by Violet Ray
No matter how hard she tried to distract herself, all she could think about was Blaize.
Squinting through the darkness, she tried to discern a wolf shape. It wasn’t possible from that distance, but it was a game she liked to play anyway.
Just about to click the TV on and find a movie to watch, Olivia was startled by the loud cry of a hawk.
For a moment she wondered if the forest was calling out to her. But how could that be? She shook her head at herself.
The snow was coming down heavily now. It would be crazy to head out now. Much better to stay inside where she would be warm and safe.
And all alone.
Throwing on her coat, Olivia opened the front door and stepped outside.
Berating herself the entire way, she still kept going. Sure, it was silly. She couldn’t feel Blaize’s presence.
Could she?
She was sure tossing aside all common sense as if she could. Slogging through the wet snow, she didn’t stop until she reached the trees. Peering through the blackness, Olivia couldn’t see a thing.
She went in, trying to stay quiet, the feeling that she could sense Blaize getting stronger.
But there was no sign of him. Maybe she should just accept that she was losing her mind and go back home.
“Olivia.”
The familiar voice made her shiver in anticipation. Blaize stepped out from behind some trees, dressed in his usual minimalist outfit of pants and shirt. Her heart beat faster as he came closer, scooping her up in his arms. They kissed, his lips burning against her cool ones.
Olivia was gasping for breath by the time they came up for air. Blaize took her hand and led her over to a fallen log, brushing the light dusting of snow away before they sat down.
“I have to go on a journey to the southern part of the forest. You will need to come with me.”
Still breathless from their kiss, his words did nothing to calm her down.
“What for?” she asked.
“We will be seeking the Elder of my pack. Phyr has challenged my destiny as the new leader, and we must go to find out which one of us is truly meant to be chosen.”
“I’m not saying no, but why do I need to go along for that?”
Blaize enclosed her frigid hands in his, rubbing lightly to warm them up.
“The Elder will also confirm that you are meant to be my mate. The word of the Elder is unquestionable, and it will stop people from objecting on the basis that you are human. It will make things far easier when you join with me.”
She squeezed closer to him in an attempt to warm up.
“You haven’t told me what that means yet,” she said. “To be your mate.”
“It’s a long journey. There will be time for that as we travel. We must begin at dawn.”
“Are you asking me, or telling me?”
Blaize tangled his fingers in her hair, stroking his thumb over her jaw. “It is necessary. For all of our futures.”
“Our? Your friend will be coming too?” Olivia asked, her heart sinking. If there was any chance of romance to be had on this journey through the forest, his presence would certainly kill it.
“Yes. We will meet Phyr at dawn. Come with me now.”
Blaize stood up, holding out his hand to help her off of the log. She stared up at him, disbelievingly.
“You want me to stay with you now, and then go off with you both tomorrow? Deep into a forest I’ve hardly set foot in?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
Chapter 7
“So, when do I get to see where you live?” Olivia asked as they reached the end of the now-familiar path and went inside the cave. “I’m very curious.”
Blaize took her into his arms. “When every question about our destiny is resolved and our future is clear.”
“Oh, is that all that needs to happen,” she grinned.
He didn’t say a word, just lowered the zipper on her coat, reaching inside, his hands finding her breasts. Oh, god. She had been longing for his touch from the moment he had disappeared back into the woods this morning.
Capturing Olivia’s lips in a passionate kiss, Blaize pulled her close, his hands roaming all over her body, his hard cock pressing into her stomach.
Moments later, all of her clothes hit the ground, the sudden rush of cold air on her skin making her shiver. Blaize stripped quickly, taking her to the pile of cedar branches that would be the only cushion between their flesh and the cold ground. To her surprise, she was growing to like it.
Blaize covered her body with his, his erection rubbing firmly against her. But she wasn’t ready just yet.
“Blaize,” she breathed. “Wait.”
“What is it?” His eyes were glazed with an urgent lust.
She pushed at his shoulders, and reluctantly he rolled off of her and onto his back. In one quick motion her head was down at his groin, fingers curling around his shaft, stroking the hard flesh lovingly.
Resting her head on his taut abs, Olivia gripped his cock by the base, angling it upwards, taking the head into her mouth.
Circling it with the tip of her tongue, she licked him, flicking her tongue around until he growled. Lowering her head, she engulfed even more of his cock, sucking gently, sliding his length all over her tongue.
Holding his shaft in one hand, her other went to his balls, her fingertips grazing over the sensitive skin. He throbbed hard and she stopped, letting him go.
Climbing on top of him, she straddled his cock, rubbing her wet lips back and forth, stroking her clit with his length.
“I want to ride you,” she said, not sure what he would think of that but she had to see if he would go for it. Having his big cock stroking inside of her at just the right angle would be just too much of a turn-on to let the possibility pass by.
“Not yet,” he said, his voice firm. She tilted her head quizzically until he took hold of her hips, pulling her forward. “You’re not going to stop me from tasting you first.”
She eased herself over his face but he grabbed at her, pulling her down. She could have screamed when his tongue touched her lips, working between them, lapping up her flowing juices.
