Chapter 14

T he aroma of sizzling meat and eggs filled the air as Scarlet walked downstairs, one leather boot in her hand. The sound of clinking plates echoed with her steps on the stairs. She'd fallen back to sleep until nearly noon, which she hadn't done since she was a child.

She was definitely not a child now, not with how deliciously sore she was. She shivered as images of their indecency in the kitchen floated through her mind. Grandma would throw a fit if she knew what they'd done.

Then again, that was probably why she'd left in such a hurry yesterday. She probably would've said it was inevitable. Scarlet scowled as she stomped down the stairs.

She'd woken up disoriented, washed her face, and changed into a spare set of clothes. When she'd found one boot still on, her annoyance had turned to anger. The familiar emotion wrapped around her like a hug, and she grasped it with both hands.

It was much better to face the unknown downstairs with the comforting emotion that had sustained her for years. Ever since losing her mother then her father.

She hit the landing and stopped at the water closet under the stairs, leaving her lone boot outside the door.

The other had been left downstairs by the table. When he had come through the door in all his fucking naked glory, blood soaking his fur, making him look rugged, fierce, and dangerous, all her senses had gone haywire.

It was an irresistible combination. She threw the washroom door open and kicked her boot into the living room. When she turned the corner, she paused, her chest growing tight.

Her stomach growled and lurched, but not entirely from hunger. Her mate was cooking breakfast, Olive's apron around his waist. His naked ass didn't seem to bother him, but it sure bothered her enough to freeze in place.

Fucking hells this was ridiculous. She couldn't have a Growler for a mate. She wasn't a shifter and shouldn't have a mate at all. Humans like her with weak ass magic just got married or didn't. They weren't supposed to have mates.

Wulfric turned and smiled, his face mostly human now except for his wolf ears and mane of gray and black hair. Fur or hair? She didn't even know how to describe him.

"Hungry?" he asked, his voice sending a shiver up her spine.

She frowned and sank onto a kitchen chair as he scooped something onto a plate. He set it in front of her, then turned back.

"Do you want some coffee or tea?" he asked.

She poked the food with her fork, her nose twitching in appreciation, her mouth salivating. "No more fucking tea for me, thanks."

He chuckled, and she squirmed on her seat. She wouldn't give in to his trap. He was lulling her in with a sense of familiarity, making her think he was domesticated.

She knew better. He was a wild Growler, a monster, and she had to keep her walls up.

If she didn't, she'd end up hurt. Or dead like her mother.

She scarfed down her food and ignored him. It was simple but delicious. Chopped potatoes, scrambled eggs, and diced meat. Even when he sat beside her, knees touching, she moved to avoid touching him.

"Do you like it?" he asked between bites, his voice subdued.

She looked up and around. "Like what?"

He pointed with his fork. "The food. I have to keep my mate well fed and happy."

"I'm not your mate. But yes, it's delicious. Thank you," she said, wiping her mouth and taking her empty plate to the sink.

"You're delicious too," he said, his eyes glowing. She didn't want to talk or think about it, but he'd just set her cheeks afire with the memory of his head between her legs. It made her want another round with him, and she couldn't have that.

She washed the plate and snorted. "We need to make plans."

She looked at the clock, frowning as she thought.

"To go to the Growlers?"

She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. With a purse of her lips, she finished washing the plate. "Yes, how long will it take to get there? What will we do when we get to the camp?"

His hand slid his empty plate in the water, and she froze, her breath stuttering in her chest. He was right behind her again, but this time, she knew what his body felt like pressed against hers.

She was cocooned by his arms again, and the safety they provided made her yearn for so much more. It'd be so easy to lean into his strength, to be taken care of for once instead of the one taking care of everything and everyone else.

Her nose twitched, a reminder that she couldn't trust him. She had curses to break, people relying on her to find a solution. She slid to the left, away from the heat of his body and the feelings he stirred within her.

