Wolf's Echo (My Winter Wolf, #2)

by Arizona Tape

  Black and white, dark and light. One couldn’t exist without the other and as I revelled in Ashleigh, I couldn’t imagine my life without her. Not anymore.

  My new revelations cast a different light on Aspen’s situation and I couldn’t but pity him. His mateless existence brought sympathy to my heart and now that I was binding myself to his sister, he’d never be mated again.

  The pain and compassion I felt for him were genuine, but I couldn’t avoid the relief my wolf felt now she no longer needed to obey his call. With every moment, my adoration and love grew stronger for Ashleigh, an endless reservoir of affection that’d never been filled before but knew no stopping now. I was hers and she was mine. I was ready for her to know that.

  I licked her snout, the only kind of wolfish kiss I could think of. She growled softly, the sound filled with satisfaction and fondness. The growl rumbled in her chest, the vibrations travelling through my body as I pressed myself into her embrace. The night was still young and this was just the beginning.

  Chapter 21. Mate

  When the moon was at its highest, we gave up the beautiful spot between the purple flowers. The magic called and with regret, we left the field behind. The ground moist from dew, our powerful paws slammed into the dirt as we ran back to the city. With the city asleep, we slipped through the gates, hiding in the shadows of the night. We flashed past the guards, too quick for them to even notice the whirlwind we were.

  The endless power I felt earlier was running out. I knew my body was tiring. The magic would no longer protect me, not now Ashleigh healed all my pain and chased the darkness away. I was fading fast and from the look my mate gave me, she could feel it too. Lured by the lingering scent of roasted pork and our friends distinct smells, we raced through the streets of the Golden City. The shadows danced around us, casting fleeting patterns on our furs as we raced back to the Humble Pig were a soft bed awaited us.

  The front door was cracked open and I figured either Ashleigh or Danny left it unlocked for our return. The inn was dead silent as we toddled up the wooden stairs to the dormitories and shut the world out. My mate curled into a ball and morphed into the woman I knew, her black fur just reflected in the raven-dark hair cascading down her mesmerising face.

  “Shift back, Akira,” she whispered, her voice music to my ears. I waggled up and down, remembering how I shifted back the last time. The magic flared as it realised what I was after and the voices surged. The dark whispers clouded my mind, but this time I wasn’t as afraid. This time, I knew what I was fighting.

  I promised the voices I’d be back and conjured my human form to my mind. My dark eyes I inherited from Mother, the sleek hair my siblings hated, the slender form that never really held much strength or commanded respect. An image I never really liked but now, I desired it, I wanted it. I wanted my body back.

  I placed my hands on the wooden floor and pushed myself up. The breeze caught my hip, the cold stroking my skin gently. I stared at the naked woman on the other side of the room, her body only partially shrouded in shadows. I drew in a breath, the first proper breath after I relived the drowning and mustered the courage to approach Ashleigh. The rough wood caught the soles of my feet, the floor shrieking as I moved closer to my mate. Step by step, inch by inch until I faced her. Woman to woman, body to body. Her blue eyes shimmered in the silver light and I caught a little smile playing around the corner of her lips.

  Everything was different now.

  “Akira,” she breathed, her slender fingers following my jawline down to my collarbone. The soft touch of her fingertips tickled my skin, the tenderness of the moment setting my heart ablaze. My breath hitched, the air crackled with electricity and anticipation. Her lips fell onto mine, her body melting into me. Skin met with skin, breaths shared between tender lips and warm kisses. Her blue eyes shimmered with something deep and sacred, something I’d never expect to find directed at me. A love I craved and desired my whole life, but nobody ever held for me. An affection that wasn’t reserved for people like me but then, here she was. My mate, looking at me with such intensity it made my heart skip a beat.

  “Do you accept me as your mate?” Her voice shook as she asked me a question she hadn’t dared asking before.

  I smiled, my wolf purring softly after our run with our mate, Aspen banished from her thoughts completely. “Yes, I accept you. Do you accept me?”

