To Feel Again [Welcome To Wolf's Peak]

Chapter Six - Niko

Niko

The damn elf was kicking my ass and it was embarrassing. I feignedleft and ducked right, jabbing my curled fist toward his ribs but he once again moved smoothly to avoid the hit. I growled in frustration at the cocky razor toothed smile he shot at me.

"Nice move, puppy, but not good enough." I was getting sick of him calling me puppy. The man was an obnoxious ass and he reminded me of the vampire, Casper.

"I'm not a puppy, you ass. I thought elves were supposed to be nice." I attempted to hit him again but he spun away from me moments before I found myself in a headlock from behind.

"Fairy stories," he scoffed. "We're bred for strength and agility. Our fighting skills are like no other." He kept his hold on me even as I struggled to break away from him.

"Bred? As in it's decided who you should mate with? But what about fate?" I asked in confusion. How could an entire race ignore what fate had planned? It baffled me.

"Yes. Fate does not always choose a couple who will have the strongest of young. Our army has no weak soldiers," he stated matter-of-factly.

"But why would you deny your mate?" 

"I have no mate, but I must put my people first. Always." He tightened his arm around my neck and I struggled again.

A growl behind us had Vale turning in that direction and I had no choice but to move with him or risk being choked by his thin but strong forearm. My heart beat faster at the sight of Adrian. He was in human form but his eyes shone ferally at Vale, his upper lip curled back as that growl continued to rumble through him. "Get your hands off my mate," he snarled.

I put my hands up in a surrender gesture and tried to explain, "we're just training. Vale is not trying to hurt me, Adrian."

His eyes flickered to mine briefly before returning to Vale's. "Let him go."

Vale dropped his arm from my neck and I moved a step away from him. Vale smiled menacingly and I felt a chill go up my spine at the sight of those teeth. His dentist must have dreaded a visit from him and probably counted all his fingers when he was finished.

Before I could speak Adrian was attacking Vale. "Damn." I cursed and grabbed for Adrian. If that damn elf hurt him I'd find a way to kill the bastard. But Adrian was fast and agile and slipped through my gasp. I was shocked to hear Vale laugh as he dodged Adrian's blows. 

"I like this one, he has fire," Vale smiled.

I finally got my arms around Adrian and pulled him away. "Mine," I yelled at Vale.

"Don't worry, wolf. I don't want your mate. Mine has already been chosen for me and I must stay pure for her." He bowed slightly and then walked away in the direction of the pack house.

"What the hell were you thinking attacking one of the elven?" I asked Adrian. I was thrilled to see him here, thrilled that he'd sought me out. But I'd never been more scared in my life than when he'd tried to attack Vale.

"The what?" He looked up at me with glazed eyes and I realized that he'd acted on instinct without thinking.

"The elven. He's an elven warrior who works for the council. He's been here since everything went down with Maurice," I explained.

"But I thought the council had left that vampire, Casper, here." His brow pinched in confusion.

"They did. But they also left Vale and a few of his men here. They take getting used to."

"Oh," he said in surprise. "Why haven't I noticed them?"

"They tend to blend into the woods, I'm not sure how they manage that, and they don't go out much. It's hard to disguise those pointed ears and teeth." My arms were still banded around Adrian but he either hadn't noticed or didn't mind the contact, I wasn't sure which. "What brings you out here?" I asked hopefully.