Chapter 4 Plea

TANIA'S POV

My eyes widened as soon as my eyes met with his and he released his hand from my mouth.

"What are you thinking?" Came his low pitched voice as he continued to stare into my eyes with our bodies still pressing against each other. This was the first time that I was hearing him speak and his voice sounded different from other voices that I have heard before. There was no word for it. Or maybe there was but I just couldn't describe it. Stern? Yes, that one was for sure. Deep? I think Baritone was better, but that wasn't the word I was looking for yet.

Fruity… That was it. This was the perfect word that I could use to describe him. His voice was stern, vivid but fruity, especially with the way he asked me that question.

I felt ripples of an intense feeling surge through my body. That was definitely a first. That was the first time I felt that way after hearing a man speak. Or maybe it was the cold, I convinced myself. I cleared my throat and pushed away, creating a space for me to slide out of our hiding place and from the closeness with which our bodies met.

As I stepped out into the open space, I was welcomed with the cold breeze which kissed against my hard legs and my fresh scratches.

Yeah right. I almost forgot that I tore off a large portion of my dress to escape those thorny shrubs. The only covering I had on me was the long sleeve dress which had now become short and goodness gracious, I thought I was going to freeze from the petrifying cold.

I turned around and met my savior staring at me with squinted eyes. He stood firm on the ground and from his outline I was able to notice how mighty he looked. Why does he seem familiar for some reason but I was certain that I had never met this man before.

"Are you going to say something or are you just going to stand there and gawk at me like I am an animal scuffle show?" I got a little bit bold even though that was unintentional. I just didn't want to seem weak. Who knows? He might be an enemy claiming to be nice. I just had to use what I had(my guts) to prove my point.

"Is that how you speak to someone that just saved you from getting killed?"

Yeah right. It was actually rude of me to speak to him that way. If not for this man, I would have been probably ripped apart by that night wolf and all hopes to ensure my people's freedom would fall to the ground.

"Thank you. I am sorry that I spoke to you that way but honestly, thank you for saving me," my voice lightened as I continued to hug my arms – even though the cold was affecting my legs mainly.

"What is your name and where are you from?" He asked, taking a few steps towards me while I retreated backwards.

"Umm... My name is Tania and I am from whoa!" I stumbled backwards with one foot mid air about to fall to the ground – I was unaware that my legs hit the dead body of the wolf lying on the ground.

Just as I was about to hit the ground, I felt his hands grab my waist from behind, lifting me up to his chest, stopping me from smacking the ground.

"You have a foul tongue, Tania. One displeasing word from you and I am going to drop you on the ground."

"No...no...no... no," I told him in a pleading tone and immediately wrapped my hands around his neck to secure my safety while looking at the scary looking animal corpse that lay dead on the floor. "Please don't drop me," I muttered before turning my face to look at him and he huffed as though he found what I said amusing. Or was it me that he found amusing?

"Women," he remarked before letting go of me while I pulled back a few steps away from him.

"Thank you for saving me again," my voice lowered as I tried to avoid eye contact with him.

"Again? You mean that," he said pointing at the dead animal on the floor. "Or that," I followed the direction of his finger and this time, it was pointing at my ass. "I only prevented you from hitting your ass on the ground. I didn't save you. Enough with the gratitude, I have to be on my way now. All thanks to you, I have no zeal to continue with what I was doing."

Was he playing with me right now? Was he going to leave me alone in this dark forest under this freezing cold? The thought of having more night wolves attack me again made all the hairs at the back of my neck stand. What was worse? I didn't even know where I was going nor did I have a place to lay my head.

"Wait!" I stretched forth my hand to stop him as he was about to walk away. "Please wait. Umm... Where are you going?"

That wasn't what I wanted to say but it was better than saying nothing and just allowing him to walk off like that.

"Home," he replied abruptly.

"Okay. You have a home. I see..." Words to say to this man left me immediately. Of course I had so many things to say, so many questions to ask but I didn't just know how to contort them to make sense and to not sound annoying. "Are you going to leave me here or--"

"Don't you have a home? Hmm... I guess you ran away from home. You are a rogue now."

"I don't have a home!" I flared up but calmed down immediately I realized the increase in the pitch of my voice. "I don't have a home. I lost my home 7 years ago and ever since then I have been living as a slave before I finally escaped today."

"Good for you. I believe you had plans when you made this escape. Now that you are still standing alive and breathing the same air as me, you can find your way from here," without waiting for any response from me, he turned to leave but I grabbed his arm and pleaded with him to take me along with him.

"Please take me with you. I don't have anywhere to go," even I could feel the urgency in my own shaky voice but it seemed as if he was not hearing what I was saying as his gaze was concentrated on my hands which were wrapped around his arms.

"Your hands are cold," his eyes glistened with an expression that seemed like surprise and pity and I really wished that it was. "You are going to freeze to death if I leave you alone in the woods. Come with me. I shall take you to my home and in the morning, you shall find your way. Agreed?"

"Y-yes. Yes, I agree," I replied nimbly. At least it was better than being left out in the woods to die before dawn.

I released my hold on him and followed him from behind while he walked briskly along the path.

We walked in total silence as I tried not to say anything that would offend him. Who knows, even the words that would come out of my mouth ordinarily would be like dry chaff thrown into the fire.

If there was one thing that I craved to know about this man, it was his name. I deserved to know the name of the man that saved me at least. Should I ask him or should I not? I battled constantly with my mind on whether or not to go ahead with it and in the end, I decided to keep it to myself.

All of a sudden, he came to a halt and even I was surprised as to why he did so. Then he turned back to look at me and said to me;

"I am not comfortable with you being behind me, lady. You might get snatched without my notice. Give me your hand."