Baby Jai Jai is all grown up *sobs*
I woke up cold.
My eyebrows scrunched up in confusion as I pat around the bed searching for Tatum; my warmth. I felt like I was prying open my eyes as if they had been sealed closed by the frost that was inevitably coating the woods outside the den.
Tatum wasn't here?
I searched the room from the confines of our bed; a fur resting only a millimeter from my drooping eyes to try and trap any warmth possible, but my mind was now on searching for my stray mate.
My fingers brushed across a wooly type of jacket that my Aunt Petricia had packed for me causing a smile to pull across my face. I told her I wouldn't need such a large jacket thinking it wouldn't be so cold here. I'm glad she ignored me the way she always does because I clearly don't know what's best for me.
The material engulfed me from the hood pooling around my neck to the large wooden buttons that ran down the front of the cream fabric to my knees where it ended.
Maybe she could have gotten it in a different size though?
I continued searching the room for socks and pants, striking luck with a pair of thick track pants but no socks unfortunately. They would have to wait.
Setting out of the room into the colder air, I made my way to the deserted hot pools, where I realized I had not visited last night after our....exercise... meaning Tatum had wiped me down to my utter embarrassment.
''Where is he?'' I whispered, puffs of air leaving my mouth with every word.
I then ventured to the barren dining hall and finally to the entrance of the cave where a large figure stood overlooking the sunrise just barely peeking over the trees that were indeed sprinkled with frost.
My toes prickled with the cold rocks as I walked outside the cave and to the edge of the ledge that Tatum was standing over, looking totally tranquil and right at home in the frigid temperature even with his chest bared to the world only his loose, barely buttoned up black trousers protecting him.
''Tate?''
His head swung in my direction seemingly shocked as if I had pulled him out of some trance before it softened, his arm wrapping around my shoulder and pulling me into his warm chest.
How in the goddess' good name was he warm at a time like this!?
''Morning, Angel.'' His lips descended onto my hair, kissing the top of my head.
When I looked back up to him my eyes surely bugged out of my head at the bruised bite mark on his neck that I can recall doing in the throes of my orgasm last night when I... attacked him.
''Does it hurt?'' My fingers brushed along the ridges of where teeth once caused the skin to bulge and dip.
''No.'' His face turned to mine completely to give me a love filled warm smile, my heart constricting for a second at his injured eye.
Tatum's scruffy morning hair was suddenly brushing my cheek as he dipped his head to give my mark a sloppy lick causing a mix between a moan and a laugh to explode out of my mouth, my hand not coming up quick enough to cover it as he continued to tease me playfully.
''Stop worrying.'' A soft kiss planted itself just below my ear.
''Ew, are you two fucking out here too? Goddess will you strike me where I stand PLEASE!? Get a room you flaming homos!'' Charlie fell dramatically to the ground as he covered his ears and eyes.
Tatum sighed in my neck before pulling me by the forearm down a small pathway away from the cave.
''Don't do anything I wouldn't! You know what I'm talking about Jai! Wink wink!'' He screamed loud enough to wake the whole forest.
''Goddess please.'' I hung my head to hide it from the on looking squirrels.
''This is my place I like to come to when I'm not busy with pack matters.'' Tatum's footsteps stopped, my body almost bumping into him as I raised my eyes to the waterfall Alic had told me to keep a secret.
The cold winter air steamed off of the warm water in billowing puffs much more extravagant than the last time I had visited. The water was drizzling between rocks at some points and pounding against the others, wildflowers nodding their head in approval of the scenery around them as they fought off the frost.
The lake flowing off it was rippling with the steaming water begging to be stepped into, its waters like clear varnish it was that clean and untouched. I wondered if this river connected to the river that ran through Uncle Rick's pack border or if it connected closer to the river that Alpha Reid's pack lived on, or maybe this was a river all on it own.
''Sit here.'' Tatum led me over to a boulder he had to lift me to sit on properly as I was much too short, however, once I was sat upon it, my feet dangled into the water beneath.
My body shivered with pleasure as the warm water massaged my cold abused feet, Tatum kneeling into the water to soothe the biting feeling from the change of temperature.
This situation had me reminiscing the first time we had met when he was tending to my feet at that time also. He was so focused on bringing the colour back to my pale feet I had to stifle a laugh; his eyes flickering to mine a second before his hand traveled up my pant leg sensually massaging the flesh there.
My laughing ceased altogether, my vision clouding over before becoming sharper as my wolf bit to the surface with a ferocity I hadn't know it had, almost broking my control as he left a small kiss on my ankle.
''Who is Myles Moore?''
My wolf instantly recoiled into the dark with a whimper, my eyes opening wide as I stared into his silver and grey one.
''...dan..''
''idan...''
''Jaidan!'' Tatum was grabbing my face rubbing small circles into my cheeks with his thumbs, his eyes worried before I ripped away from him and made my way out of the river effectively saturating my pants all the way to the hem of my jacket.
''Jaidan!?'' He caught up to me in a flash as I fought my way out of the water that seemed to turn cold, the flowers recoiling with more frost.
A large palm wrapped around my bicep but it offered no comfort, no calming warmth, it was far, distant as I tried to pull away from it, my pants dripping and mixing with mud.
''Who is he?'' He effectively spun me to face him grabbing my other arm to keep me in place.
''It was because of me.'' I couldn't look at him; I was caught in the past as horrors replayed my mind.
''What was? Who is he?'' My face was pulled up to look into concerned eyes.
My shoulders slumped and my heart fell as I turned to look away from his worried eyes drawing in a shaky, mournful breath.
''He was my father.''
''Your father?-'' His questioning was cut short when a hunting party's howl split the forest in two.
It was not a recognizable pack howl. They must have been rogues I realized with a painful shudder. Was he back to finish his job? Is that why Tatum was bringing it up?
The howling turned to victorious barking and snarls as they cheered with excitement only a few hundred meters away.
''Go back.'' Tatum pushed me towards the cave his body shuddering with the effect of changing into a wolf.
His large wolf presented itself before me, snarling in a warning to go back when I went to follow him into the dense forestry, halting my feet before he took off after the invading rogues.
Tatum's deep howl made my hairs on my arms stand on edge and goosebumps form all over my body as he called for the warriors of the pack to back him up.
''Jaidan!'' Charlie bolted down the side of the cliff almost falling before he grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards the den, Dustin racing past us, his body shifting as soon as he reached the tree line.
''No, I need to go see.'' My words were small as I was still caught in my past.
''Go see what? Go see your death? Don't be a fool! What are you going to do? Now let's go where I can protect you.'' He continued playing tug of war with my arm as I pulled against him.
''I need to see if it's my father!'' I yelled with all my strength, Charlie dropping my arm in surprise.
''Your dad? I thought he...''
''He is, but being rogue doesn't mean he died! Tatum asked who he was so he must be a part of the pack causing trouble. You said you would protect me?'' Charlie's grey bed head nodded. '' Then come on.''
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