I don’t know how long we lingered like that, until a chilling gust found its way into the cave, making me shiver. He pulled away and stretched toward my trousers. As soon as I wore them, I kneeled down between his legs. I smiled with tears in my eyes, holding his head in my hands, and kissed his forehead.
“Thank you, my lord,” I whispered against his thick fur. “Because not only did you save my life, but you gave me the best reason to stay alive: yourself.”
He jumped on me, pushing down on the pallet, and lay by my side, his head under my arm, licking my face until he made me laugh. I stuck to him, holding him tight, while he rubbed his nose against my hair.
I would’ve ripped my stomach out, because it got tired of being ignored and started growling and making all kinds of noises. The wolf sneaked away from my arms right away, and I had no choice but get up and grab a bite.
I ate the last nuts while I cleaned the cave a
He went into the cave ahead of me, and as soon as I walked in, he came with the black ribbon in his mouth. I dropped what I was carrying, covered my eyes without a word and turned to face the wall. He took me in his arms a heartbeat later, made me turn around and kissed me deep, holding me against his naked body.“I’m sorry,” he whispered by my ears. “I wanted you to move freely the whole day, but I couldn’t wait any longer to kiss you and talk to you.”“Get dressed, my lord, please,” I murmured, breathing in the exquisite fragrance of his body. “It’s so cold.”He lifted me in his arms, chuckling, and on his way to his chest, he sat me down on the pallet. I heard him get dressed and grab firewood from the pile.“We came back just in time,” he said, fueling the fire. “Your buns almost burned and the fire almost died out.”The comforting heat of the flames caused me a chill. He sat down by my side and held me in his arms.“I’m sorry I pushed y
We had dinner sitting there, together by the fire. The rabbit was delicious. We hardly said a word, too busy devouring it straight from the skewer.The wolf kept chuckling as he watched me eat the rabbit leg he gave me, tearing the meat with my teeth and gnawing at the bone. After that, we polished off the stew, and had the water as soup. When we finished, he handed me a bowl full of blueberries and took out what we’d used for dinner, including the skewer with the rabbit skeleton.“Are you leaving it all outside?” I asked, surprised.“The last thing we need is a mountain lion sneaking in for a snack while we sleep,” he replied. “You’re enough of a temptation for them. Rumor has it they like you.”I blushed up to my ears.“The Alpha told you?” I asked in a thread of voice.He crouched down before me and took the bowl from my hands.“What are you talking about, child?”His hardened voice sent a chill down my spine.“Answer
I was sorting our supplies when the wolf jumped from the pallet, where he was laying, to go stand past the fire and face the entrance to the cave on the alert. I paused what I was doing and heard footsteps in the snow. A moment later, a tall figure wrapped in a white fur cloak blocked the light coming in from the outside.“Look at you!”I recognized the princess’ voice. She took two steps into the cave, a hand on her hip. To my surprise, the wolf lowered his head and flattened his ears.“The whole castle is asking about you and here you are, playing the puppy with a crush! Come, let me speak to Joy alone.”The princess stepped aside and the wolf trotted out, taking the scolding. She shook her head, snorting, and smiled at me.“Hello, little one.”“My lady,” I murmured, bowing my head.“Looks like you’re making it work here,” she said.“I am, my lady.
I recalled the Alpha’s reaction by the waterfall, and the face of the long-haired prince at the village square, when they’d seen me for the first time.“But your brothers—” I muttered.“You only have to mind one of them,” she replied. “Look at me, Joy. I know what it’s like to be different. You’re so much more than the color of your eyes, your hair, your skin. It’s your soul what determines if you’re good or bad, worthy of love, respect or rejection. But if you don’t believe it yourself, nobody will never see past the way you look.”I looked down with tears in my eyes, but she pinched my chin to make me face her. She held my eyes with a warm smile until I smiled back and nodded.“So, a few drops to wash your hair. It’ll help it grow strong, healthy and smelling good,” she said, running her fingers through her thick blond mane.“Anise,”
While we had dinner, I tried to ask about the hunt the princess had mentioned. But his answers were vague, evasive. So I tried another approach.“Shouldn’t I go too? I always helped Teah with the refugees.”“Your friend can do it by herself,” he grunted.I just nodded, understanding he didn’t want to talk about it. So I asked him about the humans working at the castle, whom I would soon join.“They’re mothers whose children have already joined the pack. Once that happens, they’re given the choice of going back to the village or staying to work for us. They all chose to stay,” he replied, and there was a cold edge to his voice.“What is it, my lord?”“I wish my sister hadn’t talked to you about it,” he grunted. “Guess now you can’t wait for winter to be over.”“Why would I, my lord? To leave here?”He let out a
