Mia didn’t look back as he howled in the distance. Her
breath hitched as she leapt out of the thick fern and ran
away as far from the cottage as possible. Her heart beat
faster than her sprint. How did he find me so soon? She
had an hour lead on him. Duh, he knows these woods and
the art of hunting prey.

Mia pushed the limits of her endurance. The competitor in
her wouldn’t give up. She stopped and checked her GPS.
Hmm. Two miles to the clearing near the fire road. No way
will I make it that far. Plus, he’ll expect it. She took
off her bandana and wiped perspiration from her brow.
Autumn in the mountains, offered no comfort. It turned
out to be a blistering Indian summer day. A cool breeze
would have been welcome.

A wolf howl echoed closer.

Dang!

The nearness of a superior predator spiked her adrenaline
and primal fear. Not giving up that easily. She sprinted
east, away from the road. With each breath, she imagined
what Dominic would do to her once he caught her. His
naughty defiant pet. Dampness gathered in her panties and
her nipples distended, ready for his predatory mouth. The
Big Bad Wolf would mount her in the bushes or in one of
the numerous crevices in the rocky terrain. He would not
be gentle. Bring her from the brink of pain to explosive
pleasure.

Her senses heightened. Mia sniffed the verdant
evergreens, and then listened for footfalls over fallen
leaves. Nothing. Then again, what stalking predator
signaled his presence? The soothing whoosh and roar of a
river caught her attention. Hmm. Didn’t dogs lose the
trail once their quarry entered water? Not a werewolf.
Though it could slow his pursuit.

Unless I throw him off track. Mia found a stone then tied
the bandana around it. She whirled the rock down a deer
trail, away from her watery destination.

Mia removed her running shoes and socks and stepped into
the cold water. Small rapids roared against the stones.
She scanned the water for a safe shallow crossing area.
There. A couple fallen logs broke the rush. She waded
into the knee-deep water. Her jogging shorts remained
dry.

Once across, she found a branch and wiped her prints.
Watching old cowboy movies paid off. She slipped her
socks and running shoes back on and looked back once
before continuing.

Mia hiked uphill on a narrow trail. A soaring hawk
screamed as if in warning. She stopped. Oh, shit! She
leaned against a tree near a deep ravine. Too close. One
slip and she’d plunge to her death. Her skin chilled
despite her warm perspiration.

She glanced around. Had she really outsmarted Dominic?
Slowly, she slumped to the ground and unclipped the
canteen from her hip pack. She drank the water to the
last drop.

Mia clipped her empty canteen back and stood. Had he been
called back for enforcer duty? Would he send his betas to
find her? She reached for the GPS. Shit. It must have
fallen out of her bag. She drew in a calming breath. I’ll
retrace my steps.

The pristine forest called to him. His prey, near.
Dominic easily picked up her scent, despite the heavy
perfume she sprayed on a few trees to throw off her
trail. Her attempt to outsmart a werewolf charmed him. He
flared his nostrils. Odd. He glanced at a deer trail
leading back to his estate. Why would she go that way? He
ran down the trail. Her bandana tied to a rock lay on top
of ferns. Dominic grinned. Clever, but not clever enough.
He turned away from the deer trail and inhaled for Mia’s
scent. Her rich aroma of adrenaline, salty sweat and
arousal excited him. Her scrumptious molecules led across
the river.

Naughty pet. I should have brought my ropes to bind you
to a tree. Did you think I would lose your trail by
tricking me and then crossing the stream? You can
outsmart human criminals and hide, but you’ll never hide
from me.

His brow furrowed. The river had risen substantially
after the last storm, even for this time of year. He
growled. His beloved pet had risked drowning. Branch
marks on the opposite bank eliminating her tracks
relieved his anguish. He stepped into the cold water. The
rushing water drenched his boots and jeans. Mia headed
toward the area they called Cave Gully, a dangerously
steep precipice. The loose rocks could cause her to
stumble and plunge to her death.

He ignored the temptation to shift into wolf form and
sloshed up the bank. “Mia!”

No answer.

Dominic dashed up the steep incline. Something yellow
flashed in a bed of pine needles. Her mini-handheld GPS.
Game over. “Damn. Mia!”

Mia bent over and searched for her GPS.

“Looking for this?”

Mia screamed and whipped around.

Dominic leaned against a tree, twirling the GPS like a
toy in his hand. A wicked wolfish grin on his smug face.

She touched the base of her neck, her sudden racing pulse
thumping a mad treble. “How long have you’ve been
watching me?”

“Long enough.” His tone dripped all-alpha testosterone.
“I would’ve said something, but I was enjoying the view.”
Dominic pulled off his black tank top, revealing his
brawny muscular chest and ripped abs.

Oh, yeah, the view. Without his shirt, he appeared
taller, broader. Magnificent. A Greek god, but one of the
night, the underworld. Menacing. Dominating. Badass big-
bad-wolf hot.

He growled. “Mine.”

Goose flesh tickled every inch of her. His amber eyes
seared her soul, burning her with his desire, possessing
her soul. The forest, her disheveled look, and other
cares vanished. Only Dominic mattered. My alpha. Her lips
parted.