You paused, standing straight. Your hand finding your hips. “You’re a chatterbox all of the sudden.”

With the faintest shrug, he replied, “I talk when it’s needed,” again voice flat. You could never tell if he was lying, joking, or being nice.

He said nothing more, planting himself against the wall. Though he was intimidating, he wasn’t prying. You stared at each other a beat too long. Then, without a word, you moved to lean beside him. Your heart had slowed and breathing also. 

“Are you keeping tabs? Do you have a tracker on me?” you asked again. He really chose the questions he wanted to answer. His presence was heavy but comforting, as if you could breath without being attacked. You closed your eyes.

For the first time this week, you had quiet. Even with the pumping bass from the club and the chatter of clients walking in and out, it wasn’t your empty apartment, with just your thoughts. The buzz of the alcohol also helped.

Coco said they were always around, but besides the club, you never saw them. Except for that time with Kyle of course.

Or maybe they did, what you learned that day was that they were fishing for information and would go to great length to get them.

It was a game to them, wasn’t it?

Would they give up after they found out? The mystery was the only interesting thing about you, you knew how to use your appeal, and were book smart, but that would eventually lose its charm, and be redundant? 

You turned to look at Ghost. Would he go running inside and tell them as soon as he found out?

Leaving you outside with your heavy thoughts and fear, you inhaled deeply. Taking a moment before you would stumble again. You shifted on your feet, pulse drumming in your ear. Your lips parted hesitantly and then you said it.

Your name.

The thing you had been keeping secret. The only thing they were after. Their little game was over now. 

Your eyes didn’t leave his face. Looking, searching for something—anything: a twitch of his brow, a shift in his eyes. Leave now, go tell them. Do something.

He must have felt your stare because he turned to look at you. But he showed nothing—not even a glint in his black-covered eyes.

“Nothing?” you quipped. “Really? You guys have been tormenting me for days, and when I finally give my name…you say nothing.”

He crossed his arms, you saw the lightest crinkle on the side of his eyes. Was it amusement? “Hardly a state secret, is it?” he said with a faint shrug.

You stared at him, pulling yourself from the wall. What the fuck does that mean?

“You left your purse unattended numerous times,” he said simply. “You’re distracted and getting sloppy.”

You fell silent. He was the one now studying you. You felt it as it bubbled in your chest and slowly rose to your throat and to your lips. You bit them—to no avail.

The laugh exploded out of you, sharp and loud, breaking through the weight on your chest. You held your side, the tears burning your eyes. Whether from laughter or exhaustion, you didn’t know.

“Of course!” you choked out through your laughter.

He remained silent, waiting for it to die down. You crouched on the dirty floor, your laughter slowly dying down. You took a deep breath of it with a chuckle of disbelief.

You were tired, the laughter had hurt your side. And the alcohol made your eyes sting with sleep and exhaustion.

“How long have you known?”

“About a day?” he started oh so not that long—“After you told us to stay away, a hard 27 hours really,” he said, you picked it up the hint of humour in his voice. It was subtle but there nonetheless.

You covered your mouth not to ugly laugh at the absurd confession,

“So you have been keeping tabs on me” 

“We have,” he answered simply, “tracker would have been the last resort though” he pointed. You could tell now, he teasing but also telling the truth.

He was surprisingly honest. But they were absolutely out of their minds, every single one of them.

And you should be freaking out. Why aren’t you freaking out, right now?

Oh, you were tired. 

And he was right. You were sloppy, blindsided. You had tools to get yourself out of this situation. The police wouldn’t be of any help—you could use them.

Even so, who turns to crime once they get a little hiccup? But it wasn’t a hiccup, was it? Though you didn’t hear from the stalker directly, you felt something ominous and needed to do something before it got worse.

You put your hand on your knees, pushing yourself up. What could you even ask? You weren’t sure what they really did. Yeah you saw a man the roughed up. But your boss was a dick and you probably would have roughed him up too if you had the tools. how would you approach this.

“If I… hypothetically asked you for help with something…or someone, what would you do?”

“Want to rid someone?” he asked bluntly

Your eyes widened, quickly looking around to see if there were people nearby and if they heard.

“T-that’s not what I asked!” you defended. He didn’t seem convinced. “Scaring them away would be enough, no? I mean, they haven’t done anything since, but god, it’s just constant gnawing at my brain. Taking my focus. Whenever someone mentions a stranger I panic, I can’t do that. I have a life. The bar exam to study for.”

The words spilled out of you, lifting a weight you didn’t realize you carried. “I’m tired. Nothing is happening, but I just know it can’t be the end. You don’t just leave this type of note and disappear—it has to be on purpose!”

A firm hand held onto your arm, pulling you out of the space you had crawled into. He was now towering over you, his brown eyes boring into yours.

“You’re alright. Get to the point now, dove,” he said, his voice quiet but reassuring.

You hesitated, the words caught in your throat. Saying it out loud felt too real. You’d feel too defenseless. But you were already here. “They found my house,” you whispered, barely audible. “There is nothing I can do but sit and wait…”

Ghost’s head tilted slightly, his eyes narrowing. “What? When?” The word was low, almost a growl, sending shivers over your body, and the silence that followed seemed to make the air heavier.

You blinked and tried to pull away, but his gloved hand was holding you firmly in the same spot. It wasn’t painful, just unescapable.

“Hum… that day after I told you to stay away,” you stammered, your voice barely above a whisper. “I went home and I found flowers in front of my apartment building.”

His eyes darkened under the already dim light. “Fucking hell, Y/n,” he muttered, his voice colder. 

“I told the police, and after nothing happened, I thought it was over.” You started to stammer. 

“We’re not discussing this here.” He pulled you along, your feet struggling to keep up with his long stride.

“W-wait, what are you doing?”

His tight grip and the evident tension in his shoulders made your heart pound harder with every step.

He wasn’t bringing you to the club but to a car—a black SUV with tinted windows. Your eyes darted around, noting how empty the streets were all of a sudden. How had you gotten so far away in such a short amount of time?

Oh my god, you were getting kidnapped! 

You dug your feet to the ground, “Ghost, wait! Let’s not be rash—I changed my mind!” you try pulling away him, but it was like trying to move a mountain.

He opened the car door. “Get in!” he ordered.

You took a step back, trying to get away.

“You know what? I think—”

Before you could say more, you were hoisted up and shoved inside. You stumbled, your hand gripping something—someone—for support.

You looked up, meeting Price's blue eyes. The door slammed shut behind you.

“Hello, darling.” His voice resonated in your chest. Were they all just…here? What is happening right now.

“Is this a fucking reunion?” you muttered

“Sorry for the wait, I can’t show my face in there,” he smiled, his eyes falling from your face to the small, revealing dress. From this angle, he had a perfect view. “Nice dress,” he added.

You cleared your throat while sitting properly, fixing yourself. The car smelled strongly of leather and cigars. He was the culprit.

You turned to the door trying to pull it open, but it remained locked no matter how hard you pulled on the handle.

“Child safety,” he explained. You turned to him, swallowing hard, as your heart pounded in your chest. It was a bit infuriating how amused he was by this. “My side can open. Want to climb over and try?” he playfully asked, pointing at the door to his side.

You thought about it, but you would have to straddle his lap. Yeah, no—that was a trap. And that mischievous little smile only confirmed it. You looked at the front thinking you could climb by the passenger seat. 

Before you could decide, the door behind you opened. Kyle stood there with a proud grin.

“Scoot, beautiful,” Kyle said, climbing in without waiting for an answer, nudging you closer to Price.

His hand brushed your shoulder lightly, sliding down you back, sending an unintended shiver down your spine.

Price, his firm grip guided you to sit properly. You kept getting handled tonight. 

You quickly fixed your dress again avoiding his gaze. Why were you getting shy? It really wasn’t like you, how embarrassing. 

Ghost got into the passenger seat while Johnny got in the driver's seat, grumbling to himself.  

“Don’t be a baby, and drive,” Kyle teased, nudging the seat in front.

Your eyes widened as you heard the humming of the car as it started. Right! Immediate danger!

“Where are you taking me? What about Coco?” you asked, looking around.

“You’re not a map, she can find her way home.” Ghost said

“We have more pressing matters,” Kyle buckled the seatbelt over you. “Getting the hell out of here,” he added with a wink.

You frowned, shaking your head, but they were already driving off.

“N-no, she brought me here, and I—”

“Yeah, and we’ll deal with that too,” Johnny muttered.

You chewed on your lips, your heart racing as you tried to find something else.

“My bag… I have things in my bag. If I leave it behind—”

“I got it,” Ghost said. “Your phone too. Now stop finding excuses. We are not going back there.” he said looking at you over his shoulder. You closed your mouth and sat back. 

You were in trouble. You’d tried to be brave, but now look at you—waiting, helpless. Still, they wouldn’t hurt you, right?

