Chapter 3 #2
In the distance I heard thunder rumble, and I used my magic to push away any nightmares that would try to crowd a group like us, while also trying to delay the flooding.
I couldn’t do it for long, but I could do it long enough to get us to safety.
I picked up my pace as we neared the tree and climbed it, easily jumping branch to branch as I had so many times before.
I heard someone shout up for me to be careful, and I nearly growled at that.
I knew they were saying it because of my precious cargo. I’d never been so careful in my goddamn existence. An existence that had been so incredibly long… One that I had wanted to end not so long ago.
Humans, and even some nightmares, seemed to have an obsession with immortality. They viewed it as this precious elixir that would fix everything. What they didn’t realize? How horrible and lonely it could be.
There were no days or years. Everything was just a monotonous strain of time, but one you couldn’t ignore. Especially because I didn’t even have a true purpose like other terrors, ones that represented and fed off humans.
No, I was something the world hadn’t seen in thousands of years…possibly more. It was a good thing—the world didn’t need more of me. I needed to stay in this forest.
I felt myself pause as I reached the platform of my house, my magic unlocking the door. I heard a crack of thunder and the flood begin, the other members of the party joining us.
Would I leave here if Arabella wanted me to? I couldn’t expect her to stay here. Hell, I would never ask that of her… But to follow her? I could do that. She probably didn’t want me around, but I could at least protect her from afar. For the first time in eons, I felt a sense of purpose fill me.
Protecting Arabella.
When I got inside of my simple home, I gently placed Arabella down on the couch before walking over to a chest filled with blankets, dragging one out and placing it over her.
I saw the others moving towards her, all of them seemingly in an argument on what to do next, but I paid them no mind, sprinting up the stairs.
I hadn’t wanted to leave her side, but I also knew it wasn’t normal for humans to be naked all the time. I didn’t want her to be uncomfortable.
Once in my bedroom, I shifted back to my human form and went to the shower.
I may have been surrounded by woods, but I hadn’t forgotten the luxuries of the modern world.
I just didn’t spend more time than necessary enjoying it.
I turned on the shower and stepped under it, not looking at myself in the mirror.
I knew what I would see there. I usually didn’t care about my battle-worn appearance, but right now? I felt an odd sense of shame about it.
I scrubbed my hair and body, and when I stepped out of the shower, I looked over my scarred face and odd gaze, wondering if it freaked her out.
It probably did, even though it didn’t hurt her like it did other humans.
Maybe I should just shift back into my wolf form.
Everything was far simpler in that state of being.
Instead I dried my hair so it wouldn’t drip on her and got dressed in casual clothes, grabbing fresh ones for her as well.
When I walked down the steps, I immediately felt the others’ eyes on me. I knew they were trying to gauge whether I was combative or not, and I didn’t know how I could express that I wasn’t in a way they would believe me. I didn’t want to fight them—I just wanted to be near my mate.
My mate, who I wanted to claim.
My mate, who I wanted to protect.
An image of Arabella smiling and waking up next to me flashed through my head, my eyes moving down her frame which was laid out comfortably on the couch. Her flat abdomen was slightly visible from her raised shirt, and I had to swallow down a growl—
“Eyes.”
My gaze slowly moved to the night terror called Razar, reluctant to look away from her. I tilted my head, trying to decide if he was worth talking to, and then decided I didn’t want him to hate me and make Arabella possibly hate me as well.
That was why I had yet to kill any of them. I knew she wouldn’t like that.
“I’m not your enemy, Razar.” I looked at the rest of them.
“I’m not any of your enemies. I don’t understand how this is possible any more than any of you do.
I have been in this forest for what feels like eons, and then you came here.
I never expected to meet her. I want Arabella safe, and the rest… I will just have to sort it out.”
“The rest?” Zain, I believe, demanded.
I knew I just needed to say it.
“Arabella is my mate.”
They all stared in silence, so I continued. “I am not trying to take her away from you. I wanted her to leave the forest at first to make sure she would be safe—that is still what I want. I understand she can’t stay here; I just want to be near her while I can.”
Razar offered me a look that flashed with understanding before he grunted and sat down in an armchair near her, leaving the spot on the couch by her open.
I let out a sigh of relief and moved to sit there, drawing her feet on my lap.
I closed my eyes as a part of my chest settled now that the initial confrontation was done.
Now I just needed Arabella to open her eyes. I may not have been able to enact my desires on Arabella. I may not get to mate her, claim her, breed her… but I could keep watch on her.
At least until she told me not to.