14 bow and arrow

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♦ ♦ ♦

Agreeing to go for a run after stealing that necklace this morning should help me to become distracted and ignore the overriding feeling of guilt in my chest. I had to tell someone and in a way I'm glad that it was Everett rather than Fran, I don't want to give her any more reasons to not trust me.

I thought Everett might have been annoyed, most people are concerned that I'll get caught and what will happen when I'm dragged into the back room. But he didn't care about that, he cared more about why I felt inclined to steal than the consequences.

There is a dull spark in my brain, he's trying to understand me. I know that but it might get to a point where he can't deal with my criminal acts and irrational gestures. He might get frustrated with my lack of progress and see me for who I truly am.

Nothing but a waste of space. I've been told that countlessΒ  times.

Everett walks beside me as we step into the forest at the back of the pack house. He's not bombarding me with questions, he's discussing where we should run and parts of his territory that he wants to show me.

I listen patiently and nod back at him. We both shelter behind trees and shift into our wolves, I haven't felt in tune with mine for a while so every time I transform into her, I feel out of my own skin.

The first run we went on together, I felt severely uncomfortable. My wolf didn't feel right and when Everett attempted to speak to me through mindlink, that confused the hell out of me. How can someone's voice make you feel so safe when you barely know them?

You okay? Everett asks as I find myself staring at the tree.

I step out from behind the branches and pad my paws into the dirt. Yeah.

My eyes attach themselves onto his blue eyes, then I look down at his incredibly soft blonde fur. One that looks so cosy and inviting but I know I shouldn't nuzzle my snout into him, that would be weird and extremely misleading.

Come. Everett's beckons, turning his head. Let's take a slow run.

I nod my head and fall into line beside him. He starts off slow which I appreciate, I'm not the best runner in the world. I'm only good at running away from owners who have caught me stealing at the market. But that's a different kind of energy, right now I'm relaxed and the thought of breaking a sweat for no reason really is not building with me joy.

Like Everett can read my body language, he keeps his pace slow which I'm grateful for.

Stretching my legs and clearing my mind felt pleasurable today, even considering that I have company. But he doesn't ask questions or make me feel out of my comfort zone, we're simply two mates going out for a run.

We weave in and out of trees, over the trickling water from the stream and across rocks. Everett doesn't push me and I don't try and run off this time, attempting to escape his mind in my head.

This time I wouldn't be bothered. I kind of like it now. Even though I'd never admit that to him.

His wolf snaps his head towards me. Never admit what? He questions and I gulp aggressively.

Shit, did I send that through the mindlink instead? I'm a fucking idiot.

Nothing.

Nothing, huh?

Even that teasing voice has my fur stand on end, skin erupting into a show of goosebumps. The mindlink might not be as intense as it once was but it certainly gives me shivers, it's something that is always going to be a shock until I've got used to hearing him inside my head.

It doesn't matter.

His wolf quirks a brow in my direction. Were you just thinking about me?

If I say yes, will you drop this?

Yes.

Then yes.

Everett continues to stare at me as we begin to slow. I'm always thinking about you, Reign. I hope you know that.

Heat spreads through my face and I'm grateful that I'm in my wolf form right now because my cheeks would be on fire.

Soon we loop back around to the pack house and we shift back, putting on our clothes. Everett's not even beading and that's when I realise he probably didn't challenge himself throughout the whole duration of our run.

"I haven't really been in my wolf form for a while," I admit to him. "Apart from when we went out, but this just feels a little weird to me."

He shrugs. "That's okay, it might take some time to get used to being in your wolf again. But there is no rush or pressure, just do things on your own terms until you feel comfortable yourself."

"I didn't want to slow you down," I run a hand through the back of my blonde hair.

"Reign," Everett's deep voice has me melting into my shoes. "I didn't want to go for a run to actually go for a run, I wanted to spend some time with you. Alone."

"Really?"

He cracks a smile that makes me want to take a picture and hide it under my pillow. Jesus, that's something a serial killer would do. I fucking hope he didn't hear that because I will be running away for the foreseeable future.

"Yes, really," he steps closer. "I take it running isn't your thing?"

I brush down my new t-shirt and shake my head. "No, it never has," I sigh. "I took up archery instead because I'm better with my hands than my legs."

Everett leans back slightly and studies me. "You took up archery?"

My head nods slowly. "Yeah, but I haven't done it in a while. It used to be my favourite thing to do."

"Well why didn't you say?" His voice is soft like he should have known this secret about me. "We have a bow and arrow set inside, you can practice whenever you want."

The idea warms my chest. I haven't done it in years so I'm probably a little rusty but I remember how it used to calm my nerves and my overbearing anxiety. The way you draw back the bow and rest the string to your lips, you stare down at the target, suck in a breath and hit the bullseye without flinching.

"That sounds good," I say after a few moments.

"You want to practice now?"

My teeth pick at the skin on my lips. "I'll probably be shocking."

Everett laughs softly. "Trust me, I'll be way worse than you. I tried archery once and decided that it's not for me."

"Why?"

"I get too frustrated when I get the perfect angle and still miss."

This makes my lips stretch and Everett's eyes dart down to glance at my half smile. His throat hitches and it makes me blink rapidly, what the fuck was that?

"Can't be the perfect angle then if you're missing."

Everett studies my smile for a few seconds more before meeting my eyes again. "Alright, little miss pro. Show me how it's done then."

We retreat to the house and collect the bow and arrows, I study the instruments and test out the weapon. Everett stands back and lets me do my thing, we venture back into the forest so we don't end up hurting anyone.

