Chapter 25 - Maddy and Rhydian - Part 1 of 2
The blood-red moon of the total eclipse hovered above it all like the ultimate spectator. On a hilltop overlooking Stoneybridge a redhead and a brunette circled each other like two fearsome predators determined to find each other's fatal weakness. Let the rematch begin. I tried not to think about what Rhydian was seeing, watching every second of this. The lunar eclipse had turned the night into a world more eerie than normal, but my wolfblood veins sang with joy, the playful cub in me ready to romp and conquer.
"There isn't a spider web to save you this time," Jana hissed. She changed into her wolf, barreling into me before I could react. I went somersaulting backward down the hill as I heard her switch back to her human form and howl in triumph. I heaved myself up on my elbows and ignored the shredded lines in my brand new leggings. Can't think about Rhydian watching. No distractions, just take her out Mads. My wolf and I saw eye-to-eye as I surged up the hill. Jana stood supremely confident, prepared to shove me tumbling back down. I faked with a jerk to the left, spinning around her as I shot my arm out, snagging her across the chest as my momentum toppled Jana onto her back. I lunged to the grass beside her, wrapping my legs around her neck in a perfect grip as she frantically grappled at my hips.
"Surrender!" I shouted, my yellow eyes must have glowed like a thousand fireflies. Jana was stubborn, she had fire in her veins every bit as much as I did. That was going to be a problem. With superhuman strength—or a super-wolfblood feat of will—Jana broke my grip, wiggled free, launching right back to her feet. I leapt onto her back, spinning her on her feet until we tipped over, both tumbled down the hill together, our combined grunts intensifying with each jab of uneven rock. My ribs ached by the time we hit bottom, but it was just like Jana to press the advantage even though neither of us had recovered. She put me in a head lock, returning my favor from earlier. I twisted, kneeing her in the stomach. That loosened the redhead's hold, but it wasn't enough.
"Give it up Maddy!" Jana growled, and I could hear the anticipation of victory in her voice. It only made me more determined than ever not to give her the satisfaction.
Never! My wolf howled every kind of defiance as I butted my head backward. For a second the edges of my vision went dark as pain exploded from the back of my skull. Despite the sudden stab of debilitating sensation, Jana had it worse than I did. I was on my knees, still waiting for my vision to clear as I saw Jana lying on her back, moaning like someone had knocked her in the face with a shovel.
Rhydian bounded down the hill and rushed between us in wolf form, growling and baring his fangs. He had clearly seen enough of our 'good-natured' tussle. I couldn't miss the accusation in his baleful wolfy eyes. You let things get out of hand. Enough! He kept chastising us each in turn as we slowly recovered from knocking our heads together. Finally Jana sat up with a final moan, furiously rubbing her forehead. I stood up as Rhydian's hand stretched out, his human form bristling every bit as angrily as his wolf had just a heartbeat ago.
He hugged me to his chest, his hand caressing the side of my face as he examined the back of my head for blood or…more likely…a growing goose egg.
"Rhydian…I'm fine," I protested. He sat me down and then used two hands to pull Jana up, checking her with the same care he had me. He sat us both down side by side on a rotted-out log and gave us a testy look much like a father might give two children who had just epically misbehaved.
"I'm calling it a draw and that's final. I'm sick and tired of having two alphas sniping at each other in this pack." He trained his ominous gaze on Jana first. "Since this is Maddy's territory, Jana, I'm expecting no more challenges from you…unless you want me nipping at your heels while Mads gives you a good walloping." Before I could celebrate my victory though, Rhydian was already dousing my giddiness with a fresh outpouring of disapproval. "And you, Mads. Did really have to escalate things by reverse head-butting Jana in the face? You could have broken her nose or seriously injured her! What were you thinking?"
He was right. Under the thrall of the lunar eclipse my mind couldn't decide whether it wanted to be wolf or human. I just bounced back and forth like a girl with a personality disorder, it was beyond exhausting even though I also had never felt so alive, my two selves mingling and immersing inside one another. Words couldn't describe how full my emotions felt just now, how I felt I could do just about anything, including fly to the moon and back…but Rhydian was right. I had let my wolf's competitive instincts escalate things and Jana could have been hurt.
Jana obviously felt bad too. I could tell from the sympathetic look in her green eyes that she might have done the same thing to me if our roles had been reversed—aiming to win at any cost.
"Jana…" I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and bit my lip.
"We both got carried away," she said. She leaned over and we wrapped our arms around each other. Next she did something that totally stunned me. She gave me a kiss on the lips. I blinked rapidly, not sure what to do, and then the instant was gone as she pulled back.
When she saw the puzzlement on my face, that bright, goofy grin spread across her lips. "Sorry." She blushed. "I forgot…wild wolfbloods are more affectionate than tames. Among my pack women kiss women as a sign of affection, it's just another way of showing you care about someone. That you accept them in the pack." I was probably blushing a little myself as I licked my lips and managed a shy smile.
