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Loud crashing of the waterfall. Dampness seeping into my fur. Fear engulfing my body. Hand posed above my heart with that life-ending weapon. All memories trampled my senses like a herd of galloping horses, as I took in the blade lying harmless in his grasp. So peaceful looking, yet lethal.

"Where did you find this?" Tarrin repeated, his eyes never straying from my form. They scrutinized my every move, resembling a hawk waiting to dive in on its prey the moment it twitched.

"I've never seen that in my life." My voice was as unconvincing as it sounded.

He rolled his eyes at my response, buying it as much as I believed it. I was never one to be good at lying, and Tarrin was quick to call me out.

"You suck at lying," Tarrin pointed dryly.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I mentally concluded there was no way I could get around this one. Brydene found the knife and wolf in my outfit the first day I was brought here and stripped. Immediately, she had given it to the hunters.

"I found it in the forest," I answered plainly, wanting nothing more than for him to leave. His presence clogged my mind with a heavy haze making it impossible to think. Every cell in my body was bombarded with his heavenly scent reminding me of the woods just outside his home.

"More specifically, where," he demanded, the tone in his voice blunt—indicating he knew where I had found it. He wasn't a stupid man; he would remember he dropped his knife in that cave in front of the white Charm wolf. Those moments would be engraved in both our minds. The only difference: I knew who was standing in front of me. I could only hope he wouldn't make the connection between the furry mammal cowering in the cave and myself.

The only thing easing my nerves at this point, was the fact the hunters never came across a half breed before. Therefore, piecing together the information they gathered always became tangled when trying to relate it back to me.

Keeping my lips sealed, I waited to see where he'd take this. I didn't want to say anything that would come back to bite me later.

"Does a lagoon sound familiar to you?" Tarrin questioned, cocking his head, eyes turning to slits. "More so, in a cave behind the waterfall in that lagoon?" He took a step closer. I remained mute.

He bent at the waist, his chest lowering until it leveled out in front of my vision. I could just see the valley of muscle between his pecks peeking through the drooping collar of his dark green shirt. Hastily, I raise my gaze from the inviting skin to meet his forest eyes inspecting my own.

In a fluid motion, his pinky finger hooked the side of the hilt, flicking it so it spun in his palm and the glaring edge of the blade was suddenly level between my eyes. The glint of light reflecting off the blade sparked my eye, and I felt a sudden pang of fear from the last time this knife had been directed at me.

"Does any of that sound... familiar to you?" He inquired shrewdly, raising a dark brow at me.

"I've known that lagoon and its secrets for many years and travelled there often," I said cautiously, grip tightening around the carving in my hand for comfort. I knew I had to tip toe carefully through this topic.

Tarrin waited for me to continue with a distrusting air suspended around him.

"I stumbled upon that knife a few days before I was tranquilized and taken here," I said reproachfully, scowling when his lips tugged at the corners. His mind no doubt wandered to the fact he shot me down and enjoyed it thoroughly.

It was funny, he seemed to forget I had shot him as well.

"I thought it would carve wood better than the sharpened stones I used before," I said truthfully. "So I took it."

His stare deepened, searching my composure for any sort of lie—any stumble that would lead to not believing my words. All of them were true. The only tweaked fact was that I 'stumbled' upon the blade, not had it dropped directly in front of my bloodied paws. But that wasn't an important fact anyway.

A few loaded seconds passed. His irises flickered between my own, searching for answers I would not give, before blowing out a defeated sigh and tiredly standing up.

I blew out a breath I didn't know I had been holding.

Tucking the knife into the back of his belt, he sucked in a deep breath that exhaled equally as strained. Out of habit, his hand reached up to roughly drag through his soft looking strands, his eyelids drooping shut in the moment, before his arm dropped limply to his side and his eyes lazily opened with confusion glazing over the glassy surface.

The gears turned in his head, trying to make sense of this whole situation but failing. He knew I vocalized a reasonable explanation, and that muddled him because the facts didn't line up.

Tarrin was a smart man, but for now, he knew I was a dead end for the time being.

He snapped out of his trance when the intrusive rumble of my stomach broke the air's peace.

Face flaring in embarrassment, I jerked my head down away from his view and felt the light tendrils of my hair tumble down my red cheeks.

