His dark voice trails down her spine, lighting a path of desire that renders her breathless. "If only I were in a position of no consequence."
Alia's breath wavers when the pad of his thumb slowly glides across her bottom lip.
"Then I could give in...
Alia nods and watches as Valen tilts his head left and right, releasing the tension within his muscles. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
His body seems to relax significantly with the exhale, unweighted by something unknown to her. However, the forest becomes quiet for the second time today and the same sensations from her arrival envelope her completely.
Sucking in a breath, Alia takes a step backwards in shock. Her footing becomes unstable and it results in her hands quickly finding their way onto the leafy, forest floor. Tears start to well in her eyes as her emotions begin to act on their own accord, undoubtedly affected by whatever it is that looms around her.
On her arrival, she had suspected that this was caused by the collective aura of the Pack, but it seems to only be present periodically within the forest, never in the mainland of the Pack.
However, almost as if it never happened, the feelings quickly disappear. The all-encompassing dread is no longer and the only thing that Alia hears is Valen's voice.
"Apologies."
Apologies?!
Alia's head whips up to face him and she pushes herself off the ground. Her eyes are wide as she looks at him.
"That was -" Valen's eyes narrow before she can finish her question. A warning glimmers within, daring her to utter another sound.
Alia bites back her tongue.
She should have known - Gods does she feel like an idiot.
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The pair move closer to the border, having walked almost an hour in complete silence. After they had taken their first steps away from the very small clearing, Alia could hear the movements and quiet chatter of foreign bodies: the intruders.
No wonder Valen demanded silence. If she could hear them, then they could hear her.
This causes a few thoughts to flutter through her mind about the male beside her.
Did those scientists carry out experiments that resulted in enhanced abilities? How could he hear the intruders from the mainland of the Pack? How does he affect wolves the way he does? How is he so... powerful?
She looks up at Valen.
He remains looking straight ahead and his movements are silent as he manoeuvres through the dimly lit forest. Around ten minutes after they left the clearing, the sun had started its descent over the horizon, causing them to slowly walk further into darkness.
What are you?
Voices catch her attention and Valen halts, causing her to follow suit. There are movements of eight individuals walking in a spaced-out group. They walk perpendicular to the onlooking pair, crossing their path many metres ahead.
