Fated to the Huntress

Chapter 8: Meeting Part 2

Vera had never liked feeling trapped before, but the large arms that surrounded her, making it impossible for her to escape, enveloped her with every sense of comfort, safety, and being cherished that she had ever longed for in her life. She had no desire to escape from those arms, or to move her head away from the warm, slightly rough kisses that rained down on her lips. His lips were soft, but strong as they moved against her, forcing her to answer with her own hunger.

She couldn’t tell how long they had been kissing, but her lungs were burning for air and she thought she might drown before he pulled away, trailing his lips down her jaw and neck until he reached her collarbone. Here he started nipping and tugging at the skin, gently at first, but getting harder by the second until she was afraid he would break skin. She was still gasping for air, too much so to warn him to stop, not that she thought he would listen. He seemed entirely focused on her being in his grasp, he had started using his hands to explore her curves, kneading and grasping everywhere he reached as though creating a map of every inch.

Suddenly she felt a sharper pain in her neck, and knew he was completely biting her now.

“Stop!” Finally, her brain caught up with her body and she did her best to flinch away. Her call seemed to stop whatever craze he was in because he pulled away just as quickly, and took a step back. She noticed that his chest was heaving with his own panted breath. His silver eyes were wide as he stared at the spot he just bit.

“I’m so sorry! I got carried away, but…it’s not deep enough to be permanent.” He almost seemed disappointed with that, even though he looked at her sheepishly. The moment his skin left hers she felt lost without his touch and almost regretted calling out, but after a moment she came back to herself.

He may be handsome, with the most gorgeous eyes in the world, and a body she wanted to keep chained to her bed, but he was a Werewolf. He was dangerous. And she was alone with him, in the woods, and no one knew where she was. She couldn’t let her body's obvious attraction to him get her killed, and he had been going for her neck, after all!

“I’ve had worse.” He frowned at that, but said nothing. An awkwardness settled into the air as they met eyes again, this time just losing themselves in the colors and emotions swirling there, but not moving closer.

“I saw you at the village,” Vera started, wanting to know everything about him.

“Yes, I saw you, too. You’re hard to miss. Especially when taking down two rogues; very impressive, by the way,” He smiled and Vera almost lost it again when his eyes flashed with the fond memory. “We were worried we’d have to step in, but you were so fast!”

“We?”

“Calvin and I. We were alerted to the rogues and went to protect the village, but you and your fellow Hunter got there first.”

“So…you’re not a rogue, right?” She should have asked that sooner. As far as she knew, all rogues had ugly, yellow eyes, but his were anything but ugly.

He laughed before confirming that he was a pack wolf. Suddenly they both grew tense as they remembered at the same moment how different they were. “Do you-I mean…I know some Hunters will hunt anything, but…you?” His large eyes met hers expectantly, and she knew he was asking if she was a danger to his pack. One thing she did like about Werewolves was how loyal they were.

“My Lodge has been active with the Council since its beginning. We only hunt if it’s necessary, so mostly rogues and ferals.” He breathed a sigh before stepping close to her again, letting one hand drift up her arm, sending tingles to her spine everywhere he touched.

“You’re too beautiful to be doing such dangerous work.” He muttered when his hand reached her shoulder. He brought his large palm up to cup her cheek and she couldn’t help but lean into the warmth. His hand was rough but comforting as it almost took up half her face.

Vera blushed and couldn’t look away. In all her years, she had been called many things, but beautiful was never one of them. The Hunters respected her for her prowess, but nothing more. She was too strong-willed for the men to even try something with her, and she hadn’t found any she wanted more than passing comradeship with.

Darrin watched, mesmerized at the blush spreading over her cheeks, and wanted to know what she was thinking, but couldn’t find the words. Instead, he leaned forward for another kiss, this time slow and loving. Their lips melted together and he pressed her into his body as much as he could, wanting to feel every inch of her.

