Chapter 2: Little Witch

SELENE POV

I woke with a start.

Sitting up quickly, I inhaled sharply and scanned my surroundings. I found myself pleasantly in a warm bed covered in soft furs and silk. The room was warm from the fire crackling softly in the hearth and the sun which was beaming into the bedroom from two large, windowed doors on the opposite side.

I let out a breath of relief trying to remember how I had gotten here. That's when it all came flowing back to me - my desperate flee through the forest from the witch hunters and my otherworldly encounter with the wolf.

My hand went to my chest as I remembered the man who had transfigured right before my eyes. The memory of his sharp gaze brought a tingle to my stomach. Who was he? Was he the one who brought me here? At that thought, my gaze dropped to my body inspecting my clothes. I had been undressed and placed in a rose silk chemise.

Heat started growing in my cheeks with excitement as well as anger at the thought of that man seeing me naked!

I began to slip out of bed when someone opened the door. Frantically, I pulled one of the furs to my chest with a small squeak. When I realized it was a woman dressed in a simple cream gown and an apron tied around her hips, I relaxed slightly. The woman caught my eyes after closing the door behind her and stopped.

"Oh, you are awake," the woman said matter-of-factly as she made her way over to the bed. "I was wondering when you were going to come back to this side of the realm." She had long auburn hair that was twisted into a braid on her head before it fell around her shoulder. While her gaze was cutting like that of a predator - there was warmth behind her bright blue eyes.

I wondered if this woman was a wolf shifter as well. Although I had heard of wolf shifters, I had never seen any with my own eyes. Realizing I was staring, I cleared my throat.

"Where am I?" I whispered. Even that soft sound was all I could muster, still feeling the dregs of fatigue behind my eyes and stiff muscles. The woman pressed her lips together into a tight line, seemingly not wanting to answer my question.

"Lord Tor brought you here last night from the woods. It would seem you had quite an evening, to say the least," she said as she picked up a large blue pitcher at the bedside table and filled a small basin. "I'll have a bath run for you once you have finished eating." The woman started to make her way to the door.

"I appreciate your kindness," I cut in, "but - I do not wish to be a bother. I'll kindly be on my way."

"Oh, no dear. You are not a bother. Lord Tor insists you stay here until you've regained your strength. Feel free to call for me once you have finished your meal," she said kindly. With that, she closed the door behind her. I watched the door for a moment trying to decide what to do. It was not safe for me to stay in one place for too long.

With a sigh, I slipped out of the bed. I was just about to conjure up something to wear when I saw the clothes I'd been wearing the night prior were cleaned and laid out on a chaise by the fire. I got dressed and then helped myself to some of the food. I would need my strength to continue my journey to the River of Three Sisters.

After I finished eating, I slowly crept to the door and placed my ear against it. When I was sure there was no one outside to hear me leave, I slipped out of the chamber.

***

TOR POV

"With all due respect, Alpha, we cannot allow the woman to stay here."

I sat behind my desk contemplating Beta Cassius' words. The two of us sat in my council chambers within the walls of Alder manor. The fire burned brightly within a basalt stone hearth, its flames illuminating the quiet room. These chambers had seen generations of alphas before me and had always made me feel connected to my ancestors and their wisdom. The stone walls covered in shelves of historical books and giant maps of the region always put my mind at ease.

And at this moment, I needed its restorative abilities.

"Now of all times, it is important to stay isolated from the outside," Cassis continued. "With all of the burnings and witch trials taking place, it's best not to bring any attention to ourselves."

I sat back and observed my most trusted advisor, who was close to me like a brother. He waited patiently for my response, hands crossed and looking all the warrior he was as his gilded eyes watched me.

He was loyal to a fault and had been since we were pups, even before I became the alpha. I knew that his worries came from a place of concern for the well-being of everyone within our pack. I could always trust him to speak frankly with me, even if he did p*ss me off at times.

"I understand why you are concerned, Cassius. But what's more concerning is how close these deviants are getting to our pack," I said while standing and walking to the balcony doors.

"That woman was being chased by those hunters right outside our door. It is times like these that the packs need to come together and show their strength. Not hide behind our walls as the world outside burns," I continued. "And as far as the woman is concerned, I won't leave her to fend for herself and become some sacrificial lamb to those b*stards."

Cassius nodded his head in understanding. "You know I trust you Tor and I respect your decision," Cassius said respectfully.

I smiled fondly at him then made my way around the desk and placed my hand on Cassius' shoulder. "Send out the scouts. I want more information on these burnings. We need to find their source."