She couldn't give in. She had to focus and plan the mission.

He cleaned his plate and answered her questions. By the time she'd put on both her boots, their plan was made. She frowned as she finally looked at him, leaning casually against the counter with ankles and arms crossed.

"Does everyone walk around at the Growlers camp naked?"

He snorted and shook his head. "No, we have bags of clothes stored throughout the woods if needed."

Scarlet pursed her lips. "You can probably fit in my brother's clothes upstairs. We can take them with us."

"But not to wear now?" he grinned, his big teeth sending a shiver up her spine. Had he bit her with those teeth? Wasn't that part of the mating process?

Her mind shied away from the answer. She didn't want to think about it. No, they needed to focus on the mission. Curing her curses was her number one priority.

What had he asked? Oh, the clothes.

"You can shift and lead the way to camp in wolf form, but I can't follow you as quickly on foot. Is my horse going to be safe at camp or should I leave her here and walk?" Scarlet stood and brushed her hands down her thighs as nerves threatened to swarm her.

She'd not gotten nervous on missions since joining the Hunters. Traveling with her dad had prepared her well. Years of work as a mercenary, and the thought of going into the Growlers den sent her into a tizzy. It was ridiculous, and it made her mad.

Wulfric shrugged. "Not sure. We've stolen horses before, but they don't stay in camp very often. We don't have a village with wooden buildings and a stable."

He frowned, rubbing his hand along his jaw. "I remember buildings."

Her skin tingled and itched, so she began to gather supplies for her pack that was still in the barn. "Fine, I'll leave her here with enough food and water for a few days."

"Then I'll walk with you for a while. Stretch my human legs."

She nodded jerkily. "Go upstairs and find some clothes, then."

His steps echoed up the stairs, but she refused to turn and watch his fine ass walk away. She felt panic clawing at her, but she focused on breathing evenly and planning every step of their journey.

Her movements were still jerky as she gathered healing potions and ointment. The bag that Knox had brought from the old medicine woman was on the corner of the counter next to her shredded pants. She opened it and pursed her lips.

Shit, she hadn't thought of that, but somehow Lailant had known.

She popped the cork on the vial and downed the disgusting ginger and fennel gel. A swish of water washed it down before her stomach knotted in pain.

She sank into a chair and put her head between her knees, holding her stomach as the magic swirled through her body. This never got easier. All she could do was breathe and try to unclench one muscle at a time. Slowly the roar of magic through her body subsided until she could sit up.

With a shaky hand, she took another drink of water. The spasms through her stomach grew fainter, more manageable. The spots on the edge of her vision disappeared. She blinked in the dim light of the kitchen as steps echoed through the room.

When Wulfric came around the corner into the open, her jaw dropped. He looked almost human, wearing brown pants and a dark green shirt. The sleeves were a tad too short, and the pants only came to his ankles. His bare feet weren't quite human but neither were they wolf. Some sort of in between that made her feel akin to him.

But it was his expression that caught her attention the most. Frowning, he asked, "Are you alright? I got a stomach ache, but we're nowhere near being separated."

Her eyes widened, and she swallowed her suddenly dry mouth. "You felt that?" Her voice was soft, barely a whisper as he nodded.

She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair. "Fuck," she whispered.

It must be true. They were mates, and even though they hadn't bonded yet, they were feeling each other's emotions and pain. It wasn't tied to the glocken berry.

Fucking hell.

She rubbed her forehead and sighed. "Yes, it was me, but I'm fine. It was just a potion."

She spun the empty vial in her palm. Anti-pregnancy potions tasted like shit, but she would be safe for another month. Hopefully she'd be long separated from him by then.

She pointed to his feet to distract him. "What about shoes? Do you wear shoes? It's freezing outside. Do Growlers get frostbite in this form?"

He shrugged and ran his hands down his stomach, drawing the shirt tight over his abs. Moving from foot to foot, he frowned at himself and wiggled his toes.

