FATED BOUND HEARTS

Two

Chapter Two

Lily was woken by chirping birds and the morning sun warming her skin inside the tent. She yawned, and observed the small but comfortable inside. Aiden was out, asleep on a bedroll by the small fire which had burned down to embers.

She stood up and made her way quietly to the door It was peaceful in the forest, with fresh air. While danger was around each corner, the beauty of the woods brought a momentary sense of tranquility. Lily walked few meters away from the camp.

Last night was a whirlwind of events. The physical struggle, Aiden's fierce willpower and the knowledge they were true mates overwhelmed her. No way Lily had imagined in one single night her life will change so dramatically.

There was soft rustle behind her as she walked, She spun around quickly, heart racing but nothing there except the trees and underbrush. Amelie inhaled slowly, attempted to dull down the anxiety she was feeling. It was most likely the wind or some kind of animal, but that feeling would not leave her alone.

Back at the camp, Lily found Aiden already awake and boiling water for a light breakfast. He glanced up and shot her a smile. “Good morning. I hope you slept well.”

She knew what she was doing to Lily, but instead of comfort or reassurance there were only attempts to make the hairdryer hotter again -- so that its siren song might fill up every dogged moment until it eclipsed everything else. “I did. What’s our plan for today?”

Aiden slid her a slice of bread and scrap of jerkys. “We need to be careful. Just making sure the peremiter is secure. We will consider after that what is our next move."

Lily grabbed the plate and sat on Teddy's side across him. — What are you hoping to discover?

Aiden chewed on a slice of bread, his brows furrowed. I have a hunch that there were more such rogue wolves around the area. It'd better just be scouting for us. “Chances are if we figure out how many there are and where they’re coming from we can defend.

Yes, Lily reasoned it was wise to be cautious. They ate fast, and they got up to go. Aiden gave her a small dagger in silent agreement, and she nodded. "Yet... it is only for escutcheon," he replied. 'You may have to use it if we run into any problems.

Aiden twitched his head, taking off into the camp. The forest was loud—birds chirping, leaves shaking and the sound of breaking sticks; Aiden stalked his way through like a seasoned hand, the senses that meant the difference between life and death prickling at attention.

Aiden explained some more about what was going on as they walked. Rogue wolves one is a faction that goes directly against my rule. They dont want the packs together, thats where they get their power.

Lily listened carefully. Ok. but why would they choose to target us of all people?

They think if they stop us, they can stay in power and keep us from coming together. They do not want the power of united packs Teach them rarely patrolling, They will wait for us.

It was also a long walk, but having Aiden there made Lily feel slightly better. He is full of wisdom and seemed to have all bases covered. She tagged along as he trekked by tree to tree, pausing every now and then at the edge of a stand or looking back for signs of trouble.

A few hours later, Aiden signaled to Lily that they were going to rest. He gestured toward several broken branches and tracks in the dirt. “This is fresh,” he said. «They passed around here not so long ago.

Lily crouches beside where the tracks had been, attempting to see how many of them there were and what their sizes may be. How many do you suppose there are?

Aiden looked down at the ground and studied them. Too long to answer, but there are almost certainly a few. We need to be cautious.”

They searched for another hour before following the trail. Lily was impressed with Aiden for his abilities to track. He seemed so calm and comfortable that she almost immediately relaxed, though the danger of their circumstances was in no way ameliorated.

They approached a small clearing and Aiden told Lily to keep low. So on they went, till at last they came to a bunch of wolves huddled together round a little fire. The wolves were growling, in a low and menacing tone. Lily could sense them brewing something in the tension of their body language.

Aiden turned to Lily and whispered, “These are the rogues I told you about. They plan their next tweets. That means back to camp and get our asses ready.

Her heart beat flew up a notch and lily nodded. They backtracked their way cautiously, hoping that the rouges had not spotted them. After they got to the camp, Aiden started planning. He punched out the perimeter in front of the tent and began stocking supplies for resistance.

By the time dusk began to fall, Aiden and Lily were sitting side by side around a now substantial fire. Aiden pursed his lips in grimace. ”There is no reason to be assured that we will manage tonight. They might come for us. We need to be ready.”

A wave of fear and determination filled Lily. If they attack what should we do?

Aiden refused glaring back at her “We’ll fight if we have to. However, we just needed to get through the night. We will sit down tomorrow if we can and just plan what the next steps are.

It was a quiet night, but Lily felt uneasy even so. She stayed right behind Aiden, sensing the gravity of what they were heading into. The hearth crackled, sending their shadows leaping.

The next few hours flew by and Lily became used to being around Aiden. Even with a feeling of terror, she felt enigmatically at home when he was near. He was her guardian and she knew that he would walk whatever path lay ahead with him.

When the very first light of dawn peaked over the horizon, Aiden let himself relax a little. The night had gone without a hitch. Lily let out the smallest of relieved sighs, almost feeling victorious. They made it through their night in the wild, and they were confident that whatever else awaited them would be handled.

The sun came up, a new day with many options. With every challenge that came their way, Aiden and Lily readied themselves to press on with renewed strength in the bonds they shared. But they were all prepared, because together their path was a little less dark.