“Ready to hunt for the village?” I asked with a smile on my face.

“Yeah, I would like to see how you work.”

He had a knife and crossbow ready as we started walking to the forest.

“Why don’t you try going deeper into the forest because I’m here to help?”

“That is a great idea! You might become a good hunter by the end of the day.”

I just nodded my head as I moved down a different path than my normal one.

“How come you always say no to me whenever I ask you to marry me?”

“Because I don’t want to marry you. Simple as that.”

I was a little surprised by how quiet he was, normally he would get angry every time I would deny him.

“I think we should go a little bit farther so we can have a better chance at finding prey.”

I followed his advice and went to the darker part of the forest.

“I don’t think that any of the villagers can find us here.”

I started to turn around, when I felt a sharp pain in my side. I looked down to see a hunting knife’ in my side. I fell forward as he yanked out the knife.

“Now since you don’t want to be one with me. You can be one with all the animals you care about! I hope you taste good to them!” He took off my cloak and he wrapped it around himself. “Now I’m going to go kill your wolf friend and blame him for your death!”

From the blood loss, I started to feel weak as he walked away. My eyes started to feel heavy and I fought to keep them open as I heard wolves howling in the distance.

*Slade’s POV*

Ever since I was 17, I have been living by myself in the forest. Because I haven’t been near any humans or shifters, I normally stay in my wolf form until that fateful day. Dark red hair that almost reminds me of blood. His smell is like a moving forest, and his way of life is so like mine. I think that I might have found the one, but I will wait for him to fall for me just like I fell for him.

‘How long is he going to be gone?’ I thought as the heat was leaving the bed.

I stretched out before sitting up, and then I was debating on what I should do now. My wound healed up days ago, one bonus for having shifter blood, but I liked his company too much to want to leave. I decided to continue napping, so I shifted into my wolf form to stay warm.

The front door opened and he started to let the cold in. I watched as his cloak shifted as he closed the door. I was surprised that he had the hood up. He sat down on the bed and started to pet my head, but his hand felt different. But I knew that it was Alec from his smell. I waited until he laid down on the bed before shifting forms to talk to him.

“How was hunt? Bring back lots of food?”

He just grumbled at me so I decided to play a little game with him. I lightly tussled his hair, but it felt different so I moved my hands downwards.

“My, my Alec! Why are your ears so big?”

“The better to hear you with.” His voice sounded different but I bet he is just tired.

I moved my hands again and his face felt different.

“My, my Alec! Why are your eyes so big?”

“The better to see you with, my dear.”

He reached up to stop my hand and I grabbed one of them. Even his hands felt rougher.

“My, my Alec! Why are your hands so big?”

“The better to-” He turned around as he continued. “-kill you with!”

He was holding a knife and it wasn’t Alec. It was that asshole that Alec didn’t like, Orion. I rolled off the bed as the blade came down, and it missed me. I never understood why Alec hid his weapons under the bed, but I am thankful for it right now. I grabbed a small hand axe to block the next blow. I knocked him off the bed and I had one foot on his chest as the door open again.

“Hey Slade! I thought that you might want some comp-oh!” Piper walked in and stopped mid-sentence.

“Piper! Help! Alec’s wild pet is actually a monster and I think he ate Alec!”

I pushed my foot down and growled at him as he spoke. Piper walked over to Alec’s bed and pulled out a crossbow.

“Orion, where is Alec? Do not lie to me or you will lose your balls.”

I knew to trust Piper’s aim because I remembered Alec telling me that she used to be his hunting partner. Orion tried to move while smirking at us.

“It doesn’t matter, if you do find him, you will be too late!”

That is when I realized why I could not tell that he was not Alec. He had his smell all over him. I growled as I moved my foot.

“Piper, please keep an eye on him while I get Alec.”

She just nodded her head as she moved closer to him. I grabbed some bandages and a pair of pants. I put them in the hood of one of his other cloaks before tying it on me. I shifted as I ran out the door following his scent.

As I got deeper into the forest, I could smell his blood and fear. I started running faster as I heard the wolves’ hunting song. When I finally found him, I thought that I was too late. As I shifted forms to help him better, he started moving.

“Be careful of your wounds.” I repeated his words to him and he opened his eyes.

Because I was planning on carrying him to the village, I quickly put on pants.

“I lost the nice view.” I blushed at his words.

“You can stare at my ass when we get home.” I smiled at him.

“How did you find me?” He asked while sounding fainter.

“Wolf nose can find anything!”

I pulled out the bandages and sat next to him.

“To stop the bleeding, put some pressure as you wrap it, but not too much to cut off the bleeding completely.” He told me as I slowly worked on his wound.

I saw yellow eyes in the nearby shadows and I growled at them.

‘He is not prey!’ I told them and they moved away.

As soon as I finished the roll. I slowly picked him up.

“When we get home, you can tell me which herbs to use.” I told him and he smiled at me.

“When did you start referring to it as home?”

“Shortly after I started sleeping in your bed.”

I was carefully, not to move over the large roots. I didn’t want him to be in any more pain than he already is. I could feel him getting weaker in my arms as we got closer.

“You look good in red, you should wear my cloak more often.” His eyes started to close with every word.

“Hey, don’t close your eyes, we are almost there! I can see some of the houses.”

He reached up slowly and started petting my hair.

“I love how your hair is as soft and gorgeous as your fur.” It looks like he reached the point of drunken blood loss.

“They’re back! Make way!” I heard someone call out.

It was an old man that looked a bit like Piper. He was quite fast and caught up with my walking speed.

“My daughter is already preparing some herbs for him, just bring him to his home. We currently have Orion under trial until Alec is better.”

I nodded my head and continued on my journey, away from him. The front door was wide open and I walked in. Piper was working as I laid Alec down on his spare bed. I started to move away to help Piper, but he grabbed my hand.

“Please don’t leave me.”

Those words made me realize the answer that I have searching for was right here all along. He truly was my mate and I might lose him to fate.

“I will never leave you. I give you my oath as your life mate.” He was smiling at my words.

I kissed his hand as Piper walked over. I was actually great at helping her but not well enough for Alec. His breathing got slower as we worked, so I did the only thing I could think of. I bit my arm and I had some of my blood enter the wound. I knew shifters could survive wounds like this and there was an old myth that we could share our gift with our human mates. I just pray that there is enough truth in the myth to save him.

“Slade! I think it is working! You saved him!” She said and I looked at the wound.

He was still breathing and I noticed that the wound slowed down to a controlled level of bleeding. My blood didn’t heal it completely but it stopped the deadly factor of it. She started stitching the wound shut as I got the bandages ready for her. I allowed her to fix my wound after he was in a safe state.

The village judged Orion for the attempted murder of Alec and sentenced him to death by stoning. I didn’t leave Alec’s side until he woke up a few days later. Then, I kissed him out of sheer happiness; he kissed me right back shortly after we separated. The village actually liked me and no one cared that I wasn’t fully human. Some of the younger folk was sad that they weren’t the ones to catch Alec’s eye. I was so happy that I found my mate. After he was fully healed, we found out that I gave him my full gift. The first time he changed forms, he was so happy that he kept on kissing me for five whole minutes. I never liked happy endings, but I believe that this is a happy beginning for the two of us.