Wild Hunt - Kali Argent Page 0,44

breath tinged with the smell of copper fanned over his face as the wolf butted its wet nose against his chin.

Damn, the thing was even bigger up close, standing at least six feet from the ground at the shoulders with a head the size of a boulder. The beast whined again. Against his better judgment, Cade lowered his knife and reached out slowly to stroke the fur on the side of its neck. The coat felt soft and silky between his fingers, and far too clean for that of a wild animal.

“Who are you?” While he didn’t know the difference between a wolf shifter and a werewolf—or why the thing was so damn big—shifter was the only conclusion that made sense.

With a soft whimper, the wolf backed away from him and lowered itself to the ground. The air around the beast shimmered like the haze over asphalt on a hot summer day. Fur receded. The snout shortened. Bones realigned, and muscles stretched. It was the shortest transition he’d ever witnessed, and when it was complete, his mate knelt before him, naked, shivering, and covered in blood.

“So,” she said, lifting her head to meet his gaze. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Chapter Thirteen

“What the hell, Mack?”

Wincing at Cade’s harsh tone, Mackenna bit her lower lip as she rose to her feet. “I wanted to tell you. I was going to tell you. I just—”

“I don’t give a fuck that you can shift.” Sheathing the blade in his hand, he dragged the other through his hair and snorted. “Oh, don’t get it twisted, we are definitely going to talk—” He waved his hand up and down in a vague sort of way that somehow encompassed all of her. “—about this later.”

Her eyebrows drew together, and her lips curved downward at the corners. “Then, why are you mad?”

“Why am I mad?” He staggered over to the nearest Ravager and nudged the male with his boot. “You’re kidding, right?”

“They would have killed you.”

“They could have killed you,” Cade roared at her. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that I couldn’t just sit there and watch you die,” she snapped back. “Cade, I’m okay.” She held her hands up in a conciliatory way as she took a step toward him. “See? I’m fine.”

“Fine? You’re bleeding everywhere.” He pointed an accusatory finger at her. “You have a goddamn hole in the side of your neck. What the fuck about that is fine?”

Even though the danger had passed now, he was still frightened for her. Not only could she hear it in his voice, but she could smell the stench of terror all over him. So, instead of reacting with anger, she took a deep breath and smiled at him.

“My neck is healing.” It itched like crazy where the skin was already fusing itself together. “I’m a lot more worried about your injuries.” She wasn’t the only one covered in blood, but she was the only one who could heal herself. Cade appeared far too pale for her liking. “Look, you can keep yelling at me, or you can let me help you back to the house so I can clean you up.”

“I’m fine.”

Mackenna arched an eyebrow at him. “Is that really how you want to play this?”

They stood there for a long time, just glaring at each other, but eventually, Cade blew out a long breath and bobbed his head. “Okay, but don’t think this means I’m not still pissed at you.”

“Duly noted.”

He held his arms open. “Come here.”

Hurrying to him, she went directly into his embrace, sighing in contentment as she snuggled against him. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

“Don’t ever do something like that again.”

“What? You mean, save your life?”

“Mack…”

He was kind of cute when he was all growly. “We’ll fight about it later.” Arching her neck, she pressed a kiss to the side of his jaw, then stepped out of his embrace. “This is really gross.” Her gaze flickered to the dead bodies littering the ground. “What do we do with them?”

“Stack the bodies.” From his tone, it wasn’t the first time he’d had to deal with something like this. “There’s lighter fluid and matches in the car.” He shook his head at her wrinkled nose. “It’s that or leave them for the coyotes.”

Cultures had been burning their dead for millennia. There was nothing shameful or distasteful about the practice. It was also efficient and practical. She’d seen her share of death, and there was a high probability that she would