Chapter 2

Ashley’s cheeks turned red and she removed her hands from his face only to use them to cover her face. Henry glared at those two idiots who did not understand the word privacy. 

Instantly, as if they got a cue, Genesis and Julian dashed towards the cove where they left Anayka and the wolf.

“For how long are you going to cover your face?” Henry asked with a smile and poked her waist.

She wiggled because of his touch. Slowly, she removed her hands a bit and looked around. Once she was sure that no one was near them, she asked,

“What should we do now? Since my sister said we need to take the wolf to the hospital, I guess we need to cancel this trip and go back.”

“I will say sorry to you once again. Actually, I asked Julian and Genesis to help your sister go back with the wolf. Once they drop her at the foot of the mountain, they will come back and join us both. I know, I made that decision without asking you first but I couldn’t think of any other solution. I am sorry,” Henry said and held his ears in an apologizing way.

“No, no… I am sorry, I know my sister is a little difficult at times but she is a good person. I thought we all could enjoy this trip but I didn’t know we would unexpectedly come across this wolf.” Ashley said and removed his hand from his ears.

“So you forgave me?” Henry asked and pulled her face closer to him.

“I guess, I did,” Ashely said and pounced on him.

They both kissed each other and rolled on the rock. His hands touched places that could not be spoken of. She allowed him but at the same time, she did not let him take advantage of her.

“Henry, when are you going to talk to your father about our marriage?” Ashley asked while drawing lines on his bare chest. 

“We have just got our graduation certificate. What’s the hurry? Anyway, don’t you have to wait for your sister to get married first?” Henry asked her and rolled her hair on his finger.

“About that, you do know that after my sister moved out of our house, my dad was angry with her. She severed ties with all of us and moved to an apartment that she bought with her own money. When dad tried to help her, she spoke a few harsh words. She said she would never get married and it’s because of my dad that her mother passed away. Later, when my dad fell ill, we reconciled. Right now, my mom is asking me to get married soon. So, using that occasion, we can make my sister come home.” Ashley explained to him while looking at the orange sky above them.

The sun had almost set and the sky was turning dark slowly.

“Oh! But…” Henry hesitated.

Ashley immediately moved away from him and stated, “It’s ok. I understand. I do not want to force you. I will always love you even if I marry someone else.” 

When she was about to get up and leave, Henry pulled her back into his embrace.

“What are you saying? How could I live without you? Let’s get married then.” He announced.

“But your father… Will he be ok with me?” Ashley asked with fear.

“Do not worry. Once my father knows that your family has a lineage from the Wintermoon hunter clan, then he would be more interested in getting you into our family than me.” Henry said with ecstasy. 

“Really? I did not know that the Wintermoon surname has that much power. When my mother asked me to take her surname, I disagreed as I wanted to take my father’s surname just like my sister.” Ashley said and leaned against his shoulder comfortably.

“Do you think your family will agree for our marriage?” Henry asked while rubbing her back.

“Why not? All we have to do is inform my mother and once we convince her, my dad would automatically agree to her request,” Ashley said and lifted her head to kiss his lips.

...

Even though Anayka waited for a long time no one came back. So, she decided to take the wolf to the hospital by herself. She spread the cloth on the sand and then she walked near the wolf. She tried to lift him but she couldn’t even move an inch.

Left with no other option, she tried to drag him towards the cloth. Before she could even move him two feet, she started to breathe heavily.

“Why the hell are you so heavy?” She complained.

The wolf still lay on the sand with his eyes closed. He did not move and neither made any effort to run away. She left him wherever he was and started to pack her backpack.

Finally, he half-opened his blue eyes and looked at her. She wore her backpack and came near him. She bent down and tried to lift him once again.

“I can do it! I can really do it! I almost lifted him. I can lift him,” She kept on encouraging herself.

After struggling for fifteen minutes, she did lift him from the ground. But it was difficult to stand steadily with the heavy-weight in her hands. Her body swayed from one side to another. 

He could not understand why she was disturbing his peaceful lazy sleep. 

‘At first, she tried to open my eyes forcefully and then flashed a bright light into my pupils while causing me to almost go blind. Then she pulled all my legs and hit them with a small tool. Later, she opened my mouth and put her small face almost inside it.’ He complained in his mind.

He once again opened his eyes slightly and looked at her face. He noticed that she was struggling to carry him on the slope. He wanted to shake his head in disapproval but felt like it would be too much effort. So he closed his eyes and leaned against her chest.

‘Maybe, I should have bitten her rosy lips when she put her face near my mouth. No, that’s too much work… Anyway, who would want to bite those sexy juicy lips?’ He wondered.

Anayka leaned against a huge tree to catch her breath. She had sweated a lot and her clothes stuck to her body making her feel uncomfortable. She regretted trying to carry him all the way down, alone. She should have waited for some more time for others to come.

“It’s ok! It’s ok! I am almost there. I will reach down if I keep following this path.” She convinced herself and started to walk on the lonely path.

She noticed that the sky would turn dark in a few minutes. So she tried to walk hastily and failed to notice those eyes that surrounded her.

‘Right now, she is squeezing me so much near her chest and carrying me down the hill. I am feeling suffocated. Should I jump down and run away? But that’s too much work.  Let’s see how far she can carry me. Maybe at one time she will get tired and let go of me…’ He thought.

When he was about to close his eyes once again, his sharp ears pricked up. His nose could smell the dirty scent of the animals that surrounded them.

‘Coyotes! It looks like they became brave enough after I got abandoned by the clan.’ He bared his teeth but felt that he did too much work.

‘Oh! Fine. Stupid woman, how can you not realize the danger you put us in?’ He complained in his mind and tried to make a plan to escape from coyotes.

‘If this woman was not here, they would have not made such an effort to even come near me.’ He huffed.

He lifted his head and howled. Anayka, who did not expect the sudden howling from the wolf, lost her footing and fell on the ground. Her head hit the wooden block on the ground and she lost her consciousness.

Drake stood up and glared at the coyotes with fiery red eyes. The minute he turned into a human, those animals ran away with their tails tucked in between their legs.

“I did so much work because of you lady, treat me better in the future.” He said to the unconscious Anayka. 

He then turned into the lazy wolf once again and laid next to her on the ground. At that moment, he smelled the metallic blood scent in the air. He crawled near her legs and noticed that her legs had several scratches. He slowly licked them one by one and the wound disappeared from her legs.

When Anayka woke up, it was way past nine O’ clock at night. The forest looked haunting and she gulped.

“Shit! Why did I fall asleep in the middle of nowhere?” She cursed and tried to stand up.