Excerpt
An Elf’s Fate
Casey Wolfe © 2022
All Rights Reserved
Chapter One
Six years ago
Birds shot through the canopy, squawking indignantly, as Thalanil slid down a vine past them, rather than use the rampways. He laughed, adjusting his gear once his feet touched the soft earth at the base of the large redwood tree. He took a deep breath of the fresh morning air, unable to stop the smile from coming to his lips.
People greeted him as he passed through the lively marketplace. Thalanil promised them all they would talk later—he didn’t often get leave to come home. For the time being, he wanted to go out into the woods.
He’d missed A’netheas. He’d missed the people and his family. But he’d missed the Redwood most of all.
The recurve bow on his back was perhaps an old-fashioned weapon; however, tradition was important to the elves, and thus all elven children were taught to use one. Not everyone stuck with it, but for those like Thalanil, their natural reflexes and keen eyesight made them excellent at it. That skill wasn’t overlooked by the military either, Thalanil becoming a master sniper.
The trees welcomed him back like a long-missed friend, their colorful leaves changed with the cooling temperatures. Thalanil traversed the treetops, hopping from one limb to the next and using branches to swing into neighboring trees. Soon, he found himself deep within the Redwood.
Deciding to take a break, he found a comfortable-looking branch, stretching his legs along the length as he sat with his back to the trunk. He looked out at his surroundings, the sun cutting through the leaves, and sighed in contentment. He rested his head back, feeling the bite of bark, and listened to the wilderness around him.
Damn, I’ve missed this.
It was good to be home. A’netheas had changed little in his time away. Not that he expected it to. If anything, it was a comfort to be somewhere familiar after so long away, sent from place to place as a member of Calagon’s Special Operations Division.
The elven city seemingly came out of nowhere when traveling through the forest. They had cleared little land, instead choosing to build vertically into the trees for the most part. They did not have city walls or traditional borders. It was simply the way they were.
That wasn’t to say they hadn’t moved with the times—far from it. They used hydroelectric technology and solar panels to power their city. Satellites connected them to the outside world. They might have lived simple lives, but they were still very much a part of the global community.
Allowing himself to be lulled into a state of peace, Thalanil wasn’t sure exactly how much time had passed when he heard the approach of several good-sized animals. He had heard birds and smaller game, even a few deer, but these beasts were altogether different.
Curious, Thalanil sat up, legs dangling on either side of the branch. Sure enough, in the distance, he could see a pack of wolves moving between the trees. They were at an easy trotting pace, those in the lead putting their muzzles in the air to scent—a hunting party.
Thalanil immediately clocked that these were not mundane wolves. Their larger stature pegged them as their werewolf cousins. Considering there were only so many predators in the Redwood, and no other packs to speak of, Thalanil felt safe assuming this was the infamous feral pack well known to his people.
Even a century old, Thalanil had only come across them a few times in passing. An unspoken pact between the Redwood Pack and the elves of A’netheas saw that they stayed out of each other’s way. The werewolves didn’t stray near the city, and the elves gave them a wide berth in whatever hunting grounds the pack was using that time of year.
The pack lived a nomadic life, never seeming to stay in one place very long. It made any attempt at reaching out to them difficult. The fact they lived a majority of their time in wolf form didn’t help matters either.
Thalanil watched the group move closer, knowing full well they scented him in his perch. It appeared none of them were worried about a lone elf, choosing instead to keep moving in search of whatever prey they were tracking.
Surprisingly, one of them stopped. A tawny-colored wolf with black along his back gazed up into the trees. Eyes landed on him. The wolf stared for a moment before releasing a high-pitched whine. Then, to Thalanil’s complete shock, the wolf went down to the ground and rolled over to reveal the cream fur of his belly.
Thalanil didn’t know what to think, and apparently neither did the other wolves, who spoke to their packmate in a series of growls and rumbles. Ignoring them, the tawny wolf continued to gaze up at Thalanil. He whined again, something that sounded an awful lot like a plea to Thalanil’s ears. When that didn’t work, the wolf even threw in a yip.
“I am insane,” Thalanil muttered to himself. He was actually considering leaving the safety of the tree. “Yup, I have officially lost it.” The words stayed on repeat in his head as he started to make his way down the tree, well aware of all the eyes on him.