I folded the black ribbon as I whipped my tears, his last words still ringing in my ears.“God willing, I’ll be back tomorrow night.”It was going to be two long miserable days. Because of his absence, and because I had no way to know if he was fine. I’d never seen the battles that took place in the prairie, north of the Red Woods. But helping Teah care for the surviving fugitives was enough to figure they were brutal.I’d never doubted the might and skill of wolves, but this particular battle was tinged with the fear of what could happen to him, the only wolf of the Dale I cared about.As usual, I decided to keep busy and distracted. I cleaned the cave down to the last corner, washed all my clothes and his, gathered water, and enough pine needles to make three pallets.I’d found a hatchet in one of the trunks, so I grabbed it and headed to the woods. There was a fallen tree near the ledge that could provide all
It was hard for me to sleep that night. Every time I closed my eyes, my head was full of images of fight and slaughter. I managed to fall asleep just before dawn. A shallow, restless sleep from which I woke up with a jolt several times.Until a hand on my shoulder made me sat up sharply. Brenan handed me a steamy cup of tea with a quick smile.“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you about all that last night,” he said.“Thank you,” I muttered, accepting the tea.“It’s hard to keep in mind he’s your mate,” he went on, coming to sit in front of me by the fire. “You know, you being human and all that.”“It doesn’t happen often, does it?”“Often?” he repeated, laughing. “I think the last time it happened was some centuries ago!”“Oh.”“I was thinking,” he said, denying me any chance to keep asking any questions. “You need a table. How about we build one? And maybe we can also build another seat.”“It would be great! Thanks!”
I shrugged and my grimace made him chuckle. As soon as I was done eating, he made me sit straddling his lap. His arm circled my waist while his other hand sneaked underneath my shirt. My breast rose to fill his palm as usual.“Do you feel it?” he asked. “My hand doesn’t quite cover it like before.”He took my shirt off and added his mouth and his nose to his exploration. I let him do, my arms around his shoulders and my head back, shivering and sighing to his whim.“And your essence is stronger,” he said. “Just like the taste of your skin.”His nose circled my nipple and I quivered from head to toes when he licked my skin before sniffing it.“Irresistible,” he muttered, seeking my lips to kiss me deep.“You’re changing, my child,” he said. “When will you turn sixteen?”“I did the day the princes came to the village,” I replied.
BOOK 2 - SPRING.Maybe it was a dream. I was sitting on something that jumped and shook, causing me an excruciating pain in my wounded arm. I couldn’t move it away from my side, like it was tightly tied to my chest. Something firm and warm held me up. The wind was cold in my face. I tried to open my eyes and all I saw was dark.The next thing I remember is the warmth of the sun on my skin. The air smelled of a puzzling mix of herbs and oils that threw me off.I opened my eyes to a large room with a square open hearth in the middle of it. I saw bundles of herbs hanging from the ceiling beams, shelves full of jars, flasks and books, and a big sturdy table. It was like Teah’s place, only clean and neat.I was lying on a real bed for the first time in my life, and sunlight came in through a window almost above my head.My wounded arm was stretched by my side, splinted with long sticks from my shoulder to my wr
I wasn’t sure if I should be happy or sad the winter turned out to be so short. Snow retreated to the north by the end of February, and by the first week of March, the whole forest looked like we were already in spring.The wolf’s arm was healing fine, and ever since that last skirmish, he would spend three or four days straight with me, without going back to the castle. However, even if his wound kept him away from the fight, one morning, a raven brought a message from the princess.“Castle. Urgent.”So he was forced to leave, promising to come back as soon as possible.I missed him badly when he wasn’t around, but his absence would allow me to take care of those little chores left unattended when he was with me.The day was warm enough for me to put out the fire, giving me a chance for a deep cleaning of the whole cave, including the ashes in the fire pit. I washed our clothes, made a brand new pallet, brought the bl
Feeling his arousal grow in my mouth was like a promise about the pleasure he would soon offer me. I’d laid the bearskin on the ground to kneel on it, leaning forward over the wolf, sitting naked on the pallet, his back against the wall.His hand ran down my back and slid between my buttocks, his fingers covered in oil. They caressed my butthole in slow circles, wetting my flesh before moving on to brush my womb.I muffled a moan against his length when his oiled finger slid inside my body, his thumb massaging my butt again. I enjoyed every prick he triggered while I licked his growing arousal, captive of my hand and my lips.His hand between my legs mirrored those of my mouth, driving me crazy. Soon we were both just as tense and out of breath, and his panting growls fed my need as I pushed him past his last limit, his hand making me feel what my mouth made him feel.He shivered with a shaky growl and his exquisite flavor caressed my tongue. He let
