8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Her wolf rose within her, leaping into the shift. On four legs, the chill in the air felt invigorating, and Ava settled her fur with a relaxed shake of her scruff. Her wolf was a soft, slate grey, and each leg tapered down to a soft cream. While she wasn't dainty by any means, her wolf was far smaller than the males of her breed.

Turning to look at the Raeth, she froze. Remmus was gazing at her, open-mouthed, with a look of starry-eyed wonder, taking in every inch of her.

"Marvelous."

More whisper than anything, he took a single halting step forward. The snow crunched underfoot, and he'd yet to take his attention off of her.

"I've never seen a more stunning wolf."

Ava's wolf was preening for him. Standing taller at his compliments, she felt a part of her heart that she'd been neglecting bloom from his admiration. Before she knew it, she'd taken a step toward him, meeting him in the middle. But when he slowly lowered to crouch on his haunches, she hesitated.

Would she let him run his hands through her coat? Would her wild heart give in to his request, when she'd never do the same in human form?

On a whisper, he said, "You're breathtaking, Ava. Almost as beautiful as a wolf as you are a woman."

Exhaling into the chill of the December air, Remmus extended one hand forward, the smallest smile on his face one of positivity and delight. And in that moment, Ava knew she couldn't break the earnest hope that lit his handsome features.

One paw stepped forward.

His fingers connected with her shoulder, sifting through the velvet of her slate-grey fur. Softly, carefully, Remmus brushed his hand across her shoulder. Delicate strokes tickled, and she barely refrained from leaning in towards him while he was praising her wolf.

A snap of a twig had both of them pulling back, their attention shifting to the hare that dashed out of a choke of bushes. With their moment of peace broken, Ava spun toward the fence line. She darted away without a second look.

Snow iced beneath her paws as she took the cowardly way out, dashing from the man who'd somehow gotten under her skin. Her wolf, the second half of her soul, had been delighted with his reaction. Why did it matter what he thought of her?

A soft snarl escaped her jaws. Each stride opened the distance between them, but it felt as though he remained with her, clinging to her like a barnacle in high tides.

It must've been the shield.

Doing her job kept her mind off the annoying Raeth. A chain-link fence flashed by on her left, and she darted around boulders and trees as they spanned beyond the outer boundary of the facility. No other scents, Raeth or otherwise, were present.

When she estimated that she was halfway around the circuit, she came upon the gravel road that led into and out of the plant. Though it didn't appear to be well-traveled, Ava was cautious. Sneaking past the security gate that held a sleeping officer, she sprinted across the open area of the road. Easy enough.

Satisfied she was home free, she raced around the last half-mile toward the Raeth. The odd giddy feeling in her stomach made her inwardly frown.

Why would she be excited to return to him? He was a member of the same immortal breed that'd murdered her family. Why should she be—

An ominous snap instantly jerked her from her thoughts.

Pain rioted through her hind leg, the smell of burning flesh meeting her nostrils as she clenched her jaws shut to withhold the panicked whine of her wolf. She crashed onto the soggy ground, and began to pant in pain. She sprawled awkwardly with the one injured leg twisted in the air.

Breathless, Ava centered herself, reclaiming her higher reasoning before her animal began to thrash on instinct.

The wire wrapped around her hind leg was undoubtedly silver; no other metal could have caused this much agony. Gingerly, she tried to extract herself from the silver tripwire, but even gentle pulling against the taut cord had her skin singeing. The burn increased with every twist.

Damn.

While she was tethered to the silver, she couldn't shift, and howling to inform the Raeth would only alert the Citizens to her presence. By all rights, they might already know she was here. She attempted to right herself again.

"Ava."

Mind reeling with her dilemma, she hadn't noticed the approach of the man behind her. She reacted instinctively. Snarling and snapping her jaws, the predator within gave no quarter, and she bared rows of gleaming, razor-sharp teeth intent on protecting herself.

"Ava. I'm here; I'm sorry it took me so long."

Her name was whispered again, but the darkness and her position on the ground meant she couldn't see her attacker. When a male forearm appeared next to her face, she didn't think twice.

Her teeth met flesh.

Blood spilled as soon as Ava clamped down, biting deep and without mercy. Near wild with her panic, she'd let her instincts rule and her animal had automatically assumed control.

The man wasn't dissuaded: even with one forearm locked between an unforgiving set of teeth, the other reached across her unprotected belly with a knife. Ava froze against what she could only assume would be her death.

The instant the minty scent registered to her senses, she knew the identity of the mystery man: Remmus. And his forearm was currently locked between her jaws.

Horrified, she didn't even register when the knife he held released her hind leg, nor when he gently lifted her in his arms and cradled her against his chest. When she finally got a good look at his face, she saw only concern. That was when her jaw finally released, and his blood dripped over her downy grey coat.

"Are you okay?"

