Read Online Guarding Mari by Ella Grey - Free Book Online

to have a bath or shower, we need to jump into the lake. You remember where it is?”
    “It won’t take me long to find it. I don’t think we’ll be here long enough to worry about relaxing.”
    Her expression went dark and Daniel mentally kicked himself. They’d been talking about something besides Ryback, and he’d brought him back up again.
    “Why do you think he’ll come for me now? It’s been three years.”
    “He’ll want to finish what he started with you; you’re the one who got away. The body he left was an open challenge, daring me to try and stop him. The only thing we have to worry about is giving him an opportunity. That is why we’ve left the pack. We can’t risk anyone else getting hurt.” He parked up the car and turned the engine off. “Do you trust me?” He reached out and touched her cheek.
    The way her lips brushed against his palm made his heart race. How could one simple touch inspire so much love? He craved her touch. Daniel would fight for every moment with her. They’d already lost so much time. “Of course I do.”
    “I would rather die than let him hurt you again.” She nodded, but he didn’t have a clue if she believed him. Thank the Goddess, the bond between Ryback and Mari had been eclipsed by the mating bond. Daniel knew she didn’t have any respect for Ryback, and any connection between them was unwelcomed and unwanted.
    “Let’s get the bags out and get settled in the cabin. I want to hear what you’ve been up to since I saw you last.” He pushed his door open and got out. Cold air froze the air in his lungs, and he slapped his hands together to get some life back into them. Daniel’s compound, created and built the year before, could be found at the base of the mountain, closer to the town and far away from the harsher elements. It had been a long time since he’d needed to worry about a biting cold that nibbled at his toes.
     
     
    Body wound like a spring, Mari couldn’t relax. He put the food away in the kitchen and she went to work lighting the fire. Piled up next to the fireplace were logs, left by Adam, and it didn’t take her long before a healthy fire roared to life. She took off her gloves and jacket, curled up on the floor in front of it, and watched as it flickered and licked the stone. How many times had she closed her eyes and dreamed of this moment? When they could finally be together?
    Some of the tension left her body at the sound of him in the kitchen. It’s the way it’s supposed to be . When she moved to his compound, she could find a job in the town, maybe get back to helping people. She didn’t want to start a new life with him if it turned out to be an echo of her life with the Black Paw Pack. She needed normalcy. Before she’d been turned into a wolf, she’d been a damn good doctor. Daniel left the kitchen and lay down behind her, pulling her into the curve of his body. His scent drifted over her like a memory come to life. They watched the fire in silence, and she let the gentle rise and fall of her mate’s chest lure her to a peaceful sleep.
    There were only faint embers in the fireplace when she opened her eyes again. She pushed herself up and a blanket fell down to her waist. She smiled at the thought of Daniel taking care of her.
    I don’t think I’ve ever slept that well before . She stretched and scanned the small room in a quick search for her mate. It took a second for her eyes enough to see the dark shape tucked in the alcove in front of the window, a space big enough for one where he could watch for Ryback. The gun rested against his shoulder and the curtains were partially drawn. Daniel’s eyes were closed. The beats of his heart were slow and his breathing easy. She placed another log onto the fire and made her way to the kitchen to fill the kettle up.
    How much sleep is he running on? Not much, she guessed, especially not when he figured out that Mari was Ryback’s most likely next target. She collected one of the