A distinct thumping sounded as the wolf’s tail started to wag. It only intensified the closer Thalanil got to the ground. The whapping was joined by some odd wiggle when Thalanil jumped down the rest of the way and turned to face him.
Thalanil did all he could not to laugh at the utterly ridiculous—and rather endearing—sight.
Rolling back over, the wolf sat on his haunches, with what could only be described as a grin on his face. His ears pricked forward, pale eyes bright. When Thalanil only gazed back at him curiously, the wolf picked up a front leg and pawed at the air.
That time Thalanil did laugh, taking a knee. “Well, I’m here,” he said, setting his bow aside on the ground. “Would you mind enlightening me on the reason?”
The wolf looked surprised then. His ears went back, and he ducked his head with a whine. He shifted back and forth on his front paws before he ended up shutting his eyes.
Thalanil had seen were-creatures shift before, but this transformation was more violent than he was used to. Bones popped with seemingly more force, and a tearing sound that may have been muscles followed the snap of tendons. It was a wonder the young man sitting in front of him hadn’t cried out in agony, instead letting out little more than a long, low growl.
There in front of him now sat a man. He was shaking a little from exertion, chest moving with a bit of extra effort. His jaw had quite a good bit of stubble to it, and his light-brown hair was a scraggly veil around his face. Brushing it back, he revealed the most stunning silver eyes with black rings around the irises. An oval face and a smattering of light freckles across the bridge of his nose gave his slight smile a boyish charm.
He was rather attractive under all the dirt. Wearing only a pair of rough hide pants and some kind of fur tied around his waist, he was hiding very little.
Those stunning eyes met Thalanil’s. His voice cracked when he tried to talk, prompting Thalanil to pass over the canteen of water he carried at his hip. He took it gratefully, and after a few good swallows of water, his voice came out in a deep rumble. “Mate.”
It was Thalanil’s turn to be surprised. Unlike were-creatures and vampires, elves couldn’t simply tell their destined mates when they met them. They certainly believed in them all the same, knowing without a doubt the Earth Mother sent them perfect souls to match their own.
“Mate?” he inquired all the same. The werewolf nodded, as simple as that. Then again, maybe it was. “I’m Thalanil.”
“Orion.” He reached a hand out, still shaking a little from the shift, and rested it on Thalanil’s wrist. “Sorry.” Orion cleared his throat. “It takes a bit to…talk good again.”
“Take your time,” Thalanil said, adjusting to rest on both his knees before sitting back on his heels. “I don’t exactly plan on running off.”
Orion smiled, perhaps still a bit on the wolfen side. “I’d find you. I have your scent.” He took another drink.
“I’m honestly not sure how to take that.”
Orion shrugged. “Sorry,” he said again, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth. “I haven’t shifted for a while.”
“How long’s a while?”
Orion made a humming sound, looking up at the sky as he calculated. “One moon? No, two moons soon.”
“You—? You haven’t been human in almost two months?”
“Not much of a reason to be.”
Thalanil knew the Redwood Pack was feral, but he hadn’t really expected this. In fact, he was pleasantly surprised they were even holding a conversation.
Orion looked over his shoulder at the pack members waiting a short distance away. All he did was jerk his chin up, and off they all went, back the way they came.
“Don’t you need to go with them?” Thalanil asked.
“They’ll tell the alphas for me. I won’t be expected back until a claim’s made.”
That made Thalanil blush, not having to guess just what type of claim Orion meant. “Elves don’t really work that way, you know.” When Orion’s expression remained blank, Thalanil realized he didn’t in fact know. “We take things…slower. Even with our chosen bonded.”
It wasn’t as though they were prudes or avoided sex until bonding. As immortal creatures, ones who bonded for life as werewolves did, they took their time. Typically, a courting period was involved if the intent was to bond.
“But, we’re mates.” Orion’s brows were drawn together in confusion.
“Well, don’t you think we ought to get to know each other a bit more before bonding? I mean, all we know is each other’s names.”
“That’s enough for me.” Orion shifted forward, rubbing their cheeks together. Respect of personal space was clearly not a werewolf trait.
Thalanil took hold of Orion’s face with both hands, pulling him back to look in his eyes. “I understand, believe me. To find you…” He was truly amazed to have found a mate, although admittedly it was also overwhelming. “I never expected my bonded would be a werewolf, but I’m not about to deny the Earth Mother’s match.”
