Riley
The fairy village is nothing short of frightening.
The village is built beside the river. Huge buildings surround me, and every tree is reaching up for the skies. Everyone wears tropical clothing or none, and I'm still not used to the wings covering every person's back.
Or the tattoos...
Or the weird fruits everyone is eating...
But most of all, I'm shaking in my skin because every fairy is enormous, and I can't relax. I want to return to our world as quickly as possible. Even enemy werewolves are easier to stomach than fairies.
Every habitant smells like danger and bloodthirst. I don't feel that safe with everyone being so curious about me, so I've taken the shape of a wolf to growl at anyone looking too interested.
My mate chuckles when I growl at a passerby. "Take it easy, Riley... No one is going to get you."
I lift my head from my place on a blanket. The sun is shining over my black fur, and things would be perfect if I weren't the size of a chihuahua compared to everyone around me.
"I know you're scared," my mate says. "But try and relax, okay?"
William sends me a smile, but his mother sitting cross-legged in front of him clears her throat to regain his attention. They are practicing magic, finding inner calm or something.
"Stop paying so much attention to your mate," Leafie, William's mother, points out in an annoyed tone. "We won't be getting anywhere if you don't focus and take this seriously. Do you want to master your fairy abilities or not? Because at this rate, you won't."
William rolls his eyes, and I would laugh if I weren't in my wolf form. He doesn't like being here either, but he knows he needs to master his magic before he can defeat the enemy werewolves in our city.
I sigh and place my head over my paws. I want to be helpful too. Perhaps I should find my own place to train?
"Your mate..." Leafia is speaking again. "You have marked her, right?"
William immediately grows protective. I can feel his mood changing drastically, and a slight growl leaves his lips.
"What about her?" He asks, and I notice his wings spreading around his back as if trying to appear more intimidating. "Are you going to hurt her? Because if you do, I will murder you."
"Calm down!" His mother hushes. "Geez, I might not understand your relationship, but that wasn't what I wanted. I have a serious question that I want to ask."
William calms down somewhat. I'm grateful my mate is so protective, and I feel a heavy weight leave my chest. No matter what, my mate got my back, and I can relax.
"What is it that you wanted to say then?" William asks.
"I was going to point out that completing the mating ritual won't only affect you," she nods ahead. "Haven't you noticed that your mate's wolf is growing? She is starting to become—"
"A luna!" William whispers and interrupts his mother. His eyes are enormous, and he chuckles when he turns around to look at me. "I mean... I didn't notice it because I'm obviously much bigger, but holy shit—Riley! The bond is affecting you too!"
Shock seeps into my bones hearing that, and I stand up.
I don't notice much difference, possibly because I'm surrounded by giant beings, but damn! Now that I think about it, I feel like there is more stamina in my body. My wolf feels more vibrant, faster, and physically stronger. Is that because of my bond with William?!
I huff in excitement and wag my tail. William laughs and stretches over with his arms open. "Come here!"
Without hesitation, I let him hug me. He rubs his cheek against me, and I lick his handsome face while he laughs and snorts at me. I'm having fun, but when his mother sighs, we finally stop playing around.
"I'm beginning to lose my patience, son," Leafia states. "Are you going to play around or actually practice?"
William hands me an apologetic smile and leans away. He seems reluctant about it, and his hand rests on the top of my head. I'm given some scratches while he speaks.
"We will cuddle later, okay?" William promises. "I have to train now..."
I nod my understanding and return to lie beside him on the blanket under the blazing sun. This time, I place my head in his lap, and he breathes a laugh.
"You're cute," William smiles. "Rest a little, why don't you?"
I take his advice and close my eyes. I dream of the Crescent pack taking over more territories and slaughtering humans. Screams and cries are all around me, fires too.
I'm searching for William, running over mud and dirt with heavy paws. When I finally find my mate, he is in fairy form, but instead of helping people, he greedily eats them.
I jolt awake in an instant.
