Page 28 of Maneater

Rex fidgets with his straps. “Right. Good point.” He gives me a weak smile. “Onward and upward then.”

We resume our trek and a tinge of uneasiness courses through me. Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed the issue. I’m really starting to feel as though I’ve made him rethink hanging out with me. After all, I’m not only terrible at picking up on romantic cues in general, but I’m completely clueless when it comes to dudes.

I should seriously put a stop to my fantasies about Rex because I have no clue what I’m doing.

Another hour passes with us walking in mostly silence. I’ve managed to quit fixating over what is or is not happening between Rex and me. Instead, I revel in the beauty of the day and the thrill of setting foot on a patch of earth I’ve never trodden on before.

“Ah,” Rex points to a large outcropping of rocks up ahead. “As soon as we get to the top, there will be a small descent down to a creek where there’s shade and a spot where we can rest.” He smiles at me, and this time it reaches his eyes. “Ready for a snack break? It’s going to be a steeper incline the rest of the way.”

I realize my shoulder aches a bit and my stomach is grumbling. “Sounds good.”

We arrive at the creek, and I’m surprised at how wide it is and that the water is rushing at such a fast clip. I imagine that once the height of summer hits, it will have dwindled.

I remove my pack and set it down next to a wide flat boulder. It’s perfectly positioned with shade that looks like it will hold until the sun hits noontime.

“Gorgeous.” I fill my lungs with fresh air, the scent of clean, crisp water, mixed with the earthy aroma of pines and moss. “I could stay here all day.”

I peer over my shoulder to see Rex staring at me. My breath catches. He regards me with a relaxed, gentle smile, his deep brown eyes conveying warmth.

“You really love the forest, don’t you? You appreciate the peace the mountains have to offer.” Rex places his pack next to mine. “It’s all I know. Despite being surrounded by locals who probably feel the same way I do, I’ve never found anyone who seems as deeply connected to nature as I do. “

His words are tinged with awe, and I’m not sure how to take them. But I won’t let the opportunity pass to explore the other subject—besides Rex’s incredible hotness—that’s been on my mind.

“Is that why you’re so protective of the Howler?”

Rex falls into a coughing fit as if he’s choking on his saliva. I know for a fact that he doesn’t want to discuss this subject, that he’s protecting the creature at all costs. He probably ran into it by taking such secluded treks as this. Maybe he even brought me up here on the off chance I’d get a peek at one. I don’t know. What I do know is I want the truth, and I’m sure he’s the only one who knows the real story.

Rex seems to get hold of himself. “You’re not going to let go of this, are you?”

“Sorry.” I duck my chin. I’m aware of how I tend to latch onto something and won’t let go until I have all the answers. “I’m not trying to be an asshole about it. But I’m hoping that you can trust me to do the right thing. I love the purity of the outdoors, and that includes everything that lives free and untouched by human interference.”

I shrug. “I mean, that’s one of the reasons I started learning so much about medicinal plants and why being a naturopath is what I want to do with my life. That belief extends to all living things in the wild. If the Howler has lived freely for countless years, the last thing I want is for it to be messed with by humans. Nothing good ever comes from that, and I’d be heartbroken if I was the one to cause such a thing.”

Rex folds his hands and rests his elbows on his knees. He looks down at the ground as he wrings his fingers, one knee jiggling. A few moments pass, then he lifts his gaze, locking it with mine.

“I can’t believe I’m about to do this, but for some weird reason, I trust you. Deep down I sense you'd never do anything to harm him.”

I knew it. It’s totally real.

Excitement thrums under my skin as I wait for him to continue.

Rex licks his lips, then sucks in a deep breath. “That was me you saw that day. I’m the Howler.”

My jaw slackens, and my throat constricts. Can’t breathe. No way he just told me that he’s the beast I saw. That’s impossible.

Rex’s brow creases and he leans forward. “My gods, are you okay? You’ve gone pale.”

I flinch. Never mind that Rex is the handsomest, hunkiest man I’ve ever seen, and I’d jump him in a second, but he’s delusional. The delusional part cancels out the hotness part.

I should probably run for my life.

I’m on my feet before my brain registers the movement, and I bolt. Racing up the trail away from the creek, I don’t stop to check whether Rex is coming after me. I’m fast, but my stride can’t match his, and he’s the expert when it comes to the terrain.

I’m crashing through overgrowth, and footsteps are pounding behind me. Rex calls out, “Wait! You’ll hurt yourself!”, and I almost consider stopping. I override that impulse as the pictures of what I saw that day burst into my mind.

No fucking way I’m stopping.

That decision is immediately overridden as the toe of my shoe catches on a large tree root protruding along the path. With an oof that steals my breath, I land on the ground, my palms scraped raw by gravel as I slow my forward momentum.