Page 50 of Destined to the Lycan
“About you not making it to the plateau?” he asked softly.
I nodded grimly. “He said I only have seven or eight days left. As far as I know, doppelgangers cannot lie. Can we reach our destination before then?”
My heart sank when he shook his head.
“It will take us at least ten days even if we push as hard as we can. But Lyall said that I can slow down your sickness.”
I perked up. “What? How?”
“Ranael’s snake tail venom courses through me. It is a weaker version, which makes me toxic to others.”
“But it’s what I need to fight my poison!” I exclaimed, hope exploding inside me. “So you can cure me?!”
“No my mate, I cannot cure you. I can only slow its progress, not stop or reverse it,” he replied apologetically.
I pinched my lips, slightly disappointed. But then nothing was ever this easy. Still, it was hope that we didn’t have before. Then an unpleasant thought popped into my head.
“Are you sure that was what he said? Do you believe him?” I asked carefully.
He nodded with conviction. “Lyall wants you to live. He told me in no uncertain terms that if I fail you, he will hunt me down and make me wish for death. He truly fell in love with whatever he saw in you.”
I squirmed in his lap, my face heating from embarrassment. Although I considered myself a good person—I certainly always strived to be—I didn’t think myself particularly exceptional in any way. At least not so much that anyone would fall head over heels in love with me just for taking a peek at my mostly unremarkable life.
“You tamed a monster,” Remus said teasingly.
I stiffened and frowned at him, which took him aback.
“He’s not a monster,” I said with a fervor I couldn’t explain. I glanced away, staring at the ground without seeing it as I reflected on my interactions with the doppelganger. “Lyall truly believes he is, but I don’t. A monster is mindless, controlled by their basest instincts. He just has a very strong feral nature. But deep down, I believe there is a truly kind man who is just verylonely. You should have seen the way he glowed when he was drinking my blood. It felt like being surrounded by divine light. I pray that he finds his soulmate one day.”
“She’s not you,” Remus replied sternly.
I snorted as my gaze flicked back to him. “No, She’s definitely not me,” I said teasingly, amused by this display of jealousy. “But going back to your venom, how do I get that from you?”
To my shock, Remus suddenly blushed and lowered his eyes in embarrassment. There was something so incredibly adorable, almost boyish in his timidity. The fact that he was so big, muscular, and intimidating when he wanted made it all the more shocking to see.
And then, I understood.
“Oh, I see!” I said, before giggling nervously.
The flame of arousal sparked low in my belly.
“Well, we should eat something and rest for the night,” Remus grumbled to hide his embarrassment. “We rise at dawn and ride hard to reach the inn before the sun fully sets.”
“Wow, someone’s eager!” I said teasingly.
“Amara!” Remus exclaimed, which made me burst out laughing.
Considering the naughty games we played the previous night, I found it hilarious that he should be so prudish.
Still, he was right. I needed food and rest. The stress of the day, and my growing sickness were taking a toll. I felt guilty watching Remus taking care of everything while forbidding me from making any effort. He wisely chose not to go hunting for fresh food tonight in the woods, and we ate some of the rations we still had in our bags instead.
After taking care of the horses, he shifted into his wolf form, and I snuggled against him for the night. I couldn’t believe how easily sleep claimed me. Considering we were in the heart of the Haunted Woods and only sheltered by a cave withoutdoors, I should have been terrified. But the powerful wards that protected the cave and my man’s warm body around me made me feel safe.
The next morning, we didn’t dally. There was no nearby river to take a dip in, not that I would have risked venturing in any body of water within a cursed forest. We ate some dry bread and cured meats with the last of the cider Misty had given us. Remus donned his clothes, which he had wisely left with his horse before chasing after the Aegarims, and we set off.
Mesmerized, I stared at the strangest trail of mist that seemed to form in our path the minute we got on our horses. It had a bluish tinge, as if some tiny spirits or magical fireflies flew within it. Whatever it was, it didn’t qualify as a random occurrence. It turned and circled around certain areas as we followed it and acted as a magical guide who took us back safely to the road. Not once during that trek did the alluring songs that plagued me the previous day manifest themselves.
Before his departure, Lyall instructed Remus to follow the blue trail. Was it an automatic phenomenon that appeared whenever someone sought refuge in the cave, or had Lyall personally set it up for us? I would probably never have the answer to that question, but my chest warmed for the doppelganger. If I managed to survive this ordeal, I would find a way to thank him.
