The First Fae Queen

"Dianthe..."

The woman was shocked awake, the darkness engulfing her bed of fall leaves, and a strange hush filled her ears. Instead of giving in to the urge to call out into the utter darkness, she decided to burrow herself even farther into the dry foliage that was crunching under her skin.

Even though she couldn't see very well since the crunchy leaves were rubbing along every crack, it was obvious that she was naked. She felt a tickling sensation and groaned softly, slapping at her thighs and buttocks in an effort to keep small flies from feasting on her. greater ones... She shivered at the thought.

She didn't move for hours, letting the shaking of her breath put her in a focused condition until the surroundings turned gray from the agonizingly slow rising sun. Before old tree trunks and shrubs began to appear around her, she was unaware of a second absence. She didn't know who she was or where she came from.

She carefully checked herself in the rising daylight and found no obvious injuries or markings on her body, save for a few minor bruises around her ankle. Before moving, she stood up and swept her hands over her body to remove any debris in the hopes that something might appear recognizable.

She staggered through the trees. Her feet constantly got scratches from sharp objects that were hidden in her path as she limped and groaned. She occasionally sank to her knees and crawled when the anguish became unbearable, but the discomfort quickly subsided. She looked down at her feet and saw that scabs had formed all over them. Her brow wrinkled as she poked and picked at the crusted blood and dirt on her soles.

Who am I, then?

Tall evergreens stacked high on damp soil seemed to be mocking her, their crowns dissolving into a shimmering mist above her. At first, it looked like she was walking straight, but after running into the same mossy boulder three times, she gave up and sat down.

Her soft fingertips bent and tore as she picked at the gray-green rock, creating a crimson imprint. She leaned her head against the cold stone, knotted an old, bendy twig, and hurled it into the brush with a grunt. She blinked as the branches and finger-painting lines caused her to suddenly have an original concept.

Jumping up, she snatched a few slender branches from a nearby pine, tying both ends together and making a loop. She marched out, beaming, after setting it atop the boulder in the form of a crown.

She made another round around a nearby tree to point the way, calling behind her, "I hope never to see you again, you bloody, mossy bastard!"

She cuddled up next to an old pine with an eight-arm-wide girth as dusk quickly set.

She sighed contentedly and crooned, "Goodnight, big guy," while awkwardly embracing the silky bark with one hand.

After a few hours of light sleep, she woke up startled at first light. She now realized why she was hearing whispers in her nightmares.

She squeezed herself tightly and exhaled, "My name!" beaming with satisfaction at having something of her own at last.

"Dianthe."

Dianthe stumbled onto a large, folded blue tarpaulin after some stumbling and happy whispering about her name. She stalked around it, prodding at the tightly wrapped bundle with a rotting stick. Once it stopped moving or making noise, she scooped it up and wound the frayed twine bow string around it.

Carefully hidden inside were half a dozen energy bars, an old t-shirt, and a big pair of men's pants. She turned one of the tiny, rectangular snacks she was holding and read the ingredients.

Fruit, dates, and peanuts Blah, blah, blah may have a range of colors and hard pieces. Avoid the sun's beams directly.

Dianthe thought about its security before shrugging and greedily stuffing the old-looking bar into her lips. Her eyelashes fell back as the flaky, moisture-free texture smothered her tongue in deliciousness. She stopped after the second one because she could feel her tongue swelling from the lack of water, realizing that it might be her sole source of nutrition for a while. She instantly pulled the tarp behind her and put on the unsettlingly soft garments.

Dianthe resumed her expert trail marking after the most recent incident from the previous day. She only created one complete circle before adjusting the distance between the marks. ten steps. "Ten modest steps will get me outside of here. wherever that is present.

The sky gradually grew darker that day, and Dianthe curled up to sleep behind her flimsy blue tarp. A few hours later, in a little clearing, she awoke. As she got ready to get up and find her bearings in the darkness, growls and hoots could be heard all around her. She halted, frozen in the foot-long, dew-coated grass, too far away to creep around invisibly. The woodland was now clearly on her outskirts.

As she laid on her back and looked up at the starless, moonless sky, she gasped painfully. She could see rough outlines, but nothing could have made the sounds she heard. Branches splintered and broke as the mysterious creatures prowled the tree line.

What the heck is going on?

When Dianthe felt a slight growl in her stomach, she hurriedly pressed a hand to it, furious that she hadn't eaten all of the bloody energy bars. If she had, she wouldn't be in danger of obvious creatures being alerted by her growling stomach. Numerous low groans and huffs echoed all around her as she curled up into a ball.

