Chapter 8

Jaxson had kept himself busy the following week. It was now almost the end of June, and he decided not to go into town even though he could really use some supplies. Bumping into Shay last week twice in a row was enough for him. He couldn’t stand it, so to save his grief; he worked with the horses and fixed up the stables with what materials he had lying around.

He had just finished feeding the horses when he decided he would take a run through the forest and head down by the river. It was only 10 am, and the heat of the sun was only getting hotter. He was still full of restless energy, and the run in the heat would do him good.

Jaxson walked to the edge of the dirt road and then stepped into the field stopping just past the tree line out of plain view. He shed his clothing, piling it neatly by a large spruce. He stood completely naked and closed his eyes.

His dark black hair began racing down and over his large frame. Jaxson’s body shuddered as he felt the change consume him and he concentrated on the burn, the pain of his bones cracking to change shape and length. His spine curved, and with a quick sharp pain in his back, he fell to the ground on all fours. He felt another rough shudder pass through as his face elongated. His mouth and nose merged together creating a muzzle, and his ears became pointed and covered in fur. In his wolf form, his coat was a metallic black that shined almost blue in the sunlight. He was one of the largest wolves in Greyson Falls. The only one that came close to his size was Jake Hanover, his cousin.

Jaxson surveyed the field before him as he stretched his haunches. He always felt the freest in wolf form. Nothing compared. He dug his large claws into the soft earth and took off with a fierce start. The scents bombarded his nostrils as he sped through the field and then veered right through rougher terrain. For his size, his large paws agilely maneuverer his large frame in and out of the trees and over rocks and fallen limbs.

As he ran, he felt the warm, gentle wind billow past him, ruffling his black fur as he threw himself into the woods heading down towards the river. The sounds of birds twittering and flapping their wings to get out of his way filled the morning air as he ploughed on. The scent of the damp grass filled his nostrils as his movements disturbed the earth beneath him. The instincts of his wolf were now in charge as he sped through the thick foliage. The urges to hunt, fight, and mate were overwhelming as his animal instincts threatened to take over completely, but he knew he had to keep them at bay. He finally slowed his pace and came to a complete stop when a strong human female scent assaulted his nostrils.

And not just any scent. Her scent.

He took a few steps forward through the forest to get a better view of the river only a few feet away.

It was Shay. The woman he couldn’t get out of his thoughts. Even if he hadn’t seen her, he would recognize her scent anywhere. It was sweet like honey with a musky hint of bergamot. He stood still watching her as she sat on the edge of a rock with her knees pulled up to her chest. He could smell the salt in her tears. She was crying. No, not crying, sobbing uncontrollably.

Why was she crying?

He had sensed her pain, even in their first meeting— if you could even call it that. He had nearly run her over when she had barreled into him in the parking lot of the diner. Despite her bravado, there had been vulnerability, a misery she tried to hide from others, but one that she couldn’t hide from him. He had seen it in her eyes.

Jaxson knew he had to stay away from this one. The day he set his eyes on her beautiful face, he felt completely consumed by her. Her scent had filled is senses, and he experienced an immediate and overwhelming desire to take her right then and there. He hadn't felt anything like it for so long. It confused him. It angered him. It aroused him.

Right now, he felt an overwhelming urge to protect her. To soothe whatever pain she felt. Her long silky brown hair fell loosely around her face. He longed to run his hands through it, to grip it tightly as he plundered those luscious, full pink lips of hers. Desire rippled through him as he found himself unable to rip his eyes away from her. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her every time he saw her. But what stuck in his mind the most were her eyes. Those large doe shaped ice blue eyes that looked so haunted like his own.

Jaxson took another step forward to get a better look, and a twig cracked underneath his paw. He grimaced internally as he watched her look up with uneasiness. He hadn’t meant to disturb her.

"Who’s there?" She called out looking along the tree line.