“Earth Mother?”
The corner of Thalanil’s mouth quirked up. “You’ve got a lot to learn about elves, sœurâme.” He tucked loose strands of hair behind Orion’s ear, lips curling into a fond smile. “That means ‘mate’ in Elvish, by the way.”
That caused a bright smile to cross Orion’s face, making him look even younger. “So you accept?” If he’d been in wolf form, Thalanil would have expected his tail to be thumping against the ground once more.
“I accept your suit, but that’s not the same as agreeing to sex.” There was no point in beating around the bush. Clearly, Orion wasn’t going to understand that way. “I want things to happen naturally. There’s no rush.”
Orion whined in confusion. “But, you’re mine.”
Thalanil thought he understood. The whole point of claiming a mate was to show other wolves that they belonged to each other. It was possession and protection all in one. Perhaps he had a way to satisfy Orion’s wolf.
Scent was huge to were-creatures. Thalanil had witnessed, on more than one occasion, how military wolves would scent their commanders after experiencing stress. The werewolves saw them as pack, as their alphas, so they received comfort in having that connection.
“What about trading scent?” he suggested. “It would serve the purpose, wouldn’t it? Then everyone knows who we belong to, and we can take our time to get to know each other.”
Orion only thought about it a moment before readily agreeing. “Every wolf will smell me on you when I’m done.” He moved forward into Thalanil’s space, pressing his scent in, determined that it would seep from every pore.
Thalanil’s eyes widened, not used to such open affection. He’d had lovers in the past, but such touches came after time, certainly not at first meeting. The happiness radiating off Orion made up for it.
Orion was gentle as he urged Thalanil to lie back under the canopy of the large trees, shaded from the sun. “You smell amazing,” Orion said, tongue running along the length of Thalanil’s neck, causing him to shiver.
“Th-thank you.”
Lying practically on top of him, Orion nuzzled him, breathing in deeply. “It’s strange. You smell like the forest, but there’s…foreign ones. Underneath.”
“I…” Thalanil squirmed. “I travel a lot.”
Orion hummed an acknowledgment, continuing to scent vigorously until he was apparently satisfied. With a happy rumble, he fell to Thalanil’s side, snuggling up to him. His head lay in the crook of Thalanil’s shoulder. “Mate,” Orion all but purred.
That made Thalanil smile. He wrapped his arm around Orion’s waist, his other hand reaching across to stroke Orion’s arm.
“You know a lot about wolves.”
“I know quite a few,” Thalanil said, his hand coming up to card through tangled hair. He pulled out a few stray twigs, figuring Orion could use a good bath and a haircut once they got home.
“You do?” Orion tilted his head back as he adjusted to look at Thalanil.
“I’m a soldier,” Thalanil explained. “I’ve met all sorts of races, learned about them, worked with them…”
“Really?” His eyes were filled with what Thalanil could only describe as boyish wonder. Orion propped himself on his forearm. “The pack, we keep to ourselves, so… Hell, I’m not even really sure what a soldier does.” His gaze danced away, face heating. “Sorry you have to keep explaining so much.”
“It’s not a problem, sœurâme,” Thalanil assured him. He ran his fingers lightly over Orion’s scruffy jaw, mentally adding a shave on the to-do list. “Really. I wouldn’t expect you to know about things you’ve never been exposed to.” Orion looked grateful, pressing his face against Thalanil’s palm. “As far as what a soldier does…” Thalanil shrugged, thinking of something an old commander once told him. “We’re hunters of men.”
Orion perked up. “Like humans?”
“Anyone who needs hunting. We find the bad people and get rid of them.”
“So you protect your pack,” Orion said. “You must be strong.”
“I’m quick,” Thalanil corrected, smiling despite himself. “And it’s not just my clan I protect, but everyone. We go where we’re needed.”
“Well then, I’ll go with you,” he replied matter-of-factly, laying his chin on Thalanil’s chest as though still in canine form.
“Well, I don’t have anywhere to be for the next month while I’m on leave. So we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other and talk about where to go and what to do.” His tugged Orion closer. “Besides, whenever we do bond, we’ll have to stick together. We elves can’t be too far from our bonded, or apart for too long without feeling ill effects.”
