Wildling

~~~Ember’s POV~~~

My eyes widened slightly seeing that Jaxson was awake and watching me with an unreadable expression on his face. I stayed still not sure what to do.

He shifted more onto his side so that he was leaning on his arm hovering over me slightly. He raised his left arm and cupped my face, wiping the traitor tear the had fallen.

“What made you cry, Em?” My heart stuttered at the nickname he had slipped out.

I glanced away from him, staring at the ceiling. I shook my head slightly.

“Bad memories.” My voice a faint whisper. Jaxson didn’t say anything, just laced his fingers with mine and gave them a slight squeeze. His touch bringing me a comfort I was so desperately needing.

He shifted more on his back and wrapped his right arm around my shoulders pulling me to his chest. His left hand still entwining our fingers. He lightly rubbed my shoulder as my eyes gradually began to close.

The morning sunlight hit my face waking me up. I groaned a bit and felt Jaxson shuffling behind me. He still held me, and it was only then that I realized I had had no nightmares while lying in his arms.

“We should get ready to head to town.” I shifted myself to sit up not missing Jaxson’s frown as I pulled myself from his arms.

We ate breakfast in a pleasant silence, stealing glances from each other. Jaxson waited for me outside while I got ready. I decided to just wear my leather jacket with my bow and quiver slung over my shoulder. At least this way I didn’t look quite so...homicidal. I slid a knife into each boot and slid two more beneath the leather pad on my quiver.

The walk to town was uneventful. We chatted with each other and joked around. It was a nice change of pace for me. I’m used to being alone living day by day drowning in memories. I don’t think I’ve laughed this much in my life. Jaxson has a great sense of humor and is entirely too cocky but for some reason it suits him.

I would see a little smirk grace his lips every time he made me laugh. Like it was now his obligation to make me happy and my laugh was his prize. His eyes seemed to light up whenever he heard it. When we neared town, we split off in separate directions, Jaxon to go find his things and me to buy things I needed.

About two hours later we met back at the outskirts of town by the edge of the forest. I could see Jaxon leaning against a tree talking on his cell phone. He was still dressed in shorts but had a black tee and sneakers on. He seemed frustrated and began to pace while he talked. Every so often he would rake his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit.

“Yeah man. I know. I don’t know how long it will take. Sure man. Yeah, it’s about a two hour walk out of town near the mountain. I hope so, I don’t know what I’ll do if she doesn’t.” I caught the last snippet of his conversation as I walked closer. His eyes suddenly snapped up to mine when he heard me approach. A small smile graced his luscious lips.

“I got to go Sean. I’ll check in every so often.” He ended the call and closed the small distance between us.

“Are you ready to head back?” His head tilted as he looked down at me in question. He grabbed his large duffel bag from the ground and slung it over his shoulder.

I hefted my own satchel over my shoulder. “Yeah, let’s go. We need to get back before dark. There are wolves in these woods.” I smirked a little as Jaxson faltered in his steps.

“Wolves?” He glanced around nervously.

“Yeah. They aren’t tame like Accalia but they are in the same bloodline as her.” Jaxson’s stiff posture relaxed as we continue to walk back to the cabin.

“Is everything ok?” I questioned. Although he had relaxed from my previous wolf statement, he still seemed agitated.

“Yes. I’m just a little out of sorts. I had to tell my...friend about the people who attacked me, and he wasn’t happy. I am not sure what to do next. I want to know why they targeted me.” He sighed.

I wish I could take this burden off his chest. I wish I could tell him that I knew of the world he comes from. I’m being selfish. I’m afraid, terrified actually. I don’t want to lose this companionship and comfort I had now acquired. When I made the choice to seclude myself it was an easy choice. I had longed for a mate ever since I learned of them when I was six.

My dad would always tell me how he met my mom, the instant attraction and feeling of completion. When I lost Aoralia, I thought that any chance of that life was gone. So, I slipped into the shadow of the mountain and built a life for myself. But it wasn’t. It wasn’t a life. It was just existing. Trudging day by day closer and closer until the release of death.

Sure, I could have joined the humans, found someone who might have loved me the way humans do, but the past I ran from was still following me. I had read a quote once that stuck with me.

“Even if she be not harmed, her heart may fail her in so much and so many horrors; and hereafter she may suffer--both in waking, from her nerves, and in sleep, from her dreams.”

I could never be normal. For the first three years I had daily panic attacks and nightly terrors. I would wake, screaming and drenched in sweat. I would refuse to sleep again, waiting in fear for the moment I would drift off and relive it once again. I barely ate. I couldn’t let someone else have that fate. I often thought of ending it all. But Accalia helped me. She would lay on top of me at night, grounding me and stayed by my side through it all. She needed me when she was a pup and I needed her. Yes, it was an easy choice to make but not one that I wanted or enjoyed.

