Torn - BMS Companion Book

Chapter 14

Lyndis walked quickly, eager to get back. The sun was starting to set. She couldn't help but feel irritated. She still needed to make dinner, and she was already exhausted.

As she crossed the final pathway that led back to the house, two more enforcers joined the first. They stayed to the jungle, but they made no effort to be quiet. Lyn ignored them and approached the house.

Immediately she noticed no one was home. It was vacant of sound.

Lyndis stood still for a moment. She tried not to let the sudden panic overwhelm her. Just as she turned to run down the pathway toward Aldous' house, she heard the sound of paws fast approaching. Three pairs of small paws following two much larger heavier paws.

Lyn stopped and spun around. She breathed out in relief upon catching their scents and waited impatiently for them to come into sight.

Gaius came running up first, carrying Adalyn in his mouth. He set her down close to Lyn and shifted back to skin, but Lyn's eyes were behind him. A massive wolf walked up to set Sophie down beside Adalyn.

She recognized his scent; it was Gaius' brother Adriano. Lyn had only met him twice. The first was the awkward time Carina pulled her from the kitchen. The second was at her union ceremony. Otherwise, she hadn't seen him once, not even in passing.

Lyn moved over to pick up the two pups. She pulled them close to her chest and let their scents calm her restless wolf. Both pups mewled in displeasure at being squished.

Lyn glanced over at the girls. They approached a bit slower and shifted back. Iyana looked at her with an odd expression, but before Lyn could say anything to her, Iyana quickly went through the door. Lyn furrowed her brow and watched her go.

"I thought they could use some time out of the house," Gaius said. His tone was strained. Lyn glanced at him. He was watching her with an odd look. He seemed uncomfortable. Lyn frowned.

The air felt tense between them.

"Hello," Adriano spoke in Portuguese. Lyn looked to him. He was a monster of a wolf, even larger than Aldous. Lyndis couldn't believe she hadn't noticed how big he was before. She had been heavily distracted every-time they met previously.

"Hello," Lyndis responded awkwardly. Adriano glanced at Gaius briefly, before he started heading for the road toward his house. Lyndis watched him go.

Though his action seemed rude, Lyn didn't get that impression. It was clear he was a male of few words, and her wolf felt no threat from him. She looked to the house; the pups were starting to squirm in her arms. Both Sylvie and Aurelia had made their way inside.

"Wait... dinner?" Lyn asked in her poor Portuguese. She didn't know why she suddenly had the urge to feed him. It was likely more to do with the fact that she didn't want to be alone with Gaius, not with the way it had been between them. He paused briefly.

Lyn waited for him to say something, but he just shook his head without turning and continued on. Lyndis frowned and looked to Gaius. He glanced back as well, and an awkward silence settled over them. He waited until the large wolf shifted and darted out of earshot before he spoke.

"He is kind of... shy," Gaius said awkwardly. Lyndis gave him an odd look before she looked back to where the wolf disappeared down the trail. Him? Shy?

"How was your day?" Gaius asked in a strange tone. Lyn figured his conversation with his mother hadn't gone well if he wasn't reassuring her she wouldn't go back to that. Lyndis could tell there was some shame in his expression. Whether it was at her... or the situation, she couldn't tell.