It didn’t matter what race they bonded with. Elven magic had the ability to tie them together with anyone. However, that process wasn’t without its consequences. Their souls were so entwined it would cause an elf to get sick and weaken over time if they were separated. It was no wonder many didn’t survive the death of their partners without intervention. Without the other, most elves chose to fall into the slumber of death anyway, as their souls would never truly mend.
Orion whined high in his throat, burrowing himself even closer to Thalanil. His face was buried in Thalanil’s neck, muffling his words. “I go where you go.”
“What about your pack?”
“Mates come first. They know that.” He snuffled against Thalanil’s skin before pulling back enough to speak more clearly. “Usually, there’s no choice to make since we don’t meet many outsiders. But it does happen.”
Not one to make rash decisions, Thalanil simply said, “Well, we can talk about all of that later. Right now, I want to take you home.” He felt the slight wiggle that mimicked a tail wagging and couldn’t help but smile.
Thalanil stood, offering his hand. Orion grinned from ear to ear, accepting the help up. Perhaps he should have expected Orion to then press against him, nose settled on Thalanil’s collarbone.
Another soft smile graced Thalanil’s face, fingers tangling into Orion’s hair as he held him back. “Come on,” Thalanil encouraged. He reluctantly pulled away, brushing his thumb across Orion’s chin when he whined. “Time to get back.”
*
“Wow,” Orion breathed. He had smelled civilization as they had drawn closer, but he hadn’t seen the city until they were right in front of it. The sun was dipping behind the towering redwoods, the lights of A’netheas dancing among the trees. It created its own cool glow that mirrored that of the sun, as though the moon herself had settled into the city.
Thalanil smiled at him, offering his hand. “Come on. I’ll give you the quick tour on the way home. We can explore more tomorrow.”
Orion didn’t hesitate to take his mate’s hand. To him, there was no reason not to be close. As they weaved through the trees where the loft homes started, he spotted a few elves roaming the elevated walkways and bridges. “Are there only elves here?”
“Mostly,” Thalanil said, guiding him toward an area with more activity. “There are humans too. Mundanes, but also mages and witches.”
“Mages?” Orion balked, eyes widened.
Thalanil seemed confused, stopping to look at him.
“Mages are dangerous.”
He may not have been as well-versed with other races as Thalanil, but his pack had come across a variety of people over the years, including mages, about whom horror stories were passed down through their history. Only once had Orion met a mage, and the man had lived up to their reputation.
“They can be,” Thalanil admitted. “But you don’t have to worry about the ones here.”
“How can you be so sure?” Orion felt himself trembling just considering it. He mentally scolded himself, wondering what his mate must think of him.
Thalanil appeared concerned, stepping closer to him in comfort. He brushed the hair from Orion’s eyes, carding his fingers through as he asked, “What happened to you?”
Orion turned his nose into the offered hand, nuzzling Thalanil’s wrist. “A mage found my pack. He attacked with lightning and fire.” Orion winced, remembering the sensation of power surging through him, the smell of burning fur. “Three of my family were killed, and many of us hurt, before his throat was ripped open.” He had been gutted as well, his entrails strewn about as a warning, but Orion decided to spare his mate those particular details.
Frowning, Thalanil pressed their bodies together, forehead resting down on his. “I’m so sorry, me’tamour.”
Orion was thankful for his solid presence. Their mixed scents wrapped around him in comfort, bringing him back to the present. He wasn’t a warrior like Thalanil. He was a hunter, a tracker. Being able to move on from something like that was proving a lot harder for him than others in his pack. He still couldn’t stomach thunderstorms.
“I promise,” Thalanil said gently, “no one here means you any harm, the mages included. Some of them are even bonded to my kin.”
That cowed Orion. He certainly couldn’t say much if these mages were a part of Thalanil’s family. He still didn’t like the idea, but he trusted what his mate told him. “Okay,” he relented. When Thalanil seemed assured, they started to walk again. “Are there any other people living here I should know about? I don’t want to be surprised again.”
Thalanil chuckled, making Orion’s heart skip a beat at the beautiful sound—as beautiful as Thalanil himself. “Let’s see, there’s a were-jaguar that joined us a few years back. Perhaps you’ve come across each other at some point since he’s originally from the south jungles?”
“We tend to stay away from the southern borders of the Redwood to avoid confrontations with cats. But, I suppose it’s possible.”
