I don’t know how long we lingered like that, until a chilling gust found its way into the cave, making me shiver. He pulled away and stretched toward my trousers. As soon as I wore them, I kneeled down between his legs. I smiled with tears in my eyes, holding his head in my hands, and kissed his forehead.
“Thank you, my lord,” I whispered against his thick fur. “Because not only did you save my life, but you gave me the best reason to stay alive: yourself.”
He jumped on me, pushing down on the pallet, and lay by my side, his head under my arm, licking my face until he made me laugh. I stuck to him, holding him tight, while he rubbed his nose against my hair.
I would’ve ripped my stomach out, because it got tired of being ignored and started growling and making all kinds of noises. The wolf sneaked away from my arms right away, and I had no choice but get up and grab a bite.
I ate the last nuts while I cleaned the cave a
He went into the cave ahead of me, and as soon as I walked in, he came with the black ribbon in his mouth. I dropped what I was carrying, covered my eyes without a word and turned to face the wall. He took me in his arms a heartbeat later, made me turn around and kissed me deep, holding me against his naked body.“I’m sorry,” he whispered by my ears. “I wanted you to move freely the whole day, but I couldn’t wait any longer to kiss you and talk to you.”“Get dressed, my lord, please,” I murmured, breathing in the exquisite fragrance of his body. “It’s so cold.”He lifted me in his arms, chuckling, and on his way to his chest, he sat me down on the pallet. I heard him get dressed and grab firewood from the pile.“We came back just in time,” he said, fueling the fire. “Your buns almost burned and the fire almost died out.”The comforting heat of the flames caused me a chill. He sat down by my side and held me in his arms.“I’m sorry I pushed y
We had dinner sitting there, together by the fire. The rabbit was delicious. We hardly said a word, too busy devouring it straight from the skewer.The wolf kept chuckling as he watched me eat the rabbit leg he gave me, tearing the meat with my teeth and gnawing at the bone. After that, we polished off the stew, and had the water as soup. When we finished, he handed me a bowl full of blueberries and took out what we’d used for dinner, including the skewer with the rabbit skeleton.“Are you leaving it all outside?” I asked, surprised.“The last thing we need is a mountain lion sneaking in for a snack while we sleep,” he replied. “You’re enough of a temptation for them. Rumor has it they like you.”I blushed up to my ears.“The Alpha told you?” I asked in a thread of voice.He crouched down before me and took the bowl from my hands.“What are you talking about, child?”His hardened voice sent a chill down my spine.“Answer
I was sorting our supplies when the wolf jumped from the pallet, where he was laying, to go stand past the fire and face the entrance to the cave on the alert. I paused what I was doing and heard footsteps in the snow. A moment later, a tall figure wrapped in a white fur cloak blocked the light coming in from the outside.“Look at you!”I recognized the princess’ voice. She took two steps into the cave, a hand on her hip. To my surprise, the wolf lowered his head and flattened his ears.“The whole castle is asking about you and here you are, playing the puppy with a crush! Come, let me speak to Joy alone.”The princess stepped aside and the wolf trotted out, taking the scolding. She shook her head, snorting, and smiled at me.“Hello, little one.”“My lady,” I murmured, bowing my head.“Looks like you’re making it work here,” she said.“I am, my lady.