Oh my god, what did you get yourself into?

Masterlist - Next

“How do you know it’s the same person?” Price asked, his arms crossed over his chest, his playful demeanor from the car earlier gone.

“The handwriting is the same as the ones I usually get, the paper too…” you managed to say. You needed to regain some composure and challenge the pressure they were putting on you. You peeked up, but his stare made you quickly avert your eyes again. Damn it!

You were completely at their mercy, unable to escape. You’d never dealt with all four at once before. The room’s air was almost too heavy for you to breathe at this moment. Why did you open your mouth?

“Those pictures were taken days ago,” Kyle said, his usual calm tone wavering. “You’ve received something like that and did nothing about it?”

“I told the police. I made a report and everything. I’m not stupid.”

“No?” Johnny retorted with a scoff, pacing through the room. His tone took you aback, and you pressed your lips together, eyes falling to the floor again.

“Love, this is serious. It’s quite literally a threat,” Price scolded.

“Don’t you think I know that? I was scared, but I was sure I could handle it myself. I did everything I should have done, and then received nothing more. They just stopped at that, so I thought…”

Your eyes followed Johnny as he was the only one not listening to you, muttering to himself.

“I’m telling you,” you said. “There was no escalation, and nothing happened,” you defended. He stopped abruptly, turning to you.

“What if it did?” he asked. His face was blank; now that he was looking straight at you, you noticed his usual soft blue eyes were now cold, pupils blown wide. Your stomach twisted, and you pushed back in your seat.

“Johnny,” Ghost warned, but the man was not hearing him.

“How many days did that bloody bastard know where she lived?” he told him, then turned to you again. You’d never seen him like this; he was always so nice and warm. Seeing him like this was terrifying.

“I called the police, Johnny.” This seemed to only make his frustration boil over.

“What good did that do you, ey?” Why was he angry at you? Your throat burned, and your eyes stung.

“What else was I supposed to do? Ask the mob for help?” you argued, pointing at them in anger. Shouldn’t he be focusing on what actually mattered right now?

“Yes!” he snapped. “You could have told us! You should have told me! I was with you every single day. You could have said something. If I knew he had even breathed near you, I would—”

“Soap, that’s enough!” Price interrupted . “How about you go cool off for a second?”

“I’m calm!” he retorted, taking a step back, shaking his head.

“You’re not, mate,” Kyle pulled him back, his hand brushing against Johnny’s side in a way that was both grounding and intimate. Whatever he whispered was just for them, but it worked. Johnny looked at you again, his eyes softened slightly, his jaw clenched, before storming out, swiftly followed by Kyle.

The silence was loud as their footsteps faded away. It did not make the room any lighter.

Price exhaled as if to break the silence before turning his attention to you. “Johnny’s a bit hot-headed, forgive him,” he reassured, his lips forming a tight smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He crouched in front of you, getting perfectly in your line of sight.

Invading your space, his cologne tingling your nostrils, his calloused palm sliding down your calves to your ankle, squeezing gently. A shiver rippled up your leg, but you didn’t dare pull away. You finally met his eyes, they were pinning you down.

“He’s right, you know that? You were careless,” The slow deliberate way his thumb rub again your skin send tingle up your spine. You pressed your trembling lips together.

They crossed your boundaries again. If they weren’t so controlling all the time, you would have said something. It’s not that you didn’t want help. But they were scary too. You were unable to hold his gaze without feeling a growing heat low in your belly, not risking any betrayal from your body.

You looked over his shoulder to Ghost, who had been silent the entire time. Trying your best to level your voice, you spoke up.

“I didn’t tell you this to get scolded. I was asking for help. If you’re not going to do that, then…I ask that you let me go. I have people who would worry about me if I just disappeared.” That was a lie—you lived alone. Not the type to talk to people about your whereabouts, it would take days before they knew.

“Yeah, who?” he asked, tilting his head a bit, amusement in his voice. Your heart dropped to your stomach. Right, they had been keeping tabs; they would know. As if to answer to your silence he spoke again.

“I’m just teasing,” you knew he wasn’t. “We were in fact helping you, keeping an eye on our Doll. Anyone could see that.”

That’s what Coco said earlier. “Is that why Colossus has been looming around all day?” you muttered, glancing at Ghost, who let out a soft grunt as he crossed his arms. You couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or amused?

You felt a hand on your knee, followed by a light squeeze. Turning your attention back to Price.

“We would have been more proactive if we thought it was a real threat—which it was—but you kept us in the dark.”

“I’m sorry,” you said despite yourself.

“It’s alright, but I need you to be honest with me from now on. Tell me everything, to the smallest detail—even if you think it’s minimal, let me be the judge of it.”

You nodded.

“Earlier, you told Simon. Why?”

“Simon?”

“Colossus,” he teased, looking over his shoulder for a brief moment.

“Oh…hum, Coco said something about keeping me away from you, and another person was set to come. I think…I think it might be the stalker, or not…I don’t know. She’s my friend. Why would she do that? Right? She just wanted to have a drink with me.”

Price glanced briefly at Ghost before returning to you.

“What?” you mumbled. You didn’t want to be in the dark, not for this.

“That club was outside our territory. If someone wanted to get you out of our reach, they would go there.”

Your hand tightened into a fist. “You sent the boys to get me,” you mumbled.

“They are a bit more discreet, yes.”

This was all starting to make sense.

“Is there anything else, something she told you? An eye twitch you didn’t like—anything?”

“She knew the bouncer and said she knew a guy there, and it seems she was nervous and was waiting for someone.”

Oh my God, it was right there. Saying it out loud now made you feel so dumb.

He nodded again. “Did she say a name?” You shook your head.

“It’s alright. We’ll get him, but what then?”

“I don’t care what you do. I don’t want to know as long as he is gone.” You paused, thinking a bit—you were asking for something crazy right now. Besides you had nothing in return, Johnny said they were business man. You hesitated

“I-I don’t have much money right now, but I planned on getting a side job later this month. If you could just scare him, I’ll be able to pay you.” You back pedalled

Price’s lips slowly curled again, this time he was truly amused, a chuckle rumbling in his chest.

“That’s not how this works, doll, but thank you for the offer.”

His tension from earlier had eased. Now you could only feel the warmth of his palm and the soothing circles he was rubbing with his thumb. Your pulse quickened.

“We’ll take care of this,” he reassured. The intensity from earlier had you clinging to the slightest bit of comfort you could get. Just as you find yourself leaning to his touch.

He pulled away from you. “Oh, and you do understand that I won’t let you go back to your place, right?” he explained.

You opened your mouth to protest.

“I’m not asking,” he stated firmly.

Does he ever?

Normally you would be vocal, but right now it didn’t seem like the right choice.

“You’ll stay here for the time being. If you absolutely need to leave, one of us will be with you, keeping you and your pretty little ass safe,” he continued

“You’ll help me just like that?” you asked.

“You’d rather sign an IOU?” he asked gently, making fun of you again. He was cunning, and you did not want to trust him.

You looked over at Ghost. Though he was one of them, he hadn’t lied to you yet.

“There is no catch?”

“None,” he answered immediately.

You hesitated for a bit as if you had even a choice.

“Okay, I’ll stay until you it’s resolved.” You nodded

“There’s a clever girl.” He tapped your chin with a smile you felt a tingle in the pit of your stomach.

“If you need anything from your flat, Kyle can go get your thin—”

“Not Kyle, don’t want him to get through my drawers,” you blurred out, stopping him. Price’s lip twitched, a playful frown on his face.

He tilted his head. “He’s seen you in revealing clothes before, we all have.”

“Yeah, but my house is personal, and he just pries. I hate it,” you explained.

“Alright, then I’ll go. Or Simon,” he proposed, jerking his head where the man was.

“Simon is fine,” you mumbled. “If you don’t mind, of course.” You looked at Ghost hesitantly.

“I don’t,” he stated, uncrossing his arms. He walked away, coming back shortly with a pen and paper.

You examined his stance, trying to figure out if he was still mad or not. Was he going to lash at you like Johnny? He walked closer, pen and paper in hand, and offered them to you.

“Write it down,” he instructed.

You took it from him, chewing on your lips.

“You’re not gonna snoop, are you?” you tested him with a joke, glancing through your lashes.

“Would you even notice?” he tilted his head, unbothered.

You almost smiled in relief at the response but paused, realizing who you were talking to.

He probably would. Well at least you had a semblance of a choice in the matter.

He was sketchy, yet for some reason, you trusted him more than the others at this point.

Masterlist - Next

[A/N] Yeah, we’ve got an unhappy puppy today. 😔 Mama’s grabbing some prosecco to cheer up.

“Get me oot o’ here before someone gets hurt, aye?” he sounded agitated clearly in a rush. Was he planning to kill you then attack the village?

What a pity. He was so nice earlier today. The only person who actually spoke to you back at this dreadful place. 