"I wasn't complaining, just a little confused." I laughed, which helped shatter what tension remained. We glanced over at Rhydian, who was still gaping at us in the aftermath of our kiss. He looked like a daft fool trapped in someone's spell, so finally I couldn't take it anymore. I sprang to my feet and tackled him as he yelped in protest.
"Poor Rhydian, all jealous of Jana kissing me," I cooed, teasing him as I straddled him on the ground, leaning down to caress his lips with a playful near-kiss just designed to tantalize. His neck craned up as he hungrily answered, his lips pressed to mine. His hands took my shoulders, holding me as I leaned over him, responding with my tongue, drinking in his cinnamon and woodsy scent. Rhydian's hands slid down my arms as he flipped me onto my back, taking control. My legs wrapped around his middle as I felt his warm breath tickle my neck for a moment, once he broke the kiss just long enough to lay a passionate trail of softer kisses down to my collar bone.
"Rhydian…" I half-moaned, half-begged. If we didn't stop soon, we wouldn't stop at all. The lunar eclipse was as precious and glorious as it was dangerous; we weren't acting as ourselves, with the same inhibitions we were used to as our humans…or even as our wolves. I sighed as Rhydian slipped one bra strap off of my shoulder, nuzzling and kissing me where a new expanse of unprotected skin seemed to cry out I'm yours for the taking. My hands were gliding through his hair, enjoying the soft waviness of him and the overpowering scent that eradicated all rational thought.
"Guys!" Jana shouted. "Keep your clothes on."
Rhydian pulled back with a shaky breath, running his hand through the golden mop of hair I had thoroughly mussed. I bit my lip before bursting out in giggles as I saw the disappointment on Rhydian's face. It was too adorable, and the way his hair stuck up at every angle was so cute my heart could have melted. Rhydian's cuteness quickly soured into a frown though. He sniffed the air suspiciously and then leaned over with eyes bulging.
"Rhydian, what's wrong?"
"You're bleeding Mads!" Wherever I was bleeding, I couldn't see it. I should have smelled the coppery scent except I had been too preoccupied with the clench of desire and the flock of butterflies it had set off in my stomach. Rhydian knelt down over me, fingers tracing the side of my neck. I saw his shoulders sag in relief. "It's just a shallow cut…looks worse than it is. A lot worse," he said, chuckling. I whimpered as he leaned over, licking the wound like a wolf—yet another sign that the lunar eclipse was making us act anything but normal!
"Rhydian!" I whined. I giggled as he kept licking me. "Are you a wolfblood or a vampire? Stop it!" I said, squirming under him as he just held me tight. Jana knelt beside my head with a tissue in her outstretched hand.
"Stop mauling your girlfriend and try making yourself useful," she instructed. God…sometimes I really loved Jana. Seeing her boss Rhydian around was almost as much fun as bossing him around myself. I grinned like a happy cub as Rhydian took the tissue and obediently pressed it to my neck, waiting for the worst of the bleeding to stop.
"Guys, you don't need to fuss over me. You know it'll heal soon enough." Probably the next time I changed. Wolfbloods could heal shallow cuts usually within an hour, and there were ways to even accelerate the process. Like two over-concerned mother bears, Rhydian and Jana just ignored me.
"I'll go run to the trailer and get some rubbing alcohol. Make sure it doesn't get infected," Jana offered.
Rhydian nodded. "I'm liking that idea. The way you and Mads were rolling around in the dirt fighting tooth and claw, I wouldn't put it past the wound to have gotten infected. Go ahead, I'll keep our patient occupied," he said with a smirk. I think we both knew what he meant by 'occupied'. As soon as Jana left, the handsome boy leaned down, gently pressing his lips to mine. I whimpered again, this time with need. He drew away, playfully tweaking my nose, which startled me and made me giggle again.
"Maddy, you're absolutely gorgeous, you know that? Sometimes it makes it hard for me to think properly. You're beautiful even when you're injured," he said, humor dancing in his eyes. I wanted to just roll my eyes at him but I just lay there, enjoying the feel of his warmth on top of me. I could have stayed like that forever. Maybe now was the time to say the words that really mattered—the words I'd considered saying so often lately that sometimes I kept myself up at night.
I love you, Rhydian. I mean, I was almost 100% sure that he knew how I felt. And I was pretty sure that he felt the same way about me. Touches, gestures, hidden glances and stray touches—they told a story. They revealed so much more than words could sometimes. And yet…sometimes…. Sometimes you just had to proclaim it to the world, to celebrate what you felt for your mate. There was no better way to do that than by just saying the words out loud, letting them flow from your lips as you looked into the other person's eyes. To make sure they knew exactly how you felt, no room for ambiguity or second-guessing. I wanted Rhydian to have that reassurance and know exactly where he stood with me.
I was just about to say the words to him while I kept staring, lost in the heat of his gaze.
A mixture of scents suddenly raked across us both, tossed by the breeze. It was Mum and Dad. They were here…but why?