Nydewin

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 

“Amelia my dear.” Taril grabbed each side of my face and kissed me full on the lips, before pulling away “You are just full of surprises.”

Before I could say anything, Taril was already preparing dinner, while Benita and Sachi worked on starting a fire. I looked around for Cormac but there was no sign of him.

I decided while everyone was busy, that I would go for a walk around the weeping willows. There was something about the energy that radiated from the tress, it made me want to dance and sing.

I let myself relax, so the energies from the weeping willows, could flow through me. I felt myself starting to spin through the weeping branches as they moved with the wind. Their soft touches sending electric energy over my skin. Then all at once it stopped. I opened my eyes to find that I was only inches away from Cormac.

His long black hair hung in wet curls, framing his blue eyes, that shown so brightly.

“Cormac.” His name was just a whisper

I was then greeted with toothy smile.

“You dance beautifully.” He said

I felt cheeks redden “Thank you.” I said, unable to look away from the shifter’s eyes.

Cormac lend in further I could feel his warm breath on my neck now, “I have a surprise for you.” He said before grabbing my hand.

His skin was so hot, so soft, I felt my body shiver in response. I followed Cormac through the curtain of willow branches. Wondering where he was taking me. It didn’t take long before we steeped into another clearing, much smaller than the first.

I stood on the edge of the clearing, marvelling at its beauty. A rocky spring shone from the middle of the clearing, with what I prayed was steam, raising from the clear water. A carpet of soft green grass surrounded the hot spring pool.

Cormac brought me out of my trance then “I thought you might need a bath,” I looked at the shifter “Your muscles must be aching by now.” He smiled at me

“Thank you.” I said

I walked over to the rocky edgy of the pool and dipped a toe in to find that the water was indeed warm. I undressed quickly, eager to soak in the steaming water. Once in the water I closed my eyes and relaxed into the deep hot water with a sigh, only then realising just how sore my body truly was. I opened my eyes at the sound of a somewhat muffled chuckle, to find Cormac sitting cross legged on the edge of the pool.

“What are you doing?” I asked feeling my cheeks flush bright red as I realised that I had just stripped naked in front of this man.

He gave me a cheeky, toothy smile, that seemed to reach his eyes. I felt my cheeks redden further.

“go away.” I said, frowning at the shifter

I watched as he stood, then turned to walk away. He only took a few steps, before turning back to look at me. A smile on his face that made my whole-body shiver in response.

“What is he up to?” I thought to myself, feeling a little worried

Cormac then started to strip, his shirt first. Exposing a very well-toned muscular torso. He then started to remove his pants.

“Stop!” I exclaimed

He looked at me, giving me a devilish grin “What?” he asked

“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked

“Well going for a bath.” He answered

Before I could utter another word, his pants were off. I turned away, feeling somewhat embarrassed by the events going on. I heard him chuckle to himself, as he entered the water.

“What’s the matter? Never bathed with a grown man before?” I heard the teasing in his voice

I turned to the shifter, intending to give him a piece of my mind. Instead I was stunned into silence. I was again, face to face staring into his blue eyes.

I stutter, my voice failing me.

Cormac’s rested two fingers on my lips, even as his blue eyes flashed and turned a deep dark blue. Everything in me wanted to lean further into his touch, my body was aching for more, but there was something hold me back. Something nagging at the back of my mind, that made me hesitant.

It was as I was trying to figure out what was nagging that Cormac lent in and started kissing me. I gave into the kiss, deepening it further. It was Cormac that pulled away, breathing heavily, I bit my own lip, aching for more. The feel of his lips on mine was so intoxicating, I breathed in through my noise, the air was filled with his scent.

I reached up on to my tip toes and started kissing him again. Even as I felt Cormac relax into the kiss, I felt as he moved his hands to rest on my hips.

Every muscle in my body wanted more. I wanted to give into aching attraction that had seemed to be grow more intense every moment we were with each other.

It was my turn to pull away this time.

 “I’m sorry.” I whispered trying to catch my breath. I hand to look away from his dark blue eyes. “I can’t.” I was bitting my lip now, trying to find the right words.

I felt Cormac’s body stiffened. I looked up to see him looking at me cold, and emotionless.

He gave me a nod before saying “I understand.”

Before another word was spoken, Cormac was out of the water and dressing.

He walked to the weeping curtain, that we had entered through and stopped, without looking at me he said, “Don’t take too long, food will be ready soon.”

“What is wrong with me.” I thought to myself

“Nothing is wrong with you,” the voice soft and gentle “We are rather impressed that the both of you had the self-control to stop.”

“who’s there?” I asked looking around the clearing.

I watched as a pair of deer emerged from the branches and into the clearing. The largest of the two a young buck nodded his head towards his female companion.

“This be Cassie my mate.” The young doe bowed her head to me “I am Lucas.” He then bowed his own head to me

“Nice to meet you, I am Amelia.”

 I went to step out of the rock pool and stopped, looking at the two deer.

“you are not shifters, are you?” I asked

“No,” the buck laughed

I nodded at the deer, before I preceded to get out and dress. I found that my once rain-soaked cloths were now, warm and dry. I smiled up at the willow and sent my thanks. It wasn’t until I was fully dressed that I remembered the comment the buck had given earlier.

