Mia didn’t look back as he howled in the distance. Her breath hitched as she leapt out of the thick fern and ran away as far from the cottage as possible. Her heart beat faster than her sprint. How did he find me so soon? She had an hour lead on him. Duh, he knows these woods and the art of hunting prey.

Mia pushed the limits of her endurance. The competitor in her wouldn’t give up. She stopped and checked her GPS. Hmm. Two miles to the clearing near the fire road. No way will I make it that far. Plus, he’ll expect it. She took off her bandana and wiped perspiration from her brow. Autumn in the mountains, offered no comfort. It turned out to be a blistering Indian summer day. A cool breeze would have been welcome.

A wolf howl echoed closer.

Dang!

The nearness of a superior predator spiked her adrenaline and primal fear. Not giving up that easily. She sprinted east, away from the road. With each breath, she imagined what Dominic would do to her once he caught her. His naughty defiant pet. Dampness gathered in her panties and her nipples distended, ready for his predatory mouth. The Big Bad Wolf would mount her in the bushes or in one of the numerous crevices in the rocky terrain. He would not be gentle. Bring her from the brink of pain to explosive pleasure.

Her senses heightened. Mia sniffed the verdant evergreens, and then listened for footfalls over fallen leaves. Nothing. Then again, what stalking predator signaled his presence? The soothing whoosh and roar of a river caught her attention. Hmm. Didn’t dogs lose the trail once their quarry entered water? Not a werewolf. Though it could slow his pursuit.

Unless I throw him off track. Mia found a stone then tied the bandana around it. She whirled the rock down a deer trail, away from her watery destination.

Mia removed her running shoes and socks and stepped into the cold water. Small rapids roared against the stones. She scanned the water for a safe shallow crossing area. There. A couple fallen logs broke the rush. She waded into the knee-deep water. Her jogging shorts remained dry.

Once across, she found a branch and wiped her prints. Watching old cowboy movies paid off. She slipped her socks and running shoes back on and looked back once before continuing.

Mia hiked uphill on a narrow trail. A soaring hawk screamed as if in warning. She stopped. Oh, shit! She leaned against a tree near a deep ravine. Too close. One slip and she’d plunge to her death. Her skin chilled despite her warm perspiration.

She glanced around. Had she really outsmarted Dominic? Slowly, she slumped to the ground and unclipped the canteen from her hip pack. She drank the water to the last drop.

Mia clipped her empty canteen back and stood. Had he been called back for enforcer duty? Would he send his betas to find her? She reached for the GPS. Shit. It must have fallen out of her bag. She drew in a calming breath. I’ll retrace my steps.

The pristine forest called to him. His prey, near. Dominic easily picked up her scent, despite the heavy perfume she sprayed on a few trees to throw off her trail. Her attempt to outsmart a werewolf charmed him. He flared his nostrils. Odd. He glanced at a deer trail leading back to his estate. Why would she go that way? He ran down the trail. Her bandana tied to a rock lay on top of ferns. Dominic grinned. Clever, but not clever enough. He turned away from the deer trail and inhaled for Mia’s scent. Her rich aroma of adrenaline, salty sweat and arousal excited him. Her scrumptious molecules led across the river.

Naughty pet. I should have brought my ropes to bind you to a tree. Did you think I would lose your trail by tricking me and then crossing the stream? You can outsmart human criminals and hide, but you’ll never hide from me.

His brow furrowed. The river had risen substantially after the last storm, even for this time of year. He growled. His beloved pet had risked drowning. Branch marks on the opposite bank eliminating her tracks relieved his anguish. He stepped into the cold water. The rushing water drenched his boots and jeans. Mia headed toward the area they called Cave Gully, a dangerously steep precipice. The loose rocks could cause her to stumble and plunge to her death.

He ignored the temptation to shift into wolf form and sloshed up the bank. “Mia!”

No answer.

Dominic dashed up the steep incline. Something yellow flashed in a bed of pine needles. Her mini-handheld GPS. Game over. “Damn. Mia!”

Mia bent over and searched for her GPS.

“Looking for this?”

Mia screamed and whipped around.

Dominic leaned against a tree, twirling the GPS like a toy in his hand. A wicked wolfish grin on his smug face.

She touched the base of her neck, her sudden racing pulse thumping a mad treble. “How long have you’ve been watching me?”

“Long enough.” His tone dripped all-alpha testosterone. “I would’ve said something, but I was enjoying the view.” Dominic pulled off his black tank top, revealing his brawny muscular chest and ripped abs.

Oh, yeah, the view. Without his shirt, he appeared taller, broader. Magnificent. A Greek god, but one of the night, the underworld. Menacing. Dominating. Badass big- bad-wolf hot.

He growled. “Mine.”

Goose flesh tickled every inch of her. His amber eyes seared her soul, burning her with his desire, possessing her soul. The forest, her disheveled look, and other cares vanished. Only Dominic mattered. My alpha. Her lips parted.