One of Runts

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two: Hearing

        I lay stiff in my bed, all of my muscles sore and aching. At least I don't have to move that much today as we are testing our sense of smell and hearing, and our speed. We'll most likely do some sort of race to test who's the quickest, probably in both forms.

        I roll out of the large bed and stretch out my stiff muscles. They begin to feel better, though I immediately head to the shower to let the hot water soothe the muscles. There's barely an ache as I step out the shower, though I'm still a bit sore.

        I hope we're doing the speed test last, I think to myself, pulling a clean set of leathers on. A maid had taken my dirty clothes out of the hamper in my room and I expect them to be here by the time I get back.

        I tilt my head to the side, though I don't hear Azrael out and about. I don't bother to sense who awake and who's not through mind-link as I can hear numerous people in the dining area.

        I'm tying my hair back into a tight ponytail as I walk out of my room. I freeze as Azrael's door opens and he's only wearing a pair of pants. He's showered already, though he's still tired by his foggy scent.

        His head shoots towards me as he hears the hitch in my throat. I don't have to force myself to not look below his face, though my heat is making it much harder than I would have thought.

        I've never been this close to a male during my heat. I finish pulling the hair-tie tight and let the black mane of hair fall.

        Azrael's head is cocked to the side and he looks me up and down. I clear my throat, a bit uncomfortable. His eyes snap to mine, though I'm slightly faced away, embarrassed. "We should start heading down," I tell Azrael, my voice soft.

        He just nods his head sharply and walks swiftly into his room. I hadn't noticed it at first, but as he walks out of his room, a shirt covering his torso, he's slightly limping. I frown at him.

         "Sore?" I ask unnecessarily, nodding towards his legs. He scruffs up his hair in a sheepish tick, nodding his head. I smile slightly, thankful that the awkward atmosphere is gone.

         I don't bother to hold the door open for him as we walk down the hall. I'm standing next to him, though I'm half a step behind him. By the slight tang in his scent, he doesn't like the fact that I'm allowing him to lead ahead of me, though he doesn't say anything about it.

        The wolves in the hall are looking at us as we draw closer to the dining hall. I tilt my head down some as some of the males eye me. I flash my fangs as another steps closer to me and he immediately backs off and tilts his head down slightly.

        I cock my head in confusion, though leave the thought as I grab a plate of food and water, and sit down across from Azrael to make it more easy for him. "I'm sorry for my scent," I tell him, my mind-voice sheepish. "Heats are worse for runts and I didn't get a refill on my scent pills."

        In my studies, there was a theory about runts having more enticing heats to get males attracted to them since we are seen as weaker. The pack doctor has a stock of scent pills that will practically hide a she-wolf's heat scent until their heat passes.

        One time when I inquired about how they worked, the pack doctor, a kind woman, said that they were bought from the witch kingdom. She said something about them having a few herbs that can only grow in the heat of their kingdom.

         "It's fine," he tells me. I lift an eyebrow, not believing him. His eyes are dark and have been ever since he walked out of his room earlier. "Okay, maybe it's harder than I thought." I just nod at him, ignoring the heat crawling up my neck.