Chapter 4. JUMP!

Elisabeth’s POV

I laughed, but it was abruptly cut off by the sound of a rumbling growl. Did he just growl at me?

Fine. I could play this game too. I gave a theatrical curtsy and replied, “I appreciate the request, but I’m afraid I have to deny it, barbarian. Shoo! Run away now and leave me be!”

As I straightened up, it felt like he had somehow grown taller. His eyes darkened, and I realized I’d reached the limit.

“Shut up. We’re leaving now! I can carry you, or you can walk! But note this—if you force me to carry you, I’ll make the walk worth my while.”

His hungry gaze flickered again, his stare raking over me slowly. That deep growl rumbled in his chest once more, almost animalistic.

I took a couple of steps forward, and a flash of disappointment crossed his face, quickly masked by irritation and slight anger. Moron.

Then he licked his lips. And my eyes widened. Canines!

I watched, horrified, as his teeth slowly elongated. Hell. No.

“Fine! Be a drag! Now, come on! I’m wasting my time, and they’re waiting! Put that pretty little ass into motion before I do!”

They’re waiting? No, thanks. Mentally rolling my eyes, I forced a smile—the sweetest pout I could muster. I looked up at him through my lashes and slowly bit my lip, letting it slide out between my teeth.

I had his full attention now.

So while his head was thoroughly stuck in the gutter, I spun around and sprinted straight for the edge of the cliff. Just before I reached it, I shouted over my shoulder, “Enjoy the view, perv!”

And then I jumped.

The damp, misty air hit me the moment I leaped. The fall was so much longer than I expected, and even though I jumped on purpose, I couldn’t stop the high-pitched scream that escaped my lips—seconds before I crashed into the wild, ice-cold water below.

Everything was a blur—water, rocks, chaos. I tumbled under the current, lungs burning, desperate for air. The freezing water surged into my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, relentless and punishing.

Air! I need air!

Panic took over as I thrashed against the current, struggling to find the surface. Darkness began creeping in from the edges of my vision. My body went limp, the fight draining out of me.

Just as I felt consciousness slip away, rough hands grabbed my shoulders.

And then—blackness.

The soft crackling of a fire was the first thing I noticed. The warmth spread over me, and I instinctively curled up, clutching the cozy blanket closer. It felt so nice. Comforting.

Fireplace?

My eyes shot open, and I bolted upright, so fast I felt dizzy. It took a few seconds to adjust—no longer submerged, no longer drowning. I blinked hard, my head swimming, until my vision settled.

I was sitting on the ground, right beside a burning fire.

I stretched, yawning, and rubbed my eyes. And then—two things happened.

One: I locked eyes with a man.

Two: I realized the cold breeze prickling my skin was because my breasts were completely bare.

My eyes went wide as I yanked the blanket up to cover myself, locking eyes with him again.

“What the hell!?”

He blinked, unfazed. “No, Luca.”

Was he serious?

“What?!”

“My name is Luca.”

I stared at him, dumbfounded. He looked different from the others—tall, yes—but leaner. Not as massive or testosterone-fueled as the rest. His eyes were a deep, mossy green, sharp but softer than the others. His jawline was sharp, his chin slightly narrow, and his face, well... pretty.

But it seemed like he made up for the lack of bulk with pure arrogance. He reminded me more of the type that stuck-up blonde would enjoy the company of.

“Why am I naked?”

Sudden embarrassment mingled with rising anger. Normally, I didn’t care—nudity was just nudity. But this felt different. I was vulnerable, exposed, and unaware it had even happened. That wasn’t okay.

I scowled as he let out a dramatic sigh, brushing his long, nearly white hair over his shoulder. His hair... was stunning. Thick, silky, like something from a shampoo commercial. Was he even a real man? Or a model?

Focus!

“What the hell are you doing out here, poking a stick at the fire and stripping unconscious girls?”

“Because you were soaking wet and freezing when I dragged your ass out of the river,” he replied, still annoyingly calm. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

That shut me up for a second. God, I’m ungrateful. But that didn’t excuse the smug grin spreading across his face.

I exhaled sharply. “Oh. Yeah. I’m... I’m sorry. Thank you.”

His grin widened into a full, beaming smile, and I felt my heart skip a beat. Damn it, are they all this good-looking?

“See? That wasn’t so hard! You’re welcome. You do have nice breasts, by the way. Can I touch them?”

My jaw dropped. He said it so casually, like he’d just asked to pet a puppy.

“Wha—NO! What the hell? Where are my clothes!?”

“Why not? I saved you! It’s not fair for you to keep them all to yourself!”

“What the—are you out of your mind? Where does it say ‘save me and get a free boob squeeze’? Give me my clothes!”

His grin didn’t falter. In fact, he looked even more amused as he tossed something at me. I caught it mid-air and unfolded it.

A dress.

A very short, pale pink dress with enough cleavage to make a professional escort blush.

I threw it back at his face.

“My clothes. Not this napkin!”

He blinked, frowning down at the garment as though confused. “It’s a dress.”

I folded my arms. “It’s the size of a napkin. Just tell me where my clothes are! This is ridiculous! Look—I’m grateful you saved me, but I don’t appreciate sitting here butt naked! I want my clothes. Please.”

That word seemed to catch him off guard. His teasing faltered as he fiddled awkwardly with the fabric in his hands.

“I... well... I’m sorry. But those clothes weren’t fit for a young girl like you! This is high quality! It was made by the Elven seamstress herself!”

“Elven... what? Fitting for a girl like me? Who the hell walks around the forest in a skimpy little dress like this? I want my pants, my shirt, my bra, and my sweater—now!”

“I burned them.”

I blinked. “You... did what? Why!?”

He crossed his arms. “You know as well as I do! Those clothes were not fit for a young girl at her best age! They hid all your curves, your breasts, your hips—all the good and juicy parts! This—” he shook the dress “—is perfect! If you wear this, you’ll probably get a mate mark too!”

My brain short-circuited. “What the hell are you talking about? And why the fuck would I want to show off my juicy parts? You need to get me some pants—now! Those were my favorite jeans! And my bra! What the hell was wrong with my bra!?”

“I have your bra... just not those ugly pants or sweater.”

“Those cost me a small fortune! Give me my bra, and I’ll get out of here!”

He jumped up, visibly flustered. “I’ll get you better pants! But you can’t leave! The wolves are still looking for you!”

Wolves? Did he just say wolves?

He bolted into the darkness, leaving me alone by the fire. I shuffled closer to the flames, wrapping the blanket tighter and scanning the shadows around me.