Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 34185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
By the mother, he is something splendid. Notalus appeared to be in his early to mid-forties, but the lines of hard-earned wisdom etched on his face, and the way he spoke told the truth of his vast years. He dressed like he was from another world in his pine-green, knee-length tunic with what Dustin assumed was his lord’s crest of autumn leaves and representation of harvest etched on the front, with a thick black belt cinched around his waist. Dustin tried not to lick his lips at the brass shoulder guards and the heavy bronze gauntlets covering Notalus’ forearms. All that was needed to complete the look was the heavy robe that dragged the earth behind him, but it was still resting over his own body like a protective cloak.
Dustin’s cock gave a slight twitch, but the ache all over him kept him from full hardness. Mmmm, he moaned deep inside. He wondered if Notalus could hear his thoughts since he had no idea of the extent of his abilities. My gods, I hope he can’t.
Notalus was looking him dead in his eyes, and Dustin—and his wolf—refused to lower their glare. His animal should’ve felt challenged and ready to defend himself, but instead, he was calm and more than intrigued.
Dustin wondered what that look in Notalus eyes meant; what did he say when he watched him like that? More importantly, he thought about what it meant that this very important man had come to him with only a single breath uttered. Dustin’s pulse raced. How long would Notalus stay this time? Mere hours like before… or longer.
Notalus inched closer, his lush green gaze boring clear through to Dustin’s spirit. “Why do you gaze upon me like this?”
The seriousness of Notalus’ question sent a shiver down his spine. His voice was silky, rich, and so damn powerful that he couldn’t respond right away. Instead, he attempted to sit up, but the searing hot pain that shot down his lower half had him lying back flat on the couch.
“By gods, where are your aids?” Notalus grated out, his voice still calm but with an edge of anger to it as he glared out the front window. “Your healers are slow. What is taking them so long?”
Dustin chuckled. “If anyone from the pack is injured, then they will be tended to first. Not to mention I’m quite a ways away from the main pack homes. It’ll take them some time.”
Notalus scowled. “That is unacceptable. You almost died out there protecting their food source.”
“Notalus, please calm down. I’m okay,” Dustin tried to assure him, although he wasn’t one hundred percent sure himself. He just didn’t want the titan to get upset and leave.
“If we were in Fhomhair, you would be well by now. You’d be cared for like a god,” Notalus grumbled.
“What’d you say?” Dustin asked, unsure that he’d heard correctly, but he believed he had.
“It’s of no consequence.” Notalus waved his hand as he turned away, his thick, acorn-brown mane hanging beautifully down his back. “I’m just being surly. It is not easy for me to see you in such discomfort.”
“I’m fine, really. See…” Dustin stupidly tried to turn onto his side and ended up crying out in agony. He definitely had some cracked ribs back there. “Uggh, fuck!”
Notalus rushed to his side on a gust of air that literally pushed him toward Dustin as he dropped down to his knees and placed his hand over his chest. “Easy,” he rumbled. “Do not aggravate your injuries.”
Dustin had a hard time breathing as Notalus’ amazing scent washed over him. He was so close to him but not close enough. Dustin closed his eyes, wishing he could bathe in that fragrance of freshly turned earth and ripe apples as Notalus leaned over him.
“Did you really hear me when I whispered your name?” Dustin finally asked. It was a dumb question, but he had to understand how Notalus had heard him.
Notalus went still, his glare so intense with his close proximity that Dustin was momentarily paralyzed. “I did. As clearly as my own breath.”
“You remembered me.” Dustin gazed into eyes that reminded him of the lily pads that covered the creek behind the house where he’d grown up.
“You are not so easy to forget, Dustin Constus Hill,” Notalus whispered, his eyes smoldering.
Dustin was still as the clarity began to settle over him. Notalus appeared relaxed, but there was a faint quiver in his voice when he’d said Dustin’s middle name. A name no one ever used. A name he didn’t think anyone ever remembered. Dustin opened his mouth, but his words were interrupted by a hard knock on the door before his farmhands and two of their healers came inside.
The women were older; one was an elderly shaman wolf, and the other was a vampire from the king’s legion. They were wary of Notalus as they waited for him to remove the protective robe from Dustin’s body and step away from his side before they could look him over. Dustin kept his eyes on Notalus in fear he’d slip out the door and into the sky again while he was distracted. But he didn’t leave—matter of fact, the titan was ever vigilant as Ms. Zhang and Lenora felt around his chest and torso, pressing and prodding, noting Dustin’s grunts that he tried his best to hold in but failed.