AldrichI feel myself drowning in her molten gold eyes. The discs of her pupils are growing larger. I think I scent a whiff of her arousal, but I’m afraid to inhale deeply. Going down this path is dangerous.When I’m looking at her, it’s so easy to forget about the class difference, the rules of the land, the law… just about everything. Our warmth breaths mingle and our lips part. She leans in, conveying without words what she wants. I want it too, want it so badly that my hands are trembling as I let go of her chin and extend my fingers to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. In doing so, I lean forward, my knee accidentally brushing against her injured leg, causing her to wince.I come crashing down to reality. She’s a beautiful princess, delicate like a flower. She’s probably been sheltered all her life and told to stay away from the likes of me. I’m rough, uncouth Werewolf who doesn’t know the first fucking thing about how to behave in the presence of a princess. Just now w

AvaleaAldrich expertly lights the fire, even though there’s no kindling, with the help of a tiny burst of my magic. Although it’s a small fire, I place an invisible dome around it so that the smoke from it doesn’t fill up the small room. We share the bread and cheese, and finish the remainder of the water from the waterskin. He insists I have the larger share of our meager meal, disregarding all my protests. He has so much kindness in him, it's making my heart melt.“Don’t worry about it, Your Highness. You need to build your strength. The sooner you recover, the sooner you can leave.”He speaks the truth of course, simply putting into words what I have been thinking all along, but his words make me feel sad. He wants me gone. Of course he wants me gone, I scold myself. I would want me gone too, if the roles were reversed.“I’m sorry. I’ve imposed upon you without meaning you. I’m sure you’d rather be doing anything other than babysitting me. I’m so sorry, Aldrich,” I sniffle, tryin

AldrichOnce outside the hut, I get rid of my clothes, discard them on the doorstep, and immediately shift into my wolf form. Since I’m going to be spending the night outdoors and braving the cold, I’ll have to do it in my wolf form.Does she really think I’m going to turn her over to the Council? I wish she’d trust me more.I refuse to acknowledge everything I’m feeling as my muscles bulge, bones, ligaments, tendons snap and reform. Claws shoot out of my paws, my teeth lengthening into sharp, pointed weapons that can tear into a prey without any qualms. By the time I’m covered in black, white and gray fur and my transformation is complete, the hurt I was feeling earlier has lost its edge. After a few minutes of pacing the perimeter to make sure that nobody from my pack has ventured this far, I’m left with a feeling of dull discomfort rather than hurt and anger.My wolf’s feelings aren’t as acute as the human in me. I curl up outside the door, suddenly feeling confused. My wolf’s fee

AvaleaAs my tears dry out, I'm suddenly seized by this feeling that I wouldn't mind spending my entire life in Aldrich's arms. I jerk my head up, and hugging my middle, I force myself to move away from him. What's happening to me? It's madness. I shouldn't even be thinking this way. I can’t deny that I’m terribly attracted to him, and if it was just physical attraction, I would have found a way to overcome it. But it's not. It's something deeper. It's something I dare not give a name to. If I do, I'll never be able to walk away from Aldrich. And walk away I must. I called him my friend. For now, I'm going to hang on to that. I look up at him and smile. "Do you want to get some rest?"He nods and steps away, resuming his position by the wall. I sit down on the pallet, facing him, pulling the animal-skin rug over my legs. I feel guilty for making him spend the night on the hard stone floor. "You probably wish you were back in your own bed rather than being here."He looks at me,

AvaleaMy heart is drumming against my ribs. It's only with great difficulty that I'm able to breathe steadily. The tingling at the junction of my legs is a new sensation, something I have never felt before. Aldrich is attracted to me. The knowledge sets my blood on fire. I steal a glance towards the evidence of his desire. Except, the hut is in darkness and I don't see a thing. But I know he's hard for me. I suppress a moan, thinking about how his… erect member… felt pressed against my lower belly. I want to reach down and touch him… there. My cheeks are hot, and my face feels as if it's on fire. I throw away the animal skin rug, needing to feel the cold night air on my skin. Aldrich is right. We cannot cross this boundary. It is wrong, simply wrong. It goes against every law of my society. But then, why does it feel so right when I'm in Aldrich's arms? I press the bridge of my nose, hating that I cannot touch him even though he's only a hair's breadth away from me. "I think