No one ever takes a female hunter seriously. But back there it was worse.

You were offering to save them. For money yes but still, they showed no gratitude or even care. Johnny had talked to you, answered your question, and most importantly was polite. What seemed to be a gruelling task for those villagers who only gave you the cold shoulder. It was really a pity. 

“Lass, am serious. Ye don’ ken what yer doin’. Let me oot. Now!”

“I know exactly what I’m doing. You have to pay for your crimes, and I need this commission money.”

“Please, those villagers ur lying to ye… they…” He grunted, holding his shoulder, then stared at dark red blood now coating his palm. “Did ye…poison me?” he asked in disbelief. You raised your shoulder nonchalantly. “Un-foockin’-believable.”

“I told you, I’m smart!” you taunted.

“Ye foockin’ witch. Here ah was feelin’ bad fur ye!”

“You watch your mouth and I’m not a witch!”

“Fine! let the villagers use ye as a foockin’ sacrifice, then,” he snarled.

“Sacrifice?”

“Oh, ye care now?” he chuckled through the pain. “They made a deal with the thing. Travellers and hunters like ye instead of them. How should ah give a fuck!” He trailed, crouching down, holding his side, his growl turning animalistic.

The wolfsbane was taking effect. You would not let him out, he was getting aggressive, he would kill you, surely.

“I can take care of myself.” You replied, you couldn’t just trust his words. He fell to his knees, grimacing. You chewed on the inside of your cheeks; you hated inflicting pain on people, human or not. You held yourself from asking if he was alright.

“Ah fuck,” he growled. “What th’hell ye put in ‘at arrow?”

“Wolfsbane…” you whispered “Are you—” you started, but his head snapped to you, cutting you off. He seemed more alert, his earlier smirk now gone.

“Shit!” he growled at you, his eyes were now a glowing icy blue. Though they were supposed to be terrifying, they were gorgeous. You felt drawn to him.

“Let me oot,” he said through his teeth. You don’t know why you nodded your head, walking to him. He seemed as surprised as you. But his attention quickly shifted to something else, pupils narrowing. Before you could react, something rammed into you.

You were lifted in the air by a force, slamming back to the ground, knocking the wind out of you. The first breath you tried to take shot sharp, stinging pain through your rib cage. You coughed, turning to your side, rolling in pain.

“Lass, get up!” Johnny’s hurried voice snapped you back.

You crawled away to a tree, panting and clutching your side, eyes darting around, but catching nothing. The thing was quick. Shit, you were in trouble. Your gaze fell back to Johnny, whose pain seemed long forgotten. His attention solely on you.

“Hey! Ah won’t hurt ye, promise!”

A piercing shriek cut through the air. This was clearly not a wolf. He was telling the truth you were tricked. You looked at Johnny, who was across from you. To get to him, you’d have to run through the open space. Would he really help you or run away? 

You gulped and rushed toward him. “C’mon, hurry!” he exclaimed. 

“I’m trying!” You picked your knife from your boot, scratching the sigil. Just as you scraped through the line, something clawed your leg, dragging you away.

You screamed as the claw dug into your skin. You were yanked once more, your back slamming into a tree, disorienting you again. It seemed to be its goal, it was treating you like a ragged doll. You fought to stay conscious, blinking through the fog.

A soft cry escaped you. On top of the pain in your body, you could taste blood in your mouth from biting your tongue.

Over the ringing in your ears, you heard the faint sound of it running towards you, but you were too stunned to move. Still on your back, you struggled to breathe. You were going to die here.

Johnny was probably gone by now. You shut your eyes, bracing for the next blow.

You heard a loud thud, the ground vibrating beneath you, followed by heavy, beastly panting, right above you. But nothing, no bites, no claws, just warmth and a tingling sensation on your face.

You peeked through your lashes, you saw the brown fur that was tickling your face. Blinking you finally view the giant beast shadowing you. His paw was at the side of your body. The sheer size of his body completely shielded yours.

“Johnny…”

His lips pulled from his now sharp teeth as he growled at the creature. He was…protecting you.

They said werewolves were just cold, mindless, blood thirsty creatures. But from where you were nestled, you felt warm and safe. You raised your head, looking back through your lashes. The wolf’s fur tingling your chin as you finally get a glimpse of the other creature.

His long limbs, his gray skin. It was just a bit bigger than your protector, circling around you. You flipped to your stomach.

You peeked back at the shifter above you. 

He was alert and focused, glaring at the creature, as if the second he looked away, it would snatch you.

You both knew running wasn’t an option; the thing was fast and would catch up in no time. You needed to find a way to incapacitate it. 

You weren’t sure what that thing was. You’d just started, and your glossary barely had any creatures in it.

Your mentor’s words echoed in your mind: When in doubt, use silver.

Right. 

You scrutinized the scene, searching for your crossbow, you landed on it and the few arrows scattered next to it. 

“I got arrows, with silver heads,” you muttered. You leaned closer to Johnny’s fur. “Can you distract it while I get my weapon?” you whispered. A low growl rumbled in his abdomen, and he lowered slightly, shielding you further. 

Was he against it? But you couldn’t stay like this for ever. The thing would eventually attack.

“I’ll be quick, trust me.” You said, he paused a moment stepping to the side, allowing you to slip from beneath him.

The creature caught on and crouched, ready to pounce. As it leaped, it was intercepted mid-air by Johnny, crashing to the ground. Snarls and growls filled the air.

They rolled just a few feet from you. You stumbled but quickly regained your footing, pushing on as fast as your bleeding leg allowed.

You reached your weapon, falling onto your uninjured leg. You took the arrows from the cold, wet ground. Your trembling fingers, coated in mud and blood, slipped against the shafts.

You didn’t let yourself get distracted by the loud thuds of them fighting at first. 

A pained whimper tugged your attention back, and you spun around.

Shit, he was losing.

You needed to be faster. Your fingers shook as you dug through your dropped bag, pulling out poison and potions, coating the arrows with shaking hands. One of these was bound to work, no?

You pushed yourself up again, grunting, your heels sinking into the ground. Using your slippery fingers, you pulled back the string, smearing it with blood. You slid the silver arrow in, aiming at the two. 

You held yourself steady, you exhaled slowly, your breath controlling your heartbeat. Just as you were taught. Your body had stopped shaking. Your eyes no longer blurry with building tears. Quiet focused, you studied the two creatures. Moving too fast for you to get a clear shot. The wolf protecting you fell with a whine, trying to stand up.

The other growled now open, pressing Johnny back down, with his claws.

You were a klutz as a monster hunter, but one thing you were was a good shot.

You had no idea how hard his skull was, better not waste your arrows and get a better angle. You lowered your wrist just a little lower and pulled the trigger. The arrow flew, lodging itself straight into its throat. The beast screeched in pain. Standing on its back legs, clawing at his neck. You squinted, focused on your target. It was not only bleeding but sizzling, burning the son of a bitch. 

It was working. 

You wasted no time.You pulled your string once more, aiming at it. Shooting through his chest piercing its heart. It didn’t seem to stop it. It turned to you, claw scraping the ground as it sped to you. 

Fortunately you were faster this time.

“No matter how hard your bones are...” you shot one more, the arrow flew straight into its eyes. Its legs skipped a step as it went tumbling to the ground, its limbs twitched a few times before it let out its last breath.

You dropped to your knees, letting the weapon fall to your side. You finally took a shaky breath, trembling from the cold and the fright. Your nose was runny, and your ears were still ringing in the quiet night, you failed to notice how quiet it had been apart from you and the shifter breath, not a bird sound, or even crickets chirping. 

It was eerie and you didn’t even pick up on it. What a stupid girl you were.

Johnny stirred from where he was lying, turning his attention to you. He struggled to stand up before strolling to you, with a limp on his back leg. You pushed yourself back unconsciously reaching for your weapon again. 

He collapsed to the ground closer to you, letting out a soft whine. He was harmless now. You didn’t have to worry about him. 

You sniffled, turning your attention back to the throbbing pain in your leg. The claws had ripped through your pants and torn your skin. You ripped a piece of your shirt, exposing your arm to the cold, and wrapped it around your wound. 

You had to get home quick and treat it, and you needed to figure out what creature you had just encountered. Hastily you grabbed your crossbow swinging it over your shoulder. 

Pushing yourself up with the help of a nearby tree. 

You’d spare Johnny a glance. He was no longer your problem. You would grab someone from the village to see the beast, and you’d get your commission, he’d know better and run away by then. 

You pushed yourself on the steady leg, hopping away. This was the right thing to do. He was a monster, not your problem. The fact that he had helped you meant nothing. 

Another whine made you stop in your tracks, quickly spinning around to him, pain shot through your leg. You cursed under your breath, holding your knee for a few seconds, chasing away the sting.

