Chapter 3 HIM

It was the sensation of fingers tenderly caressing her face that brought her out of the deep dark abyss of dreamless sleep. The gentle touch reminded her of a balmy summer breeze - comforting her - lulling her into a sense of warmth and security.

Awareness returned so abruptly that it was akin to diving into a pool of ice water. Eliza's eyes flew open. Noah sat on the edge of the bed , staring down at her with silver-gray eyes - eyes that were misted over with the same hunger that had been gnawing at her night and day for months.

Seeing that she was awake , he leaned over and kissed her forehead. When he did , his long black hair brushed against her face.

As her shock began to subside , Eliza was overcome with the urge to scream at him. She wanted an explanation. Why had his people taken her?

Anger raged within her , but at the same time she could not suppress the joy in her heart. After months of being without him - of not knowing , she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

He was still alive.In the end, the frustration and loneliness that had been a fixture in her life for so long overshadowed her happiness.

"How dare you have your people do this to me!"

"I had no choice.I told you not to come back here," Noah grumbled.

Eliza glared at him through narrowed eyes.

Looking away , he told her , "They would have killed you if the pack hadn't stepped in."

"What are you talking about?"

"The Shapechangers that have been trailing you. Why didn't you listen to me? I told you that coming back here would be too dangerous."

"Really!" Eliza arched one brow. "You mean more dangerous that having a pack of Sinapu rip my car apart and drag me up here?"

"Yes ," he whispered.

"Your people want me dead. You know that don't you? Don't you think that sending them to intervene was a little risky too?"

Noah shook his head. "They wouldn't dare."

"Well I'm here ... so now what?" Eliza asked.

She was happy to see him, but in no mood to forgive and forget , at least not yet. He'd let his people terrorize her. How could she overlook that? Especially considering he was well aware of the horror she'd already lived through.

His lips spread into a mischievous smile. "Well if you promise not to run away ... I won't have to chain you up."

"You're joking right?"

"Maybe not," he told her.

Eliza shook her head.

"Hell no! I'm not making any such promise.As soon as I'm free of these chains, I'm going to find a way to Howlingwater ... and I'm going to report this to the police."

At that moment, she wasn't sure if it was an empty threat, or if he had pushed her far enough to do just as she'd said.The corners of his mouth tilted into what might have been a smile.

"You really are beautiful when you're angry."

"I'm serious!" Eliza's scowl deepened.

"Oh I have no doubt about that, but Eliza ... I can't let you go to Howlingwater. Not right now."

"Excuse me! You ignored me for months ... you didn't call ... not even a text to let me know you were okay , and now you think you can order me around like I'm one of your pack. I don't think so!" Eliza's words mirrored all the anger and frustration she'd endured.

"You already knew it would be that way. Contacting you would have been too risky ," he reminded her.

Eliza refused to look at him. She didn't want to betray the pain she was feeling , but most of all , she didn't want to admit that she'd been clinging to the hope that his heart would win out over his role as the Alpha Sinapu.

"So are you going to let me go?" she asked.

"Are you going to promise not to go to Howlingwater?"

"No."

"Are you even a little curious as to why I don't want you there right now?" he asked her.

"Because you are afraid I'll somehow stop the Changing ," she stated.

Noah shook his head.

Eliza sighed. "Okay ... then why?"

"Someone is making people ill with the corpse sickness. Your Uncle Jimmy is sick."

Eliza's eyes widened. "You have to let me go. I should be with him."

Corpse sickness was serious business. Most people didn't recover from an illness brought on by corpse sickness. It was believed that witches could afflict someone with an illness by using the remains of a corpse. The deceased's chindi - ghost would then bring that person illness.

There was a time when she would have scoffed at the idea, but after spending last summer on the Navajo reservation , she was no longer the skeptic she'd once been.

Noah frowned.

"That's exactly what they are expecting you to do. Can't you see that? They have done everything possible to get you back on this rez."

Her thoughts went to Trevor. Had he really lured her down here to kill her?

No matter how she viewed the possibility , the idea just wouldn't take root. It didn't feel right. Eliza had never sensed that kind of darkness in Trevor , but he could have been used unwittingly. What better way to get her back here than to charge her friend with murder , or make her uncle ill?

Noah was right. This was a setup. But still , she couldn't let them lock away her friend and kill her uncle with corpse sickness.

"Noah , I still have to go to Howlingwater. Jimmy is the only family I have left , and they have Trevor locked up for the murder of some woman ," she told him.

"Think about it Eliza ," he sighed. "Just because you willingly walk into their trap , doesn't mean you'll be able to save Jimmy and Trevor."