Ally’s chuckle burst free. “Oh, come on. You would if the situation was reversed.”
Wrong. He’d be pissed. He didn’t like even the thought of anyone else wanting her. His wolf became infuriated at the idea of anyone coveting Ally.
Resisting the temptation to tease him further, Ally said, “I’m heading back to my lodge. You coming, or do you have more work to do?”
In actuality, Derren had plenty of work to do. But he wanted time with Ally. More specifically, he wanted time alone with Ally. “I’m done for today.” Having said good-bye to everyone, they strolled out into the warm evening. “Let’s take a little detour before we head back.”
“Where are we going?” she asked curiously. He didn’t answer. After a reasonably short walk through the forest, they neared a clearing Ally didn’t recognize. She could hear the river close by. “Seriously, where are we going?”
Derren chuckled. He’d fast learned she wasn’t the most patient of people. Stepping into the clearing, he pointed. “There. See.”
Yes, Ally did see. Her mouth dropped open. “It’s . . . wow.” Adjacent to the river were three hot springs framed by a formation of rocks. “Are they natural?”
“Yep. The third one is the coolest. Come on, strip.”
They both kicked off their shoes and shed their clothes before sinking into the water. It was just the right temperature, and Ally sighed in pleasure.
“You can’t make that noise right now,” Derren told her as he draped his arms over the rocks behind him.
“Why?”
“It makes me hard.” It was the same sound she made when he was tasting her.
Ally chuckled. “You’re already hard.”
“Of course I am. You’re naked.” If he was honest, his cock went hard at just her scent. “Come here. Straddle me.”
Eyes narrowed, she wagged a finger playfully. “Nu-uh. We can’t have sex here.”
He snorted. “Obviously.” It was important to keep the springs clean. “But I want to touch you.” He wanted her close. “Ally.” Rolling her eyes, she shuffled closer to him. He curled his hands around her hips, lifted her, and brought her to straddle him.
“Happy now?”
“Very.” He sucked her lower lip into his mouth; a growl of approval rumbled up his chest when her body relaxed into his. Meeting her captivating emerald gaze, he tilted his head. “So many secrets in those eyes.” Ally Marshall was one big mystery. In the beginning, he hadn’t minded that. Now, it bugged him that there were so many things about her that he didn’t know. “Tell me one.”
She blinked in surprise. “Tell you a secret?”
“Yes.” His interest in her had shifted a fraction in the past six weeks. Become something else. Something more. Something that might threaten their agreement that what was between them didn’t have to be complicated. Yet, he wasn’t fighting it. “Tell me why you like to sleep outside.” He skimmed his hands up her arms. “I know you have nightmares. Where do you go?”
She swallowed. “The dark.”
“You said you couldn’t get out to warn them. What did you mean?”
Ally tensed. “What?”
“Once when you were having a nightmare, I tried to wake you, and you said you couldn’t get out to warn them.” Instead of elaborating, she pulled back, averting her gaze, which was clouded with uncertainty. “One time when I was in juvie, six human guards beat me up and tortured me with electrical rods and Taser guns.” Her eyes whipped back to his, fury replacing the uncertainty. “I knew they were going to kill me, and I knew they were going to rape me first. I’m sure Cain’s told you enough about juvie that you know that’s not uncommon. The only reason I’m alive is that Nick intervened.”
That was why he felt so indebted to Nick, Ally now understood. She wanted to tell Derren she was sorry for what had happened to him, but she knew that would be the last thing he’d want to hear. He was frustratingly too macho to accept compassion. “Why did you share that with me?” It was a memory that was personal, private, and painful.
“Because this isn’t a one-way thing. I’ll share with you, and you’ll share with me.” He brushed his thumb along her cheekbone. “Tell me why you sleep outside.”
“It’s not a pretty story.”
“Neither are any of mine, baby.”
Because Ally figured honesty deserved honesty, she explained. “My childhood pack wasn’t much bigger than this. We all lived together in one huge house. There were only five kids in total. Me and Cain were best friends, and we used to play together in a fort that we set up with the help of our parents. Anyway, one night Cain was chasing me out of the fort, and as we reached the pack house a large pack of wolves invaded our territory.” An ache began to build in her chest as she remembered the screams, the blood, and the chaos. “Our pack didn’t stand a chance.”
“That was the night it was slain?”
She nodded.