Please go now! The sound of snapping twigs and swishing grass got louder, tightening her chest. She would have been satisfied to let her bladder leak its contents all over the place, so it was a good thing there was no water.

But in the instant it took Dianthe to close her eyes in terror, day had come to take the place of night, and she was again alone under the tarp and pine tree.

As she spoke, bile burst from her splitting lips, and as she leaned forward due to dizziness, her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight.

Dianthe was unsure of her circumstances, but she was aware that the event she had witnessed was impossible. But a well-known sensation gave her the chills.

We are not in the Earth's world.

The fact that the unexpected thought wasn't surprising perplexed her even more. She groaned and scratched her temples as she folded the tarp and tucked it under her arms.

The upshot of that day's disoriented wandering was loneliness. Dianthe ate two more bars, which she struggled to swallow, and sweated out the remainder of her body's water. She sat down and let the coolness of the moist patch of ground caress her throbbing feet.

Dianthe was observing the trees as they burst with silvery mist into the sunlight while resting on her back when she felt a dull discomfort in her chest. She gave it a short blink, then disregarded it for a few seconds before collapsing like a starfish on the ground. She was nervous, but she managed to hold back the tears. Instead, she gave her eyes a vigorous massage while pouting heavily.

Oh my God, sob!

She struggled to control her emotions until she thought she could hear the tiniest drip of water nearby. Exhaling, Dianthe slid onto her stomach and moved into some thick underbrush while creeping through the hard ground. She saw a sheer drop through the thorny bushes. From the base of the tiny cliff, she could hear a clear, quiet creek appealing to her.

Holy sh*t.

She smeared dirt all over her face as she casually threw her battered legs over the edge and dropped herself. She squatted down next to the river and peered down at the level area. Dianthe's brows furrowed as she scrutinized her odd appearance. Her colorless, probably silver eyes searched her face for recognition as she reached up and poked at her filthy cheeks. Nothing more, again. Her hair, which was twisted and in a nest on her scalp, was brown from her days of sleeping on the ground, and some of it was white from the root.

She made a cup out of her hands to smear her reflection as she groaned and smacked the water. She scooped up the cool liquid and drank as much of it as her stomach would allow. She took a few gasping breaths, once puked, and kept drinking when suddenly an ethereal, feminine voice murmured in her mind.

"Follow the river downstream."

"Mother?" Dianthe smiled into her wet hands at the command. That's what my mother told me.

She was hopeful because she could identify the voice, but when she looked through the holes in her fingers, she saw that the water was still calm. Completely still.

She let out a sigh and ran the cool brook water over her face. "Downriver does not exist."

"Dammit."

Dianthe got to her feet and walked over to the edge of the river, kicking it angrily.

Please make a move.

She kicked, sending a wave of tingling electricity down her body, causing the water to rush that way. Her bushy eyebrows reached her hairline.

"Woah..."

When bird music suddenly erupted all around her, she realized that it had been hours since she had heard any forest creatures. She had been fumbling through their house for days and was sure she couldn't be bothering them.

I might be being watched.

She felt her bones tingle at the thought. Dianthe realized it couldn't be the monsters from the previous night because of how loud they were, but she suspected it might be people. Despite the danger the approaching people posed, she shuddered.

Millions of stones in the shape of eggs lined the creek's side, which eventually grew to be a big body of water. She skimmed a few before frowning and turning back to look at the serene, lovely waters. Even the coast appeared still, as if the water were a huge pool.

You ask, What the hell is this place?

On the shoreline's pebbles, Dianthe sat and watched the sun gradually set. She stared as a steady streak of light glistened slightly to the right and sparkled repeatedly from the trees.

As soon as she waved at it, it started to flicker. It beat in time with her heart. She kept an eye on it for a while to make sure it didn't approach, and when it didn't, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She commanded the odd light, "You stay right there," and warily ducked below her poncho. She gave one last wink before letting her eyelids flutter shut.

She heard something coming from under her crinkling blue fabric that night as she woke up in the never-ending darkness. She wasn't sure if it was inside her head or in the forest.

Her mother's voice was stern and unpleasant. Despairing.

"Dianthe..."

Cold air kissed Dianthe's cheeks as she scraped her bare, chapped feet down the lake's edge. Shivers ran down her back as her blood was mingling with the clear waters and lazily swirling around the eggshell and pumice pebbles.

