Page 61 of The Witch's Shifter
Because she hurt my mate, harmed her in such a way as to send her running into the darkness alone, crying. Evelyn Silvermoon has no idea how close she came to visiting the Otherside this night.
I think of this as I move through the darkness, my paws whispering through fallen leaves and dense undergrowth. On my back, Aurora is soft and warm. Her fingers are twined tightly into my fur, and the constant pressure grounds me, helps keep me from giving myself entirely to the wolf. I don’t want to givefully into my instincts; instead, I need to be here with her, to comfort her, to keep her safe.
At first, she’s wobbly upon my back, but the deeper I move into the trees, the more balanced she becomes, until I can pick up my pace from a slow walk into an easy lope.
And this makes her stop crying.
I hear her gentle intake of breath as we first start gliding through the trees, and then she actuallylaughs. And though a part of me still wants to return to the square and finish with Evelyn what I started, most of me relaxes at the sound, at the fact that Aurora’s tears are no longer falling from her cheeks and pattering against my fur.
And for a moment, everything feels right.
The smells of the human village fade away until the only scents in my nose are those of pine, decaying earth, and Aurora. She smells of life and sunlight, and as the tears on her cheeks dry, she even smells like joy.
How I adore this small green witch, with her affinity for broken creatures and her laugh like a river over smooth mountain stones. For the first time, I realize that perhaps she and her hesitance to fully accept our mate bond has not been the only problem between us—I’ve been just as resistant, keeping my distance, refusing to get along with those she loves. Perhaps that’s where true cowardice lies—in not being true to yourself, true to your heart.
Right now, all my heart yearns for is her. Wherever she goes, I wish to be beside her.
I think I’m ready to finally admit that, both to myself and to her.
Empowered, I pick up my speed, and Aurora lets out a little yelp of surprise. I coil my muscles and adjust my gait to keep her seated firmly atop me; whatever happens, I won’t let her fall. I’ll never let her fall.
We sprint through the darkness, accompanied only by the breeze through the pines and the silver moonlight shining through patches in the branches overhead. Aurora doesn’t speak a word, doesn’t ask where we’re going or tell me to turn around. I think she wants to get lost and to let the wilderness devour her. To be nameless, to know only the feeling of the earth beneath her toes and the wind through her hair.
And I know just how that feels.
I find myself on a familiar path, the one I took when I first fled the little yellow cottage, and despite the weeks that have passed since then, I can still detect my scent clinging to plants and mossy boulders. Back then, I was wounded, bleeding as I ran, but now I feel strong, maybe even stronger than I ever have. Because I have my mate, the other part of my soul. And with her, I’m finally whole.
Far overhead, there’s a distant rumble.
I thought I smelled rain while dancing with Aurora, but the scents of the human foods were so disorienting, I could scarcely focus on it. Now, though, as I lift my snout and sniff the air, I know for certain a storm is moving in.
We continue through the woods, and I only slow when I reach the rocky decline into the river valley. Aurora shifts her weight back a bit, still holding firmly to the thick fur on the back of my neck. Rocks skitter and tumble down the steep hill, but I’m careful to keep my balance. My paws touch the earth at the bottom of the descent just as the first raindrops start to fall. The drops are large and make Aurora gasp as they start to fall upon her.
Good thing we’re close now. I can’t have Aurora getting soaked in the rain. It wouldn’t be good for her... or her little one.
Loping again, I cover ground quickly, and I get Aurora into the safety of the cave before the sky truly releases its onslaught.Inside, it smells of earth and minerals, and I can hear Aurora’s heavy breathing echoing off the cave walls. She’s shaking a bit, I believe from adrenaline. I lower myself, making it easy for her to slip off my back and settle her feet upon the dirt and stone. Her fingers remain twined into my fur as she gets her bearings.
“What...” She lifts her green eyes from mine to cast her gaze about the cave. “What is this place?”
After ensuring she’s steady on her feet, I pull away from her gently. I need space between us to ensure she doesn’t get hurt as I shift back into my human form.
Her eyes follow me through the deepening dark, and I turn my back on her, then begin the transformation. I know how it looks, especially to an outsider: violent, chaotic, even terrifying at times.
The pain is familiar to me now—I’ve been shifting since I was a boy. It sweeps over me, and I give myself to the magic tingling in my veins.
As I come back into my human body, the first thing I notice is the cold. Covered in fur, I couldn’t feel it. But now my naked skin prickles with it, and Aurora is already wrapping her arms around herself, the excitement-fueled trembling turning into shivering.
This won’t do.
“Here, sit,” I tell her, guiding her back against the cave wall. “I’ll be back.”
“But, wh-where are you going?”
“To get wood,” I say as I step toward the mouth of the cave. The rain is still falling slowly, gathering its strength. There should be enough dry kindling for me to get a fire going.
Before stepping from the cave, I shoot a look at her over my shoulder. She’s seated now, knees pulled into her chest, arms hugging her legs tight. She looks so small, so breakable. And it sends a rush of heat through my blood, the desire andneedtoprotect her burning so strong that without another moment’s hesitation, I sprint out into the rain.
By the time I return and get a fire going in the center of the deep cave, the rain is falling with full force. Thunder growls overhead, and every so often, a bolt of lightning illuminates the mouth of the cave. It’s just like the last time I was here, with the knight.