He could see her eyes clearly now. They were red and swollen, and tracks of tears stained her cheeks. She had obviously been there for quite some time crying. He took another step, this time clearing the edge of the forest and now standing on the river edge about five feet away from the rock she was sitting on. He watched her jump to her feet, fear etched on her face. Riddled with panic, he watched her frantically look to the right and then to the left trying to look for a weapon or escape route. She stood frozen unsure of what to do. As a last ditch effort, she held her hands out in front of her and yelled, "Stay back."

Her fear was palpable. Jaxson’s heart lurched as he saw the terror in her eyes. He hadn’t meant to frighten her, but it was too late. With alarm, Jaxson watched her take another step back and lose her footing on the slippery rocks. She pin wheeled for a moment, desperately trying to regain her balance but it was to no avail. Jaxson leaped in the air as he watched her fall backward into the raging rapids. Before Jaxson hit the water, he shifted back into his human form so he could use his hands to grab her. He was afraid his wolf claws would cut her. Hitting the water with full force, he dove into the rapids, using his powerful arms to fight through the current to get to her. She was being pulled under by the current and the weight of her clothes. Her head was no longer bobbing above the surface. In three powerful strokes, he reached her. Diving under he managed to grab hold of her wrist and pull her up toward him. Her head was above the surface of the water, and he was relieved to hear her sputtering and coughing up water. But he still had to get her to shore to make sure she was okay. He looped one arm under her arm and around her waist as he swam them both to the shoreline.

She put up no fight when he pulled her body up onto the pebbles that lined the shore. She was unconscious but breathing. He lifted her head and noticed blood on his hands. Taking a closer look, he saw that blood was gushing from a small cut just behind her left ear. She must have hit her head on a rock when she fell in. He knew head wounds were notorious for bleeding heavily, but he wasn’t willing to take any chances. He scooped her up in his arms and ran as fast as he could back to his house.

Jaxson sat on the edge of the couch watching her sleep. He tried to tell himself it was just to make sure that she was okay and didn’t suddenly stop breathing. But, he knew that was a lie. He couldn’t resist being near her. She was so beautiful —the type of beautiful that was effortless and natural, not the fake beauty that was just an illusion created by too much makeup. He was surprised to see that her dark brown hair had loose waves. She normally wore it straight or up in a ponytail. He liked the waves and how they fanned out around her head still damp from the river. She wore a little yellow sundress that had thin straps that left her shoulders bare. Wet from her dip in the river, the fabric clung to her like a second skin, highlighting her large breasts. His eyes trailed to the hem of her dress that sat just up above her knees and then down to her long shapely legs. He marvelled at her well defined calves, probably from all the hiking and running she did. Jaxson hated that she was that kind of beautiful; the kind of beautiful that reminded him of his Jillian.

He looked down to her left wrist and noticed a small tattoo. He inspected it closer to see what it said.

One word.

ANA.

This was his fault; he thought to himself as he watched her lie there. He shouldn't have startled her like that. He could have killed her for Christ sake. Frustrated with himself, Jaxson got up and walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on the stove. She would need something warm and soothing when she finally came around. Besides he needed something to occupy his hands with. Otherwise, he was liable to touch her if he sat there much longer.

He had promised himself; no one else would be hurt by him or because of him. That's why he stayed away from people, including his family. He didn't deserve friendship or love. He had convinced himself of that the day he failed Jillian. Never forgiving himself.

But he had failed again. The woman lying on his couch unconscious was hurt because of him. The one that looked just as haunted and pained as he did. He wanted to know who had hurt her and to take that pain away. The kettle started to whistle and snapped him out of his reverie.

He poured two mugs of coffee and walked back into the living room. Lost in thought, he hadn’t heard her stir or even get up. Still holding the mugs in his hands, he froze. His eyes flew to the picture frame that Shay was holding in her hands. She was awake and sitting up, looking at a picture of Jillian.

“Put it down!” He yelled without thinking about the hot coffee sloshing over his hands. Jaxson watched her jump and then drop the frame. It was like watching a movie in slow motion. They both watched in horror as the picture tumbled from her fingers and onto the floor. It landed face down, and the sound of glass shattering filled the room.