Ava could only cock her head at him. Oddly, she felt comfortable in his arms. In fact, being held by him—wolf form or not—had calmed her racing heart. Shifting her gently against his chest, Remmus surveyed their surroundings.

"That's it, Blondie. No more dangerous perimeter runs for you. You were injured on my watch and I'm not keen on letting you put yourself on the line again." He grimaced. "It's no longer safe for us to be here. We're heading back to your den."

The teleport took only seconds, but when Remmus landed, he jolted forward an inch as though he'd stumbled. Must be the blood loss, Ava thought contritely as he whispered an apology. This was the second time she'd attacked him in as many days.

The Raeth had taken them directly to the den's healer and was already calling out for assistance.

"We need help. Ava's been injured."

So was Remmus, she thought. Strangely, he wasn't asking for help, his only concern for her while he was bleeding all over her coat.

Healers swarmed them in a bustle of activity, exclaiming outrage at the silver-burned wound on her limb. They instantly extracted her from the Raeth's grip, not noticing that his blood marred her coat.

He said nothing for his own comfort. Martyr.

By the time they had purged any trace of silver from her skin, the Raeth was nowhere to be found. Riaz had come and gone, mockingly chastising her for getting hurt, and then enveloping her in a big hug while she promised never to be injured again.

A yearning to apologize to the Raeth had been eating away at her. She might even feel moved to use his name.

He'd freed her from a dangerous predicament while she made him her own personal chew toy, and then been kind and protective while he was still bleeding.

Huffing a sigh, Ava kicked off the healer's table. She followed her nose, scenting the minty trail and wandering toward Remmus' quarters. While she couldn't guarantee he'd be there, he'd hightailed it out of the infirmary rather quickly for a man who'd been savaged by a werewolf.

As she neared the door, a pit grew in her stomach. What would she say? Sorry for thinking you were an assassin sent to murder me. Sorry that I nearly tore off your arm back there; I get bitey when I'm tangled in silver tripwire. My apologies for attacking you again; I have a deep, visceral hatred of Raeths.

Strangely, none of those options screamed ‘forgive me.'

Her knuckles rapped on wood seconds later, and when he came to the door, Ava straightened. Remmus' dark blond hair was loose from its manbun, framing his exceptionally handsome features. His general demeanor screamed harried and leery, negating any coziness from the casual look.

"Are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" Ava scoffed. "You're the one who got an armful of teeth."

The casual shrug he offered seemed too tense. "No harm done." He held up his arm, though several spots on the outside of his tattoo now looked to be lacking ink. "Your leg all better, Blondie?"

"Never better."

Something was off about the Raeth, and she was instantly suspicious. She pushed past him into his borrowed room. He went rigid, sucking in a breath that screamed that he was hiding something.

It took less than three seconds to find its cause: the bloodied blade on the table.

Rounding on him, Ava jeered, "You managed to slice yourself open in less than twenty minutes?"

"I was cleaning it."

"And you spilled your own blood?"

The smile that bloomed on his lips was self-deprecating. "Guess I'd make a poor janitor."

"Don't quit your day job, Raeth." Ava paused, then sighed. "Remmus."

His chuckle was a welcome one, and his features lost the tenseness they'd held only moments earlier. "You do know my name. I'm touched."

"You should be," came her light scolding before she pivoted to face him fully. "Listen, I'm sorry for tearing you a new one. I couldn't see it was you, and then I scented you, but—"

"But I'm one of the big bad Raeths with threatening behavior and you couldn't be sure I was safe."

Excuse though it was, it was also the truth.

"No worries, Ava. If I took offense at every woman who sunk their teeth into me, I'd be offended all the time."

"Seriously?" Unamused, one eyebrow raised in response. And then, a gleam in her eye when she remembered the game she'd promised to play. "Hogtie you with a silver tripwire and leave you for the Citizens."

Remmus leaned forward, his intoxicating scent caressing her senses as she inhaled automatically. With a scant few inches between their noses, he whispered, "You'd have to catch me first, Blondie. And I do love being chased."

Without her consent, her heart kicked in her chest, the air between them charging with electricity. Static tickled over her arms and left goosebumps in their wake. Her wolf howled long and low beneath her skin.

What was it about this man that intrigued her so? Why did every move he made entice her? How had this Raeth managed to get under her defenses with his cocky grin and show-off wit?

Those gorgeous green-blue eyes were locked on hers, and the potent desire she found there surprised her. Remmus looked at her as though he was the hunter and she was his prey.

No.

"How about I just stab you in the neck with your pre-bloodied knife? It'd save me a trip."

Momentary confusion transformed his features into a boyish frown, and she nearly burst into laughter. When he caught onto the game once more, his grin was blinding.

"I'll have to watch myself around you, Blondie. I get the feeling you're more liable to take a bite outta me than kiss me."

Miming a kiss, she quipped, "You'd be so lucky."

"Indeed." But nothing about his tone was joking.