Page 14 of Savage Giant

I cleared my throat, then said, “Gorran, I didn’t quite know what to do with the gifts you left, and I worried they’d been tampered with. Possibly poisoned.”

“Poisoned?” Shock and outrage emanated from him. “Who would do such a thing?”

“Well, I-I came here because I’m hiding from someone, a person who might hurt me if they knew where I was. So, when the baskets started appearing on my doorstep, I became very worried. That is why I never ate anything you brought.”

My heart thudded in my chest, and a strange but not unwelcome warmth spread through my insides. He'd been spying on me long enough to realize I wasn’t eating much, and he’d believed I truly needed the food. I regretted throwing every single gift away, including the slugs, worms, and insects. All things considered, his actions had been rather… sweet.

Total stalker behavior, but… sweet.

His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched. “Thank you for explaining the discarded gifts, pretty human, but I must know—whowants to hurt you?” He glanced around, as though expecting the cabin to come under attack at any moment, and a low but ferocious growl rumbled from his chest. There was no doubt in my mind that if Salax were here right now, Gorran would rip him to pieces. What were his exact words again? Ah, yes—maim and slaughter.

I remained silent for a moment, trying to decide whether to tell Gorran more about my situation. But he seemed so eager to learn about my predicament, and though I couldn’t explain why, I found myself wanting to open up to him. So, I started sharing my story with the complete stranger who’d just chased me down the mountainside.

“My father passed away about a year ago and he owed a mob boss—a criminal, that is—a large sum of money,” I began. “The criminal—his name is Salax—demanded that I work for him forfive years to pay off my father’s debt, but I recently ran away from the man and came here. I-I don’t know if Salax is still alive—I ran away when he and his men were under attack by an enemy—but if heisalive and he discovers where I am, there’s a chance he might come looking for me.” I searched Gorran’s eyes, trying to determine whether he understood what I’d just told him, considering that he probably wasn’t too familiar with the human world.

His jaw clenched and his eyes brimmed with violence. “If the criminal called Salax comes anywhere near you, pretty human, I will make him suffer greatly, then I will end him. Where does this man live?”

“In Portland.”

“Where is that? Point me in the right direction, and I will slaughter him before the moon rises.”

“Portland is northwest of here, and it’s a few hundred miles away. You can’t get there on foot. Well, not anytime soon. It took me several hours to drive here in my truck.”

He tightened his grip on my hands. “In that case, you will remain in Starblessed territory with me, Cari, where you will be most safe. You will remain at my side, and one day—soon, I hope—you will become my lifemate. And if the criminal dares to come close, I will rip his arms from his body and let him bleed out.”

Well. He sure painted a graphic image.

Was it weird that I was strangely touched by his promise to commit murder on my behalf?

Gorran’s eyes started glowing again, and he leaned closer, until I felt the warm puffs of his breath on my face. His breath smelled overly minty, which surprised me. I thought he meant to kiss me, but he simply held my gaze, an affectionate gleam in his glowing eyes.

The way he was looking at me… well, it made me feel cherished. Which was absolutely, one hundred percent insane.

Because he was a stranger.

And he wasn’t human.

He was a forest beast who growled and ran around naked. A creature who apparently ate slugs and worms and insects—I mean, why else would he have left those items on my doorstep? I supposed he’d gifted me with the kinds of food his people consumed. Again, a sweet gesture since he’d believed I needed food, but it made me wonder about the other differences between humans and Sasquatches.

Surely he must realize how small I was compared to him. Did he actually think that big, Sasquatch cock of his would fit inside me? Because I had serious doubts. Also…fated mates? Was that really a thing?

My face heated, and I tried to ignore the building ache between my thighs. Holy heck, was it getting hot in here or what? The numerous layers I was still wearing definitely weren’t helping. I’d dressed warm for my hike down the mountain.

“Did the criminal ever hurt you?” he asked gently. “Before you managed to run away, did he hurt you?” His eyes flickered with a mixture of concern and rage.

“No, but I-I was afraid of him. He threatened to kill me if I left.” My throat burned. At the time of my father’s passing, all my friends had already moved away from Portland. Some had even left Earth—they’d signed up to become mail order brides to a race of alien warriors known as the Vaxxlians.

I’d been hopelessly alone in the city.

Alone and terrified.

I’d never revealed the arrangement with Salax to anyone. With no friends or family left nearby, not even a sympathetic acquaintance, I’d kept it all bottled up. Every single worry and fear.

Admitting my troubles to Gorran made me feel a little less alone.

The handsome beast cupped my face and tilted my head upward. “You don’t have to be afraid any longer. As I’ve already promised, I will protect you always.”

Chapter 8

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