Page 38 of The Girl in the Forest

At least my ability to sense wolves hadn’t disappeared, and I was ready for Mace when he stepped from the shadows and took a braced stance in front of me, arms crossed, feet wide.

“Is he back?” I demanded.

“No.” I understood Mace’s challenge—there’d be no going forward on this path. If I wanted to keep jogging, I would have to go through him.

My chin lifted. “What do you want?”

His biceps flexed as his crossed arms tightened. “You’re going to see the witches.”

“Your idea,” I taunted. “Here to waste your breath, talking me out of it?”

“Not when it’s my idea.”

I cocked my head and tossed my braid against my back. “How long were you arguing with him before that meeting?”

Mace flashed alpha canines. “A week. He’s a stubborn ass, but it took you to convince him.”

“Hah! All he wants is to watch me fail.”

“He watches you fail every day, Noa. He doesn’t need to do more.”

“You’re the stubborn ass,” I snarled. “How often do you fail with Fallon?”

A muscle clenched in his jaw.

“Do you even see her?”

Mace uncrossed his arms and took a step to the side, not to let me pass, though. His hands came up. I matched him as we circled like prize fighters, waiting for the first strike.

“I see her every day,” he said, glaring at me. “Your point?”

“Do you see her as alpha? As a warrior? Do you ever see her as a woman, Mace? Because no woman is just one thing.”

His fist shot out and I ducked. He grinned, and said, “She’ll probably fight you for Anson if you still want to fuck him.”

The verbal hit had me stumbling. Mace was there, moving in against my weak side faster than I could react. His hard arms locked around mine before he tossed me to the ground. Air exploded from my lungs. My knees pulled up, but he wasn’t there.

He was standing with his hands braced and a scowl on his face.

“You’d be dead right now if it wasn’t me putting you down.”

I scrambled to my feet. “You’re here to train me?”

“In the time we have left.”

I brushed the grit from my cheek. “I’d rather have Fallon.” She was a sister, a comrade-in-arms who wouldn’t push until I was ready.

Mace said, “She won’t teach you what I will.”

“Why?”

“She sees you differently.”

He lunged to his right. I danced out of range.

“How does she see me?”

“As someone vulnerable. But you’re not vulnerable, are you? No… you’re angry. So damned pissed you could burn the world down and not even care.”

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