The Year of the Horse (Book two of the Almair Series) (Completed)

Chapter 42 (Edited)

A/N: 2 chapters left.

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Next morning, I woke up and realized that an arm was wrapped around my waist, and I was pushed up against something warm. My eyes widened in surprise but then my body relaxed when I realized that I had asked Matt to sleep with me in the bed.

A small smile appeared on my face while I leaned against him, enjoying the warmth that he provided. I knew that I had to leave him, so with a small sigh I took his arm off from around my waist, causing him to whimper. "I'm sorry," I whispered before I kissed his cheek.

Matt just groaned and grabbed the pillow that I had been sleeping on. He nuzzled it before starting to snore again.

A look of shock appeared on my face because it felt like I was being replaced by a freaking pillow. I shook my head, knowing that it was because that the pillow had carried my scent.

Guilt filled my system while I grabbed a pen and a paper and started to write a note to him. I knew that he would probably want me to say it out loud to him, but I couldn't do that. I knew that if I did, then I would probably spend a day or a month with him. However, I needed to get back to my family.

I growled, softly and shook my head, clearing my thoughts before I started to write the letter:

Matt,

By the time that you are reading this, I don't know where I will be.

I am sorry that I will not be here when you wake up, but please know that I had to leave before you did. If I didn't... let's just say that my family would've been the last thing on my mind.

I'm not going to say goodbye, because I know that we will see each other again. You should know by now that you were meant for me, just as I was meant for you. You said so yourself, you will take the challenge of being there for me, even if it means death.

I know that I have "stolen" some of your sweatshirts from you, so now I leave a parting gift from me to. What I'm leaving for you is my wolf necklace that my brother had given to me when I was younger, so you better take good care of it.

Tell your mother, the clan and your brother that I will see them soon. They, and you, have earned my respect and my trust, so I'll try to visit if I can.

Wishing you the best of luck and with love,

Martha

P.S See if your mother will allow you to come over to my place on Christmas. We're having Christmas dinner at 2:00pm on Christmas Day, and this is your official invitation. My address is stated below.

I reread the letter and smiled, even though I knew it sounded a little dry. "I do need to get going," I whispered softly, turning to look at the male that had stolen my heart. I shook my head with a guilty sigh and took off my necklace before putting it down on the paper.

With a final glance at Matt's sleeping form, I quickly got dressed in cleaner clothes before I hefted my bag and quiver onto my back and silently walked out the door, leaving Matt and the rest of the family.

***

For five days, the only thing that I had done was run in either wolf or horse form, with little to no sleep and little to no food during that time. For water, I ate snow here and there, quenching my thirst for a little while.

I knew that I needed to make the two week trip into just five days, so that was why I had been traveling non-stop. The good thing about the trip was that I had learned that I was able to shift with my bag and quiver on my back, and they would disappear. It would've looked weird if people saw a wolf with a bow and a quiver of arrows on their back, and I was not leaving it somewhere to get stolen.