You Wouldn't Dare (Khaos Trilogy Book 1), page 14
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 reassured that I was comfortable and happy to continue, but not close enough that we might accidentally brush up against each other. Maybe he was being respectful, maybe I was taking it too personally, but after years of being self-conscious over my wolf, it was a bitter pill to swallow. I was reading too many romances, lost to the world of men who wore their heart on their sleeves. I had to keep reminding myself that Khaos was not like any other man I had known. He was doing his best to show me I was the one he wanted, if he were unhappy, he would let me know, and I just had to have faith in that.
“How much training have you had?” Khaos voice came through the mind-link, startling me from my thoughts. I cocked my head at him, silently asking how he did that.
“It's a gift, little one. An Alpha has enough power to project to almost anyone, his mate included. If you concentrate hard enough, you'll be able to get through to me too. Or I could always have my way with you now, completing our mating and giving you the pack link?”
I stuck my tongue out at him, ignoring his second question as I tried to concentrate on projecting my thoughts to him. I chuffed in frustration when Khaos gave me no sign that he had heard me. Thank the Goddess we were too far away from my mother for her to pick up on this link. I frowned, giving it another attempt but the same thing happened. I shook my head and whined, feeling completely hopeless.
“Relax,” Khaos' voice felt almost like a caress as he whispered into my mind. He brushed up gently against the right side of my body, circling me to repeat the action on my left and then nuzzled his nose into my neck.
His scent surrounded me, filling my nose with its intoxicating fragrance. I breathed it all in heavily, feeling instantly calmer. I adored moments like this, no one else got to see this side of him. No one knew that this beast of a wolf, this jealous, possessive, fierce, often angry man had such a sensitive, warm, patient side to him.
My wolf purred her pleasure.
“Try again, little one. Just picture me and only me. Let the words flow, concentrate but don’t overthink it. It's no different from talking. Your wolf may be the one in physical control, but you're still in there, Violet, and I'm still right here.”
“Khaos?” I whispered hesitantly and saw his head cock to the side, finally hearing me.
“Khaos! I did it!”
“That's my girl. Now come on before the night is over.”
He nudged me with his nose, repeating his earlier question regarding my hunting capabilities.
“None,” I responded bitterly. “My mother didn't approve of women hunting, that's not our job. I got some small combat training from--”
“For the love of the Goddess, do not say Logan.” Khaos huffed, stepping away from me
“I had no idea you were the jealous type, Khaos!” I laughed, “no, it wasn’t from Logan. It was the pack you attacked last… I told you I had friends there. The alpha always made sure that he kept my mother distracted so that I could do something that didn’t involve my appearance. I can throw a punch, but as far as anything else goes regarding my wolf? I suck.”
“Do you want to change that?” He replied simply.
“It's an option?”
“It's of no consequence to me, little one. We live in modern times. If you want to hunt, I'll teach you, if not... well, I doubt you'll starve, you'll get all your meals from the packhouse. Although you will miss out on an amazing part of your wolf if you decide not to do this.”
“No, I'd like to. If you're willing to teach me, I'll be a star pupil.”
Khaos was true to his word, he taught me how to hunt very matter of fact. There was gentle patience within him, but for the most part, he treated me as though this was an everyday occasion, growing angry with me when I made silly mistakes and nodding his approval when I succeeded.
There was no gushing of praise and no sugar coating my abilities, which was a strange thing to me. Everything I had ever done had been the biggest thing in my pack.
Looking back, I saw how insanely spoiled and pampered I had been. Khaos didn’t work that way. He wouldn’t pretend I had conquered Everest when in reality, I was doing something all wolves should know how to do. It made me work all the harder- wanting the compliment from him more than anything, craving his feedback both positive and negative, knowing it would be me that earned it and not because I was the daughter of the Alpha.
I smelled the deer before I saw it, detecting it a mile or so to the east. Khaos’ ears pricked at the same moment, letting me know I was on the right track. I stuck my nose to the ground, inhaling deeply to pick up a stronger scent. Khaos watched, saying nothing as I followed the trail, circling back with me as I made a mistake and had to start again. I just knew that he already knew the exact location of the deer, and that pissed me off.
I tried to remember what he taught me and applied myself more thoroughly. The next time I scented the ground, I closed my eyes, shutting off my other senses. I followed the scent, slowing my pace, reminding myself not to rush lest I spook my target.
It wasn’t long before I heard the sounds of the deer’s hooves as it padded along the meadow. I opened my eyes, keeping my body low to the floor. I slithered on my belly, blending in easily with the yellow grass. I deliberately made a low noise, attracting the deer’s attention, but not loud enough to frighten it into running. I wanted its neck raised so I had an easy opportunity to make a clean kill. I locked eyes with the deer, its fear rooting it to the spot as it tried to assess me, to figure out if I was a danger. I desperately wanted to glance at Khaos, to see if I were doing this right, but I knew that one wrong move would be catastrophic. The deer could get spooked and run, or it could try to defend itself and charge at me. One wrong hit with those antlers and it would impale me.
I made my decision.
I charged forward, surprising the deer with my speed. It ducked as I got closer, his stance turning protective as it lowered its antlers, ready to lash out at me. I veered slightly to the left at the last moment, using my hind legs to propel me forwards, chomping down on its fleshy belly as it bucked to get me off. I had wanted the clean kill of its neck, but this was second best, so I bit down harder, shaking my head vigorously, holding on tight as it sank to the floor. I dug in with my claws, feeling the last breath slip away from it, pulling out its meaty organs. I pulled back to howl my victory to the sky before finding its bloody heart- always the trophy in such a hunt. Khaos respectfully sat to the side, waiting for me to be satisfied before he would dig in. I bit the deer’s heart, tearing it in two so I could toss it his way and he swallowed it whole. I moved over to let him join me. He had taught me how to do this. We deserved to celebrate our victory together.