  The woman smiled, her answer without words. Her hand brushed the side of my hip as she guided me towards the bed. The linen felt crisp and cold against my skin as I laid down in the pillows. The cold breeze perked up my nipples and Ashleigh’s warm body against mine only hardened them more. I snaked my arms around her, my hands falling in the dimples of her waist. The beautiful woman sighed, her breath fluttering against the sensitive skin of my neck. She peppered a trail of kisses down, her pink lips embracing everything I hated about myself. The freckles on my collarbone, the silver scars scattered across my ribs, the bumps along my stomach, the blemishes near my hip. With every kiss, she promised me something new, things I didn’t know I’d been longing for. Her fingers trailed down the inside of my thigh and I willingly parted my legs for her. The coldness of the moment only intensified the heat radiating between our bodies.

  “Are you ready to be mine forever, Akira?” Her blue eyes pierced into mine and my breath caught in my throat.

  “I’m already yours,” I whispered back. Her fingers curled up and a different magic than the one trapped in the amulet flared up between us. It encircled us, enwrapped us. The wolf in my chest howled, my heartbeat thundering through my very being as the magic tied us together for life. I stared up at the beautiful woman, the pleasure coursing through me accompanied by something else, something sacred. The tendrils curled around me, different chains than the ones that caged my wolf. But there was no need to be afraid, this was what I wanted. What I was destined for.

  I captured Ashleigh in a kiss, the taste of wild strawberries more intense than ever. A green glint flickered in her blue eyes and I knew mine were reflecting that same colour. I admired the beautiful woman, the curl of her lips, the line of her jaw, the certainty in her eyes.

  Everything really was different now.

  Chapter 22. Ready

  A pleasant strain lingered in my muscles as I descended down the stairs, the wild strawberries now part of me. I didn’t particularly like the new set of clothes Rosanna gave me, but it was better than nothing. Ashleigh curled her hand around me, tickling the exposed skin above my hip. I smiled and pressed myself tighter into her, the bond between us sizzling as our mating was complete.

  The scent of freshly baked bread and grilled vegetables lured me to the common room were the rest of our group was already seated at the round table.

  “My friends! Join us for breakfast,” Rick bellowed.

  The feast stretched in front of my eyes was too tempting to resist and we slipped onto the benches. The owner loaded our plate with roasted meat, charred wild vegetables, and a big chunk of fresh bread. Salivating, I dove into the meal, the food welcome after my nightly trip. The magic took a lot of my strength and my newfound appetite made me hungry like a wolf.

  “Something is different,” Danny suddenly remarked. She stared at me, then at her best friend, and finally at Aspen. “What’s different?”

  I shrugged, playing the fool. Ashleigh chuckled and even Aspen joined in the laughter. He seemed a lot brighter this morning and the necklace resting on my chest didn’t seem conflicted anymore.

  “Something is going on. Darren?” She elbowed the man next to her, but he didn’t have eye for anything else than the leg of lamb he was scoffing down.

  “No idea,” he muttered, the fat dripping down his chin. I shook my head, not able to imagine him as a prince, despite what they all said. He was so carefree, so unchained, he couldn’t possible have that kind of weight on his shoulders.

  “JP?” Danny turned to the man next to the hearth. I wondered if JP wasn’t eating because of the many people
and his weird potato cutting habit or if he just wasn’t hungry.

  “N-No idea,” he smiled, winking at me. I hid my grin behind a piece of bread, amused by Danny’s confusion. She was always so sharp and yet, she wasn’t picking up on this?

  “There. I saw that! You’re all smiling. What’s going on?” she exclaimed, her fork pointed at me.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I held my hands up, my denial infuriating her even more. I leant into Ashleigh, my wolf growling happily despite her chains.

  Danny studied us, her face lighting up as she worked it out. “No... Don’t tell me. You’re mated?”

  Ashleigh chuckled, her arm warm around my shoulders. “We are.”

  “That’s amazing!” Darren shouted between him scoffing his food down.

  “Best wishes,” Regan smiled, nodding at me.

  “I-I’m so happy f-for you two!” The sincerity in their voices brought a warmth to my heart. They really did care for me.