"Hey, you're awake!" I hear William's voice coming from above me. "It's about time! It's already late."
I look around.
I'm still in wolf form, but it seems William has carried me into a room inside the fairy castle. The walls are made of stone, and I'm lying on top of a bed that gives me royal palace vibes.
Flowerpots decorate the corners, and there is a huge balcony with an open to my left. It brings in the scents of the tropical outside, and when I turn around, I find William studying me.
Crouched down and hesitantly smiling, his eyes meet mine. "Is it alright if we share the same bed?"
To show him I'm okay with that, I lift myself and give him room on top of what must be a bed more extensive than a football field. William lies down beside me.
He is shirtless and wearing a pair of red sweatpants he must have been given by the fairies. His eyes are still locked with mine, and a smile makes his big face appear softer.
"Do you want to shift back into a human?" He asks. "I could probably shrink as well, but... It wouldn't feel safe. I don't trust my mother not to enter our room at night..."
I understand his worries and close my eyes shape-shift. My bones break and twist until I tumble forward on human feet. The bedsheets are soft underneath me, but keeping balance is hard.
With a gulp, I tumble into William's muscular arm and hear him breathing a laugh at my clumsiness. He places his other hand behind me and strokes it over my back.
"Clumsy," he comments. "You wolf might have gotten stronger, but you're still the same graceless woman I fell in love with."
"Graceless?!" I question, and when William's lips lift by the corners, I punch him in the arm. "That's for insulting me!"
He chuckles and picks me up by curling two fingers around me. I'm not wearing any clothes since I shape-shifted, and his eyes take me in with growing curiosity.
But while William is amused, I'm rather overwhelmed. I don't like to be dangled in front of his face. Especially not since his hard teeth remind me what kind of predator he is: a man-eating fairy.
"Perhaps I should attempt to shrink?" William muses and lets his eyes appreciatingly take in my breast. "I kind of miss having sex with you."
"No, you will have to wait until we return home!" I order him and try to sound strict even though I'm hardly in a power position. William looks more amused than ever, and I blush. "And stop looking at me like that..."
"Like what?"
"Like you want to eat me."
"But I do," William teases. "In a dirty way."
I swear I'm blushing in two places right now, and I sigh while my heart pounds against his fingers holding me.
"Wait until we are home..." I mutter. "You can eat me out then..."
"That's a promise," William is no longer smiling at me. He is earnest and determined. "I think I need another day or two of training, and after that, we have to find a way to return to our world. There is a battle to be won."
"Yes, there is."
"I'm glad your wolf is becoming stronger too. I need all the help I can get from my beautiful luna."
My blush burns brighter. "Flatterer..."
He smiles up at me before dropping me off on his chest. Then, within moments, a blanket is dragged over us both.
I lift my chin to study William's face, and he tilts his head before whispering softly. "Don't worry... I won't move in my sleep. You're safe with me; I promise. The mate-bond keeps me from hurting you even when I'm unconscious."
I suck in a deep breath. "You better not kill your own mate by accident."
He chuckles, and I feel slight vibrations underneath me. "I won't do that at all. You can trust me on this."
"Alright..." I'm still a bit reluctant about this, but his chest is warm, and he smells like home. I get comfortably underneath the blanket and lean my cheek against my mate. "Good night then."
Another chuckle. "Good night, my luna."
I crack one eye open. "If you murder me by accident, then I won't ever forgive you. Not even in the afterlife."
"You're worrying too much," William mumbles and places his hand on top of me like a second blanket. It feels nice. "Close your eyes, and just relax. Tomorrow will be the last day of training before we make a plan on how to defeat the Crescent pack."
"I vote that you eat their alpha."
William laughs at that. "I might..."
"He deserves it."
"Agreed."
I close my eyes again, and this time, I fall asleep while smiling.
William and I got everything under control. I know we do. My stupid dreams mean nothing, and my mate won't lose control.
Victory shall be ours.