“André…”I began, but I didn’t need to finish.
Chuckling, he shot up, leathery wings lifting him toward our mate to help her with her first official flight.
Entranced, I glanced up at her, my heart constricting, growing, filling with emotions I had never felt before. It shattered at the same time with the sight of her joy while she rose in the sky.
I knew then that bargaining my way into being one of her mates was the best risk I had ever taken, regardless of what it ultimately cost me…
Even if it were my life.
19
NATALIA
“Whoo-hoo!”
“Awooooooo!”
Star’s howl echoed my shout while André and I swept over theOrigin Forest, his wings taking him even higher.
I followed… only, I accidentally veered right, losing my balance.
Oh shit. The forest tumbled below me, and I instinctively threw my arms out as if to catch myself.
“Use your left wing to steady yourself,” he reminded me from above.
“I got it!” I assured, even though my heart was almost beating out of my chest with adrenaline, excitement, and a tiny bit of fear. Not that I’d admit that to anyone.
Lowering my left wing, I readjusted my bearing and shot forward, laughing when I left my Vampir mate in the dust.
Chuckling, André caught up with me effortlessly, reaching for my hand while he gave me that naughty, bad-boy crooked grin of his.
“Can you ride him in the sky? I think it’s time to jump him again.”
Returning André’s grin, I surrendered my hand to him, and he intertwined our fingers, helping me stabilize while we flew hand in hand.
It was nice flying like this with him. It was a bit tricky keeping our wings from bumping each other but I had it under control.
“Shit!” His sudden hissing made my eyes snap back to him, and dread instantly gripped me. I had flapped a little too close to his wing, and my blue flames singed the cartilage.
Maybe not.
“I’m okay,” he reassured, cringing at the same time the silvery venom rushed over the damaged cartilage, healing it and spreading over it for protection… against me.
“Not you, just your fire…”Star corrected.
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Want to turn around?” he gripped my hand tighter when I nodded. “Incline your right wing about forty-five degrees, and?—”
I arched a single brow. “Do I look like I know what forty-five degrees should be?”
Laughing, he began to angle right. “Just do as I do.”
Following his lead, I lowered one wing and lifted the other toward the right, my body mimicking the slant until we began to loop back. It was still challenging to wrap my mind around the fact that literal fire formed my wings, allowing me to fly, but I was enjoying every second of it.
Briefly closing my eyes, I let myself enjoy the breeze that sifted through my swaying hair, caressing my skin in theprocess. I wasn’t quite sure I would ever be able to describe the feeling I was experiencing right now. Not even to myself.
A strange emotion expanded through my chest, and my eyes opened in time to catch the sun rays shining through the clouds on the majestic ReinheitWölfe Castle and its forest. The place where the Wolf Shifter race had originated thanks to the Moon Goddess.
