Chapter 58
Wood colors my pawprints red in the snow it clings to my firr in thick, sticky thumps and makes my Eden is alive, and the aries chasing her are not.
statte like flesh and death, I don’t like it. tut my jaws taste lik
That’s what matters.
She’s curled to my me
hes shiven with every step thaTbk.
Will he make it through the night?
(body trembling en my back as i pad through the unfamiliar woods. Her hands are buried in my thick fur
I pray that she will Sucks that I don’t know where we are. Somewhere cold for sure. Somewhere where humans don’t live rean’t smell anything romote human here, and there’s no sign of life. Are we even in Sweden? The ground is blanketed in show. Heavy fakes keep falling I don’t think Eden
lies that we need to find shelter since she is a les, not a well. Does she even have a beastly form? Or is the more of a witch!
Doesn’t matter to me. I protect her regardless, but it she doesn’t have a beastly form, I have to do my best to keep her warm.
I keep on walking until, eventually, I find a river. The edges are frozen and glittering like crystals, but the water itself still flows I slow to a stop and lower myself so Eden can slide down.
She does, but not gracefully. She stumbles, her legs clearly stiff from riding me too long. I nudge her lightly with my nose, and she giggles.
It’s a tired, cracked pizzle. But still a giggle, so l see it as a victory,
Ishit te my human form, snow crunching under my bare feet. I’m still covered in blood from top to toe, but I don’t care since it doesn’t affect me. My skin hot from the adrenaline, and look down into the lake and…holy shit.
IS THAT MET
KEA LINEB
I LOOK LIKE A LINEBACKER!
“God” I blurt out in a shocked voice while staring at my reflection, I can’t stop looking and stretch my neck, and flex my bicep with a grin. “Would love to see Logan try to throw me into a prison cell now.”
Eden, standing by the river’s edge, turns to me with chattering tech. Chapped lips. Red hair frozen. She’s wrapped in the remains of a cloak we took from one of the fre hunters, but it’s too thin.
She stumbles forward and throws her arms around my waist, her little head not even coming upfo my upper abs. My heart nearly leaps out of my chest, but then I realize it’s not affection. Not that kind. She’s freezing
Iblink, then chuckle. “Cold!”
She looks uplating “o, I’m hugging your half–naked, bloody body because I’m so warm and comfortable.”
Haugh again, pulling her gently closer. “Okay, okay. Come here, Munchkin”
She doesn’t argue. Her lace burrows into my chest I hold her there, one hand stroking her wet, red hair. It’s strange, holding her like this. I’m not her mate. Thats Anel. But I’d burn the world for this little fox. Just to see her smile
She looks up at me again “You don’t look like the woll Logan tossed into that prison.”
I smirk. “That woll was broken. This one is dramatically, and she giggles. “This one’s better Bigger. Stronger
Hotter, too.”
My grin falters. “Wait, was that a compliment !”
She shrugs with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You’re still not Ariel, but you’re not hideous”
We both laugh. It feels good, even if it only lasts a moment.
Then she shivers again, more violently.
“fuck, we really need to find you shelter.”
532
“Don’t lie to me.” I mutter. “You’re half–frozen to death, and you’re not allowed to die. Not on my watch”
She chuckles. “Never thought I would see the day when my former bully turned into my caretaker
“Beta,” I correct her. “That’s what I am to you.”
I shift back into my large chocolate woll, letting my tiny Alpha climb up on my back, her fingers weaving into my fur. I take her weight easily, my muscles moving smooth and sure beneath the snow.
We walk for maybe thirty more minutes before I find an old wind shelter. Collapsed in places, the roof sagging. But it’ll do..
I shift back and shove open the entrance, inspecting it with a practiced eye. It’s narrow. Too small for a wolf my size, but it will do since Eden needs
warmth.
After everything is cleaned out. I’m back in wolf form and forcing myself inside the shelter until it is stuffed with woll All I can think of is those videos of when cats get inside a fishbowl, and it is 99 percent cat. That’s how I must look in this shelter.
Eden giggles “rou’re so silly.”
I chuff in return, and she climbs up to bury herself in my stomach fluft. The wind howls outside, but I’m quick to offer her my tail as a blanket. She thanks me and tries to get comfortable. My heart swells.
My tiny little Alpha.
I stretch my head to the opening and position it to block the wind completely from reaching her. Eden is covered in chocolate fur now. I feel her eshalo against my ribs
“Tomorrow,” she mumbles, “we need to find civilization.”
My agreement comes out as a huff, but Eden is already sleeping. Cutie. I watch her sleep. Strangely enough, I’m not tired at all. I think her fox feeds me power, and so I guard her all night. What sucks is that I can’t keep her sale from everything.
She whimpers in her dreams. Murmurs something.
Aariel’s name.
I don’t get jealous…
I just ache.
Because I love her.
And all I want is for her to stop crying in her sleep
Even if it’s not for me.
୦
Even If I’m just the wolf in the background, guarding her heart until it finds its way home.
I close my eyes. Let the snow fall,
Let tomorrow wait.
