Pull it together, he chided himself.She’s your rival, not your…anything else.
“Didn’t expect to see you here.”His voice came out sounding gruffer than he intended.
She raised an eyebrow.“I do leave home occasionally.Even when I’m prepping for competitions.Unlike some, I don’t need to cram at the last minute.”
The jab stung, hitting too close to his earlier frustrations.Malcolm bristled, opening his mouth for a sharp retort, but Larissa continued before he could speak.
“Actually, I’m glad I caught you.I have some information about the upcoming hunt challenge you should see.”
She held out a document, and as Malcolm reached for it, their hands brushed.It was the briefest of contacts, barely a whisper of skin on skin, but his body vibrated as if he’d been struck by lightning.
Time seemed to slow, every detail of Larissa highlighted in his mind.The softness of her skin.The slight calluses on her fingertips, testament to hours of writing and study.The way her pulse fluttered at her wrist.
He imagined those hands on his chest, tracing the lines of his muscles.Sliding up to cup his face as he leaned in to kiss her.Tangling in his hair as they…
“Malcolm?Are you even listening?”Larissa’s voice snapped him back to reality.
Malcolm blinked, realizing he’d been staring at her hand like an idiot.A flush crept up his neck, and he hoped she didn’t notice.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, taking the document and pointedly not looking at her face.“Just…thinking about strategy.”
“Really?Because it looked an awful lot like you were woolgathering.You do realize how important this is, right?The hunt isn’t just about tracking and taking down prey.It’s a test of leadership, of using your pack’s strengths effectively.”
Her words hit him like a bucket of cold water, reigniting his earlier doubts.
She’s right, he thought bitterly.I’m not prepared for this.Not like she is.
But Malcolm had never been one to back down from a challenge.He stood tall and met Larissa’s gaze with a confidence he didn’t quite feel.“I’m aware of what’s at stake, Larissa.Don’t worry about my preparation.”
He gestured to the young wolves, who had paused in their training to watch the exchange with undisguised interest.“In fact, I was just working on some combat techniques that could be useful during the hunt.Care to join us?”
It was a deflection, and they both knew it.
But to Malcolm’s surprise, Larissa nodded.“Why not?It’s been a while since I’ve had a good sparring session.”
As they moved to the center of the clearing, Malcolm watched her intently.The way she moved, all controlled power and grace.The slight sheen of sweat on her skin as they began to circle each other.The intensity in her gaze as she watched for an opening.
They came together in a flurry of movement, testing each other’s defenses.Malcolm had the advantage in raw strength, but Larissa was quick and cunning.She slipped past his guard more than once, landing stinging blows.
As they grappled, her nearness once again distracted Malcolm.And more than once, it cost him the upper hand.
Finally, sweeping her feet out from under her in a move that was equal parts skill and luck, Malcolm managed to pin Larissa to the ground.
They lay there, both panting heavily, their faces inches apart.Malcolm was suddenly acutely aware of every point where their bodies touched.
For the span of a breath, the world fell away.
There was only this moment, this connection.
The urge hit Malcolm to close the distance between them, to taste her lips, to…
With a surge of strength, Larissa bucked her hips and flipped them, reversing their positions.The spell broken, she quickly rolled away and got to her feet.
“Not bad,” she said, her voice slightly breathless.“But you let yourself get distracted.In a real fight, that could be fatal.”
Malcolm stood, brushing dirt from his clothes and trying to regain his composure.“Yeah, well, it’s not often I have such a…challenging opponent.”
Larissa’s eyebrows rose at the near compliment, but before she could respond, Owen’s voice cut in.