Then limped back to him. You crouched beside him, the cold seeping through your now ripped pants. You reached down, his fur was damp. At first, you weren't sure if it was from sweat or blood. From the color of the muddy ground, and the iron smell it was definitely blood. 

His ragged breaths formed faint clouds in the cold air. Poor thing. You tried moving his paw, but he growled and pulled away.

“Don’t be a baby. I came back, didn’t I?” you defended. He huffed at you, and you rolled your eyes. “Let me look,” you said. You didn’t know if you were imagining it, but he was scowling at you.

You did hurt him earlier, and he helped you, yet you thought of abandoning him the second you were out of harm's way. The beast had more heart than you.

He wasn’t just a beast, was he? You hesitated, reaching out and petting the side of his head softly. His fur was soft and so warm.

“Do you understand me?” you asked. He didn’t answer, but the way he leaned into your touch said enough. “I’m sorry but I need to see what I’m working with. You’re in a lot of pain, aren’t you? Let me help,” you explained, running your hand over his fur.

His body relaxed. You smiled and began examining his wounds. A pretty deep cut down his belly and several bite marks.

You chewed on your lip, pushing yourself back to meet his eyes.

“Okay, listen. I’m strong, but not enough to pull you all the way back… can’t you shift again to your human form?” you pleaded. He huffed at you again.

“What?” you asked, raising a brow. He turned his head away. “What—no, I like your current form too, but you’re huge. Carrying you all the way back is going to be a—” another growl.

“No, don’t take it badly, hey…” you chuckled, he was very human. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, big guy,” you said, turning to the other side, trying to meet his gaze again.

“Hey, forgive me? Please? I shouldn’t have asked that. Don’t be mad, okay?” you said. “Can you walk? I’ll help you.”

He nudged you with his nose, standing up. You could see he was in pain but trying.

You sighed, wrapping an arm under his massive shoulder, his weight nearly toppling you.

“Oh, this is going to be a nightmare,” you muttered through your first step. His weight dragged you sideways, you stumbled, a groan rippling through you. “Yep. A fucking nightmare.” 

Blog Masterlist - Part 2

The place where your arrow hit him was leaking blood as well—the wolfsbane was probably making it worse. You turned him over, ignoring the completely bare man in front of you, stuck your ear to his chest, and sighed in relief.

“Thank heavens…I dragged you all the way here, you better stay with me.” You tore a piece of cloth and proceeded to stop the bleeding.

His eyes were shut, but you could see his brow knit together as he grimaced from the pain, sweat building on his forehead. Your heart ached, guilt twisting your stomach, but you were also relieved.

“It’s going to be fine, I’ll take care of you,” you mumbled. “I’ll take care of you,” you repeated.

You cleaned the wound, stitched it shut, and bandaged him to the best of your abilities, cleaning and caring for his other wounds. You then tended to your own wounds, checking on him from time to time. He remained in sleep.  

A day passed, and he kept slipping in and out of consciousness. Out of resources, you went to the witch you knew, the one who got your poison in the first place. You couldn’t tell her the whole truth, one you would get in trouble with your mentor, her husband and second you were not sure if they wouldn’t harm Johnny.

Instead you told them that a friend of yours had run into trouble and was in bad shape. You managed to get a few potions and remedies from her.

She had the best cures all around and you were starting to get desperate. You were getting out of solution, or money. All the worries were forgotten when it worked. By the third day, he was starting to recover.

He was no longer shivering, and his fever had gone down. He was now sleeping soundly. You couldn’t believe you were using your hard-earned money to treat a murderous creature though he looked quite docile in his sleep.

You’d only recently become a hunter, and they soon told you that your heart would be a hindrance. You always ended up letting them go because they tricked you with feigned kindness. Putting you in a precarious situation and in need to be saved. This was also a reason why you believed they wouldn’t trust your judgment.

You promised you would get this one right and finally get a real win, that it would be different. In the end you were right, it just wasn’t the difference you expected. Never had you been protected like this before, he was in this state because of you after all. 

You sighed, brushing your fingers through his short, weird little haircut. 

You had spent almost a week taking care of him, he hadn’t woken up yet but you were starting to get used to his face. He was starting to get a stubble. Should you help him shave? You thought, your finger grazing his cheek. He seemed to lean into your touch, he always did, unconsciously…or was he just playing with you? Would he stay like this forever, a sleeping beauty?

“Is that it, hmm?” you mumbled “Are you waiting for a kiss?” you teased, a smile on your face. 

His eyes fluttered open, you pulled hand away like you’d been burned. He blinked at you a few times. 

“Welcome back,” you whispered, holding your hand.

Though you had done nothing wrong, your heart drummed in your chest. You had been around him all the time but he was always out of it.  

He looked around dazed, blinking a few times. He tried to move and noticed the clumsily wrapped bandages on his body. 

“I-I did what I could, with what I had.” You defended, you were not the most trained at treating wounds but you did a pretty good job, in your opinion. He touched his lips, then his eyes went back to you. 

Your mouth opened and closed again as you held your hands out. “I didn't do it. I was joking—I'm sorry. I was trying to get a reaction, I didn't mean to offend you…”

He frowned “’s that smell again,” he mumbled,

“I—I should let you rest—” You stood up but your hand was pulled and you collapsed into him, his body was soft but muscles underneath were rock solid, it felt like you had hit the ground from how sturdy it was.

“What are you doing? You’re going to hurt yourself!” You exclaimed looking down at his bandages. He didn’t seem to listen. “’s ye, Bonnie,” he muttered nuzzling your neck, tickling your skin, “Smell so good, so invitin' ” 

“What are you talking about?” You tried to pull away but his grip was strong. 

“Don’t ye feel it too?” 

“Feel what–” He grabs your face, dragging you down to meet his lips. His lips were rough and needy against yours, his faint stubble scratching your skin. You felt a soft hum in your chest, and found yourself leaning closer. 

He sat up pulling you on his lap, he held firmly on your hips grinding you down against. 

You moaned through the kiss. The only thing you could feel was your touch-deprived body reacting to him. That tingling sensation sends heat through your core. Warm and exciting. 

You reluctantly pulled away, trying to shake the strange buzz in your ears. He whined but proceeded to kiss the skin in proximity, your jaw, your ears. 

Your clothes were ripped off. The sudden cool air made you shiver, regaining some of your consciousness.

You cupped his face. “What?” he huffed, it was weird, you just had met him, yet it was so familiar, no normal to have this way.

“…you're still hurt,” you choked out, 

“Am fine,” he reassured.

“'is hum,” He pressed you closer. “ Since the moment I met ye, it hasn’t stopped.”

Suddenly you felt empty. The fabric between you was too much. Your hips moved on their own, rubbing against him. The friction awakened nerves you forgot you had. “See?” he smirked, his callous fingers. 

His hands moved fast, already covering your pulsating warmth. As he slid a finger in, he let out an animalistic growl.

“Please, jus’ this once, I beg,” he muttered, fingers still in motion. Your hips buckled, chasing his touch.

“Just once,” you agreed. You couldn’t believe how easily you gave in. But you were past embarrassment at this point.

More than that. You had never felt this wet before, with so little.

His lips stole yours again, and without warning, he pushed in. The stretch burned, but it felt right. Like you were meant to be filled this way

He moved his hips against you. Sending delicious sparks of pleasure throughout your body.

The moan that escaped you was embarrassing, but it felt too good to care.

“A kiss? No, that’s what my bonnie really wan'ed, aye?” He whispered again to your skin. “Pump ye full.” he growled, grabbing your throat. His hips rolling back and forth at a controlled pace.

“…yes…” you slurred the only words you could manage. He grinned, 

“Take 's much as ye need, then,"  he cooed. You wrapped your arms around his neck pulling him into another teeth clacking, messy kiss.

You were entranced, wanting him to fuck you deeper, chasing building heat in your belly.

You held onto his bicep as your walls clung to him, desperately fucking yourself on him. 

“Fuck…” he growled meeting your hip. Your eyes shut tight and mouth agape, moaning, as you came.

Your eyes fluttered open, his hips were still going, slowly grinding deeper into you, you knew there was more, and you were ready to take it, salivating at the idea. 

You let out a frustrated, involuntary moan. “This isn’t enough is it?” He stared down, his blue eyes glowing in the dim light. 

You grind yourself against him, the heat had not subsided, it was burning hotter. 

“So, greedy?” He flipped you over lifting your hips and sliding back inside. Making you see stars.

Your eyes rolled back. As he pounded into you. 

“Look atch ye,” he cooed. “I should stay here, repay ye? Fucking ye good? hmm? Is that what ye want, bonnie?” He asked.

“Uh uh” is the only agreement you could muster. A laugh rumbled in his chest. He leaned down, pressing you firmly into the mattress. His warm tongue licked the nape of your neck.

His canines grazed your skin as your walls spasmed around him. He held your hips firm against him. 

 “That’s a perfect cunt…so perfect…” He kissed down your neck, eagerly. 