Yuck. My feet won't be particularly appealing after this. She frowned and turned to look at the horizon before casting one more scornful glance at the soles of her feet. As predicted, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Dianthe was determined to find out what was causing the glinting light from the previous night. But before she could advance any further, the woodland at her side grew silent, and she realised how exposed the region around the lake was. The next instant, as she heard jumbled voices, she immediately felt sick to her stomach.

She grew louder and spoke more quickly.

There is no doubt that voices are useful. I could ask for help. Dianthe's fear only increased when she could make out the words being spoken.

"We had been searching for days. She concealed herself inside so that we would never find her. A male.

A second voice responded. This time, she was a woman, and her voice was sharp and vicious. We do as he asks because he wants her.

Dianthe was aware that they were looking for her. She was not going to wait around to find out why, even if she did not know why.

Dianthe raced as fast as she could, cold, hungry, and worn out. Unfortunately, her stumbling sounds notified the trackers. Shouts erupted from behind her, and she was about to scream when a taloned hand wrapped itself around her wrist.

I finally found you, little weirdo, yelled the accompanying voice.

Dianthe realised right away that her efforts were in vain. She was much too weak to take on the muscular, balding woman after her feast of champions. I'm dying for one of those dry, crumbly snack bars right now. The portal-where the hell is it? She yelled to her grey-haired friend, who quickly pulled out a strange item. It had a front dial that pointed in the direction of the water, and it beeped and briefly flashed.

"In the lake," the man responded.

"For heaven's sake, I didn't want to get wet this time. The woman's grip grew firmer as she dragged Dianthe into the water, and her tawny eyes turned serious.

Ianthe's breathing accelerated as the icy liquid encircled their bodies. She even forgot if she ever took swimming lessons.

The man who was with them strained to stay afloat, and in front of her eyes, after a few loud groans, he transformed into a dog. Dianthe's scream was finally heard at that precise time.

What an absolute dog that guy is!

a massive grey dog.

'Wolf.' The correction was zapped into her skull by a voice other than her own. She had little chance to think about it before panic took hold of her.

"No, no, no!" I scream. Dianthe gave the woman a powerful kick in the stomach to release her grip before making a hasty attempt to swim to shore.

"Someone help!"

She started to hyperventilate as something grabbed the back of her T-shirt. She spun around in a wide arc and spotted the ugly woman again, looking even angrier this time. Dianthe realised it horrified as she cast a peek back. "No! You disgusting dog-wolf hybrid! Allow me to go!

When the animal pulled Dianthe below the water's surface as a result of her floundering, forcing them to swallow water, Dianthe choked, barely able to draw in enough air. A weird peace descended upon her as she opened her bulging eyes in opposition to the stinging waters. Underneath them, she observed a little shimmering ring suspended, still parallel to the lake's bottom. She struggled to explain the hue of the glittering, iridescent border around the dazzling focal point. She felt safe as soon as she thought of its name.

That's right, a Faery ring!

The woman and the dog hung on to each other's arms as they made their way through it together. The gang suddenly appeared on dry land, wet to the skin. Dianthe fought the impulse to vomit while keeping her head steady and her hands trembling.

That was terrible, my friend. Also popular...

Tall evergreens surrounded them, and the earth was wet to the touch. The surroundings appeared to be an exact replica of their previous location. As they observed the situation, Ianthe's disappointment erupted. However, after a brief delay, she smelled something. The aroma was faint, yet she salivated. earthy with a hint of spice. Cinnamon?

Let's go, weirdo," the woman with a bald head snarled. Her scalp was covered in a purple scar that ran from brow to nape and ended just before her drenched collar.

Why do you keep using that phrase to describe me? Dianthe whined behind her, still concentrating on the previous injury. She gave the five-foot animal seated next to her a quick glance.

You're the fucking weirdo, she uttered while pinching her nose.

The grey thing huffed and moved in front of them for a moment, his fur bristling. The dog's black eyes were alertly scanning the jungle when its white-tipped ears suddenly pressed back against its skull. Dianthe backed away while shoving against the woman's hold as his chest started to tremble with rumbling growls.

Shaking her head, the woman muttered, "Shit," to her friend. An "embrer claw."

Dianthe smugly reasoned that they must have used the incorrect Faery ring. Aside from their locations obviously being similar to the previous woodland she had been exploring, the new place felt familiar.