"As you command, Alpha," Cassius said curtly then turned to leave.

It was at that moment that I felt it, that unquenchable tug that pulled at my gut which caused my inner wolf to rear its head in near desperation. I turned to the balcony doors and without another word to Cassius, I shifted into a wolf mid-jump and leaped from the balcony.

***

SELENE POV

I had just passed the gates of the settlement and was walking alone through the brush once more when the events of the night before began playing through my head. My circumstances had shifted dramatically compared to last night when I was forced to flee my beloved home with nothing but the clothes on my back.

Today, I was grateful to be on my way with a full belly and a night of rest.

I had heard of the witch trials that were scouring the nation, but I was sure I was concealed enough in my small cabin in the valley that I would not see hide nor hair of the prosecutors that threatened the lands. Guess I had been miserably wrong. Shaking my head to rid dark thoughts from the night before, I tried to come up with a plan.

I soon realized this was proving to be more difficult than necessary, because with every step I took further from the settlement, the more I felt the nagging pull at my chest.

What in the hell was causing this nearly unbearable ache within me?

I let out a loud sigh and stopped, leaning back to slump against a tree. My eyes raised to the sky. It was then that I heard it, the sound of someone approaching and approaching fast! I pressed myself tightly against the tree and muttered a shrouding spell. The magic came up around me as I waited silently for the thing to pass.

My stomach dropped as a familiar onyx-furred wolf came into view and my breath caught in my throat as I realized that it was Tor. The silver-eyed creature put his nose to the sky and sniffed the air. To my utter dismay, he turned in my direction. I knew he could not see me, but did not think about the fact that he could SMELL me!

I did my best to control my breathing as I waited in anticipation for Tor to leave. But he did nothing of the sort as he slowly started to advance on me. I wasn't sure why he had followed me, but the sooner I got out of this forest, the better. The wolf came closer until his nose nearly touched my stomach. I dared not breathe as he paused right then and there.

Then for the second time, I watched as the wolf morphed back into a human.

As Tor stood to his full height, I found myself nose to nose with his magnificent face. The corner of his mouth lifted in a damnable smirk as he leaned in and put his nose right against the nape of my neck and inhaled my scent. A thrill of unwarranted desire shot through my body as I gasped.

"Found you," he whispered against my skin, causing goosebumps to raise up along my neck. Tor pulled away from me with a smirk that flashed his gleaming canines.

I tried to compose myself before I dropped the shroud and came into view once again. Our eyes met and it took all I could muster to keep my breathing even. How in the hell did he manage to have so much of an effect on me? He wore nothing but a sleeveless shirt and pants, and I couldn't help but take in his physique.

The night before he had been clad all in black, but today I could see the powerful strength of his shoulders and arms radiating in the sunlight. I mentally scolded myself and ripped my gaze from his body to glare into his eyes.

"Why are you following me?" I asked in accusation.

Tor raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "The real question is, why are you running off into the wilderness when there are witch hunters scouring the forest? I didn't save you last night, just to have you killed in the morning," he said.

I huffed. "I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine on my own."

Tor let out a deep chuckle. "You didn't seem fine on your own last night."

This caused me to blush, and I pressed my lips together, not sure how to respond. He did save me last night, and I was grateful, but I was also thrown off by his dominating presence and what it caused within my body.

Tor ran a hand through his raven hair. "Don't endanger yourself needlessly. Come back to the settlement, you will be safe there."

I noticed then that he didn't even have any shoes on. Was he really in that big of a hurry to find me that he didn't even bother putting on his shoes?

"No. But thank you for the offer and the hospitality," I said and turned to walk away. Tor reached out and grabbed my wrist gently. When I met his gaze, I saw a spark of fire in his eyes that hadn't been there before. It was as unnerving as it was exhilarating.

I bit my lip which seemed to unhinge the shifter; his jaw set when his gaze dropped to my lips.

"I'm not going to ask again," he stated in a low voice. My eyebrows shot up at the challenge. Who in the hell did he think he was?

"Then I won't bother with a response." I went to pull my hand from his grasp, but instead, he tugged me to him in a brisk movement. Utterly shocked by his bravado, I didn't even have the chance to argue when he lifted me bodily off of the ground and over his shoulder.

I gasped as he wrapped his arm around my thighs to keep me in place and started to make his way back in the direction from which he'd come. Flustered indignation burned through my cheeks as I struggled.

"Put me down!" I exclaimed pressing my hands against the hardness of his back.

"Not a chance, little witch. Now be quiet before you wake the dead."