Your walls clung to him as you came. Your shoulders slumped, were a panting mess. “You’re alright?” he asked, leaning to kiss your shoulder.

You lifted your head, turning to him dazed, a drunk smile on your lips. He blinked at you stunned, his arm suddenly wrapped around your neck pulled you closer to his chest.

“Fuck,” he cursed. You felt something trying to push in. Something hard, bigger than his length.

He let out a grunt as he slammed deep, nails digging into your hips. The sudden motion sent you over the edge once again. Your legs trembled. Your mouth open, but no words came out. Just sharp, shallow breaths.

A cry finally tore from your throat as he drove his knot deeper, stretching you until there was nowhere left to go, as his seed flooded your womb. 

He wrapped his arm around your middle. He helped you gently to the side, pressing your back firmly into his chest, as you whimpered.

“Shh, stay…yer alright, I got ye” he kissed your temple, hand slid over your stomach. “Be good for me. Okay?”

This should terrify you. A stranger. A monster. Yet, there was no fear, just this strange, hum in your chest, making you fuzzy all around as you nodded.

“Good, lassie,” he cooed, making heat flare in your heart. He continued to kiss your jaw, licking and biting when he could.

“’s okay, I got ye, I’ll take good care of ye.” 

Kisses over kisses rubbing his face against yours. It felt good you had been alone for a while now. His embrace was warm and comforting. He hugged you like this until his knot softened. By then you were long gone.

~~~~

Months passed and he kept his words and stayed by your side. You got an amazing hunting companion. You reached a deeper part of the woods looking around for the perfect spot to set up. 

You turned to Johnny, who stood a few feet from you with his arms crossed. The little frown on his face made you bite back a smile. You still thought of him as the dramatic werewolf you had met that day.

You chuckled and walked to him. You pecked his lips. “You did a good job once again. Although, it would have been easier, and much faster if you had sniffed that piece of cloth” you shrugged, turning back to your ropes and daggers. As if you didn’t just finish a hunt. 

“I told ye before, am not tracking dogs, bon” he turned to you “Not putting that disgusting rag anywhere near my face,” you smiled, melting his frown away. He had gotten too soft to you; it was pathetic. But you loved it, so he had to swallow his pride. 

“Let’s go home, aye? Rest? Ye had a long night,” he pleaded. You shook your head smiling.

“No, I told you before I’m fine, I’ve never been this energized, like never,” you beamed, he swallowed down a growl. It was the opposite of what he wanted.

He thought fucking you all night long would tire you out. However, it seemed to have the opposite effect. What was wrong with you? 

After moving in, he started coming on hunts with you, keeping you out of harm’s way. But having him at your side only made you bolder. He’d be pleased if you didn’t dive headfirst into danger, knowing he’d always be there to rescue you. 

He had thought of another solution. To keep you at home. All his instincts agreed with him.

To keep you cozy at home. Too heavy to move, waiting, needing for him to take care of you. Hunt for you, feed you, protect you. His heart fluttered at the thought, the image riveting.

You with a round pregnant belly. Getting you pregnant would keep you from being outside chasing whatever it was. Entirely dependent on him. He loved seeing you catching other creatures, using your wit, and swift legs, but sometimes you seemed too autonomous. 

As if he wasn’t there you would be just fine. While he couldn’t be away from you a second without feeling a suffocating emptiness. It wasn’t rational. He knew that, but he couldn’t help it.

He never had a human mate before, he was not sure how to handle it. You were much more fragile. He had to be careful, but feigning nice would suffice. It had worked until now.

He watched as you tangled the rope around your arms, muttering to yourself as you set the trap. He was losing his patience. He walked to you, holstering you up on his shoulder. Beelining to the house.

“Johnny! I have a job to do!” you exclaimed, giggling, thinking he was just being playful again.

“So do I!” 

He was gonna get you that pup, or he would die trying. 

What a way to go.

Blog masterlist

In the end, you found yourself also peeking at him, expecting a comment or question, and no longer hesitating to answer.

You stole a glance, his posture was perfect. Alex looked great riding a horse. He was comfortable, his riding was second nature.

Kyle on the other hand was graceful, every movement controlled. It was almost nauseating how effortlessly elegant he was.

You, in contrast, were at the mercy of the horse. Asta’s occasional jolts further exposed your inexperience. You had no one to correct you either, the strain on your back making you shift every now and then.

You straightened your back, trying to mimic Kyle. You felt stiff, slightly off balance. What were you doing wrong? You weren’t holding properly, were you?

You peep again. But this time you were caught. His lips curled into a smug smile, only fueling your irritation. What was he smiling about? Your discomfort was ticking you off.  At least Alex was helpful when he was being an annoyance. 

Kyle tapped the top of his saddle. You looked at it, raising a brow. His index finger then lifted to point yours. You quickly looked down at it.

You were sitting quite high on yours. “You’re too high on it. You're also too stiff, relax your shoulders a bit,” he instructed.

You pushed yourself back and readjusted. It did take strain off your back. 

“You were doing great otherwise,” he praised. 

You nodded, but that small tremor in your chest had you irrationally irritated all over again.

“Do you want to pick up the pace? How about a race?” he asked. Your eyes widened and you shook your head. 

“We’d be home in no time. Less pain, and you get to be off the horse faster” he said.

Was he out of his mind? You barely held yourself for a light throttle. Did he seek your end? He clearly wasn’t a teacher.

“Allow me to refuse, my Lord” you replied not hiding the absolute dread the idea just raised in you.

“It’ll be amusing, and I’ll have my eyes on you the whole time. Don’t you trust me?” 

You stayed quiet. He lowered his head, raising a brow. “I guess not… What does Alex do? Give you sugars?” He laughed but it stopped when you didn’t follow. “Yeah, sorry,” he muttered, looking away.

Great, now you had to worry about offending him. You tightened your grip on the reins 

“If I fall, she will trample me, and I’ll die.” you simply said, your tone lacked any hint of humor.

“…That’s a bit extreme,” he replied, “We could just—“

“I don’t want to die, my Lord” you deadpan. There was absolutely nothing he could say that would make you go any faster right now. God himself couldn't.

 His mouth opened and closed again and a breath escaped him. He must find you unreasonable. However, defiance was still better than death.

“Alright, slow pace it is.” He surrendered. 

“Thank you, my Lord, but feel free to hurry ahead. I’ll find my way.” 

“I told you I wouldn’t leave you alone from now on,” he said shaking his head.

You finally saw the shape of the familiar gates. Your heart eased as you reached the entrance. You looked at the ground, contemplating your descent. Would your sore legs withstand that jump? You doubted it. 

Lord Garrick got off with ease. You would make a fool out of yourself again. You took a deep breath readying yourself. He slid in front of you.

This time, he didn’t hesitate. He held his hand out, and you pressed your lips together before reaching for his touch. He guided your hand to his shoulder, his grip firm on your hip as he helped you down. 

Your legs wobbled, almost giving out as they touched the ground. His grip tightened at your side, and you instinctively held onto his arm. 

“She did give you the right name after all.” He smiled.

You looked up. What was it with him? He kept giving you little jabs this evening.

“Great heavens!” The head maid exclaimed, rushing to you. “Sir Keller told us what happened, but we didn’t see you return. Are you alright, poor child?” She asked, taking your hand and pulling you toward her to look at you. 

“I’m alright. Lord Garrick already cleaned my wound with some water,” you tried to reassure her.

“What good could a rag and water do? Come, we’ll give it proper care,” she hushed. You looked back at Kyle.

“Go ahead, I’ll take care of the horses,” he said softly. You looked around. Was Alex busy with the prisoner?

“So, Sir Keller made it here safely?” You questioned. 

“Don’t bother yourself with people who are in better shape than you, yeah?” Kyle sulked, “go get treated” he finished petting his horse. 

You wanted to protest but you only nodded instead. The head maid paused, seemingly remembering something.

“Ah, my Lord, Lady Karim was looking for you, I should warn you—she is not in the best of moods,” she said. The lord's face dropped, he closed his eyes letting out a breath. 

“Right.” He muttered, “I forgot.”

Thinking about it, how did he make it to you that fast? It wasn’t a particularly long trip, but he wouldn’t have arrived so quickly unless he left shortly after you.

“Did Lady Karim know of your outing, my Lord?” You asked, he looked at you, contemplating his answer, when a voice erupted catching both of your attention.

“She did not!” you turned to face Farah walking towards you two. 

“My lady,” you greeted, she glanced your way assessing if you were alright. You nodded slowly, she gave you a faint smile squeezing your shoulder gently before turning her attention to Lord Garrick.

“A word, please?” She, in fact, looked mildly annoyed. He was the master of the house. Was he really about to be reprimanded? He had only stayed longer to take care of you. If he was missing in his duties, it was because of you. 