"Did you not have breakfast before I came to get you?" Tarrin asked to change the subject. His tone was stern, however there was a creeping soft edge to his words.

My silence confirmed his question. I did not have an appetite at all this morning and now my stomach scolded me for leaving a plate full of eggs untouched.

"Are you still not eating properly?" He pressed again. It took me a moment before it occurred that he was referring to when I tried refusing the toast he gave me the morning I awoke in his house. That was weeks ago.

"I'm not hungry."

He grunted in disbelief.

"Don't pull that shit with me again," he snapped irritably, not putting up with my unconvincing excuse for a second time. "I'm now responsible to keep you alive, meaning you better eat, or I'm going to have the end of a gun up my ass."

I glanced up at him, his expression completely serious.

Holding his unwavering gaze, I concluded it was impossible to not lose myself in their alluring depths. They were enchanting. Mysterious. The secrets he carried, sank deep into the waters of his green pools; irretrievable, but only to those with empty lungs.

"What do you want? Toast? Waffles? Pancakes?" He listed, dragging me out of my trance. Momentarily, I trifled through the list of foods he suggested and shook my head. A nice sized elk would be pure ecstasy on my tongue right about now. The simple idea of sinking my claws into the hide of the large delicacy and ripping out a sizable chunk of flesh, had saliva pooling in my mouth.

I shifted my weight uncomfortably, not wanting to be sitting anymore. I was in dire need for a run. The energy was only stock piling in my muscles and without a release, I might combust.

A disgruntled huff blew passed his lips.

"Raspberries?"

I perked up at the delicacy.

"Of course," he muttered, dragging a hand down his face.

"I have to run to the store and pick some up then," Tarrin stated as he rocked his weight onto his other foot, his thumbs hooking into his jean pocket seams. "Meaning you have to come with since I can't leave you here," he added, displeased by the idea. However, his now-relaxed posture suggested he was surrendering to the inevitable constant burden of my presence, and simply accepting the unavoidable. I should start doing the same. The sooner I came to terms with this new arrangement, the sooner it would be easier for myself. Optimistically, that is.

"I wouldn't complain," I muttered grimly.

I then rose from my seat, grimacing as my rear muscles cried out from being settled on the merciless couch destined to ruin my body.

I'd have fun sleeping on that tonight.

***

Hooves plodded rhythmically along the paved road winding through the village. Subconsciously, I shuffled closer to the stallion's large body, wishing for the horse to block the multitude of stares and unforgiving glares from villagers that burned into my body; each one possessed its own unique branding that scarred not only my skin.

I felt more exposed than a naked mole rat giving birth in front of a murder of crows.

Trudging on, I spared a fleeting look up at Tarrin, who gently rocked back and forth to the movement of Nightmare's body, nonchalantly taking in the scenery around him. He was undisturbed by the people centering their hateful stares on me.

I gulped down the lump formed in my throat and lowered my gaze to the ground with grains of rocks scattered about. Maybe if I wasn't looking at the villagers, they wouldn't look at me.

My skin prickled unnervingly from the amount of eyes taking time out of their day to watch my form sulk beside the grand stallion, with a confident hunter centered on its back. What a sight.

The only pro to this situation was the lack of skin-roughing rope that usually hung around my wrists when around this particular hunter. Inside I was overjoyed he decided to ditch the rope. I would've went crazy if I had to spend another second with the coarsened strands scraping into my wrists.

I was surprised Tarrin felt comfortable—or confident—enough to do so while having me in the village with civilians around. In his house was one thing, but around innocent bystanders? I gave him slight credit for his assuredness.

He knew I wouldn't hurt anyone and I was thankful he figured that out. Then again, it might be because of the sleek tranquilizer pistol strapped to his belt that threatened any actions out of place.

I grunted in pain as a hard heeled edge caught my forehead. I jerked back as my hand immediately shot to the site of injury in attempt to soothe the throbbing area. A scowl settled on my face at the boot strapped in stirrups obscuring my vision. I obviously hadn't notice Nightmare halt, and walked straight into the back of Tarrin's boot that was at head-level.

A laugh erupted from Tarrin and my eyes flashed to meet his peering down at me with pure amusement coating them. My heart stuttered a few beats.