Olivia had to use both hands to brace herself against the cave wall. She couldn’t think straight, the sensations he was causing in her were so overwhelming. He was so good, she was ready to come right away.
“Blaize,” she gasped out as the overpowering wave crested inside her. He held her thighs so she wouldn’t buck right off him.
When Olivia could move again, she wasted no time sliding down his body. Giving his leaking cock a couple of quick strokes, she held it up and lowered herself down, taking him into her body inch by inch. It was a rush she didn’t think she could ever get enough of, being filled up so completely by Blaize.
His erection throbbed hard inside her and she rose up, slamming herself back down.
Angling her hips, Blaize made sure his head rubbed her in all the right ways. Another climax was building up in her already and she clamped around his cock, spasming so hard she thought her heart was going to stop.
Blaize held her still and thrust powerfully up into her, his driving rhythm getting faster and faster.
With a groan his back arched, his entire body flexing as his cock pulsed, coming hard inside her.
“That was…” Olivia couldn’t even come up with a word to describe her feelings. She curled up against Blaize, his solid strength covering her.
He kissed the back of her head. “Sleep now. We must leave in a few hours.”
Closing her eyes, she tried not to think about what was ahead of them. Taking a long trip when she wasn’t in the best shape wasn’t exactly on the top of her list of things to do. But if nothing else, her curiosity wouldn’t let her say no.
Chapter 8
The icy air bit into Olivia’s exposed skin as she and Blaize walked through the trees. Under other circumstances, this really would have been a nice, romantic walk through the beautifully snow-covered
trees.
They were deeper inside the forest than she had ever been before, in a part where the trees grew less dense and they were more exposed to the elements.
Last night’s snowfall had left their branches covered. As night made way for the dawn light, the trees shimmered, almost glowing in the streaks of light. Everything was gorgeous and peaceful, the quiet being disturbed only by the sound of their footsteps. Or rather, hers. Blaize moved like a wolf even when he was in human form, silent and regal.
They reached a tiny clearing. A single wolf sat, staring at them. He ran off when they got near.
“Was that Phyr?” Olivia asked, trying to stifle a yawn. She was used to working nights. Rising at dawn was not something she had done in…well. Ever.
Blaize nodded.
“Where is he going?”
“He will join us further on,” Blaize said, not breaking his stride.
“I take it he’s not happy about me coming along,” she said, trying to match Blaize’s speed. Olivia sensed he was going slower to accommodate her, and she didn’t want to hold him back too much if she could help it.
“Phyr isn’t happy about anything right now. It does not matter. What we need to know will be discovered soon enough, and he will accept it.”
“Are you sure? Just like that?” A twig snapped under Olivia’s foot, echoing loudly through the stillness.
“He has no choice. Besides, what he wants the outcome to be might not be what is best for him in the end. He does not always see that clearly. There is always something that clouds his eyes.”
Before Olivia could ask what he meant by that, a figure appeared up ahead of them. It was Phyr, in human form as he had been when she first met him. He looked a lot like he did as a wolf, lean and wiry. Ready to strike without warning.
He stood waiting as they approached him, a scowl on his face.
“It will take a long time to get where we are going in this form,” he said. There were scratches and marks visible on his body, similar to the ones Blaize had.
“Standing and talking won’t get us there any sooner. And there is no rush,” Blaize replied. Phyr looked like he was about to retort but a glance from Blaize silenced him.
The three of them walked through the trees in silence. For a couple of old friends, these two sure weren’t much for conversation. Olivia would have to be the one to try and get things going.
“So who is this Elder we’re going to see?” she asked.
“Elders come from a long line of seers,” Blaize said. “Their bloodlines can be traced back to the beginning of Fyryne’s history. Every generation has one Elder that knows our past intimately, and they also know certain key events that are foretold for our future.”
“How do they know what is foretold? Do you mean they can make predictions?” Olivia asked.
“Not exactly. Certain events are fixed, and revealed to the Elder to pass on to the pack as needed. Their methods are unknown, passed down the line only from one Elder to the next and kept in secrecy.”
Phyr spoke up. “The destinies they uncover are the truth. They might as well be carved in stone. But sometimes, the specifics are not so clear.”
Blaize clenched his jaw, saying nothing. This was probably not the best topic for conversation, so Olivia dropped it.
They walked on without another word, tension running thick between them. Phyr was radiating hostility, although Olivia was no longer sure it was only reserved for her. It would seem the two friends had fought, and she wouldn’t dare ask about that.
She was beginning to hate this forest. For much of the way, there was barely the ghost of a path, and after hours of branches clawing at her face, roots trying to trip her up, and the temperature gradually dropping, she had just about had enough.
They had only stopped twice to rest the entire day. Unable to fight her exhaustion any longer, she reached out for Blaize’s arm.
“I need to stop,” she said, trying not to sound as unhappy as she felt.
“There is a cave nearby that we can use for shelter,” Blaize said, stopping to wrap his arm around her waist and hug her to him. “Can you continue for a little while longer?”