  “You guys are? That’s the best news ever! I need all the gossip! Ashleigh. Hallway!” Danny clapped her hands and and tugged on her best friend’s arm.

  My mate pressed a quick kiss against my cheek, the softness like dew stroking a budding flower. “I’ll be right back.”

  The two women disappeared from the common room and I found myself sitting next to Aspen. I bit my lip, unsure of what he’d have to say about this all. The slight guilt I felt was mostly overshadowed by the joy of being mated to Ashleigh.

  “You okay?” I asked, holding my breath in anticipation of his reply. He turned to me, the amber in his eyes brighter than usual.

  “I am. Better than I felt in a long time.”

  “You are?” That was surprising. After the battle of wills we had, I expected him to be as exhausted as I was.

  “Yes, like a weight fell from my shoulders. Thank you.” He placed a hand on mine and I smiled. My wolf wasn’t reacting, not anymore. Thank the heavens for that.

  Satisfied that the mating worked, I returned to the breakfast and the rest of the men. “Where’s Chesca?”

  “Who knows,” Darren grumbled.

  JP cleared his throat. “S-She went o-out earlier but n-no idea where she is n-now.”

  “Is she okay? I didn’t get to check on her.” The image of the headstrong and stubborn Puma all torn up and battered was just too foreign, and yet, I knew it’d been true. Whatever, whoever Hystericia was, they weren’t to be underestimated. That reminded me...

  “Hey, is there anyone who wants to teach me to fight?”

  “Fight?” Darren perked up. “I can teach you? What do you want to learn? Knife throwing? Swordsmanship? How to gauge people’s eyes out with a spoon?”

  “Errrm...” I blinked slowly, not sure how to answer.

  “D-Don’t start, Darren. I’ll teach you, Akira,” JP said, his smile a bit more reassuring. “W-We start after b-breakfast.”

  I scoffed the last of my meat and bread down. “I’m done now.”

  “S-Someone’s eager,” he grinned, clapping his hands. “A-Alright then. We’ll use the g-garden.” He motioned for me to follow and I eagerly ran after him. If I learned how to defend myself and to overpower an opponent, they wouldn’t have to protect me in the next battle.

  THE AIR WAS COLD, THE breeze playing with the underside of my shirt and drawing goosebumps to my skin. I clapped my hands, ready to get my blood pumping. “What am I learning first? How to disarm an opponent? What about a cool stabbing pattern?”

  “N-No. There will b-be no stabbing today.”

  “Awww, why not?” I asked, a little disappointed. Maybe I should’ve taken Darren up on his offer after all.

  “D-Do you want to k-kill people?” JP pulled his eyebrow up, the stern look reminiscent of my old teacher in the village.

  “No, I just want to learn how to defend myself.”

  “G-Good. Then you don’t need a w-weapon.”

  “What do you mean? How am I going to fight someone without a knife then?” I pouted.

  “Akira, weapons a-are to hurt. A-Armour or a s-shield is to defend y-yourself.” He shook his head. “Unless you w-want to learn how t-to kill someone, you d-don’t need a w-weapon right now.”

  I sat down in the grass, a little annoyed. All of them carried weapons and used if for all purposes. Why wasn’t he trusting me with it?

  JP sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “F-Fine. Get up and t-take his.” He threw a small dagger in my lap and shook his head disapprovingly.

  “Yay!” The metal of the handle felt cold in my hand but the weight was pleasant. “Nice knife.”

  JP motioned for me. “Now a-attack me and I’ll s-show you how to d-disarm.”

  “Okay... What kind of attack?”

  He shrugged, a serious look crossing his face. It made him look even more battered and weary than he usually did. “D-Doesn’t matter. Any attack.”

  “Alright... Here I come!” I charged at the man, the knife pointed straight at his abdomen. The blade waved through the air as JP stepped aside. His fingers curled around my wrist, the swiftness of years of practice not letting him down. My back hit the grass as I stared up at the sky. I curled my fingers in a knifeless fist and crawled up, impressed with his skill. “That was awesome!”

