II

II
  Mariamme lowered her claws, her shoulders relaxing even further. She looked over her shoulders at me. Her lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smirk, though her eyes remained wary. “I should’ve known you’d show up,” she muttered, her tone somewhere between exasperation and amusement.

The werewolf—Trey, I assumed—huffed in response, the sound more a snort than a growl. He took another step forward, his massive head tilting slightly as if to get a better look at me. I froze, my body stiffening as his glowing amber eyes met mine.

“Trey, don’t,” Mariamme warned, her voice sharp and commanding. His gaze lingered on me for another moment before he turned back to her, his ears flattening slightly in what almost looked like submission. Mariamme let out a breath, her smirk growing into something softer.

“What the hell is going on?” I croaked, my voice hoarse and unsteady. My heart was still racing, my hands trembling as I tried to make sense of what I’d just witnessed.

Mariamme glanced over her shoulder at me again, her expression unreadable. “You’re lucky it’s him,” she said simply, then turned back to Trey. “Otherwise, you’d be in a lot more trouble.”

Trey growled softly in agreement—or perhaps amusement—and began to transform back. His huge wolf form began to shrink, his body twisting and changing. It was a strange, uncomfortable sound, like his bones were cracking and moving. I couldn’t look away, even though I felt like I should. In a few moments, he was fully human. He was tall and muscular, wearing only black pants that were ripped just below his knees, leaving his bare feet in the snow. His hair was dark and messy, and his amber eyes still glowed faintly, reminding me of the wolf he had been. 

I couldn’t tear my eyes off him for even a second. He was extremely good looking. His naked upper body had my head reeling. I spaced out - drinking him in - his body was so contoured, his arms, his protuberance biceps. I didn't know where to focus on, his broad shoulders, his pecs, his defined abdominal muscles; I was desperate to know what was beneath his trails of six packs, his entire skin was glowing olived toned. He must be warm. I liked warmth. Little line of hair were visible up close, settling just beneath his plump red lips, a beautiful tattoo of something that looked like a furious scorpion was drawn on his broad chest, looking so attracting and hot; I gulped, eyes wide as I continued to stare at him.

He stretched his shoulders like he was shaking off the last bit of his transformation. He looked at Mariamme first, then turned his eyes to me. I felt his gaze on me, making me nervous.

“Trey,” Mariamme said, sounding a little annoyed but also relieved. “You could’ve come a little sooner, saved me the scare.”

Trey smiled slightly, his expression still a bit wild. “Where’s the fun in that?” His voice was low, and he seemed amused. He looked at me again, and I felt uncomfortable under his stare. “Who’s this?”

“None of your business,” Mariamme said quickly, stepping in front of me like she wanted to protect me. “What are you doing here?”

Trey’s smile faded, and his face became serious. “I sensed something strange. Thought I should check it out.”

“Strange how?” Mariamme asked, her arms crossed. She looked calm, but I could tell she was paying attention.

Trey shrugged, then looked at me for a moment before looking back at her. “I felt a shift. Something that would catch Zael’s sorceress’s attention. I wanted to see what was causing it.”

My stomach twisted with worry at his words. Mariamme noticed my fear and gave Trey a warning look. “She’s under my protection. That’s all you need to know.”

Trey raised his hands lazily, as if surrendering, but the sly smirk on his face suggested otherwise. “Relax, Mariamme. I’m not here to start anything.” He stepped back with slow deliberation. “But you should hurry. If I've noticed, others will too.”

Mariamme’s eyes narrowed as she weighed his words, then gave a curt nod. “We’re already on it.”

But Trey didn’t leave. Instead, he stepped closer, his focus shifting entirely to me. My breath hitched as he passed Mariamme without so much as a glance, his towering figure casting a shadow over mine. He held out his hand. “You planning to sit there all day, or are you coming along?”

For a moment, I stared at his outstretched hand, unsure if taking it would seal my doom. But my fingers, trembling despite my efforts to steady them, slipped into his. His grip was firm but warm—intoxicatingly warm. My heart stuttered, and I clenched my jaw to suppress the ridiculous flutter in my chest.

Trey pulled me to my feet with a smooth tug, his eyes locking onto mine like he was trying to read every thought in my head. “Human?” His voice, low and rich like a growl wrapped in velvet, was directed at Mariamme, but his gaze didn’t leave me. “I don’t sense any…wolf.”

Before Mariamme could respond, I snapped, “I have a wolf. It’s just…” I faltered, glancing at Mariamme. “Dormant. For now.”

Trey’s brows arched slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Dormant, huh?” His lips twitched into a smirk that could set me on fire and infuriate me all at once. He tightened his grip on my hand, his thumb brushing over my skin like he wasn’t even aware of it. “Well, human, you’re freezing.”

“I’m not a human!” I yanked my hand from his grasp, heat flooding my cheeks. “Stop calling me that!”

He laughed, a deep rumble that made my spine shiver. “Right. Not a human. Just a ‘dormant wolf,’ stumbling around like a newborn.”

“You—” I started, stepping forward, but Mariamme’s sharp voice cut through the tension.

“Enough,” she snapped, her tone slicing through the space between us. Her glare shifted between me and Trey like she was scolding children.

Trey’s smirk only deepened as he leaned slightly closer to me, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Feisty. I like it.”

“You’ll like a fist in your face,” I muttered, my voice low but pointed, though I immediately regretted it when his smirk turned into a wicked grin.

Mariamme stepped between us, forcing Trey to take a step back. “Where are you headed?” she asked, her voice steady, but her eyes never left him.

He finally turned to her, though his lingering smirk made it clear he wasn’t done with me. “Where are you taking her?” His tone was still casual, but something sharper hid beneath it.

“The mountain,” Mariamme replied.

Trey stilled, his smirk fading slightly as his brows rose. “The mountain?” He looked at Mariamme like she’d just told him I was planning to fight a dragon. Then he glanced back at me, his lips curling into a mocking smile. “You really think she’ll make it?”

My temper snapped. “Are you serious right now?” I threw my hands up, stepping around Mariamme to glare at him. “You don’t even know me!”

He cocked his head, his amusement only growing. “I don’t need to. Look at you—you’re shaking just standing here.” He gestured to my hands, which were, annoyingly, trembling. “You’ll freeze before you make it halfway.”

“Try me!” I shot back, closing the distance between us. My finger jabbed at his chest, but the solid warmth of him beneath my touch only stoked my irritation. “I’ll make it up that mountain before you even break a sweat.”

Trey’s chuckle was low and maddening, like he’d already decided I wasn’t worth the effort. “Oh, this is going to be good.”

“Enough!” Mariamme’s voice snapped like a whip, pulling both of our attention. She stepped forward, her body language rigid. “We don’t have time for this. Trey, if you’re done playing games, we need to move. Now.”

Trey’s gaze lingered on me, the playful smirk still tugging at his lips. His expression said he wasn’t done with me—not by a long shot. “Lead the way,” he said to Mariamme, though his eyes were locked on mine. “Let’s see if our not-a-human can keep up.”