Arthur was in a bad mood, but as Daphne held onto him, she couldn’t help but laugh. They’d left the cottage about an hour ago and they hadn’t gone for. If she didn’t know better, she would have sworn he was walking in circles just to avoid leaving.
“Oh, Arthur, it won’t be that bad.”
“We deserve at least a month,” Arthur grumbled walking through the forest.
She laughed, “Is that why you’re walking so slow?”
He didn’t answer and she laughed harder, leaning into the warmth of his glossy, golden fur. He’d been grumbling about heading back to deal with the mess of the werewolves and vampires for the past few days.
“We don’t have to go back,” Arthur huffed. “You don’t think Nicole can’t handle those cowards?”
Nicole would just as soon kill half of the pack leaders than put up with bullshit from them, but that wouldn’
Daphne's POV "You are marrying me tomorrow!" I bit back a cry as Carl jerked me back and around to face him. He was just as ugly now as he had been months ago. I pulled away from him, but he held me firmly. "Let go of me." His lips curling in a disgusting sneer, “Don't you fucking run away from me! Tonight you will leave your stupid cabin and move in with me. Am I clear?” Again with this. My stomach turned in disgust and anger. Carl, my supposed fiancé, was the son of the chief of the village near the cabin I used to live in with my grandmother. A feral gleam of possession had been in his eyes since the day we met. I pulled away from him sharply, slipping from his grip and glaring at him though I could feel a tremor of fear go through me. I could almost hear my grandmother’s prayers that I wouldn’t still be living alone after she passed. Maybe she thought being married to him was better than being alone, but my heart k
Arthur's POV Murderer! They called me. Lunatic! I agreed. Since Alma, my little sister, was killed ten years ago, Lucas, my wolf, broke through some wall in my mind and blinded me. It was my fault. We had just been on a picnic. I should have been able to protect her, but I failed. Had I not left her alone for just those few minutes, she would still be alive. She had been brutally murdered, I knew, but the world had turned dark as the fury had taken over. When the darkness cleared, I was dizzy with the scent of blood. I had lost control and attacked anyone who had come near me. They ran and I chased them until I couldn't any longer. They screamed as my claws and teeth tore into them. I was a madman, long forsaken by the moon goddess. The alpha and luna, my parents, caged me. Every drop of blood inside that cage was from my struggle with my madness. Every blow from either of them
Daphne's POV It has been a long day. I couldn’t fall asleep. What happened today kept lingering in my mind. Damn, Carl! He ruined my day first, and I still wasn’t sure what I would do with the next day looming on the horizon. What about the werewolf who attacked me? I wasn't sure if he made my day better or worse. Was he a real werewolf? Had I been hallucinating? I remembered the word he growled before he collapsed, "Mate" Was it someone he's looking for or he's being attacked for? It seemed like he hadn't meant to hurt me, despite having cut me with his claws. He was severely injured. I wasn't even sure if he would make it until tomorrow. My heart was filled with sympathy and sadness for his suffering, so I decided to heal him with my blood. My blood could heal wounds, but no one, not even my grandmother, knew that. I had found out by accident when I was twelve and discovered
Daphne's POV Werewolves? It was already surprising that Arthur had found my little section of the woods, but there were more of them? Were they dangerous? Based on Arthur’s reaction and the fury on his face, they likely were. He left my cloak folded on the table before slipping out my front door. I didn’t see him, but I felt his presence outside the cabin. I crossed the room to look outside, hoping it would ease the slowly growing anxiety in my heart. The forest was quiet. The night was still. It wasn’t normal. There weren’t even frogs ribbiting or the hum of cicadas. I turned and doused the flame of my lamp before darting back to my bed to grab my scissors. My stomach was churning, and I felt all of my senses straining to find the danger lurking in the darkness. There was something out there. I was sure of it, and I didn’t need werewolf senses to know it. Something glinting in the dark in the dark. They
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
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