But the primary difference was that it gave off a sense of security. A dozen footsteps approached, adding to her sense of security as the seductive aroma drifted across the forest floor and into her nostrils.

Four men and two women who had emerged from behind the pines formed a half-circle around the three alleged intruders. Only because Dianthe was pushed behind the unpleasant woman's back did she see their apparel.

"Janna, I believed I instructed you not to return here.

The bald woman, Janna, bristled in response to the slur. "We are on a mission for Alpha Zaire. I didn't know we were on your turf until we went through a gateway.

Didn't someone warn you not to meddle with Fae tools? Nasty little shits, said another voice.

Dianthe and Janna humped in response. "I have to bring Alpha Zaire this half-breed. You are not influenced by it. Let us now proceed. A fight with the Mystic Shadow Pack is not what you want.

The grey wolf then growled at his friend.

Oh dear, she spoke too much. Before battling it with a cough, Dianthe almost let out a giggle.

I can't believe a dog and this imbecile kidnapped me. This time, her pursed lips genuinely let out a chuckle.

Though she recognised she should be scared, it appeared like her captors were in conflict with the newcomers.

My friend is an enemy's enemy.

Dianthe immediately wanted to dissolve into a puddle on the woodland floor when a deep, holy voice began to speak.

Tell them, "Show her to me."

As a wonderful warmth wrapped around her ankles, her icy limbs started to thaw up.

Both of her captors were alarmed by the request. Inertia persisted.

Dianthe rolled her eyes and looked over Janna's shoulder from behind. She grinned widely as she turned to face the two people to her left.

Dianthe is here; welcome. Before anyone could say anything, she teetered onto the other foot and stared at the two people on her right.

"How's it going? She gave an imaginary hat-tip before being swiftly jerked back and coming down hard on her buttocks.

saying, "Shut up." Infuriated by the mocking, Janna walked over her.

"What? I'm only trying to be polite.

Dianthe was thrilled even though she was sitting on the wet ground since she could see that the people she had welcomed had wide smiles and eyes. Janna turned around to speak again, her strong legs spread wide into a triangle position.

Is she trying to come off as bossy? Dianthe took advantage of the opportunity to approach and poke her head in between the strong limbs. She simply wanted to see the last two rescuers, so her jaw dropped wide.

He was magnificent.

The man had olive-coloured eyes, the biggest cherry-red lips, a cleanly shaven jawline, and dark curls. Unintentionally opening her mouth, she sucked her lower lip in between her teeth. His focus travelled to her face, raising his brows.

Oh yeah, I look like a dirty, wet, and famished rat. She flushed along her cheekbones as she stared into his eyes.

A hand slap from the heavens, followed by a murmured "Hello," was delivered to Dianthe. A snarl could be heard in front of her, and she scowled and looked up at her kidnapper.

You are very rude, she grumbled as she slid between Janna's legs.

She is with us as we journey. The foolish grey dog growled menacingly when the green-eyed man murmured something that aroused Dianthe.

"We must not leave without anything. Janna glared at him angrily. She struggled to understand how someone could belittle such magnificent beauty. On closer inspection, though, they were all breathtaking.

If you don't leave right away, you won't be able to return at all, the first voice warned.

They dismissed their scepticism. Before giving Dianthe a shadowy stare, Janna gave the dog's head a long, hard look.

Your terrible mother will suffer because of this, and you are solely to blame.

I assume she is familiar with my mother. Her heart wrenched as she considered Janna's remarks. Before her mind could come up with horrifying scenarios in response to Janna's threat, her ears were assaulted once more by the sounds of fractured bones, torn sinew, and groans. They now emerged from Janna, who was now a tawny dog. She stepped back, enjoying the sickening diversion.

You're also a dog?

Laughter could be heard coming from behind Dianthe as Janna snapped at her hand with her teeth. But after at least three of her saviours gave her a hearty growl, the two dogs bolted, tails tucked between their knees.

Dianthe watched them leave with morbid fascination before turning back to the gathering, a sly smile hiding her quivering lip. Although they were compassionate enough to save her from the two canine monsters, it was still unclear whether they could be trusted with information about her missing mother.

Where to? she inquired.

Ianthe's heart raced and her cheeks flushed as each person responded with a grin; their genuine grins quickly eased some of her concerns. She pushed her flush to go away as she turned her sight to the man with the green eyes and swayed on her heels.

Big mistake.

