Wildling

Jaxson’s POV

I sprinted through the thicket, dodging trees while trying to get away from the pack of hunters. I couldn’t shift once they shot me with a silver bullet. Then, they sliced my thigh while I scrambled away. My wolf, Ares, was focusing more on healing than the ability to shift now. All I could do was run to give him time.

I kept running. Faster and farther than I ever thought I could. I had to get away so I could get back to the pack. Sean would be pissed if his beta dies at the hands of three hunters. I kept my ears on them as I continued to run. Maybe I could lose them in the mountain that was nearby.

“Get him!” I heard the leader’s voice shout. They were about 100 yards behind me.

I needed more distance.

“Hurry, before he reaches the witch’s borders!” A witch lived nearby? I never got any reports of another supernatural located in this area. Maybe they were just calling this person names. They are human after all.

Suddenly, I felt a searing pain in my calf. Screaming, I crumpled to the ground. They threw a bloody knife at me.

Fuck, I couldn’t run anymore. I was spent.

I heard the hunters’ approach and started trying to crawl away. I heard a rustle and suddenly a huge, black wolf was hurdling past the brush towards me. It took me a moment to realize this was an actual wolf not a fellow were.

The wolf flew over my head and landed behind me growling. Suddenly, a figure stood up from behind a tree. A woman dressed in black slowly walked towards me while she notched three arrows into her bow. A faint aroma tickled my nose wafting towards me as she walked. Inhaling as deeply as I could while I was catching my breath, I smelled the sweetest smell of mint chocolate. My eyes widened as she glanced down at me and I swear I stopped breathing.

“Mate! We found our mate!” Ares started howling in my mind.

I couldn’t reply. I was in a trance as I stared into her eyes. They were unusual. Her right eye was a milky light blue color, and her left eye was brown. I wanted nothing more than to stare at her for hours, but I could feel my mind slipping towards blackness as I passed out. The last thing I heard was the sweetest voice that had a cold edge to it.

“Enough. Leave him be Travis. ”

*********************

I groaned. I could feel pain in my leg and chest. My eyes were heavy as I fought to open them. After blinking a few times, I looked at my surroundings as I struggled to sit up.

I was in a bed wrapped in a blanket. I looked around at the room I was in. It looked like a small, one room cabin. A couch with a pillow and crumpled blanket on it was in front of me at the end of the cabin, a fireplace near it. I saw a kitchen table and a chair and a sink and countertop. It was minimal.

As I became more aware of my surroundings, I realized that the amazing smell of mint chocolate blanketed the room. This was my mate’s house.

I heard the door unlatch. Suddenly a giant, black wolf ran into the room towards the couch and barked. My heart skipped a beat when I saw who stepped in next.

Never in my 25 years had I seen someone with as much beauty. She was dressed in a tank top and shorts. Her ebony hair tumbled over her shoulders. She was slender but fit. You could see the muscles in her long, tan legs. Her arms looked sturdy too as she set down a bucket she was carrying. I watched as her head turned to glance my way. My breath hitched and I heard her gasp as our eyes met, can she feel the bond? I couldn’t get over her unusual eye coloring. I wonder if she was born with it. I saw her plump, pink lips moving but I didn’t catch anything she said. My mind was far away thinking about what it would be like to kiss her. I watched as she turned and slowly walked towards me and waved her hand in front of my face. I blinked a few times coming back to reality and looked at her.

“Are you ok? I dressed your wounds, does anything hurt?”

“No” My voice was rough. I cleared it hoping that would make it clear. I watched as the beautiful goddess rushed to her kitchen and grabbed a glass, dipping it into the bucket she had carried in and brought it back to me. She passed it to me carefully. I chugged the water down until it was gone. Feeling relief, I passed the glass back to her.

I wonder who she is. She seems to be living on her own out here. “Who are you?”

“My name is Ember. You?” Beautiful name. It suited her.

“Jaxson.” I managed to rumble out. She makes me nervous. She seems so comfortable towards me, not weary at all. I don’t know what to make of her. People should not seem this comfortable around a stranger they just met, especially if that person was running half naked from a group of men who were trying to kill him.

“Nice to meet you.” She looked like she wanted to say something else but suddenly the wolf jumped onto the bed, practically in my lap. I was a little shocked. I may be a werewolf, but I don’t really deal with real wolves. I turned to Ember.

“That’s a wolf.” I couldn’t help having a shocked, disbelieving look on my face. She chuckled slightly. I had to hold in a sigh. Even her laughter sounded like music to my ears.

