My hair flowed with the wind haphazardly while Fang basked in nature’s touch. His forehead was bared now, making his face look perfectly symmetrical. Usually, he would side part his hair, but now that they were pushed back, he looked just perfect. My attention was being diverted by it, though I forced myself to be back on the topic. 

“I’m not stuck anywhere,” I spoke a little louder so he could hear me over the winds, “at least not in the teen phase.” 

What was even a teen phase? I got the part where most of my life was spent in the dungeons, but that did not mean my inner child missed its childhood. I sure as hell had a good childhood. My wolf was pretty fine and smart on its own, even without me. 

“Come on, Selene,” Fang turned to face me and ruffled my hair. 

“Hey!” I started to get them right after slapping his hand away from me. My hair was used to staying in a ponytail all the time, so this was just tough to handle. Since I had no time to get ready as I woke right inside the carriage, my hair was left open and to the mercy of the winds right now. With me having them cut a while back, they made sure they landed in my mouth every time I spoke. I glared at Fang, whose hair fell on his forehead now and he still looked handsome, rather a little more handsome now. 

Fang chuckled at my hair struggle. He hummed before continuing, “I still remember how dumb you were when I first met you. In my opinion, you have done a great job till now in improving.”

“Should I say thank you now?” I ridiculed. What was I to do with his opinion on my improvement?

Fang let out a throaty chuckle, “no, but maybe you can try connecting with your wolf.” I opened my mouth to speak but then stopped immediately and stared at him. What did he mean by that? He looked towards the waterfall that was quite far from here and I followed his gaze. “Come on, let me show you something.” 

“Did you just start a topic and ditched it?” I raised my brows while lifting my hands, palms up and questioning him. 

Fang clicked his tongue, “Why are you like this?” I stared at him, still not budging from my question. It was as if he speculated some fault in me and then when I asked what it was, he forgot he even mentioned it. Fang did not answer, just held my hand and pulled me behind him. 

“Woah,” I exclaimed as I was dragged by pretty fast, “hey, don’t ignore me like that.”

“I am not ignoring you,” Fang said, “I am simply showing a better place to find your answers.” My eyebrows crinkled as I continued to follow him. After a few seconds, I picked up my pace to walk beside him when Fang voluntarily let go of my wrist. I felt a little sad as he took his distance. For some reason, Fang was being a little distant from me after that make-out session in the alley and I was here being disappointed. I looked away from him, trying to compose my thoughts. 

I wasn’t used to him keeping his distance from me and now that he did, a distinct feeling engulfed my heart. To close the distance myself. 

I cleared my throat and shook my head. Somewhere I felt it was probably because I was bringing back my abilities to heal. It was something closely related to my wolf and there were high chances that my ability to control myself from Fang was slipping because of my wolf’s will. I looked back at him and then at his hand. 

“I don’t want to walk there,” Fang said, suddenly breaking thoughts. 

my heart jumped up from my rib cage as if I was caught, “Y-yeah, me too, but like I don’t have a change of clothes when we reach there.” I quickly looked away to see the distance remaining and finally realised it was quite far away, “Um, can we not take the carriage there?”

“No, the roads get damp ahead,” Fang replied. 

“Oh,” there was nothing else to say for me. My thoughts began to return when I remembered Fang could actually read my mind! My eyes went wide. I looked at him but Fang did not care looking my way. He looked like he was busy figuring out how to reach there. 

  Fang hummed suddenly, “Maybe you could ride me, just like last time.” 

“If you are comfortable,” I replied, “I mean, we werewolves are not meant to-” 

“I don’t mind you,” Fang replied with a gentle smile. Something I had never seen on his lips before. I stared at him for a moment before nodding. That smile was somehow engraved inside my head now. I felt a little happy right now, the kind I never thought would be there in my life. “Okay, I will need clothes when we go there,” Fang said, as he began to unbutton his shirt. 

“Fang!” I panicked before looking away and closing my eyes. Yeah, there was nothing about him that has changed. He was still obnoxious.

