Chapter Four #2
I’m pretty sure I know where he’s headed.
There is a waterfall where we like to hang out during our downtime, and Liam likes the cave behind the rush of water.
He’s kind of claimed it as his den, and I know that’s where I will find him.
His bear has been unruly, I’m just glad he didn’t go as far as biting Gianna while they were fucking.
I don’t resent him having sex with other females while we wait for our mate to be marked, but Gianna is dangerous.
I wouldn’t put it past her to force a mate bond with him, and it seems like his bear may have been close to crossing the line.
That would have been a disaster for all involved.
The air is sharp against my fur as I race through the forest. The trees are losing their leaves as they prepare for the incoming winter, though there are still a number of deciduous varieties so the forest doesn’t look dead.
The rumbling of the waterfall gets louder as I grow closer, and Liam’s frosty scent gets stronger, but as I reach the edge of the pool, I slide to a stop and sit down, considering my options.
The water is so clear in this pond that despite its depth, I can still see the rocky bottom and fish swimming around happily undisturbed.
Normally during summer, it’s a refreshing balm for the stifling hot days, but as we grow closer to winter, I know the water will become colder, and although it doesn’t freeze over completely during winter due to the waterfall, the water is much cooler now than during the height of summer.
It’s okay for Liam who enjoys swimming in the frigid water, but for those of us with creatures that are a little bit more sensible, the thought of getting wet makes me pause.
Maybe I can howl and get his attention. My gaze moves to the thunderous wall of water that sits between me and my destination.
Who am I kidding? He won’t hear anything over that despite his enhanced hearing.
I’m going to have to go through it. That’s what makes it such a great hiding place.
There is no way to access it except through the towering wall of water.
I feel my wolf’s displeasure. He enjoys swimming in summer, but he also remembers how cold it is at this time of the year.
I walk farther along the bank of the pool, getting as close to the falls as I can so my time in the water is minimized.
Unable to find an excuse to delay any longer, I plunge into the water, scattering fish.
The cold just about steals our breath, but my wolf starts to paddle without delay, our destination clear in his mind.
It doesn’t take long before we approach the curtain of water.
We get battered around a little as we swim through it, but my wolf stays on course and comes out the other side, blinking drops of water from his lashes and shaking his head to clear the water from our ears.
Reaching the side of the pool, we scramble up onto the bank and flop down on our stomach, our sides heaving with exertion.
We push to our feet and shake our body furiously, sending droplets of water flying in all directions.
I look around, my shifter sight not hindered at all by the dim light.
Liam isn’t in this front cavern, so he must have moved into the back section, which he has made cozy for himself.
I head in that direction, and my wolf wrinkles his nose at the wet musky smell that reaches our nostrils.
Liam is definitely in here somewhere, I can practically smell his desperation.
Unlike his usual crisp, frosty scent, like fresh snow in a pine forest, this smells distressed and anxious.
I find him curled up in a pile of blankets.
His head lifts, and he growls at me as I approach him, but he doesn’t move.
I get down on my belly and crawl toward him, nodding my head at him in submission until I get close enough to nuzzle his side.
Liam’s bear is as grumpy and unruly as he is, and you never know if he will smack you with one of his giant paws or smother you with a hug hard enough to crack ribs.
He doesn’t react at all, though, and that’s what worries me.
He ignores us as we butt our head against his body, inviting him to play.
In fact, he just rolls over and gives me his back, ignoring me completely with a large huff of air.
I listen carefully to the sound of his heartbeat, and I can tell it’s already starting to slow down.
Damn it, the stupid bear is going to trigger a hibernation if he isn’t careful.
I’m sure polar bears don’t actually hibernate, but he’s been talking more and more about it recently, so I’m concerned he’s going to give it a try in an attempt to block out his bear’s need.
That isn’t good. I allow my wolf form to flow away and wrinkle my nose as my bare ass finds the cold, dirt-covered floor. I look around and find one of the spare blankets he usually uses as a nest and pick it up, wrapping it around my waist before taking a seat.
“Hey, man, you can’t sleep. You need to shift back.
Bryson wants to go over the queen’s protection detail with us and Gretchin, and he didn’t say anything in front of the council, but I have a feeling he wants to talk about the ferals and the missing kids.
We need to figure out a way to go into the human zone and search without causing any political drama.
We’ve exhausted all options in the neutral and shifter zones. ”
I wait for him to reply. The sound of the nearby waterfall is still loud, but not as deafening as it was when we were closer. This chamber is down a small tunnel, and the rocks block out a lot of the noise.
When he doesn’t respond, I nudge him with my foot, and he snarls and rolls, swiping at me with a giant paw. I yelp and jump backward. The damn lardass is fast.
“Hey, don’t be an asshole. Fucking shift, man, so we can at least talk.”
He snarls at me but gets up onto his paws, and I watch as he shifts into his human form and looks up at me, his eyes filled with turmoil.
“I need help, man.”