He took a big breath and immediately started walking towards her, but halted in mid-step. Her body tingled as his eyes met hers, locking onto hers.

She said nervously, "What?

A hesitant, fleeting smile crossed his lips as she swallowed, and a spark of gold appeared in his iris.

This will either be fun or a huge mess.

He said, "Let's get going."

The two women immediately introduced themselves as the boys turned and retreated back into the trees.

Dammit.

Eve was the taller woman covered in tattoos, and Prim was the shorter woman with red hair that reached her ass. They inclined their heads in the direction of Dianthe, waiting for an answer. She nodded at them quickly, pretending to grin and frown at the same time.

Should we follow them? she asked.

The two women looked at each other as they stood on either side of her. Prim asked Dianthe as they joined arms, "What pack are you from?" as she cleared her throat.

Dianthe shrugged. I don't think I have one. Despite the fact that her memories were burned, she had the impression that she was at least partially correct.

Or are those merely symptoms of hunger?

Both of the women scowled in confusion. "What are you?" Species asks.

'Fae.' A whisper resonated in her thoughts with a dwindling quiet, like leaves trembling in a gentle breeze.

Raising her brows, Dianthe "I think I'm a Fae," was said so slowly that it appeared to be a question.

Prim looked at Ianthe's unclean body and raised her eyebrows. I have never come across a Fae.

Age: "What's your age? Eve spoke while crossing her arms across her chest.

I'm not sure. possibly in their 20s? Before the age of twenty? Dianthe felt it was frustrating that she was forced to estimate her age based on the earlier reflection of herself in the creek because she couldn't remember her exact age. Her face was devoid of the soft roundness of a teenager's and any emerging creases.

They said, "Same," and nodded their heads while grinning a little. Dianthe could feel the overwhelming sense of welcome that Prim in particular sent off, but she couldn't help but feel disappointed that the unnamed man wasn't coming with her. She could see his figure up ahead, along with another guy who kept staring back at them with curious azure eyes.

She cocked her head in the direction of the men and inquired of her friends, "What are their names?"

"Well, that one," Prim said, indicating the youthful-looking man with the short chocolate hair and slouched shoulders. "His name is Jed. He is the brother of Alpha and one of our gammas.

Eve, the other Gamma, boasted arrogantly.

Dianthe nodded and smiled, even though she didn't know what the words meant.

"That brunette bodybuilder over there is my mate, Orion. Prim smiled and pointed to her left with her starry eyes.

He gave the women a sneering glance before becoming prim. The love he had for the puppy was evident in his eyes.

Each of us is a Delta. The person standing next to Alpha is Liam. "He's our beta," Prim stated, as if her claim made perfect sense.

Dianthe lost her curiosity. Do you expect me to comprehend your meaning when you use the terms beta, delta, or mate? Please let me know if it's not Alpha, if it is. That snob.

Prim's eyes became larger, and her cheeks began to flush. Eve, on the other hand, hid her laugh in her hand.

Prim stumbled, "N-no. It's Greek. We've got ranks. Or perhaps titles. Delta follows Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. And he goes by the name of...

Prim began to stammer startlingly, and Dianthe scrunched her face in reaction while giggling. "Just spit that out!"

Before murmuring "Embry," her almond-shaped eyes went to the man in front of her.

Why was that challenging to express? Dianthe felt heated when she heard the name, but she held back from uttering it in front of so many strangers. It wasn't until she heard Liam chuckle that she even realized Embry had been talking.

Weird.

Ianthe's shoulder was gently nudged by Eve, who grinned and added, "Usually, we refer to Embry as Alpha as a sign of respect."

"Why?" "Because, kid, we're dogs. Liam had appeared out of nowhere, grinning. Terms relating to hierarchy

"Liam!" Orion groaned as he drew nearer. Declare, "Shut it.

Dianthe grew curious. Do you resemble the other beings that kidnapped me in any way?

Wolves, my sweetheart. Canines are us, too. Liam made a deep bow and had an unusual accent.

"Don't patronize her, you idiot!" shouted Jed. The fact that they weren't humans wasn't all that unexpected, given their remarkably rapid movements.

Liam raised his eyebrows and grinned savagely once again. I claim that you were jealous since you didn't approach her initially.

Even though Dianthe liked the attention, Embry kept walking at least 20 feet in front of her. She wanted to talk to him so badly.

"Where are we going?" is a question. She was asking about Liam, but Jed answered first.

The "pack house."

