Page 13 of Bite

I round the brick exterior of the communal washrooms, biting my tongue to prevent tears from falling, and run directly into a huge, warm body. I stumble back with an oof, but a large arm wraps around my hip to keep me from tumbling off the cement foundation and into the dirt.

“Steady,” a deep, velvety voice says.

Once my body recognizes we’re not falling for the second time in ten minutes, I look up and up, my gaze trailing over a massive chest stretching a worn cotton shirt. The collar gapes where buttons used to be, exposing a hint of light-brown chest hair and the beginning of a large scar that seems to run down the man’s left pectoral. My eyes continue to rise, pausing at full lips tilted in a smirk, before finally meeting Dair’s stormy eyes.

“You,” I gasp. Gods, I didn’t even smell him over the overwhelming scent of Ferris. Which means he can smell me right now. Shit, what will he think of me smelling like my brother’s packmate? This has the potential to turn disastrous. River will absolutely exile me if I ruin this alliance for him.

“You alright?” he asks casually, even though his eyes are brimming with dark intensity.

“Yes,” I breathe. “Sorry for running into you. I was just . . .” I pause, feeling my cheeks darken with embarrassment. “Uh, going to have a shower.”

Those blue eyes darken into deep puddles of rain. His voice is raspy as he asks, “Is that right?”

I swallow down a needy whine, further mortified when my perfume finally breaks through the layer of Ferris, alerting Dair to just how much his presence is affecting me. His own scent deepens in response, sending gooseflesh racing down my arms as I’m surrounded in lush, spicy forest. What the hell is wrong with my body? My instincts seem to have a mind of their own around this alpha, making me lose control in a way I’m not used to.

“Yes,” I wheeze. “I just need to rinse off.” I back out of his hold and try to walk around him to enter the building.

Not moving out of my way, he asks, “What’s wrong? When you first bumped into me, you looked really distressed, and your scent was thick with anguish.”

He could actually scent my emotions over Ferris’s scent-mark? “Oh, nothing.” I try to brush it off. “I just got into a bit of an argument.”

He hums, surrounding me in his scent like a comforting, heavy blanket while he maintains eye contact, waiting for me to continue.

The longer he looks at me, the more I feel like crying. His unwavering attention and reassuring scent work together to crack me open. No one stops to notice me the way he is right now. I swallow hard and try to say that I need to get going, but when my mouth opens, a sob escapes. Next thing I know, tears are blurring my vision, and I’m being pulled tight against the same warm chest I bumped into. My hands fist themselves into Dair’s shirt as I fall apart in his arms.

“It’s okay,” he whispers as his hand rubs soothing patterns over my back. “Whatever it is, everything is going to be okay,” he says, and my stupid omega really wants to believe him.

I soak the front of his shirt in my tears as he rocks me back and forth in place, never once stopping his soothing back rubs. I didn’t know that I needed a good cry, but I can feel the weight of my disappointment and anger leeching from my body through my tears. I cry about my damaged relationship with my brother, about the impossible situation with Ferris, and about how much I miss Mother. His scent is so comforting, making me feel as warm and safe as his arms. When the tears finally start to slow, and my hiccuping sobs come to an end, he slowly releases me from his hold and grabs one of my hands instead.

I look up and see nothing but soft understanding on his handsome face. His eyes are calm and his scent continues to soothe me. “Walk with me?” he asks.

“Okay,” I sigh, feeling so much lighter.

He takes my hand and guides me around the bathhouse toward the edge of the compound where the wall stands. He doesn’t speak; instead, he lets us listen to the quiet sounds of the wind rustling the changing leaves and the soft warbles of songbirds. The gentleness of nature after the harshness of my emotional release is nearly as grounding as Dair’s large hand holding mine.

I find the confidence to ask him, “Shouldn’t you be discussing trade routes or something equally important right now?”

“Oh probably,” he muses, “but that’s why I brought Aspen. She can handle anything in my absence.”

My mind wanders to the blonde beta that seemed to be scrutinizing the compound far more than either of the giant alphas that came in their party. I definitely believe him.

“Besides,” his eyes lock with mine. “I’m obviously needed elsewhere.”

I huff my amused agreement, ignoring the butterflies taking flight in my stomach. “I didn’t mean to soak you in my tears before getting the chance to actually speak to you, by the way.”

“I don’t mind,” he says. “From what I gather, you’ve got a lot going on right now, so if anyone should have a good cry, it’s you.” I do my best not to blush when his hand gently squeezes mine. I know I should release his hand, but I physically cannot make myself let go.

I don’t know what I expected when River told me that we’d be meeting shifters, but I certainly didn’t think an alpha wolf could be so gentle.

We walk along the bare dirt path next to the wall that circles the compound in peaceful silence for some time, enjoying the simple presence of each other. The mixture of his scent and the soft noises of nature wrap around me like the perfect blanket, banishing any lingering hurt from Ferris.

His deep voice interrupts my wandering mind. “Do you like it here?”

For some reason, the question surprises me. It’s not something I’ve ever asked myself, that’s for certain. There has only ever been the time before Grand Prairie where Mother, River, and I fought tooth and nail to survive, and then . . . this. Liking it or not never occurred to me when anything is better than scraping by in the Wilds. It felt like a huge privilege to be here, so why would I question if I’m happy? I only ever wanted to escape the haunting terror of fighting to survive, and I did.

“Why do you ask?” I wonder.

“Well,” he says, “you were just sobbing and it’s clear that whatever had you upset weighs on you heavily. I only wondered if your situation here is difficult or distressing.”