"You're supposed to look up when you walk. That way you won't run into people's feet," he teased. Yes. Teased. Tarrin made a joke. A crappy one at that full of irony, but a joke nonetheless.

A wolf might as well just ripped my tongue off because I couldn't form any words to follow that for the life of me. Just from his lightened features, dimple indenting his cheek, and white teeth poking through his lips in a half-smile, I was stumbling over my words and gaping like a washed up fish.

Blood rushed to my cheeks and I adverted my gaze to something that would calm me down more than the green-eyed hunter relieving the last chuckles out of his system.

My eyes landed on an older man wobbling by with a cane. His stare once on me, now focused on Tarrin, watching him with slight astonishment. My brows furrowed at his reaction.

Nightmare's body readjusted as Tarrin slid off his back, paying no attention to the elder man passing. He gave the horse a soft pat on the nose.

"I'll only be a minute bud," Tarrin said soothingly, his fingertips leaving the horse's dark muzzle that snorted in response. Tarrin turned to me and jerked his head toward the building, gesturing for me to follow.

I shook off the odd event and trailed behind his footsteps.

Nearing the entrance of the store, the hairs prickled on my neck, tingles began slithering down my spine. An eerie feeling crept over me. My palms clammed as I clenched my fists.

As he pushed open the door to the store, a tinkling bell sounded. The stout woman with greying hair behind a glass counter filled with fresh edibles, looked up from the till. Her face twisted in horror when taking note of me.

However, that wasn't the only presence in the room.

Unsettling auburn orbs leveled on my figure, taking in my form and singing my skin with their acidic stare. His brows set a hardened state, his teeth grated, his lips sealed into a tight line. His hand itched to the black pistol strapped around his waist, his posture completely rigid with unease as he watched me with dangerous eyes.

I remembered him well.

"What a treat to run into you," Mark jeered, his nostrils flaring as his eyes travelled the length of my figure. Detest was undeniably present. He lingered on my dress, his lip ever so curling. "You think you're one of us with that fancy dress? Princess?"

Skin prickled along my forearms, alerting me of my wolf snarling viciously within my body, edging to take over and feel the flesh of his neck between my jaws. I bit the inside of my cheek, hard. The coppery taste of blood did nothing to distract myself from the need to see the life drain from his eyes, until nothing was left but empty pits.

"That dress won't hide the cursed demon beneath it all."

I stepped forwards, blinded by the fury curdling in my veins. Adrenaline coursed within my body, igniting my muscles.

Cursed demon.

A snarl threatened to rip its way out of my throat.

A hard body moved in front of me, preventing my advance.

"It's time for you to leave." His voice was low, lethal, dangerous.

My whole being was shell shocked.

By his sides, Tarrin's hands clenched and unclenched, showing the control he was trying to regain as his temper rose. The muscles in his back flexed repeatedly beneath the green fabric as anger radiated from him. Pulses of heat emanated from him into my skin, the small distance between us acting as a passageway to smother my scorching nerves and obliterate my wolf's need to reveal itself and deal with the situation, much more aggressively. The amount of power flowing out of him bogged my senses as his aura engulfed and shielded me from the hunter opposing him.

"You too, huh?" Mark scoffed, "sticking up for the prisoner already? That's what you called her, right?"

A spear pierced me chest, sending a spiralling pain down to my stomach at the reminder.

"Yes."

The spear twisted.

"But even she doesn't deserve listening to your shit," Tarrin growled, his body almost shaking with the need to send his knuckles flying into his face.

From the stiff body blocking my view, I couldn't see the scenario in front of me, but I didn't need to. The tension sizzling and cracking between the two hunters was so palpable you could taste it. I felt it through Tarrin's pulsating aura and demeanor that challenged Mark.

Tarrin was completely livid. Mark was seething.

Then, with a final clench of his fists, Mark broke eye contact with Tarrin and stormed passed him. Throwing his shoulder into the store's door, he swiveled his head to flash me a hateful glare with his eyes, before exiting the building in a whirlwind of resentment. The door slammed shut with enough force so the walls rattled and the bell chimed violently.

I knew this wouldn't be the last time I saw him.

As his livid body disappeared from view, I brought my attention back to Tarrin who still stood with his back to me, his attention on where Mark once was. Waves of heat still wafted off him, his mind reeling with the frenzied situation.