“I’m sure you’re familiar with the sprites and nixies in the woods. Sometimes they decide to come around. But that’s all you have to worry about seeing regularly.”
Orion nodded slowly, taking in all the sensory information he was picking up on. When the trees opened into a clearing, he noted small wooden structures with various wares laid out on tables—from clothing and jewelry to food and other items he couldn’t identify. Elves milled about, starting to pull curtains around the stalls to hide their goods.
“This is the market,” Thalanil said. “There are a few other shops, but this is where most of the trading is. We’ll have to look tomorrow and see about finding you some clothes…if you want.”
Looking down at his bare torso and rough attire, Orion noticed he was certainly underdressed compared to the other people in town. “I guess if I stay in human form, I’ll probably need them, huh?”
Thalanil’s smile was gentle. “You can be a wolf whenever you want. It’ll be a little harder to get to know each other that way, since we won’t be able to talk telepathically yet. But I do want you to be comfortable here.”
“Tele—? What do you mean?”
“It’s part of elven bonds. We’re able to communicate using only thought with our bonded.”
Orion wanted to ask more, but they were walking through the market then. He drew a lot of attention, putting his wolf on edge. Even so, most of the elves moved out of their way.
For his part, Thalanil seemed to be oblivious to all the eyes on them. Instead, he chattered away about the city. Orion, admittedly, couldn’t focus. His wolf was growing anxious, instinct telling him to protect his mate.
“Why don’t we just head to my house for now?” Thalanil suggested. “No reason to force yourself if you’re uncomfortable. We can look around more tomorrow if you want.”
To Orion, that sounded ideal. “Yeah,” he mumbled. He snuggled closer to Thalanil, who simply smiled and gave his hand a squeeze.
They walked a winding path through the trees before starting to climb a looping ramp around a large redwood. They were getting higher and higher, and Orion paused when he realized just how far away the ground was. At about twenty feet up, he felt like he was practically floating there among the branches and lights. “It’s beautiful,” he breathed.
He felt Thalanil’s warm breath against his cheek. “I’m glad you like it.”
Orion turned his head, finding it would be nothing for him to steal a kiss. His gaze flicked from Thalanil’s lips to his forest-green eyes, which held flecks of gold and something akin to an ethereal light within.
The moment was broken by another elf making her way down the walkway. Orion didn’t even bother to hide the growl as his lip rose at one corner, flashing a canine that was still just a little too sharp for a human. “Peace, me’tamour,” Thalanil urged quietly, squeezing his arm.
“Marrowven,” the elf greeted. Her gaze cut to Orion before returning to Thalanil, who gave her a one-armed hug. Orion had no idea what they were speaking about since they were conversing in Elvish, but he picked up on that word again, the one that meant mate.
Thalanil turned to introduce them. “This is my cousin, Fôlwin. ’Win, my intended, Orion.”
“Intended?” Orion wrinkled his nose.
“Well, we’re going to bond, aren’t we? So ‘intended’ now, ‘bonded’ later.”
That made sense, he supposed. Though why elves couldn’t just be simple and say mate was beyond him. “Right.” He would spare Thalanil a lot more questions. Orion was sure he didn’t want to keep explaining things all night long.
“A wolf of the Redwood,” Fôlwin mused, the hint of a smile on her face. It was easy to see how she was related to Thalanil, with her square jaw and slightly turned-up nose. Her strawberry-blonde hair was pulled back into a series of braids. “I would have never imagined that one.”
“You? I don’t think anyone would have,” Thalanil said.
“Well, the Earth Mother works in mysterious ways.” Thalanil’s reply was in Elvish, sounding an awful lot like oft-recited words. “I’ll let you get him home. I’m sure you’ve got a lot to talk about.” She gave him a smile hinting of mischief. “Don’t be a stranger, huh? You’re not home very often, so we would like to see you at some point, you know.”
Thalanil threw more Elvish words at Fôlwin as she left, and despite the chastising tone, they both laughed it off. “Just wait until you meet the rest of my family,” Thalanil said, catching the look on Orion’s face.
“With wolves, we usually stay with our mates in isolation for a while before we bring them home to meet the pack.”
Thalanil nodded. “I could see how that would be preferred. I did just get home though, so my family’s expecting me to be around in the next few days. If you’d rather stay at home while I go—”
“No!” Orion bit his lip, figuring he might have said that a little too quickly. “I mean, I want to stay with you.”
