Rosalily Dreams (Shifter Chronicles #2)

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Cringing into the wall behind her, Eve wanted to remain unseen for as long as possible. Trying to ignore the pain that made her chest feel as if it was on fire as she examined him. The man hadn’t noticed she was awake yet, but she knew it wouldn’t take him long to figure out. He had deeply tanned skin from being outside in the sun all day, a mop of light blonde sun bleached hair even lighter then hers, sprung out of his head haphazardly.

 The man didn’t appear that strong, but he moved with the grace of a hunter as he strode into his kitchen, still unaware of Genevieve watching him, eyeing him with a calculating stare. He wore a dark green shirt that was dotted with holes and brown shorts that had a tear up one side, as if he lived life as a wild man. Heavy looking boots were strapped to his feet, making a clomping noise every time he took a step.

Holding a glass of water, the man turned around and froze when he saw Genevieve staring at him. Flinching under the weight of the man’s gaze, Eve plastered her back against the wall, ignoring her protesting ribs. If she was at full strength then she wouldn’t have to worry about any man messing with her. ‘I’d just change into a wolf and tear him to shreds.’  Eve thought wistfully, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to change in this condition. Being vulnerable wasn’t something she was comfortable with, and it wouldn’t help her much in this current situation.

“You’re awake!” He cried, surprised. ‘Obviously,’ Eve thought bitterly but kept her mouth shut, wanting to avoid and unnecessary conflicts.

Placing his water on the bench, he rushed over to her side. Eve jumped at his sudden movements and scooted away from him, eyeing him distrustfully.

“Oh, did I scare you? I’m sorry!” He told her quickly then slowed his movements, looking into her icy eyes with his warm brown ones, “I won’t hurt you. You’re safe with me, I promise.” The sincerity in his husky but boyish voice made Eve want to trust him, but she had to be careful. “What’s your name?” He added tentatively, masking his excitement and trying not to scare her again.

“Genevieve “Eve” Dawson.” She murmured, barely legible.

“It’s nice to meet you Miss Genevieve, my name’s Larkin but everyone just calls me Lark.” The man told her cheerfully, flashing her a grin.

“How did I get here?” Eve demanded more forcefully then she did before. ‘I don’t want him to think that I’m a weak little girl, he needs to know who he’s messing with.’ The grin was instantly wiped off his face and he looked taken aback by her tone.

“Well, Miss Genevieve, I sort of…um…hit you with my arrow.” The look Eve gave him made the room’s temperature plummet, he shifted uncomfortably. “I’m real sorry about that. You see, I was aiming at this golden wolf and you must’ve gotten in the way or I got confused because your hair is the same colour…” Lark’s voice drifted off when he realised trying to explain was only making things worse.

“How did I get in these clothes?” By the bright pink colour that rose in Lark’s cheeks, she already knew the answer. “I’m leaving. Now.”

Struggling to get off the bed, Eve pulled herself forward. Her feet touched the cold stone floor and Eve lifted herself up, only for her arms to give out from under her. Strong arms wrapped around her small frame just before she hit the ground.

“Whoa, easy there. You’re still too weak to go anywhere. You’ll have to wait a few days to recover first.” Larkin held her in his arms for a few moments before he lifted her up and carefully placed her back on the bed.

Much to Eve’s frustration, she knew he was right. There was no way she’d be able to travel the miles it’d take to get back to Greenwood Forest. It seems she was stuck in Rosalily Woods with Larkin. She glared at the skirt clenched in her fists, infuriated. Lark sighed. He sounded exhausted. Giving his face a closer examination, Eve saw the bags under his eyes and the glazy look they had. It must’ve been a few days since he’d slept properly.

“How long have I been here?” Eve inquired, looking up at him expectantly.

“Well, let’s see. About 3 days I’ll say.” Lark told her casually. Three days. It hadn’t been that long that she’d been out, but those days seemed to have been pretty hard on Larkin. An unconscious girl mustn’t be a picnic to look after. He must’ve had to have fed her, given her water, washed her; Eve tried not to dwell on that last thought for long.

“Thank you.” Eve whispered, then she turned her back on him and closed her eyes, sleep came to her soon after.

The next few days seemed to all pass in a blur. There wasn’t much Eve could do all day but sleep and talk to Larkin when he was in. Most of the day, Larkin would be out hunting, gathering plants or collecting water. When he came home, he’d always check on her, ask if she needed anything or help her move to the bathroom. The arrow wound was healing at a steady rate, much faster than it would if it had hit a human. Moving around still caused her pain, but it was bearable.

The week she’d been with Larkin wasn’t as horrible as she thought it would be. Once she got to know him better, she found that his boyish behaviour was really quite endearing and he really did do a good job at looking after her.

Every night he’d cook for the two of them and Eve was pleasantly surprised when she found out he could really cook. For as long as Eve could remember, she’d never had a cooked meal. Whatever she and Tabatha caught that day is what they’d feast on, whether it is human or animal. They preferred animals though so it wouldn’t draw too much attention to the area.

As Genevieve sipped at her deer and mushroom soup, Larkin examined her. When he’d discovered he’d hit her with the arrow, Larkin had felt absolutely terrible. Getting her back to his cottage while trying to stop the bleeding had been a major challenge. It was surprising that she even survived.

Discovering her naked caused him concern and had actually been quite disturbing for him. ‘What has she been through?’ He wondered to himself, she was strong though. Stronger than any girl he’d ever met and the most beautiful. Her hair was like a beautiful golden waterfall that fell in soft ripples down her back, extending towards her waist, and pearl white skin that was covered in scars. The scars worried Larkin as well. He wanted to protect her from her past, however troubling and dark it was. He wanted to keep her here and make sure nothing hurts her again.

At that moment Genevieve looked up at him and he was captivated by her beautiful, icy blue eyes that looked like freshly frozen ice. Every time she looked at him, he couldn’t help but get lost in those eyes. Realising that he’d been staring, Larkin quickly looked away. By the rapid pace of her healing, Lark knew he didn’t have much longer with her before she left him.

The second week she spent with Larkin seemed to fly by even faster than the first. Without any help, Eve could walk the length of the cottage. It was a relief that she didn’t need any help to get a glass of water or go to the bathroom anymore, but she did feel a twinge of sadness. It was nice having someone there for her to lean on and look after her.

Even though she’d only known Larkin for two weeks, Eve had begun to really care for him. The thought of leaving him and this little cottage that she’d started to think of as home was unbearable.

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ That little voice inside her said incredulity dripping off of its words; ‘You’ve only been a burden on him. A nuisance. He wants you to go’. The thought made little tears spring to her eyes, but Eve quickly pushed them away. ‘Tabatha needs you’, Eve reminded herself of her little sister who she had left behind.

**~~** Do you think Lark wants Eve to leave? Would Eve really abandon her sister just to stay with Larkin? Let me know what you guys think! Remember to vote and comment! **~~**