Walker's Run by Mel Favreaux Read Free Book Online Page A

Aggravated and annoyed at her predicament, she found the pain in her shoulder made it impossible to tie.
    Grunting with effort, Casey ground her teeth against the torment and shrugged into her spare parka. Her bladder almost at full capacity, the last thing she wanted was another accident. Her entire situation was embarrassing enough. She’d found modesty had taken a flying leap in the last few days. Never before would she have considered exposing herself the way she’d had to in front of a stranger.
    Standing was troublesome, but she managed and slipped out of the tent into the frigid air. The cold nearly took her beath away while she staggered a few feet away and leaned against a tree to relieve herself. It was much more difficult than she’d imagined it to be.
    Breadyn had at least been kind enough to bring her an old coffee can and dutifully emptied it when she was finished. Pride had overruled her good sense, and now she was regretting her choice. Struggling to button her pants, she noticed a wolf step into the light of the campfire.
    Her breath locked in her chest. It was the same wolf who had tried to protect her the night of her attack. Casey’s jaw dropped, watching him stretch. A faint cracking and a hissing whisper rent the air. The transition was so quick she was barely able to register what had happened. A few moments before there had been a beautiful wolf. Now, knelt on the ground, naked and just as equally gorgeous back lit by the fire; was Braedyn.
    With a gasp, Casey stumbled, crying out when her shoulder banged into the tree behind her. What felt like fire seared through her chest and back while she struggled to her feet. Before she could completely draw in a frigid, pain-filled breath, he was standing in front of her; fully clothed.
    “What are you doing out here?” he snarled, the corner of his mouth lifted into a sneer.
    “I-I had to pee. I didn’t w-want to have to use the can again.” Tears ran down her cheeks.
    His pale gaze narrowed on hers. “What did you see?”
    Her heart felt like it pounded in her throat. She tried to gulp down the fear. Just who was he? What...was he?
    “I don’t know.” The anger she saw in his eyes terrified her. “P-please...don’t hurt me,” she whimpered. Trying to back away from him, her mind was unable to draw the correct parallels with what she’d seen.
    A muscle twitched in his jaw, and his brows drew together in an anguished expression. The anger was completely gone. This was the man she’d come to know over the last few days. “I couldn’t hurt you even if I wanted to, Casey.”
    She tucked a wide strand of her hair behind her ear and took a steadying breath. Finally things started to click into place. Her feelings about the handsome stranger and bits she’d noticed but had been unable to connect in the few short days she’d known him.
    “It was you, wasn’t it? That night. Protecting me from the shewolf?”
    There was a moment of hesitation before Braedyn nodded. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to stop her.” He took a tentative step towards her.
    She didn’t cringe when he slipped an arm around her waist and lead her back to the tent. The familiarity of his gentle touch was welcome while this new revelation came out.
    “Was that you? So many years ago?”
    “Yes.” He maneuvered her inside the tent. “Your father killed mine. My sister blamed you and said my father was weak for protecting a human.”
    She shook her head unable to make her mind work. He couldn’t really be...?
    “But...you’re human?”
    Braedyn smiled and dropped the flap on the tent, helping her to the air mattress. “Yes and no. I’m also a wolf.”
    “I-I don’t understand.” She sat down, dumbfounded, and watched him kneel to remove her boots; then help her out of her parka.
    This is it, I’ve completely lost my mind.
    “Is this real? Am I having another fever induced nightmare?”
    He shook his head. “No fever.”
    “How...?”
    “My family has lived in