Phyr, who had been in the lead, turned around. Olivia tried to ignore the disdainful twist of his mouth.
“Sure,” she said, although she wasn’t at all certain she would make it even a short distance. Her leg was throbbing painfully and she could have happily fallen asleep right there in the snow.
Trudging on, Olivia could have wept with relief when they reached the cave only a few minutes later. It was even smaller than the one she was used to. They would be sleeping right next to each other.
“Wait here,” Blaize told her as she sank onto the ground. “We’ll be back soon.”
Leaning down, he kissed her forehead. She barely had the strength to smile back at him.
After he was gone, she lay down against one of the walls, closing her eyes. She must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing she knew, Blaize was sitting beside her, stroking her cheek.
“I’ve built a fire. Come on out, it will warm you up.”
He helped her to stand, but she winced when she put weight on her injured leg.
Looping an arm around her waist, Blaize let Olivia lean on him, easing her down when they reached the small fire. Its glowing heat had to be the best thing she ever felt.
Blaize scooped up some snow and came back to her.
“Here,” he said. “Stretch out your leg.”
She did so and he packed the snow tightly around her swollen knee. The cold felt almost as good as the heat from the fire.
“Thank you,” she said, gazing up at him.
Phyr sat down opposite Olivia. “Will you be able to walk tomorrow?” he asked. His tone lacked its normal hostility when he was speaking to her. It was far from friendly, but still, it was an improvement.
“Yes. The swelling will go down overnight and I’ll be fine.”
“Then we will arrive well before sundown,” Phyr said.
Blaize passed something over to her. It was a pile of moss, and she looked up questioningly. Phyr had some and was eating it.
“This moss is edible,” Blaize said, picking up some for himself. Olivia didn’t hesitate to try it. She was starving. To her surprise, it wasn’t half bad.
“Is there more?” she asked Blaize, popping the last few strands into her mouth.
“Lots. We collected it along with the firewood, and I can go out again if necessary. Here, have some of these.”
Olivia cupped her hands and he filled them with bright red berries. They were sharp and sour, and she devoured them as enthusiastically as if they were chocolate cake.
Feeling better than she had all day, Olivia started to relax. Even her leg was calming down, the sharp pain now more of a dull ache. Blaize finished his meal and added to the snow surrounding her knee. He sat down close beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She leaned her head onto him, a growing contentment filling her.
The only light they had now came from the fire, burning through the pitch-black night.
This was so far from her city life she could hardly believe it. And, at least right now, she didn’t mind at all.
“We need to start at dawn again tomorrow,” Phyr said, rising and stretching. He doused the fire while Blaize helped Olivia up and into the cave. Relieved to find she didn’t need much assistance to walk, she sat down on the ground. It would have been impossible to continue on if her leg hadn’t recovered so rapidly.
Blaize lay down beside her, circling him arms around her. Her eyes flew open, however, when Phyr came in and lay down on her other side without a word. She supposed that was a protection thing, having both of them surrounding her, but she hadn’t expected it.
As tired as she was, sleep didn’t come right away. Up until now, she had only been focussed on how to make it through this journey. She hadn’t thought about what would happen at its end. What would this Elder’s ruling mean for h
er future?
Chapter 9
They set out the next morning, reaching the Elder’s cave at midday. The trees were particularly dense in this area, and they were almost inside the cave before Olivia spotted the entrance. It was the most well-concealed cave she had seen so far, completely obscured from view by thick bushes.
“What happens now?” she asked.
“You will see. Just stay quiet and wait until the Elder addresses you directly,” Blaize said. He and Phyr started straightening their clothes, and Olivia followed suit, trying to tidy up her appearance as best she could.
Venturing inside, they tread silently over the rocks and dirt.
The cave was huge and much warmer than Olivia had expected. Three large candles burned at its edges, creating a soft light and dancing shadows. It was much more like a home than the two caves she had experienced so far.
Only when her eyes had adjusted after the blackness of the long corridor did she notice the figure in the back corner, sitting in a big wooden chair.
Blaize and Phyr went right over, kneeling down and bowing their heads. Completely out of her depth, Olivia had no idea whether she should join them or not. The gravity of the situation was not lost on her. Deciding that it would be better to err on the side of caution so she didn’t disrupt what appeared be a formal ritual, possibly even sacred, she stayed where she was, unmoving.
“Blaize. Phyrros. I would hardly recognize you,” the Elder said quietly.
“Ilythia. We come to seek your wise council,” Blaize said, his voice low and even, respectful.
“Tell me who you have brought with you,” she said.
They all turned to face Olivia, Blaize coming over and guiding her over, his hand on the small of her back.
“I present Olivia.”
Instinctively Olivia knelt down as Blaize did. Ilythia looked her over for so long Olivia started to worry something was wrong.
“You intend to make her your mate.” Ilythia stated, her voice flat and unexpressive.
“Yes. I know that Olivia has been chosen for me,” Blaize said. Phyr made a tiny movement at his words. God, Olivia wished he would get over himself and his disapproval of her.