Chapter 10

W ulfric licked his lips as a shiver ran down his spine. Their eyes locked, something primal stirring in the depths of his soul. He couldn't shake the feeling that this moment was bigger than both of them, that their fates were entwined in a way neither of them fully understood. Stubborn warrior Hunter that she was, she refused to surrender to it, not yet. He loved the challenge that hung in the air.

"Don't tempt me to take what's mine, bunny," he said softly.

Now completely a wolf, he circled her with a predatory grace, his eyes never leaving hers. Each step was a silent promise, a tantalizing mix of danger and desire. The air between them crackled with electricity, and for a heartbeat, he wondered if he would truly lose control—and if she wanted him to. The heavy lidded desire on her face said yes, and he licked his lips in anticipation.

She turned with every step he took, her face wary as she refused to turn her back on him. "I'm not yours, dickhead."

He chuckled. She was just so adorable with her little bunny ears and antlers. She looked so innocent, like the most delicious prey ready for him to take a bite of.

But her fierce expression and words were a delightful contradiction. She was a trained warrior. What would she do if he poked her? How would she react? Which of her natures would hold the lead? Rabbit, deer, or wolf?

He snapped his jaws near her heels, and she jumped as high as any deer. His heart raced with adrenaline and excitement, but her strong gaze faltered, a flash of vulnerability breaking through. It was enough to send a jolt through him, a reminder that beneath her tough exterior, she was still fragile, still afraid. His wolf growled in frustration, torn between the urge to protect and the desire to conquer and make her his.

She pointed a dagger at him. "Hey, watch it. Don't you dare bite me, Growler, or it'll be the last thing you do."

His mind flashed a warning, and he knew she spoke the truth. His heart pounded with the thrill of the hunt, the primal desire to claim what was his. But then a shadow of doubt flickered through his mind. The Elders typically performed a magical ceremony to turn someone into a Growler, but one bite could turn her into a Growler. Unlikely, but possible.

There were rumors of Growlers chasing someone in the woods, biting them, and then that person becoming a Growler. If he bit her and she was turned into a Growler, she might never forgive him, might never trust him again. The thought of losing her completely sobered him, quelling the fire that burned within.

He didn't want to chance it. Becoming a Growler wasn't a decision he wanted to make for her. It was always a choice, and some did turn the offer down, choosing death instead.

He backed up, some of his playfulness fading at the memories of his own turning. He sat on his haunches again and whined.

She frowned and stood straighter. "Don't you whine at me, wolfie. You're the one who nipped like some pup."

He chuckled. "I'm no pup. Want me to show you just how much of a man I am?"

Scarlet just rolled her eyes and snorted. "Hard to be a man in your shifted form."

"I'll show you hard."

Her lips twitched, and victory smelled so sweet. She wanted to smile!

Her lips pursed as she looked away, refusing to. "I can't have this conversation with a dog. You know what? You can stay like this. Dogs sleep outside with the other animals. I'll go inside like the civilized person I am. You can go to the barn, but stay away from my horse."

He growled. "I'm no dog."

She shrugged. "Whatever, wolfie. Do whatever, be whatever. Just leave me alone. Hells, you can run back to your tribe for all I care."

She sniffed and walked with head held high to the back door of the cottage. He grinned when she still didn't turn her back to him.

When she let the door softly close behind her, he paused to catch his breath. She had filled his nose with her scent as his eyes had feasted on her like a starving man.

It was overwhelming, but he wouldn't want to go back to before he knew she existed. His responsibilities to the pack had to be balanced with wooing his mate, though. Today, he was far from his tribe and could focus on her. So how could he convince her to take a chance on them?

He glanced up at the sunlight just barely peeking over the trees. Like always, being outside settled to his soul. Had it always been like this? When he'd been human, had he craved being outside? He frowned and sniffed around the clearing. He pushed away the pain of the empty hole in his mind that should've been his memories and instead focused on Scarlet.

He had pushed her, flirted with her, kissed her, played with her, and tested her responses to determine which method might be the best way to convince her. Nothing had worked.

He howled in frustration. He didn't know how to convince her to accept the mate bond, but he had to stay near her. The magic of fated mates would help increase their attraction to each other, and perhaps that would help. It had to.

But all the pent up energy that demanded he bend her over and fuck her senseless sent him into the woods instead. Perhaps distance would make the heart grow fonder. He tested his muscles and took it easy.

Just a slow loop in widening circles around the clearing. There were no other predators out and the forest didn't mess with him in this form. He was one with the forest, moving silently over the frozen ground with barely a crunch from each step of his paws.

After a few minutes slinking away from the cottage, lethargy overwhelmed him. He powered on for a few more minutes but eventually had to stop because of the growing dizziness. His vision spun, and his entire body screamed to go back to her.

Damn it, the druid was right. He breathed slowly as he turned around and walked straight back through the forest to the cottage. Each breath became easier and his mind cleared the closer he came to his mate.

This could work to his advantage, though. It would ensure she would stay close to him and wouldn't just ride to the dragon's camp tomorrow, leaving him to fend for himself.

She would have to go with him and help him reclaim his title, right? He snorted as the cottage came in sight.

He didn't know her very well yet, but one thing was certain. If he told her she had to, she would dig in her heels and refuse.

He paused on the edge of the clearing and licked his aching paw. He could feel the sun setting, even though the trees blocked the sight. The wound was getting better, but he'd probably pushed himself too hard too fast today.

It couldn't be helped though, if he wanted to reclaim his position before the full moon. He had to get into his best fighting form, which meant a quicker recovery.

Mating would help. He stared up at the soft light in the upstairs window and sighed. If nothing he'd done had convinced her, then he had to let it be her idea.

