Capturing the Alpha (Shifters of Nunavut Book 1) by Viola Rivard Read Free Book Online Page B

impressive assortment of colors, but he allowed her to feed him, laughing nervously between each bite.
    When the meal was nearly finished, Zane cocked his head towards Ginnifer. “Have you ever tried hare before?”
    Ginnifer had to think about it. She’d eaten a lot of strange things in Tanzania, particularly bushmeat, which was the generic term used for any type of wild critter that the indigenous people considered edible, ranging from reptiles to rodents and everything in between.
    “I’m not sure,” she said.
    Zane tore a thick strip of meat from his portion. “Then I will have to insist that you try it.”
    Before she could protest, Zane nudged the meat into her mouth. The tip of his finger gave a light tug at her bottom lip as he drew it back, and no matter how benign the gesture may have been, it sent a shiver down her spine. Their eyes locked, and for a few long seconds, she felt as though she’d been snared in a trap. He appeared to be searching for something, and whatever it was, he must have thought he’d found it, because his lips twitched.
    Abruptly, she realized her lips were still parted and she hadn’t even begun to chew. She closed her mouth, chewing with exaggerated vigor. Her eyes darted, around the group, hoping no one had noticed. Tallow was still hand-feeding Boaz and Breeze was laying back, one hand under her head and the other patting her belly contentedly. When her gaze fell on Kuva, he quickly looked away, and Ginnifer felt a stab of guilt. The feeling soon gave way to embarrassment when she saw Indigo, watching with shrewd violet eyes and a half-moon grin.
    She swallowed the meat without tasting it, and it felt like a hard lump going down her esophagus. 
    “More?” Zane asked, holding another chunk of meat up.
    Ginnifer shook her head, refusing to meet his gaze a second time. “No, thanks. I’m really not that hungry.”
    ***
    “Kuva, will you carry Indigo today?” Zane phrased it as a question, but he knew that the beta male wouldn’t object. Of course, it wouldn’t stop Indigo.
    “I can walk fine,” she said as she gathered up her scant belongings.
    Zane inclined his head. “I know you can walk, but you can’t run, not yet.”
    To his relief, she didn’t complain further. Kuva had already shifted, and as soon as she’d smoothed out her furs, Indigo climbed onto his back, hanging her legs over one side of him.
    Zane looked at Ginnifer, who was looking at Kuva warily, her bottom lip sucked in between her teeth. The sight caused a haze of desire to cloud his mind, and his index finger itched with the memory of touching that soft, plump lip. Not wanting the others to smell his arousal, he refused to let his thoughts linger on it for long.
    “Kuva can carry you both,” Zane told her, walking over to reclaim his pelt from the human. She handed it to him, giving him a speculative look. “Or you can ride with me, but I’ll be scouting ahead and it may be dangerous.”
    They were already well within Siluit borders and far from danger, but Zane needed an adequate excuse for why he could carry her, but not his sister. Ginnifer appeared to weigh her options, though Zane could see through her pretense.
    “I’m not worried,” she said after brief deliberation. “And I wouldn’t want to put too much strain on Kuva’s back.”
    Moments later, he was in his wolf form and Ginnifer was spreading a spare pelt on his back. She climbed up, her thighs clamping tightly to his sides. His blood heated at the feel of her pressed against him, and he inwardly groaned, wondering what the hell he was doing.
    When he’d awoken that morning, it had been with the conviction that he would go ahead of the others, avoiding the human female completely. Once he was back at his den, there would be more than enough distractions to keep him occupied until she was gone.
    The encampment had been quiet that morning, and even Kuva, who always rose with the first hint of sunlight, had been sleeping soundly.