Thalanil gave him a knowing smile. “Come on. We’ll talk about all of that later.” As they started their climb again, Orion noticed that not once had Thalanil let go of his hand—a simple gesture that warmed Orion from the inside out.
They were walking across a bridge that led to a neighboring tree when Orion decided to ask, “What was that word you used?” Thalanil tilted his head, hair falling into his face. “May tem-something. You said it before and again just now.”
“Me’tamour?” Orion nodded and Thalanil’s smile was warm. “It means ‘my love.’”
That caused Orion to smile as well, just a little dopey, he was sure. He could practically feel his tail wagging, despite not having one in this form.
“I know it’s not much,” Thalanil said as they approached a small structure. Braced with large branches underneath, and lashed to the trunk by supports, the little home seemed to be suspended in air.
“Wow,” Orion said, already rushing forward.
The front door was left unlocked, allowing him to walk right inside to a snug sitting area with overstuffed furnishings that looked invitingly plush. A countertop separated it from the simple kitchen, fresh flowers sitting in a vase. A glass door opened to a porch with a circular table and a few chairs. A small hallway off to the side led to two doors across from each other, presumably to a bathroom and a bedroom.
Orion spun in a circle, trying to take it all in, a large smile straining at his face. He looked at Thalanil standing in the doorway. “This is perfect.”
Thalanil seemed genuinely surprised. He closed the door behind him, placing his bow and quiver beside it. “Really?”
Nodding enthusiastically, Orion said, “I never thought I’d have a den like this.” He ran his hand over the soft fabric of the loveseat. “I mean, I suppose if we decide to have pups someday that we might have to add on. But this is perfect for just the two of us.”
Cozy was indeed the word he would use. It didn’t feel cramped, despite its size. Part of that was likely due to the high ceiling and all the windows letting in the outdoors. Mostly, though, it was the overwhelming scent of his mate surrounding him. It made him want to just lay out on the furniture and bask in the aroma.
Thalanil barked out a laugh. “A lot of people complain it’s too small.” He walked down the hall, Orion at his heels. “Which I get. It’s hard to have company, but since I’m not home that often…” Opening one of the doors revealed a bathroom that held a large claw-foot tub. “I just don’t see the point in anything big when I’m not here. And I don’t entertain much either because whenever I am home, everyone wants me to come to dinner at their house.”
After turning the water on in the tub, Thalanil faced Orion hovering in the doorway. “Sorry,” Thalanil said. “I didn’t mean to run on.”
“It’s okay,” Orion quickly assured, stepping into the room. “I guess, to me, any home is pretty amazing.”
“Your pack doesn’t have a permanent place, huh?”
“We’ve gathered an old RV and some campers over the years. We’ll set them up in an area we’re planning to stay for a while and use it as a base. It’s mostly for the old and sick to stay in though. There’s not enough for everyone. We just sleep outside, under trees or rock ledges—sometimes caves.” Thalanil was frowning, so he was sure to add, “But that’s how we like it.”
“I suppose there’s a lot of freedom to living like that.” Thalanil put his hand under the spigot to check the water temperature. “You can pick up and go whenever you want.”
It wasn’t quite that simple. There was a lot of preparation when it came to moving their camp. All the same, Orion supposed he could see how someone who lived in one place would find it appealing. Even then, the idea of being confined to a single den was a bit intimidating. At the same time, it felt good to belong somewhere, to someone.
“Come on,” Thalanil said. “You need a bath.”
Orion caught sight of himself in the mirror. His hair looked scraggly, and he was covered in dirt. He was fairly certain there was a bit of dried blood from the previous day’s successful hunt. Suddenly embarrassed that he wasn’t exactly respectable for his mate, Orion ducked his head and mumbled an apology.
“Don’t be sorry, bêtnaï,” he chided, tugging him farther into the room.
Crinkling his nose, Orion said, “Go easy on the Elvish.”
“Alright,” Thalanil laughed. “That one doesn’t actually translate that well anyway. It’s…an endearment, saying you’re being silly.”
“I’m going to forget all of these, y’know.” Orion shivered when Thalanil’s fingers brushed across the skin of his abdomen, undoing the tie of the black-bear pelt he wore around his hips.
