AldrichOnce outside the hut, I get rid of my clothes, discard them on the doorstep, and immediately shift into my wolf form. Since I’m going to be spending the night outdoors and braving the cold, I’ll have to do it in my wolf form.Does she really think I’m going to turn her over to the Council? I wish she’d trust me more.I refuse to acknowledge everything I’m feeling as my muscles bulge, bones, ligaments, tendons snap and reform. Claws shoot out of my paws, my teeth lengthening into sharp, pointed weapons that can tear into a prey without any qualms. By the time I’m covered in black, white and gray fur and my transformation is complete, the hurt I was feeling earlier has lost its edge. After a few minutes of pacing the perimeter to make sure that nobody from my pack has ventured this far, I’m left with a feeling of dull discomfort rather than hurt and anger.My wolf’s feelings aren’t as acute as the human in me. I curl up outside the door, suddenly feeling confused. My wolf’s fee
AldrichOnce outside the hut, I get rid of my clothes, discard them on the doorstep, and immediately shift into my wolf form. Since I’m going to be spending the night outdoors and braving the cold, I’ll have to do it in my wolf form.Does she really think I’m going to turn her over to the Council? I wish she’d trust me more.I refuse to acknowledge everything I’m feeling as my muscles bulge, bones, ligaments, tendons snap and reform. Claws shoot out of my paws, my teeth lengthening into sharp, pointed weapons that can tear into a prey without any qualms. By the time I’m covered in black, white and gray fur and my transformation is complete, the hurt I was feeling earlier has lost its edge. After a few minutes of pacing the perimeter to make sure that nobody from my pack has ventured this far, I’m left with a feeling of dull discomfort rather than hurt and anger.My wolf’s feelings aren’t as acute as the human in me. I curl up outside the door, suddenly feeling confused. My wolf’s fee
AldrichI swear Ava took ten years off my life, the way she was whimpering and crying in her sleep. My first thought was–somebody is magically attacking in her sleep. I don’t know if that’s even possible. I have a very limited knowledge of magic, given the strict segregation between the magical beings and us Werewolves.Pain was deeply etched on her face as she tried to ward something or somebody off, her arms flailing wildly.How was I to know that it was only a nightmare?I rub my palm over my face, trying to get my heart rate back to normal.I tried to wake her up while still in my wolf form; I tried nudging her with my snout, placing my paws on her shoulders, hoping that the weight of it would bring her back to consciousness. It didn’t work. The only other option was licking her awake. And licking felt oddly intimate. I take a few deep breaths, trying to steady my breathing. She’s apologizing again, but I’m barely able to get the words out to tell her she’s not at fault. My back
AvaleaAs my tears dry out, I'm suddenly seized by this feeling that I wouldn't mind spending my entire life in Aldrich's arms. I jerk my head up, and hugging my middle, I force myself to move away from him. What's happening to me? It's madness. I shouldn't even be thinking this way. I can’t deny that I’m terribly attracted to him, and if it was just physical attraction, I would have found a way to overcome it. But it's not. It's something deeper. It's something I dare not give a name to. If I do, I'll never be able to walk away from Aldrich. And walk away I must. I called him my friend. For now, I'm going to hang on to that. I look up at him and smile. "Do you want to get some rest?"He nods and steps away, resuming his position by the wall. I sit down on the pallet, facing him, pulling the animal-skin rug over my legs. I feel guilty for making him spend the night on the hard stone floor. "You probably wish you were back in your own bed rather than being here."He looks at me,
AldrichAva is going to be the death of me. I'm sure of that.I groan and adjust my erection, trying not to disturb her. She has fallen asleep immediately, but with her soft body pressed against me, my cock is hard as fuck. Added to that, there's the intoxicating scent of her.My wolf wants to break to the surface, to claim her as our mate.I can control him only with the greatest difficulty.Ava can never be my mate. We are worlds apart. This attraction, this chemistry, and even the easy friendship that has developed between us is solely owing to the circumstances. It's bound to change once she's better.Even knowing that, I can't seem to control the reactions of my body.Hell, I'm going to be sleep deprived for two nights in a row.I try to divert my mind and think about ways to keep Ava hidden. It's going to be a real problem. The Werewolves of my pack might not venture this far right now, but once they have scanned the areas closer to the ghetto, they certainly will move closer to