I turned and looked at the two deer that were grazing on the lush green grass.

“What did you mean earlier?” I asked deciding to sit on the grass in front of the beautiful creatures.

The buck looked at me before sniffing the air around me “You are coming into heat dear. It is rare for young shifters, such as yourselves to have that much self-control.” The buck continued oblivious to me own dismay “It will obviously get harder for the both of you, the closer you come into heat. It will become even harder for your companion to control his urgers the closer you get to the pack.” There was a hint of humour in the buck’s voice

I shook my head at the buck “But I can’t be.”

The buck gave what I thought was a mental equivalent of a shrug “I can scent it on you. Surely you have been in heat before.”

 I felt my cheeks blush with embarrassment. “I only shifted for the first time this past week.” I explained

Realisation showed in the buck’s eyes and mind. “my apologies princess.” The buck bowed lower.

I smiled at the buck’s reaction “No need to apologise,” I laid a hand on the buck’s for head on impulse.

I felt as a wave of energy, shot from my hand, through the buck’s body, coming to rest at his rump.

“you are hurt” I said, standing to look at the buck’s injury

The buck’s body stiffened at I ran a hand over a wound not much bigger than my smallest finger.

“does it hurt?” I asked

“Yes.” the buck answered with a moan.

After examining the gash further, I discovered that Luca’s wound not only looked slightly infected but also, had something still imbedded in it.

I pat the buck’s rump “You still have something in the wound, if I don’t get it out then the wound will not heal.”

Luca’s mate Cassie came over “you can save him?” she asked

I nodded to the Doe. Who then walked over to push her noise into her mates’ neck.

“Do it.” The Doe replied

Without another thought, I used the same healing powers I had used on the hippogriff to pull what I discovered was a spear tip out of the buck’s rump, then closed the wound.

“All done.” I said backing away from the two deer

“Thank you, child” The buck said touching his forehead to my own.

 Just then the sound of a snapping branch, coming from behind the weeping branches. The two deer bounded off in the opposite direction.

I turned to find Taril, gapping at the empty space where the two deer had been standing.

“What is it?” I asked the fairy

The fairy shook himself “Sorry, thought I’d come let you know that food is ready.”

“Okay,” I responded

I stood there waiting for the fairy to make the first move back to camp. I didn’t want to walk with the fairy.

Instead the fairy gestured for me to walk with him. Hesitantly I walked back to camp side by side with the fairy.

Once back at the camp, I scanned the opening to find that Cormac was sitting around the fire with Benita. I relaxed a bit, and felt the smile spread across my lips.

“Do you love him?” I jumped at these words, Taril’s voice was sharp and full of sadness

I looked up at the fairy, who was looking at me searchingly

“who?” I asked stupidly

The Fairy frowned angrily before gesturing to Cormac “The shifter.” He spat

I took a few steps away from the fairy. I could feel his anger, it felt like it might suffocate me.

“Don’t be silly Taril, I don’t even know him.” I responded, smiling at the fairy, hoping he wouldn’t see through the lie.

He didn’t however, he sniffed in my direction, and hisses at me “I can smell him on you.”

The wolf was starting to get angry again. I could feel the urge to growl at the fairy growing stronger.

“I don’t think it is any of your business.” I said through clenched teeth

I intended to walk away, before the fairy could respond, but I hadn’t taken more than a couple of steps, before he grabbed my wrist tightly, and pulled. Pulling me into him hard enough to leave me winded.

The fairy smiled at me, showing his sharpened teeth. “He will never be able to have you, even if you wanted him.” The fairy started to lean in, I thought he might try and kiss me again, instead he ran his tongue up the length of my neck.

When I tried to slap the fairy with my free hand, he just grabbed it inches from his face and laughed “He can’t have you Amelia and you can’t have him, you are already promised to another.”

“Like hell!” I yelled, head butt the fairy in the noise.

Once my hands were free, I started running. I didn’t know where I was running, I just needed to get away. I felt the hot pain, starting to build, instead of fighting the shift, I welcomed the pain and was rewarded with a quick shift.

I felt my paws hit the muddy forest floor and without hesitation, I started running as fast as I could. Taril’s words, were confusing, even more confusing than his strange behaviour. What had gotten into to him and what did he mean? That I was already promised? How could that be?

It wasn’t until I was starting to slow and feel tired that I realised that it was dark. I slowed to a walk. Determined not to go back, how could I? I let out a howl of frustration, only to be greeted by another howl. I stopped in my tracks, wondering where the howl had come from.

Another howl, I turned in the direction, intrigued about who the howl belonged to. I continued to howl to the other wolf, trying to find its owner. The closer I got, the more excited my inner wolf got, she wanted to play. The longer I stayed in this wolf form the calmer I got.

I was close enough to the other wolf now to catch their scent.

I recognised the intoxicating scent straight away. ‘Cormac.’ I could feel my inner wolf react with such longing for the other wolf, my heart ached.

I didn’t know what was happening to me. Everything in me wanted to be with Cormac, to feel his hands to taste his lips. But there was still that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that was stopping me from, giving in.