Read Online Dual Embrace: 3 (Shadowpeak Wolves) by Lorna Jean Roberts - Free Book Online

Large French doors opened out onto the porch. From the four-poster bed she’d easily be able to look into the forest beyond. Simply decorated, there were no frills, no clutter, just the way she liked things.
    “I have house envy,” she moaned, sitting on the bed.
    “Well, you can come and stay any time you like,” he offered.
    “I can?” she asked, surprised. “Why would you want me to stay? You hardly ever invite anyone out here.” As far as she knew, few in the pack had ever been here. Cain was considered unusual for liking solitude. Generally werewolves wanted others of their kind around them, it made them feel more secure.
    Of course, he could have brought human women back here. She frowned. Not that they’d be using this room. They’d be in his room, and damned if that didn’t eat away at her insides like acid.
    “Let’s just say you’re different, okay?”
    She opened her mouth but he laid a single finger over her lips. “Dusty, let it be. We’re both tired. Roll over onto your stomach. I’m going to massage your leg before you go to sleep.”
    Her lips parted again and he brushed his finger over her mouth. “No arguments,” he stated firmly. “I’ll get some oil.”
    Letting out a humph, she did as he ordered.
    But only because a massage sounds good. Not because I crave his touch.
    By the time he returned she was on the bed, her face buried in a pillow. Cain pushed her legs apart without a word, his touch firm but not painful as he rubbed oil into her legs. Dusty bit her lip to hold back a whimper of pleasure as he ran his hands up her thighs.
    Heat built. Nerves tingled. She tried to hold herself rigid. Cream coated her folds and Dusty knew his heightened senses would easily pick up on her need.
    But his touch never wandered up, never moved away from her injured thigh and she found herself relaxing. The more she let go, the more she enjoyed the massage. His touch still stirred her, but it also brought relief to her aching muscles.
    Slowly, she drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Four
     
    Dusty raced through the trees, her senses on high alert. She never knew where he would be or when he would appear. Suddenly he dropped silently from above. She came to a crashing halt as he crouched before her. Moonlight glinted off his mirthless smile.
    “Ahh, Dusty, when will you learn?”
    She turned, sprinting, praying she could outrun him. A deep howl sang through the air, sending chills down her spine. Air sawed in and out of her aching lungs as she pushed herself harder, faster. She didn’t notice branches scratching her skin, the way her muscles burned, the sharp pain in her side. She simply had to keep going. He was out here, somewhere, hunting her.
    Blind panic threatened to suffocate her but she pushed it back. She couldn’t afford to stumble.
    Pain.
    Dusty fell as a rope tightened around her neck, cutting off her air. Thrashing, she desperately tried to free herself, bringing her hands up to claw at her neck.
    Her wolf snarled, wanting free, but she couldn’t change. If she changed she’d be breaking the rules, and she didn’t want to think about the consequences of that.
    Something wet covered her fingers. The metallic scent of blood wafted through the air. Black surrounded the edges of her vision as her lungs screamed for air. This was it. He was finally going to kill her.
    “Useless,” he muttered. Abruptly he released her, shoving her away. Petrified, she rolled over to find him looming over her, smiling.
    “Run,” he whispered.
     
    “Dusty, Dusty, wake up.”
    “No, no, no.”
    “Sweetheart, wake up. Now.” The voice brooked no argument and her mind snapped into consciousness.
    Still gasping for breath, Dusty sat up and searched wildly for the threat, ready to fight him off. She pulled her hand from her neck, balling it into a fist.
    “Where? What?”
    She looked up to find Cain standing beside her bed, his arms held out as if to show how harmless he was.
    Yeah, right.
    On first glance