I recalled the Alpha’s reaction by the waterfall, and the face of the long-haired prince at the village square, when they’d seen me for the first time.“But your brothers—” I muttered.“You only have to mind one of them,” she replied. “Look at me, Joy. I know what it’s like to be different. You’re so much more than the color of your eyes, your hair, your skin. It’s your soul what determines if you’re good or bad, worthy of love, respect or rejection. But if you don’t believe it yourself, nobody will never see past the way you look.”I looked down with tears in my eyes, but she pinched my chin to make me face her. She held my eyes with a warm smile until I smiled back and nodded.“So, a few drops to wash your hair. It’ll help it grow strong, healthy and smelling good,” she said, running her fingers through her thick blond mane.“Anise,”
While we had dinner, I tried to ask about the hunt the princess had mentioned. But his answers were vague, evasive. So I tried another approach.“Shouldn’t I go too? I always helped Teah with the refugees.”“Your friend can do it by herself,” he grunted.I just nodded, understanding he didn’t want to talk about it. So I asked him about the humans working at the castle, whom I would soon join.“They’re mothers whose children have already joined the pack. Once that happens, they’re given the choice of going back to the village or staying to work for us. They all chose to stay,” he replied, and there was a cold edge to his voice.“What is it, my lord?”“I wish my sister hadn’t talked to you about it,” he grunted. “Guess now you can’t wait for winter to be over.”“Why would I, my lord? To leave here?”He let out a
I folded the black ribbon as I whipped my tears, his last words still ringing in my ears.“God willing, I’ll be back tomorrow night.”It was going to be two long miserable days. Because of his absence, and because I had no way to know if he was fine. I’d never seen the battles that took place in the prairie, north of the Red Woods. But helping Teah care for the surviving fugitives was enough to figure they were brutal.I’d never doubted the might and skill of wolves, but this particular battle was tinged with the fear of what could happen to him, the only wolf of the Dale I cared about.As usual, I decided to keep busy and distracted. I cleaned the cave down to the last corner, washed all my clothes and his, gathered water, and enough pine needles to make three pallets.I’d found a hatchet in one of the trunks, so I grabbed it and headed to the woods. There was a fallen tree near the ledge that could provide all
It was hard for me to sleep that night. Every time I closed my eyes, my head was full of images of fight and slaughter. I managed to fall asleep just before dawn. A shallow, restless sleep from which I woke up with a jolt several times.Until a hand on my shoulder made me sat up sharply. Brenan handed me a steamy cup of tea with a quick smile.“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you about all that last night,” he said.“Thank you,” I muttered, accepting the tea.“It’s hard to keep in mind he’s your mate,” he went on, coming to sit in front of me by the fire. “You know, you being human and all that.”“It doesn’t happen often, does it?”“Often?” he repeated, laughing. “I think the last time it happened was some centuries ago!”“Oh.”“I was thinking,” he said, denying me any chance to keep asking any questions. “You need a table. How about we build one? And maybe we can also build another seat.”“It would be great! Thanks!”
I shrugged and my grimace made him chuckle. As soon as I was done eating, he made me sit straddling his lap. His arm circled my waist while his other hand sneaked underneath my shirt. My breast rose to fill his palm as usual.“Do you feel it?” he asked. “My hand doesn’t quite cover it like before.”He took my shirt off and added his mouth and his nose to his exploration. I let him do, my arms around his shoulders and my head back, shivering and sighing to his whim.“And your essence is stronger,” he said. “Just like the taste of your skin.”His nose circled my nipple and I quivered from head to toes when he licked my skin before sniffing it.“Irresistible,” he muttered, seeking my lips to kiss me deep.“You’re changing, my child,” he said. “When will you turn sixteen?”“I did the day the princes came to the village,” I replied.
The one who had recognized me stood before me and slapped me with all her strength.“We’re not afraid of you, abomination,” she snarled.Another one took her place with a mocking smirk and slapped me too.“You should’ve stayed in the kitchens,” she said.It was then that one of them spotted the moonstone pendant around my neck.“What are you doing with such a fine jewel?” she cried, outraged.She tried to grab it, but I covered it with my hand.“Don’t you dare touching it,” I warned her.Lila and another girl held my arms back. The tall one grabbed the pendant chain and twisted it around my throat, choking me until I stopped wriggling.“Where did you get this moonstone?” she demanded.“The queen gave it to me,” I grunted, gasping for air.“The queen! Sure!”“To a bloodsucker like you!”
I froze in fear, and Tilda grabbed my hand to make me walk again.“No, Tilda! Please!” I begged at the brink of tears. “I’ll serve any other table! I’ll scrub privies with Aurora and Selene! But don’t make me serve the Alpha!”She stopped to face me, surprised.“What is it, Joy? Why are you so afraid of him? I didn’t know you’d even seen him.”I shrugged, trying to find an answer without lying. The bathhouse! I told her about my coming across him while bathing Brenan, and how he’d reacted to seeing me. To my despair, Tilda shook her head, smiling, and kept walking.“Well, yes, he has a temper. But don’t be afraid, you’ll be fine.” She opened the door to my room and motioned for me to walk in. “Change your clothes. The green dress will work. I’ll wait to take you with the parlormaids.”I did as she said, fighting back my tears. My
