Black Ice-Completed
Chapter 18

That fall and winter, Nyota did as Syn had asked and ran with the Thurian wolves. They showed her things that she would have never learned herself, she was eternally grateful for the knowledge that the Bruins, bear shifters that lived in the Northern areas of Skotadi forest, had given her.

They taught her the art of making wine out of berries and storing it until it fermented enough that it was drinkable. The bears gave her a bottle for her help before they moved deeper into their caves to hibernate.

When she had brought the drink home, Veronica’s eyes had lit up, “Could we have a glass?” she asked excitedly. Nyota grinned and got a cup for both of them. But as one cup led into another and then another and before Nyota could figure out how it had happened, Veronica had drank the whole bottle.

Nyota stared at her aunt in amazement as the woman laid passed out on her bed, great snores emitting from her. Afterwards, Nyota would keep the wine far from her aunt. But they flourished that winter thanks to Nyota’s wolf. She could travel longer distances and was always able to bring back more meat.

But she began to get wary as well. On one of the hunting trips out in the snow, she came upon one of the Thurian wolves, dead in a trap. It was one of the sisters, and Nyota felt her heart break. They both had just had pups and she knew that without the extra help, many of the pups would die.

Nyota stood looking at that trap for a very long time as thoughts swam through her mind. But in the end she growled low and broke the trap before taking the sister far away and burying her. She began to systematically go through the Thurians territory and destroy any traps that she was able to replace. After the last trap was destroyed, she began to track down the den and began to leave more meat out for the wolves. The alpha trusted her from the beginning and both wolves would leave her with the pups so that they could go out and hunt.

Nyota’s anger was far from appeased and took their territory into her own. She scoured the area every couple of weeks and destroyed any traps that would pop up, even if they were small snare lines.

Spring turned into summer which turned into fall and winter.

Nyota was now fourteen and the ache in her heart over her mate being gone, intensified. Instead of feeling depressed though, she would stay with the shifters of the forest, the bruins, the vulpes, and some deer shifters but never did she keep company with the wolf shifters. It was too much of a risk for her because they would move north and stay with the nation.

Summer came again and Nyota was in the middle of the berry patch that the bruins had showed her the previous year when the forest went silent.

Nyota had more experience now and instead of challenging whatever was in the forest around them, she dropped down close to the ground and silently made her way through the patch to the edge. Her ears were perked and her nose was sniffing like crazy. But it was useless endeavor because she could smell nothing coming her way, but she could certainly hear it as it made a ruckus in the bushes and brush.

Hunkering lower, Nyota shifted silently and moved back into the berry patch. She knew that whatever was there would follow her and she counted on it. As she finally got to her destination, she waited until the creature was right on top of her before snapping a branch.

The bears, who had been in the bushes as well had shifted and once Nyota has snapped the branch they rose up on their hindquarters and roared as they rushed the intruder away.

After the forest setteled, Nyota crawled out and sniffed at the scent. It confused her because it smelled both of Black Ice wolf and Thurian wolf. No such creature could smell of both beings. She had later asked the bears if they had seen the creature but all they could say was that it was a wolf, one that was far smaller then her or the Thurian wolves but bigger than an average wolf.

The next several weeks, Nyota spent most of her time as a wolf and remarked her territory once again. There was no reason to worry over the creature any longer when her efforts were now more focused on the traps that had begun to pop up once again. It aggravated her that she was not able to catch who was coming into the forest and setting them up. A scent wasn’t even able to be picked up.

But even with the dismantling of the traps, the shifters and the animals in the forest no longer felt protected. The Thurian pack was the first to go and later on the bears disappeared from the area as well.

As they left, Nyota felt apprehensive and tried to ask her aunt once again to leave but Veronica simply glared at her. She decided not to bring it up again.

It was an autumn day when Nyota woke up to the smell of bacon and cornbread in the middle of the camp. She frowned, trying to push sleepiness from her as she tried to think why she was smelling bacon when none should be around. It finally clicked that someone was in her camp and on a growl she threw back her furs ready to attack the intruder.

She gasped as green eyes clashed with amused sea ice blue and Nyota changed tactics. Instead of attacking she threw her arms around Syn on a sigh and snuggled in close as she hugged him.

Syn laughed as he caught Nyota in his arms and fell back from the force of her hug. Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he nuzzled her neck and breathed her in, his own body calming as her scent mixed with his own. It had been far too long since he last saw his mate.

As he held her, Nyota tried to figure out why she was in his arms, but dismissed the urgings to back away. She had missed him, and what she felt like she needed most was to be held. Her aunt and her barely ever talked or have much contact anymore and she missed the comfort that another could bring, and being with Syn just felt right.

Syn finally pushed her gently back and looked at her. She was growing into a beautiful young woman. Her hair was thick and braided on both sides of her head to pull back the rest of her hair so it wouldn’t get in her face. Her eyes were healthy and clear, no sign of the blood fever affecting her body.

As he looked at her, other parts of his body began to awaken and he shifted uncomfortably. She was still so young to him.

Nyota felt him shift uncomfortably and rolled her eyes as she felt the bulge of his discomfort against her thigh. To help him a little, she began to move away but he caught her and pulled her body back into his lap, “Don’t move,” he whispered as he stared at her lips, his hands slowly moving towards her face to cup her cheeks and caress her gently.

As he moved his fingers over her lips, Nyota gasped and realized she had been holding her breath. She watched as Syn smiled and she blushed in embarrassment.

“My beautiful D’atai ,” he said softly and he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. They were light butterfly kisses which heated her blood in a delicious way and made her exhale with a sigh as he trailed across her lips and cheeks. As she sighed, Syn took advantage of her open mouth and thrust his tongue into it. Nyota moaned at the heat that the kiss sent down to her core, she wanted so much more and pulled him closer.

Nyota wasn’t sure how long they kissed and caressed one another but when they finally stopped both were breating hard and Syn’s eyes were almost black from the passion they had brought on. She smiled shyly at him and pushed some of his hair out of his face, but then laughed as he nuzzled her hand.

Syn felt like he was the luckiest wolf in this land. He had a sweet, delicious mate and he was on the trail that would lead him to the sword which would grant him a way to become Alpha.

Nyota chuckled again which brought his attention back to her and he smiled, “My mate is giddy with what we did?” he asked softly and leaned his head against hers, taking in her sweet wild smell.

She smiled and softly tapped his cheek, he moved back and she slowly moved from his lap, “Yes, but that’s not what I am laughing about,” she giggled and at Syn’s questioning look, Nyota giggled harder, “Our breakfast has burned.”

Syn frowned but then looked over to see both skillets burning as smoke billowed into the air, “Well shit,” he muttered and went to save the pans.