Caleb stared at the bloody meat in his hand, then at Cora's pale face. He looked genuinely confused.

"Raw meat has the most energy," he explained, as if speaking to a child. "It makes you strong."

"I don't care about energy," Cora said, her stomach cramping at the thought of swallowing that. "My tribe... we cook our meat. Completely. Until there's no pink left."

Caleb's expression softened slightly. "Tribe." He assumed she meant some weak, distant village. "I will cook it."

He put the meat back over the fire. He held it there, watching the flames. The fat sizzled and popped. The outside began to blacken and char.

Ten minutes passed. The meat was now a shriveled, blackened husk. Smoke curled off it.

Caleb pulled it from the fire and offered it to her again. "Cooked."

Cora looked at the lump of charcoal. It was a sweet gesture, in a very primitive way. She couldn't reject it twice. She took the heavy stick from him.

She opened her mouth and bit into the blackened crust.

Her teeth scraped against something that felt like a tire tread. The outside was bitter and crumbly, tasting of ash. The inside was still tough, a chewy, rubbery mass.

She tried to tear a piece off with her teeth. The meat resisted. She pulled harder, grinding her teeth against the sinew.

A sharp, agonizing pain shot through her gums.

"Hssst!" Cora dropped the meat on the fur rug and clutched her cheek. A tear leaked out of the corner of her eye. Her gums were bleeding; the tough meat had scraped the soft tissue raw.

Caleb was on his knees in front of her in an instant. He knocked the meat away, his hands hovering over her face, frantic.

"What is it? Where are you hurt?" His voice was tight with panic.

"My tooth," Cora whimpered, pressing her palm against her jaw. "It's too hard. It hurts."

Caleb looked at her bleeding gum, then at the discarded lump of meat. His face fell. The panic was replaced by a crushing guilt.

He picked up the blackened meat and hurled it across the room. It hit the stone wall with a wet smack.

"I am useless," he growled, his head dropping. He looked like a giant dog who had just been scolded for chewing a shoe. "I cannot even feed my mate."

Cora looked at him, her pain momentarily forgotten. This man-this beast who had killed a monster with his bare hands and terrified an entire tribe-was sulking because he made bad barbecue.

"It's okay," she said softly. She reached out and patted his muscular arm. "It's not your fault. I'm just... delicate. The berries were delicious."

Caleb lifted his head. His eyes were intense. He grabbed her hand that was resting on his arm, holding it tightly.

"Tomorrow," he said, his voice low and fierce. "I will go deep into the forest. I will find the softest meat. The sweetest fruit. I will not fail you again."

Cora couldn't help but smile. "Okay."

Her stomach growled again, unsatisfied by the few berries.

The sun had set outside. The two moons were rising, casting a silver and red glow through the smoke hole. The fire crackled warmly.

Cora looked down at herself. She was covered in dirt, dried sweat, and blood. Her clothes were torn. She felt grimy and disgusting.

She remembered seeing a stream on the way up the mountain. "I want to take a bath," she said, standing up.

Caleb stood up immediately. He grabbed a thick, white fur from the bed. "I will come with you. The forest at night is dangerous."

Cora looked at his naked chest, then at the fur in his hands, imagining herself bathing while this giant watched. Her face burned.

"That's... not necessary," she stammered.

"It is," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

They walked down the mountain path in silence. The forest was alive with the sounds of chirping insects and hooting owls. The two moons made the path surprisingly bright.

Cora walked ahead, clutching the white fur to her chest like a shield. Caleb followed a few paces behind, his bare feet making no sound on the rocky path.

They reached the stream. The water was clear and fast-moving, glinting in the moonlight. Strange, luminescent plants grew along the banks, casting a soft blue glow.

Cora stopped at the water's edge. She turned around, her face flushed. "Turn around," she ordered. "And don't peek."

Caleb raised an eyebrow. "We are mates. Why would I-"

"Turn. Around."

He sighed, a sound that rumbled through his chest, but he obeyed. He turned his back to her, crossing his arms over his massive chest.

Cora listened for a moment, making sure he wasn't moving. The rustle of her clothes seemed incredibly loud in the quiet night.

She quickly stripped off her dirty, torn shirt and her shorts. The cool night air hit her bare skin, raising goosebumps.

Behind her, she heard Caleb's breathing change. It grew heavier, rougher. His sensitive ears were picking up every rustle of fabric, every whisper of skin against skin. He could probably hear her heartbeat.

She stepped into the water. It was cold, but refreshing. She waded in until the water reached her chest, the coolness washing away the grime and sweat.

She ducked under the surface, scrubbing at her hair and skin. When she surfaced, she felt a hundred times better.

She decided to swim to a flat rock in the middle of the stream to sit for a moment. She waded forward, her feet searching for the next stepping stone.

Her foot found a smooth, flat rock. She shifted her weight onto it.

It was covered in moss.

Her foot shot out from under her.

"Ahh!" she shrieked, throwing her arms out as she fell backward.

She hit the water hard, the current immediately pulling at her. She flailed, trying to find the bottom, but her foot slipped again. Water rushed into her nose and mouth. She choked, panic seizing her chest.

She couldn't swim. The current was too strong.

The sound of splashing was deafening.

A shadow loomed over her. Caleb hadn't even turned around; he had just launched himself into the water. He dove under the surface, his powerful arms cutting through the current.

A second later, a strong arm wrapped around her waist. He hauled her up, breaking the surface.

Cora coughed violently, spitting out water. She clung to him instinctively, her arms wrapping around his neck, her legs kicking feebly.

"You almost drowned," Caleb said, his voice tight with anger and fear. He held her tight against his chest, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ear.

"I slipped," Cora gasped, her body trembling from the cold and the shock.

They were standing in the deeper part of the stream, the water up to Caleb's chest. Cora was pressed against him, her wet, naked body flush against his bare skin.

The thin, wet fabric of her underwear was the only barrier between them. And it was clinging to every curve.

Caleb went rigid.

His arms tightened around her, pulling her impossibly closer. Cora felt the change in him instantly. The concern in his eyes shifted, darkened. The pupils dilated until only a thin ring of blue remained.

His gaze dropped to her lips, then to the water droplets sliding down her neck and collarbone. His breathing grew ragged.

Cora suddenly became very aware of their position. Her bare legs were wrapped around his waist. Her chest was pressed against his. And...

Her eyes widened.

Something hard, incredibly hot, and very large was pressing against her inner thigh.

Her brain short-circuited. The heat rushed to her face so fast she felt dizzy. She was straddling a naked man who was very, very happy to see her.