"When it's cold, we stick close to the warmth of camp. Unless we're hunting, which we do as a Growler. The cold does hurt us more like this, so shoes are probably a good idea."

She waved to the front door where a basket of shoes sat under the coat rack. "You're free to try Knox's boots, but they might not fit."

He walked away. Just a few more days, and they'd break the spell of the tea. By then, she'd know if the Growlers could turn her back to normal.

She reached up to feel her shorter horns, thankful for the changes already. But it was a reminder of what she had to fix for everyone else. They were counting on her.

Thank the gods she wouldn't have to solve the problem with a babe too.

What would a baby between them even look like? Would it have antlers? Or be fully one animal shifter over another? She'd heard of other animal shifters living in their own communities in Glathen, but hadn't ever seen a bunny or deer community.

She was the only one. Still a freak of nature, an abomination to be avoided.

Unless she had a baby. She stared at the vial, thankful but somehow sad at the same time.

Wulfric put his hands on her shoulders, and she jumped up, spinning to face him with her hand held out. "Don't touch me."

He frowned, and she felt a stab of pain to see the wounded look in his eyes. It was partly guilt over hurting him, but somehow she knew it was what he was feeling.

He held his hands out. "I can see how worried you are, but I will protect you from the pack. Growlers are vicious, but they're not all bad."

She breathed deeply, refusing to tell him she hadn't actually been worrying about the Growlers.

Instead, she grabbed the heavy bag of supplies and glared. "You can't even protect yourself. How are you going to protect me?"

"You're my mate. They'll respect the mate bond," he said, crossing his arms.

He was so tall and intimidating. With his rugged good looks and rippling muscles under that thin layer of fur, she couldn't think of anything he couldn't handle. He was full of life, strong and virile. He could probably take on the entire army of Busparia by himself and still live.

She shook her head and reached for the dried fruit on a shelf. Her dad had been like that too, larger than life, wise and strong. But he'd still been killed.

She had to prepare for every possibility. She met his golden eyes.

"I'm putting a lot of trust in you, Growler. If I die on this foolish mission, you better believe I'm going to haunt you and make your life miserable."

He laughed and nodded, the sound making her core melt and some of the tension in her shoulders ease. She scowled and turned away, adding the fruit to the bag of supplies.

He sat on the chair she'd vacated and laced up the boots as he talked. "I'll keep that in mind, but we're both going to be alright. I've just found you, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you now."

Her heart stuttered and her breath caught in her throat. The look in his eyes, the set of his jaw–he was completely sincere.

She didn't trust it. These kinds of feelings just ended up hurting people. She'd watched it over and over through the years as a Hunter. Death came easily and ripped families apart. She wasn't always proud of her role in that, but there was no changing it.

She tossed her bag on the table and strode to the stairs. "Let me get a set of spare clothes, then we can head out."

Her steps were heavy on the stairs, but she didn't care. She was pushing him away, keeping him out, but it was better to do that first, before he realized this wouldn't work. Her life wasn't with him or the Growlers.

She had things to do for Knox, a village to heal, and a queen to kill. She didn't have time for a mate or love.

She came back downstairs and tossed him the leather pouch of clothes. He caught it easily and peeked inside. "If you wolf out and rip the clothes you're wearing, at least you'll have extra. No sense in freezing on the journey."

He nodded, rubbing his chin. "Thanks, I'll carry the heavier bag."

She schooled her features to hide her flash of anger. Of course, he'd want to show off his manly muscles and take the bigger bag.

But it wasn't worth picking a fight over. Instead of telling him to fuck off, she just shrugged and gathered the other bag on the table. "I'm going to make sure my horse has what she needs. I'll meet you outside."

She escaped into the bitter wind, the door slamming behind her. Fuck, what was she doing? Was she seriously about to travel through the Feral Forest on foot with a Growler?

It was madness, pure madness. Almost as mad as having a Growler for a mate.