Page 26 of Heart of the Wolf
Before he could control it, his wolf took over.
The word mate chanted in his mind over and over again as he shifted. His massive paws dug into the chilled earth,and he lumbered into the clearing, the forest shuddering with each decisive step.
Both men stilled, staring openly at his intimidating form. He scented their fear in the air. Yet, when his head snapped to the girl’s, all he saw was beautiful resolve glittering in her gaze.
So brave, his girl.
His.
Knocking his head back, he howled.
Not wanting to frighten her by shifting back, he stayed as the wolf. Even though she fought it, she was weak, and he wouldn’t leave her.
Not again.
From that moment on, she was his to protect. As long as she would have him, he would stay.
When she collapsed in his arms by the stream, he whispered a prayer to Freyja, promising to honor her above all others. He could never thank her enough for bringing him to the other half of his soul. Once she was in his arms, there was no doubting it. Her heart beat in his.
He planned to spend a lifetime protecting, worshiping, and cherishing her.
However long or short that life was.
Leif fell in step with Amund, making the trek down the coast with his most trusted men. His fingers flexed on the hilt of his axe, the leather supple beneath his touch. Theywere only about an hour’s walk away from their destination. The clan to the northeast did not send a warrior to serve the main village as per their agreement.
It was possible they were delayed. Or they were breaking the terms of peace with a silent act of defiance.
Regardless, Leif would leave their town with his warrior, either by compliance or force. It was their choice.
“I am happy for you,” Amund said. “Sorry, I stole you away from your firebird.”
“A necessary evil,” Leif said.
Nodding, Amund spoke. “When we arrive. Will you enter as a wolf or a man?”
All the clans knew of his wolf.
Feared it.
It was a powerful tool, but one he reserved for desperate situations. He preferred to engage as a person first, especially if there was a chance for negotiation. He only shifted into his wolf if there was no way to avoid bloodshed.
Sometimes, even if a fight was inevitable, he remained human, preferring to use his own hands.
The leaf cover grew denser the further they traveled toward the coast. The air was warmer closer to the ocean, and the winter frost hadn’t hit here yet.
Smoke billowed through the treetops. Leif stuck an arm out, stopping Amund. The other men fell in line, all of themfacing Leif. He crouched, his fingers hovering over fresh marks in the mud. The village in the distance was small, roughly a few dozen people. Only a handful of those were men of fighting age.
Another possibility he hadn’t thought of was that they were cowards, hiding away from their responsibilities. Based on the large footprints in the dirt, it looked like a dozen men fled from the village, heading toward the caves.
They left their wives and children alone, hoping they would be spared. Leif wasn’t a monster. He would leave them untouched, but he didn’t like deserters. Especially those who sacrificed the ones they were sworn to protect to save themselves.
Ten of his men could easily take on twenty of theirs. He stood, pressing his hands into his thighs as he rose to his full height.
“You five,” Leif grunted, pointing at the group of men to Amund’s right. “Go to the village. Do not harm anyone. Tell them their husbands have died, and you will take them and their families to safety. Be gentle. They will be grieving. Bring them back to our village, find them homes.”
The men nodded, disappearing into the thicket as they approached the smokestacks.
“Úlfr,” Amund said, bowing his head. “We are at your command.”
