The Wanderer

Chapter 10

Waking up, my body is abnormally warm. I feel content, like I was meant to be right here, in this moment. Opening my eyes, I come face to face with Niko's chest.

Still in my wolf form, I look at him with my amber eyes, admiring his facial structure. The chest I am laying on is rock hard, impressively so. He must work out far more often than I used to.

I shuffle around, trying to get up. Breaking my eyes away from his gorgeous face and body, I read the clock. I've only been asleep for two hours? I feel well rested, but that must be because I slept with Niko.

If sleeping with Niko is this peaceful, I want to do it every night. But we aren't quite there yet, having just met and all.

Niko starts to stir, his dark eyes opening to meet mine. He looks down at me worriedly, as if just remembering something. "Is your chest okay? I saw she got you pretty good." At the last sentence, his voice turns into an angry growl.

I nod, before hopping out of the bed tiredly, making my way to the closet. Grabbing a large t-shirt, I pad back into the room, moving towards the bathroom.

Nikolai watches me the whole time, looking at my wolf with an unreadable emotion. He seems almost... proud?

Stepping into the bathroom, I close the door with my nose, nudging it until it shut completely.
Shifting back to my human form is far more painful than shifting into my wolf was. My human form is less natural to me after all the years spent as a wolf. My bones crack and rearrange, me breathing heavily at the pain it brings.

Niko is still on the bed, his heart beating fast as if he is worried. My werewolf senses give me an idea of what is going on behind this door. He stands up, his footfalls repeating in a line. He must be pacing.

Finally, my shift is complete. Lying on the cold tile of the bathroom floor, I move my aching body into a standing position. I slip on the shirt before I walk back into the bedroom.

Niko's pacing stops as I open the door, me peeking out carefully. My feet softly step onto the wooden floor of his bedroom, getting used to not walking on uneven ground filled with roots and twigs.

Smiling at Niko, I ask, "Where will I be sleeping?"

Before answering, he holds his hand out, with a pair of underwear in it. I take it gratefully as he turns around, allowing me to put it on with privacy. He speaks, his back facing me, "There is a room to the left beside this one, if you want to sleep there."

Nodding even though he can't see me, I walk to the door to head out. My hand clenches the door knob, me sighing, before turning around. "Thank you for letting me stand up for myself. I knew I needed to prove my worth to the pack, and that was the way to do it."

"Of course. The only reason I didn't want you to fight was because I was worried. I couldn't imagine anything happening to you. My wolf and I were wanting to rip Abby's head off for challenging you, but you handled it gracefully. You will make a great Luna," Niko speaks honestly, pride dripping from his words. "I'm just curious, how did you learn to fight like that?"

I smile, remembering my parents. They are the reason I decided to train to be a warrior, and now I will be forever grateful. Not only did it help me win the challenge, but it gave me something to remember them by. Every time I fight, I think of them.

"My parents were strong warriors. I wanted to be just like them, so I trained, hoping to be as good as them one day. Even though my heart was in psychology, I still wanted to be able to protect my pack." I sigh deeply, muttering, "I wish I could have protected them."

If Niko heard my last sentence, he didn't show it. He just smiles at me, before saying quietly, "Thank you for sharing that with me. Good night, Cali."

Smiling right back, I say, "Good night, Niko."

I walk to the room he mentioned, recognizing it as a guest room. It is plain but feels homey.

Crawling onto the bed, I pull the covers over my body, trying to get comfortable. Key word is trying. Tossing and turning for what feels like hours, my brain slows down it's thoughts. Maybe I'll actually be able to sleep.

My hope is proven wrong when my brain awakens again, screaming loudly at me to join Niko in his room. My body aches to be near him, especially after such a peaceful nap on his chest. After knowing what my sleep could be like with me by his side, I can't sleep without him.

I feel like something is missing in my heart, and it's caused by the lack of Niko. I need his touch, his presence. Right as I'm about to give up trying to sleep to go to his room, someone knocks on my door.

Mumbling a tired, "Come in," the door opens to show the one person I wanted to see.

Niko is standing in the door frame, bending over slightly to avoid hitting his head, in all his shirtless glory. He looks just as tired as I feel, seeming to not have gotten any sleep. Just like me.

Niko walks over to my bed slowly, as if asking for permission. When I nod, he walks quicker. Jumping onto the bed, I bounce lightly, giggling in happiness. I'm not one to giggle, but seeing Niko when I am this tired makes me do things I don't normally do.

He smiles at me, before whispering, "Come here." His arms are held open, him already laying down comfortably under the covers. I crawl into his arms, enjoying the warmth he provides.

"Why couldn't we sleep without each other?" I ask, half awake. I wanted to know the answer, but sleep was pulling me into its embrace.

His voice is muffled by my hair, him kissing my head when he says, "I think it's because I was so worried about you during the challenge. Right after, we took a nap together, strengthening our bond even more. Now, it hurts to be apart."

Nodding, I mumble incoherent words, not even knowing what I'm saying. He laughs gently, me feeling the vibrations of it in his chest.

I feel warm and safe, something I haven't felt in far too long before I met Niko. The last time I felt this safe was when my parents were alive, tucking me into bed every night. Even though it was childish, I made them do it, the act keeping the bad dreams away.

Now, the only person I have to keep the bad dreams away is Nikolai. I hope he is enough.