Page 83 of Season Warriors & Wolves

My brother gave her a wolfish grin. “I carry all the necessary assortments for entertainment, Helenia.” His eyes followed the younger Skygard walk out of the bakery to where we sat.

“Cheese scones,” Thora mumbled to him and sat down.

He tugged at her rose coloured bow and stuffed it in his pocket. “Thank you, little bird.”

Thora sneered, annoyed, but did nothing to claim her hair tie back.

Snow had gone quiet again, not looking at anyone. Her attention returned only when I wrapped a hand over her thigh. Her head rose to me and she leaned forward to kiss me. “Hey.”

“Hey,” I murmured back at her, tucking some of her dark hair back.

It was the fourth night in a row that she was sleeping in my arms after six long months. She was restless as the other three. Pretending to fall asleep. Pretending she wasn’t afraid to dream. And I was tired of pretending that I didn’t know, but I didn’t want to scare her away—didn’t want to scare her back in her shell like that night. The way she was answering to me less and less, the ways she spoke softer and lesser…it terrified me. It terrified me because I knew her thoughts were not gentle as she was being—and Snow never thought softly or gently or so little.

Very slowly and carefully, she turned around to face me. Even though my eyes were closed, I could feel her studying me. Holding back that smile was the hardest thing I had done these past few days.

“You’re not sleeping,” she whispered. It wasn’t a question nor a statement. She was unsure though.

Still, I didn't stir nor let on that I wasn’t indeed asleep. Cautiously, she rose to her elbows and started leaving small pecks around my face, down my neck and all over my ear.

I groaned so loudly that she flinched and let out a little surprised squeal when I wrapped my arms around her tightly. How undeserving I often felt to hear the sounds she made from happiness. “What troubles you, love of mine?” I asked, cupping the back of her head and pulling her lips to mine. In my hold she was silken, gentle, roses and soft stars. By my side she was nothing but a titan of power, no sky stood above her, it was simply being held for her. She gasped when I deepened the kiss, moaning softly around my tongue. Her mouth would be raw by the time I was sated with her taste.

She kept kissing me as she leaned to my ear and whispered seductively, “I want a glass of milk.”

There was one shot of pure silence before I howled with laughter like a mad man. “Milk?”

She nodded even though her brows were pulled in a scorning scowl at my reaction to the odd request. “It helps me sleep. Alaric used to bring me milk every night when I was little. He had read it somewhere that it helps you sleep.”

“You can’t sleep?”

“You know it, stop acting like you don’t.”

Weaving my fingers through her hair, I pulled her closer so I could see those gilded irises better. “How do you feel?”

She opened her mouth and then shut it, reluctantly thinking for a moment before answering me, “Like I need to run.”

Fucking finally. Fine and alright were about to drive me insane knowing she was none of that.

“Then let’s run,” I said, wrapping an arm around her waist, hoisting her to me and standing. I sat her in my lap and reached to put on her boots and then dressed her up in one of my jackets.

She blinked, watching me roll the sleeves to fit her better. “What do you mean by let’s run?”

“Exactly that.” I kissed her cheek and faded us to the middle of Soren Forest.

Wind howled eerily around us and loud enough to warn of the change in seasons. Winter was almost here.

I put her down and pushed her hair back. “What you feel won’t change so easily, Snow, no matter what good things happen after the bad. Healing is simply not that simple. Falling back to habits does not always have to be destructive. If running helps, then run. But don’t run alone.” I let go of her and slowly stepped back. The way she traced my movement with her eyes had my body react with such force that I was struggling to take those steps away. “You can run, but I will be right behind.”

She swallowed and shifted on her feet. “Will you chase me?”

I shook my head. “I already have you. It cannot be a chase. But I will play with you.”

Her mouth pulled up to a subtle smirk. “Games have rules. What rules do we have?”

“Don’t let me catch you,” I started, taking another step back and sweeping a look over her naked legs that I was going to have wrapped around my waist by the end of this night. “That is the only rule.”

“And if you do?”

“Better run fast, my love.”