Page 9 of Hunting Savage
Chapter Three
She wished their destinationwasn’t so damn far away.With every stop they made, her heart pounded with fear and anxiety for her sister’s safety.Would the men, or rather shifters, lose their will to keep her sister safe until they reached their end goal, or would her first heat drive the males mad with need?
“Goddess, please protect Starla,” she whispered as night began to fall.
In her black Ford Bronco, she followed the little icon on the Family Map, which showed her the direction they were taking her sister.The small bubble showed her the speed she was traveling, giving Aurora the chance to catch up, but still able to stay far enough behind that they wouldn’t notice her if she happened to get too close.
Her gaze landed on the small screen as it showed the speed going down from fifty-five to thirty, until all of a sudden, it stopped moving.Aurora stared ahead, trying to figure out where they’d be heading, and noticed a sign for gas, food, and lodging six miles up the road.
A familiar panic set in.If they stopped at a hotel for the night, would they attack Starla?No, she’d figure out a way to keep her sister safe without getting them both killed.
As she took the exit, her sister’s icon moved toward the large truck stop to the left.Aurora looked at her fuel tank and knew she’d needed to fill up to make the rest of the journey.
Darkness surrounded her on both sides of the underpass as she made her way toward the truck stop, making the hair on her arms stand up.
Aurora took a deep breath in and exhaled, preparing herself and starting a protection chant she’d learned as a child from her mother.“I am protected by the light, golden and bright, shielding me from harm, keeping me safe and warm.I am free from negativity and surrounded by love and light.Thank you, Divine Power, for your blessings.I am protected, now and forever.”
After repeating it five times, she felt lighter, and the darkness around her began to lift.The gentle protection chant called upon divine light to create a safe and nurturing space.It affirms spiritual shielding, emotional peace, and gratitude for higher guidance, something she definitely needed.
Thinking about what Starla required, Aurora waited until she pulled into the gas station next to the truck stop.She tried to locate which car held the shifters.There were dozens of vehicles and several diesels on the other side, making it hard to figure out which one they drove.The icon bubble showed the approximate location near the back entrance, so she let out a slow breath.Throughout their lives, she’d cast many spells for protection and had taught her sister the same ones she’d learned from their mother.However, many came to her after she’d touched the sacred tree all those years ago when they’d entered the forest that fateful day.At eighteen, guilt and fear consumed her, along with so many other emotions.It took her a long time to realize she’d been gifted knowledge, not a curse.That knowledge was vast and meant to be shared with Starla when she, too, turned eighteen in a few weeks, dammit.
“Starla, be safe, be whole, be strong.Where you walk, may nothing go wrong.What’s sent in dark shall turn to light.No harm shall pass, no ill shall bite.Keep Starla safe, all through the night.”Aurora chanted as she breathed deeply, letting each line settle into her energy.She opened her eyes, watching flecks of gold fall from every light post around her.
She bit her lip, wondering if anyone else had noticed the phenomenon.Seconds ticked by as she waited in her Bronco, but when nobody stood around turning in circles trying to touch the strange dust, Aurora got out.She pocketed her cell phone, grabbed her credit card, slung her bag over her shoulder, and locked the door.At the pump, she quickly selected the fuel she wanted, swiped her card through the slot, and kept her focus on her surroundings.
To anyone watching, she probably looked like most other women traveling alone, in her black leggings and tankini over her sports bra.When she’d left that morning, she hadn’t considered whether she would or wouldn’t fit in most places, but right then, she felt out of place.
A brisk wind lifted the hair at the nape of her neck.She wished she could’ve been home, fresh from a shower, ready to binge on some show her sister insisted they watch.
The thought of Starla prompted her to pull out her phone to check her location.A relieved puff of air fell from her lips at the sight of the bubble in the same area.The pump pinged, so she flipped the lever off and then replaced the handle.She hurried inside, intent on using the bathroom and grabbing more snacks for the long trip.
She looked around the well-lit store and hurried toward the restrooms in the back right corner.With her phone in hand, she locked the single door to the women’s bathroom.The light flickered, casting an eerie glow around the space.Not wanting to waste time, Aurora finished quickly, washed her hands in the blessedly clean sink, and dried them, using the paper towel to open the door.
The moment she stepped out, she walked into a short, stocky man in the hall.“Oh, excuse me.I didn’t see you there,” she gasped, stepping back, not wanting the man to touch her.
“Not your fault.I was coming to check if the bathrooms were clean,” he answered.
Aurora noticed that he wore a shirt with the store’s logo on it and a nametag that read ‘Dave’.His smile didn’t quite meet his eyes, and while he tried to give off the impression of being meek.He failed miserably.Well, at least he failed by her standards, as her instincts screamed for her to get away from him and the enclosed space that was away from others.
Aurora sidestepped him, ensuring no part of her touched him.She didn’t miss the way he took a deep breath.Fuck, he had to be a shifter, but she didn’t smell wolf on him.She’d never met any other type of shifter.At the same time, she wasn’t stupid enough to think there weren’t different types of human-to-animal shifters.Which kind Dave happened to be, she didn’t give two shits to find out.She almost let her wolf come to the surface.Only the fear of being found out by whatever animal lurked within Dave kept her suppression in place.
She moved through the aisles, selecting high-protein items, a few treats that both she and Starla would enjoy, and some for Yukon.Keeping her focus on the surroundings, she snagged several bottles of water and a large, iced coffee.By the time she reached the counter, a few other customers were milling about.She wouldn’t relax until she was safely back inside her Bronco with the doors locked.Of course, Fate wasn’t on her side, it seemed.
“Hey, pretty girl.What’s a gorgeous thing like you doing all by herself?”
Aurora counted to three, doing her best to keep the sneer out of her voice before she did or said something to antagonize whatever asshole spoke from her right.
“Thank you for the compliment,” she said without indicating anything else he said was of any interest to her.
“Would you like a bag?”the cashier asked.
“Yes, please.”
“Ah, not a woman who cares about the environment.I can forgive you for that flaw.So, you want to grab a drink?”
