In His Reflection

Chapter 1: Warmth

Chapter 1

''Oof'' I grunted as I was thrown to the ground again by the giant dusty brown wolf.

''Get up, Evan! You need to learn how to protect your pack.'' The war wolf grunted in disappointment at my poor fighting skills.

He put me up against the biggest wolf here! Why couldn't I spar with someone my own size? My wolf whined in me when I rolled onto my stomach and stood back up, matts of blood crunching as they dried into my tan fur.

I looked over and saw Rhyan, my twin brother, clearly more superior as he successfully put a wolf to the ground, much like how I had fallen to my opponent.

I can do this!

''Pipsqueak'' The wolf teased as he lunged again going for my throat, my eyes widening in horror as they clamped down much too hard for 'training'.

My claws dug into his fur as I whined, barking and choking as he clamped my airways but it was all gone in a second as he was tackled off of me by a blur of browns and whites. My brother had him on the ground shaking his head rapidly as the wolf snarled and tried to get out of his grip.

''Enough!'' Alpha Leon boomed, his voice echoing through our ears and making us all stand down, his mate scowling at him as she rocked their crying toddler back to sleep on the porch of their house.

Rhyan glared at the darker brown wolf one more time before coming over to me and rubbing his side against mine in comfort, licking the blood from my neck and shoulders as the Alpha took the war wolf to the side, talking to him none too pleased as he dismissed the class.

The she-wolves were fawning all over Rhyan as we walked back towards the centre of camp where we shifted back to our human forms, getting dressed and ready to end our 'school' for the day.

The bonfire in the centre or our camp warmed my back as the winds chilled my now furless skin. However, they also brought with them the sweet scent of the wild flowers that flourished in the large opening and the surrounding houses.

Loud footsteps interrupted me as Rhyan ran towards me, the girls behind him whining as they trudged with a group of other boys towards the cliffs and to the river underneath that they liked to jump from to have fun and 'impress people'.

''Home?'' His heavy arm swung over my shoulders as he turned us around and towards our cabin.

I nodded my head in answer; not that it mattered to him if I declined.

As we passed the Alpha's house, little Tommy was now wide-awake stumbling over his feet as he tried to master walking, bumping into his father and mother as he tumbled between them and back again. I had never seen a child so loved as he was. It warmed my heart watching them interact.

Our door creaked open as it always did, the wood beneath us moaning with every step up to the second level where mine and Rhyan's room were, our parents arguing on the floor below about how outrageous it was for a female wolf to mate another female.

Rhy left me in my room giving me a hand signal to stay put on my bed as he left to the bathroom rummaging around the cupboards.

My room was nothing special. Plain grey sheets over a wooden bed with an uncomfortable springy mattress that definitely needed an update. There were also two wooden sets of drawers to either of my bedsides with three spacious drawers in each for my clothes to go into. My favourite part was the window though. Its looked out right into the middle of camp to the bonfire which simmered warmly through my room and at night, lit up like a glowing night light to help me sleep without worries of anything creeping out to get me while I slept.

''Let's treat that properly now.'' Rhy gently moved my neck to the side, dabbing a cotton ball into the Dettol he had gotten from our medicine cabinet, then dipping it into the slowly healing puncture wounds.

We werewolves healed fast, but if infection got inside it would heal almost at the same rate as a human would so it was always best to take care of any cuts we got. Especially ones as deep as the throbbing, swollen, puncture wounds on my neck and from my shoulder to under my arm pit.

I hissed in pain and sunk my nails in to his leg that only had shorts going to just over his knee so there was definitely going to be blood but he didn't make any move. He always had a stronger pain tolerance than me. It was a little upsetting that my younger twin was always taking care of his incapable older brother.

''Lift your arm around me.'' He moved my sore left arm over his right shoulder and got to work dabbing the stinging torture liquid around my ribs and shoulder blades, my body flinching every time he moved that stupid little cotton ball.

''Nearly finished.'' His breath was right by my ear, making me flinch again as he nuzzled my neck, comforting me.

We were always very close. Always together like glue, one chasing after the other, desperately trying to match each other but somewhere along the way, I fell behind. My little brother got taller than me and stronger than me which made him more capable, and a much more dominant wolf. I, however, fell to a submissive wolf. My smaller build was still muscular but much more like a runner, or gymnast; more lithe. I wasn't built for brute strength like Rhyan who would one day become a war wolf. I would likely become a hunter or scout once I graduated our school.

My darker blonde hair was brushed away from my forehead, Rhyan kissing it and rubbing my cheek before his eyes lit up and a big grin stretched over his tanned face.

''Do you want to draw?''

My smile matched his as I ran over to my bottom left drawer under the window and pulled out my set of water colour pencils and went and got a cup of water from the bathroom.

By the time I got back Rhyan was already laying down shirtless on my bed, his eyes glued to the window and the lowering sunlight that bounced off my cream walls and onto his chest.

''What would you like today?'' I set up my pencils beside his ribs messily and the cup of water on the bedside table so I could reach it.

''Whatever you want.'' He smiled at me and closed his eyes, letting me know to start.

This had basically become our routine since we snuck out one time a few months ago to a human town and found a store on the edge of the woods. Turns out it was a craft and hobby store. The term 'water colours' intrigued me and we got it straight away.

We were used to pencils and such but I had never seen a pencil once wet turn to paint and slip away, gliding over its surface in beautiful bright colours at any opacity you pleased depending on the amount of water and smudging.

We had once run out of paper and Rhyan offered me his arm to draw and since then, he always enjoyed it. He said it felt like a massage and that it was soothing and relaxed his muscles.

Before I knew it, it was dark. Hours had passed and the bonfire was now lighting up my room softly, the newly painted dragon menacing and prideful on his warm, sun-kissed chest and down his right arm coming to stop half way down his forearm.

I smiled up at Rhyan as I took in my art only to notice that he had fallen asleep, his lips parting softly as small breaths escaped.

I put my pencils away quietly and crawled back into bed next to him careful not to ruin the already dried body art, pulling the blankets over us and savouring the warmth of his body on this cold night that seemed like it would stick around for a few more.

''Goodnight, my little brother.'' I whispered into his shoulder and closed my eyes.

A/N

Welcome back to all my readers who have already read He's My Mate or my other stories, and a big, loving and warm welcome to my book to everyone who hasn't read any of my books before ! Make sure to spread love and not hate because there's already enough of that in the world isn't there? I hope to not see any but any nasty comments throughout this story will be deleted and I'll probably block you as well if you're annoying enough k? xx