For the first time since he stepped into the woods, he smelled the river several miles away from them. His enhanced senses are returning, and his eyes have becomeclearer too.

"It will. Just slower and more painful than usual." He replied at last in a calm voice, and rose from the ground. None of the excruciating pain shooting all over his body through his leg, which was heard in his voice.

"Oh?" She rose with him, picking up her torn panties from the ground and putting it into the pocket of her dress. Facing him, she bit her lips, "Then, we will...uhh we will...again?"

"Yes," he replied, sparing her the difficulty. "But first, I have to go over to the Meeting Hall because the council has gathered and I have to stop by to see Nalaila," pain flashed in his eyes, "It's been two weeks, she must have... felt my absence."

Ismena wanted so hard to reassure him that his sister never went on a screaming spew or self-destructive tantrum rampage when he was gone, but she bit her lips hard to swallow those words. No, she can't tell him. He can't know that she has been visiting and spending time with Nalaila.

"But afterward," he continued, blinking the pain away, "You are mine for the entire night."

A shiver went down her spine at the promise those words carried. Just the thought of it has her body humming for him. God, she has it so bad for him.

"I can smell you now, you know. For the love of all creatures, how you mess with my head." He cussed, inhaling sharply.

Her cheeks colored. She cleared her throat and stepped back from him. "That damned nose..."

A smile feathered his lips again. He covered the distance between them, lowered his mouth to her ears, and whispered, "Did you remember the promise I made to you before I left, two weeks ago?"

Impossibly, her cheeks turned redder. Of course, she remembered. She never thought he would too.

"I told you that after I come back from the human world, you will lose three things before I've had my full of you enough to let you go."He whispered to her ear seductively, making a play of removing the grasses that stuck to her hair.

"Your voice, consciousness, and your ability to walk." He continued, "That was right after I told you that I will eat your pussy so damn hard you will scream for me until you lose your voice. And I won't stop until I've drunk all your essence and wrung you dry."

A moan slid from her lips. She went more liquid inside her, her heart thudded in her chest, and her belly did a somersault. Oh, God, the image he just planted in her head!

"You want it too. Apart from your scent, I can see it in your eyes." He mumbled, his eyes searching hers.

Ismena buried her face in his chest embarrassingly and nodded her head.

"Words, Ismena." He drawled, reveling in her shyness and embarrassment. He found out that he loves embarrassing her with dirty words and obscenities, and he has plans to do more in the future. "I need words, baby."

"Y-Yes, I r-remember. And yes, I want i-it too." She murmured, her head reeling.

He called her 'baby' for the first time. That wasnothelping her situation at all. Her insides are a mess for this man.

His hand went under her chin and he raised it, so he can look into her shy brown eyes. "Good. I plan to see those words through. Each and every last one of them. Tonight. All night."

She shivered, "But, you're injured."

"Exactly. I have a lot of recovery to do." His lips twitched.

"I hope you'll allow me a little bit of sleep in between." She mumbled.

"No, no sleep." His head went closer to her ear, "So, you try to get some before I come back to that bedroom."

An hour later, Wolfaraine could hear the murmurs and noises coming from the Meeting Hall. As he entered the court, that all seized.

Silence filled the air, so thick it can almost be smelled. As he walked to take his position at the head of the table, he glanced around and noted the faces of his council. They were filled with worry, tension, and concern for him.

All of them rose from their chairs and paid their respect to their Alpha King with a bow of their heads.

He acknowledged with a bow of his before he lowered himself on his throne-like chair. As usual, they waited for him to settle down before they all took their own seats.

Alpha Alphose and Alpha Degar shared a look of relief between them. Noting the visible difference between the male that returned to Naturiah almost three hours ago and the male who's here with them now.

His color has improved, he has a lesser limp when he walked into court and he looked stronger too.