Enforce Me

Chapter 17: Pride

I could hear him laughing at my flushed appearance as he carried on walking but my mind was whirling and turning with all this new news. Suddenly, my stomach clenched and a painful pang vibrated in my chest, my hand coming to rest over the muscle. I had just now realised as if for the first time that I could not bare Tatum a child. I was soon spirally down a rabbit hole until the deafening sound of water crashing took over my senses.

The air smelled crisper as it mingled with the water and the soft spray of lone, warm water droplets fell onto my exposed arms. I looked up to see rock upon rock layering each other as they rose at least two stories off the ground until the start of the white waterfall began.

''This is where the hot pool lets out.'' I was in awe of the magnificence of such a small part of the forest. ''Tatum was the one who originally found it. I followed him one day but shh don't tell him that.'' His shoulder nudged mine and I almost fell over because I was too focused on the water in front of me.

''It's so pretty.'' I reached out and my hand was washed under the cooling water.

It wasn't hot like the hot pools. The cool mountain air turned the water warm as if you turned the cold water tap on during a blistering hot summer day and the water was just nice and warm.

''I take you all this way, go through the wilderness and go behind Tatum's back to show you his secret place and all you can manage is 'It's so pretty?'.'' His laugh seemed to be getting less scratchy with use, I wanted to hear what it was like without that unused sound.

''Sorry.'' I gave a sheepish grin.

''I didn't just drag you out here to look at a bit of water. Shift.''

Before I could even turn and say 'what?' I was greeted by a large dark grey and black wolf staring directly into my eyes. His large canines were showing in a wolfish smirk at his size compared to me. A wild wolf reached a grown man's hip, a werewolf usually reached a grown man's chest if it was lucky, but of course, most wolves were above my chest.

He turned away and walked down following the stream, lapping at the water with his long tongue to give me some privacy.

I watched him cautiously for a second before I turned away and started taking off my clothes. The shirt fell to dress length but it didn't bother me. Most of the clothes at my old pack were large as we often shared amongst one another so this wasn't uncommon. Our pack was very communal and never selfish.

It didn't take me long to change and the familiar bone rearranging throbbed for a few seconds until I was greeted by a hard head pushing me towards the stream.

''Alic!'' Before the mind link even finished I was chest deep in water.

Alic huffed in laughter, his own body submerging in the water as he rolled around in it like a pup.

I trudged out of the water and shook it off with a hearty shake before laying in the sun to dry off. I wasn't an amazingly fond fan of water. It took a long time for my fur to dry and by then I would have caught a cold, especially in the autumn weather.

''Suit yourself.'' Alic kept rolling in the water for a few minutes more before he joined me, successfully shaking water onto my partially dry coat.

I couldn't help but to huff and roll my eyes as he laid a few feet away from me looking content at soaking in the sun's rays. His wolf was at least twice my wolf's size. I could match a wild wolf in size if I was lucky.

Before I knew it a big semi-wet head flopped on top of mine and a wolfish laughter filled the forest as I whined out at Alic and tried to roll away.

His play ended shortly when a howl cut through the forest but his body shook in happiness as it ended.

''It's lunch time, Princess.'' Another howl cut him off. ''And your mate is looking for you.'' His eyebrows wiggled and I shot off getting away from his teasing as I followed the trail back to the den.

I had figured out a while ago that Alic seemed to enjoy teasing me. He was like my uncle in that respect. Uncle Rick liked to tease me and play around with me as if I was his little brother. I missed Uncle Rick.

Just as sadness was washing over me a large strong body pressed against mine.

Tatum's wolf stood taller than mine, almost as tall as Alic's but a few inches shorter. His coat was black as night and he at least tripled me in muscle mass, even with my winter coat coming in earlier than others and adding a few centimeters to my height and width, my body was still dwarfed. By everyone, it seemed as I took in the gathering greyscale wolves.

''This one is quick.'' Alic's tongue rolled out as he panted and made his way into the cave, passing the Alpha who was coming out in a pair of black trousers and a white button-down shirt.

''Take your mate with you today. His speed might aid you.'' Alpha Lance nodded at me and seemed not bothered by my size or colour as some of the other wolves were looking disbelieving at his statement and disregard for my overall look.

Tatum's chest puffed with pride and he stood taller as his large head nodded at his father and then led me towards the front of the pack that was ready for the hunt.

I could feel my own chest rising a little at the Alpha's words and Tatum's prideful display. Simply by being asked along on a hunt, I had made my mate proud.