“Let’s cook, my lord. It’ll take us a while, and I don’t want you to faint out of hunger.”“We have a problem. If I stay barefoot, I’ll catch a cold. And trust me, you don’t want to look after a wolf with a cold.”“There’s fleece boots for you in the second trunk. Bring them and I’ll help you wear them.”He took me by the hand up to the table and went on alone.“Second trunk, second trunk,” he muttered. “Guess you mean this one?”“The one smelling of fabric, not food.”“Oh, right, makes sense. And what do you want from the one that does smell like food.”“Whatever you want to throw into the pot, my lord.”“Could there be a bear in there?”“I don’t think so,” I chuckled.“Maybe when they wake up, in a couple of weeks,” he said, and he sou
I dropped the shovel and jumped to the snow down there, clumsily getting to my feet. I stumbled toward the trees. The wolf stopped when he saw me, keeping one of his front legs up and panting. I hurried to him, tears overflowing my eyes.“My lord!” I cried.He rested his head on my forehead, panting.“Come, come! You need to rest!”I followed him to the boulder. When he was forced to use his injured leg to climb to the ledge, his muffled groan broke my heart.Brenan was already up and waiting for us in the cave.The wolf limped up to the pallet, where he dropped himself on the bearskin with a shaky sigh. Brenan handed me a clean cloth and a bowl with warm water. I grabbed both things and turned to the wolf, oblivious to anything else. He closed his eyes, panting softly.“I’ll send you a raven,” said Brenan behind me, wrapping himself in his cloak. “So you can let us know if you need anyt
February brought more snow, and two more skirmishes in the prairie. Brenan came back to keep me company on those nights of quiet anguish.Both times, he arrived with his brothers, carrying more supplies in trunks that replaced those they’d brought before.“Soon we’ll run out of space for all the things you have here,” he teased when we were left alone for the third time. He studied me and frowned. “Love suits you, Joy. You don’t look like a frightened rabbit anymore. Soon you’ll be a beautiful woman.”I blushed up to my ears, making him laugh.I was alarmed when the wolf didn’t come back the next day. Brenan was doing his best to distract me when a raven appeared to perch on the ledge, right outside the entrance to the cave. Brenan reached out and the raven jumped to his wrist.“Scratch. Tomorrow,” the raven cawed, in a perfect mimic of the princess’ voice.“Thank
I complained when he left my body. But it was only for a moment, for him to kneel between my legs. His finger sank into my womb again, just as his tongue licked the folds of my skin. I let out a cry, wriggling and gasping, feeling the pleasure was so much, my breast was about to burst. I melted against his lips, struggling to just keep breathing.Then he made me roll over and lie on my belly, and his face stuck to my buttocks. I moaned and wriggled again, stunned by what he made me feel. His tongue ran between my buttocks, licking my tight flesh down to my womb.My back felt like about to break as I tried to push against his face.He grabbed one of my buttocks to kept them apart and kept licking and kissing my groin. And at the same time, his finger slid into my womb again.The friction made me cry out loud, as he moved it in and out faster. It was a hot throbbing that seemed to steal my breath away. I could only pay attention to it, oblivious to anything
I shrugged and my grimace made him chuckle. As soon as I was done eating, he made me sit straddling his lap. His arm circled my waist while his other hand sneaked underneath my shirt. My breast rose to fill his palm as usual.“Do you feel it?” he asked. “My hand doesn’t quite cover it like before.”He took my shirt off and added his mouth and his nose to his exploration. I let him do, my arms around his shoulders and my head back, shivering and sighing to his whim.“And your essence is stronger,” he said. “Just like the taste of your skin.”His nose circled my nipple and I quivered from head to toes when he licked my skin before sniffing it.“Irresistible,” he muttered, seeking my lips to kiss me deep.“You’re changing, my child,” he said. “When will you turn sixteen?”“I did the day the princes came to the village,” I replied.
It was hard for me to sleep that night. Every time I closed my eyes, my head was full of images of fight and slaughter. I managed to fall asleep just before dawn. A shallow, restless sleep from which I woke up with a jolt several times.Until a hand on my shoulder made me sat up sharply. Brenan handed me a steamy cup of tea with a quick smile.“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you about all that last night,” he said.“Thank you,” I muttered, accepting the tea.“It’s hard to keep in mind he’s your mate,” he went on, coming to sit in front of me by the fire. “You know, you being human and all that.”“It doesn’t happen often, does it?”“Often?” he repeated, laughing. “I think the last time it happened was some centuries ago!”“Oh.”“I was thinking,” he said, denying me any chance to keep asking any questions. “You need a table. How about we build one? And maybe we can also build another seat.”“It would be great! Thanks!”