15. Goldie
FIFTEEN
I spottedFenris hurtling through the air and dashed behind a nearby boulder to reach him, hidden from the ongoing skirmish. As soon as he spotted me, he pulled me close, kissed me fiercely and cradled my face in his hands. I heard the Huntress calling out for him, her voice muffled behind the boulder.
”Are you alright?” I asked, my heart pounding in my chest as I took in his injured form.
Fenris winced, but his eyes held determination. ”I will be. But right now, we need to talk.”
I nodded, my mind racing with worry and confusion. ”What”s happening? What does it mean if you bite me?”
He took a deep breath, his gaze never leaving mine. ”Goldie, if I bite you, it means we”ll be mated. It means you”ll be mine, and I”ll be yours. But it also means you”ll be safe from the Huntress, from anyone who tries to harm you.”
My heart skipped a beat at his words. ”But what about you? What happens to you?”
Fenris”s expression softened, a mixture of protectiveness and longing in his eyes. ”For me, it means I”ll have found my mate, the one person I”ve been searching for all these years. It means I”ll finally have someone to share my life with, to love and protect.”
I reached out and gently touched his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips. ”Fenris, I... I don”t know what to say.” I looked Fenris straight in the eye, my heart pounding with urgency. ”Tell me the whole of it,” I demanded, my voice steady despite the fear swirling inside me. ”What happens if you bite me? Tell me the full truth.”
Fenris hesitated, his eyes searching mine for a moment before he responded, his voice low and serious. ”When a werewolf bites a human, it doesn”t turn them into a werewolf,” he explained, his tone gentle yet firm. ”But it does have other effects. You”ll gain strength, heightened senses, and a longer lifespan. But it”s not something to take lightly.”
I listened intently, absorbing his words as my mind races with questions. ”And what about us? If we mate?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Fenris met my gaze, his expression serious yet filled with emotion. ”If we mate, it binds us together in a deeper way,” he explained, his voice softening. ”But it won”t change who you are. You”ll still be you, just with a stronger connection to me.”
I took a deep breath, trying to process everything he had told me. ”So,” I said, my voice shaky but determined. ”If it means keeping us safe, then bite me.”
Fenris”s eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded, understanding the gravity of my decision. ”Are you sure?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
I met his gaze with unwavering resolve. ”I”m sure,” I replied, my voice steady despite the fear coursing through me. ”Bite me.”
Fenris looked at me, his expression conflicted. ”Goldie, this isn”t something to rush into,” he said, his voice tinged with concern. ”Once it”s done, there”s no going back.”
I met his gaze with determination, trying to convey my sincerity. ”I understand,” I assured him, my voice firm. ”But I trust you, Fenris. And if it means keeping us safe, then I”m willing to take that risk.”
Fenris studied me for a long moment, his gaze searching mine for any hint of doubt. Finally, he nodded, a mixture of relief and reluctance in his eyes. ”Alright,” he said softly. ”But promise me, no matter what happens, you”ll stay strong.”
I nodded, feeling a surge of anxiety course through me. ”I promise,” I replied, my voice steady despite the nerves fluttering in my stomach. ”Now, just bite me already.”
As Fenris”s teeth sank into my skin, I felt an electric jolt shoot through my body, followed by a wave of indescribable pleasure. It”s like nothing I”d ever experienced before, a mixture of pain and ecstasy that left me breathless and trembling in his arms. I felt the bond forming between us, like a thread weaving its way through our souls, connecting us in ways I never thought possible. It was overwhelming, almost too much to bear, but at the same time, it filled me with a sense of completeness I”ve never known.
As Fenris pulled away, I found myself gasping for breath, my heart pounding in my chest. But despite the intensity of the moment, there was a sense of peace that settled over me, knowing that I”m exactly where I”m meant to be. ”Fenris,” I whispered, my voice barely a breath as I looked up at him, ”we”re... we”re really mates, aren”t we?”
He nodded, his eyes shining with emotion as he pulled me close, and held me tightly against him. ”Yes, Goldie,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion. ”We”re mates. Fated to be together for eternity.”
I rested my head against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my ear. It was a comforting sound, a reminder that I was not alone, that I had him by my side.
But our moment of peace is short-lived as we heard Red-Scarlett”s voice calling out from the chaos of the battle. Fenris”s grip tightened around me, his protective instincts kicking into overdrive. ”We need to go,” he said, his voice urgent as he looked around for an escape route. ”Now.”
“Too late,” the Huntress said, rounding the boulder in one swift flash of red cape.
But then Red-Scarlett”s eyes narrowed as she advanced toward us, her lips pulled back in a snarl. As she got closer, her expression changed, confusion flickering across her features. She sniffed the air, her nose crinkling in disbelief. ”What... what have you done?” she demanded, her voice a mixture of shock and realization.
Fenris stood protectively in front of me, his stance firm and unwavering. ”I”ve claimed her,” he said, his voice low and authoritative.
Red-Scarlett”s gaze flickered to the fading puncture marks on my neck, her eyes widening in recognition. Suddenly, her hostility melted away, replaced by something akin to relief. She took a step back, her shoulders slumping as if a weight had been lifted from them. ”You”ve claimed her,” she repeated, her tone softer now, almost disbelieving. ”You”ve found your mate.”
Fenris nodded, his expression serious. ”Yes,” he confirmed. ”She”s mine.”
For a moment, there was silence between us, the tension in the air dissipating like mist in the morning sun.
Red-Scarlett looked between us, her gaze lingering on our intertwined hands. ”I”m sorry,” she said finally, her voice laced with regret. ”I truly had no idea.” Exhaustion seemed to weigh heavily on Red-Scarlett as she leaned against the boulder, her shoulders sagging with weariness. She let out a heavy sigh, her voice tinged with bitterness. ”I really need to retire,” she muttered, more to herself than to us. ”I hate this job.”
Her words hung in the air, filled with a weariness that spoke volumes about the burden she carried. I couldn”t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her, despite everything that had transpired between us.
”The Council of Others...” she continued, her voice trailing off as if she didn”t have the energy to finish her thought. ”They”re so petty, so impossible anymore.” She cast a weary gaze in our direction, her eyes piercing even in their exhaustion. ”Do you have need of a mercenary?” she inquired, her tone tinged with laughter.
“I said stay away from Grandma’s cookies!”
With a sharp intake of breath, Red-Scarlott turned her attention back to the ongoing skirmish between the pirates and the thugs continuing beyond the boulder. ”Time to play,” she declared, dark humor flashing in her eyes as she left to join the fray.