I felt horrible. He shouldn't have taken the brunt of Mark's anger. He shouldn't have stood up for me. Shouldn't have stood up for something that was true.

You think you're one of us with that fancy dress?

How could I think, even for a second, that I was human? That I could be human. I may have the body of one, but deep down, I knew I didn't have the mind of one.

Delicately, my finger subconsciously brushed along the smooth fabric cascading down my body. What was this dress doing on me? I shouldn't be wearing human clothes. I shouldn't have a human friend such as Brydene who gave it to me. Could I even count her as a friend knowing that if she knew the true nature of myself, she'd be cowering in fear of me killing her, or behind Kenneth in hopes of him sending a bullet into my skull?

I lied to her. But that's what I do. I had to.

Cursed demon.

That's what I was. A being cursed with Charm, forced to live between two worlds so close, yet so far out of reach. Always a part of both, but not belonging. To feel like I'm supposed to belong somewhere, was something I've never truly experienced. Something I didn't realize was missing in my life. Something I hadn't come to terms with until my family left, and this experience in Avalin opened my eyes to the reality around me. I've dealt with it my whole life. So why hadn't I just accepted it? Countless times I say I did, but this infinite pit embedded in my heart, causing me pain and an endless vine of pitted desolation, became prominent every time I thought about my fate. It was impossible to come to terms to. That much I knew. How could I overcome such a feeling?

The sooner I accept it, the sooner it will get easier.

That was my advice, right? I should listen to it.

"Hey." The unfamiliar soft tune to Tarrin's voice draws me out of my depressing thoughts and I hadn't realized I was staring at the floor while zoned out. I lifted my chin, and am met with forest eyes that steal my breath away.

Sticking up for the prisoner already?

"Don't listen to him," he murmured, his tone hesitant. In his eyes, swam an unsureness I hadn't see in them before, and he adverted his gaze when noticing my stunned expression from his unexpected demeanor. Shifting on his feet, his brows were drawn enough to create a marginal crease between them, and when his bottom lip drew between his teeth momentarily, it occurred to me he was anxious.

I didn't have time to process why this was because he thrusted a small container near my abdomen, and I looked down to see plump red raspberries.

When I was deep in thought, I hadn't even realized him over by the till purchasing them.

I was surprised he even remembered after all that just happened. "Thank you," I said quietly, my cheeks gaining a pink tinge at forgetting the main reason we came here. My fingers felt the ridges of the container press into my skin as I took the offered basin of raspberries. His roughened hands, looked undoubtedly comforting. I brushed off that thought as Tarrin briskly strode passed me and out the store door that jingled once again.

I dragged in a deep breath. Well this was an unexpected morning so far.

About to leave, I stopped in my tracks and turned to the woman at the till from the impulsive urge to apologize. Throughout this whole scenario, I forgot that she witnessed everything.

She straightened her posture, startled at my attention directed at her. Fear flashed across her expression.

"I-I'm sorry," I began, my voice quieter than intended from the lack of confidence, "for everything... I didn't mean to cause such a disruption to your morning."

With that I turned on my heel and headed towards the door. Concealing the tears threatening to spill over my cheeks, I tugged my lip between my teeth to prevent them from falling. The avalanche of emotions colliding with my heart didn't help.

"Wait!" An aged, raspy voice called behind me. I stopped. My throat constricted. "Don't apologize dear..." She continued, her tone now lowering to a soothing, comforting level.

The same tone Mother used whenever I was unhappy, or hurt from accidently stumping my paw.

"I'm happy you came into my store."

Instinctively I turned around at her words, vulnerable face and all, to meet her gentle brown eyes gazing upon me. They contrasted starkly from the terrified ones I'd originally seen.

"You have a gentle soul. I can see it." She smiled warmly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. I felt a cool tear gently fall on my cheek, slipping down the delicate skin slowly.

She shook her head slowly, flickering her eyes from me to something passed my shoulder. I found myself following her gaze to the clear door.

My heart gave a painful thump at the sight of Tarrin. He looked defeated.

Hand loosely settled on the bridge of Nightmare's nose, the other reached up to curl into the glistening hide at the base of the horse's neck, as if for support. He stood with his forehead dropped against Nightmare's body, eyes closed solemnly.

"It'll be good for that boy."

~~~

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