Daphne's POV
"Ohh! This is nothing. I’ve experienced much worse. Don't worry." Arthur hushed me and nuzzled my head, “You are only human. You wouldn’t be able to keep up. And you are my mate. It’s my duty to protect you. ”
“I told you I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I shook my head, “You must be mistaken.”
“I would do anything for you.” It seemed like he didn't hear or care what I just said.
Suddenly, his gaze darted around then he turned to look back. His shoulders were tense and I felt his apprehension. The wolves weren’t right behind us, but it would only be a matter of time.
"Daphne, We should really get going. "
“I-I have to heal you first.”
“What do you mean?”
I walked around him and kneeled beside his leg. He turned his head to watch me as I swiped my fingers across the open gash on my arm and smeared my blood in the wound on his leg. The flesh and fur sparkled as it began to close.
He gasped, “Is… Is this how you treated me before?... Are you really human?”
“I am!” I said defensively. “I’m not a witch!”
Arthur shook his head and smile widely, “I didn’t think you were… you must be a very special human.”
I worried my lip, watching the wound close completely. Arthur wiggled his leg with an impressed huff.
“Promise me that you won’t tell anyone,” I said, my heart hammering with fear. “I--”
“I promise,” he said easily, sitting on his haunches and looking at me. “Could you promise me something in exchange?”
I eyed him, “Like what?”
“Only treat me this way when it’s necessary. I… don’t want you to use your blood to treat others.”
I was shocked at the request. I wanted to respond, but Arthur was on his feet again, glaring into the woods behind us.
“Quick!” He kneeled and nudged me onto his back before rushing forward.
The werewolves had found us.
“Where are we going?”
“Towards water,” Arthur said, turning sharply and picking up speed.
I held on tightly and wished I could feel how far they were or hear them, but I could only rely on the feeling of urgency from Arthur easing and slowly being replaced with hope.
It seemed we were getting farther away from the wolves, and I began to hear the sound of rushing water. Arthur broke through the trees and skidded to a stop at the bank. I followed the current and felt the moment Arthur’s hope turned to despair: the river led to a waterfall that was several dozen meters high.
I never would have guessed that my little piece of the forest was a piece of highland, practically isolated from the vast forest below the cliff.
“A-Arthur? What do we do now?”
He turned with a growl as I heard the wolves approaching us.
“Get behind me,” he said gruffly. I slid off his back and let him step forward to face the group of wolves.
One of them leaped forward and Arthur met it with a ferocious swipe of his paw as others approached me. One leaped towards me. Arthur jumped between us, taking the blow and trading one of his own.
The other wolves rushed at me, and Arthur blocked them with his body, gaining another injury.
“Arthur, just leave me and escape!” I cried as Arthur threw a wolf down with a sharp crack of its neck and stumbled.
At this rate, we’d both end up dead.
“I won’t let you touch her!”
Why was he being so valiant? It would be easier to be upset with all the misfortune he’d brought if he wasn’t.
I wiped my tears and looked around. I didn't want to die, and I didn't want Arthur to die either. The water moved swiftly towards the roaring fall. Getting across would be the best bet, but the next best thing would be to go over the edge.
A tree trunk wavered on the riverbank upstream, and I gasped with hope. It was a stretch, but it was better than certain death at the hands of the werewolves. I rushed toward the trunk and waded into the water to haul it close. I ripped the hem of my skirt in a long strip until the skirt was barely a fourth of its original length.
I tied one end of it to my arm and wrapped some of it around the trunk of the tree as the river began to pull it away from me.
“Arthur, this way!”
He shoved an attacking wolf back, throwing its body on its comrades before running towards me.
“Your arm!”
He offered it though he looked confused as I tied the other end of the cloth to his arm.
“What are you doing?”
I met his gaze, “Do you trust me?”
He nodded without hesitation.
“Then, let’s die together.”
“With you? Without regret.”
Arthur’s lips twitched and he laughed, impressed and I found myself smiling a bit. I had to be crazy, but it seemed he was crazy too. It was a wonderful madness that would take us right over the edge of this cliff.
My heart fluttered at the resolution in his voice. Together, we pushed the trunk further into the current. It took hold quickly, pulling us sharply into deeper, colder water.
Then, we plunged into endless darkness and silence.
