Free Valiant Heart by Angela Addams

pack over there. Get yourselves something to fill your bellies. We won’t be stopping again until dusk.” As she walked away, she gave orders to her women. “Cat, I want you and Ella on point. Keep an eye out for a doe. We need a sacrifice tonight for the Goddess.”
    â€œYou don’t believe that shit, do you?” Lance said to Kelly as Ariana moved out of earshot. He grabbed her arm so she would face him. “Kelly, seriously, you don’t think they were actually telling the truth, do you? I mean, I know they believe it but they’re fucking nuts…”
    â€œWhy do you think they’re lying? Why do you distrust them so much? That’s your Huntress, Lance. You don’t trust what she’s telling you?”
    He flinched at the accusation. Of course he didn’t think his Huntress was nuts, just the rest of them. “My gut is telling me that we’re only getting half-truths most of the time. Lying by omission is still lying.” He let her go. “You need to be careful, Kelly. I see how enthralled you get by them. I just want you to be a little more guarded. Don’t trust so easily. Not even my Huntress.”
    She blinked, screwed up her face. “You think she’d do something to harm me? You?”
    â€œNo, not directly. But this horseshit about the Goddess, really? You believe that? What came out of their mouths was gobbledygook. It made no sense.”
    â€œIt made sense to me.” Kelly frowned, her eyes still glistening as she raised her hand to her chest. “And I felt it. Right here.” She tapped her heart.
    â€œWhat did you feel?”
    â€œLove. Unconditional, motherly love.”

Chapter Eight
    My Hunter. Yeah right.
    I didn’t like it. Not one bit.
    Kelly’s hands all over Lance, comforting him, supporting him. What was going on between those two? Friendship for sure, but something more? Had to be. I watched them as they trekked ahead, walking side-by-side most of the time, his hand out to help her balance here and there over the rough terrain. Her hand on his arm to steady herself. At one point, when she almost fell, he wrapped his arm around her waist and kept it there for an exceedingly long time.
    It made me sick. I wanted to go over there and shove her out of the way. My Hunter. Mine.
    And then that thought made me feel sick as well. What the hell was wrong with me? Jealous? Ugh. As if. She could have him. It would help me in the end anyway.
    To make matters worse, Lance kept glancing at me, or staring when he thought I wasn’t aware. Was he after my attention? Was he trying to make me jealous? The problem was I liked his eyes on me. I liked the feeling of lust that came in waves, his gaze telling me more than words could ever say. I could picture him storming up to me, ripping off my clothes, slamming me against a tree and fucking my brains out. It made me wet and achy, my clit hard. He was dangerous for me. In so many different ways.
    Ella popped out from around a tree to my left, startling me from my fantasy. “I’ve found some things.” She tapped the satchel on her hip. “There are a few potential options to remedy your little problem.”
    I shot a glance at Kelly and Lance, still totally engrossed in talking to one another. “Good. I guess that means I should be considering it then, right?”
    Ella cocked an eyebrow, smirking as she did. “What? Bonding with him?” She shrugged. “There are benefits, but it’s a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly.”
    â€œNo, not lightly,” I scoffed. “But one that I am considering, I guess. With his bond would come leadership, a team of my own, Queen Val’s approval.”
    Ella nodded. “If those things are important to you, then yes.”
    I frowned at her words. Of course those things were important to me. “Shouldn’t they be?”
    â€œPerhaps.” Ella gave one of her half smiles.