006 – Short Legs

ALTHEA.

I woke up refreshed and a bit later than usual.

I really had a good sleep, which I hadn’t had for a while. Maybe because there was a good-looking man in my house. But then I remember what he did last night and how he wanted nothing to do with me.

But instead of getting disappointed, I chose to have a good day today. 

So, I started preparing breakfast for both of us. It had been a long time since I cooked for someone, and last night, I couldn’t help being happy that he seemed to like the beef stew I made because he ate so much. 

Maybe he was too hungry, or it was really a good meal. I had no idea how he felt about the food, as he never told me anything, but nevertheless, I appreciated my food being enjoyed.

I hummed and smiled, making small pans and pots dance around me as I put the finishing touches on the omelet and pancakes I made. 

I had a few eggs left, and I had to go on a half-day hike down to an old man who had poultry if I wanted more.

I did try taking care of chickens, but I think witches and chickens don’t go along well, as they just died under my care. I tried it three times but failed all the time, so I just gave up.

“Ah!” I shrieked as the pots and pans dropped from the air and instantly hit the floor before I could react and save them. 

The front door opened. Blade came in with more wood in his arms, and all the while, I thought he was still sleeping in his room, so I freaked out when I saw him.

He was chest-naked. Either the sight of his sexy abs or the chilled air that passed through the door sent shivers down my spine, but I just found myself shaking a bit. 

“Are you hurt?” He asked before his eyes shifted from me to the floor, where all the things were.

“No, but you scared me. I thought you were asleep.”

He closed the door behind him and proceeded to the fireplace to fix the fire. “I always wake up early, and I know you don’t have wood anymore. I went out to look for a fallen tree and chopped it. I used your ax. You should sharpen it.”

He cut wood. 

That explained why he carried many, as I knew there were few left in the shed after we took them last night.

“Thank you. I made food. I only have black coffee. No milk, and I ran out of sugar.” I bit my bottom lip, as a part of me didn’t want him to be disappointed. 

“I always drink my coffee black.”

“Good then.” I pointed to the chair in front of me before I sat down on mine.

He didn’t utter anything and just went to sit there.

“Are you not going to wash your hands?”

“I don’t think I will die if I eat without washing my hands.” He said, and the scowl on his face just told me to shut up. 

I should really stop caring for this grumpy old man. I was just putting myself in a vulnerable state.

I wanted to give him food, but he already started picking them up, so I just mind my own. 

“About last night.” He began.

“Hmmm.”

“It’s not going to happen again.”

Did he mean I would not see him masturbate again or that he would not touch himself thinking of me?

“I got carried away because the room was too comfortable.”

“We don’t need to talk about it,” I told him, not wanting to hear more.

“Fine with me.” He said dismissively. “How long do you think I should wait for your answer? I have limited time. If you can’t help, I might need to find another witch to help them.”

I swallowed hard. That only meant he needed to leave if I said no.

But I already made up my mind to go with him.

“I want to meet the Alpha first, and I will decide if I want to help him once I have. I’m sure there is more than what you are saying.”

“Sounds good to me.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Can we leave today? Or do you need more time to prepare? It’s a day and a half going down from here.”

“Just a day and a half?” I asked, my eyes rounding. “Do you run with your wolf?”

“No. By foot.”

“Wow. It takes me three days to go down this mountain.”

“I don’t play around. I just walk.”

“I don’t think I can do one day and a half,” I told him, and he didn’t say anything more. 

And I was right. It was almost half a day of walking, and I already wanted to give up at the pace he wanted.

We were walking too slowly for him. I couldn’t count the number of times he asked me to hurry up, but no matter how fast I walked and ran, he was always way ahead of me. 

I didn’t even have anything heavy with me except for my sling bag, which had my runes and some crystals. 

My witchcraft books and a few clothes were in the big backpack that he carried. So the heavy items were with him, and yet I was the one trailing behind. 

“You have such fucking short legs!” He sounded annoyed, and I wanted to cry already. 

I had learned how to float, but I couldn’t still move at high speed on that, so it was no use using that spell as it would just drain me of my energy, and I doubted if I would ever be fast enough for him.

“I’m tired.” I couldn’t help but say it. 

We’d been walking for the last ten hours, and we only stopped to eat the sandwich I prepared, and it was only more or less ten minutes.

“It’s not even three hours since the last time we stopped. It would take us five days to get there at the rate we are going.” He sighed before he continued. “Stop telling yourself you can’t do it, and just fucking do it.”

“Maybe you just leave without me!” I snapped at him, and I stopped walking. 

My hands balled into tight fists as my body shook, and tears welled in my eyes. I had taken all control the whole day not to snap at him whenever he would ask me to speed up or mock me for being too slow, but I had enough.

Why did I ever agree to do this and just be treated this way?

Blade stopped walking and turned around. He just looked at me but didn’t say anything. And, like always, his face was devoid of any emotion. I had no idea if he was furious because I stopped again, but I already decided that I didn’t want to go anymore. 

I was done with him. 

He walked toward me, and I prepared myself. If ever he tried to hit me, I would blast him with all the energy I had.

I watched as he removed the backpack from his back and placed it on his front.

The moment he reached me, his hands grabbed my waist, and I felt my body hoisted up and swung around his body until I ended up on his back. My arms automatically snaked around his neck as his hands landed on my ass before he slid them to my thighs and tightened my legs around his waist.

It happened so fast. He moved me so flawlessly that I just found myself on his back, piggybacking him.

No words were spoken between us as he began walking again.

My heart began to calm down as I felt my tiredness pulling my body down. I adjusted my arms around his neck so I was not strangling him before I rested my head on his shoulder.

Blade’s masculine scent was so addicting that I felt I could fall asleep in here even if I were hanging. 

But he was too big for my grip, and I felt my body sliding down. His hands went to my ass as he moved me higher on his back before letting them stay on my thighs, holding me tightly as he continued walking.

“Why don’t you let your wolf out? Maybe I could ride on his back, and it would be faster.” I said. “I might be too heavy for you.”

“I had carried someone heavier than you.”

Did he mean his first mate? That was a knife straight to my heart.

“And I can’t let out my wolf, as he will mark you.” He added with a voice that was too cold. 

My heart was already in pain, and it hurt more with those words. Of course, he didn’t want me. How many times did he have to say that for me to understand that he didn’t want the bond between us?

I closed my eyes to stop my tears from falling, but they fell anyway. I then promised myself that this would be the last time I would let his words and actions hurt me.