CHAPTER 8~ THE RIDE OF A LIFETIME

After breakfast, they once again began their journey, Sathe behind Verya…somehow, he couldn’t get the name out of his head, it was so beautiful, it felt like food to his mind. He wanted so bad to call it but he had no reason to.

If only he could find an excuse, but he officially had none. He couldn’t think of anything to ask, and furthermore, he was still embarrassed by what happened earlier. They didn’t get to finish the sinful act they had been conducting, and it was pretty awkward between them.

He still remembered how soft her bare skin had been beneath his hand and how soft and demanding her voice had been when she told him to touch her too. His excitement was sky high, anticipation and anxiousness had almost killed him, they were like imaginary arrows boring through his chest, and it had been even more torturous when everything just stopped. He wished it hadn’t, he didn’t care about the meat, it was nowhere near as tasty as her lips, it didn’t touch the pit of his stomach like the sensation she made him feel did.

He had been so caught up in her, the mate bond between them was like trees in spring, it was flourishing, growing so strongly in such little time. He didn’t know much about her, but he felt like he had known her for years. Her eyes looked familiar, her touch felt like something he was used to and her h~

“Sathe…?”

Sathe jumped, his eyes darting towards her. “Yes?”

“I think we’d make it back quicker if we travelled in our wolf form.”

“But I don’t…I don’t have a wolf.”

“I know Sathe, I was planning to carry you. We could start when the evening darkens and then rest in the morning. How does that sound to you, good?”

Sathe shrugged. “I don’t want to pressure you. It shouldn’t be more easy for me than it is for you.”

“So, you don’t like the idea?”

Sathe shook his head and Verya chuckled. “It’s nice that you’re considerate or are you trying to spend more alone time with me before we make it back to my pack?”

A look of diffidence stretched across Sathe’s face, his voice sounding panicky as he spoke. “Well, I’ve never thought about it like that, b-but…but~”

Verya chuckled, adjusting her knapsack on her back. “I was just joking Sathe, but it does sound like that was your plan. Don’t worry, I won’t rush you, take all the time you need.”

Sathe nodded. “I will.”

“You really don’t know what sarcasm is, do you? That wasn’t something for you to answer I will to.”

Sathe flushed red. “Then what should I have said?”

“You should’ve denied wanting that, but I don’t mind your honesty or your innocence.” She reached for his head of blonde hair, ruffling it. “It’s cute.”

Sathe held his head down after that, he felt nice, she had complimented him…what could really make him happier? He really wanted to reach for her hand, to hold it, to feel the sparks, the need to be close was haunting him.

His skin almost didn’t feel like his with her hands not on it. There was an even greater desire within him, but it wasn’t torturous enough for him to anxiously want to get rid of it.

/-_-\    |-_-|    /-_-\

Two more days passed and yet it felt like just one. The bond between them grew even more and Sathe didn’t feel as shy as he did before, he could speak comfortably, almost without a stutter. Throughout the days he found that she laughed a lot at the stupidness he said and asked, and her laugh was always infectious enough to make him smile.

She also watched over him a lot, especially when it got dark, she’d hold his hand as though he couldn’t see the path in front of him and butterflies would always flutter around his heart. Having a mate was nice, he didn’t feel lonely anymore, not when Verya was always by his side.

He didn’t know why she wanted him, but she did. She had told him multiple times how cute he was. She had complimented both his face and his bland and clueless personality.

She was so nice. When he answered her questions about his past, she’d always discriminate his father and mother. She had never blamed his bad luck on the fact that he was weak, she blamed it on them, them and his brother; Aron.

“Hey Verya,” Sathe gripped the bag in his hand tighter. “Are we…anywhere close to your pack yet?”

“What? You’re tired already?”

“No, I’m not tired. I can walk more.”

“You’re sure?”

Sathe nodded at her, it was dark, the woods looked creepy since the moonlight wasn’t bright, and the fluffy trees were blocking the light, making the path seem even darker. He could hear wolves howling from afar, crickets too and the high grass tickled his ankles as he walked through them.

The trees were thick and tall, the barks as dark as the night, and the texture was rough, so unlike the hand that guided him forward.

Leaves crunched under his steps, but somehow the beat of his heart seemed even louder. It would skyrocket whenever she looked at him, smiled at him, whenever she breathed, whenever she did anything.

He really was too caught up in her, she had wholly captivated him, she had him under her spell…it was probably the mate bond, but it was about her too…everything was about her.

She was an alpha’s daughter, and he was an alpha’s child too, but they both were so different. She was strong and he was weak. How could he stay by her side and remain weak? He wanted to be like her, he wanted to learn to stand up for himself too. He didn’t want to be bullied anymore, he had mentioned it before, but he was tired.

He wondered if it would be different when he moved into her pack…would it change?

Would people stop stepping on him like foot stools?

He could only hope that it’d be better than how it was at his pack, but then again, as long as Verya held his hand, everything would be fine.

“We’re almost there, we could get there by morning if I carry you on my back. But another day if we continue like this.” Her hand squeezed his. “It’s your choice, Sathe.”

The way she called his name always made his heart flutter, his name sounded like honey slipping off her tongue, but then again, anything she said sounded nice.

“I-I don’t know what to choose…” He wanted to spend more time with her alone, but he also wanted to finally get to the pack, she’d still be there with him anyway…but… “I don’t know…so you choose.”

“Alright then, I’m going to transform…get on my back as soon as I do.”

“You’ll be more tired than I am.”

“I don’t mind, this much is nothing to me. I might be a woman, but don’t forget that I’m an alpha as well. You just need to hold tight to me, okay…?”

Sathe nodded, squeezing his bag against his chest. “Okay.”

Verya dropped her bag and crouched down in front of it. Her bones were the first thing that started to crack; painless, the feeling one that was so familiar. Her fur then started to protrude from her skin, her legs and arms turning into paws.

She turned to Sathe when her transformation was complete, beckoning him forward with her head.

Sathe stared at her in awe, her silver fur was just as flawless as her human flesh was, she was beautiful, both wolf and man. Her wolf was so pretty and yet it was so big, she really was an alpha, wasn’t she?

Gripping his bag tighter, he moved closer to her, reluctantly climbing onto her back. She was crouched so low in order to accommodate him. Her fur tickled his palms as he climbed on, the silver fluff feeling like a soft bed of feathers.

Slowly she rose from her perch and Sathe held around her neck with one hand, holding on to his bag with the other. Verya took her backpack into her mouth and then she took off into the forest, giving Sathe the ride of his life.