She returned to sit beside Tobias. “Alright, now what?”
“Are you sure you can do this?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Are you sure?” He held his hand out. “I can do it if you can’t.”
Demi stared at the knife in her hand, glowing brightly as if the blade itself were made from flames. She felt responsible for what happened to him—he was wounded rescuing her after all—so she should be the one to patch up his wound.
It was her opportunity to pay him back in at least some small way.
“No,” she said in the most confident voice she could muster. “I can do this.”
He nodded. “Alright. I trust you.”
Her ears perked. “What?”
“I said I trust you.”
That’s nice to hear . . . Demi looked down to hide her flushing cheeks. No one has ever said that to me before.
“Well . . . here we go.” She moved closer to him and got down on her knees so that she was near his bleeding leg. Her heart was racing, but she already made up her mind to do this. And the faith that Tobias put in her gave her a much needed boost of confidence.
She brought the knife forward with a shaky hand. Her body still showing obvious signs of nervousness.
But that ended when Tobias placed his hand atop of hers, holding her steady while simultaneously causing goosebumps to pop up all over her body. Her nervousness faded, but her heart continued to beat just as rapidly—only now for a different reason.
“Better?” he asked.
“Yes.” The word came out like an exhalation of air from her lips.
The way that his yellow eyes burned into hers, it felt like he could read her mind. She hoped that wasn’t true because there were a few thoughts in her head right now that she would be embarrassed to admit.
When hot steel met bloodied flesh, Demi’s nostrils were greeted with an unpleasant smell. She could feel Tobias’s entire body tense up. The pain it caused him was something she could only imagine. She was tempted to pull the knife away, but this had to be done, and it was better to get it over with as quickly as possible.
“Just hang on,” Demi tried to console him. “I’m almost done.”
Pressing the flat side of the knife against the deep puncture words left behind by the bear’s sharp teeth, Demi saw smoke rise from the flesh as the skin blackened and burned.
When at last she finished cauterizing his wounds, Demi pulled the knife back and dropped it on the muddy ground. Her relief was surely nothing in comparison to what Tobias felt.
“I’m sorry,” Demi said, taking hold of his hand. “I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head, clenching his teeth and closing his eyes. After a few moments and a couple of deep breaths, he finally spoke. “Not your fault. Had to be done.”
He was right, but she still hated to see him in so much pain. “Do you need me to do anything else for you?”
“Yes. Backpack. There’s tape inside.”
“Tape?”
“I keep it in case I need to patch up the tent.”
Rummaging through his backpack, it took no time for Demi to find the roll of tape. “Is this it?” She realized the question made her sound stupid the moment that the words came tumbling out of her mouth.
But Tobias wasn’t judging her. “Yes. Now, use the rag.” He winced. Wrap it around the wound. Then tape it in place.”
“Okay.” Demi returned to kneel down beside his newly-cauterized wound and got to work doing as he told her. Her fingers felt clumsy, and were slick with perspiration, making the simple task more difficult than it should be. She cursed under her breath, wiped both hands on her jeans, and then finally managed to get the rag secured in place with two strips of tape wrapped tightly around Tobias’s calf.
“Done,” she announced.
He nodded and leaned back, suddenly appearing very tired. “Thank you . . .”
“Can I do anything else?”
He shook his head. “Just need to rest for a few minutes. Then I’ll be ready to walk again.”
“Not a chance. You’ll need more rest than that. Just lay there as long as you need.”
She could see in his eyes that he wanted to argue, but he was in no position to. Instead, he heaved a sigh and closed his eyes.
Not wanting to be far from his side in case he needed anything, Demi sat down on a rock a couple yards away and watched him. A small smile crept its way on to her lips.
Something new and more powerful had just been born inside of Demi. This longing that drew her towards Tobias like he were a flame and she a moth was both exciting and terrifying at the same time. She didn’t know whether to nurture this newborn feeling or to bury it deep inside her so that it could never be found again.
But like all newborns, the feeling was growing, and she wasn’t sure if she could stop it even if she tried.
Chapter Thirteen
THE SOUND OF THE BIRDS singing in the trees above her served as a soundtrack for Demi as she moved through the undergrowth, although not with the same ease as when she was following Tobias. She tried to picture him just in front of her, navigating the brush to find the smoothest and safest path for her.
It felt silly at first.
But it actually helped.
She was returning to the same creek that they crossed earlier that day just before Tobias collapsed. She hated to leave his side, but they were almost out of water, and it was the nearest source of running water.
Step by step, Demi moved down the gentle slope to the stream below, nestled in the small gully and winding its way through the dense patches of brambles. She took care to not walk too quickly with the soft, muddy ground being so slick. Slipping was the last thing that she wanted.
