Chapter 39

Caturix left Shemika behind, his ears picking up the sound of multiple footsteps in the distance. He hoped she would stay hidden, stay quiet. He didn’t want anyone to know she was there.

He found the source of the noise quickly, which wasn’t a good sign. It meant they could find Shemika just as fast.

The group was border patrol, oblivious to his presence. He took a quick look at each of them before they noticed him. Three, no, four men. He was relieved not to see Nikandr among them. Nikandr had a keen sense for picking up even the faintest trace of Shemika’s scent, and the wind was strong tonight.

The men were Leo, Aleksei, George, and Damien. All big, solid men. They didn’t notice him until it was too late. They tensed up when they saw him but relaxed slightly when they recognized him. Not completely, though. No one in Rurik really trusted him.

“Caturix,” Leo greeted him, his voice tight. He gave a small nod.

Caturix returned the gesture.

“Alpha said you’d be heading to town tonight, but he said you’d leave earlier,” Leo said, suspicion in his eyes.

“I left when I felt like it. He didn’t give me a specific time,” Caturix replied, his voice cold. His eyes narrowed.

Leo took a step back, even though he hadn’t meant to. “Why are you here then? Town is further south, you know that,” he accused.

“I heard you. You’re not exactly quiet on patrol,” Caturix shot back. “I came to see who was making all the noise.”

Leo quickly hid a bottle of alcohol behind his back. “We weren’t—”

“Did you hear me approach? It took you a long time to notice me, and you’re supposed to be border patrol,” Caturix said, raising an eyebrow.

Leo exchanged nervous glances with the others. “It was just this time. We never—”

Caturix raised a hand to silence him. “I don’t care, you four just need—”

“Five,” George interrupted.

Caturix tensed. “What did you just say?” he demanded.

George looked away, scared. “I mean, there’s five of us. You’re wrong.” He pointed to each person, then paused. “Wait…where’s Anton?” he asked Aleksei.

Caturix felt a wave of fear. He needed to end this conversation quickly. “I have plans in town. I won’t tell Lyosha I found you drunk in the woods, and you won’t tell him you saw me at all,” he said, looking at each of them.

George belched loudly, spilling some of his drink. “Ah, your ‘plans’,” he said, smirking. “Everyone knows you’re going to fuck a human woman now that you’re done with that busty blonde chick.”

Done with the blonde? If only that were true. If only it could be. Caturix clenched his fists. He didn’t want these men thinking about his woman, even for a moment.

“Yes, so done with the blonde,” he said, his jaw tight.

“Good thing too, doesn’t Anton want a go?” George asked, turning to Leo who nodded. “He’s got an obsession, that one. I heard from Oksana, she caught him jerking off outside her bedroom door just thinking about—”

Caturix left them, heading back to Shemika. He didn’t care about being quiet this time. He crashed through the underbrush, following her scent.

Suddenly, he smelled warm apple crisp. He’d been foolish to think he could get her out of Rurik territory without her scent giving her away. He followed her scent, slowing down as it got stronger. If Anton hadn’t found her yet, his loud footsteps would lead him right to her.

Caturix moved silently again, coming upon a man crouched behind a tree. The man was watching something in the distance, unaware of Caturix’s presence. Caturix stayed where he was, looking in the same direction.

The wind blew through the trees, and in the moonlight, Caturix saw golden hair behind a fallen tree. The scent of warm apple crisp filled the air. Anton had found her.

Caturix heard the border patrol coming after him. He’d left so abruptly, they must’ve wondered why. He needed to think. He had to get Anton away from Shemika without alerting the rest of the group. He had some time, as the drunk wolves wouldn’t be able to catch up as quickly as he had.

His mind was a whirl of worry for Shemika. Without thinking, he jumped over Anton and slashed his throat with one hand, covering his mouth with the other. He didn’t want Anton to alert the others or scare Shemika.

He held Anton up until he went limp. Then he laid him down quietly in the leaves and went back into the shadows. He listened, trying to figure out how far away the group was. He heard them change direction, moving away from where he and Anton were.

He started to go to Shemika, but then she called out for him. “Cat.”

He froze as the border patrol followed the sound of her voice.

She called for him again, and he hurried toward her. When she stood up to greet him, he was filled with anger. She hadn’t known it was him approaching, but she’d stood up anyway, smiling. Her smile faded when she saw the blood on his hands and boots.

Caturix heard the group coming toward them and moved to cover Shemika’s mouth.

“Oh my—” was all she got out before he pushed her against a tree.

He kept his hand over her mouth until he was sure the group had been distracted by her noise. When he was sure they were gone, he let out a sigh of relief and turned to face her.

Her big amber eyes were wide with fear above his bloody hand.

He let go of her mouth and stepped back. “I’m sorry, border patrol,” he said quietly.

She nodded, as if trying to understand, but she was shaking with fear. Her lips were smeared with blood, like she’d been kissing someone wearing bright red lipstick.

“We can go back if—”

“No,” she interrupted before he could suggest going back to the safety of Rurik.

“Mika, we’re not even halfway there, my love,” he said gently. “It’s more dangerous once we leave Rurik’s territory.”

She shook her head. “I want to go to town. I need to go,” she said firmly. She’d always dreamed of visiting that town. She wasn’t going to miss this chance.

He nodded, understanding but worried. Once they got to town, it would be hard to convince her to come back to Rurik. “Do you want to walk now?” he asked softly. He’d just scared her and covered her in another man’s blood, he was sure—

She shook her head. “I still want to be held for a little bit. It’s…very cold,” she said, looking embarrassed.

He nodded and approached her slowly, like she was a scared puppy. To his surprise, she didn’t flinch or back away. He gently wiped the blood off her face with his sleeve.

“Whose blood is this?” she asked softly.

“Anton’s,” he answered bluntly.

She tilted her head, confused. “Who’s that?”

“A man with an obsession for busty blondes,” he said through gritted teeth.

Her lips formed an ‘o’ of realization. “Ah, my hero,” she said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice, but also a touch of admiration.

He didn’t say anything, just curled his lip in distaste.

Soon, they were back on their way.