Chapter 25 - Splitting

Alice Forrest

He brought the axe down, sweat dripping from his chest as he split another log in half. Bringing the half back up to stand on the chopping block he swung the axe again, easily splitting it again. I think this is what it must have been like for him to watch me in the shower. The way his muscles flexed and the curves of his exposed chest against the cool air seemed to not affect him.

“How are you going, love?” he asked, rubbing his arm on his forehead as he carried another armful of wood towards the deck where I lounged, rugged up in a thick blanket with a cup of tea in my hands.

I smiled at him as he dropped the wood into the crate and took a swig from his drink bottle, spraying some of it on his chest and face to wash him of the dirt and splinters that were sticking to his skin.

“Just enjoying the view,” I chimed happily.

“The view?” he repeated with a chuckle, “are you talking about me or the mountains?”

“Can it be both?” I replied with a cheeky grin.

He laughed and leaned in and kissed me gently, his scent overpowering as the sweat still lingered on his skin, “it can,” he said, crows feet forming near his eyes as he smiled. I couldn’t help but wipe the drip of sweat that trickled down the side of his face, tracing the lines as I did so.

“You look so serious,” he said, his smile turning into a frown.

I dropped my hand from his face, “I was just admiring how happy you looked, and it made me wish, that I could see you this happy every day.”

“Do you want to see me every day?” Nate said as he turned around and returned to the pile of un-chopped firewood.

“I don’t know what I want,” I sighed and rested my head on the arm rest of the chair as I watched him from my nest of blankets.

“What do you know then?” he asked, still not looking at me, trying to keep the conversation casual, acting like he didn’t care.

“You are probably the best thing in my life,” I admitted, and he brought the axe down, splitting the log, he pried the axe out of the chopping block and rested it on his shoulder as he looked at me.

“You are the best thing in my life, no probably,” he said, and he smiled sweetly but not honestly.

“Why did you give me the ring?” I asked.

He looked back down at the chopping block and swung the axe down at the piece of wood, splitting the wood unevenly. “When I was in your office, you didn’t know how to introduce me,” he said slowly as he plonked the next piece of wood down on the block and swung the axe back down. “I want the whole world to know that I will protect you, I will scream if from the top of every mountain if that is what you need. Because so long as you need me, I will always be there.”

He paused and looked up at me, “you’re my everything Alice, and if I could, I would step away from being Alpha, if it made things with you easier. But I don’t think it would.”

I let the blankets fall from my body as I stood, stomping through the snow towards him, not caring about the sweat, the dirt and the axe I kissed him. “You’re my everything too,” I admitted. “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to be your Luna, but if you need me even half as much as I you, I-” he cut me off with a kiss, pulling my body against his.

“Don’t say something you’re not ready for, we’re taking things slow for you Alice, I don’t want you be my Luna because you have to be, I want you to want to. Until then, you’re my girlfriend. Until then, it’s my job to spoil you with expensive gifts on random anniversaries, to take you away for weekend and to pick you up from work.”

I only noticed the tears streaming down my face because of the cool air stinging my cheeks, “I love you,” I choaked out.

“I love you too, Doctor Alice Forrest.”

He kissed me, softly before stepping back and shifting into his wolf. It was swift and well executed, something as easy as breathing, something he didn’t even have to think about it. His wolf stood the same height as me, his vibrant green eyes staring back at me as he shook his coat and trampled over the torn pants and shoes he’d just ruined.

Closing the space between us, he nuzzled at me, sniffing in the scent of my hair and licking the side of my face. Tail wagging almost like a dog, as he circled around me and nuzzled his head under my arm, ’run with me,’ he purred, his voice like silk in my mind.

I walked back towards the house, throwing one of the blankets at my feet and took my shoes and socks off, taking the time to carefully fold each item of clothing as I took it off. Of course causing a wine to emit from Nate, as he lay his chin on his paws, impatiently waiting.

“You’re the one who just shifted without warning, I know you have a certain disregard for the cost of clothing,” I said, causing a deep chuckle to echo through my mind.

I groaned internally with each layer I removed, the cold air hitting my bare skin and I wondered if my paws would be cold in the know, but all that was left now was to shift. I’d delayed long enough, I placed the ring onto of the stack of clothes and turned around to look at Nate, watching me carefully.

I have full control,

I have full control.

I have full control…