Daphne's POV “…Daphne? Daphne!” I struggled to breathe. The air gurgled and bubbled in my chest and I turned, coughing to get the water out of my lungs. It gushed hot and desperate out of me as my stomach trembled and I struggled to breathe. “Thank the goddess,” a voice said softly. Warm hands pat my back and pulled me close. I hissed in pain as the person gripped my arm. Then, I recognized the voice. I couldn’t remember exactly why. Everything was fuzzy and blurry. Had I hit my head? Warmth embraced me, “I was worried you wouldn’t wake up. Are you okay?” Arthur. I remembered the wolves in the forest and the crazy idea to tie us to a tree trunk and go over the waterfall to escape. I coughed, looking nearby and seeing a piece of the trunk on the bank nearby. I let out an incredulous laugh. We’d actually survived the waterfall? Apparently, the idea had been crazy but successful. I couldn’t hear the
Daphne's POV He was insane. Dangerous, unstable, and obsessed with me. I tired very hard push him away from me, "It's not about Carl! We just met a few hours ago, but lots of crazy things happened. I don't even know who you are. Who were those werewolves behind us? And why? How am I supposed to be with you when I don’t know anything?" “I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Oh goddess, I… I could explain everything. ” He stepped back, acting like a child who knew he made a large mistake. I whimpered looking up at him as the rage and madness vanished from his face, replaced with panic and concern. “But you were going to kill me!” I cried. Arthur’s face lost all color and he recoiled sharply. “I’m sorry…” His shoulders slumped and his eyes seemed glossy as if he was going to cry as he sunk to the ground and put his head in his hands. He trembled and his hands clenched. "Do you love him? I mean your
Daphne shook with terror. She shot to her feet and stumbled, her legs had lost all strength. She stared at the wolves, her heart hammering. If she could run, would she be able to? There was no way she could get rid of one wolf on her own, let alone dozens of them? They seemed to multiply in the night. Were they drawn to the scent of her blood, or could they sense her impending death?The grey wolf sniffed and stomped his foot, “A human?”The other wolves growled at her, seemingly aggravated by the grey wolf’s anger.“How dare a human intrude on my territory?”Daphne trembled as the wolves behind him began to growl, drool dripping from the jaws as they bared their teeth hungrily and stared at her.“Kill…”“…Meat.”“I’m starving.”Why couldn’t they speak like Arthur and the grey wolf? The other werewolves she’d encountered d
Brother. The word seemed to echo in the night as the gray wolf disappeared into the forest. What did that mean? He pushed that thought away. Owen was gone now. The rogues lay slaughtered in around them and Daphne was safe. He took a deep breath of relief. He had never known such terror as when he’d woken up to find her gone from their little camp. Her scent had been strong enough to follow, so he assumed she hadn’t been gone long. Why had she left at all? Didn’t she know how dangerous the forest was? He wanted to ask her, but he couldn’t get the words together around the relief of her still being alive. He turned sharply to look at her as the scent of her blood cut through the haze of his easing panic. She had been hurt before they’d gone to sleep. Had he been too late to keep her from being hurt further? Would she be okay? Her heart beat was beating too fast. “Daphne? Are you alright?” Daphne shuddered as the gray wolf
“My name is Blade,” the dark-skinned man said with a polite smile. “I’m the leader of this patrol… Usually, we’d have more space for visitors, but we’ve been getting more people lately, so I’m sorry in advance for the accommodations.”Daphne shook her head, “It’s better than the forest and we’re grateful.”Blade nodded and led them further into the city. They passed through the busiest part of town and headed up a hill. Nearby was a sturdy-looking building and a large field where werewolves seemed to be training. Between them was a modest house that reminded her a bit of her little cabin. A pang of longing went through her at the thought. What would become of all her books and things? Would someone find it and move in? Had the werewolves destroyed it?“That building there is the dungeon,” Blade said, pulling her out of her thoughts. “And the training grounds are over
Arthur lifted his nose. Daphne was getting closer. He had been waiting at the door of the house they’d been given in since she left, half-fearful that she shouldn’t return and on edge about how long it took her to return.She smelled nice, clean, and relaxed. There was a hint of medicine in the wind that made him relax a bit. Daphne’s injuries had been treated. Arthur stood and headed towards the scent at a light run to meet her on the road.In the distance, he heard a struggle and the sharp snap of metal coming from the prison. He hurried toward the ridge that overlooked the prison as the wall burst open with a snarl.The stench of the rogue pissed him off, but the anger turned to fear as Daphne’s scent caught his nose. The rogue twitched and turned his head towards where Daphne was. She turned to run as it lurched into a run and Arthur roared, rushing forward as Daphne screamed."Arthur!"The rogue snarled mid-leap as Arth
She was much warmer when she woke up than she remembered going to bed, curled into something soft and furry.Wait.She opened her eyes with a gasp and turned her head out of the patch of golden fur in her face. The bed creaked with their combined weight and she was all but crammed against the wall beneath the window. She couldn’t say she was uncomfortable, but she was definitely annoyed.He was far too big to be sharing this, or any, bed with her in his wolf form.She glowered at his large body covered in golden fur that gleamed in the morning sun streaming through the window.He was several times larger than the average wolf, his eyes glowed like rubies, and his fur was like melted gold. When she thought back to all the trouble that had followed them over the past two days, questions sprouted up in her mind, but she was certain that Arthur was extremely special.She’d have to figure out how to talk about all of that aft
Rex had been the alpha of the Sharp Armor pack for a long time, yet he didn’t think he had ever faced an issue like this. Rogue attacks were becoming more frequent, and several of the packs in the area were finding themselves having to deal with them, including his. In the past, there weren't many losses as his patrolmen usually outnumbered the rogues in the area, but lately, there had been casualties.The other packs had complained of the same issue.His patrolmen came back saying that the rogues had moved with purpose as if they were organized, and their organization had only been increasing over the past few months.It had been horrifying to hear and unbelievable, but he couldn’t ignore it. Rogues were supposed to be unorganized and lost to their passions and instincts. They were dangerous because they had no reservations against slaughtering anyone in their way and were made stronger by their bloodlust. Having such power become organized was a pr