Page 46 of The Hidden Falling
“Would you stop,” I exhale, spinning around to look at him. I don’t want to remember Kade bleeding out on the ground, and I don’t want him to set Kade off. “Seeing as I can’t get rid of you, the least you can do is be quiet.” I huff and continue forward, grabbing Kade’s hand and pulling him with me.
“You didn’t want to get rid of me the other day,” he taunts, and there is no hiding the blush in my cheeks now as I remember us against that tree. A tree that I will never look at the same again.
I glare at him over my shoulder, catching him checking out my ass, and I try to ignore the thrill that goes through me from his attention. Runa wriggles inside me, and I give her a mental shove to stop that shit. I cannot go there again, no matter how much I want to feel him against me, or how much I want to lick a path up his neck and breathe in his scent. An involuntary shiver runs through me, and I swear I heard a low growl behind me.
No. Nope. Not doing it.
Kade gives me a strange look, but I just plow forward, ignoring him and hoping he can’t somehow read my thoughts. “We’re going to see Solvier, aren’t we?” Kade grumbles next to me as we pass the lilk trees. I watch him press a hand to them, the same way I do every time we leave. I let out a small smile at the sight.
“Yes, we are, if we can find him.” I still haven’t seen him for quite a while. I have no idea where he goes or how he even manages to hide, but he does it somehow.
“Isn’t this supposed to be, you know, private?” he hedges, looking at me out of the corner of his eye.
Yes it is, but the overgrown oaf behind us will always follow me, so it can’t be helped. This conversation needs to happen. I’m not sure what Darius’ reaction will be to Solvier, or if even Solvier will show himself to Darius. He is picky about who he shows himself to.
“Unfortunately, I have acquired a full-time babysitter,” I answer him. “Gods knows why, considering all I do is work around the settlement.” I kick a rock on the floor and smirk at it, remembering throwing one at Darius.
“I can hear you,” Darius gripes at my back, irritation leaking into his tone.
“Oh, shit, Kade,” I whisper at him, grabbing his arm. “He canhearus! We’re doomed,“ I put my hand on my head for added effect before flipping him off behind me. We both chuckle when we hear his sigh. The asshole shouldn’t be on my ass then.
We continue walking, heading further south toward one of the lakes. It’s quiet and peaceful. the slight breeze rustling the leaves on the trees as we pass. Sunlight flutters on the ground as it passes through gaps in the trees, creating pretty patterns along the forest floor. Being outside and smelling the earth beneath my feet with the scent of flowers in their air is a comfort I won’t take for granted.
I didn’t get to see the sky, feel the caress of the wind on my face or smell the scent of life embracing me for a long time. Until I left my old home.
I link my arm through Kade’s as we walk, enjoying being with him, even with my babysitter at my back. It’s the first time I’ve really spent any time with him since we got back from The Deadlands, and luckily his injuries are nearly healed. The thought of him dying on that dead forest floor makes me huddle closer to him, wanting to feel his warmth, and I feel Runa brushing up against him where my arm is linked with his, sharing the same feelings with his wolf.
I might not be his birth mother, but I brought him up. I taught him to hunt, how to build a fire and forage. I comforted him at night when he had nightmares, only for him to wake and have no idea it ever happened sometimes. I held him through his grief and guided him when his wolf came. He is mine in every way he is nottheirs.
We’re a few miles from the lake when the ground trembles beneath me, and I stop, taking my arm out of Kade’s to bend down to put a hand on the grassy floor.
“What are you doing?” Darius asks from somewhere behind me, and Kade shushes him, getting an annoyed grunt in return.
I close my eyes and concentrate, feeling the gentle quake beneath my hand. I smile when I pinpoint which direction it came from. “Let’s go!” I grab Kade’s hand and pick up our pace to a jog. “Come on before he leaves again,” I chuckle as I drag a reluctant Kade behind me, smiling wide.
We run along until I see a flash of light gray ahead through the trees. I let go of Kade, taking off with a laugh of giddiness washing over me. “Solvier!” There’s a pause in the trees and then a huff-like sound reaches my ears. I sprint ahead, leaving Kade to catch me up with Darius not too far behind him.
I squeeze through the last trees between us into a little open clearing and see two light gold eyes looking down at me in amusement. I laugh as I launch myself off the ground and jump at him. He lowers his head when he sees me coming, and my arms wrap around his neck the best I can, gripping his fur tightly. I snuggle into him and breathe in his scent, grass and blossoms, before sliding down to the ground, grinning up at him.
“Hello, Rhea,”he says in my head, his voice a deep rumble as he brings his nose down to touch my cheek. I stroke his muzzle before scratching under his chin, giggling and bouncing on my feet.
He makes a chuffing sound, tapping his head against my forehead before rubbing his cheek against my hair. I’ve missed him.
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” I tell him, taking a step back and looking up at his towering frame. “But you haven’t been around. Is everything okay?” I ask. It’s been over two months since I last saw him.
“All is as it should be,”he tells me.“I see you have brought young Kade with you. And another male,”he says, his eyes peering over my head.
I follow his gaze and see Kade coming toward us, a smile on his face. Darius isn’t far behind, his eyes looking around the area, his head tilted. Kade greets Solvier while I keep my eyes on Darius, watching for his reaction. I’m surprised the big wolf even let him see him.
Darius stops when he’s a few feet away from us, his eyes peering into mine before looking to Kade, and then finally, to Solvier. He holds his arms at his sides, but I see the tension in his body as he looks up at Solvier.
Darius is tall, but Solvier is taller. His paws are as big as my head.
It’s not every day you see a six-foot wolf. In fact, he’s the biggest wolf I’ve seen. I thought I would get more of a reaction out of Darius, but he just keeps staring at Solvier, his eyes scanning him until he finally moves toward a tree to lean against it. He acts like seeing Solvier is just another occurrence in his daily life. Does nothing phase this guy?
“How are you, Rhea?”Solvier asks me, his golden eyes looking into mine.
“I’m okay,” I mumble, peering over my shoulder at Darius before looking back at him.
