The Wolf Lord's Mate

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Nathaniel pulled himself up onto the horse with ease, settling himself behind me. I scooted as far to the front of the saddle as I could, but it was difficult to escape the warmth of the hulking male behind me.

"You'll be far more comfortable if you lean back against me." Nathaniel said, reaching around me for the reins.

"I highly doubt that," I stiffened, "Perhaps I could walk instead?"

"The cabin is too far to walk—at least for a human." Nathaniel tutted and flicked the reins, and the mare started off down the hill. Flinching, I grasped at Nathaniel's forearm instinctively, holding onto him to keep myself steady.

"How far is it?" The shifting of the mare beneath me was incredibly disconcerting, and the sooner I could get off the better, "Isa said it was near where the Captain lived?"

"Somewhat," Nathaniel's forearm flexed beneath my hand, and if it hadn't been for my fear of falling, I would have already let go, "It's in the general vicinity, but I try to keep the knowledge of its location to a minimum. Both for privacy, but also for safety. If something were to happen, I want to know that there is someplace where I could send you where my enemies couldn't get to you."

His words were protective, but also possessive—keeping me where no-one could find me, the same way he could lock me behind that door forever. His attention was an intoxicating flattery, but it was still a trap. Love could take many forms, and I feared that his would become a prison.

"So how long of a ride is it?" I peeled my fingers away from his arm one by one before grabbing the horn to steady myself.

"A few hours."

"Hours?" My stomach lurched as Nathaniel flicked the reins again, and the mare sped to a trot.

"We should get there just before sundown," Nathaniel's tone was far too casual, "If you get tired, feel free to rest, it's an easy ride."

"How exactly would I rest like this?" My stomach dropped as the mare turned into the tree-line of the woods, the ground uneven beneath her hooves, "I think I'll be grey by the time we get there."

"You could lean against me," Nathaniel chuckled, his breath hot in my ear, "Put your head on my chest—I have a feeling you would have no problem falling asleep."

"Thank you for the offer, but I quite like my personal space," I said, scooting even farther away from Nathaniel until I was practically pressed up against the horn, "You might enjoy it as well."

"I doubt that very much," Nathaniel said, "Being around you makes me never want to spend another moment alone."

The mare's jump over a root bed saved me from having to respond, the sudden lurch squeezing a yelp out of me instead. I held onto the horn as tightly as I could, squeezing my eyes shut to avoid looking as we shifting down a ravine.

This male must have built this place in the middle of nowhere.

Nathaniel went quiet for awhile, and I was grateful for the silence as I adjusted to the movements of the mare. After awhile, the swaying and shifting wasn't quite as jarring, and my fear began to dissipate. The tenseness in my shoulders was only becoming worse, however, as was the sharp pain at the bottom of my spine. I had pushed myself so far forward away from Nathaniel that my hips were sitting much further up than they were supposed to, my back rigid in an attempt to keep from touching him.

I managed to hide my discomfort for a while, but I should have known that nothing could escape Nathaniel's notice, at least when it pertained to me.

"Darling," I jolted as Nathaniel's hand rested at my hip, "While I find your stubbornness delightfully adorable, my limit for it ends at your discomfort."

"I am perfectly fine," I said, stretching my back in an attempt to relieve the pain in my spine, but it did nothing in the way of relief, "I'm just not used to riding a horse, that's all."

"You're not fine, and you're going to hurt yourself if you keep sitting like that." Nathaniel passed the reins over to his other hand, and with one swift, easy movement, wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me back into him.

"That's not necessary—Nathaniel." I gave a small protest, but the moment my hips slid back to meet his, the pressure at the bottom of my spine eased.

"There you go." Nathaniel spoke into my ear, his breath shifting my hair. He snaked his hand in the tiny bit of space he had left between us, and his thumb rubbed circles into the spot at the base of my spine, "Isn't that better?

"I suppose," I said quietly, shutting my eyes and letting myself enjoy the soothing feelings his touch brought me. I quite literally could not go anywhere else, so I might as well take advantage of it where I could. Nathaniel was right; there was no point in injuring myself because of my stubbornness—I would continue to defy him, I wasn't giving in that easily, but I could benefit from being a bit smarter with my defiances.

For now, I let him hold me, leaning my head back against his broad chest, listening to the sound of his breathing as he led the mare through the woods towards the cabin.

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