You shuffled slightly between the two, facing Farah. You regretted it instantly. Her gaze was sharp, flickering to you. She raised a brow, crossing her arms.

“What?” She asked. The mediocre amount of courage you managed to muster was gone with that single word. 

Yeah, he’s a Lord, he can handle himself. Why would you need to feel the wrath of this lady?

“I got better with the horse that's all,” you half-assed a lie.

“That's…great…” she replied, confused. She had seen you, she knew that already. You glanced at Kyle, who chuckled.

“How is she supposed to plead my case if you're this frightening?” 

Farah glanced at you and let out a cold “were you?” 

“Rest assured, my lady, I wasn’t,” you shook your head, glancing once again at Kyle. You sensed he was about to speak so you quickly added. “As I am not to bother myself with people who are in better shape than I.” 

His mouth parted slightly, letting a breathy laugh. He did that to you all morning. It was only natural to get punished wasn’t it. Were you too much? Would you be reprimanded? 

You needed to retreat before it went any further.

“My Lord,” you said, bowing to dismiss yourself before turning to the head maid. “I’ll be in your care,” you told her, lowering your head.

“Right,” she said, amused. “Follow me.”

You did as told right before disappearing inside you glanced anxiously. He was talking to Farah, he noticed you and smiled. He wasn’t upset, what a relief.

Farah suddenly obscured his view, saying something you couldn’t hear from where you were. His face twitched in annoyance, mixed with an emotion you never saw from him. Quite like the one he had with the man this morning. 

Seemed odd. He wore it well too. It felt authentic.

She brought you back to the maid's quarters, back into your room, you sat down as she prepared. Linen and a plethora of ointment. You sat docile as she did her work. 

She dressed your neck properly, she didn’t just treat you. She also gave you an earful. Going on and on about being careful, that the men would only bring trouble. She then asked you to rest, but you insisted on helping with the rest of the chores for the day. She reluctantly let you. 

However, maybe you should have listened, because the quiet stares and whispers as you walked were louder now.

You refuted the rumors this morning, but the events of the day were not helping in the slightest. That night, you walked back to your own room with buzzing ears.

All you wanted to do was get back to your quarters and rest. Maybe a good night of sleep would help with the soreness of your legs. 

With all that commotion, you didn't have the time to meet with Alex. You tried to sneak a glance while working but he was nowhere to be found. You’d be sure to look for him first thing in the morning.

You yawned, rubbing your tired eyes. You really needed sleep.

You suddenly halted, staring at the floor just before your door. Sitting there was a little colored box. You looked around, a few eyes darted away from you. Did someone put this to harm you? But in such a pretty box? 

You carefully walked closer and lowered yourself. You picked it up, gently opened it to peek inside—then quickly shut it again.

You rushed inside your room, closing the door and lighting a candle at your desk. You opened it again.

You knew exactly who it was from. Inside the box was a small little bouquet of a grayish purple plant and a fresh pot of ointments. 

You brought the little fragrant bouquet to your nose. It was unmistakable lavender. Your lips betrayed your will, curling into a smile. This was absurd. Yet you could feel it. The way your heart waltzed. Was this really jealousy? 

You needed to put this away. Regain your senses. Why was he granting you gifts? Were you to return it? No, that would be rude wouldn’t it?

If this were the day you arrived, you absolutely would have. That was the right thing to do, wasn’t it? You couldn’t keep it. You had nothing to give in return. Then it hit you—you did!

You plopped onto your bed, reaching for that compartment behind it. Then, you pulled out the pot of jam. You sat back properly.

No, you couldn’t do that. It would be...Ridiculous.

A soft knock made you shove it in your pocket. "Yes?" you called.

“May I come in?” 

“Alex!” You jumped up, hastening to open the door. You swung it open. “I was looking for you!” you beamed.

His eyes met yours, sorrowful and laced with vulnerability.

“You were?” He asked. The faint smile painted on his lips, failed to illuminate his face. At least not the way it used to. His jovial tone was gone. Instead, his eyes failed to stay on yours, and his fingers were picking at a leaf he probably picked outside.

He was carrying a weight. Something you could only attribute to guilt. You were the cause, and you hated it.

You wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. What could help in this situation?

You reached out, pulling him inside your room and closing the door.

Decorum and proper etiquette were the least of your concerns. It was Alex and he wasn’t well. Who cared what people thought.

“You weren’t hiding from me, were you?” you asked, tilting your head.

“How’s your neck?” He asked, his voice as soft as a whisper, glancing at your bandages. You touched it.

“Great! I barely feel a thing, I promise!” you explained.

“Don’t lie.” 

“I’m not,” you said, “Both, Master Garrick and the Head maid told me it was just a light cut. It will heal in no time.” Your poor attempt at consoling him did nothing. The room stilled, falling into an uncomfortable silence.

“I’m sorry!” you said. 

“I’m sorry.” He mumbled. 

You smiled. “Don’t be. I’m the one who got in trouble and ruined our outing,”  you said, “I suppose I should leave the selfless act of kindness to our knights and not follow people to alleys”

“Is that your takeaway from this?” he scoffed. “I brought you to a dangerous place, and you got in harm’s way,” he said.

“I’m fine.” You retorted, raising a shoulder. 

“I’m smarter than this,” he muttered

“You were smart, distracting the men.” You nodded.

“Why are you defending this? You got hurt—you were scared!” He exclaimed, he was angry. But you could feel it was really directed at you. You thought for a moment. 

You reached out, wrapping your arms around him. You didn’t know when the last time was that someone had done that for you. 

It was comfort. If this could bring him even a little, the way he had to you these past weeks, then it was worth it. “I apologize, you're upset” you muttered into the hug. “ but I'm not the best with words,” you explained. His arms finally wrapped around you too.

“You’re alright? You swear?” 

“I swear,” you replied. He nodded. “Though you did give me a reason to be angry.” His smile slowly dropped as you pulled away.

“What?” He asked, confused. 

“You were avoiding me.” You put your hands on your hips. “I also can’t believe you left me without a word! I was worried,” you said.

“Duck—“

“Alex?!” you interrupt. He stared at you for a moment. 

“I had to drag that… guy back.” he argued. 

“We could have gone back together! ” you said. He scoffed. 

“And rob you of such a mirthful time with Lord Garrick? Please, I would never.”

You glowered at him, “I made a fool of myself. He made fun of me!” 

He laughed. “I make fun of you too,” he replied, squinting.

You huffed, pulled on your dress and sat down on your bed. He joined you.

“...It’s different,” you muttered.

“You two lingered quite a bit, was it this unpleasant?”

“Yes.” You leaned back, he watched you amused. You challenged his gaze. “Did you really have to leave, or were you just in a hurry to get back… to a certain someone?” you said, smiling. He didn’t respond.

Weird.

You sat properly. “Oh no, you were also hiding from her, weren’t you?” You leaned in. 

“I wasn’t hiding,” he retorted.

“No?” You raised a brow. Someone actively looking for him wouldn't find him. 

“I had to be alone and think.” He defended. 

“About her?” you snicker. He got flustered.

Wow, you were good at this.

“I messed up. She knows—and most certainly thinks less of me,” he said softly. "It was such a novice mistake too."

“If it helps, I don’t believe she will think less of you. I, for one, don’t,” you said. “And Lady Karim is greater and wiser. She was probably worried about you,” you smiled, he chuckled.

"I want to believe you," he started

"You should!" you replied.

You reached into your pocket, your fingers brushing against the little pot of jam.

They all had real bound to each other. These people were being deceived by you. What were you thinking you could give this to Lord Garrick.

You had to leave the gifts untouched and get rid of the jam that was making you have improper thoughts. You grabbed it, your hand tightening around it. 

“What?” Alex asked, catching you lost in thought. You pulled it out of your pocket.

“Do you want this?” you asked, holding it out to him. Alex didn’t move, only looked at your hand. 

“Sorry?” he asked

“Blackberry jam,” you mumbled, glancing at your hand. You were itching to give it away. 

Alex stared at it too. A curious look on his face. 

“I know what it is. Why are you giving it to me?” He asked, raising a brow meeting your gaze once more. 

“It was sitting untouched. I thought you might use it. Who else would I give it to?” you said, pouting slightly and avoiding his stare-down. Why was he not taking it so you were done with it? 

Your eyes flicker to the desk, then back to the floor. He chuckled, and you knew exactly why. He probably connected the dots. But he would help. He always did.

“Do you want it or not?” you pressed, nudging him.

“No,” he said. You turned to him, surprised. “Why would I take another man’s gift? You offend me.”

“It was never!” you corrected. He looked at you unimpressed.

“You’re avoiding your fears again… what’s your excuse this time?” he asked, tilting his head.

“That’s rich coming from you.”

“I’m sitting in front of you, am I not?” he asked. “I am to see Lady Karim just after that.”

He was infuriating, you shouldn’t have made him comfortable. 

“I’m not frightened or running away… He has no need for this,” you retorted.

