When they touch me (Shelagh Milano)

Chapter 35

Artemisia

My heart beats into my throat as I arrive on the training fields.

I look around but Fynn is nowhere to be seen.

'Guess he sensed you were coming, and ran away from you,' Cassy sneers, making my stomach turn.

"The stables." A melodic voice tears me out of my thoughts, making me look at a bunch of warriors grinning at me. "I'm sorry. What?" I ask confused.

The young warrior laughs, and his colleagues follow him. "You are looking for Fynn, aren't you? He went to the stables." "Oh," I say, nodding like a stupid toy. "Yes, thank you."

I start walking towards the stable as another man shouts after me, making the men laugh again. "Good luck!"

"Thanks." I wave without turning around, acting like it didn't bother me.

'How immensely respectful they are.' Cassy laughs at me, and I keep myself from halting in my tracks, even if it was a mean blow.

'Feeling particularly mean, Cassy? How nice to see you in top form again.' I try to hide how hurt I am as I try to reach the place where I can collect my next humiliation.

But the mix of sadness and anger is like swept away as I turn the corner to step into the stables and see Fynn at work. His tanned skin shining in the sun streaming through the windows, making me want to catch the little droplets of sweat with my fingers. "If you are just going to stare, step aside at least. So, you don't keep people from doing their jobs." His low growl has me jump, and I step aside, letting a man pass me with a shy smile. "I'm so sorry!"

Shaking away another bad feeling creeping up my chest, I clear my throat. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Why?" He asks, not even sparing me a glance.

"What do you mean by 'Why?'? Do you prefer to sulk or can we talk?" I flash him my best sarcastic smile, and he scoffs.

"Not interested. No." He answers dryly, continuing to pile up straw without looking at me.

He must be fucking kidding me.

I suddenly feel stupid about having tried to make the first step, especially after how he treated me.

It's obvious enough that I am the one who should get the apology.

"Fine. Sulk then. And as soon as you got your warriors rioting because you act like a broken-hearted girl, maybe you will see the necessity to talk to me anyway."

My provocation finally gets him to turn around, but I don't like the glare he shoots me.

At all.

His growl physically vibrates through me as he takes a step forward menacingly. "Don't talk about things you don't understand, princess. And keep my warriors out of your stupid games." Crossing my arms over my chest, I hope to get rid of my goosebumps. I must admit that he is scary, and I surely should not provoke him into another fight.

Still, I'm feeling confident enough about the fact that he wouldn't hurt me.

And I'm at least as stubborn as he is.

Which will surely be my death eventually.

"I can say whatever I want, especially when the rumors going around the pack and YOUR warriors affect me as well. As if I would care what they say about you." I laugh mockingly, making him growl.

But instead of answering my provocation, he turns around and snarls, "Perfect, because I don't care what they say about you as well. So, they can go on saying whatever they like. I will gladly put in a few inputs as well. About your fabulous character." "You are such an asshole." I let my arms slump as I shout at him. "How are you expecting me to show any 'fabulous' side of me if you keep acting like a mean idiot?"

"Stop shouting, Missy. They have already eavesdropped enough." He tries to exert his authority on me, but I would need more than that to calm down now.

"No can do, Mister. I'm going to stand here and shout as long as I like to. See," I say, taking a step towards the wall of the stable. "I'm out of the way, so I won't keep anyone from working."

Throwing his head into his neck, he sighs. "You will be the death of me, I swear."

"Excellent then! What a lovely thing to say to your mate." I scoff, gesturing with my hands.

"Well, seeing what kind of mate you are, you can't really blame me." He says, going back to work.

It takes me a moment to get over that blow, and I press my tongue to my teeth. "Wow. Just wow."

My blood starts boiling as I see him going on with his work as if nothing happened. Cassy's words resound in my head, breaking my head once again.

Even before desperation can get me, I take a deep breath.

And as Giorgio used to say, I talk too fast without thinking.

"You are just jealous because your brothers had me while you couldn't even go as close as touching me."

Even without Cassy snickering in my head, my heart stops in my chest. My voice suddenly doesn't even sound like mine as I replay my words in my head.

Just how stupid are you?

Fynn has stopped working and is just standing there.

His strong back is glistering in the sun and his chest must be heaving while he appears to want to keep his cool.

As I'm able to sense his emotions which are now a painful whirlwind, I know that he is about to lose the fight. I can also sense his wolf pushing forward, and I'm asking myself when he will lose that fight. Feeling my guilty conscience bubbling up my chest, I'm just about to take a step back and apologize as he moves.

My breath gets stuck in my throat as he reappears in front of me as if he was just a step away, and didn't have to cross a fucking hall.

He is grabbing my chin, pulling my face upwards, forcing me to look at me as he snarls, "I'm touching you now, aren't I, little mate?"