AvaleaMy heart is drumming against my ribs. It's only with great difficulty that I'm able to breathe steadily. The tingling at the junction of my legs is a new sensation, something I have never felt before. Aldrich is attracted to me. The knowledge sets my blood on fire. I steal a glance towards the evidence of his desire. Except, the hut is in darkness and I don't see a thing. But I know he's hard for me. I suppress a moan, thinking about how his… erect member… felt pressed against my lower belly. I want to reach down and touch him… there. My cheeks are hot, and my face feels as if it's on fire. I throw away the animal skin rug, needing to feel the cold night air on my skin. Aldrich is right. We cannot cross this boundary. It is wrong, simply wrong. It goes against every law of my society. But then, why does it feel so right when I'm in Aldrich's arms? I press the bridge of my nose, hating that I cannot touch him even though he's only a hair's breadth away from me. "I think
AldrichIt would be so easy to bend down just a little and claim her mouth. I remember the brief kiss we shared earlier, if it can even be called that. It wasn't enough. Nowhere near enough. The way she's looking at me now, her face flushed, her ruby red lips wet from her tongue running over them repeatedly, her disheveled braid, the rise and fall of her breasts… It's driving me crazy. I want nothing more than to bury myself inside her, to watch her reach her peak as she begs me for more. I want to hear her screaming my name while I drive her out of her mind. The image is so acute, so sharp in my mind that I have to consciously, carefully, will it away. I need a distraction–something, anything. Talking about these ‘rules’ she has come up with will have to do. Although I was amused when I actually heard her say we need rules to behave around each other, a part of me is also curious to know what she has come up with. "I'm waiting," "Will you let me sit up and move away from me? I
AvaleaI'm digging my nails into my palms and biting my lips to stop myself from calling Aldrich's name.Don't go! I shout in my head as he steps outside.What sort of danger is out there? What if something happens to him?No!I won't let anything happen to him. I can't remain here like a helpless damsel when he's out there facing danger.I get to my feet and center my breath. It takes some doing as I was moments away from… something… when Aldrich's attention was focused on me in that intense, toe-curling way. His kisses, his words, his touch… it was driving me out of my mind. I was on the verge of giving in before we were interrupted.Despite the possibility of danger, a part of me is slightly disappointed that we were interrupted, and another part is hugely relieved.Shaking my head, I try to clear all wayward thoughts.Closing my eyes, I summon every defensive spell I know to the forefront. It isn't a whole lot, but I know I'll be able to aid Aldrich at least a little.At this mome
AvaleaDid Aldrich actually bite me? It hurts, but the pain feels so good. Why does it feel so good? I want more of it, more of him, more of everything. Something tells me he hasn’t even begun to pleasure me yet. Even then, I’m nearly out of my mind. I’m writhing underneath him, craving for him to make me his.He scrapes his teeth over my collarbone again, moving down, down, down. His face is nestled between my breasts. From there, he looks up, his eyes boring into me. I see the wolf inside him so clearly. It sends a fresh thunderbolt of desire right down to my core.The tight nub hidden between the folds of my sex is throbbing in earnest, begging for his touch. But Aldrich is taking his time. I want to urge him to hurry up. Something tells me he will not heed my words.His tongue darts out, circling one pebbled peak. I arch my back, begging for more. When his lips close around my nipple, I cry out his name, my hands pulling his head closer to my breast greedily. With his other hand
AldrichI cannot believe my ears. I cannot believe what I’m about to do next.Walking into the hut and seeing Ava naked–it blew my mind. She is exquisite. I knew she was beautiful, but she is beyond beautiful. She’s ethereal. Her skin is so soft, so delicate underneath my rough hands. I fear merely touching her will leave marks. But I want to mark her, want to make her mine. I want to bite the tender flesh at the junction of her neck and shoulder, right next to her collarbone where I can see her pulse racing. My wolf is dying to be unleashed. He wants to taste her too. He wants her to be ours.I tell him it cannot happen. She can never be truly ours. The huge chasm between us because of the circumstances of our birth can never be overcome.But at this moment, I have her. That has to be enough.I smoothen out the animal-skin rug on the pallet. It is dusty from our adventure last night, and I hesitate to lower Ava on it. She’s a princess, used to all sorts of riches. I wish I could
AvaleaSomething has changed between Aldrich and I. I felt it in that stunned look he gave me when I came out of the privy, and I can feel it now, the minute he walked into the hut.He’s avoiding my gaze and looking in my direction all too much.“Is everything alright?” “Yes. Sure. Why shouldn’t it be?”Why is his voice strangely high-pitched? He is behaving really oddly. “I’ll clean the hare outside. Wouldn’t want to get it all bloody and messy here.”“I can…”He steps out.“... clean it up.”Well, that was interesting. I’ll talk to him later, when he’s ready. Meanwhile, I have a ritual to prepare for. The Blood Ritual demands that one be pure, physically and mentally. I have to cleanse. I wish I could have a real soak in a steaming tub of hot water. Unfortunately, that’s not a luxury we have. But I have my magic. I hug my middle, a huge smile on my face. I have been feeling so invincible in my own power lately. To think I was only restricting myself to what the Council allowed.
