasped, raised his head, struggling with his wolf, his desire, and most of all, with himself.
This was wrong. He couldn’t let this happen.
As he saw the same awareness and realization flood her face, he realized the wolves had left them. Once again, he and Willow were alone.
Turning away, he desperately tried to think of something else, anything else, to dissipate his erection. He remembered his mother’s horrible scream and the maid’s lifeless body and his quest to find the killer. That did it.
When he could breathe again and speak normally, he turned to face her. She looked a bit tousled, though her serene expression told him she’s also managed to put the incident from her.
“What just happened?” he asked, gesturing toward the spot where the wolf pack had been.
Willow flushed, proving her serenity was only an act. “I think we kissed.”
“Yes, I know we did.” Reaching out, he squeezed her shoulder, hoping she found his touch reassuring. He refused to analyze why he still felt the need to keep touching her. “I meant the wolves. I take it you managed to convince them that I was no threat?”
“Oh.” Apparently at a loss for words, she squinted into the woods, gaze searching the shadows. “They left. They could sense your inner wolf. I think they thought you were staking a claim.” Her blush deepened.
Staking a claim? Momentarily distracted, he found his gaze drawn to her mouth. Completely unintentional, but maybe he had, in a way. His inner wolf continued to prowl, somewhat mollified but not completely satisfied.
Ruben didn’t like it. He’d kissed her but the beast wanted more. Much more. At least he still had enough control over that part of himself to make sure human overruled beast.
Forcing his attention away from her soft, kissable mouth to the forest, he managed a savage smile. “What were the wolves doing here in the first place?”
“Um....” Her chocolate eyes widened. “I guess I should have told you earlier. All the animals, whether here in the forest, or in town, seek me out. For some reason, I’m able to communicate with them in a rudimentary way.”
Fascinated, he eyed her. “Are you serious?”
Slowly she nodded.
“Is that one of your magical abilities?”
“There’s nothing magical about that,” she said. “Is there?”
“Talking to animals seems pretty darn magical to me. Hellhounds, I’m a Shape-shifter and I even can’t communicate much with wild wolves. What do your parents think?”
She looked down. “I haven’t exactly told them.”
He couldn’t believe she didn’t realize the magnitude of her ability, if it was true. “Why not? Surely they’d be proud of you.”
“I don’t think so.” Crossing her arms, she shook her head and began walking, indicating the conversation was over. At least as far as she was concerned. He made a mental note to try and discuss it later.
For the next hour, they trudged southeast, sticking to uncultivated forest and eschewing anything that even remotely resembled a path or road. During that journey, Ruben witnessed the phenomena with Willow and the animals again and again. Deer and elk, rabbits and squirrels, hedgehogs and beavers—species didn’t matter—they all came to greet her. Those that hunted and those who were prey, they came without regard for the danger.
With each and every one, she crouched low, petted and caressed, and appeared to confer softly and silently.
Keeping his distance, Ruben watched her, listening closely, trying to figure out if he had missed some little nuance, some trick. But he saw nothing other than the obvious—the animals came to Willow and she clearly adored them. It also appeared the feeling was mutual.
Finally, after another long stretch of walking, he decided to ask where they were heading.
“Nowhere, really.” She shrugged. “I told you, I would ask some questions and get some answers. This is more of a fact-finding expedition than anything else.”