When she reached the water’s edge, she squatted down and unscrewed the top of the two canteens that she brought with her. Then began to fill them with clear, running water. It was probably safe to drink already, but she still planned to boil it just to make sure there were no bacteria or anything else in the water that could make them sick.
That was something she learned from Tobias. Her protector had taught her a lot since their fateful meeting, which felt like so long ago now, even though it had only been less than a week.
It was amazing how quickly everything she thought she knew had changed. She certainly never thought back then that she would grow to trust Tobias.
Let alone develop feelings for him.
She shook her head, trying not to think about that. Everything she was feeling was still too new for her to wrap her head around. Besides, even if she decided what she felt was real, that didn’t mean that he felt the same way.
He’s just doing this as a favor to my father.
She had told herself that repeatedly since meeting Tobias. At first it was to prevent herself from putting too much trust in him. Then it was to avoid getting too close to him. And now she was just afraid.
Afraid of it being true.
Afraid of it not being true.
Demi wasn’t certain of anything anymore—a side effect of having the entire life she knew be rendered irrelevant in the span of a single night. All she knew was that she had to find her father.
Maybe everything would become clearer then.
Once both canteens were filled to the brim and caps secured, Demi splashed some cool water on her face and the back of her neck to wipe away dirt and sweat. Another bath would be nice, but there was no time for that.
While heading back up the slope, Demi heard a twig snap behind her and she whirled around, blue eyes scanning the brambles and trees. Save for the water trickling through the woods and a few dragonflies buzzing through the air, there were no signs of movement.
Probably just a squirrel, she decided before starting up the slope again. This time, she only made it a whole three steps before she heard another sound, this time rustling in the brambles to her left.
She again froze in place, head on a swivel while she scanned every bush and branch arou
nd, hoping to see a squirrel or chipmunk—anything harmless to set her at ease.
But even after looking around with all senses on high alert—trying to picture what might be living in the bushes, harassing her with its movements—she still saw nothing.
Just forget about it, Demi, she told herself. You’re getting yourself all worked up for no reason.
But that thought was still fresh in her mind when the rustling returned and she saw a disruption in the sea of brambles—something was heading straight towards her.
And whatever it was, it was moving quickly.
Startled, Demi backed away a few paces, but ended up tripping over a root and landing hard on her rear. There was no time for her to recover before the approaching creature burst free from the dense undergrowth and came skidding to a stop inches from her feet.
Demi’s heart froze in her chest.
Until she got her first good look at the creature.
It was not a squirrel, but it was equally harmless.
Standing on its hide legs, the little brown and white weasel cocked its head to the side and eyed her curiously.
He was actually pretty adorable. So much so that Demi held her hand out to him. But the little critter’s curiosity had its limits. As if suddenly realizing the size difference between himself and Demi, he turned tail and scurried back into the brambles, vanishing out of sight.
Demi watched him go with a smile before she got back to her feet, a newly refilled flask in each hand as she made her way through the forest back towards the camp. She hoped that the little weasel was the only creature she would encounter on her way.
***
Later that evening, Demi sat by the fire while Tobias slept beneath the shade of a tall cedar, where he had been for hours. Demi went to check on him for probably the twentieth time.
The cauterizing appeared to have done the trick. No more blood leaked from his wounded calf. Although she could only imagine how horrible the scars would look when the wounds eventually healed completely.
Returning to sit by the campfire and eat some of the rations that Tobias packed in her backpack, Demi watched the fire crackle and burn as the last light of day was vanishing. They made very little progress today, but Demi wasn’t thinking about that, she was thinking about Tobias—still filled with conflicting emotions.
The feelings were stirring every time she looked at him. Subtle at first, they were now almost always on the forefront of her mind.
I shouldn’t be thinking about this, she had said to herself more times than she could count. I don’t even know what he thinks about me, and I’m too afraid to ask. Maybe it’s better to not know.
But was it really?
The longer she kept this all bottled up inside, the more it was going to bother her.
And what if he looks at me like I’m some stupid little girl with a crush?
He was much older than her, at least chronologically, even though he didn’t look it. And he even saw her as a baby, which was weird to think about. But with all of the weird things that had happened in her life recently, it actually ranked pretty low on the list.
“Demi . . .”
She turned around the moment she heard the weak voice utter her name. Tobias was stirring in his sleep. His body breaking out in cold sweats.
Demi went to his side again, not sure if she should wake him or not.
“Demi . . .” he said again, this time a little louder than before. His thrashing became more frantic. Then he suddenly sat up with a start, crying out her name for a third time as his eyes popped open.
“I’m right here,” Demi said in a tiny voice.
He noticed her for the first time, a wave of relief washing over his face. The fear in his eyes died away and he leaned against the tree trunk again, heaving a deep sigh.
“Are you alright?” Demi asked.
“I’m fine . . .”
“You were having a nightmare, weren’t you?”
He nodded.
“What was it about?”
“It . . . nothing. Just a bad dream. That’s all.”
