Chapter 207
My thoughts on Guard perimeters? Tranquilizers? Running in the forest? I have to wonder if going for a run is a good idea if they need to take such precautions.
“Are you okay?” Soren’s voice whispering into my ear has me snapping my head toward him. His eyes full of concern boring. into mine are enough for me to push away all the impending thoughts of the night ahead.
“I’m fine,” I assure him, mustering the most convincing smile l can achieve under the circumstances. One thing about Soren, he sees right through me always. His lips curve up slightly at my words, but I note a hint of worry still lingering in his eyes.
Just as dessert arrives, Maribel brings up the wedding preparations again. She discusses flower arrangements, invitations, and music–any distraction to help us ignore the tension building as dinner draws on. The more she talks about colors and fabric swatches, the more appealing it seems to run around in a forest as something other than human.
Soon dinner is over and staff come in to clear the room. Dread fills me knowing soon I will have to shift. I stroke my fingers through Max’s hair who has fallen asleep halfway through dinner and is curled up in my lap.
“It will be alright,” Soren assures, reaching out his hand to gently caress mine on top of the table. He glances at Max sleeping peacefully against me and lets out a soft sigh.
“We should put him to bed,” I comment and I am about to pick
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Chapter 207
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him up when Maribel comes over, she holds her arms out.
“I’ll get him to bed, go enjoy yourself, it’s quite warm out tonight,” she says and I sigh, handing Max over to her and Soren pushes his chair back, his hand falling gently on my shoulder.
“Come on, you’re scaring yourself for no reason. Believe me once you’re out there you’ll realize you worried for nothing.”
I nod, standing as he does, but my heart pounds against my ribcage. But Soren’s there, his hand on my back steadying me. I try to match his calm exterior, swallowing back the unease that threatens to overflow.
Walking out of the dining room, I glance back at Maribel, who‘ s cradling Max in her arms.
Soren looks back at me one more time, a half–smile playing on his lips. It’s meant to be comforting, but it does little to alleviate my growing anxiety.
The night outside is pleasant despite my apprehension. The moon hangs high in the sky, casting long shadows across the ground that twist and skulk with every rustle of leaves. Cold wind brushes past us suddenly causing me to shudder involuntarily when I catch a whiff of something, making my eyes dart warily to the trees looking for the smell, that seems to have taken over my senses.
Soren’s hand tightens around mine and he shoots me another reassuring glance. “It’s just a rabbit, you’ll get used to it, I know being outside is overwhelming your senses, but try to focus on me,” he says before leading us farther away from the well–lit castle and into the blackened forest beyond. Yet out here my skin prickles, my senses heighten as my eyes adjust
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to the dark. I try to force my focus on Soren but every noise has me jerking, and twitching in the direction. And the scent I can’t seem to get from my mind, my nose wanting to follow it and find its source. Without realizing it I stop as the breeze carries the same scent. Soren forced to stop pausing, looking at me expectantly.
Soren’s grip tightens around my hand even more. “Come, Aubrey, not here. You can hunt in the forest. Max doesn’t need to see you rip poor bugsy apart, you’ll give him nightmares.” I glance at the castle, noticing Max peering out his bedroom window rubbing his eyes. A second later I see Maribel coax him away. We keep moving along the tree line and my thoughts jumble, everything heightened. It’s hard to keep one line of thought when I hear the crunching of leaves. Soren tugs my hand but he doesn’t turn or look scared instead there’s a wild, almost exhilarated glint in his eyes that mystifies me.
Chapter 208
-288 Wouchers
Chapter 208
