My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 45: Exercising Restraint

Kael

I walked onto the clearing, the small beast hanging from my bare shoulders. It was young, but large enough to feed us for a few days. The skies were clear. Daybreak was going to come in soon.

After washing and skinning the animal at the far end of the stream, I brought it to the firepit I had prepared while she had gone out to clean herself at the lake. I lit up the fire and glanced at the clothes she had worn during training now hung and draped over a nearby branch.

I turned my attention back to the fire, shaking my head.

I immediately had her go clean herself up after catching her. I’d needed the distance. Needed to put some space between us before I did something irreversible.

Again...

I stoked the flames.

The hunt had helped. One way or the other, I had to let off that steam. It was essential I focused on something other than her touches.

"Take her!" my wolf interrupted the silence of my thoughts.

"Oh, shut it."

I grimaced and made my way towards the tent. I needed to get a few dressings for the meat from the sack. I stopped mid-way and eyed the tree.

"I didn’t expect her to improve that fast," I mumbled, lightly frowning.

Her progress with this alone nearly made me wary. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Young wolves training from childhood usually took roughly two weeks or more to reach the progress she had achieved within a few hours. Even when my encouragements stopped, she entered some sort of trance and continued due to a sheer stubbornness to not give up.

All this from someone who had barely carried out strenuous physical activities.

Even more surprising was how she had gotten back up with each fall, and it had taken everything in me not to catch her immediately. She had to fall. I had to let her if she wanted to build the instincts that would keep her safe.

Making things easier for her wouldn’t make her stronger.

I stood at the tent entrance, holding the flap partially open.

She lay curled on her side, knees drawn up, one small hand tucked beneath her cheek. Her dark hair had come completely loose around her face, with a few strands clinging to her parted lips.

The tension I always saw in her features had smoothed away completely. She looked peaceful, and far more vulnerable in a way she never allowed when conscious.

I found myself moving closer.

She smelled faintly like a wet forest after rain, and something distinct that was only her, sweet and addictive. It shot straight into my senses and her scent curled around me, relentless, until my lungs forgot how to take in anything else.

"Mine..." my wolf purred, content for once.

"Not yet..." I reminded him and he growled, not saying anything else.

But I could feel him pacing beneath my skin, restless and demanding. He didn’t understand restraint. The essence of timing. None of that mattered to him.

My fingertips brushed her cheek, shifting the loose strands of her here. My touch was light, barely there, but just enough to feel the impossible softness of her skin and the warmth radiating from her. She made the smallest sound, a sleepy exhale, and leaned into my touch.

Everything in me stilled.

Against my better judgement, I let my thumb trace once, only once, along the delicate line of her cheekbone, memorising the feel of her.

I clenched my jaw tight and closed my eyes, drawing in her scent.

’Get up. She could wake up!’

I withdrew my hand, forced myself back to my feet, took what I needed, and raced out of the canvas, my body hot.

I had been controlling myself around her since the moment I’d carried her back through the district.

Hell...

I returned to the fire, set up a makeshift spit and began roasting the first cuts of the meat. The familiar motions kept my hands occupied enough to get my mind off her to a degree.

[ - ]

Late morning came when I heard movement from the tent. I had killed the fire close to an hour ago, and had just returned from washing myself at the lake. I kept my eyes closed as I leaned my back against the same tree she had climbed last night, not trusting myself to look yet.

’Don’t be ridiculous.’

"Are you hungry?" I asked her, finally allowing myself to steal a glance.

"I..." Her voice was rough with sleep. "Yes..."

She stood at the tent entrance. Her eyes were still heavy with sleep.

She noticed me staring and shifted her eyes to the dead fire pit. I followed her line of sight, my jaw tightening. I clearly wasn’t the only one going through this.

"Sorry," she murmured, still standing in place. "I didn’t mean to sleep so long."

"You needed the rest." I sat up, my back straightening against the trunk.

"I roasted meat. Have some." I pointed to the small wraps beside the dead pit. Tow had pressed for me to take the tin foil along. They would come in handy if she couldn’t finish the meat all in one go.

Offering a small word of thanks, she first made her way to the stream and splashed water on her face. Then she settled on one of the flat rocks near the fire and unwrapped the smallest pack.

"It smells good, thank you," she said quietly, looking up at me.

I watched her every movement, and it wasn’t until she turned her back to me while eating did I realise how intently I had been staring.

I stared at her back regardless.

She ate slowly, carefully, as if she wasn’t used to having enough food. I folded my arms across my chest and looked away. Omega or not, she shouldn’t have had to be abused to that extent.

I closed my eyes, recalling the weak starving woman I had found.

Damon, was it?

I would like to see that fool.