“But I do?" he crossed his arms "Again I’m offended” 

“Fine, I’ll eat it myself!” you grumbled, putting it away. He laughed. 

“I’m curious,” he started. “If it’s not fear, what do you think of him?” he asked.

“Lord Garrick?" You questioned, not sure why he was asking the question.

“Who else?” 

“My lord is…” You paused for a moment, contemplating the idea of him. “From what I’ve seen—just, patient.” 

“You can be honest, it’s just us?” Alex snickered. You smiled thinking for a moment.

“He’s... insufferable,” you said, crossing your arms. He chuckled.

"Yeah?"

"Yes, he speaks like he's always so sure of himself, and somehow he's never wrong." you exhale sharply, standing up and glancing at the desk again.

Alex hummed in response, following your gaze.

"He has a solution to everything. He rides horses with almost unnatural perfection!” you scoffed, shaking your head, more words clouding your mind.

"He's always watching, always there, as if waiting for me to slip, just so he would be the one to catch me! That's absurd isn't?!" you said

"Oh?" he uttered, but words you had kept were rushing out as you finally had someone to vent to.

"And he listens, he really does! He looks at me like every word I say matters. Even when I say nothing, he seems to know what I'm thinking. The most frustrating thing is that he doesn't push, not really, he's just...here when I need him to be…but at the same time he's...overwhelming. Every time he breathes the same air as me, I—” 

Your eyes met Alex's, and suddenly you lost the words. What were you blabbering about? You need to control yourself. You walked back to the bed and sat down.

“...he’s everything I am not, but seek to be,” you glanced at the quiet man besides you. “That’s all it is. That twisted feeling in my gut whenever I see him… it could only be envy,” you added, as if saying it out loud would make it more true.

Alex tilted his head slightly. “I see...” he studied your face for a moment before humming thoughtfully, nodding. “Right, of course...that's all that is” he muttered almost to himself before standing up.

“Well, do whatever your heart desires. I won’t take it, though. Give it to someone else. Someone that will appreciate it. Just don’t regret it.” he smiled “I shouldn’t bother you any further, have some rest” he said, patting your head.

“Goodnight, Duckling.”

“Good night…”

You sat in your now quiet room chewing on your bottom lip. What did you just blabbered about?

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“Oh, there she is,” the gossiper maid said, crossing her arms. The head maid was nowhere to be seen. You were in for it. 

“You were waiting for me?” You asked, strutting to her, feigning oblivion.

“Yes, can you help me a bit?” She asked, You nodded “I am behind on my chores but can you bring this tea to master Garrick’s study?”

Another reason…

“Oh, I haven’t started mine yet.” You denied with a smile. “ I’m sure you could find one of your friends to do it,” you said, glancing at the other girls.

“I’ll do it if it’s such a problem,” one of the nicer girls said. 

“What? She is favoured, only doing the chores she likes now?” 

“Sorry?” You frowned. She talked as if you didn’t do your fair share of the work.

“You get a lot of favors around here don’t you?” She said, “A flutter of those pretty lashes and everyone falls over themselves to help you, while you feign innocence.” 

Holding back the scoff burning your throat, you tilted your head. Irritating her even more. 

“You leave a whole day with Lord Garrick, leaving us to do your chores, after swearing not to be involved,” 

“It was per his request!” One of the maids defended “I heard him,” she turned to you. 

“Excuse her, Master Garrick has been a bit irritable lately and she is the one who serves him, it’s really not against you, we are absolutely aware that you do more than just your share of the work everyday.” 

Kyle, irritable? That’s the first you heard of that. Looking around the room, it seemed you were the only one surprised at that statement. 

You turned to the table where sat the half set tea tray. 

“It’s fine, I’ll do it,” You sigh, walking to it. Carefully you gathered the rest of the assortments. 

“You don’t have to do it, my lady.” You froze, turning to her, your hand shaking.

Had Kyle lied to you? He told them, didn't he? “What did you just call me? Why did you call me that?” 

“You’re Master Garrick’s…” she hesitated while playing with her apron. “We’ve never seen him act this way before so we assumed.”

Your shoulders relaxed, and you exhaled slowly. You had gotten carried away again. 

“Don’t ever call me that again, and master Garrick doesn’t harbor this type of feeling for someone like me, be mindful of your words.” you said. She nodded rapidly.

“Sorry,” she bowed. You scowled, picking up the tray before making your way to the office. 

As crazy as it sounded, you had never been there. Not even for cleaning. It wasn't your area in the manor to take care of. Maybe they were right, you were favoured. 

Suddenly you found yourself standing in front of the study. 

You look back for a moment stunned. Wow, you really rushed here…you started noticing the little palpitations of your heart and the sweat in your palms as you stared at the door.

Balancing the tray in one hand, you reached and knocked.

There was no response. You leaned in to listen to muffled words. There were clearly people inside, more than one. They are probably expecting their tea.

Reaching for the doorknob, you push it open. You hadn’t even fully stepped in, that you were hit by a scent of polished wood and paper. Beneath all of it, a distinct hint of leather, lavender and herbs, scent that you had come to associate with one person. 

It smelled undeniably of Kyle, it was a room he spent hours in and some maids said he even slept there. You had been around him long enough to notice…how absurd.

What was more absurd. It was how warm your chest felt as if it was something you had been denying yourself for days.

Finally allowing yourself inside. First thing you saw was Farah’s back facing you, standing in front of the desk, eyes glued to Kyle. 

He was sitting at his desk, hand covering his forehead blocking from seeing his eyes. Not far Alex had an expression you hadn’t seen before. He concentrated a light crease on his forehead. Anyone could see whatever they were going through was troubling them. 

Kyle’s voice was gruff and tired as he spoke up, eyes fixed on the scattered papers in front of him.

“I can’t be everywhere, damn it!” 

“Yes, that’s why we should be sending Alex, it’s just a regular check. Suspect might not even be there.” Farah explained. 

They didn’t acknowledge you, it seemed like it wasn’t the best time.

You should hurry, set the tea, and leave. You walked further in, putting the tray down as softly as possible. 

Alex was the first to notice you, his frown turned into a soft smile. What a charming man. 

“You serve tea now?” He said, Farah’s head turned to you, but quickly returned to Kyle.

“Sorry to have interrupted you.” You replied, your attempt at sounding casual fell flat when Kyle's head snapped up at the sound of your voice, startling you. 

His tired eyes widened slightly before narrowing slightly trying to make sure you were there. He looked a bit out of it. Could someone have a shift in such a short period of time? Or was it just you never saw him working? He was searching for words that weren't coming.

His eyes flicked from his desk frantically then at Farah who raised her brow, in a challenging manner. She then turned to you with a sigh. 

“Darling, could you excuse us for a minute? We have important matters to take care of.” Farah dismissed. She had never called anything other than your nickname, it must be serious. You bowed, nodding your head.

“Yes, of course my Lady. I apologize.” wiping your sweaty hand on your dress before turning your heels. 

“Wait,” Kyle called “Did you need anything, from me?” He asked, you should be the one asking that. His eyes were looking, desperately searching, as if at your first word he would peep over the desk and follow you. It was pitiful really. Your eyes then went to Farah her arms were still crossed, and looked at you with an insistent stare. It was obvious you shouldn’t interfere.

“I was instructed to bring you this, my Lord,” you explained, gesturing to the tea, his eyes finally acknowledging the tray. “That is all, I’ll leave you to it.” 

“Right…thank you.” he muttered.

“As I was saying, Alex will go, he’s from this kingdom he will blend in better than us.”

“Can I bring the little duck with me?” Alex asked.

“Where?” You quipped, turning involuntary. Damn it, that was rude. Alex chuckled at your outburst.

“Do you want to go?” He asked. “ We'll practice horse riding. It's an hour and a half away and today the market will be bustling. What do you say?” 

You’d get a chance to see the markets too!

“Absolutely not—” Kyle's voice erupted.

“I would love to—” You blurred out over him.

The room fell silent as Kyle looked at you, his expression a bit affronted. And you didn’t argue but was a bit surprised. It was the first time he had refused you something. Alex raised a brow as you turned to him. 

“I guess not. Sorry, My Lord,” you said. Though Kyle wasn’t in control of you. He was still your master, if you were needed in the house, you couldn’t leave. Plus you’d be into more trouble with the maids. It was for the best. Though going to the market might have been a nice. 

Alex stepped closer to the desk. “It’s only a short trip Garrick, and since it’s still early, we will be back by sundown.” 

“It’s not about the ride,” Kyle warned.

“You got her out too, what’s the issue?” Farah said, putting her hands on her hips. 

“In the outskirts” Kyle's voice raised slightly as he spoke “With no real danger” Kyle defended. What did it sound like they were discussing ownership of a pet? Also, weren’t the woods just as dangerous? 

“You said there were wolves, My Lord.” you muttered 

