I woke up feeling someone wipe my mouth with a wet cloth. I opened my eyes to see Valente above me, my head in his lap.

"Good morning my butterfly," he said to me, holding the bloody cloth which I now knew was ripped from his tshirt as he wasn't wearing one.

I could tell it hadn't been long since sunrise, the first rays of the sun lit up the trees, the rushing water sparkling.

He dipped the cloth in the stream alongside us, and brought it back to clean my face.

I looked down at my body to see that I was completely bare, except for Valente's oversized jacket placed carefully over me.

I started to get up but he stopped me, gently holding my shoulders.

"Wait. Don't push yourself," he said.

"I think I'm okay now Valente," I told him. He looked away as I sat up, put my arms through his warm jacket to wear it.

I turned to face him and my eyes immediately went to his arm that was covered in other bloodied strips of his tshirt.

I could feel tears coming to my eyes as I touched his wounds that I had caused him.

"I'm sorry," I said to him quietly through our link.

He smiled at me, holding my arms, then gently caressing them, over my shoulders, and to my neck.

"It wasn't your fault Rayne," he said.

He took a deep breath, and let go of me, taking his hands back. He looked away, shaking his head.

I took his hands in mine, and put them back on my shoulders, pulling his face to face mine again.

"Don't turn away from me," I told him.

"I think I have to. I don't know what I'll do if I keep looking at you," he said, his lips parting on their own accord, as he stared at mine.

I put my arms around his neck, running my fingers through his hair. "I want to find out," I whispered, softly touching his lips with mine.

Just a touch, a taste.

It sent chills along my arms and legs, and warmth in my chest. I could feel Valente frozen under my touch, as if he was restraining himself.

I let go of him when he didn't move, and pulled back to see his ears had turned pink.

He looked at me like I was his favorite meal, and he was going to eat me alive.

"I've wanted to kiss you for such a long time," he said, putting his arms around me. "I've wanted you for such a long time Rayne."

I let out a short, genuine laugh.

"You sure had some way of showing it," I said, laughing.

"Then I'll show you again," he said, his voice husky and deep.

He pulled me close and kissed me, without any more hesitation.

I felt a thousand things, and all of them were so good. I kissed him back slowly, but he wasn't having any of it.

He pulled me to sit on his lap, and I could feel him becoming more violent every passing second.

What had started as a simple kiss, became an assault like we were on the training field again, battling each other without mercy. His hands caressed my legs that had wrapped themselves around him, as he pushed to kiss me more.

Breathing wasn't a priority anymore, as his kisses became deeper and more intense, and I did my best to return his affection.

It really was difficult to keep up with his Alpha pace, and I knew no matter how hard I'd try, I wouldn't be able to match him.

I placed my hand on his chest, pushing ever so slightly. He let go of my lips, but held me close, our foreheads still touching as we breathed the same air for a while.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," I finally said in a whisper, suddenly feeling tears fall down my cheeks. My eyes shifted from between his bruised side and cut up arm covered in messy bandages. "I don't know what happened. Imadis can't explain it."

"I think I can," he said, placing a soft kiss on my lips again.

"You can?" I asked him.

"Mhmm," he said, pushing my hair away from my face. "But it's just a theory."

"Do tell," I asked, starting to get up so he could be more comfortable, but he stopped me.

"I don't mind Rayne," he said, his arms encircling me even tighter.

He placed his hand on my cheek, his thumb caressing it gently.

"You're a dyrith, and a grey wolf. I know grey wolves are inherently native of Austan. It's where the warriors for the Palace are trained. That also explains why you shifted at fifteen. Some grey wolves shift even sooner, they're from a line of our world's strongest warriors," he said.

"I didn't know that," I said, thoughtfully.

"You would if you were paying enough attention in class," he said, bopping my nose with a finger.

"So that explains the shift. But what about Ima and I completely losing touch? I couldn't even reach her when she took control," I asked him.

"In the olden days, werewolves had to be isolated before their first shifts as it was common for them to lose control and attack even those whom they loved when they tried to come close," he said.

My eyes widened.

"But back then, they lived in wilder circumstances, and were far more connected to nature than we could ever be," he said. "I think this may have something to do with the other half of your being."

"I don't understand Valente," I told him.

"You still don't know what your other parent could have been. Right?" he asked me.

I shook my head.

"I think if you'd find out, it would finally explain your wild side," he said, winking at me. "Not that I mind it."

I could tell my cheeks were burning red now. "Stop it," I said in a quiet voice.

"Only Rosa could raise you to be this soft when you're an absolute savage on the inside," he said, highly amused, as he pulled my hand in his own.

I used my free hand to punch his good arm, hard.

He smiled as if I'd just brushed his skin.

"We should come out here more. The forest suits you," he said.

Suddenly, I heard a low humming sound. It was coming from the trees again, and I could feel it flow in sync with the beating of my heart. I could feel the sound in my chest.

I put my hand on Valente's mouth before he could say anything else.

"You hear that?" I asked him, whispering even in my mind.

"Hear what? I don't hear anything," he replied.

That's when I heard a familiar voice again, and by the look on his face, Valente seemed to hear it too.

It wasn't too loud, but it came from all around us, from between the trees, resonating through the dense forest.

"T'was a pretty dress. I fixed it up for you my girl."