He marks a red dot on one of the trees with a spraycan and then draws a bigger circle around the dot. I stand back and observe the fresh bullseye. "There you go," he pats the wood. "Fire away."

I nod and he steps back behind me. My fingers draw at the arrow and I hold the string of the bow to my mouth, lining up my aim to the centre of the red dot. For some stupid reason my hands are subtly shaking like I have something to prove to Everett, but a part of me wants to impress him.

Stupid brain.

My lungs inhale the deepest breath and I let go of the arrow on my exhale, it rockets through the air and punctures the wood right beside the red dot. A centimetre off of the ink. Damn it. I curse myself in my mind.

"That was good," Everett claps.

I shoot him a look. "I missed."

"You still got it in the bigger circle?" Now he's confused.

"You don't aim for the bigger circle, you aim for the bullseye. It's simple."

Everett's lips twitch and he crosses his arms over his chest. "I mean I'm still impressed but sure."

I take the next arrow from the bag and line it up on my bow again. This time I take half the time to position, pull back and aim. Piercing the wood directly in the centre of the red dot.

My chest is going crazy because I've never been so determined in my life to do something and succeed. And I love to admit that it makes me feel instantly better, that maybe I'm not a complete failure at this life.

"Damn," Everett's mouth is slightly open and staring back at my shot. "Do it again."

So I do. Right next to my second arrow, even more central if that is possible.

"Fuck," he grins and turns to me. His eyes are a lot darker than I remembered them being from earlier, then the wind wafts and I gasp silently. God, he's fucking turned on from this. That is the smell of his arousal and now I am closing my eyes with pure pleasure.

Wait... He's turned on by this?

I clear my throat and brush strands of hair from my face. My tongue extends to lick my dry lips and I meet Everett's burning gaze, one that has my own eyes widening with an emotion I had no idea I could feel.

"Don't you have Alpha things to take care of? You've been spending a lot of time with me lately." I comment whilst twirling the next arrow between my fingers.

Everett's brows crease instantly, he takes two steps forward. "You are just as important as my other 'Alpha' things to take care of."

My heart thumps painfully in my chest and I tell myself to breathe before I hyperventilate right in front of him. "Oh, okay."

"If not more." He nods and I find my lips curling into a smile I didn't encourage. "Definitely more."

I avert my gaze and take another shot, one that has Everett clapping with encouragement. "You want a turn?"

Everett scoffs loudly and leans on the nearest tree, keeping his arms crossed over his chest. Filling out that t-shirt to perfection, I've never seen arms look so good in my entire life. "And follow that? Not a chance."

My shoulders raise and release. "Your loss if you don't want to learn."

"I think I'll leave it to you," he swipes a hand through his blonde hair. "I don't want to embarrass myself."

"An Alpha embarrassing themselves?"

He raises his hands. "Not everyone is perfect."

"Seems like you have the perfect life," I find myself commenting.

Everett's gaze is burning into my face and he takes three confident steps forward. His fingers dip beneath my chin and tilts my eyes up to his, leaving his skin connected to mine. "It wasn't perfect until I met you," he whispers so delicately that those words rest on my lips for a few seconds. "Now it is."

I swallow harshly and close my eyes, Everett's fingers move to brush my hair behind my ear and I stop myself from shuddering. Even though I really want to because it will make me enjoy this moment better, although I still can't allow myself to.

Reluctantly, I take a step back before I start fitting on the floor. "Thanks for these," I gesture to the bow and arrows.

"They're yours now," he offers me a warm smile. "You can use them whenever you want, practice whenever you want."

I beam up at him with true happiness. This will give me a new lease of freedom. Prove to myself that I have talents, that I can do something with my life and it's not a total waste. Even though it's a constant battle inside my mind.

Everett's throat hitches again, eyes sparkling like a fresh ocean. "God, you're absolutely beautiful," the words fall from his lips so quickly that we're both startled.

Does he really think that? I know I'm average at best. Maybe he needs his eyes tested.

A nervous laugh passes my chest and Everett follows. "Thanks, I guess."

"Come on," he steps away and retreats to his safe tree. "Show me some tricks."

"Coming up."

♦ ♦ ♦

When we come in after a few hours of trialling out new targets and from different distances, I decide to call it a day. A well needed shower was on the cards. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I enjoyed Everett's company today.

Being with him and only him helped me bring down my walls, even when I didn't realise it at first.

I can't remember the last time I laughed or smiled on purpose. Today Everett had me doing both, multiple times without fail.

Later on in the evening I make my way downstairs but Everett is nowhere to be seen, along with Fran and Jesse. When I approach the kitchen, I smile at some of the pack members but I am met with nothing but scowls and grimaces.

My heart sinks in my chest and I hesitate. Maybe I shouldn't be here. This is their home and they still think I'm an outsider. I approach the counter but they shift away, averting their gaze so they don't have to engage in conversation with me.

I try to ignore the ball in my throat and quickly grab a bottle of water to make myself look busy. I retreat back upstairs and hide from everyone in the pack house. Managing to get my breathing under control.

Anxiety crawling over every vein in my body.

Because I don't belong here. They don't want me here.

♦ ♦ ♦

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Author's Note

Hello my loves. What did you guys think of this chapter?πŸ‘‰πŸΌπŸ‘‰πŸΌπŸ‘‰πŸΌ

Everett and Reign are so damn cuteπŸ₯Ή ugh their time together is so precious and I adore that Reign can finally connect with something she loves!

Also I hate that she feels like she doesn't belongπŸ˜–

Please don't forget to leave a vote and a comment! See you on the next one❀️

Love Savanna x

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