His Reluctant Luna

Ch 25 - Don't Leave Me

ATTENTION RADISH READERS! Please don't leave any spoilers in here or you'll be getting a spanking from Iona. Or Kole. Or Konnor. Whoever you'd prefer. 😘

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The next morning, a low rumble found me in my sleep. A strong, warm arm wound around my waist. Safety. I felt safe here. I turned to roll into the warm chest I knew would welcome me but all I found was cold, hard stone. I blinked my eyes open. I was alone.

Kole.

I hated that I thought of him. Hated that my treacherous body missed him. I pushed those green eyes to the back of my mind and reminded myself why I had run.

I straightened, stretched and crept out of my cave. Scanning the area, I was alone still. My luck was holding. I headed for the river. The bear dung had all but worn away now but the smell still remained. Again, I fought the urge to submerge myself. The wolves might be able to scent me now, but the bear scent might confuse them at least and I needed every advantage I could get.

My thirst sated, my stomach growling with hunger, I got on the move, keeping the same fast and steady pace as the day before.

Yellowstone was an easy enough place to be found if you were near a tourist attraction, or had people looking for you. I had neither. Away from sign posts, with no rangers searching for me, no gear, I was in a lot of trouble. But that didn't mean I was giving up. The wild was my element. I'd find my way out.

My day brought me bison, deer and thankfully, no more bears or wolves. But the night came and still, I was no closer to knowing how to get out of here. I had no luck finding another cave or crevice to rest in either. I searched for a tree to be my haven for the night but Lodgepole Pines were impossible to climb.

I sighed in frustration when I lost the light and was forced to stop looking. My night vision was good but sooner or later, I was going to get hurt or wander too far from the river. I found a spot between a cluster of rocks. This would have to do for tonight.

I shivered with cold as Yellowstone sang its nightly lullaby. I was tired, afraid but exhilaration of freedom was there too. I was happier out here and starving than I'd been chained at Kole's feet with a full belly.

I sat, contemplating how I was going to get out of here. I couldn't walk forever. I was tempted to build a giant signal fire but I didn't fancy playing a game of 'who will find me first?" If it came down to a race between wolves and a rescue team, I wasn't betting on the rescue team.

I slept badly, green eyes haunting me, too exposed to let my guard down. When I was younger and spending my first night in a new foster home or shelter, I had a hundred ways to block the door so I could sleep peacefully. A chair, a fork underneath the door, a weapon under my pillow. I slept facing the door, always. Out here, there was no safety to be had. Just blind hope, and blind hope had never come through for me.

I gave up on sleep and leaned back, looking up at the sky and imagined I was anywhere but here. I 'd played that game many times as a child. It was ironic that as a child, my 'anywhere but here' had always been in the wild, the same spot I was stuck in now and here I was, playing that damned game again. I stifled a laugh, but all amusement fled as a howl pierced the air.

My insides froze...they were here. Gulf's or Maclays I didn't know. I sunk further into my hiding spot. Running wasn't an option right now. In the dark I would break an ankle, they would find me in minutes. I had to hide and hope the bear shit would cover my scent well enough that they would pass me over.

Heavy paws on the earth approached and I held my breath as the beast wandered around the clearing, pausing over rocks. It's breathing ragged, heavy.