Page 24 of Bred By the Beast

“What I’m looking at is even more beautiful than the rarest wildflower.”

Why was she blushing? Especially after everything they’d done together the past couple of days. She wanted to tell him he was blind, but she wasn’t going to put herself down anymore. So, she kept quiet, savoring the way he looked at her. Although she was hoping for a kiss, he didn’t make a move.

“There are so many things I want to show you,” he said. “Beautiful things I think you’d love as much as I do.”

“I’d love to see them.”

“Are you okay hiking?”

She shrugged. All she could remember was the terrifying hike to escape the poachers, but she was up for creating better memories. “I think I can handle it.”

“We should leave right away. The views are better in the early morning.”

They spent the next little while getting dressed and packed some food in a backpack Wilder wore. He’d fashioned her a walking stick perfect for her height.

She followed him out the back door, and he had to tell Fester not to follow them. As always, the dog obeyed him without fuss. There was still dew on the long grass, leaving wet marks on her boots. As they entered the forest, it was like stepping into a different world. The light filtering down from the forest canopy cast shades of green over everything. If felt like walking into a fairy tale. He wasn’t moving fast like that first day. It was more leisurely and enjoyable.

“How far is it?” she asked.

“Not too far. Just at the ridge ahead.”

She asked to stop a few times to take pictures, and he was always patient, waiting until she was ready to continue.

Once they got to the ridge, she saw exactly what he was talking about. The valley below stretched out for what seemed like forever, a blanket of green forest with a lingering mist giving it an ethereal glow.

“I feel so small,” she said.

Everything was put into perspective with views like this.

He chuckled. “This is ancient shif—. This is ancient land. It must always be protected.”

“Like you protect the animals.”

“From those who would harm them.”

“The humans,” she added because she knew it was what he was thinking.

“The poachers,” he said. “Not all humans are bad.”

He put his arm around her, pulling her close. Wilder leaned down, brushing his lips against hers. Nothing else, just a quiet intimate moment. “Aren’t you going to take your pictures?”

Honestly, all she could think about was the warmth of his arm and how she was falling in love with him. She never wanted to leave this place. It felt like a completely different world from the one she’d left behind.

She smiled against his lips. “I’ll be taking a lot.”

Wilder suddenly froze, his head turning to the forest.

“What is it?” she whispered.

“Nothing. Take your pictures.”

Poppy looked to the trees but saw nothing, so she got her camera ready and headed over to the edge of the ridge where she got to her knees to take photos. It was too bad there was no money in nature pictures because all of these were going to be breathtaking. People only wanted drama, gossip, and the next big thing.

She took so many pics, loving the way the mist lazily passed over the valley. Sometimes an eagle would glide across, so she waited to get that perfect shot. When she got an exceptionally good one, she got up to tell Wilder. He always seemed interested in everything she had to say.

But she stopped dead in her tracks.

A massive grizzly was standing on the edge of the forest watching her. There was nowhere for her to go except over the cliff. The bear raised its nose and sniffed the air, then turned and disappeared into the underbrush of the forest.