Cal’s face softened, his anger draining from his eyes. “I told you, you’ve been chosen.”
I shook my head and pulled away, raising my hand to cover my face as I did. Cal released his hold on me. “I don’t want this.”
Cal sighed as he draped his arm around my shoulders and slowly began to lead me away from the forest. “I know, Morgan. I’m sorry. I wish this wasn’t so difficult for you.”
I wiped my eyes and looked over at him. “I think I’ve reached my limit, Cal. You need to help me understand all of this craziness.”
Cal opened his mouth to say something but then closed it just as quickly, and I knew he had been about to tell me what he’d been saying for the past few days. It would all make sense to me if I would just bond with him.
I stopped walking and turned to face him, resting my hand on his chest. “Can’t you just help me understand why this is happening to me? You said it was part of my DNA. Then why is it that no one ever told me before?”
Cal stared into my eyes, contemplating my request before finally covering my hand with his and pulling it from his chest to link our fingers together. “Okay, let’s go over to the gazebo and I’ll tell you what I can.”
I nodded as I let Cal lead me toward the side of the house, conscious of the fact that he hadn’t released my hand, getting a pathetic thrill from how his massive palm cradled mine.
Chapter Fourteen
Folktales
Cal positioned himself next to Morgan on the porch swing under the gazebo. The sun had finally set, casting the hush of darkness all over the property. The border, the edge that marked the forest, was alight with the flames of hundreds of magically enchanted lanterns, which cast a warm glow over that part of the lawn. They were well enough removed from the tree line that Cal wasn’t worried about any of the pack catching sight of them, but even so, he leaned back and dropped the shades on the opening directly behind them to give them more privacy.
He turned toward Morgan, his eyes scanning her face for a moment before looking up through the slatted roof to stare out into the dusky night sky. He hadn’t liked seeing her so close to the forest, hadn’t like the sensation of his heart crushing and his gut clenching when he realized how near she’d come to danger. The feelings made him uncomfortable as hell. As his Huntress, he wanted to protect her, but there was something more to his emotions. Something that he was fighting to gain control over. Something that had him puzzled and frustrated. When he saw her there, standing at the edge, so near danger, he felt like his whole world was about to implode. His mind had leapt to the impossible idea of having to live his life without her, and it had almost brought him to his knees. It was a dangerous reaction, one fueled by the magic of their entwined destinies. He was supposed to be schooling those kinds of emotions, keeping her at arm’s length. Cal wasn’t sure what the bonding would do to those feelings, but he guessed that they would only magnify and suddenly he was afraid.
How would he control his feelings if nature overruled?
He looked down at his lap and realized that he still held her hand. Such a small hand nestled in his huge palm, so delicate and soft. She shifted to the side and the touch of her thigh against his was enough to jolt his heart once again, enough to have his cock straining against the confines of his pants. He cleared his throat and released her hand, adjusting his position so that he could face her and conceal his growing need.
She turned toward him, her eyes still glistening from the tears she hadn’t yet shed. She pulled her arms across her chest, shielding her breasts from him, closing him out. He knew he was sending mixed signals—was doing everything to hide his warring emotions, rejecting her in the process.
“Our history is rich in folklore,” Cal started as he raked his hand along the stubble of his jaw. He needed a shave in the worst way—would have loved a shower too, especially if it involved him and Morgan together, water cascading over her lush skin, his hands trailing to places that begged for caressing. With a hard shake of his head, Cal cleared his throat. “You’ve heard the story of the little girl and the wolf?”
“What, you mean Little Red Riding Hood?” Morgan asked doubtfully, her eyebrows cocked. “You’re telling me that story is true?”
“Yes, as strange as it may sound, Little Red has a basis in truth. The story has been altered over the centuries to suit the needs of society, to teach a lesson to children about the dangers that lurk in dark places. But the original tale is much more sinister. It’s not the kind of story that any parent would want their child hearing and it is much, much older than anyone realizes, right back into ancient mythology. Rather than a little girl in a red cloak, the original tale is actually about an Amazon warrior, Alkaia, who was having a secret affair with a man—an act forbidden by her Amazon tribe.”