Farah let out a scoff, looking at him in a mocking way. He frowned, clearly taking a defensive stance.

“There are, sometimes” he crossed his arms. They were both staring daggers at each other. 

“Kyle, every other maid gets to leave to see their family once in a while, can’t you let her have a moment too?” she asked. “Besides, It won’t be dangerous, Alex is with her. He’ll blend in better if she’s with him.” 

Kyle did not look convinced, this conversation would go nowhere. It was best if you put an end to it and you had wasted enough time here as it is.

“It’s really fine, my lady. I like the manor, I am here to serve the premise, it is normal for the master to not wish for me to leave” 

Kyle finger tapped on the desk as he stared at you for a moment. His voice was quieter as he spoke “If you give me just a moment more I can finish and—” 

“They’ll be fine, Gaz.” Farah said softly, but her voice still held a stern insistence.  

“Alright,” he muttered reluctantly, his finger drumming on the desk a bit more erratic now, “but don’t stay longer than you need,” he added, his eyes did not meeting yours, but you could see his jaw clench. Such a small matter got him like this.

With this type of reaction, you were not sure if it was really a ‘yes’. Your head whipped to Alex, who grinned as though he just got a new toy. It was all the confirmation you needed. Your chest burned with excitement. 

“Go on, go get ready,” he gestured towards the door. “Join me in the stables,” he instructed.

“Yes, Sir!” you said unable to hide your smile, for a second your eyes flicked to Kyle again, he was staring back, his brows were knit. You grabbed your dress and did a quick curtsy. “Thank you, my lord,” you added as you hurried out. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be any more upset. 

— After preparing the horse the way Alex had taught you, it was time to mount her. He helped you and when everything was secured. You left. 

The first few minutes were daunting. You had only ridden Asta once before this and Alex had been guiding you the whole time.

But here you were on the horse alone while he was riding beside you.

You look at the horse beneath you, watching its muscle flexing under its shiny skin. 

“How are you feeling?” Alex asked. But you remained silent watching the horse for when it might eventually kick you off. 

“Go on, talk to me.” Alex said lightly.

“I’m feeling well,” you mustered. “We are really high up, aren’t we?” 

“If you keep thinking about falling, you will.” He teased “What are you afraid of now? It’s Asta, you know her and she knows you, she’s a good girl today.”

You reached touching the warm skin “Good girl Asta” you mumbled, hand trembling slightly but it wasn’t as dreadful as the first time you touched her.

“That’s great,” Alex praised, “Now, let us not spend the remainder of the trip silent, shall we? Converse with me, you’ll be more comfortable.” he instructed, you had to admit he was a good teacher. 

“You and lady Karim insisted for me to come today…why” you said, sending quick glances your hands to him.

“Don’t look at the reins.” he corrected, you straightened your back looking at the path, “Do you always believe people have ulterior motives, can’t they just be nice to you?” he continued.

“My…father often said there is always a price for kindness, why give it when you have nothing to gain.” You said honestly.

“That’s…awful, and pessimistic” Alex said looking at you with a frown.

“It is…isn’t it,” you muttered looking at him. “I never realised until I said it just now?” You chuckle awkwardly. “But I can’t help thinking about it…” you finished looking down at your hands. 

“Chin up.” You quickly straightened your back again. “I guess you’re not entirely wrong. We're closing in on a lead and it might be my last days in the manor,” he said as your eyes turned to him.

He was a guest, the thought that he would eventually leave had crossed your mind. But this soon? “This is why I wanted to spend a little moment with you.” He smiled still as soft as before, you smiled back it felt easy with him.

“Wouldn’t you want to spend it with Lady Karim?” You tilted your head to the side. His eyes narrowed as his smile widened.

“Sharp, aren’t we?” He said, turning to face the road. 

“You didn’t hide it very well…you’re not going to deny it?” You asked, surprise.

“Why would I? I know my feelings besides, even if you told her, she wouldn’t believe you.” He raised his brows slightly. Did he think he was the only one feeling this way? Was it not clear she also liked him? 

“Still, she must be feel saddened by your departure, I’m sure,” you pressed.

“You might have noticed, the atmosphere back there did not leave much room for romantics, not much time to feel saddened either.” he shrugged. 

Farah did look uncharacteristically serious this time and Kyle lacked his usual playful demeanour. 

“The two seemed intense, yes…did something bad happening?” You inquired. Alex pondered for a little while before answering.

“Nothing that won’t be fixed. And as for the two they quarrel like siblings all the time, you shouldn’t worry about it either,” Alex explained with another raise of his shoulder.

“Not the type of sibling I know, he treats her like his equal, he listens to her. Besides, the way she speaks to him…would cause severe punishment.”

“Duck, how cruel were your kin?” He asked, 

“They weren’t…cruel. ” you tried defending. Alex's eyes narrowed. “I’m weak-minded, and need discipline, and that’s exactly what I was taught.” 

“You seem strong to me.” He said “for one you are riding the very thing you feared”

“I wasn’t back then, besides they were my blood, I have to understand their motives were just.” 

“A kin is kind to you, they help, or guide you when needed, yes you might quarrel or tease each other at times, but are not cruel to you.” 

“A bit like you and me?” You blurred out before you could stop yourself, heat creeping on your cheeks.

“A bit like us, yes,” he nodded gently, you suppressed a smile. 

“Blood is what makes a real family” you assured. He squinted at you. 

“You have a childish way of thinking don’t you?”

“Sorry?” You said.

“It’s not an insult more like an observation,” he defended “When you were little didn’t you have friends you were really close with, some so close it was ailing?” 

“My mother…”

“Not in your family, silly” Alex chuckled, you shook your head. He seemed surprised, do kids have a lot of friends? Should you have lied? But it seemed like you didn’t need to. 

 “Did you?” You asked he nodded smiling

“My father helped feed most of our village so, I did have a lot of very close friends” he beamed, he was a proud son it seems. “some of them ended up being my brothers-in-arms, people I can count on and would die for.”

He was such a picturesque image of righteousness, and his humble background might have made him the perfect knight. Even generous enough to give you time, and be so kind. He tilted his head at you. 

“What?” 

“Your father must be proud of having raised a son like you,” your comment must have caught him off guard. He gave you a sad smile and nodded.

“I’m sure he would be. He was a great man.” He muttered.

How tragic. A person who gives so much, losing someone so important to them. “If I may…was it illness?”

“He was generous, and loved by many, the previous king didn’t like that…I guess that’s how he dealt with everything back then. He crushed any type of hope his people had, they had to grovel to him for help.” 

His hand tightened on the reins, “ my father died in prison, accused of treason,” he scoffed “for feeding starving people”

“That’s—”

“Vile,” he spat, the words were not directed towards you, but you quickly averted your gaze.

“I’m sorry” you mumbled.

“You shouldn’t apologize, the bastard is dead,” his eyes got colder. “Along with his wretched bloodline. The current king, though a bit sketchy at times, is a god sent, his sons are the most hardworking people I know….” 

He continued to speak, your head was straight ahead. But you were not there, your heart beating through your ears. You couldn’t hear a word he said.

Do this, to a farmer…? Your father’s decision was incomprehensible. It couldn’t have been over something so simple. But Alex wouldn’t lie, and his voice was raw, laced with an undeniable anger—anger toward your family, toward you. 

You’d heard these tales before, but never from the mouth of someone, you would say you trust. You need to regain yourself. You couldn’t show it troubled you. If he found out. They think you’re dead, they think you’re dead. Alex wouldn’t—

A distant voice ringed in your ears before as a warm hand covered yours.

“Duck…” The softness of his voice almost made you curl up and cry. But you held yourself back and looked at the hand then met Alex’s comforting eyes. He was off his horse and staring up at you,  his hands on the reins and Asta was put into a halt.

You gathered your surroundings, noticing you were now at the entrance of the village. The gray walls stand tall, and the faint chatter coming from beyond it.

“I was lost in my thoughts…” you managed to say. He sighed helping you down the horse. Your legs were a bit numb as they hit the ground.

“It’s normal, it was quite the journey” you nodded, allowing yourself to hold onto him. Despite your guilty heart you didn’t want to push away. You were so horrible. He hesitated before speaking again. “I’m sorry, I forgot my manners, I really shouldn’t talk this way in front of you.” 

“Alex you shouldn’t apologize,” you started. 

“I scared you again, didn’t I? I'm sorry.” He said rubbing your side.

You swallowed the lump in your throat.

“Come on. Let’s get these horses set, and I’ll buy you something sweet to make up for it, yeah?” 

All you could do at that moment was nod, forcing a smile. “That sounds nice” you managed to say but your chest was still heavy.

He cursed your whole bloodline, he cursed you. Yet here he was, being kind, and you indulge in it, unwilling to let go of this new found warmth.

It wasn’t fair to either of you. 

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