“Yes, this is Accalia. She was the one to find you first. You were being chased.” My eyes widened as I started to remember parts of last night. Hunters. I was injured. She saved me. But how did she know them? Was she a hunter too? She called him by name, I remember. I threw the blanket off my legs to look at my injuries. My wounds were stitched and cleaned.

“Your injuries weren’t too bad. You must heal quickly.” I nodded. I’m definitely not going to tell her I’m a wolf. We barely know each other. She would run if she knew this soon. She is human after all. I’ve never heard of human mates but I’m certainly not complaining. She’s my mate. The other half of my soul. My completion. She was made for me and is mine entirely.

“I remember bits and pieces.” I try to remember everything. I know she was there though. I need to know how she knew the hunters.

“You were there. You had arrows drawn at them. You knew them!” I searched her face as she replied for any hint of a lie.

“Yes. I have dealt with Travis and his lackies before. They weren’t happy when I moved in, especially when I ruined the traps he had set.” I felt my eyes widened at that. She ruined their traps? Was she against them? I wanted to ask but she continued to talk. “He will be back with more men, but I will handle it. You are safe here.” She stared directly into my eyes and I could see she was being honest. I relaxed back into the pillow a bit, nodding. I didn’t reply to what she said. I should be healed by tomorrow and if they did come back, I would deal with them. I wouldn’t let her be hurt.

“I have to go out to get us food. You stay in bed. Accalia will stay with you in case anything should happen.” I watched as she walked towards her dresser pulling out clothes.

I almost choked when she started disrobing. How can she do this in front of a stranger! She better not do this with anyone else!

I shouldn’t be looking. But I couldn’t help it.

She was amazing. Her small, perfectly toned body would feel so amazing in my arms. I knew if I touched her, we would meld perfectly together. I watched as she drew her shirt over her head. That’s when I saw them.

Scars.

Everywhere on her back. They all ranged from large and thick to small, thin ones. My heart plummeted and I couldn’t hold back the growl both Ares and I let out. I quickly coughed trying to cover it up. She didn’t seem to notice. It took everything in me to keep calm.

My mate was hurt somehow. My heart hurt for her. Judging by how large some of the scars were and the angles, she had to have been whipped. I’ve seen it before. My throat felt tight. I swallowed thickly trying not to think about what she could have gone through. I continued to watch her get ready, unable to turn away.

She quickly threw on brown pants and a dark tee shirt. She wrapped a tan leather jacket over her shoulder while she got her socks. I stared at her, unblinking, while she went to sit on a chair. Her blue and brown eyes drifted up towards mine and she watched me as she put her socks and boots on.

“I shouldn’t be more than 2 or 3 hours. I will leave you some food and water on the stand beside the bed, so you don’t have to move more than necessary. If you need the bathroom, it is unfortunately outside. I don’t have plumbing or running water so there is an outhouse outside. If you need help walking tell Accalia to heel and she will stay beside you. If you hear a whistle that is just me calling Accalia to help me drag back whatever I catch.” She hunts?

“You don’t just go into town?” I couldn’t help but be curious. My mate was an enigma. She was human for starters but lived by herself and seemed completely self-sufficient.

Wait, did she say no running water and outhouse? She looked at me briefly before replying, a flicker of pain running through her eyes before she quickly masked it.

“No. Do you need anything before I leave?” She shuffled around the house bringing me some food and water. She set them on the bedside table and turned to look at me. Her look was tender, and I flushed beneath her gaze. I’m the one who is supposed to take care of her not the other way around. What is wrong with me? I’ve never blushed or been embarrassed before. In one look she seems to be able to disarm me completely.

“No but thank you for this. You really don’t need to take care of me.” I twisted my hands in my lap and looked back at her. She seemed to have a slight smile on her face.

“Well, when you are better you can make it up to me.” My jaw almost dropped at those words.

My mind immediately thought of all the things I could do to her to make it up. Ares certainly wasn’t helping as he put the picture of her naked body writhing beneath me, into my head. I willed myself not to get hard while she was standing there.

I watched her as she smirked a bit and grabbed her bow and quiver and left. I was at a loss for words. Who was she? I will definitely be making it up to her. Soon, very soon. Ares howled his approval at my thoughts. I’m going to need a cold shower.

I groaned and collapsed back onto the bed realizing she doesn’t have a shower. This is going to be interesting.