Page 167 of His Hungry Wolf

With my wolf standing still, the room’s sounds encircled us. He was like a guide through all of them. He was listening for a heartbeat that never appeared. There was something coming from it, but it was hard to say what it was.

Was it the sound of flowing blood or a slowly decaying carcass? It was too faint to know for sure. But what I could be sure of was that the dragon had left a scent trail that led somewhere outside.

My wolf trotted to the door and looked back at Cage to be let out. Cage obliged and I thought it would result in him taking me on another ride to who knows where. It didn’t. He instead moved to a few feet past the door and stuck his nose in the air.

I could smell it too. The dragon had flown here and its path from where it came from was laid out before me like a colorful ribbon. Cage needed to know this. So, without having to negotiate it with him, I shifted back into myself ending on my hands and knees.

“Oh!” Cage said quickly looking away.

That’s right, I was completely naked. It didn’t embarrass me as much as it titillated me. I didn’t have to see myself to know that I was turning red.

“I’ll get your clothes,” he volunteered.

“Thanks,” I said before getting dressed and returning to the cabin.

“What’s the verdict?” he asked me.

“It’s your father.”

Cage looked at me hesitant to ask what came next. “Is he… alive?”

“I don’t know. I don’t hear a heartbeat. But, do dragons even have hearts?”

“My father didn’t. But that could be more psychological than biological,” Cage said with a painful smile.

I didn’t know how to reply to that.

“I do have some good news, though.”

“You do? What?”

“I might be able to lead you to wherever it was before it arrived here and ended up like this,” I told him.

Cage looked at me stunned.

Chapter 12

Cage

“How? It’s been here like this for at least two weeks.”

“It has a very distinct scent. There’s still a trail.”

“What would he have to do to follow it?” I said referring to the wolf as Quin had.

“He would just have to come out and do what he does. We could either pack some supplies and hike through the woods for a couple of days to find it. Or, we could hop in your truck and I could stick my nose out of the window in my wolf form.”

“And you’re sure your wolf likes me, right?” I asked knowing that we would be trapped in a small space together.

“I’m positive,” Quin said with a blush.

“Okay, then let’s do the truck thing but we should eat something before leaving. I’ll warm up one of the pizzas for lunch. Are you hungry?”

“There are things I wouldn’t mind getting into my mouth, but I don’t know if it’s pizza,” Quin immediately regretted what he said. “I’m sorry, I’m not very good at flirting. I guess I like you so much that I forget how to use words sometimes.”

“Did you just say you liked me?” I said feeling it swirl around my insides like warm caramel.

“Of course I like you. I’ve liked you from the moment I saw you at the party. The night we met I was hoping you were going to take me home and do things to me. I could barely breathe the weeks I was away from you. I…”