Chapter Five
Dustin
A Titan’s Touch
He came.
Dustin had been lying in the middle of that field alone, frightened, and drowning in what felt like quicksand before Notalus appeared over him dressed like a knight from the medieval era.
He was hefted into strong arms as if he weighed less than a pup.
Arms that felt as solid and sturdy as oak branches.
Then after which, he was airborne, coasting over the pack lands so effortlessly, tucked so tightly against Notalus’ hard chest that he didn’t fear.
Being out of the storm and lying on his couch in his cabin made things slightly better and the pain a bit less crippling.
Now all Dustin had to worry about was any permanent damage.
Although he was a shifter, he was still capable of being hurt and even permanently disfigured.
His wolf was more active now, and Dustin thought of shifting to heal faster, but if he had any broken bones, especially in his back, then his animal could possibly do more harm than good.
However, it was hard for Dustin to make a coherent decision when he had a titan in his home standing almost as tall as his ceiling.
A lord who’d heard him faintly whisper his name…
and he’d appeared. Dustin couldn’t resist staring like an idiot, his breathing escalating as his dream was coming true right before him.
He took a deep breath, his heart trying to burst through his rib cage to get closer to Notalus.
His wolf was fully alert now, howling and clawing to feel more of the titan’s magnetic energy as they stared unblinking at each other.
By the mother, he is something splendid.
Notalus appeared to be in his early to mid-forties, but the lines of hard-earned wisdom etched on his face, and the way he spoke told the truth of his vast years.
He dressed like he was from another world in his pine-green, knee-length tunic with what Dustin assumed was his lord’s crest of autumn leaves and representation of harvest etched on the front, with a thick black belt cinched around his waist. Dustin tried not to lick his lips at the brass shoulder guards and the heavy bronze gauntlets covering Notalus’ forearms. All that was needed to complete the look was the heavy robe that dragged the earth behind him, but it was still resting over his own body like a protective cloak.
Dustin’s cock gave a slight twitch, but the ache all over him kept him from full hardness. Mmmm, he moaned deep inside. He wondered if Notalus could hear his thoughts since he had no idea of the extent of his abilities. My gods, I hope he can’t.
Notalus was looking him dead in his eyes, and Dustin—and his wolf—refused to lower their glare. His animal should’ve felt challenged and ready to defend himself, but instead, he was calm and more than intrigued.
Dustin wondered what that look in Notalus eyes meant; what did he say when he watched him like that?
More importantly, he thought about what it meant that this very important man had come to him with only a single breath uttered.
Dustin’s pulse raced. How long would Notalus stay this time? Mere hours like before… or longer.
Notalus inched closer, his lush green gaze boring clear through to Dustin’s spirit. “Why do you gaze upon me like this?”
The seriousness of Notalus’ question sent a shiver down his spine. His voice was silky, rich, and so damn powerful that he couldn’t respond right away. Instead, he attempted to sit up, but the searing hot pain that shot down his lower half had him lying back flat on the couch.
“By gods, where are your aids?” Notalus grated out, his voice still calm but with an edge of anger to it as he glared out the front window. “Your healers are slow. What is taking them so long?”
Dustin chuckled. “If anyone from the pack is injured, then they will be tended to first. Not to mention I’m quite a ways away from the main pack homes. It’ll take them some time.”
Notalus scowled. “That is unacceptable. You almost died out there protecting their food source.”
“Notalus, please calm down. I’m okay,” Dustin tried to assure him, although he wasn’t one hundred percent sure himself. He just didn’t want the titan to get upset and leave.
“If we were in Fhomhair, you would be well by now. You’d be cared for like a god,” Notalus grumbled.
“What’d you say?” Dustin asked, unsure that he’d heard correctly, but he believed he had.
“It’s of no consequence.” Notalus waved his hand as he turned away, his thick, acorn-brown mane hanging beautifully down his back. “I’m just being surly. It is not easy for me to see you in such discomfort.”
“I’m fine, really. See…” Dustin stupidly tried to turn onto his side and ended up crying out in agony. He definitely had some cracked ribs back there. “Uggh, fuck!”
Notalus rushed to his side on a gust of air that literally pushed him toward Dustin as he dropped down to his knees and placed his hand over his chest. “Easy,” he rumbled. “Do not aggravate your injuries.”
Dustin had a hard time breathing as Notalus’ amazing scent washed over him. He was so close to him but not close enough. Dustin closed his eyes, wishing he could bathe in that fragrance of freshly turned earth and ripe apples as Notalus leaned over him.
“Did you really hear me when I whispered your name?” Dustin finally asked. It was a dumb question, but he had to understand how Notalus had heard him.
Notalus went still, his glare so intense with his close proximity that Dustin was momentarily paralyzed. “I did. As clearly as my own breath.”
“You remembered me.” Dustin gazed into eyes that reminded him of the lily pads that covered the creek behind the house where he’d grown up.
“You are not so easy to forget, Dustin Constus Hill,” Notalus whispered, his eyes smoldering.
Dustin was still as the clarity began to settle over him.
Notalus appeared relaxed, but there was a faint quiver in his voice when he’d said Dustin’s middle name.
A name no one ever used. A name he didn’t think anyone ever remembered.
Dustin opened his mouth, but his words were interrupted by a hard knock on the door before his farmhands and two of their healers came inside.
The women were older; one was an elderly shaman wolf, and the other was a vampire from the king’s legion.
They were wary of Notalus as they waited for him to remove the protective robe from Dustin’s body and step away from his side before they could look him over.
Dustin kept his eyes on Notalus in fear he’d slip out the door and into the sky again while he was distracted.
But he didn’t leave—matter of fact, the titan was ever vigilant as Ms. Zhang and Lenora felt around his chest and torso, pressing and prodding, noting Dustin’s grunts that he tried his best to hold in but failed.
“I hate to tell you, but you have three or four cracked ribs back there.”
“Shit,” Dustin muttered. He didn’t have time for this.
“I believe they’re clean enough that your wolf will be able to heal them in proper alignment. Unfortunately, you’ll have to deal with some pain for a few days, but you’ll live.” Ms. Zhang smiled and patted Dustin’s cheek. “But I’d say a shower is what you need most right now.”
Dustin was relieved at his diagnosis, enough so that he could do a half laugh, half grimace at her joke.
“Or I can give you a bite to heal you faster. My venom will mend you in no time.” Lenora gave him a lewd, toothy grin that made Dustin cringe.
He didn’t judge his alphas or any other pack members for falling for a vampire, but it just wasn’t his taste.
He preferred big, strapping men that could handle what he had to give.
“I don’t have any broken ribs, but if Dustin doesn’t want your venom, I’ll gladly accept on his behalf.” Jerry winked.
Before Dustin could politely decline Lenora’s offer, Notalus was there to answer for him.
“That will not be necessary,” he ordered in a tone that sent them all inching toward the safety of the door.
A gust of wind came from nowhere and shoved Dustin’s pack members outside so hard that they lost their footing and rolled backward several feet until they were clear of the porch.
Notalus then glared at the ladies. “You may leave now as well.”
“Notalus.” Dustin sighed when the titan used his breath to slam the door behind them. “They were just trying to help. And Lenora meant no harm—she flirts with all of the unmated shifters.”
Notalus made an uninterested sound. “I thought a pack was supposed to work together in unison. Those pack members left you in the fields on your own to fight against an element that overtook you… and no one came when you were hurt.”
“You did.”
After a long while, Notalus answered with a subtle whisper that brushed across his lips like a kiss. “If you call… I will always answer.”