Fang chuckled but did not comment on anything. As I faced my back at him, I slowly removed my hand from over my eyes and there was this curiosity to turn around and look at him. I gulped as the tension inside me built up. He rested his shirt on my shoulder from the back.

It was enough to make me lose my mind, “Do you think I am a hanger for your things-” I was left wide eyes as I unconsciously turned to him with his black shirt still in my hand and Fang standing there half-naked, his muscles taut and a feast for the eyes. I had seen him this naked before as well when I had visited Waterwoods, but that was not it. When I turned, Fang had just unzipped his trousers and he let it fall down, no shame coating his face. “S-sorry,” I turned back. 

I saw him.. his… no him in underwear. My palm covered my mouth as I cursed myself internally. I was sure my face was beet red now. 

Fang was slowly kept his trousers on my shoulder and whispered in my ear, “Nice view, isn’t it?” I shook my head immediately in response. What had I seen! To admit it, he wasn’t a bad view at all. Even when I had seen him in his almost tribal costume, it had been a feast of the eyes. He wasn’t overly built like Channing, but his entire body was in perfect proportion. Perfect and heavy built. 

“Come on, little one,” Fang telecommunicated, and I got it that he had shifted. 

I nodded before turning around and keeping my eyes solely on the ground. Taking a few steps close to him, I climbed his wolf. It was embarrassing and utterly humiliating for some reason. Though I would definitely like to feel once how his muscles… Stop it! I screamed to my brain. It was really going overboard with these thoughts. 

“Hold tight,” Fang said before he took off. He had incredible speed even when someone was on his back.

I held around his neck and Fang ran faster than he had done back when he was carrying me to Waterwoods. The entire trip I had to control my thoughts, but more than that, my heart kept jumping inside my chest with the way Fang was running – reckless. 

When we finally reached, I got down as fast as I could and found myself a safe seat. That was incredibly scary.

I took deep breaths before finding myself a seat at the top of the waterfall. The air was thick with the sound of water colliding with water, and there was heavy mist at the bottom. When I looked down, there was nothing visible, what was at the end. “Alright, little one, I am sure you don’t want to hold on to my clothes forever,” Fang grabbed my attention. 

I jumped, “oh yes, let me just put it a little further away from me.” 

The last thing I wanted was to watch him naked. I got up and walked a little further where the ground was dry and kept his shirt and then the pant. When I put it down, I realised he also had his underwear wrapped with the pant. My face cringed, knowing I had carried it all the way here. 

I scampered back to the water stream and dipped my hand in the water before rubbing it together. 

There was one thing I was being careful about was not looking back till Fang was done dressing. I did not want to accidentally catch him… naked. Though I might actually want to, “Ahh!” I screamed, “Shut up!” 

“Who are you talking to there?” Fang asked, and I realised how dumb I must have been in his eyes right now. I was actually shouting at my own brain for pushing out such thoughts. I did not want to watch Fang. There was something so incredibly pulling towards him and I had to stop it before I drowned myself in desires. I needed to control my wolf and its desires. It was probably after its control unconsciously slipped I was being too much accepting of Fang.

Even though I hated to accept it, I was subconsciously accepting Fang myself, especially with the way I failed to push him away last time in the alley.

“No one,” I replied, “I am sorry. Um, Tell me when you are done.”

“I am done,” I heard Fang’s voice close to me and I got up. Taking two sharp breaths, I turned to Fang and there he was shamelessly still dressed only in his underwear. 

“What are you doing?” I asked as I turned away. 

Fang let out a hearty laugh, “Do you know our ancestors were quite fine with turning back naked?” 

“Let them be,” I yelled, “You dress yourself.”

Fang hummed, “I would, but why would I get all my clothes wet when diving?” 

“Doing what?” I asked, my eyes wide. Diving? Like as in jumping in this river that was full force meeting the depth down there. With so much force, it formed a mist of droplets? “I am not going anywhere.” 

“You are, and I will give you five minutes to choose whether you are going with all your clothes on or just your inners,” Fang said as he stood hell close to me. Almost ready to push me down. I gulped as I took steps backwards while my back hit his bare chest, but I did not care about that now.. I wanted to run away from here.