Christina’s POV
I sat on my suitcase feeling completely useless.
Survival skills? Not exactly my forte.
Hudson was thodically sorting through his luggage, his movents efficient and purposeful.
"So what’s our next move?" I asked.
Without looking up, Hudson replied, "We need to get out of this forest."
The wheels on our suitcases were completely destroyed, victims of the crash.
Hudson simply hoisted both cases onto his broad shoulders like they weighed nothing. The sight of his muscles flexing under the strain made my mouth go dry.
"Let’s go," he said, already walking ahead.
I scrambled after him, reaching out to help. "I can carry sothing."
He ignored my offer completely. "Walk beside ."
"What?" I moved next to him, confused by the command.
"Take my arm," he said firmly.
I glanced at his arm, the muscles defined and taut under the weight he carried. Pure Alpha strength on display.
"Why would I need to do that?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
"The ground is treacherous. Fallen branches, hidden rocks. I don’t need you falling and injuring yourself."
I rolled my eyes. "I can handle a few sticks and stones, Hudson."
"There could be predators here," he added.
That got my attention. "Like what exactly?"
"Bears, for instance."
A chill ran down my spine as I scanned our surroundings nervously.
"Are there even bears on diterranean islands?" Akira perked up inside , half curious, half concerned.
"You’re ssing with ," I accused him, narrowing my eyes.
Hudson’s face remained completely serious. "If we encounter any, these suitcases will be our only weapons. I’ll throw them at the pack while you run."
I didn’t fully believe him, but my hand found its way to his arm anyway, fingers curling around his bicep. Better safe than sorry.
"If there are bears here, they’re probably more afraid of us than we are of them," Akira reassured .
"That’s what they always say right before soone gets eaten in horror movies," I replied ntally.
As we walked, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Hudson had just implied. He would sacrifice our only supplies to protect . The thought ward sothing deep inside , despite our situation.
It was strange. When I’d asked for a break up in Paris, he’d been so cold and resolute. Yet here he was, putting my safety above everything else.
When we finally erged from the forest onto the beach, I tugged my suitcase from his grip. The leaf dress had served its purpose, but now I had real clothes.
I dug through my suitcase and pulled out a fitted black long-sleeve shirt and tight black jeans. They weren’t exactly beach attire, but they’d offer protection and flexibility for whatever challenges awaited us.
I felt Hudson’s intense gaze on before I even turned around.
"What?" I asked, holding up my chosen outfit. "Sothing wrong with these?"
He frowned disapprovingly. "Black absorbs heat. You’ll dehydrate faster. We haven’t located a reliable water source yet, so that’s not wise."
I sighed and surrendered to his wilderness expertise. "Fine. What do you suggest, Alpha Survival Guide?"
He handed an oversized white T-shirt and loose tracksuit bottoms. Practical, not pretty. Just like our situation.
I walked behind a large tree to change, grateful for even this small semblance of privacy. When I returned, Hudson was digging holes in the sand with a sturdy stick.
"Can I help with anything?" I asked, stuffing my discarded leaf dress into a laundry bag.
"Collect a couple of stones," he instructed. "About this big." He gestured with his hands to indicate the size. "Just two for now."
I nodded eagerly, happy to have a task. As I turned to go, he added quickly, "Stay on the beach. Don’t go back into the forest."
"How far can I go?" I asked, pausing.
His eyes t mine, intense and unwavering. "Stay where I can see you."
Akira practically purred in response.
"He’s being protective. You should appreciate it," she comnted.
"He’s being controlling," I countered, though without much conviction.
I walked along the shoreline, scanning for suitable rocks. After finding two that matched Hudson’s specifications, I headed back, only to catch him watching with that unwavering Alpha focus.
"Here," I said, holding out the stones. "What are these for anyway?"
"Building our shelter," he replied simply.
I raised an eyebrow. "Since when do rocks make shelter? Don’t we need, I don’t know, actual walls?"
He didn’t bother responding, instead working with swift, practiced movents. He placed so stones in the pits he’d dug, then built small mounds with gaps in the center just wide enough for thick branches.
After repeating the process three tis, he inserted sturdy branches into each pile, positioning them upright.
I watched with genuine fascination. Whatever Hudson had learned in the past, as he’d ntioned earlier, clearly involved more than just basic survival techniques.
But his progress stalled when he tried to bind the branches together. Each strip of plant material he attempted to use snapped under the tension. His frown deepened as he considered the problem.
His gaze shifted to his open suitcase. I knew he only had two shirts packed. If he tore one for binding material, he’d be left with just one to wear.
Without hesitation, he reached for a gray T-shirt and was about to rip it when I stopped him.
"Wait!"
His hands froze.
I rushed to my suitcase and pulled out a small box, returning quickly to his side. "Use this instead. I never wear it anyway."
His eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise, but he accepted the box and opened it to reveal the shirt inside.
The fabric, expensive and well-made, proved strong enough to hold the structure together.
"Thanks," he said quietly, a rare acknowledgnt.
While Hudson continued working on our makeshift shelter, he sent to create a rescue signal on the beach.
I grabbed my designer lipstick from my makeup bag, knowing it was about to serve a purpose far removed from its intended use.
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