3

GEORGIA

✿

We both startled apart and peered in the direction from which the deafening, high-pitched scream had come. Then, in a flash, Beau grabbed my upper arm. Deadly serious facial expressions hit me. “You do exactly as I tell you. No objections, you obey my orders!"

My thoughts rattled. What if someone in my pack was injured? What if it was Blair? Or Isaac? I swallowed and nodded. I could see why he didn't just send me back to the healer werewolf camp. Dominant werewolves had very strong protective instincts, so taking me with them wasn't his first instinct. But we were in a leak in the patrol lanes. Arrow and the other soldiers weren't around, which meant he couldn't just leave me alone like that. So the only resulting option was to take me with him – even if that obviously bothered him. Disappointment and bitterness welled up inside me, but I suppressed the emotions.

"Let's go then," he ordered, and with that we stormed off. Beau slowed his speed to match my pace and at that moment I cursed my shoes badly. Tonight's drink too. Without further ado, I decided to quickly remove those murderous, albeit stunning, shoes, which got me a freezing stare from Beau and stole our precious seconds, but it paid off. Barefoot I was a lot faster and so we rushed side by side through the forest.

The faint scent of the sea intensified as we ran straight towards the shore when suddenly the metallic scent of blood hit us.

Beau stopped immediately and sniffed the air while holding me back with an outstretched hand.

Worth .

I also skidded to a halt. That could have been a little more elegant, Georgie, I chided myself, blowing away a strand of hair that was stuck to my red lips like her oh-so-worth life depended on it.

"An intruder." Beau's wolf eyes glowed in the darkness and he scanned the area. I did the same. A strange scent stood out very slightly against the smell of the forest and the blood. Nobody in my pack, nobody I knew. What was he or she doing here on our packing site?

"You climb up here and wait for me to get you." He pointed to the larch next to us.

"I won't leave you alone," I protested.

His head snapped towards me and his eyes flared. pure wolf. His jaw twitched.

Okay, no jokes now . I swallowed my objection. I didn't want to let him go alone. We didn't know what had happened. How dangerous it was. But I also saw that he knew exactly what he was doing. And he was an excellent soldier. If I went with him, it would only be a distraction that could get him into trouble. Also, by the smell, the intruder must have lost a lot of blood, so he was badly injured. So Beau was safe. "All right, I'll wait here."

As soon as Beau made sure I was high up in the tree, he disappeared from view. A little later he called me.

"Georgie." Even though he'd only whispered my name, I'd heard it.

I quickly climbed down the conifer and followed its unmistakable scent. And then I saw her. There she lay, on the cool, damp leafy ground amidst her own blood. A werewolf, no question. Now that I was close enough to smell every facet of her scent, it was undeniable. Where did this woman come from that was a werewolf but still couldn't come from Semeera? She looked so completely different.

The bright colors of her fabric skirt looked washed out and the pink flower was missing a few petals in her wavy hazel hair. These facts, however, could not take away the beauty of her plump, soft face. Her black lash line contrasted nicely with her unusual skin tone, which was the color of dark, sweet honey and was adorned all over with black markings. It seemed as if she were in a deep, peaceful sleep were it not for the crimson blood dripping from her temple to the earth.

It broke my heart.

"Oh Beau..." I sank down next to him in a tear.

"She's still alive. But she lost consciousness.”

My eyes traveled over her body but then settled on the back of her neck. Embodying pure strength and courage, the jet-black structure stood out against the honey-colored skin. Just like all other signs that adorned her body and made it a living work of art. I was mesmerized - they were just as beautiful as Arya's dark blue lines. But I knew these marks didn't need to be redrawn every day like Aryas, these were etched into the body forever. They were tattoos . Unable to take my eyes off them, I asked perplexed, "Is she...?"

"An islander, yes."

wow . I had never met anyone from the Fire Isles . A legend said that once upon a time, flying dragons protected and guarded the many islets that floated in the great Vesharian Sea. And the inhabitants of these islands still believed in the legendary dragons - they are their greatest sanctuary.

My hands rested on her temples and I closed my eyes. Okay, let's do it then. You can do it, I told myself. All I had to do was remember all the lessons I had with Zaira and it would work - even if I was a complete zero at a healer werewolf. Even in soldier training, I wasn't quite as puny as I was as a healer werewolf. Everyone in the camp was better at joining forces and leading, but me? The moon goddess must not have thought much of me, because my powers were a joke. Either way, this woman wasn't very lucky if she got me of all people to save her. Just as little as my parents had.

With all my strength I pushed back the desperate feeling of inadequacy and concentrated on summoning what little strength I had when Beau stopped me.

“Your head isn't the problem. Anyway, he can wait. Here.” He pointed to her leg and it was only then that I noticed the blood pouring from her thigh. "If we don't stop her bleeding right away, she'll bleed to death." Beau already had a compression bandage made from his rags from his shirt tied around her thigh to stop the bleeding.

Without hesitation, I placed my hands over the wound to seal it with my abilities as lightning shot through my limbs. Beau also pressed on the gaping wound and our hands touched. It was like my entire body was being electrified. The air between us crackled violently, shimmering with energy. I felt his burning gaze silently resting on me. I felt the warmth of his large, rough hands radiating into my limbs.

"Wouldn't be a bad idea if you started now, don't you think, little one?" he said, his voice touching a hint of mockery.

Slightly embarrassed, I cleared my throat and suddenly became keenly aware of my body. Our thighs almost touching. My arm, which I would only have to push a little farther away to feel his muscular upper body. And then of course his smell, which surrounded me like a hot drug. I would like to pull her to me and wrap myself in her like a blanket. I wanted him all over me. I longed for the tart smell of pine and sandalwood.

His brightly glowing wolf eyes were still on me, as if he couldn't take them away from me.

My teeth dug into my bottom lip. "Emm... Sure."

He laughed softly, then stopped as the crack of a branch echoed through the forest.