Chapter Eleven
Watery morning light streamed through the trees, the sun dipped low in the sky as dawn songbirds stirred the forest with their tinkling chirps. A crisp chill lingered in the air, dew glinting like scattered stars in the faint morning light.
It was a perfect morning ruined by the man stalking towards me.
Dax didn't look particularly pleased to be out so early in the morning, a scowl etched on his face, a deep crease between his furrowed brows.
"Let's go," he growled, his voice rough and gravelly, as though this was the first he'd spoken today.
"Go where?" I asked, eyebrow arching a fraction at his assumption that I would follow.
"To the site of the last rogue attack," Dax answered with those chocolate eyes carved from stone. "We'll start there and move quickly to cover the most ground."
"We should prioritise a thorough search of the clearing, make sure we miss nothing that could put us on the right path." His jaw twitched at the cold authority in my words, my refusal to back down simply because he wanted me to.
I may have been in his territory but this plan was meant to be a partnership and I wouldn't let him push me around. He didn't deserve my submission.
"I'm not staying out here wasting time with you." The bitter words didn't match the stony calm of his face. It was almost impressive.
"And I'm not wasting my time on a rushed search that will give us nothing." I raised my chin, not backing down from the shuddering heat that raced through me at our staring contest.
His nose twitched, the scrunch so fast it would have been missed in a blink. "Your nose better be as good as you think."
Dax didn't wait for me as he turned into the trees and took off in a jog towards the clearing. I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes. This wasn't a social call, it was a diplomatic mission. I needed to set myself aside and represent my pack, my people.
It wasn't hard to follow him, even with the small headstart he had. His scent called to me — warm, ambery pine — luring me through the forest until the clearing came into view and the stale, coppery stench filled the air.
He stood in the centre, jaw tight as he eyes slowly moved across.
The bodies had been moved, but the bloodstained grass remained, mingling with the sour, decaying stench of the rogues.
Gouging claw marks scored the trees, branches splintered and strewn.
Memories would live on in this clearing, forever joined with the earth that gave them life.
But living in the memories would not change them.
I left Dax to do what he needed and closed my eyes. I felt the soft rustle of the wind through my hair, heard the distant snap and crack of a foraging deer, and tried to see beyond the dull, metallic tang that filled my senses.
Each step through the clearing was slow, deliberate, taking everything the forest would give me.
The harsh lines of battle in the grass.
The trampled bushes and undergrowth.
The clean but pungent odour of herbs and sap and freshly stripped bark.
I froze at the scent, head tilting to the side as I moved in closer to fill my senses with the out of place aroma.
It was clever — close enough to the forest's strong, natural scents to blend in, but not where you'd expect them. They kept to a trail, a deliberate path through the trees as though they moved with an animal, with a wolf.
"Here," I called over my shoulder as I took steps towards the hidden, winding trail.
Dax appeared in a moment, his body radiating heat even as he stood feet from me.
"They're masking their scent as they move through the borders but it must only last so long. It seems to get stronger the further the trail takes us."
His eyebrow raised as his nose twitched, taking in the odd combination.
"It smells like... forest." His eyes were hooded as he spoke in his deadpan tone, clearly unimpressed with the find.
"Concentrated forest, deliberate and focused. It's intentional," I insisted and his lips pressed into a line as he looked down the invisible path.
"Fine," he agreed, the weight of his gaze flicking over to me. "We'll follow it."
"Don't you need to report back?" I asked, hesitant to follow him as he began his careful trek.
"To who?" Dax asked, pausing long enough to half turn towards me. "I'm in charge. But if you're too scared to join me, I understand."
The icy chill prickled the back of my neck as I fought down the growl that threatened to rumble deep in my chest.
The arrogant prick.
I followed behind him on the narrow trail, silence falling between us as we ventured further and further from the clearing. We picked through the brush, each step cautious and soft.
The clean, bright scent of Eclipse Hollow land mixed with the fresh, herbaceous trail until it was replaced by something darker, sour and bitter as we ventured beyond the borders. Gone was the cold trail from the rogue attacks; in its place, something warm and new.
They were near.
Dax crouched and I followed.
"They're close," he said, voice barely a murmur. "Now we go back, we know where they're headed."
I struggled to hide the shock that flashed through me at his plan.
"Now we move in, catch them unaware this time and try bring one back for information," I countered in a hushed whisper.
