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Chapter 145 - Alone In The Forest
Chapter 145 - Alone In The Forest
The full moon lit the sky so much that the stars were shadowed by it. The night was warm, and a soft breeze moved the grass on the ground and the leaves on the branches.
The hut in the middle of the woods was cosy, even if there wasn't much inside. Three rooms in total: the entrance room was at the same time a kitchen and a living room, with separate spaces for eating and relaxing. There was no TV, which was perfect for Scarlet's punishment.
Then, there were two bedrooms, one in front of the other. A small bathroom completed the place. It was meant to offer an escape from the frenetic city life, so it didn't have anything which would bring stress.
The only way to warm the place was to light a fire, but it wasn't necessary during summer. There was running water and electricity, even though it could happen that both weren't working for a few hours from time to time.
Lara liked the place. The cubs could make as much trouble as they wanted, and no one would have noticed. The closest neighbours were miles away.
«We're alone in the middle of the forest!» she exclaimed.
Nate nodded, checking her expression in search of any trace of fear.
In the end, he was a big, dangerous wolf. And she was at his mercy.
«This is fantastic,» she added, seeing how the cubs were already playing outside. «They don't need to keep quiet, and I don't need to worry. Why haven't I thought of bringing them out like this before?»
«Because it would have been dangerous,» Nate said.
A human alone during a night when wolves were overly excited... He couldn't think about it without cringing. The thought of his mate alone and potentially in danger would always have that effect on him.
«I can help them turn,» Nate said. «I bet they never did it before.»
«Turning as in becoming wolves? I didn't know that was possible.»
«Usually, kids their age can't turn. But ours are precocious, so there's a chance they succeed.»
«Oh... And... Do they lose their mind? Do wolves lose their human mind after turning?»
«We do not.»
«So, will they recognise me?»
«Yes, of course.»
«And is it painful?»
«No.»
«Is it slow?»
«The first few times, it might be slower, but it becomes almost instantaneous with experience. I need less than a second to turn.»
«Oh!» she sighed. «You turn?»
«I do.»
«Tonight?»
«Depends.»
She bit her lower lip, stopping her mouth from asking him to turn in front of her. As far as she knew, it could have been a delicate, private moment for wolves. She had no right to ask anything just because of curiosity.
«Let's see if the kids can first,» he said.
He caught Jaden when the boy ran a step from him. Both the kids had released ears and tails, and they were racing in the garden and playing as any other pup would.
«Listen to this. Do you feel the call from the Moon?» Nate asked.
Jaden stared in silence, confused.
Words were not natural for wolves, so they had trouble using and understanding them during the Bright Moon. Still, if focused, they could follow a simple conversation.
Nate was still in control, but the pups had lost it under the moonlight. They were pure instinct and will to play.
«Your instincts want more than just to run a little,» Nate continued. «Wouldn't it be nice to feel the earth under your claws? To inhale all the scents of the forest and see further than now. To feel the animals living here, and their dread of the night...»
Jaden growled, trying to get free from Nate's grip.
«Don't you want to turn completely?»
Since Jaden didn't want to listen, he tried with Scarlet.
«Daddy!» she exclaimed when he picked her up.
Jaden had run away and cuddled next to his mommy, closing his eyes under her caresses.
«You talk,» Nate noticed. «I thought you had trouble keeping yourself under control.»
«Daddy!» she repeated, sniffing his neck and then playfully biting his shoulder.
«You can't turn if you don't calm down a little,» he pointed out.
Since the little girl continued with her attacks, he had no choice but to give up. In the end, there was no hurry. They were too little to turn, so it was normal they couldn't focus enough to feel anything.
While the kids played with their parents, turning their attention back and forth from each other, a pair of steps reached them through the forest. In between the trees, Samantha appeared like a ghost.
«Can I stay here?» she inquired. «Just for this time.»
Nate blinked, surprised. What was she doing there?
The same thought crossed Lara's mind, but she didn't have anything against Samantha's appearance.
«Aren't you busy with your mate?» Nate asked.
«Not today,» she sighed.
«Oh, I see... Sure, you can stay. In the end, you helped me when I had my mate far away.»
Without noticing, he had revealed a little too much. He glanced at Lara and didn't see any trace of annoyance or surprise. Most likely, she didn't understand or hear his words.
«I will look after the pups,» she continued. «You two can rest a little, right?»
«Sure.»
She smiled, happy to be accepted. She had left her apartment in a hurry and ran in the woods for a while in her wolf form. In the end, when she had realised where she was, she had decided to give it a try and become part of Nate's family for that night.
She couldn't bear to think about Rider any longer. She needed a break and something turbulent enough to keep her attention far from that man.
Nate's pups were just perfect.
«I see the Bright Moon is already acting on them,» she then commented. The two hadn't stopped running for a moment.
Oh, it was going to be a tiring night.. Just what she needed.