Chapter 102
Ellie POV
I hear him above, twig snapping, legs breaking. Sounds like a storm with no rain
With a soft thud of dirt, the scrape of claws against stone, his massive shape drops back into the pit, a bundle of snapped logs and branches clenched in his jaws.
He shakes, scattering leaves and soil everywhere.
I cover my face. “Ugh! Dom!”,
He pauses, then smirks. Even in his wolf form I can see it.
She shifts back, bones snapping, fur pulling back into skin in a way that still makes my breath pause no matter how many times
I see it.
Alpha are just…amazing that way.
He’s human again when he turns to me. Dirt streaks his jaw. Dark hair a mess. Breath fogging faintly in the cold air with the bundle under his arm.
He stel them infront of me with a messy plop.
“You got the matches?”
I’m not sure why I suddenly nervous. Only nodding and handing them over without a word.
Our fingers brush.
He pauses, glancing my way.
“Thanks,” he mutters.
The fire takes longer than it should, not because he’s bad at it–but because everything feels… off.
“Where… did you get the wood?” I trying desperating to fill the silence.
He pauses, glancing up from the sparks. “Trees.”
…Right.
When the flame finally catches, it blooms fast in a spray of orange and gold, warmth spilling outward in a way that makes my shoulders sag with relief.
Still, I’m cold. The dirt and rocks below me like a frozen lake.
Dominic sits down a body appart from me, and internally, I maybe, sorta, wished he would poof into a giant, warm dog again.
My teeth chatter, pulling my ripped jacket over myself more.
He notices.
Before I can react, he wideneds his legs, his hand hooks into the belt loop of my jeans and yanks me toward him through the dirt.
“Hey!” I protest, nearly falling into his chest.
He doesn’t look at me as he pulls my back into his chest, arms around me like a blanket. He leaned over me, head to my shoulder like it’s resting. I glance hsi way, flustered, but his eyes are shut.
“Doninic-“I try.
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“Enough. I’m tired,” he says, head pressing into mine like a nuzzle. Like he’s more than done arguing with me for the rest of the night.
I open my mouth to fight it.
Then the heat hits me all over again.
Why was it so…nice?!
We sit there in silence, as I left myself lean into him, his arms wrap me, legs pressed to mine. I felt cocooned. Yet, my heart would shut up, pounding in my ear so loud I’m sure he could hear it.
I glance at him, his head pressed to my cheek, deep in the crack of my neck. He looked spent, but… I’ve never realy seen him sleep.
At least not peacefully. He never did like to sleep with me when we were married before. Separate bedrooms. But when we did, I was always on the right side. And old injury on his left.
“Why,” his voice made me jump. “Are you staring at me? Sleep.”
My nose sniffles, rubbing against the cold. “Sorry,” I say weak. “You just seem so…different.”
I feel his chest puff a laugh, his breath blowing into my chest.
“I am the same I’ve always been.”
I let my head finally, slowly rest against his.
No your not.
Some times passes, tense and slow. Crickets and fire crackle filling the silence.
“How’s your ankle?” he asks quietly.
“Hurts,” I admit. “But mostly numb now.”
He takes a deep breath against me, making my body fill with heat. “You did good with the splint.” His lips ticking my neck.
I bite my lip. Maybe it was getting too hot.
“I’m a healer.” I finally say. “I know what I’m doing.”
“I know,” he says.
Something about the way he says it, like he’s always known, makes my chest ache.
Exhaustion slowly creeps in heavy and unavoidable, my thoughts slowing, eyelids drooping despite myself.
After a moment, Dominic shifts.
“We should lie down,” he says.
I lean forward instantly, flashing a look back. “I’m fine sitting.”
He lies down anyway, stretching back leaving me between his legs, one arm bent behind his head like he’s back in bed.
I stare at him. I’m not laying with him.
Cold seeps back in immediately, spiteful and fast.
“…Unbelievable,” I mutter.
I last maybe ten seconds before I give in, lowering myself down.
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“Make sure you lay on the-”
“The right side of you,” I mutter, “I know.”
His head popped up. “You know?”
I froze, then adjusted his jacket and arm like I was prepping a pillow. “Just a guess.”
He gave me a furrowed look but, maybe too tired, his head fell back to the dirt.
Curling against his chest, I fit perfectly into the space his arm leaves open for me. Like he was expecting me.
He wraps that arm around me without hesitation.
I feel his mouth curve into a smug little smirk against my hair.
He knew I’d come.
I sigh, but let him have the win.
We lie there in silence, the fire warming our faces, his body a solid wall of heat and safety to my back. I never quite realized how big he was. Sure I knew he was tall, broad, but close like this, it felt more like cuddle a massive bear.
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