Chapter 28: 28: Broken

ALEX

It’s been twenty-four hours since Ariel left, and in the time she’s been gone, I’ve only become sure about one thing. I need to find her.

If she needs time, I’ll give her time, but I have to see her to make sure she’s all right. She’s not safe on her own right now.

Once I’ve tended to my pack duties, I make my way to the area of the woods where Ariel made her exit.

I trek through the forest, following any trace of her lingering honey and blackberry scent.

I’m several miles deep into the wilderness when I spot her clothes on the forest floor. They’re ripped to shreds. She must have shifted while she was still dressed.

I’m startled to hear a growl behind me and turn to see a beautiful white wolf with soft gray streaks in her coat emerge from a cave.

“Ariel?”

I reach out to her but she snarls and gnashes her teeth. Her scent hits me hard, but even if I could scent nothing, I would know those yellow eyes anywhere. This is definitely Ariel’s wolf.

“Ariel…it’s just me.”

She lets out a deep growl and snaps at me. I stumble, taking a step back. There’s no sign of recognition in her eyes. She’s wild, as if her wolf has gone feral.

“Okay…” I put my hands up, stepping back further. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”

I show her wolf respect by giving her space.

But I won’t give up here.

I resolve to give her some time and come back tomorrow.

***

The second day of trying to get through to Ariel, I’ve brought something that I thought might help persuade her.

As I place a leg of lamb in front of the cave, she sticks her nose out, but she barks at me to back up. I oblige and take several steps back.

Feeding typically means a special bond among wolves. If I show her wolf that I can provide for her, maybe she’ll let me get closer to her.

She sniffs at the meat but leaves it uneaten as she retreats back into the cave.

~Maybe she’ll communicate with my wolf?~

I rid myself of my clothes and then I shift, falling down on all fours. Cautiously, I pick up the meat in my mouth and step toward the cave. I stop in my tracks when I hear her growling.

~“Ariel,”~ my wolf tries to link with hers, but I get no response. She’s too far gone.

I step closer. ~“Ariel, it’s just Alex. Will you talk to me?”~

She swipes at me with her paw, claws fully extended at my face.

She just narrowly misses my eye as I hurriedly back up several paces, dropping the leg of lamb outside the entrance. I’m about a dozen feet away at this point, and I lie down to show her that I’m keeping away.

I lie here in the same spot as the sun sets.

Then all through the night.

***

The following morning, I leave Ariel and return to the palace. I can barely pay attention at my meetings, eager to go back to the woods. By the time noon rolls around, I practically jump out of my chair, running to check on Ariel on my lunch break.

I approach her cave carrying a beef flank. I’m delighted to see that she ate the leg of lamb while I was gone. I leave her new meal next to the leftovers. She still snarls at my presence, so I back away.

“I’ll be back tonight to check on you.”

And so it goes.

Day after day, I visit her to drop off food, and night after night I spend outside the cave in wolf form.

One night, my wolf goes hunting and brings her its kill. When she takes her first bite, I step nearer but she growls as I get close to the food.

My wolf is hurt at her refusal to share. This means that I showed her we could provide for her, but she’s not willing to accept us. My tail between my legs, literally, I walk to my usual spot outside the cave and lie down while she eats.

***

Days later, I walk my usual path into the woods to find her. We’ve made progress.

When I wake the morning after I’d hunted for her, I open my eyes to find Ariel sleeping outside the cave. I stand, and her ears perk up when she hears me move.

We look into each other’s eyes, not more than five feet away from one another.

But then she stands and runs back inside the cave.

~Baby steps.~

The fol her voice whispers in my mind. takes a step forward after bringing her my kill, only to hear a light growl.

~“Mine,”~ her voice whispered in my mind.

Hearing that, I was overjoyed. It is the first time Ariel has linked with me.

~She may actually be coming back.~

Over the next few nights, we continue to take small steps forward together.

