His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 46: Deadly Hunt (1)

Inhaling deeply, that sweet, unforgiving scent wraps around my throat like a noose or a leash.

Fucking raspberries and heated wildflowers, kissed by the sunlight.

Since when had scents become something poetic?

Since I met her.

⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆

I’ve never been hunting.

Shock.

For some reason, I didn’t expect to like it. I’d grown up like a human, isolated from the Weres. Yet, I was more than excited, like a child going on an adventure.

Was it because we were outside the palace?

Or was it because I was going to learn something I wasn’t allowed to all these years? Shooting a crossbow might not be considered skilful, but it was better than nothing.

We’d been trotting through the woods at the far reaches of the palace lands until we came across one of the public hunting grounds that all courtiers had access to. Kharis and Cohnal tied their horses to the trees nearby and stripped down, leaving their clothing in an allocated spot- a snow-covered box that seemed to be used for all Weres to place their belongings in.

Before either of the men turned around, Eryx’s hand covered my eyes. "What are you doing?" My brows knitted together at the darkness.

"You have yet to find a mate and be marked, Princess," Eryx muttered in a displeased tone. "Your heat may flare up more than it has at the sight of my men."

My cheeks heated, and irritation tensed my muscles at his insinuation. He’d already deduced that my heat was bad, so bad that any single man could still make me wanton. It was utterly disgusting.

"You think I’d really get hot over your men?"

"Hey!" Kharis calls out. "I’ll have you know she-wolves fall at my feet wanting a piece of action I can give- OW!"

I bite my bottom lip, trying not to laugh at Kharis and the smacking sound that was obviously Cohnal telling him off.

Clearing my throat, I asked, "And what about when you carried me naked?"I turned slightly so I could speak to his face, even though his hands remained in place, and I could not see anything.

"You can look all you want," he whispered against my ear, and I gasped both from his words and the caress of his lips.

I’m confused. Confused by myself and him. I’m sure he is merely jesting with me. He despised being controlled by the heat and mating with me. Now, I was sure he did all of this out of spite.

Subtly clearing my throat and changing the topic, I ask, "Are we getting off here?"

Eryx’s hands move away from my eyes, and he answers gruffly, "No. It will take too long by foot... Well, for you."

I huff out my annoyance at his apparent jab at my lack of stamina, which came with having a wolf. But my irritation flees when I notice Cohnal and Kharis are in their wolf forms. My head tilts back so I can see their full heights.

I was unsure who was who until both wolves turned their heads, and one of them had the top part of their eye sliced through like it was a scar or like the area they had fashionably styled by shaving the area.

Eryx tapped his feet into the horse, and we trotted forward at the same time the wolves flanked our sides. Our horses were trained to run alongside our wolves so they did not scare.

Again, our bodies were almost flushed against each other. My heat had been flaring up in stages throughout the ride from the occasional rubbing of his thick organ against my backside. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, I wanted to lean into Eryx.

I shook my head, casting those thoughts aside and tried to shimmy forward again. "Stop doing that," Eryx clipped.

I scoffed. "Stop telling me what to do."

I tried to move forward again. Eryx leaned forward, placing his hand on my stomach. His hardness pressed into my lower back. "Oh, then please do, Princess," he growled lowly into my hair. Sparks tingled along my spine, dipping low between my thighs.

It was so frustrating! I don’t like him!

Huffing, I asked, "What is wrong with me wanting a bit of space? It is inappropriate."

"What you’re doing is inappropriate. Please continue, though; I don’t mind you rubbing your ass against me."

"What?!" I look over my shoulder at him in shock.

He’s smirking, and I try to look down, but I can’t see what I already know is there.

"Stop squirming against me, Princess." His hand tightens slightly against my stomach. "Unless you want me to take you against a tree, that is."

I’m pretty sure I squeaked in response, but I wasn’t sure. This was ridiculous. We hate each other! But this damned heat is making us almost uncontrollable. I can’t wait to put some distance between us.

𓆩:*¨༺✧ ♛ ✧༻¨*:𓆪

That distance never came.

As soon as the horse stopped, I almost fell off the horse in a hurry, one foot stuck in the stirrup while I hopped along the powdery snow. Eryx watched my struggle with an amused expression. Once he dismounted, he stayed closely by my side.