“I’ll try to remember to keep it to a minimum.” The pelt dropped aside, and long, agile fingers moved to the laces of Orion’s rough deer-hide pants next.
Orion licked his lips. “I can get it.” He slipped out of his remaining clothes and put them aside. Thalanil shut off the water before grabbing some bathing supplies.
“Hope the smell’s okay,” Thalanil said. “If you don’t like it, then we can find something better tomorrow.”
Orion stuck his nose near the open bottle of shampoo and the bar of soap, his lips ticking up. “Smells like you.” He didn’t miss the flush of Thalanil’s cheeks or the way his eyes cut away after clearly looking at Orion’s naked form. “You know you can look, right? I don’t mind.”
Clearing his throat, and still not looking at him, Thalanil said, “It’s not… Go ahead and get in before the water gets cold.”
If Orion sauntered a little, well, no one could blame him. Though all thoughts of sex vanished when he dipped into the hot water. A groan of pleasure fell from his lips, and he sank in until only his head was out. “This is amazing.”
Thalanil sat on the edge of the tub, a smile playing on his lips. “You handle the grime, I’ll take your hair.” He held out the bar of soap in offer. It smelled of sandalwood oil, which was rather pleasant to Orion’s sensitive senses.
As he started to lather up his arms, the additional scent of sage tickled his nose. Orion didn’t bother holding back the pleased groan as fingers worked against his scalp. Werewolves groomed each other quite regularly. It was all part of how they showed affection for one another, although typically it was in a platonic way. Orion wanted this to be anything but; however, he had given Thalanil his word that he wouldn’t push.
All the same, Orion tipped his head back, baring his throat. Thalanil pulled his hands away and let out a surprised chuckle when Orion turned and nipped at his wrist. “Behave, you,” Thalanil said, though the affectionate smile on his face as he combed fingers through wet hair gave him away.
When his fingers caught on a knot, Thalanil looked critically at it. “I think we need to cut your hair,” he said. “It’s so full of knots…and it’s not very healthy looking.”
Orion reached up a hand, twirling a long lock of red hair through his fingers. “I suppose you’re the expert on hair.”
Thalanil shook his head, splashing Orion a bit before getting up to go to the sink. He grabbed a pair of scissors out of the drawer and ordered him to sit forward a little. “It’ll be painless. I promise. And if you want to grow it out again later, then it should be much healthier.”
Shrugging, Orion said, “I don’t really care.” If it had to be done, then it had to be done.
As Thalanil gathered up the mess of hair, he suddenly froze. Orion licked his lips, knowing what Thalanil must be seeing. Sure enough, a finger brushed across the skin of his left shoulder blade, tracing downward where the strange scar traveled toward his spine before curving down and stopping at the bottom of his ribcage. Small bursts came off the main branch, appearing like lightning across his skin. Another piece shot up toward his neck, and Thalanil’s fingertips settled there next.
“Orion?”
Sighing, he explained, “The mage I told you about? He hit me with some kind of lightning spell.” He could still feel the breath being knocked out of him, the sensation of a swarm of wasps stinging him from inside his body, the taste of iron in his mouth from biting his tongue. “Knocked me out cold. When I woke up, my best friend was dead and…” He frowned, not wanting to think about it anymore.
He jumped when lips pressed to his shoulder. “You don’t have to talk about it,” Thalanil said gently. “The important thing is that you’re alive.”
“I guess,” he murmured. Orion grunted when his hair was tugged.
“Hey. No more negativity,” Thalanil chastised, a smile in his voice. “We’re on a mission here. There’s no more snuggling until you’re clean.”
Orion ignored the chuckle as he quickly started to scrub his body again. He heard the soft shik of scissors through hair, curious as to how he would look when it was finished. “You know,” Thalanil mentioned conversationally, a bit of teasing in his tone, “you’re pretty handsome under all that grime.” Orion barked a laugh, tipping his head back to land Thalanil with a bright, happy smile. “Now you’re just being adorable.”
A couple more cuts and Thalanil rose with a chunk of hair in his hand, depositing it in the trash can under the sink. He smiled softly when he returned, reaching out and fluffing Orion’s hair. “Better already. Just have to smooth out the rough edges, and then maybe a shave.”
Orion wrinkled his nose. “What’s wrong with my beard?”
