“David’s hurt.”

That captured her full attention. As her sister neared, she grabbed her by both shoulders. “What are you talking about?”

“In town. He got hurt bad. He asked for you.”

“What happened?” Even as she spoke, she was already running, heading right back toward the house where they had numerous vehicles. “Answer me, Mika!”

Her sister was in the driver’s seat of one without being asked, doors slamming shut, steering them toward town. Her heart raced.

“I don’t know all the details. I just know there was another fight.”

“Another? And he got hurt?” David wasn’t a small wolf by any means. The man was huge and hard with muscle. She knew that firsthand. They’d kept their distance for weeks. It was just too awkward to deal with their issues right now.

“Well, there was a bear involved.”

The edge of the little town came into view and she saw Reese standing at the perimeter of the forest, flagging them down. Mika brought the truck to an abrupt stop, and Heather jumped out the moment it came to a standstill.

“David!”

She dropped down to her knees beside her mate, briefly skidding in the dirt. And that was exactly what he was, even if they hadn’t completed their mating bond. He was leaning against an old oak, his hand at his side, blood soaking through his shirt like it had been dipped in crimson paint.

“You came,” he whispered.

“Of course, I came, David.” She tore open his shirt with ease and immediately opened the satchel she always wore around her body. Heather’s grandmother had taught her the art of natural medicine. It was one of her passions. The forest was a treasure trove if only you knew where to look. “What happened? I heard you’ve been fighting?” It wasn’t like him at all. He’d always been a patient man of reason.

“Bear attack.”

The slashes looked deep. His wolf would heal, but not as easily from a bear shifter. “A shifter, right?”

He nodded.

She began to mix two herbs into a paste, then patted it onto the wounds. He hissed as she tended to him, but she kept at her task, her heart still racing. Knowing he needed her helped her to focus, to align all her energy into one purpose. It felt good to be needed, wanted. If anything, just being close to him put her wolf at ease.

Once the blood had stopped, she sat back and exhaled. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

Mika spoke up before David could answer. “He has a death wish, that’s what. He’s been picking fights all week.”

Heather narrowed her eyes. “Is that true?”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said. Why wouldn’t he look her in the eyes?

“I need to be alone with him. Can you head back home with Reese? We’ll be okay,” Heather said.

Mika looked like she wanted to protest, but kept her mouth shut and boarded the truck with Reese. Soon they were completely alone in the privacy of the forest. Only the wind through the leafy canopy could be heard.

“My wolf, he’s been … agitated,” David said.

“Does that have anything to do with us?”

He didn’t answer her.

“What happened to dating, to getting to know each other?” she asked. “You’ve decided to pick fights and throw caution to the wind instead?”

“You’ve managed to keep your distance, no different than before. I’m only human, Heather.”

“But you’re not, are you?”

He looked different than she remembered—jaded, harder.

“No, I’m not, and it’s not so easy keeping my wolf at bay,” he said.

She stood up and paced back and forth in front of him. This was all her doing. She was going against how many centuries of tradition? The mating call was no joke, even she felt it with every beat of her heart. Now she was destroying a perfectly good male because she was messed up in the head.

“Then maybe you should let your wolf guide the way.”

He rose to his feet, towering over her. She glanced at his wound, already stitching itself together with the help of her herbs but mostly from his wolven DNA. Why did his torn open shirt make him look so damn sexy? Her attraction to this shifter was going to be her undoing.

“I didn’t think you liked my wolf,” he said.

“Then you’re wrong.”

She backed away, knowing their wolves were in sync, knowing he’d chase. He matched her step for step until she was pinned deeper in the forest against a massive oak.

“You’re destroying me, Heather. What game are you playing?” He slammed a palm against the tree near her head. She felt his strength reverberate through the tree.

“I’m not. I was waiting for you to take the next step.”

“So you’re ready for me to claim you?” He narrowed his eyes. She noted the sarcasm in his tone, and it felt like he’d given up on them. A new fear began to grow inside her. She didn’t want to push him away to the point she’d lose him forever.

She swallowed, feeling his proximity, wanting him, but so used to fighting her desires. “I’m not trying to be difficult, David. This isn’t easy for me.”

He growled, and the sound traveled all the way down to her pussy. She liked this side of him … or maybe her wolf did. He leaned down, breathing in deeply at her neckline. “I can smell your need.”

“It’s the mating heat.”

David shook his head. “You can’t use that excuse anymore. The mating heat ended weeks ago.” He ran his tongue along the shell of her ear, making her quiver. “Run. I’ll give you a two-minute head start.”