Page 8 of Ruined Wolf

Lucas moved suddenly, switching sides to sit next to me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and I stared at him in surprise, not expecting any kind of affectionate touch from him. It wasn’t meant as that though, and he tugged me around to look at an island full of large black birds with long, orange-red beaks.

“Black oystercatchers,” he said. “They are nesting. Look.”

I looked closer and realised many of the birds on the island were sitting on nests made from piles of pebbles.

“The eggs are so hardy, they can survive being submerged under water. Around here, they are a protected species,” he added. “It’s why we’re not getting too close.”

I nodded. “Are they endangered?”

He stared out at the birds, his face impassive. “Not yet, but if we keep encroaching on their habitats, they won’t have long until they are. The population is quite small.”

I watched one of the birds dragging what looked like a mollusc from one of the rocks, using its bill to pry it open and devour the contents. I looked up at Lucas. “How do you know so much about them?”

He shrugged, turning back to sit properly as the boat moved past the island. “My father. He used to know a lot about the island, said it was his duty as its caretaker. He raised all of us to have respect for it, but I was always more interested in the wildlife than anything else. He used to take me camping in the forest when I was young. We would walk for miles, talking about what we saw and heard...”

Lucas trailed off, and I watched as his eyes grew distant. He stared out to sea, and I couldn’t help but reach for his hand as we sat there. He looked down in surprise as I wove my fingers through his and held on, but he didn’t pull away. He didn’t look at me either, and we just sat together in peaceful silence as the driver navigated us around the waters.

As we pulled around another rocky outcrop, the driver shouted something to us, and Lucas squeezed my hand and pointed behind us. I turned and squealed with delight. A larger island rose up only a few hundred yards away, and it was teeming with sea lions.

“Oh moons,” I murmured, turning completely and kneeling on the seat. I gripped onto the side of the boat, but Lucas slid his arm around me, pulling me firmly against him and holding me steady. The huge creatures flopped about, many of them asleep, but several lumbered down into the water or dragged themselves out of it.

“There are so many!” I exclaimed.

“The herring come here to spawn in December and stay until April, and the sea lions come to stuff themselves.”

“Well, it looks like they’ve definitely had a good meal. They are huge.” I stared at the creatures, marvelling over the way their heavy, clumsy bodies became smooth and deadly in the water. They were a light brown colour, and their pelts looked so velvety, I imagined reaching out and stroking one as it swam near the boat.

Lucas stood, moving between my feet as he positioned himself behind me. He eased me back against his chest, wrapping his arms around me and lowering his head so he could murmur in my ear.

“Steller sea lions are the biggest breed of sea lion you can get. They are really territorial, and they have a harem of females they protect with their life.”

“Jealous?” I turned my head to look at him, grinning.

“Of the harem? Definitely not. One woman is more than enough for me, but I am certainly territorial, and I would defend her and my territory with my life.”

His hot breath danced over my ear and my neck, sending a delicious shiver cascading over my skin. He was flirting with me, but there was a hard edge in his voice, and I had no doubt that he was serious. I remembered Asher’s words to me, telling me his brother was a cold killer. He’d meant it to scare me, to warn me, but right now, as I considered those who would hunt me down, the idea of having Lucas ready to fight for me didn’t scare me. It made me feel powerful and protected.

“I love seeing you so excited about the island,” he murmured. “It makes you seem so innocent, and I like innocent.” He slipped his hands under my life jacket, splaying his fingers out over my stomach. I tensed, wondering if he’d feel the swell of flesh and guess my secret.

“You do?” I murmured, staring out at the sea lions.

“Oh, I do, because if you are innocent, Nova, then I get to corrupt you.” His hand moved lower, sliding under my waistband, and I gasped, looking around to the driver.

“He’s got his earbuds in,” Lucas murmured. “And don’t you dare look at another man while you’re in my arms.”

“Sorry,” I replied, looking back out over the water.

“Sorry, sir,” he corrected.

“Sir?” I looked up at him, and he smiled darkly.

“Or master, because I will master your body, Nova, and I will corrupt you.” His fingers inched inside my underwear, and I gasped as they brushed softly over my pussy. “Now, I suggest you keep still and stay quiet so our friend over there doesn’t realise.”

“Doesn’t realise what?” I asked, gripping his arms as his fingers brushed over my skin.

“So he doesn’t realise how many times I’m making you come. Now hold onto the rail and don’t let go.”

CHAPTER FOUR