She walks faster until we’re no longer keeping pace with each other, and even though my skin is suddenly pulling tight with the urge to chase after her, I let Aurelia have her space.
“If you say so,” I quietly respond as I stop at the edge of the glade and watch her rush inside the cabin. She disappears from sight, and I tell myself to go. She’s safe. She’s home. There’s no reason for me to follow her inside. It’s reckless to think she’d welcome my company or that any good could come from staying with her a little while longer.
I return to the lake with Khalil and Thorin.
THORIN
Ugh!” Aurelia shouts. “This is useless. I’m never going to catch anything.”
It’s just before sunrise, and the three of us—Zeke, Aurelia, and me—are standing in the shallow waters of a wide river, waders on, fishing rod in hand, and net at the ready. “Because you lack patience,” I tell her.
“Exactly,” my wolf agrees. She then sends me an accusatory look. “I thought you said fishing was fun?”
I sigh. “Only if you have patience.”
Aurelia grumbles but doesn’t bother arguing. She knows herself and owns up to it, one of the many qualities I admire about her. Instead, her gaze travels over to Zeke, who is standing as far away from us as he can get. “Why do you think he came?” Her tone suggests she’s not bothered by it. She’s curious.
“To keep an eye on us probably.”
“But why is he so far away if he wants to babysit us?”
“Don’t know. Could be that he’s worried your incessant complaining will scare the trout away.”
“Is that your way of telling me to shut up?”
“Is that the way you heard it, wolf?”
Aurelia responds by letting out a roar. She runs forward with her arms up, stomping through the shallow water. She makes a few circles around me for good measure before ending her petty rampage with a beaming smile.
“There you go. I got them riled up for you. Gooooo trout!” She pumps her arm in the air like a cheerleader before sauntering past me.
My hand is moving before I can even think about it, and I put everything I have into the strike, ensuring she feels it even through the Gore-Tex of her waders.
“Ow!” Aurelia yelps before rubbing the sting from her ass.
“Brat.”
“Creep,” she volleys back.
I watch her go to make sure she makes it to the riverbank safely despite it only being ten feet away, and then I wade over to Zeke since my spot is blown.
“What was that about?” he asks the moment I’m within earshot.
“She wants to be fucked,” I answer plainly. “And soon.”
“Odd way to go about it.”
I feel my smile when I answer, “Not the way we do it.”
Zeke doesn’t respond, and I recast my line. Within minutes, I have a bite and use my net to secure it before releasing the fat trout from the line. Feeling smug, I look back toward the riverbank to show Aurelia and find it empty.
“What the fuck? Where the fuck did she go?”
“Who?” Zeke asks absently as he secures his own catch.
“The tooth fairy, Zeke. Who else?” I wade back to the bank and toss my trout into the cooler full of ice with the others before peering through the trees. “Aurelia!”
“She left these behind.” I didn’t even realize Zeke had followed me out of the river. I follow his voice and see him holding up Aurelia’s waders. “Maybe nature called.”
