Page 47 of Rough

Of the birds singing their sunset song.

I love you.

I wanted to say it out loud. Three words I’dneveruttered to a female before. Never felt for one. But I didn’t want to scare her off. And my female was definitely still skittish. It had only been a few days, and she’d called me on what I’d been and doubted I’d walk away from it all just for her. But she had to know now, after what we’d just shared, here and at the truck, that this was special. More. Everything.

Soon, I’d tell her. And I’d come clean about what I was, too. Just as soon as I thought she could handle it.

20

AUDREY

We dressed slowly.I didn’t think either of us wanted to leave. It had been such a wonderful afternoon. We laid on the blankets until the sun dipped behind the mountains and the sky changed from pink to purple and finally grew dusk.

The sound of the waterfall blotted out the rest of the world. Made it feel like we were in our own special little paradise, where nothing could intrude. Boyd was right—it was one of nature’s most beautiful secrets.

That was why it seemed only fitting, rather than shocking, when I spotted a grey wolf slinking along the rocks at the top of the waterfall. I gasped, first with surprise, then a little panic, then pleasure at the magnificent sight. “Look!” I pointed to the ridge.

“Oh, shit,” Boyd muttered.

If his response seemed strange, I didn’t have time to register it because at that moment, a shot rang out from the distance, behind us. I startled and slapped my hands instinctively over my ears.

“Hold your fire!” Boyd roared, flying to his feet at the same moment I screamed, and the wolf gave a terrible yelp.

I’d never forget the sound of it. I watched as the poor creature blasted sideways, the bullet striking its hindquarters. It lost its footing in slick moss and water.

“No!” I screamed as the wolf fell over the edge, legs scrambling in the air as it took the drop into the pool. It hit the surface with a huge splash.

Everything happened so fast.

Boyd ran to the edge and dived into the pool after the wolf, which was insane.

“Stop! Boyd!”

Shit! It was one thing to admire its magnificence from afar, another to go after it. Did he not understand it was a wild animal he was attempting to rescue? The creature was badly injured. If it was alive, it would surely tear his throat out when he tried to help it.

I stood at the water’s edge, holding my breath, trying to see beyond the bubbling surface of the pool. Time lengthened. Stretched. It felt like forever but was probably only a moment before Boyd popped from beneath the surface and walked out of the pool holding a lifeless wolf.

“Oh my God, Boyd!”

He dropped the bloody animal on the blankets and instantly started chest compressions. “Shift, kid.Now.”

“Boyd, be careful,” I warned. “That’s a wolf, for God’s sake. He’ll wake up and bite you.” I wanted to help and was obviously trained in CPR, but I wasn’t a veterinarian. This was way out of my wheelhouse.

The wolf jerked several times, water pouring out of its mouth.

“Shift,”Boyd commanded again, his voice louder.

And then bones cracked and crunched andthe wolf changed.Into a human!

I stared. Blinked. Yes, I had my glasses on. A naked male. Dark hair, slim build, late teens. Not a wolf.

“Audrey, take over,” Boyd ordered, straightening. Water dripped off him, his clothes clung to him. He was breathing hard, his gaze dark. Fierce. I’d never seen him like this before. His fingers were on the guy’s neck.

“What?”

“You’re a doctor, and he’s been shot. He’s got a pulse, but he’s not breathing. Help him.”

“But… but—”