AldrichLast night after our little chat, we slept in each others’ arms, just holding each other.I woke up earlier than Ava, before sunrise. It feels wonderful to wake up next to her, without having to worry about rushing back to the pack. I could get used to this. With a silent sigh, I force myself to move past this feeling. Ava and I are worlds apart. It’s never going to work between us. I need to keep reminding myself that.I have been given the privilege of keeping her safe—for a short duration of time. A very short duration. No long-term plans. We just need to focus on getting through the day unharmed.For now, I need to get us food and water. There are some essentials that I brought with me yesterday: dried meat and hard flour biscuits. Both of those things taste only a little better than dirt, but they’ll help us survive if going out becomes impossible. With so many enemies after us, that time might come sooner than I expected. We are under threat from three different fronts
AvaleaMy hands fly to my mouth and my eyes widen. He saw me in the trees? “How is that even possible?”Aldrich leans against the pallet, weariness etched over his face.“I thought you’d be able to tell me.”I shake my head, too shocked to speak. “Is it possible though?” He’s thinking out loud, and since my brain is still processing the shock, I do not immediately understand what he’s asking.“Is what possible?”“To have somebody impersonate you? Magically?”My brows knit as I rub a finger to my temple. “Not by using the ‘permitted’ forms of magic.”“But it is possible?”If somebody is impersonating me magically, it cannot be good. Only by using the most taboo, most forbidden forms of magic can somebody impersonate another person. And only the most powerful of witches or wizards can even generate the required magical energy. Also, there’s another important prerequisite.“It’s taboo to impersonate another person, though it is possible. But to impersonate me, this person would need m
AvaleaWhat did I just experience? The dry, factual description of an orgasm I’d read in the Council-approved scientific books can’t even be compared to what I just felt at Aldrich’s hands.I was born with magical blood, I practice magic every day, but this… this goes beyond magic. He incinerated me, annihilated me, destroyed me in the best possible way. I don’t have the energy to even lift a finger, but at the same time, I’m feeling so alive.Underneath all that, there’s also a tiny tinge of embarrassment. Aldrich’s hands were on my… I close my eyes and hide my face in the crook of his neck. I can’t help the smile from blossoming on my lips, however. His finger is still buried inside me.By the Goddess, this is what heaven must feel like. He pulls out his finger slowly, then pulls up my breeches and fastens them in place. Holding me close, he drops a kiss on my forehead.I peek at him through my lashes. His eyes are blazing with naked, unbridled lust. How can something that feels
Aldrich "An orgasm?" I ask, almost too shocked to even string these two words together. Ava is avoiding my eyes, staring resolutely at her toes. If it wasn't for her acute embarrassment, I would have thought she was joking. She looks adorable when her cheeks are flaming red. Placing two fingers underneath her chin, I lift it up, a tender smile curving my lips. "Hey. It's okay. We’re friends, aren’t we? You can tell me anything." As our eyes lock, her embarrassment dissipates. I press a kiss to her forehead and help her down to the ground so we are hidden by a large boulder, at least from one side. For a few seconds, I force my senses to attune to everything around me. I can't hear anything in the immediate vicinity, and I can sense no danger. Somebody led Sarah away from Ava and I. I thought I caught a glimpse of who it was, but what I saw makes absolutely no sense. Unless there was very powerful magic involved. Was Ava creating illusions unknowingly with her magic? I know
AvaleaI’m lost in my own head plotting the Skycharts when Aldrich shifts back into his human form. I’m about to yelp when his hand covers my mouth. He puts his finger to his lips, telling me to remain quiet. My eyes are wide and my breathing ragged. He doesn’t have to tell me he has sensed danger. I can see it in every taut line on his face, every hard angle of his body.He leans down until his lips are touching my ear.“We need that Cloak. Now.”I begin to object. Not enough time has elapsed before I can even attempt to tap into the Darkness inside me.“Now,” he says in a tone that doesn’t leave any scope for argument.I nod, conveying I understand.It’s difficult to focus with my heart hammering. I look into his eyes and force myself to be calm as I shift my focus from one form of magic to another that’s drastically different. My power gathers around my heart. I send tendrils of it down the blood in my veins, seeking the Darkness within. It’s there, but it’s depleted.I send a pray
AldrichIn my wolf form, all my senses are hyper acute. Needless to say, Princess Avalea's caress was pure torture. I must tell her, or better still, show her just how her little touches make me feel. I feel her hand on my neck as we step out of the hut cautiously. We come to a standstill right outside the door, listening. From the rustling of leaves, the snapping of twigs, the growls and the howls in the distance, I'm able to discern with a reasonable certainty that there are at least ten Werewolves within a five-mile radius, but they're all quite far from the hut. However, to get to the hillock, we will be passing pretty close to at least two of them. I wait while Ava closes her eyes and mutters a strange-sounding incantation under her breath. I feel something incredibly soft and light wrap around us. It feels as if I'm looking at the world through a thin veil. It doesn't hamper my vision in any manner. It just feels… different. "We'll walk to the very edge of the perimeter of