Page 116 of Full Moon
A little later.
Khal jostles me onto Torben's back, his strong hands steady as he uses the fabric to swaddle me like a child. The warmth of Torben's body and the familiar scent of the fabric wrap around me like a cocoon. I tighten my arms around Torben's neck, feeling the powerful muscles beneath his skin as he begins his descent. Each rocking step sends a jolt through my body. I squeeze his sides with my legs, trying to remain still so I don't throw him off balance.
The trail is narrow, treacherous. I can hear the distant rumble of shifting dirt and rocks in the mountains above us.
I glance over my shoulder, catching sight of Khal burdened with three of our bags, his stride steady and determined. Dorian walks beside him, carrying the remaining bags, his expression focused. My pack follows behind, their eyes scanning the environment as if it might betray us at any moment.
I wonder if any of them have ever truly experienced warm weather—the kind that makes your skin tingle and your heart feel light. The icy chill of the North has always been their constant companion.
A shadow passes overhead, and I look up just in time to see Diaval's massive form black out the sun for a brief moment. He turns gracefully toward the mountains, his wings slicing throughthe air as he hunts. The sheer size of him, the way he moves with such lethal grace, always leaves me in awe.
"There's a clearing Easton is going to lead us to," Khal's voice breaks through my thoughts.
"How do you know?"
"Diaval mentioned it before he shifted. He remembered seeing it when he hunted those bats."
I nod, watching as Easton circles the side of the mountain with silent grace—his feathers a sleek, dark blur without the usual blaze of fire trailing behind him. He moves with such ease, a freedom I can only dream of right now.
"Are you okay, little wolf?" Torben's voice rumbles through his chest, the sound reverberating through my body as he squeezes my calf. He turns a corner, taking the path to the left with a confidence that makes me feel safe despite our precarious situation.
"Yeah, just feeling kind of useless at the moment," I admit, frustration in my voice. I yawn softly, exhaustion pulling at the edges of my awareness.
I know exactly why Khal tied me tighter than the male corset Easton occasionally wears with his dress shirts. The thought makes me smile, but it's fleeting as another yawn escapes—this one deeper, more insistent.
Torben chuckles softly, the sound vibrating through his chest. "Rest, little wolf. We'll be down before you know it." His bear rumbles a low, soothing hum, the sound washing over me like a lullaby.
"Cheater," I murmur, the word barely a whisper as my eyelids grow heavy.
He knows that sound always makes me fall asleep, and as the world around me blurs, I can't help but surrender to the warmth, the safety, the feeling of being cared for in a world that's anything but kind.