“It’s scratchy.” Thalanil bopped him on the nose before going back to clipping his hair, though this time with precision. “Beard burn isn’t pleasant, and considering your penchant for scenting…”
“I can see how that would be a problem,” Orion relented.
Thalanil massaged Orion’s scalp, apparently pleased with the results. “Would you like to do it?”
“No, you can.” It wasn’t as though he could see anyway, and he wasn’t that great at shaving to begin with. He pressed into Thalanil’s touch, a fond smile coming to his face.
Trading the scissors for a straight razor and shaving gel, Thalanil set to work. He smothered the foam over Orion’s face and neck, the scent fresh and clean, tickling his nose. Thalanil held a look of utter concentration, Orion watching his face as he carefully worked the blade across his skin.
Orion never thought something so simple could be so intimate, yet there they were. He swallowed, feeling the blade at his throat. He was literally putting his life in Thalanil’s hands. Even knowing him for all of an hour, Orion could honestly say he felt no hesitation in doing so.
Thalanil worked meticulously, moving up to Orion’s face. He smiled when he noticed Orion watching him. Long fingers turned Orion’s head to the side, sliding the razor down his jaw. “When’s the last time you shaved?” Thalanil asked.
“No idea.”
After turning Orion’s head the other way, Thalanil’s hand settled lightly on his throat. Once more, Orion swallowed, and once again, it had nothing to do with trust. He breathed in deeply through his nose, which didn’t help as Thalanil’s scent assaulted him.
The desire in him only grew, Orion biting his tongue to hold back the moan. It was practically torture, yet at the same time he didn’t want any of it to end.
“There,” Thalanil announced, setting the razor aside, “that’s much better.” He brushed a hand across Orion’s smooth cheek. “I can see that face of yours now.”
Orion took hold of Thalanil’s hand, then pressed a kiss to his palm. He didn’t miss the blush that crossed Thalanil’s cheekbones, smiling to himself while Thalanil got up to grab a towel. “Go ahead and dry off.” He made a point of keeping his eyes off Orion when he stood, instead busying himself by picking up the discarded clothing. “I’ll wash these for you tomorrow,” he said, sliding open a pocket door that hid a washer and dryer. “I should have some clothes that will fit in the meantime.”
Treading carefully across the tiles, Orion tied the towel around his waist. He saw his reflection in the mirror, caught off guard by how different he looked. Thalanil appeared behind him, smiling softly. “You look good,” he assured.
Orion couldn’t help but smile too, turning his head to press a kiss to Thalanil’s jaw. “Sorry,” he murmured, although he didn’t feel very sorry. “I shouldn’t overstep.”
“No, no… You’re fine.” Thalanil squeezed his hip, gazing at him for a long moment before telling him to follow.
The bedroom was a mecca of Thalanil’s scent, and Orion felt himself melt a little. It felt like home, more than the pack ever had.
Thalanil went into his closet, finding a forest-green shirt that matched his eyes. When he passed it over, Orion found it extremely soft and well-worn. Sure enough, slipping it over his head covered him in Thalanil’s scent, causing a throaty groan to fall from his mouth.
Thalanil looked at him wide-eyed, then averted his gaze when he noticed he had been caught. Orion licked his lips, biting his lower one. He shifted from foot to foot as he tried to decide what to do. He knew what he wanted to do, but he also wanted to respect Thalanil’s wishes.
The decision was made for him when Thalanil pulled a pair of shorts from the dresser. “Anything else is going to be too long on you,” he said, passing them over. Orion didn’t doubt it, as Thalanil was near half a foot taller than him.
The shorts were made of the same soft, breathable fabric he knew people wore when they exercised. For the pack, anything outside of furs and leather was unusual, but they had traded for more common clothing over the years. Still, these were comfortable, and he was able to tighten them with the string in the waistband.
He noticed Thalanil watching him, and Orion shifted under the weight of his gaze. It drew those forest-green eyes up to meet his, and Orion inhaled sharply. Between one breath and the next, Orion crossed the space between them, grabbed his mate around the waist, and took them down to the bed.
Bouncing a little, Thalanil let out a laugh. “I take it I’m not really going anywhere for the foreseeable future, am I?”
Orion grinned at him, tangling their legs together and pressing closer all along Thalanil’s body. “Nope,” he said, nose settling in the crook of Thalanil’s neck.
Thalanil only hummed a confirmation, holding him in return.
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