“You said my name . . .”
“What?”
“My name. You said it in your sleep.”
He brought his eyebrows together. “I did?”
“Yeah. Three times.”
He looked away. Not saying a word.
“So what was the dream about?” Demi asked again, hoping he would be honest with her this time.
Silence followed for a beat as he continued to avoid her gaze. Then he spoke at last.
“I saw you. In a dark forest . . . a lot like this one. Beneath a full moon. You were standing in a clearing, wearing a white gown.”
“What happened?”
“At first, nothing. You were just staring up at the moon, and then he appeared.”
“Who?”
“Korver.”
Just hearing the name sent a chill down Demi’s spine. “Then what happened?”
“He attacked you. Threw you on the ground and . . .” He trailed off, his eyes glossed over as if he were reliving a terrible memory. Demi had never seen him shaken like this before.
“And what did he do next?” Demi asked, feeling like she had to know.
“He . . .” Tobias finally looked at her. “He killed you.”
The three words were like a knife twisting in her gut. But Demi quickly replaced her fears with rational thought.
“It doesn’t mean anything, though,” she said. “It was just a dream. I mean, dreams aren’t real.”
Tobias nodded. “Yeah, of course.” But somehow his tone did not match the words that came out of his mouth. He still sounded concerned.
“I thought Korver wanted me as his . . . mate.” The word felt funny coming out of her mouth. “Why would he want to kill me?”
“He only needs to take you as a mate to reunite the pack. Afterwards, you’re expendable, especially if you produce any offspring. He won’t need you anymore.”
The thought of having a baby with Korver was nothing short of stomach-churning. Demi was too young to have a baby, especially with a despicable monster like Korver.
“I know I don’t have to worry about that,” Demi said with all the confidence she could muster. “Korver can’t hurt me as long as I have you to protect me.”
Tobias looked down with hunched shoulders. “I can’t protect you right now, Demi. I can’t even walk.”
“But you will heal. Then I’ll be safe from him.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Silence followed. Demi did not want to talk about Korver or Tobias’s injuries. Both subjects did nothing but make them both uneasy. So she changed the subject.
“How did you meet my dad?”
He looked up at her, perking up a bit. Apparently he too welcomed the change of subject. “Well, it was a long time ago.”
“And you don’t remember?”
“No. I do.”
Demi smiled. “Then tell me.”
“Alright, but it’s kind of a long story.”
“That’s okay. We have time.”
He nodded and again sat up “Well, I was living in the wild, so consumed by my wolf side that I was hardly anything but an animal. And I was hungry. Starving actually. I found some deer meat hanging from a branch. I was so naïve that I didn’t even realize it was a trap before it was too late. The trap clamped down on my foot. The pain was excruciating. I couldn’t move, and I had no one to call out to for help. I thought I would die for sure.”
Demi leaned forward, eyes wide and chin resting in her palm as she listened intently. “What happened?”
“I passed out, not sure if I would ever wake up again. But I did. And when I did, I was in an unfamiliar cabin. That was when I met your father. He rescued me and brought me to his home to treat my wound. He taught me everything I needed to know about werewolves and—when I was ready—he permitted me to join the pack. For the first time in my life, I had somewhere where I belonged.”
; “But how did you end up all on your own? What about your parents?”
“I didn’t have any. I mean, I did obviously, but they weren’t around for long. They were rogues, belonging to no pack. They lived in a remote home far off the grid. My father abandoned us not long after I was born. I can’t even remember what he looked like. Then my mother, forced to hunt to feed us both, just didn’t come back one day. I never found out what happened to her. But I was alone after that.”
“How old were you?”
“I was five years old.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “You were five?”
He nodded. “And after she disappeared, as if some greater force knew I would need to hunt to survive, I was suddenly able to shift. I’m the youngest ever. Well, at least the youngest your father ever heard of.”
Demi shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to grow up entirely on your own like that.”
She tried to picture herself in the same position and had no clue how she would survive. Even if her aunt and uncle weren’t the most nurturing guardians in the world, living with them was infinitely better than living all alone.
“Honestly, I never really thought about it that way,” Tobias said. “It was just what had to be done.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that. I know what it’s like to be abandoned.”
“Your father had his reasons.”
“Then maybe your mother had hers.”
He shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t think about her anymore. Your father saved me. He’s the closest thing to family I have left. I would give my life for him. And since he asked me to protect you, I would also give my life for you.”
Demi frowned. “Is that the only reason?”
He hesitated before answering. “Should there be another reason?”
I guess not . . . She put on her best fake smile and shook her head. “No, of course not. I was just . . . never mind. Well, I’m going to get the tent set up. It’s getting late, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like sleeping on the dirt tonight.”
Looks like I know how he feels now . . .
Half-Wolf (The Alpha's Daughter Book 1) Page 10