Puffs of cloud burst from our lips where we breathed. The snowy pine trees grew tall, almost dizzyingly so, as I looked up at them, and the snowy path only revealed tracks of small animals and possibly deer.

Cohnal remained behind us, but I’m not sure where Kharis went. He’d stalked off somewhere.

"Come. Some rabbits will be here soon." Eryx’s hand rests on my lower back and steers me towards some foliage that might mask our presence.

"How do you know? And I still don’t know how to fire that thing!" I exclaim, yet still allow him to move me.

"Kharis is chasing them in this direction." That’s where he went.

"But they’re moving targets! I think you are overestimating me here," I huff, feeling insignificant and useless in myself.

"You’ll be fine," Eryx replies confidently. I’m not sure why or how he has more confidence about my own set of skills than I do. He knows I have no experience with these things.

"It is very simple," The Alpha Prince continues and unhooks the small crossbow on his belt and cocks back the bolt into place. He begins explaining each part of the weapon and why it is essential. He’d lowered his voice and kept glancing in the direction behind me and the bushes. I didn’t bother to look as I focused on the weapon, nervous and excited to use it.

Eryx then hands me the weapon, stepping behind me as he does so. I was about to question his need to be so close to me, but then I noticed the size of the crossbow again. Now that it is in my hands, I can say it is not a small weapon. Only in Eryx’s hands does it look small.

"Seriously, are you part giant?" I murmur.

Eryx chuckled behind me, then guided my hands along the cold wood of the crossbow. He stands close behind me, his breath warm against my ear as he speaks softly.

"Hold it steady," he murmurs, his hands surprisingly gentle over mine. "Not too tight, just enough to keep control." His fingers guide mine to the trigger. "Now, keep your eyes on the target. Block out everything else."

"Target? What..." I trail off as Eryx has me facing a small parting in the bushes. There, across from us, are a few rabbits. They weren’t running like I expected them to after being chased by Kharis.

I focus on the rabbit, the same colour as the snow. Breathing slowly, I try to follow Eryx’s calm, measured instructions, more aware of his rich, deep voice than his words.

Eryx leans in, his cheek almost brushing mine. Heat radiates from his skin, and mine almost tingles in response. "Pull back with your shoulders. It’s all in the back, here," he says, placing a steadying hand on my shoulder. "And breathe out as you release."

Nodding, I focus, and as I squeeze the trigger, the bolt flies forward, striking near the centre of the rabbit. My lips pull back in a grin, and I look at Eryx, whose smile mirrors mine.

"You’re a natural."

"Hmmm, that was only one shot with your guidance."

Eryx shakes his head and steps back. "We’ll track the ones that fled, and then you can try again."

I frowned to myself as I followed him to the small animal. This was a ’date’ for show, but I was actually having fun. Who knew killing things would be? I look at Eryx’s side profile as he picks the rabbit up by its ears and puts it in a sack.

Is Eryx as bad as I have been making him out to be?

As though he sensed my thoughts, Eryx returned from the horse where he’d tied the sack against, his demeanour different to how he was moments ago. Ah, this was the Alpha Prince I was used to. That was an obvious momentary relapse in my judgment.

"Look, we aren’t here just to hunt. I have been lenient with you, Lia." He walks slowly, the crunching of the snow beneath his large boots loud against the almost silent backdrop. "You need to start doing your part of this deal."

We were alone, and only one of us could shift into a wolf. My fingers slid along the crossbow as I held his gaze. Eryx smirked, no doubt aware my thoughts had turned violent. I’m not really sure where this side of me keeps coming from, but I’m kind of digging it.

"I thought going on this delightful date was me ’doing my part’?" Sarcasm drips from my lips. "You might not have taken the hint yet, but I do not like you."

Eryx’s smirk deepened, eyes gleaming at me like my words delighted him more. "You have odd ways of showing it, Princess." His gaze travelled slowly, intentionally over my body, and lastly, locked eyes with me.

My teeth clenched from the gesture, and my body heated underneath that stare. The air between us was thick and tense; my muscles tightened, and my heart started to pound loudly. I didn’t know if I should point the crossbow at him, run, or let him take me against a tree. Stupid hormones need to calm down.

Eryx takes another step in my direction. "Tell me something, Lia," he snaps, eyes glowing. "I need to know if it is worth making a peace treaty or if my people will be crushed. Again."