His feet were bleeding but he ignored the pain. He spun, glaring down at her. “You are lucky those wolves didn’t tear you apart or that male didn’t hurt you. Do you understand?”

Dark eyes widened and she paled. “Yes. I didn’t know there were any. No one told me. I was only warned about residents and you said you marked the area and it was safe!”

He glanced down her body and stared at her bare legs. The big sleepshirt she wore nearly glowed in the darkness. She may as well have worn a big sign that said “come get me” to any predators for miles.

“Don’t talk and don’t fear me,” he warned before releasing her hand and bending.

She gasped when he grabbed her hips and jerked her forward until her belly bumped his shoulder. One arm hooked around her waist and he gripped her at the small of her back. He straightened, adjusted her gently where she hung across his body and headed toward the cabin.

“Shadow?”

“Silence,” he snarled. “You heard him. Lions, tigers, and bears are out here. You’ve already attracted the wolves.”

He had no problem finding the cabin and set her on the porch. The door was locked. “Stay.”

He had to climb up to the roof, enter his open window and rush downstairs to unlock the door. Beauty hadn’t moved an inch. He just scooped her into his arms, spun and stomped inside. He kicked the door closed behind them and freed a hand to twist the locks. He refused to look at her face as he carried her up to the bathroom and gently placed her on the counter.

“Don’t move.” He knew his tone was harsh but he still battled rage. She’d left the cabin without him and he wanted to yell.

“You’re bleeding!”

He looked down at the tile floor and noticed the bloody footprints. “That’s right. It happens when you leap from a second-story window and rush through the woods at night without shoes.” He turned on the shower and just stepped inside with his boxers on. “Don’t talk to me right now.”

The cold water helped dull the pain as it pooled around his feet, washing away the sweat and stench of his own fear from his body. All he could think about while he’d raced to find her was how he could be too late. A male could have traumatized her or an animal could have torn her apart. Time allowed his emotions to calm and that’s when he shut off the shower.

His gaze met hers. Tears flooded her eyes and she still appeared paler than normal. He grabbed a towel and began to dry his skin as best as he could with wet shorts on. He cleared his throat, trying to keep his emotions out of his voice.

“You don’t leave the cabin without me.” He paused for effect. “Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t want to terrify her but fear was a lot better than death or being forced to confront an aroused male with the mentality of an animal. “Do you realize how small you are? How helpless?”

Her arms crossed over her chest and pushed her breasts together, giving him a good view of the soft mounds beneath the fabric. It pissed him off more.

“Yes.”

“I don’t think you do.”

He threw the towel down and advanced. The way she gasped and shrank away was almost enough to stop him but he had too much adrenaline pumping through his veins to call a halt to his need to teach her something that might save her life. His hands flattened on the counter on each side of her as he leaned in until her head rested against the wall. She had nowhere to go to avoid him while he invaded her space. Fear flashed in her eyes while her breathing increased.

“I could do anything to you, Beauty. You couldn’t stop me.” He got in her face until their noses brushed. “Hit me. Push me away.” His voice deepened. “Do you think you could win?”

“No,” she whispered.

He stared deeply into her eyes and felt like a total bastard. She was genuinely afraid. New urges struck that he resisted. He wanted to kiss her and put his hands all over her body. He backed up a few inches.

“You’re lucky that male seemed tame. He could have taken off with you. You’d be inside a room with him instead of me. He wouldn’t be getting this close to you to prove a point. I might not have been able to find you. Tracking isn’t my best strength out here. Do you have any idea what kind of nightmare images flashed through my head while I looked for you? I heard your scream and believed I’d find you dead or not at all.”

He breathed in and out until he leashed his desire to take the lesson further just for an excuse to touch her. He wanted to. His dick began to harden but he ignored it despite the wet cotton making it uncomfortably noticeable.

“I’m sorry.”

“You are lucky to be safe right now. I trusted you to have the good sense to help me keep you out of danger. I’ve learned my lesson.” He released the counter and backed away. “I hope you’ve learned yours. Strip and take a shower. I’ll get you something clean to wear and place it on your bed. You call me the second you are decent. We’re not done.”

He spun, stormed into her room and closed the door between them to give her privacy. He paused, listening. Her ragged breathing made him feel worse. He guessed she fought the urge to cry but finally the water turned on.

Her bag was packed with feminine things he didn’t feel comfortable sorting through but he located a gown similar to the one she had worn when they’d first met. It had tiny straps at the shoulders and the soft cotton was very thin. He dropped it on the bed and used the hallway to enter his own room. It only took him seconds to switch the wet boxers for dry ones. He tended to his feet next. The cuts weren’t bad but they’d be painful for a few days until they totally healed.

He couldn’t allow Beauty to shrug off what she’d done. Next time he might not reach her in time or the male might not be civil enough to be so polite. She needed to understand the dangers. The females at the dorm had coddled her too much but it wasn’t her fault. That’s how Gift Females were treated.

“Damn,” he rasped.

Beauty dried off and checked both her feet. There was a little damage to one heel but she’d gotten off lucky. Shadow couldn’t say the same. She used her damp towel to clean up the bloody footprints. She was filled with both regret and shame. He’d gotten hurt because she’d done a thoughtless thing. Worse, he’d seen her cry. The last thing she wanted was to appear weaker than Shadow already believed her to be.

It had seemed so harmless at the time. She’d just wanted to go outside, never thinking it would really be dangerous. Shadow had marked the area and Species didn’t hurt other Species. All men avoided her. It was a good thing she’d been wrong about that, considering Torrent had saved her life.

She opened her bedroom door and was in for a shock when Shadow stood facing her. She’d heard him in his room and thought it would be safe to quickly dress. She covered her bare breasts with her hands and twisted away, trying to hide her lower half.

“Shit.” He spun around. “Sorry. I didn’t think you’d walk out naked.”

“I thought you were in your room.”

“Your nightgown is on the bed.”

She darted to it and yanked it over her head. In her haste the straps didn’t want to fit her arms as they tangled with her wet hair. Things couldn’t get much worse. He was angry and he’d just seen her naked. She tugged down the nightgown after untangling herself and stared at his broad back.

“I’m decent.” Heat still warmed her cheeks when he faced her again. “Sorry.” I don’t think this is what Breeze meant when she said to show him my bare body. No way was she going to ask him to have sex with her now. There was no missing the glint of anger in his eyes when she dared to meet his direct gaze. “I’m really sorry.”

“I’ve been thinking.”

Dread gripped her. “You want to return to Homeland? I blew it, didn’t I?” She hugged her waist, a habit she hated but couldn’t stop.