Forever Yours

FIVE

The paddocks surrounding the pack houses glowed with a gold and orange mixture thanks to the lowering sun. The warmth of the day was subsiding as twilight began to show. Isaac's wolf stepped from the shade of the trees and Roxy took the time to admire the sight which had become rare. Despite his human form beginning to look weak, his strong wolf continued to fight the vampire venom. He was still tall and solid with a glossy coat as black as midnight. The greens of his eyes still had a silent authority that made any wolf automatically respect him with a single glance. The strong form of his wolf was a relief, but also a worry. If the bloodlust took control of his wolf, Isaac's weak human mind wouldn't be able to regain control if his other half went searching for blood.

'So where do you want to go?' asked Roxy as she began playfully prancing on the spot.

Isaac's eyes glistened with mischief. 'I was thinking of the place where we were first naked together.'

Roxy's body still went hot at the memory. 'Last one there's a rotten egg!'

Isaac's wolf gave a huff and his eyes rolled. 'Are you a child?'

'Only on the inside.' Roxy bumped his shoulder playfully with her head as she came to line up next to him. Both their wolves lowered into starting positions with their eyes focused and the muscles in their legs coiled like springs. 'Ready... set... go!'

Isaac's wolf launched away from hers within seconds, his powerful form charging along in front of her. Roxy laughed and raced after him, the point of her nose only inches away from the tip of his tail. Their paws thundered along the ground while dust flew about behind them. Insects scattered from the blades of grass in frenzied flurries, scrambling to escape being trod on by the large wolves coming towards them. Both their wolves puffed steadily whilst the wind ruffled their coats. The mountains played the part of a breathtaking backdrop. Eventually they found the river which wound its way around the bottom of the mountains, the trail to their destination. Roxy allowed herself to slow as she came alongside Isaac. Throwing her head back, she let out with a pleasurable howl and Isaac's wolf joined. The symphony of their voices echoed around them.

It was in this moment that Roxy truly felt some weight lift from her shoulders, more than her solitary morning run ever did. The stress of running the pack melted away along with her doubts of making the right decisions. The fear of what Abigail and Levi's offspring meant was tossed away into the breeze behind her. And instead of being sad that these moments with Isaac had become rare, she grabbed the moment with both paws and tucked it away tightly in her heart.

Soon enough, the rushing of the waterfall filled her ears. Both of them came to a stop at the top, taking in the stunning view of the white curtain of water rushing down the mountainside. Roxy nuzzled her face into Isaac's ruff while her wolf purred happily. This is what life could've been like if he wasn't a blood wolf. He'd still be commanding the pack while she was a gentle guiding hand. Instead of scrambling to find a cure for his curse, they'd be enjoying moments like this every day. Simply enjoying each other's company. And maybe those moments would've led to them having a child by now. But Roxy knew there was no point in wishing for things to be different. They had to make the most of the circumstances they'd found themselves in. And if she hadn't made the decision to turn him into a blood wolf, then they wouldn't have even had the chance for experience a handful of these moments.

Fighting for the life she'd dreamt of with Isaac was better than not having it to fight for at all.

Isaac gave her a gentle nudge and they disappeared down the shaded track to begin the descent. When they reached the bottom, the pool was completely still, apart from a few ripples caused by the waterfall pouring into it. Roxy giggled when Isaac's wolf launched from the bank next to her and cannonballed into the pool. She was quick to follow, the cool water quickly finding her skin beneath her fur. The sounds of the world above the water surface muffled as she paddled towards Isaac. To her, they were the only ones in the world, hidden away by the water's surface. Their wolves pressed their foreheads against one another in an act of affection. The bubbles blowing from their noses tickled Roxy's face. Their paws gently paddled through the water as their bodies swirled and twirled with one another in an underwater dance.