Wolfe

5

Chapter 5

"Here."

Marley looked, from where she was staring at a large screen in front of Jace's bed, to the blonde. A small bundle of clothes being held towards her, her gaze roaming up the covered arm before settling on Jace's face. A small towel rested atop of the human's head, it covering most of her blonde strands as the wolf reached for the offered clothes.

"Really?" She questioned, Jace letting out a low hum and looked away from the redhead when she let go of the towel that she had wrapped around her. It pooled around her waist as she stayed sitting on the bed, laying the sweatpants on the bed before slipping the slightly oversized shirt over her head.

"You know the rules." Jace countered softly as she kept her gaze on the wall, her eyes flickering towards the TV screen. She watched as the werewolf picked herself off the bed to put on the pants before she moved her gaze back to the wall, her ears turning a soft pink.

"You're no fun." Marley pouted after settling the pants waistband at her hips and moved towards Jace. She pressed her front against the human's left arm, light brown eyes looking towards her. She moved to lean her head towards Jace's neck, a comforting rumble beginning to build up in her chest when Jace took a step away from her, calloused olive hands resting atop of her shoulders.

"Listen, it's nice to see you again. But the last time you were here, I was nearly strangled to death." The blonde spoke, Marley taking notice of her eyes flickering towards the door before focusing back on the wolf. Marley lifted her hands to rest them atop of Jace's, clutching them gently as she leaned forward once more. She nuzzled into the human's neck, finally letting out the rumble and pressed herself closer against the blonde's arm.

"...I know. Sorry about that, but you won't need to worry about my dad. I handled him before coming here." Marley explained against Jace's neck, continuing her nuzzlement as the blonde's throat bobbed slightly.

"I'm not letting anybody hurt you." The redhead whispered, her inner wolf growling in agreement.

Jace's gaze focused on the crown of Marley's head while the werewolf continued her nuzzling against the scarred skin. A soft noise leaving her when she felt Marley lick the scar that went vertically below her left ear.

"Did...Did you just lick me?" She asked the younger. Marley pulled away from Jace's neck to connect their gazes, her hands moving to rest atop of the human's shoulders as she tilted her head questioningly.

"Do humans not lick each other?"

"No!" Jace answered, a disbelieving laugh leaving her and making Marley's brow furrow as she looked down at the human's neck before locking their gazes once more.

"Why?"

"C-Cause it's weird. And unsanitary." Her free arm lifted up so the blonde could scratch at the side of her head.

"...Do you not want me to lick you?" Marley questioned, suffocating the disappointed whine that formed from the words. Werewolves were as social as their beastial brethren but Marley would try and rein in her natural instincts if Jace asked.

"I-uh...Ju-Just try to keep it at a minimum, eh?" Jace sighed, watching as Marley's eyes brightened with joy before the wolf pressed back against her. A quiet noise coming from the back of her throat when the redhead gave a light lick to her cheek.

"You this affectionate with everyone?" Jace grumbled softly as she gently pulled away from the werewolf, Marley watching as she headed towards her rifle that was resting on top of a dresser leaning against the wall next to the kitchen's open threshold.

"Only the ones I like." Marley answered as she watched Jace take the rifle off its mount and lightly ran her fingers against the teeth marks around the forestock's middle. Marley's ears twitched as Jace slightly turned her body towards her and showed the wolf the grooved marks.

"A couple of days after your dad took you back, I found my rifle just laying in my backyard. With some slight additions." The blonde tapping at the gashes and making Marley lower her head bashfully.

"Sorry."

"...Don't be. Gives it character." Jace whispered before she opened the dresser that the weapon had been resting on and pulled out several loose large caliber bullets. She placed them in her pants zipper pockets before zipping them up and looked at Marley from over her shoulder.

"Come on."

"What're we doing?" Marley questioned as she hurried to walk behind Jace, the human having a firm hold on her rifle as she kept its muzzle pointed at the floor.

"I promised to help you hunt a caribou, remember? I keep my promises." Jace answered as she opened the back door and walked out of her cabin, Marley standing still at its threshold.

'She remembered...'

Marley's eyes softened, her chest vibrating with a gentle rumble before she hurried towards Jace. Her rumbling grew stronger as she pressed her front tightly against Jace's back, her eyes closing while she took in the surprised grunt the blonde had let out.

Jace's eyes looked over the trees around the forest's entrance when Marley had wrapped her arms tightly around the taller woman's waist. The usual stiffness in her body eased somewhat as she felt the vibrations from the Werewolf's rumbling, a low sigh leaving the blonde's lips as her gaze lifted a bit to stare at the late afternoon sky.

"Clingy one, ain't'cha?"

< >

Canis and Lupus watched from their spots hidden in the trees branches as Marley stuck low to the ground, her silver ears pulled back against her skull as she slowly prowled towards a grazing caribou. Its strong, large horns showing that the herbivore was an adult male.

Lupus continued watching as Marley kept her slow prowl towards the Caribou while Canis looked towards the human. She was sitting down while hidden behind several bushes, one leg bent at the knee with her rifle resting atop it while her other leg laid curled against the grass. The human was looking through her weapon's scope, Canis's ears twitching as she took notice of the blonde's finger resting over the weapon's trigger.

"Damn it, Marles. You're supposed to stay downwind." Lupus whispered with a quiet growl as the breeze blew around them, Canis looked back towards their baby sister and watched as the caribou's head shot up. Marley's ears perked forward, her body tensing up as she saw the prey's head swivel about for a moment before a thunderous noise made her flinch and shut her eyes.

The silver wolf's ears pulled back from the sudden noise, her eyes opening to see the Caribou falling onto its side. A small bit of dirt kicked up around the caribou's body, Marley rising from her lowered position to get a better look at the prey.

A quarter-sized hole was at the center of its skull, its lifeless eyes staring at nothing as Marley sat beside it. Her tail thumped lightly against the ground, her ears flicking as she heard Jace getting closer.

The werewolf watched as Jace crouched in front of the caribou, her scarred hand moving to slip the animal's eyes closed.

"I had him you know." Marley pouted after shifting back, her arms crossed against her bare chest as Jace lightly patted the caribou's side.

"He smelled you, was gonna bolt. You gotta stay downwind of prey when you hunt, you know." Jace countered lightly as she moved to carry the caribou over her shoulders, Marley blinking at the human as she scooped up her rifle as well.

"Come on, takes a while to gut this big guy." She told the werewolf before she began to walk back towards her cabin, her grooved boots crunching the leaves on the ground.

"You're strong." Marley murmured with a pleased rumble as she walked beside Jace. The human looked at the werewolf from the corner of her eye before her gaze faced forward, her free arm holding the caribou as she adjusted it on her shoulders.

"I guess."