He picked her up and she pressed her lips to his. Arric visibly shook. He opened his mouth for her and she dipped her tongue into his mouth, tasting and exploring every corner as her arms wrapped around his neck and her fingers tangled in his long hair. Steelclaw gradually calmed down as Eirika's scent overpowered Rubella's. Arric let out a shaky breath and went to sit down on the bed, making Eirika straddle him. Breathing hard Eirika stopped and held his gaze, giving him keen scrutiny. "Better?" she asked with a frown. Arric nodded as he framed the side of her face with his left hand. Using his thumb to gently stroke the corner of her full lips. The feral look in his eyes was gone now and was replaced with naked desire. "Thank you…" he rasped. She nodded when she tried to get off of him, he used both hands to hold her by the waist to keep her in position. "I thought you said you felt better…" Eirika said. Arric nodded. "I do feel better. Only you have created another probl
Eirika's heart thudded faster than usual and it was not just for the apparent danger outside the cabin but for the way Arric reacted despite his anger and his determination to punish her for his brother's death. She took steady breaths, taking in his scent. Her face was pressed against his massive chest and he was literally wrapped around her, eclipsing her with his massive body. His muscles flexed against her body and she could feel almost every ripple of it. His heartbeat was going a mile per minute. She could smell his fear and she could tell it was for her. When he drew back slightly to hold her gaze, his irises flashed dangerously making it obvious his beast was only skin deep. She adored him with her eyes: his perfectly formed face, his squared jawline, his straight nose and those arresting eyes, and then his lips. She swallowed. Arric made a low deep sound that sounded like a purr. "Really? Right now?" he said, making her meet his gaze. Eirika's cheeks grew pink. "W-what?"
"What the hell?" he said. "Good day, alpha," Bishop greeted. "Alpha," the others acknowledged. Arric saw that Nigel was with them and he merely nodded when their eyes met. "What happened?" he asked. "A bounty hunter slipped through security, I think he may have seen her come out of your cabin and thought she was luna?" Bishop supplied. "Shit!" Arric cursed, wiping his face with the palm of his hands, and then swept his fingers through his long hair. "He tried to run, but his luck ran out. York gutted him," Caineghis said. Arric moved closer to the body of the assailant, crouching beside it. He was clean-shaven with low cut and his leather getup was all black. A tattoo peeked out of the base of his neck and Arric brought out a pocket knife to slash open the neckline down one sleeve. A tattoo of a python slithered from his neck to the wrist. Bishop cursed. "This is no ordinary bounty hunter…." Arric said. "You know the tattoo?" Nigel asked, everyone, directed their ey
Eirika took a moment to survey her surroundings. The kitchen was spacious, with sleek, modern appliances and an impressive range hood. The white cabinets contrasted beautifully with the dark wooden floors, and natural light streamed in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. A large island in the center of the room provided ample space for food preparation, while a row of high-end cookware hung from the ceiling above the stove. Eirika rummaged through the kitchen cabinet and pantry then started to gather the ingredients and began to assemble her menu. She roasted a tray of vegetables in the oven, the vibrant colors of carrots, zucchini, and eggplant brightening the kitchen even further. Moving on to her main dish, she made a savory pasta dish with a rich tomato sauce and tender chunks of meat. The aroma of garlic and herbs wafted through the kitchen as she stirred the simmering sauce. She then made a decadent chocolate cake after leaving it in the refrigerator for a few minutes. She
As the bus continued its journey, Eirika watched the landscape change again. The hills became more rugged and the forests grew denser. She listened to music and dozed off for a while, only to wake up as the bus stopped at another small town. This time, Eirika decided to explore a bit more. She walked around the town, admiring the historic buildings and charming storefronts. She stumbled upon a local coffee shop and ordered a latte. "Where are you headed?" the barista asked. "I'm heading to visit a friend at a university on the East Coast," Eirika replied. "Wow, that sounds like a fun trip! I hope you enjoy your visit." Eirika took out her phone and called her friend to let her know where to pick her up. "Hey, it's me!" Eirika said when Toby picked up. "I'm at a bus stop about two hours away from your university. Can you pick me up?" "Of course! I'll be there as soon as I can," he replied. Eirika smiled and thanked the barista before heading back to the bus. As the bus approac
"Well, we can try the school museum. They have quite a commendable historical weaponry gotten from the first wall between the unchanging and lycanthropes," Toby replied. "But someone is bound to notice if anything goes missing... since you know, it's on display!" Nina interjected. Eirika chuckled when Toby arched an eyebrow at her sassing him. "Maybe you should just give me a tour then… and leave it to me, " Eirika said. "Sure, that shouldn't be a problem. We will do that on Monday. The campus is pretty much on lockdown for the weekend," Nina said. "Do you perhaps want to tell us why people are after you now?" Toby asked. "Let's leave that till when we get back to the apartment, please," Nina said. Toby nodded. "We have a few minutes to get off of the streets." Nina sounded agitated. Eirika frowned, thinking the security around there must be really bad. As they drove towards the apartment, Nina, insistently, navigated their conversation into something less gloomy and they c
Eirika flinched and opened her eyes. Her breathing was loud and she was soaked with sweat. But she was on her bed. And inhaling deeply, she couldn’t catch any smell of blood. She let out a sigh, realizing she had been dreaming. Running her fingers through her loose hair, she got off the bed, feeling unusually hot despite the cold room. She went into the adjoining bathroom to shower and came out of her room later, wearing grey joggers, deciding to survey the apartment nonetheless. She went to check the main lock and saw it was intact, she then went to the sliding door that led to the balcony, sliding it open, she went to stand by the concreted balustrade, drawing in a deep breath as she shut her eyes to revel at the peace and quiet. Then she thought she heard a low growl and lowered her eyes down to the courtyards. Her eyes darted in their sockets as she quietly surveyed the grounds. Another growl came from a narrow corner of a building a few kilometers away from Toby and Nina’
"Wow! He is um…" Nina said, looking awestruck. "I know…" Eirika replied with a subtle smile. "And I saw Nigel Hartwell with the other men. What's that about?" Nina asked. "It turned out he was living in my uncle's pack in the south with his dad. His dad is my uncle's beta." "That is crazy!" Toby said in awe. "Yup. You could just imagine what a shock that was when I saw him. I can't tell who was more shocked – him or me," Eirika said. Nina giggled. "He and his dad have been so wonderful to me. He helped me when I needed it the most. I think they both saved my life more than I could count." "Aww… that is impressive," Nina said in admiration. Silence ensued as Toby started to pace. When they heard a loud howl Eirika rushed to the sliding door and peered out for a second before opening it to rush close to the balustrade. Nina and Toby followed closely behind. They all stood and watched as Bishop, Nigel, York, Jarom, Caineghis, and Jimothy formed a human shield to the entrances of