"We don't even know what we're walking into," Dax argued, matching my frosty look with his own.
"Neither did that little girl." The words hung between us, heavy and stagnant. "But if you're scared, I understand."
Dax had shown restraint plenty of times before but I knew this backhanded comment thrown with nonchalance would make his eyes flash a burning amber.
"Cheap shot," he muttered as he stood, nodding forward as we fell into a silent prowl.
Our movements were steady, practiced, as though we had run this drill countless times with me watching his back as we carefully moved through enemy territory. He held his hand up and we stopped, ducking behind opposite trees as the sounds drifted towards us.
My head cocked to the side, picking out the muffled noises. I held up three fingers, then four. He paused, eyes unfocused before he held up four fingers.
I held up another two, eyes darting to the left. He nodded, tipping his head to the right.
With no words, we each slunk off in our directions to either side of the clearing.
Bushes and fallen trees crowded the space, moss covering the damp, rotting bark of felled logs. They were already shifted, four scrappy looking wolves lounging in the undergrowth, completely unaware that we were there.
I could hear the faint pad of Dax's footfalls, the sound familiar after our hours together. I heard it change from two to four and followed his lead, shifting to my wolf and crouching down further.
At home, I was a ghost in the snow; here, my stark white coat made me a beacon
I kicked off with my back foot and pounced, knowing Dax would catch the noise and follow as I burst through the trees and onto an unsuspecting rogue.
The first one went down easily, barely any time to react as my teeth tore across its face and dug into its neck with a vicious rip. I shook my head, the blood splashing across my pale coat.
Another went down with a strangled howl — Dax's midnight wolf already crouched and poised to attack again, his growl rumbling through the trees.
The wolf leapt at me, his mangy grey paws trying to knock me over when I met him in the air. We wrestled, our jaws snapping and teeth gnashing as we worked to push the other off balance.
I jumped again, claws still tangled with his but the move was enough to knock him.
He fell back, belly exposed. I landed on top and lunged.
There was no time to contemplate mercy. The bite was surgical, severing the artery in his neck and ripping his windpipe.
I looked to Dax, his teeth dripping in a fierce growl as he pinned the last rogue to the ground. The wolf whimpered, turning his head in submission and baring his neck.
Dax looked to me, my wolf singing at the warmth in his wolfish gaze. This was the wolf who had played with her, the one who had accepted her.
The movement was a flash, the tilt of the head imperceptible but my instincts were honed on Dax.
My wolf moved before my mind had caught up. Claws reached out in a desperate stretch.
The rogue snapped, teeth aimed for the jugular when he went limp.
My claws found his neck.
Blood sprayed Dax's face and he took a step back, watching the life drain from the almost prisoner.
My heart raced, fear gripping my chest as I panted. Terror struck like lightning — paralyzing and electric all at once.
Terror of him getting hurt. Terror of losing him.
His wolf stepped towards mine and I knew he wasn't in control, just moving purely on instincts as he nuzzled against me.
I didn't care, or maybe my wolf didn't care. Everything was jumbled and messy, but I revelled in the heat that spread through me.
And then, just like a bolt of lightning, it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
The distance was feet but it felt like miles, each of us looking anywhere but at the other as we ran back the way we came, sticking to our own trail to keep things neat and easy to follow if we needed to return.
Dax disappeared as we reached the clearing and I let myself relax into the shift, pulling on the clothes I'd carried in my mouth.
The silence was gentle as we found each other again, a subtle awkwardness thrumming under the surface.
"I'll draft a report. You'll need to sign it too," Dax said, breaking the tension that buzzed between us.
"Hopefully it can give others something to look out for," I agreed, keeping my eyes on the trees ahead.
The Council house came into view, the pack grounds abuzz with activity in the warm afternoon sun.
"Don't hoard the kills next time," he muttered, gracing me with a glance that almost looked appreciative.
"Don't leave your neck open next time," I quipped back, ready to feel the icy sting prick the back of my neck.
The feeling didn't come.
Instead, I found myself fighting a smile as we nodded and went our separate ways.
I was here to do a job, to prove myself to the Council, to fight for a place for my people - even if every part of my wolf still ached to fight for him.
I love getting to write these little interactions between the two of them. They're both so desperate to but they can't stay away.
What do we think? Do we like the two of them working together?