They strolled through the village, their fingertips touching as they nodded at the gawking villagers.
“Hello, Mr. Blacksmith.” Red smiled.
“Good day, Miss Little, Mr. Wolfe,” he stammered.
Red waited for an ill-tempered growl from Axel. He surprised her by saying, “A good day to you, too, Mr. Blacksmith.”
Wrapping her arms around his bicep, she leaned into his hulking body. “You’re the better man, Axel.” She didn’t care that Hunter and the widow stared with their mouths open.
“Not really. I held back the urge to eat him alive.”
Red laughed and glanced up. He looked down with a wolfish grin on his face.
“Will you eat me alive, later?” she said in a low voice, for only him to hear.
“As you wish, sweetheart.”
Danger flashed in his eyes, and heat coiled low in her belly.
“Where are we headed?”
“To the common dining hall. I told Iris to keep everyone away from the berries and mushrooms until I found out who made the delivery.”
The delivery. She let go of his arm and faced him with her hands on her hips. “Axel Wolfe, did you make the poor little cubs carry the bounty to town?”
His fingers circled her wrists, and he brought her knuckles to his mouth. “Of course not.” His teeth grazed her skin, sending tingles of pain and pleasure through her body. “I asked their parents, nicely.”
His answer should’ve surprised her, but it didn’t. Axel could charm a group of bears, cougars and panthers to help him pull off such a feat.
She stood on the tips of her boots and planted a kiss on his mouth. His sigh of contentment was worth the public show of affection. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
She rubbed her nose on his. “For proving everyone wrong.”
He wasn’t Mad Dog Axel, a wolf that had ordered his pack to burn down a village because a human woman had snubbed him. Red was sure Stasis had spread that rumor. No wonder Axel was hated and feared the moment he’d stepped foot in Grimm ten years ago. And no wonder the village people had believed he was somehow responsible for his father’s death at the cliffside.
Interlacing their fingers, she towed him to the dining hall. “Come on, it’s time we celebrate with a feast of berries and mushrooms.”
“Only if I can feast on you later, Red.”
His voice was low, husky and full of longing. Her insides quivered, and she stumbled over her own feet. Laughing, he grabbed her by the waist and slung her over his massive shoulder.
A collective, “aw,” greeted them as they made their way to the dining hall. Smiling though her chest ached, Red enjoyed the ride and the view from her vantage point on Axel’s shoulder. He had a sexy bum and thick, muscular legs.
“Like what you see, Red?”
“I do.”
“I like you, too.” He set her down. “I would say we skip the feast and head back to my place, but I understand being here is important to you. The villagers are waiting, Sunshine.”
She followed where he looked. A crowd had gathered in front of the doors of the dining hall.
Iris ran to them. “Miss Red, Mr. Wolfe, can we eat, please?”
Red nodded. “Mr. Wolfe was kind enough to bring the celebration from the forest to the village.” She said the words loud enough for everyone to hear.
The villagers rushed forward and thanked Axel with words and hugs. He stood, stiff as one of her washboards, but didn’t push the villagers away. Red clasped her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels.
The big wolf better get used to the villagers’ affection. There’d be more of it in one, two... She cleared her throat. Everyone’s attention swung her direction.
“Mr. Wolfe has offered to fix the rows of houses along the back side of the dining hall.” Where orphaned children lived with the elderly. “And build a tree house with swings and slides.”
The children squealed, and the elderly crowded Axel, thanking him, again. After accepting their gratitude, Axel pulled her aside. “Red, what is the meaning of this?”
She shrugged. “They need your help more than the cottage needs fixing. I’m giving your gift for me to them.”
“Can I give you another gift, then?”
“What is it?”
He opened his mouth then smiled big. “You almost got me, Sunshine.” He chucked her under the chin. “If I told, it wouldn’t be a gift, would it?”
“Darn,” she muttered.
“Miss Red, what did you mean bring the celebration from the forest and to the village? What are we celebrating?” This from Iris. If her parents were alive, they’d be so proud of the smart woman their little girl was growing up to be.
With her hand in Axel’s, Red delivered her news. “The celebration is a going-away party for me, from Mr. Wolfe.”
“What. The. Hell. Red?” he said out the side of his mouth, for her ears only.
Undeterred by the irate wolf, Red plowed forward. “I have to return home.” She placed her free hand over her mechanical ticker. “My sisters miss me. One of them is with child.”
Cinder was three months pregnant. The news was given to Red on the day she should’ve died. Cinder’s pregnancy was the reason for Red’s desperate plea to live again. In three months, Red would be an aunt.
Cinder could be uptight and serious, but she was the kindest and gentlest soul. She’d braved the jagged rocks and had pounded the signs into the stones. Wind and waves couldn’t dislodge their warnings to the sailors. Who was the lucky man that had captured her sister’s heart?
“Congratulations, Miss Little.” The villagers hugged her. “We’ll miss you.”
Arms embraced her from behind and tugged her against a hard body. Mine. That was Axel’s underlying message in the tight hold he had on her waist.
“She’s not gone, yet.” A firm chin rested on the top of her head. “Now go on,” he said in that strong and commanding Alpha voice of his, “go celebrate. Eat, laugh. Show Red how much you love her being here for the past three months.”
Smiling, they dipped their heads with gratitude.
“Will you visit again, Miss Little?” Junior asked. He was one of her favorites.
Red held back her tears. “Not likely.” She ruffled his hair and gestured for him to follow the others as they disappeared inside the dining hall. She would miss the children.
Her throat tightening, she turned into Axel’s touch and inhaled the scent of him, committing the smokey sweetness to memory. Having him with her made it easier to tell the villagers her plan to return home.
“Cry, Sunshine. I’m here.”
Golden words from her big, bad wolf. Red cried. Axel was worth losing her heart over.