First she begins letting me eat her leftovers, then eventually I eat alongside her. And each time, we fall asleep closer and closer to one another.

Last night, I slept next to her in the cave.

Now, as I come into the clearing, I see Ariel sitting outside the cave, waiting for me. She sees that I don’t have any food with me this time and nuzzles me with her nose.

~“Come hunt with me?”~ I link with her.

She seems to consider for a moment before nipping at me and then darting ahead quickly.

She stops and turns her head back at me, wagging her tail and letting out a playful bark. I happily follow her signal, and we run side by side to go on our first hunt together.

***

We walk drowsily back to the cave after finishing off the deer we hunted. As I lie down next to her, she swats me playfully with her paw. I nuzzle her, and with a huff, she begins to drift off to sleep.

For a while, I watch as she sleeps before resting my head on her shoulder.

If I had to choose between the rest of my life back with the pack and staying here like this with Ariel forever, I would choose Ariel.

My heart is light, and I feel free enough to finally admit what I’ve been feeling for Ariel all this time.

It’s love.

Every bit as strong as—but different from—what I had with Olivia. I’m a different person than I was when Liv was in my life, and my wolf has changed too.

Right now, Ariel is everything I want in a mate.

Comforted by the heat of her body next to mine, I fall asleep, content.

ARIEL

I wake up lying on my side, feeling more rested than I have in ages. I feel Alex’s warm body asleep behind me. Last night our wolves hunted together for the first time.

I look down as I feel his arm glide over my skin and pull me closer to him.

~My skin…~

~Holy shit!~

I’ve shifted back to my human form; I look around to see that Alex and I are lying naked together.

I turn my body toward him, and he opens his eyes to meet mine.

“Hi,” he says softly with a smile.

“Hi,” I return.

He brings his hand up to my face and strokes my cheek with his fingers.

“Are you okay?” he asks, bringing his face closer to mine.

I feel his arousal against my lower abdomen, and I move my body closer to touch as much of him as possible.

“You brought me back,” I whisper before kissing him on the lips.

He pulls back after a moment and looks into my eyes again.

“Ariel,” he says, “I know I let you down, but if you’ll let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me.”

I kiss him again in response, this time rolling our bodies so that he’s positioned on top of me.

His lips and tongue trail down my neck as I run one of my hands through his blond hair. I run my other hand over his muscular chest and down his toned abs.

He moves his mouth down to my breast, cupping the other in his hand.

My sex has become a pool of moisture. I press my pelvis to his, causing his member to perk up even more. He moves his hand downward, and I let out short breaths as he enters me with his finger. He can feel how wet I am and adds a second finger as he presses into me repeatedly.

My inner walls clench each time he slides his fingers back in.

“Alex,” I let out, breathing heavily. “I’m ready.”

I feel his fingers pull out of me and move to his member.

He rubs the head against my outer lips before slowly gliding inside, beginning with short, shallow thrusts as I become used to his girth. When he slides himself fully into me, I gasp, and he pauses, looking into my eyes for confirmation.

“Keep going,” I say.

He slowly pulls himself out before delving further into me, going deeper with each plunge, and I gradually begin moving with him, meeting his hips with my own upward thrusts.

He massages my breasts, teasing my hard nipples as he picks up speed and intensity.

My body shakes and my breath catches in my throat as I begin to reach my peak. He can tell that I’m ready, and, cradling the small of my back, he lifts our hips higher off the ground, delving deeper, harder inside my sheath.

I’m not quiet about it as my body shudders in ecstasy, clawing his back with my nails and letting out a near scream as I climax.

Mere seconds later, he lets out a deep moan as he empties himself inside of me.

Together, we slow our rocking bodies until we come to a stop.

As we hold each other, completely still, I wish we could stay like this forever.

Alex’s eyes meet mine again as he strokes my hair.

“Ariel,” he whispers into my ear. “Will you be my mate?”