You Wouldn't Dare (Khaos Trilogy Book 1), стр. 46
She lowered her voice to a whisper so it was only her and I in the conversation, “I don’t know how much you know of his history, we’ve heard dribs and drabs here and there, enough to know something horrific happened to his adoptive parents at his own hands. He will see to it we are trained to defend ourselves, but he feels more comfortable knowing we have our knight in shining armour.”
She gave me a mocking grin, knowing how it sounded but I agreed that it made perfect sense and I was slightly relieved. I was eighteen and could count on one hand how many sparring matches my mother had let me take part in. I could never catch up to them in strength.
“Besides,” Jasmine continued, “women tend to be more cunning; a man will openly attack, women plot behind your back. We are the wolves in sheep’s clothing, but men are the wolves. You know they’re coming. Us women are the enemy at your side. You know every move we make has been meticulously planned for months before we begin. At least that’s my experience.”
I thought back to my mother and the schemes she made. They were relatively harmless in the grand scheme of things, just a way to knock one woman down from her place in society. Then I thought of the story Khaos had told me about his mother and I agreed wholeheartedly, earning a wide grin from Jasmine.
Our conversation was interrupted by a hand on my shoulder that almost had me jumping out of my skin. I knew instantly who it was. The skin under his hand felt as though it was on fire.
“Violet,” his hypnotic voice called out softly. “I would very much like that run now, if you’re not otherwise occupied?” He gestured to the surrounding ladies, all of whom smirked at us, speaking over each other as they ushered me out of my seat and towards Khaos.
“Go, go!” They called out.
“Do nothing we wouldn’t do!”
“We want details! Keep the mushy stuff to yourself but give a girl her fantasies!”
“Come back mated or not at all!” Jasmine finished pleasantly, her laugh showing she was joking. Khaos shook his head at them, indulgent patience shining in his eyes.
He held the door open for me and gestured for me to leave first. I took note as I realised, he always did this - not once had I ever seen him allow anyone at his back.
Understandable.
It was more than basic manners; he couldn’t trust anyone behind him because there wasn’t anyone who hadn’t been important to him that hadn’t stabbed him in the back.
He held my coat out for me and I shrugged my arms into the holes as I asked, “where are we going? Are we really going to go for a run?”
“Of course. From the moment I met you, I’ve been impatient to meet your wolf. It will be my pleasure to have you run by my side.”
“Well, with words like that, how can I say no?”
I squealed with laughter as he delivered a painful slap to my behind.
“Plus, I get to see you strip naked, there’s always selfish intentions behind everyone’s actions.”
What could I say to that?
Despite what Khaos said, he did not, in fact, watch me strip naked before I changed. He granted me my privacy to change comfortably, knowing just how vulnerable we were at this moment.
I was beyond relieved.
It had always been a fear of mine that my wolf and I were not as bonded as we should be, and she would refuse to complete the change, leaving us stuck part way through. We would both die a grotesque mix of human and wolf and I didn't need the added pressure of Khaos watching me, especially considering that this would be the first time he saw us change.
I had heard horror stories of wolves stuck halfway through their transition, unable to take on one form or the other and it was always there in the back of my mind. When you took into account how mother viewed wolves as a hinderance and didn’t like to take on her wolf form, choosing only to benefit from the boosted senses and younger looks, it was hardly surprising that the fears lingered.
I emerged from behind the tree I had used to change and was once again awestruck by the sight of Khaos' wolf. He was midnight black, completely devoid of any other colour. His fur was glossy and long and he stood at least double the size of my own small wolf. His paws were the size of my head, his claws razor sharp. His entire posture screamed out death, he looked like the ultimate predator.
My wolf paled compared to his. I was small and lean, mostly golden with flecks of whites, reds and oranges running through the fur. If the light caught me properly, there were also hints of whites, and soft, pinkish hues. I was a mirage of colours that Logan had once referred to as dazzling, sparkling like the gleam of a diamond.
Not that I would tell Khaos that anytime soon.
I stood still, waiting for any sign of his approval, hoping that he would come over and rub against me the way all mates did, to cover each other in our scents.
He didn't.
He simply flared his nostrils and inclined his head to me, showing he wanted me to go on ahead. I did my best to hide my disappointment, there was still time - after all, the night had only just begun.
We walked side by side for a while, close enough for Khaos to be