His Little Human Mate

Chapter 12

Nixx

Her scent is driving me crazy.

I think I finally have a handle on my wolf, then a breeze of dahlia scented air surrounds me, and I'm left scrambling to get him back under.

I paired with her to keep her safe, but my thoughts of everything I want to do to her right now are anything but safe.

I almost kissed her last night. It was a lapse in judgment, a slip up, a mistake that won't be happening again. I let my guard down, and it felt so natural with her. It felt natural to be myself around her. She asked a question, I answered. No lies, no pretences, just a deep conversation between two people.

I have never told anyone about the blame I feel, yet all it took was her soft question and adorable eyes to have me spilling my mind into her hands. Not only did I tell her my thoughts, but she made them feel less weighted. Like it might not have been my fault.

Noella shivers again behind me, bringing me out of my thoughts as her shaking vibrates in my ears, the sound of her teeth chattering gripping my heart in a hold so tight it hurts. She's freezing, but I am absolutely powerless in helping her.

Except, maybe....

I stop walking and turn, causing Noella to halt as well.

I unzip my jacket and sweater, taking them both off.

"What a-are you d-doing?" She asks.

Blue is started to tint her lips, and her nose is the colour of roses in the summer. She's too damn cold.

"Helping you warm up," I answer, unzipping her gear as well.

"I'm f-fine," she says, trying to push my hands away.

I shake my head with an incredulous laugh.

"Do me a favour and don't take a career that requires you to lie, ok?"

I push her arms through my sweater before putting her jacket back on, zipping it all the way to her throat, tingles erupting from the contact of bare skin.

I grit my teeth as I wrap her scarf back around her neck, ignoring the pull I feel to keep my hands there.

She shudders again, but I have an inkling that it isn't because of the cold this time.

I pull her toque back over her ears and forehead before rubbing her covered arms, trying to give her body a head start at warming up.

Her teeth are no longer chattering as she mutters, "Thank you. You really didn't have to do that." Then she notices my bare arms and panic fills her face. "No, Nixx. I can't take your sweater! How will you stay warm?"

Her fingers reach up to start undoing my handiwork, but I trap them between mine.

"I still have my jacket," I reassure her. "Plus, my body tends to run a little warmer than others."

Abnormally warm, is what I don't add. Wolves have faster functions, and because of that, I am anything but cold right now.

"Well then put it back on!" She demands. "Goodness, warmer or not, you'll freeze to death!"

My lips twitch as I put my jacket back on, fighting against the laughter that's bubbling up my throat.

"You're amused, but you won't be when you're sitting by a fire drinking scolding hot tea in an effort to ward off hypothermia."

The laugh bursts free, and it feels like the most uncontrolled thing I've ever done. It feels free. It feels good.

She giggles too, but then her face turns soft as she murmurs, "I like your laugh."