Page 22 of The Lands Defying
Josh helps me to my feet and we follow where the others have walked ahead.
Colten and Hudson push each other, bickering as usual as Taylor looks over the field, probably thinking something is goingto jump out at us. Anna crouches near a tree with Sebastian, probably trying to teach him about mushrooms, and failing.
He’s probably over there to see if the tree is up to his standard for throwing knives into it.
“You know how I am,” I finally answer Josh.
“I do,” he agrees. “I just never feel what you do when you touch them.”
“Well, you aren’t an Heir.”
“Well you aren’t an Heir,” he mimics and I laugh, shoving him.
“Ass.” I give him a small smile. “I can feel its life within, feel it all the way down to its roots, connecting to the earth below. It’s like a whisper of innocence, bright and pure. There is nothing else like it.” I look down at the flowers. “It’s like breathing, something so natural but needed.”
Seb walks over and makes a face. “It’s a fucking tree, Rhea.” I laugh at the look on his face. “They are good for holding someone up against it though. I could hold you up against it?” He looks me up and down like he’s seriously thinking about it.
The memory of when Darius and I humped each other against a tree sends flutters through my mind, making my cheeks heat.
Seb smiles, all teeth, thinking he made me have that reaction.
“Gods,” Josh mutters, side-eyeing me before he walks over to Hudson and Colten, shivering like the thought is the worst he could imagine.
Josh suddenly changes, shaking out his fur and Colten’s eyes widen as suddenly, he’s being pounced on.
Hudson folds his arms, smile on his face as he watches Colten change, and then two wolves are play-fighting in the flowers.
“There are some great flora around here,” Anna says, holding a basket I didn’t even notice.
“It seems you have collected a lot?” I nod to the basket.
She smiles. “Always good to keep extras around. Though there are some ingredients for some poison.”
I blink at her. “Who in the Gods are you poisoning?”
She shakes her head, walking off and mumbling about silent knife wielders and my eyes go to Taylor in question.
“I have no idea,” he says, moving to walk ahead and watching the two wolves yipping and nipping at each other.
I see Colten get the upper hand in the next moment, but Hudson takes him by the scruff of the neck and pulls him off. Colten whips around and barks at him, but Hudson just raises a brow and Colten pauses, head lowering.
And then Josh is tackling them again.
I chuckle at their antics as I hear Anna up ahead talking about unruly beasts with Taylor and Hudson.
“Wanna tackle?” Seb says as he stands a few feet from me, those eyebrows wiggling again.
“Sebastian,” I purr, and his eyes widen at my sultry tone. I crook a finger for him to come to me, and he swallows hard. He moves slowly, like he’s about to walk into a trap, and I resist the urge to smile. “You know,” I murmur low when he stops in front of me. I place my hand in the center of his chest, slowly moving it down as he makes a nervous sound. “If you weren’t such a big flirt, you might actually find someone to tackle with.” I shove him with my hand and he falls flat on his back, his eyes confused how he ended up there. I smile, my eyes moving to a solid line of my power that I put behind his knees that made him fall.
“Rude,” he grumbles, but his eyes light in amusement when they move over my shoulder.
“Rude is correct,” a deep, murderous voice says. I stiffen, a scowl on my face.
I didn’t even hear him come up behind me.
“Darius,” I say cheerfully, going to turn around, but I’m halted with a hand on my hip.
His chest touches my back and his breath hits my ear. “I do not share, little wolf.” I shiver at his nearness, the possessiveness inhis tone. He nips my ear. “Remember that or you will have one less pack member and then I will take you right here.”