  “O-Okay. Now it’s y-your turn.” He conjured a knife and held it out towards me. I gulped. The sun caught in the blade and the light flickered in my eyes. Out of reflex, I held up my hand to shield my face and was tackled by the slender man.

  The ground smacked the air out of my chest, the hilt of JP’s knife slammed into my chest. Pain shot through my ribs, the humiliation creeping up.

  “I wasn’t ready!” I called, coughing as I crawled back up.

  JP clacked his tongue and shook his head. “T-That’s the point, Akira. A real b-battle isn’t a s-sparring duel between f-friends. Your opponent isn’t g-going to wait until you’re ready o-or get into the right position so you can disarm them.”

  Damn him and his logical reasonings. “But then what am I to do? I can’t just be useless!”

  “W-When we have more t-time, I will teach you p-proper fighting. I p-promise.” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “B-But right now, I will t-teach you some b-basics that are m-meant to save your l-life.”

  “Fine, I’m listening.”

  “If you can a-avoid a fight, always avoid it. R-Run if someone attacks you. Run if s-someone stabs you. R-run if someone threatens y-you.”

  I frowned. “But what if I can’t run?”

  JP’s fist curled around my shirt as he yanked me to him. His breath clashed against my skin, his eyes dark and terrifying. “C-Can you r-run now?”

  Chapter 23. The Winter Stone

  I stared at JP, confused about what he was doing. Could I run? No, he had me in his grip. “No, I can’t run?”

  Disappointment flickered across his face. “Your m-mind is still wired wrong. You don’t w-want to run. Y-you’re not stuck. Kick me, h-hit me, wrangle out of your shirt, t-there are always places to go.” He shoved me away, his expression hard and cold. This wasn’t the gentle man I knew, this was the same man I saw in the cave when the Coyotes attacked for the first time.

  “T-There is only one r-reason to fight and that’s to p-protect.” He pointed at Darren, Regan, and Aspen who followed us outside. “B-But we’re all trained in c-combat, you w-won’t need to protect us.”

  I nodded, my mouth dry. This wasn’t the lesson I expected, but I drew in every drop of wisdom he could offer me.

  “A r-real fight isn’t a d-duel where you get time to p-prepare. If someone a-attacks you, you’re always at a d-disadvantage b-because your r-reaction will be after their a-action. And sometimes it o-only takes one action for them t-to kill you.”

  “Okay, what about the battle we were in? The one with the Coyotes?”

  “T-That one was different. We d-did have something to p-protect and we s-saw it coming.”

  “What do I do when something like that happe
ns again?” The images of the battle flashed through my head and I felt ashamed of how useless I was.

  “You do as much damage as you can,” Regan suddenly quipped in. “In battle, you won’t always have time to find weak spots.”

  “B-But that d-doesn’t matter. Cut, s-slash, hit as many p-places as you can w-while protecting y-yourself. U-Use your reflexes.”

  “Trust your instinct.” Regan flicked his knife between his fingers. “Don’t try to be smart.”

  “A-And be prepared to be h-hurt.” He held up three fingers. “T-There are only three outcomes in a r-real fight. One, you g-go down. T-Two, your opponent g-goes down. And three, you b-both go down.”

  “Your opponent always aims to kill.”

  “D-Don’t think they’ll g-give you time to recoup.”

  “Once down, they’ll make you stay down.”

  “In a b-battle, u-unconcious is just a-as disarmed a-as dead.”

  Their advice spun through my head, all the information making me dizzy. I’d hoped for some knife practice, on how to counter an attack, but this was something else. It was terrifying and some of the bravery I mustered up sank back down. Being a hero didn’t sound as appealing anymore, not when they described it that way.

  “W-When the time c-comes, we’ll teach you p-properly. But for now, d-don’t try to be a h-hero.” JP patted my shoulder and left to go back inside. The rest of the men followed and I laid down into the grass. The damp ground soaked my new shirt, the halms tickling my skin. The way they talked about a fight, a battle, it wasn’t glamorous and I knew that. I experienced it before, she why were my expectations suddenly different?

  Because I controlled the magic in the amulet? Because I hurt five men in a fit of rage even though I couldn’t remember it? What was I thinking?