Shadow purred in his head, for the first time in a long time, completely at peace with what was happening. He had almost taken over and marked her a moment ago (and was a little upset at being stopped). Darrin had been so lost in his and Shadow’s lust mixed together that he didn’t even think about stopping until she called out, and then felt guilty that he had almost claimed her without permission. Luckily, the mark was still shallow enough it would disappear in a day or two, but her scent had changed to his, and for now that was enough.

He couldn’t have asked for a more perfect mate. She had been so strong when dealing with the rogues, but in his arms she was soft and giving. She met his passion with the same fire, but at this moment her kiss told him of a gentle, steady soul that would be his comfort any time. Her every movement as she had followed him was sure and graceful, fearless and confident in herself, but when she blushed she seemed so demure and innocent.

Just as Shadow started urging him to go back to finish the marking process, Darrin pulled back. Her asking if he was a rogue meant she didn’t know everything about Werewolves, and he wouldn’t take away her right to choose him, and to know what she was choosing. Although he decided he should hold off on telling her that she was meant to be his Luna and there was no way he would let her walk away from him. That might be overwhelming.

“As much as I want to continue, I think we should talk. About this.” He tightened his grip ever so gently to indicate his meaning. When her gorgeous blue eyes met his he could tell she was curious as well. Without letting her go, he nodded to let her know she could ask questions.

“You said, “I’m yours”…what does that mean?” She breathed.

“You are my mate. The other half of my soul. You can’t say you didn’t feel it, even if you didn’t recognize it, from the second we saw each other. I saw it in your eyes, and I can feel it now.” He pulled one of her tiny hands to cup his cheek and closed his eyes. “We are a perfect match and are meant to be together.”

Vera frowned, but didn’t pull away. “But…I’m human and you’re…” She trailed off. Soul mates to a Werewolf? She didn’t have anything against them, but that seemed like a stretch. They were basically different species! Surely there had been a misunderstanding. Sure, her mind was hazy while near him and everything in her wanted him close, but that could be because he was… “A God in human form”, she thought as her gaze met his solid chest. Suddenly she became very aware of his bare torso pressed against her own. In all the haziness she had forgotten that he was half naked and she was in the barest of clothing.

And now that her mind was starting to work again she noticed something hard pressing against her belly…

“I’ll admit I was surprised too. But I can’t deny how I feel, and how desperately I want you.” He cuddled his head into her neck. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you.” The last part was whispered against her skin, but she could barely hear a small break in the words, causing her heart to almost break at the thought he might be sad.

But the fact remained, they were very different. A relationship between a Supernatural and a human had never been attempted before, as far as she'd heard. Much less a Hunter and Supernatural. She was supposed to hunt his kind, not “What, move in and start a family?” She scoffed at the thought. She couldn’t bring him to the Lodge, even Markus wasn’t that progressive about living with them. And she couldn’t imagine living in a pack surrounded by the very beings she was trained to kill.

Finally, she was thinking clearly again. “No,” she said firmly. His head jerked up from it’s place on her shoulder and his eyes were wide as the moon. “It can’t work. This is wrong; there’s a mistake.” She couldn’t meet his eye again, but his jaw dropped like he’d just been slapped.

“Vera!” A sudden shout from the Lodge stopped him before he could say anything. Vera looked at him in a panic and pushed him away as much as she could. Not very much considering his size.

“You have to get out of here! If they see a wolf this close to the Lodge they’ll attack first and ask questions later.” She tried to push him again as she heard his loud growl and looked up to see his canines growing. He glared in the direction of the Lodge as another shout rang out (closer this time), but gripped her wrists, looking like he was deciding whether to run with her or attack the intruder. “Please, you have to go!”

He finally looked at her again. “This conversation is not over.” His voice was lower than ever and he drew out his words. “I will come back tomorrow night, and every night until you accept me. You are mine!” If she wasn’t so panicked she might have swooned at such confident words, but she could only give him another push and watch as he took off in the opposite direction, shifting as he ran.

Just as she stepped out of the tree line where she had entered, she was met by a very furious-looking Markus.

“Where the hell have you been!?”