The next day, I woke up before him. I was surprised to notice a trace of daylight through the black ribbon.“My lord?” I whispered, caressing his back. “Isn’t it morning already?”“It’s Sunday,” he grunted, sleepy, his face surely sunk in his pillow. “We don’t need to get up yet.”“But you’re going to church.”“I can go after lunch.”“And what excuse will I give to miss it?”“That you’re exhausted after a week scratching furry bellies,” he grumbled, rolling over to lay on his back.I giggled, feeling for his face and finding his eyes closed, his brow furrowed.“My lord, you know I can’t get dressed blindfolded.”“You’re in a hurry to leave me.”“Look who’s talking, counting down the days to go fight the vampires and leave me here, all alone in
The news spread as if wolves spoke with their minds.The healers overwhelmed me with questions about my encounter with the Luna queen, and seeing how over the top they were, I figured the whole castle was surely aware, or would be soon. I shrugged with tears in my eyes.“She’s the sweetest being I’ve ever met,” I said, and for some reason, that was enough of an answer for them.Even the wolf mentioned it that night.“Royal spoiler?” he teased, amused. “I have to call you my lady now.”“My lord!” I complained.He held me in his arms, chuckling, and kissed my forehead.“Thank you, my love,” he whispered, suddenly serious. “One day you’ll understand the importance of what transpired today. We’re honored she gave us her blessing.”“I’m happy to do anything to make things easier for you, my lord.”“And you h
The princess and the white wolf stopped a step away from me. I remained very still, fighting back my anxiety, while the wolf sniffed my head.“Look up, little one,” the princess commanded.I did, finding the queen’s shrouded eyes. Mine got full of tears. She smelled my face first, then my moonstone pendant, and let out a quick pant. The princess crouched down and the wolf brought her head down a little.“My mother wants to welcome you to the castle, Joy,” the princess said in a warm tone.She studied me for a moment and frowned, because I couldn’t fight back my tears any longer.“Speak. Why are you so moved?”I mustered all my courage to face them, my eyes on the beautiful white wolf, who seemed to be wrapped in an aura of wisdom and kindness.“I just want to express to you my heartfelt gratitude, your Majesty,” I said, my voice shaky. “Your husband saved my life when h
Aine and the other girls her age got busy with the decoration for the party, so we suspended my lessons for a while. All the service women were overwhelmed with work, which caused a multitude of little accidents. Not to mention the work for the cleaning and laundry crews was twice the usual, because they had to ready the guest wing.Tilda said it was the first time in her decades as a healer that so many humans knocked at her door. We spent our days taking care of small cuts, light burns, scratches, bruises. Soon Ronda joined us, because we hardly had the time to replace everything we used and get ready for the next day.And I insisted that we should double our production of infusions and lotions for joints, digestive problems and allergies, because I didn’t want to overlook the women we were already caring for.So Marla had to send three more healers to help us.“It’s the lionet’s fault,” they said, laughing. “How are
“Please, love!”I smiled, the tip of my tongue sliding up his erection in no hurry.He shivered from head to toes and his fingers moved faster, in and out of my body, to let me feel his urgency.I looked up, parted lips, enjoying his double caress. His hips came up, reaching for my mouth, while he panted and grunted. I decided it was enough of playing with him. So I lowered my head, taking in my mouth as much of him as I could, my tongue pressing his tense skin.He let himself go with a hoarse moan, my fist steady against his pelvis, letting his exquisite flavor pour on my tongue.Before I could do anything, he grabbed my waist and lifted me effortlessly. He guided my knees to sink into the pillows straddling his head. I grabbed the headboard when he made me literally sit on his face, his mouth between my legs, his hands grabbing my buttocks.It was my turn to moan and shiver and beg, his seed quelling my mind to enhance my sensa
Aine came to sit at the edge of the pool while Brenan lay on the bottom and I filled the bucket.“I come as a translator,” she smiled, nodding to her brother, and lowered her voice. “He wants me to tell you to not pay attention to those hags, because Ronda is right.”I nodded, adding lotion the water. I poured it on his back and rested a hand on him to stretch and reach the brush.“Ouch!” I cried, pulling my hand away with something stuck to my fingers.“Surprise!” Aine giggled, nodding to her brother for me to know it was his words.I looked closer at my fingers and found a tiny prickle stuck into my fingertip. I ran my hand carefully along Brenan’s fur and frowned.“Where have you been, my lord?” I asked, and looked up at Ronda, who was joining us back. “He’s full of thorny prickles!”The healer giggled with Aine while Brenan flapped his tail and pan
Ronda stood up, shaking arms and hands.“Wash the pool while I get more clothes,” she said to me.Kellan soon jumped into the pool. The healer left a basket with all I needed by the edge, within my reach, but she didn’t get into the pool with us.“Since you’re not a wolf, and you don’t know what parts need more and less frictions, maybe your touch can help you,” she said, turning the crank to fill my bucket. “We have a thick skin, so don’t be afraid of scratching harder when you find a crust. This time of the year, sometimes we need help to get rid of the last traces of bubbler we secrete during the cold months. Whatever you do, trust your gut, and that Kellan will let you know if he doesn’t like what you’re doing.”“Well, my lord, here we go,” I murmured, pouring the first bucket of warm water along his back.Ronda’s suggestion made everything easier, because