Chapter 13
Violet
We ate our fill, barely leaving anything left on the bones. We had contemplated taking what little remained to the other wolves, but Khaos had vetoed this. He said that we may as well leave it to the smaller carnivores that would roam this forest at night, his voice mocking when he informed me that he was teaching me about the circle of life.
We had laughed together, spooning on the dewy grass before he grew more sombre and told me about the hunting schedule, and how there was always a patrol team out making sure that the kitchen was fully stocked. They usually travelled with the young pups, making sure someone trained them from a young age so that if they ever found themselves in a situation where they were alone, they would know how to survive until a rescue team found them.
I had stayed quiet, content to lay close to Khaos. I had laid my hand on his face, feeling the way his strong jaw moved when he spoke, his soft, deep voice rumbling in my ear, his breath hot on my neck. I knew that he was so protective over the young pups because of his own experiences, and my wolf had whispered her contentment.
Khaos had wanted to see if our wolves would bond, and there was no longer any doubt in my mind that she had made her choice. Khaos had proven to us that underneath his hard exterior laid a fierce protector, a man who would do anything to ensure the safety of those he loved. She had chosen him and from this moment on, she would follow where he led.
For the first time in my life, I let down my guard, allowing my feelings to wash over me without smothering them. My wolf pushed forward, wanting to be close to her mate, and I gave in, letting her control the shift. Khaos ran his fingers through our fur, scratching behind our ears as he stared at us, a soft smile on his lips before he stood and shifted into his wolf, allowing them both to curl up together and fade off to sleep.
“Are you worn out, little one?” He asked a few hours later, the pair of us still joined together in a mix of dark and light.
“Exhausted,” I all but purred, my wolf not wanting to budge an inch. She was happy beyond her wildest dreams at the ferocious mate the Moon Goddess had given her.
“I suppose that means you’re not interested in a run then?” That got my attention. I cocked one eye open, staring at him suspiciously.
“What do you mean, run?” I wasn’t about to race him through this forest. I had no intention of allowing him to show off with his speed, leaving me behind in a trail of his dust. His ego was already big enough.
Khaos didn’t answer me, he simply got to his paws, stretching out his entire body. My wolf bristled at the site of the lean muscles on display. He laid on his belly, covering his eyes with his front paws.
“One... Two... Three... Four...” He removed one paw to quickly glance my way, “you have until I reach ten by the way. Five...”
I was off like lightning, flying through the forest. “… Eight... Nine... Ten... Ready or not, little one, here I come.”
Shit.
I couldn’t outrun him. There wasn’t a chance in Hell. I heard his thunderous paws quickly closing the distance behind us and my heart raced. I had to urge my wolf forward; the chase thrilled her. She wanted nothing more than to be caught and dominated, to offer herself to him as he took what was his. I shouted at her, refusing to make it that easy. He wanted the thrill of the chase; he was going to get one.
My ears pricked as I thought I heard the sound of running water and I quickly steered in that direction, almost barking with relief when I saw the sparkling river. I ran straight through, not caring about the noise, knowing that this would help disguise my scent. I just had to be quick about this – the noise would alert Khaos to my whereabouts, but if I was fast enough, I could veer off in a different direction before he found me, giving me the head start I desperately needed.
I jumped up on to the bank ahead, running along the grass for a moment before jumping back into the stream of water and then jumping back out on the other side. I repeated this many times, hoping I was doing enough to confuse Khaos. Each time I jumped back in, I scanned the area, straining to detect even the slightest hint of Khaos’ scent. I was impressed at the way my abilities had already been honed with just one session of his teaching. I had always been good at detecting scents, but now I used that ability alongside my other senses, and it was allowing me to race on ahead, leaving him behind in the distance.
A mile or so into the run I saw a small waterfall connecting to the river and ran towards it, using the strength of my hind legs to propel me upwards, pushing myself through the falling water into the small hollowed-out cave system behind it. I chuffed in relief.
I used to do this with my brother as a pup, back before my mother completely sank her claws into me and dragged me into her world. I could hide out for hours in here and be confident that Khaos would never find me. To this day, my brother still had no idea where I used to hide all those years ago. The sounds of the waterfall would disguise any movement I made back here, and the water kept my scent out of the air.
I laid on my belly and tried my best to focus on the scene on the other side of the water, thinking I would see flashes of Khaos’ hulking frame every so often, but not completely sure. It was mere seconds before he disappeared and that left me doubting myself, wondering if it was Khaos or something else that roamed the forest. That was the only drawback to being in here. It disguised the outside world from me, as much as it hid me from the outside world, but it left me feeling more secure, positive that Khaos wouldn’t find me.
I settled down, feeling pretty smug. I chuckled to myself, thinking I might even squeeze in a brief nap when I heard something crash down on the roof above me, sending me scrambling to my feet in fright.
What the actual fuck was that?
Bits of dirt and stone fell around me as I heard Khaos howl out in victory. I concentrated harder, trying to hear over the roar of the waterfall and heard digging above me.
Son of a bitch!
He was going to dig his way through to me! The waterfall was fairly small, he must have known he would never get his massive body in here!
When the first trickle of water seeped into the cave, I knew I was done for. I flew out of the waterfall, mustering up all the speed I could to hurl myself back down the river. It was less than a minute when I felt Khaos nipping at my hind legs, toying with me.
