CHAPTER 33

HAZEL

The half hour I'd spent sitting in the grassy part of the woods felt like an eternity. The silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds, was starting to get to me. I was waiting for them to return from their little hunting but as the minutes ticked by, a sense of unease began to creep in.

Suddenly, a low rustle sounded from behind me, startling me out of my fearful thoughts. My heart pounded as I slowly turned my head around, my eyes scanning the line of trees. The noise seemed to have come from somewhere deep within the woods, but I couldn't pinpoint the exact source.

A chill ran down my spine as I tightened my grip on the tennis racket I had brought with me. It was a simple weapon, but it was all I had to defend myself with. I tried to calm my racing thoughts, reminding myself that it was probably just an animal. But the more I thought about it, the less convinced I became.

Suddenly, a large, black wolf appeared in the dim light. It was carrying a bloody chunk of meat. As the wolf got closer, I realised it was Sparrow's. He stopped right in front of me and dropped a dead rabbit at my feet. I let out a sigh of relief, thankful for his timely arrival.

Although I was a bit startled by his sudden action, he kept gazing from the meat and back to me.

I managed to offer him a kind smile. "Uh, thank you for the... rabbit," I stammered, gently patting his furry wolf forehead in appreciation.

He offered me a playful grin, his head tilted to the side, and I couldn't help but chuckle. Leaning in, I scratched behind his ears, and he let out a contented sigh.

Just then, a deep growl shattered the peaceful moment. Sparrow's ears perked up, and he turned to face the sound. I followed his gaze and saw the large wolf, a familiar sight, trotting towards us with a massive chunk of meat clenched in its jaws.

Sparrow took a few steps back, then turned and left slowly. Thaddeus wolf moved closer to me, his eyes watchful. He placed the elk meat on the ground in front of me as well and then retreated a short distance, keeping his eyes on me.

"Oh my goodness, that's a whole lot of meat!" I exclaimed, my eyes widening as I took in the sight of the bloody, raw flesh.

“Fantastic work, Thaddeus," I praised, my voice filled with genuine admiration. Unsure of the appropriateness to show him how proud I was___ I didn't want to pat his wolf on the head.

So,

I opted for a gentle gesture. Cupping his furry head in my hands, I planted a soft kiss on the side of his muzzle, thankfully free from any blood. His wolf form seemed momentarily startled by my action, its eyes widening in surprise. It tilted its head, a curious expression evident on its lupine face.

My eyes widened in disbelief. Even though Thaddeus Wolf was out, it was clear he still had control over the situation. It was as if he was a puppet master, pulling the strings from the shadows.

And I had just kissed him.

Thaddeus backed away slowly and shifted back into his human form. My cheeks flushed as he continued to stare at me in surprise and another emotion that I just couldn't place. I fervently hoped that he wouldn't misinterpret my simple, appreciative kiss as something more. A small smirk played on his lips as he turned to dress himself.

It was a good thing my wolf was recovering. She would have thrown a huge fit about what had been happening. I stared at him to notice how his muscles forced out as he put his shirt over his head and Fuck, I just couldn't look away. 

His muscles rippled and flexed with every movement, a mesmerising dance of hotness and sexiness that was truly breathtaking.

I was just never one to pay attention to other males when they walk around naked, but Thaddeus was a completely different story. 

"Hey, knock it off, you need to stop staring already." Thaddeus grumbled, his fingers raking through his hair. My gaze, which had been fixed on him, snapped away, settling on the lifeless elk and rabbit carcasses strewn across the floor.

“Why did Sparrow bring you the rabbit? Did you ask him to?”

My eyes snapped back up at Thaddeus, who turned around and was now leaning against the tree. 

"No, he's a really nice guy. He's being considerate by thinking of me, even though I didn't specifically ask him to. It's just his way of being kind."

Thaddeus grumbled, his eyes narrowing into a scowl as he watched the rabbit. "You shouldn't be so easily fooled," he muttered, his voice laced with irritation. "I've known Sparrow for ages. He's a smooth talker, always trying to charm and flirt with anyone who'll listen, especially things that don't have balls in between their legs.”

He glanced over at Sparrow, who was surrounded by a group of warriors, his words flowing effortlessly. Thaddeus rolled his eyes and scoffed.

“Wait, are you trying to say he flirts with you?” The word left my mouth before I could even stop them from. 

Thea's laughter, a sound like a muffled explosion, burst from behind me. When I turned, I found his eyes sparkling with amusement as he watched our little scene unfold.

Thaddeus crept towards me, his footsteps silent as shadows. His eyes, dark and intense, bore into mine. I felt a chill run down my spine, a premonition of the storm brewing within him.

"You'll regret those words," he hissed, his voice barely a whisper. His breath, hot and rancid, brushed against my ear. I could feel the menace in his touch, a tangible threat that hung in the air.

My heart nearly skipped a beat at his insinuation. A shiver ran through me, not from the cold, but from the fear that coiled within his words. I knew then that this was no idle threat. Thaddeus was a man capable of great cruelty, a man who would stop at nothing to exact revenge.

His breath, warm and minty, fanned against my ear as his lips grazed my skin. My entire body was burning nicely, a pleasant surprise against the cool night air. My heart pounded in my chest, a frantic drumbeat echoing in my ears. I could feel the heat radiating from his body, a tangible warmth seeping through his shirt and warming my skin. Goosebumps erupted along my arms, a traitorous response to the gentle touch.

The moment he left, a chill settled over me. I shivered, not from the cold, but from the intensity of his gaze. Thea's whistle cut through the silence. "Wow, that was intense," he murmured. "I've never seen Thaddeus look so... hungry. Like he wanted to devour you whole.”

Thea’s word made me pause. Was that what the look on his face was? It didn't really seem like it though. He just looked irritated to me. 

“Okay, okay, we can fantasise about Thaddeus later. But for now, let's keep our eyes on the prize: delicious grilled meat! Sparrow might be a bit of a flirt, but I think he's just being nothing close to a jerk right now...”

I sighed and picked up the meat carefully with Thea helping out. 

I was probably overthinking everything. Thaddeus wouldn't change that quickly.

He would always be an arrogant possessive jerk. It was a fact, an unchangeable truth.