Everyone agrees, and I look for a suitable place to park. Up ahead, there's a meadow and a stream with a patch of woods nearby. I pull over onto the shoulder, and everyone takes their time getting out. My eyes immediately lock on Feray and the way she turns her nose to the wind.Smart little wolf.My dragon is pleased with her checking the wind.
Looking around, I study the surrounding area for danger. With everything going on and the attacks aimed at Feray and Fiadh, caution is at the forefront of my mind. We don't know which sister is the true target. My gut tells me my inamorata is the one being hunted. Perhaps that's why she has the more powerful mates? I'll ponder this once we reach the inn.
The meadow stretches out in a picturesque display of natural beauty—a scene of tranquility and harmony. Lush, emerald-green grass sways gently in the breeze. Wildflowers of every hue adorn the landscape, their petals painted in vibrant reds, yellows, purples, and blues. The air fills with delicate fragrances of lavender, honeysuckle, and fresh earth.
A gentle stream meanders through the heart of the meadow, its water crystal clear, reflecting the azure sky like a mirror. Small pebbles line the stream bed, and its melodious murmur is a constant companion. Tall trees stand sentinel on the meadow's edge, their leaves rustling in the wind, branches offering patches of dappled shade. Birds flit and sing among the branches, adding their cheerful voices to the chorus. In the distance, rolling hills rise, their slopes covered in a patchwork of forests and fields. The entire scene seems like a painting come to life.
"There are several deep pools in the stream. I'm going to fish for lunch," Torben offers as he strips out of his clothes. His bear rips free from its human prison and lands hard on the earth before raising its head to roar.
Feray giggles as she watches her mate shift. She mentions something about him being an enormous teddy bear, and I turn quickly to gape at her. She called one of the ultimate terrestrial killing machines a teddy bear. Love does funny things to one's perception of danger. Either that, or she has no sense of self-preservation. For my sanity's sake, I can only hope it's love that blinds her to the danger her mate's shift poses.
"I'm going to go find somewhere to pee," Feray tells us before walking off into the forest. I watch her for as long as I can follow her path down the deer trail before scanning the area again. Turning, I choose to watch Torben hunt, curious how a mammal so large will accomplish it.
The bear's massive frame, covered in thick, dark brown fur, exudes raw strength and dominance. His sharp claws, designed for digging and catching fish, glisten in the soft golden sunlight filtering through the canopy. The stream is surrounded by lush greenery and framed by towering pines. Water flows gently, gurgling over smooth river rocks.
With remarkable patience, the Kodiak lowers his massive head toward the water, keen eyes fixed on the underwater world. His senses are finely tuned, honed by generations of instinctual hunting. It has always amazed me how different species hunt. Take Feray, for instance—what her wolf lacks in size, she makes up for with speed and agility. The basilisk, as huge as it is, can cover a large area quickly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a change in Torben's position. His body tenses, ready to strike at the perfect moment. Suddenly, he lunges forward, powerful forepaws plunging into the water. The surface explodes in a frenzy of splashes as his massive claws snag a silvery, glistening trout. With brute force, he hoists the fish out, his powerful jaws clamping down on the slippery prize. Water droplets spray in every direction as he triumphantly captures the trout. As soon as his teeth sink into the head of the fish, he lays it on the bank. When he's sure it won't move, he returns to the stream, walking up and down, searching for the next one. Khal's phone rings, and he steps awayto answer. He keeps looking up the road from where we came, then back down to where we are.
Easton keeps pacing up and down the roadside, looking into the woods, watching for Feray. He's anxious, and I understand why. Between the symbols left at the crash site and the same one carved into the satyr, it's definitely unnerving.
Pulling out the notepad I've been keeping on the facts we've gathered, I review it. Not looking good. Too many things line up that suggest our little wolf is more than she appears to be. The feeling of her Luna gifts brushing over my skin when she calmed the masses was amazing. Like the elder said, there are only three bloodlines that produce Lunas of that caliber. By the looks of it, having seen her fur color, I suspect we'll find the answer we're looking for in the tundra.
Khal returns and looks at Easton watching the woods intently. "The path to the ocean is clear as far as I could find out. My uncle's people have taken Moors Farm to the north, so we should steer clear of that on the way back." He keeps typing on his phone before looking up at me again.
"Thank your informant for me. The information they're providing is quite useful."
Glancing down at my notepad, then to my phone, I send a text to Tregar warning him that my party and I should arrive by nightfall. He informs me he has a large suite with multiple beds and rooms we can have. I book it with him.
Torben keeps fishing, throwing fish after fish onto the bank. Khal eventually finishes his information hunting and goes to start a small fire to cook with. I haven't roughed it in centuries. This should be an interesting experience. Easton keeps his gazelocked on the woods as he paces back and forth. His bird is concerned.
His senses aren't like ours or the bear's,my dragon supplies—a fact I'd forgotten. His sense of smell isn't as acute as the bear's and nowhere near the wolf's. He can't use his tongue like Khal and me to taste the air for changes. What he does have is incredible eyesight that puts all of us to shame, and he can heal with a single tear. Birds explode from the treetops to the west. Everyone stops what they're doing to focus on the spot where the birds came from.
"See anything?"
"No," Easton says, but somehow I'm not convinced everything is alright.
"Something feels off. I can't put my finger on it." He turns to look at me, and his eyes are balls of fire. His bird is close to the surface, and that may not be the best thing right now.
"What feels off?" Khal questions as he flicks his tongue in the air several times.
"I'm not sure... It just is..." Damn phoenixes and their non-answer answers.
"If she's not out in ten minutes, we're going in after her." I move toward the head of the deer trail, watching for Feray.
Easton's anxiety is getting to me. What if he's right?
Chapter 4
Feray
I takeseveral silent steps into the woods after watching Torben shift and start fishing for our lunch. For its size, his bear is as graceful as it is powerful. The others may not see or appreciate the way his bear lumbers around, but I do. His main goal is providing and caring for the family, and it shows. He's fishing so we don't have to stop anywhere for food. My big guy knows how much I love the fresh fish he catches for us. Something about the primal hunt and being provided for endears him to me more.
One day, he'll make a fantastic father.
My eyes drift to the mixed-signal-sending doctor. Easton has his gaze locked on the woods where I entered. He's a puzzle to me—I know he feels the bond. The feather he gave me is a testament to his affection. Unfortunately, the way he was raised is the only thing I believe is holding him back from getting to know me. The fire in his eyes burns brightly, and I can see his bird's focus in my direction. My wolf feels the pull toward his bird, but the man is fighting it.
Torben said it would take him time, so time is what I'll give him.