The sooner I admit to Jaxson that I was a wolf and let him in on my past, the sooner he walks away from me. This time, I knew I wouldn’t survive. I can’t do it anymore. I am exhausted. Tired of it all.

We were about thirty minutes from the cabin when I got the sensation of being watched. Jaxson hadn’t seemed to notice yet. I discretely glanced around at my surroundings searching for anything to be off. I softened my steps so I could hear a little better.

I saw a slight gleam in the afternoon light. I squinted and saw a thin wire stretching across the trail. Trip wire. No doubt rigged to an explosive.

Travis.

I caught Jaxon by the arm before he could take another step as I withdrew one of my knives, quickly swapping sides with him. His eyebrow quirked up in question until we both heard a snap of a twig to the left off the trail.

The slightest movement caught my eye, and I flung my knife towards an oddly shaped shadow and heard a strangled cry. I smirked as I hit my target.

I dropped my satchel and hastily withdrew my bow and grabbed a few arrows from my quiver, drawing back ready to release.

A slow, sarcastic clap sounded through the otherwise silent forest. Travis slowly emerged from the tree I had thrown the knife near.

“Well done witch. Fast reflexes. Maybe I should have you join my team.” I heard a slight growl from Jaxson.

“Like hell I would ever join you.” I sneered at him keeping my arrows pointed at his chest, but my eyes scanned the surroundings.

“You may as well have your men come out of hiding.” His eyebrow rose in slight surprise as I continued. “There is at least two men behind where you are, I’m betting one is in a tree and one to our right. Were you smart enough to have someone behind us as well?” I laced my voice with a mocking tone. I was baiting him. Trying to make him angry enough. Travis is not the brightest man alive and often reveals his plans when he’s angry and thinks he has the upper hand.

“Two behind you actually.” He smirked and jerked his chin upwards. Jaxson glared at him with a hostility I had never thought could possibly grace his face.

I heard footsteps behind me. No, not two men. Three.

I smirked at my three arrows drawn. Guess I chose the lucky number. I stayed still, bow still drawn until I heard the steps get close enough.

I whipped around taking a brief glance at my targets, released a breath and fired. Knowing I had hit my targets I drew another arrow, notching it as I spun around and aimed at Travis again.

I could see a slight glimmer of fear in his eyes as he watched me down three men in five seconds. I snuck a glance at Jaxon who was staring at me, his jaw dropped before he quickly composed himself.

“You will pay for that. Finish them!” Travis screamed. He stepped back into the shadow of the brush as three men, two on my side and one on Jaxson’s, swarmed us.

I released my arrow at the one nearest to me. In the corner of my eye, I could see Jaxon trading blows trying his best to knock the man out quickly. Poor guy didn’t have any weapons. Unless you count his wolf. But I knew he wouldn’t want to shift in front of his human mate.

I was withdrawing another arrow when I saw a bright gleam hurdling towards me. I reacted just in time to avoid the knife that was thrown hitting my chest, instead in lodged into my left arm. I screamed as I felt the knife tear through the muscle layers.

Fuck I forgot about the guy in the tree. I cursed my stupidity. At the sound of my scream, Jaxson quickly snapped the guys neck he was fighting and shifted in mid leap as he ran towards the final man who was advancing on my kneeling figure. The man screamed, it was so high pitched and girly I would have laughed if it wasn’t for the pain I was in. Jaxson swiftly dispatched the final man. He glanced around growling furiously, searching for Travis, but I knew he was already gone. He’s a wuss. He avoids getting his hands dirty if he can. He runs as soon as he knows he is losing.

My breath came out in harsh pants as I worked up the courage for what I needed to do. Jaxson’s head snapped towards me as I groaned in agony, teeth clenched, wrenching the knife from my bicep. I tossed it on the dirt beside me. I tore a strip of cloth from my shirt and wrapped it around my arm above the wound, tying it as tight as I could with my teeth and other hand. I took a moment to compose myself and I shakily stood.

I turned to Jaxon. His wolf was gorgeous. He could be Accalia’s twin if it wasn’t for his amber eyes. He ducked his head down at my stare, whimpering. He crouched down in a submissive position. My brows raised at his behavior. He doesn’t seem like the type to submit. He crawled a few paces towards me. I took a deep breath, staring into his eyes. Guess now I had no option.

“Wait to shift until we get back to the cabin.” His eyes lit up with curiosity. I grabbed my satchel sliding it over my good shoulder as I walked towards his duffle. As I bent to pick it up, Jaxson let out a growl, whimper mix. I rose my eyebrow at him.

“Fine, carry it yourself.” He grabbed the duffle in his mouth and turned towards me, waiting.

I looked at him again, my heart slowly breaking bit by bit as I stared into his eyes. This is it.

“Guess we have some stuff to talk about huh.” I gave him a sad smile and turned and started walking down the path that would lead me to the cabin, and what would no doubt be my last night in this miserable life.