That hardly explains anything. Dianthe walked on with her lips pursed. The group was in complete silence for a while until the Fae could take it any longer.

What's your pack's name, exactly?

Prim grinned and clearly sighed, as though the silence was bothering her as well. Burning claw. Unconquerable is the Latin equivalent.

Each gang member radiated pride in their status. Dianthe questioned whether they were given the choice or made it themselves. She softly chuckled at the idea that the first statement might be accurate.

"You guys really like your old languages," Dianthe observed with a smile before picking up her speed. She tried to keep up with Embry without starting to trot, but it seemed that if she didn't move quickly, she would fall far behind him. To chase a man would be to debase the Fae.

She would yell at one, though. "Embry, I'm sorry. I have a question for you.

The group paused as soon as his body turned to meet hers. He was now only a few feet from Dianthe, who had continued on unabated. His gaze shot back to her, disappearing into the trees, and five sets of feet could be heard sprinting parallel to him.

There were just the two of them.

"You didn't have to eject them through force. I barely had a few minutes to talk to you.

Embry's laugh, which completely erased his previous puzzled expression, lifted her spirits. "Fine, go ahead.

Dianthe scowled as all of her prior ideas vanished out of nowhere. What exactly do you know about those wolves I was with?

He sighed and pondered as he looked down at her. They originate from a close-by pack. Their Alpha is someone you don't want to meet. He kills for amusement. After killing his beta, Zaire severed his dirty neck.

As Embry cast a resentful glare in her direction, Dianthe experienced a strange pang flood through her chest. The pain grew worse, and she gently rolled over. My mother is also possessed, right?

As warm hands encircled her shoulders, she trembled. You inquire, "What's wrong?"

I'm not precisely sure; she admittedly lied, shaking her head. Last week, when I woke up in a Fae realm and outfit, I had no memory of anything. Her skin had a glow on it that masked the coolness of her wet attire.

"Nothing at all?"

The girl shook her head once again as she cast a questioning glance in his direction. He was so cute.

Are you a Fae, though? He had overheard their conversation before.

Therefore, Prim murmured.

"In my opinion, without a doubt, the minimum of 50%.

His expression became much more stern. What about the other half, you ask?

She continued walking with her shoulders back and her ears raised. Embry was one-half stride behind her, and she could feel his gaze on her back. "I'm not certain. That must make it human, I suppose. Half-breeds are uncommon, Dianthe. His tone was tentative and low. They frequently come about through illegal means.

She shuddered at his remarks, but she was convinced they were untrue. "No. Not me. I have a good feeling that love was the reason I was born. Dianthe chuckled despite the odd word choice since it made her think of something she had heard before.

My mom must have said that. She buried Janna's remark that her mother was once again in pain in the hopes that Embry wouldn't notice.

"I thought you had no memory." His voice sounded guarded once more.

She quickly retorted, her hands trembling. "Sometimes, things just occur to me. Are we almost there yet? My legs hurt.

Her bare, battered feet, covered in muck and filth, caught his attention right away.

Before advancing, Embry grabbed her into his arms and held her tight to his chest. Despite her protests and glares at him for the unexpected movement, he felt so warm. She didn't move as his heat warmed her chilly digits.

When it rolled off of him, the earthy scent that emanated from his neck was identified as cinnamon. Dianthe simply inquired, "What makes you smell so good?"

He shrugged, a slight smile playing over his lips. At the sudden movement, she reflexively wrapped her arms around his neck.

When he remained silent, she rolled her eyes and grumbled, "You're carrying me. The least you could do is answer my questions. I did." You shrugged.

"Yes," I answered, "because I'm not sure.

She rolled her eyes once more and tipped her head back as if she were dead. I can see things there. It resembled a small upside-down shed with barred windows and a sagging roof covered in orange pine needles.

We provide secure shifting for wolf pups in our holding cells. The tenderness of his voice made Dianthe melt even more into his touch. She grimaced as she saw that her wet clothing had soaked his clothes.

So, I suppose we're getting close. As the pack house drew nearer, she became more enthusiastic. She nearly screamed at the allure of a warm shower before lifting her head again and letting it rest against his strong chest.

She heard a rhythmic hammering, and her heart started to beat more slowly. Dianthe took a final gaze at Embry, who was pausing due to her quivering jaw. She watched as his eyes grew stern toward the edge of the trees and his Adam's apple slowly bobbled.

It's nearly there, he remarked.