Biting Sacrifice

Chapter X - The Bond

Without opening her eyes, glued stuck with exhaustion, the first thing she noticed was that both her throat and head were killing her. Staying out on the rain for hours in a flimsy dress was surely not recommended to anyone. The second thing she noticed was that she was strangely comfortable - for being out in the forest, that is.

Reluctantly blinking herself awake she immediately understood why that was. Promptly jumping away, she swayed in her spot, vision going blurry.

She had just napped curled up on to a mutt, the same wolf that had saved her before.

The wolf, already awake with the commotion, laid frozen at her feet, with big yellow eyes blinked at her. Then he noticed her flushed skin and unbalanced stance and took to action, shifting into his human body, taking but a second.

"Are you alright? Do you want to sit for a bit?" He prompted her, slowly inching closer to her.

"I think you're a bit feverish, love. We can stay here for as long as you'd like."

"I'm fine, thanks." Tabitha rebutted.

"Are you certain? It really is fine if we stay-"

"No, thank you. I'll be on my way then." She nodded her head. As Tabitha turned away from him, she rapidly lost her balance and almost fell face down to the ground, if he hadn't been antecipating it.

Oh so she had been right all long. The goosebumps she felt as he held on to her were nothing less than the mating bond. Her heart raced. Not only was he naked from shifting, he was all over her, feeling the bond ten times more intensly than Tabitha. In her delirous state she let out a whimper, tears forming and lip wobbling.

Maybe due to some divine intervention he realized what was happening, stepping away and putting his hands up.

"I give you my word that no harm will come to you by my hands. I understand that my immodesty is cause for concern, but I didn't bring any clothes with me. Oh, I know!" The wolf was obviously trying to ease her into a false sense of security, but as he set down with his back turned towards her she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of gratitude. She had heard enough horror stories to know how things usually went. A couple of hours prior - if the moon that still made its presence known was any indication - she had seen a bloodied Mrs. Dove being dragged by one of them.

With an obvious fever and a still hurt ankle, Tabitha knew that not in a million years would she be able to disappear from him. Maybe at a later date, but not in that moment.

Hearing her sit down brought him to let out a relieved sigh, knowing that at the very least she wouldn't fall once more. His soulmate was hurt, scared and sick, and he had no idea how to get her the help she needed.

"My name is Frederick, but feel free to call me Fred - everyone does."

"I'm Tabitha." She supplied, deciding to be truthful, for now.

"That's a beautiful name." He smiled to himself.

She sighed.

"Let's cut to the chase, alright? Why didn't you take me when I was sleeping?"

"You're suggesting that I'd put my hands on my uncounscious mate, without her knowing who I am, or where I'm taking her? Love, you looked like you were were about to freeze to death, my priority was to let you rest while you regained a normal body temperature."

Once again, if her headache wasn't killing her, maybe she would have pondered on how funny it was that somehow, for some reason, her mutt of a soulmate wasn't an actual monster like she always thought.

Instead, she just replied in a quiet voice.

"My head hurts."

That got him standing up slowly.

"If you're okay with it, I'd like to get you out of this forest."

And knowing that she was not well enough to argue, she accepted his offer. Frederick happily shifted back into a wolf, letting her climb on his back. Soon enough Tabitha lowered her head on to his fur, getting lulled to sleep by his agile and easy trotting.