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"We got us a poacher, Doc," I growl, straightening to my full height as fury simmers through me.
She pales, one hand flying to her throat. "Hunting the lions? But that's-"
"A damn federal crime that could earn a body some hard prison time if caught," I finish grimly. "And these bastards aren't the type to just roll over if we stumble across their path.”
Rhylee's lips part on a soft exhale, her eyes wide and suddenly wary behind those stylish frames. "So what you're saying is... we could be in real danger?"
I grunt, raking a hand through my hair as I survey the area again. "The good news is, it seems to be just one of them. But if he thinks we’re onto him, he might decide a couple of innocent bystanders need to have a tragic 'accident' out here in the wild."
Her throat works on a convulsive swallow, those big eyes flicking up to meet mine with a flash of fear. But just as quickly, that stubborn core of steel resurfaces, and her chin juts out in determination.
"Then we need to alert the authorities," she insists. "Get the rangers involved to put a stop to this before any more animals are slaughtered."
"My thoughts exactly," I murmur in grim agreement.
I turn on my heel and start retracing our path at a brisk clip, Rhylee scrambling to keep pace behind me. Every shadow, every whisper of movement through the dense brush, has me tensing in anticipation of an ambush. I keep a white-knuckle grip on the rifle's stock, ready to put it to use at a moment's notice to protect us.
To protect her.
We break into the small clearing where we made camp, and my gut bottoms out at the sight that greets us.
Gear and supplies are scattered everywhere, ripped open packs and shredded sleeping bags strewn haphazardly across the trampled grass. The firepit is nothing but a pile of cold, blackened ash, any signs of our cozy setup obliterated.
"Oh..." Rhylee breathes, her hand flying to her mouth in horror. "He was here..."
I grunt in terse acknowledgment, my eyes narrowing as I scan the area for any other signs of danger. “Grab whatever you can carry,” I mutter to Rhylee in a low aside. “We need to get out of the area.”
She nods, falling into step at my heels as we quickly scavenge through the wreckage to salvage any undamaged essentials—food, water, a change of clothes. I shove it all into a single, intact pack as my eyes continue roving for any sign of the most critical item.
"The radio..." Rhylee says, panic edging her voice as she rifles through the debris in vain. "Tucker, they took the radio!"
My jaw tightens as the ramifications sink in. No way to call for backup, to alert the rangers to the poacher’s activities or our own precarious situation. Unless…
"Let’s go," I growl, shouldering the supply pack and grabbing Rhylee’s wrist to pull her into the cover of the treeline. "Keep quiet and keep up.”
She gives a jerky nod, her face pale and pinched. I tighten my grip on her wrist and start leading us at a ground-eating pace deeper into the shadowed timber, toward the only place I can think of out here.
She may not like it, but there’s no way in hell I’m letting any harm come to Rhylee while I'm still breathing.
Chapter 7
Rhylee
Sweat trickles in rivulets down my spine as I struggle to keep pace with Tucker's relentless forward push. God, how is he able to maintain this punishing speed over such treacherous terrain? The man is an unstoppable force of nature.
My mind still reels from the shocking scene at our ravaged campsite. A tremor races through me at the thought of what could've happened if we'd still been there, what they might've done.
But Tucker's unwavering presence, that steady confidence, keeps me grounded. Bolsters my own courage in a way I could've never imagined just days ago.
A fierce protectiveness flares to life, hardening my resolve. Whatever darkness lies ahead, I won't let him face it alone. Not after everything we've shared. Not after how he's helped me shed every last inhibition to become something new. Something wild.
My lungs strain against the merciless pace, but I grit my teeth and force my aching legs into a stumbling run to close the gap separating us. I can be strong like him. Fierce and indomitable in the face of danger, just as he's shown me.
Up ahead, Tucker slows to a halt, that shaggy blonde head swiveling as he scans our surroundings with laser focus. I finally pull up alongside him.
"Wh-what is it?" I pant out between heaving breaths.
That's when I notice the ramshackle structure in a small clearing up ahead. A simple, one-story cabin built from rough-hewn logs and a rusted tin roof, smoke drifting lazily from the crumbling stone chimney—the unmistakable stamp of human inhabitants in this otherwise pristine wilderness.
