AvivaRage and worry fight for control as Shosanna stares at us, glancing from face to face. Her mouth and fingers are stained red from feasting from a basket of berries sitting next to her in the cart, but one quick scan of her body in whole shows me she’s dry and uninjured.I think of crossing the creek only a few hours ago, how easily the current could have swept the cart away with her in it, and my chest convulses.I open my mouth to say something, anything, but a muffled groan comes out instead.Freya is the first to act. She brushes past me, her face twisted in confusion, and storms up to Shosh, picking her up and throwing her over her shoulder like a sack of grain. Freya turns to James and Dhalia, who are watching the scene play out in shocked silence, Freya’s blonde hair is wild and coming loose from the long braid down her back as Shosh thrashes and kicks. “Where will I be staying?” she asks
RyanRain pelts the roof of the packhouse. It’s the largest building, other than the barns we erected last year, in Silverhide. It’s an exact model of our packhouse back in Crescent Falls but made with cruder materials instead of things like steel and concrete. The log walls still smell like cedar as I walk around, making the rounds, checking in on my pack.Everyone has questions about my wife, of course. Jacob, after being sent to Silverhide to gather help with the carts, spread the word. Now I’m being showered in clipped congratulations, everyone sounding a little unsure. I’m sure the strained smile on my face doesn’t help.Aviva is seated at the end of one of the three long, wooden tables. She has a plate of food in front of her, and I’ve been watching her eat as I weave from pack member to pack member, making sure she’s actually touching her food. She’s seated next to Shosanna, who&rsq
Aviva“You know, there’s this thing called sleep, and it’s fantastic.” Freya tilts her face toward the pocket of sunlight dancing over us. “You just lay down, shut your eyes, and then you wake up several hours later feeling refreshed. You should try it sometime.”I throw her a cutting look as I pick at the grass. “I did sleep.”“Well, you look like shit, so I know you didn’t sleep well. How many days has it been? Three? Four nights without sleeping? I’m shocked you’re able to function.”I let out a breath and watch the scene playing out before us on the shore of the shallow, calm creek. Someone built a little wall of rocks just past the bridge, creating a man-made eddy. Shosanna shrieks with laughter as she splashes with three other little girls her age, all of them soaked to the neck.Freya smiles, her blue eyes creasing as she watches Shosh. “I
AvivaRyan turns away as I strip out of my dress in a pocket of trees toward the very back of the village. I hang it on a tree branch before shifting into my wolf form, feeling naked despite my thick fur. I’m used to having my knife belt and bow slung across my back even in wolf form, but now I’m in my skin, and I’m not giving Ryan the same courtesy as he strips off his clothes. I do turn my head to avoid watching him take off his boxers, however. I’m not that desperate. He clutches the camera in his mouth, protected by a little leather bag, and leads me through a network of wolf trails that weave through a rather dense forest that hugs the back of the village. We follow the creek at one point, which weaves through the forest. It’s the only sound other than the rustling of the leaves overhead. It’s beautiful here, I have to admit. The forest is thick as we start gaining in elevation toward the very back of the valley where the mountains Silverhide is nestled between finally join. A
AvivaI barely have time to pull my dress over my body before Ryan is running again, hastily pulling on his shirt. I leave my sandals behind and sprint toward him, my bare feet slipping over rock that turns to gravel as we reach the village. My heart is thundering when I finally reach his side.We sprinted down into the valley. It took mere minutes compared to the long climb up to the spring. I’ve never run so fast, and so far, and my legs burn as I reach for Ryan’s arm but–People are gathered around one of the houses near the center of the village. I see Shosanna in the crowd and rush out a desperate prayer, thanking the Goddess for keeping her safe from… whatever we hurried here for.But then a scream rips through the night, hollow and anguished. My blood runs cold as a memory slips through my mind, burning to light. The sound of the scream is so familiar and so fresh, even though it’s been sever
AvivaWarmth. I feel warm to the bone and heavy as I roll to the side and snuggle deeper against the body beside me. My hands drift up his stomach to his chest, tracing taut muscles until I reach the half moon shaped scar on his shoulder. He stirs, rolling over and running his calloused hand over the slope of my naked hip, over my thigh.When he kisses me, it’s unhurried, his tongue sweeping over mine and exploring any place he hasn’t yet discovered. My breasts ache as he rolls my peaked nipples between his fingers, stirring that desperate, unending want between my legs.His tongue dances with mine as he slides a hand down over my belly, his fingers reaching for my slit, and he finds me wet and aching for him.He hums with satisfaction, his mouth still on mine, and whispers, “What have you done to me, little wolf? I can’t get enough.”I gasp, my eyes flying open to pale gray daylight str
RyanI leave Aviva in the bedroom and immediately walk outside into the cool, rainy morning air. I clutch the railing of the deck and hang my head, trying to steady my thundering heart. I can’t go into the village like this. I can barely walk in a straight line with this ache between my legs, but I sure as fuck can’t go back inside because I’ll rip her dress off and pin her to the bed like I wanted to only moments ago.That little sliver of restraint is all I have left at this point.I run my fingers through my hair, now wet from the rain. A thick fog hugs the valley, and only the outlines and pitched roofs are visible as my gaze sweeps the village. I had a long list of things to do this morning that are nearly impossible in my condition, and it’s my own damn fault. I didn’t mean to fall asleep with Aviva in my arms last night, but I did, sucked into a kind of peace I don’t think I’ve ever known
Aviva“I know that feels better,” Freya says, frowning at the frantically bleating sheep, who is now sheared clean and pretty much naked as it gallops off to join its herd. She wipes her brow, squinting into the sunlight as she gathers up an enormous handful of raw wool and carries it over to the creek where I’m crouching in the water, rinsing another batch of wool until it shines a soft white. “Who’s next?”“That one,” I laugh, tilting my head to the giant, gray and black ram with spiraling horns that looks like he wants nothing more than to kill us both. He stamps his hooves and lowers his head in emphasis, snorting and shaking his fuzzy head.“That fucker,” Freya growls, tucking her hair behind her hairs and stretching out her arms over her head. “He’s been getting in my way all morning.”“I can take him, if you want.”She shakes h