Hm, yes, that was exactly what she needed. She needed to be in control. For the moment, at least, until she began to trust him.

The wind whispered to him as he thought of their future. She would eventually surrender to him, and it would be worth the wait.

He could flirt with her. She seemed to enjoy the verbal sparring, if her change of breathing and smell of desire were any sign.

With that decided, he let the coldness of the shift wash over him. The crunch of bones echoed in the clearing. He sent a silent prayer up to the gods that she would accept the mate bond before they both wound up dead.

Then he turned to the back door on two feet. He picked up the blanket where it'd dropped earlier and walked inside.

She wasn't downstairs by the fire, but he stopped to warm himself. His human form was more susceptible to the elements.

Sounds from upstairs eventually drew him through the cottage. He wanted to be near her, smell her, talk with her. Fuck, he wanted to taste her so bad.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself to let her decide. He stepped quietly on creaky steps, following her scent and sounds to push the door open to a bedroom.

She stood between two windows at a wash stand and splashed water on her face. Her dark black pants stretched tightly over her curves, emphasizing her feminine figure as she bent over. Her long, red tail moved gracefully and fluidly behind her, enticing and mesmerizing. The air was also filled with a musky aroma, hinting at her primal nature and drawing him into the room like a moth to the flame.

The animal urge to claim her seized his gut, and he gripped the door, his claws digging grooves as he breathed through the urge. Fuck, she better decide soon because his patience was already fraying. He growled and licked his now human lips.

She spun at the sound, droplets of water glistened on her skin, highlighting her smooth features. "What are you doing? Get out of my room."

He grinned and shook his head. "I think not, mate. I'll sleep here with you."

He flopped onto the bed with the blanket in hand, feeling it bounce like a cloud. Growler beds were stretched hide tied to a frame with layers of quilts. He didn't remember sleeping in such a fluffy bed, but somehow this felt familiar, like a far-off dream. He saw a vision of bouncing a little girl on a bed, making her laugh as he tossed her into the air to land on it safely.

Scarlet made a gurgling sound in her throat as she glared, pulling him from the unexpected memory. "When the hells freeze over. We are not sharing a bed. If you must sleep here, I'll take Grandma's bed across the hall."

He sat up on an elbow, the blanket draped over his waist. "Come now, bunny. This isn't the mate bond talking. Be practical."

Perhaps an appeal to logic would help convince her. She was a smart woman, and she wanted him to heal. It might convince her to get near. If he could just cuddle her for a few hours, it would keep the pressing need to claim her at bay.

Her eyes narrowed. "How is sharing a bed practical?"

He pulled back the covers and felt the soft, cool sheets. "If you're to come back with me, you need to carry my scent. Otherwise, the pack will tear you apart. The closer we are, the more my scent gets on you, and therefore, the safer you'll be."

A flash of fear crossed her features in the soft glow of the lamp, then it was gone as her jaw set stubbornly. "I don't believe you."

He shrugged and laid on his back, putting his hands behind his head and crossing his ankles where they stuck out from under the blanket. "The mate bond also makes us both stronger. So the more we're together, the stronger I'll be when we arrive. If we complete the mate bond, it should give me the edge I need to defeat a proper alpha challenge. Of course, I could've defeated him the first time, if he would've followed the rules."

He appeared nonchalant, but that stab of fear slammed into him again. If he kept pushing, she would start fighting him again. Somehow, he had to let her lead.

Damn it, letting someone else have control was harder to do than he cared to admit. But for her, he would try.

She snorted. "That's a lot riding on a stupid mate bond. Sounds like a bunch of excuses to get in my pants."

Disappointment speared him, but he fought his instinct to throw her on the bed and fuck her. Instead, he stared at the ceiling, not looking at her. "Suit yourself, but don't come crying to me when they attack."

The seconds ticked by, and he could've sworn he heard her racing heartbeat. But he didn't move. He could be patient, he had to be patient. It would be worth it.

Finally, she turned back to the wash stand and wiped her face and hands. "I've not even decided to go with you," she mumbled.

Her belligerent tone was like a child who knew she had to do something but didn't want to. He grinned in triumph behind her back, but otherwise remained still as he responded.

"Yes, you have. You want the Elders to change you back into a human. Or are you satisfied with the changes from the berry tea?"

He didn't tell her that they'd never done that in all the years he'd been with them. He didn't even know if they had that ability. But they had to stay together so he could convince her to accept the mate bond.

"No, I'm not satisfied."

"I can satisfy you, if only you'll take the chance."

She didn't reply for several minutes. Then she picked up the lamp and strode to the door where she paused.

She looked at him with her big green eyes, and he carefully kept his expression neutral. Every fiber of his body screamed at him to jump up and keep her close, but he denied himself. If his time as a human in the army had taught him anything, it was self-discipline. He thought, anyway, since he couldn't remember those years at all.

Finally, she sighed. "I'm not keen on walking into a death trap. I'll think about it more. Good night, Growler."

She slammed the door behind her, and his entire body tensed at the separation. He was mostly healed, but shifting had drained him. Without the attraction between them to keep him awake, his eyes grew impossibly heavy.

The pressure on his chest tightened at being separated from her, but he wrestled with his mind. He would not be a savage, a barbarian, a mindless monster. That would not win her favor at all, not with what Growlers had done to her mother.

He had to bide his time with her, wait her out, even though it went against his nature. He doubted she'd be able to resist the mate call for long, if the stories from the tribe were true. How those two fools had run away from each other and then died would not happen to them.

He couldn't lose her. Not when he'd just found her and could finally feel the icy fingers of loneliness easing from around his heart.

Damn, it was going to be a long night while he waited for her, though.