Frustrated didn't even begin to cover how Ayla felt in that moment after what Titan had done.
After she bit him, he brought her to the brink, the sensations surging through her, teasing her with the edge of submission before leaving her hanging there.
Motivated... oh, she was definitely motivated.
If anything, pushing her to the brink of letting him take her over entirely just to leave her wanting him more than she ever had was enough to drive her drunk with desire and fuel her with rage.
That was his way of getting revenge for what she had done while they were at Moonlight Shifters, teasing him the way she had, and she knew it.
Now that he had done that and she had bitten him again, pushing their link to the fullest, he could feel it, the effects of what he accomplished with his little stunt.
Titan could sense exactly how much she desired him.
Before he could make things worse for her, she shifted back into her wolf form, tapped into her newfound energy, and bolted into the woods to hunt down the "dinner" he had suggested for the group.
There was no more waiting for the flies to come to the honey after that.
She left him with just a hint of extra aggression, though.
"The nerve," she muttered to herself as she ran, keeping near the water while putting as much distance between herself and Titan as possible.
She quickly caught the scent of a hog rooting nearby.
"That'll do just fine," she thought as she made her way toward it.
Just as she was about to pounce, a large dark gray wolf, so dark he looked black, dashed across her path and sank its teeth into the boar's neck.
Quick and forceful with lethal accuracy.
He seemed to glance back and give her a sly smirk.
To him, it was all just a game, and he wasn't hiding it.
She instantly recognized that the once bronzed, muscular man with dark brown, curly hair was now the majestic dark grey wolf standing before her, staking his claim on the animal she was moments away from attacking.
To the untrained eye, he could easily pass for a black wolf, the moonbeams bringing his fur to life as he shook his head back and forth, ending the life of the prey before him.
"Game on, Titan," she mused, a sly grin forming. "Game on."
Since he took the boar, Ayla decided to look for something else.
Something bigger, more of a challenge.
Wrinkling her nose, pointing it straight into the air, before veering off, she was set on finding something that would make the pig seem like just an appetizer.
Wolves weren't usually ones to waste, but that night might have been different.
Using every ounce of her wolf instincts, she combed through the forest with all her strength and focus.
At last, she stumbled upon a large brown bear.
It was her first time encountering one, but she wasn't about to back down; it wasn't in her nature.
He was fierce, with long, sharp claws, teeth more than twice the size of hers, and eyes that looked like they could see right through her.
Sensing the attack, he swiped his paws at her, let out a roar, and stood tall to assert his dominance over the small wolf.
Ayla was determined to come out on top, proving herself the superior species in the fight, not just against the bear, but against Titan as well.
She circled him, biding her time for the perfect moments to bite and nip at his weak spots.
His ankles, hindquarters, and neck.
Slowly wearing him down as blood trickled along his legs and neck.
One of the last times she went in for a good bite, she hadn't expected him to be ready, putting all his effort into resisting as she went to take a bite.
His paws raked down her back, landing hard and tearing deep through her fur.
A loud yelp escaped her jaws as she pulled back from her attack.
She was so close, and she knew there was no way she could give up now.
All Ayla needed was one solid grip on his throat, and she could tear it away with ease.
She could then bring the tastiest meal back to the campsite for everyone to enjoy.
Just when she was sure it was over, the bear raised his head and let out one final roar.
Latch.
Shake.
Rip.
Blood splattered in all directions as he collapsed to the ground.
In just a few minutes, the bear was ready to be dragged back to the group, still steaming from the warmth that was trapped within its fur.
Despite her injuries from the fight, she was determined to prove herself the stronger, more superior wolf against Titan.
These were her friends, and there was no way he was going to embarrass her or tend to them better than she did, not after what he had just put her through.
Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, she clamped her jaw on the massive bear, sinking her teeth deep into his flesh, and using every bit of her strength, she dragged him all the way back to their resting spot.
"Ayla, what the hell?" Titan called out as soon as she came into view.
He could tell when his paw had struck her, sense it, but now she caught the sharp scent of blood, and it wasn't from the bears.
Her yelp was loud enough for everyone to hear.
At the same time, he felt the adrenaline rush as she fought, but he didn't want to interrupt or distract her, knowing how temperamental she could be.
In the short time he had spent with her, he realized that her independence was one of her most defining traits.
As she moved backward toward them, he noticed the amount of blood on her back, the visible gashes, and the heavy mass she was dragging along.
"Seriously? Was it really worth getting back at me over that? It was just a pig. Your stubbornness is going to come back and bite you."
"RRRRRR."
It was all she could manage to say while in her wolf form, dragging the fully grown bear behind her.
The others just watched the scene unfold, glancing back and forth at each other.
Phoenix finally broke the silence, asking softly, "Are you okay, Ayla? Need a hand?"
She finally let go of the bear and shifted.
"Here you go, food. There's water a little way down if you still need it. Eat, drink, rest. We'll need to get moving before too long, so don't get comfortable."
They were all more focused on the gashes across her back.
Rhae stepped over to take a look, saying, "Ayla, these don't look good. Let me help you with them."
Ayla turned them away, saying, "They'll be fine. It's just like when I had them on my side. By the time we leave, they'll be gone."
Rhae glanced at Raphael, concern shining in her eyes.
She hadn't seen the other wound, but she wasn't convinced it was the same.
Ayla shot a glance at Titan and strolled over to the pig, giving it a light nudge with her toe.
"It's a bit small, don't you think? You could have picked something larger for the group. The three of you could finish that on your own and still be hungry."
After she finished her jab, she strolled over to the water hole.
Ayla knew she was only mad because he had taken the pig from her, and he knew it too.
He just gave a small chuckle and shook his head.
Before heading after her, he tore off a leg to ensure she'd have something to eat once she finished soaking in the waters.
He knew what her intentions were when she headed toward the shallow spring, but he was doubtful it would yield the results she was after.
As soon as she reached the water, she dove right in without hesitation.
The water didn't feel as calming as the place Titan had taken her to before.
It was chilly, and it didn't leave her feeling as warm and refreshed as the other one had.
In fact, it wasn't soothing at all because her wound was stinging, and it was the first time she truly realized just how bad it was.
The rush of adrenaline and the heat of anger melted away as the water splashed against her bare back.
She glanced up to find Titan standing there, clutching the ridiculous boar's leg.
"Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to hand that over and help me out? This hurts more than I thought, and this water isn't doing any good either."
Titan gave his head a shake.
"Stubborn to the end. Just so you know, this water isn't the same. It's not connected to the mountain. The one I showed you before was linked to my pack, which usually helps our people. There's more to it, but we can get into that later."
He stepped into the water, handed her the chunk of meat, and examined the wound, gently tracing his finger over it.
She turned away from him, tearing into the leg like she hadn't had a bite of food in days.
"That bear really did a number on you. What possessed you to take it on by yourself? Then again, it's you, so that does make some sense. You took it down, so you've definitely got the skill, but still, why?"
Ayla tilted her head toward him, one eyebrow arched, and her expression flat with clear disinterest.
"If you hadn't taken my boar, I probably wouldn't have gone after the bear."
She glanced back briefly, then turned away from him once more and kept eating.
He seized the moment to pull her in for a hug, wrapping his arms around her and pinning her arms beneath his.
"Ugh... You're on the wound."
Resting his chin on her shoulder, he murmured in her ear, "I can make this disappear if you want me to. The pain as well. I don't want to do it here, but you need it."
Ayla could feel the desire radiating from him, but she couldn't tell if it was the urge to help her or to have her in that moment.
"No funny business then? Same deal as last time."
He smiled and said, "Not until you're begging me."
The thought sent a ripple of feeling through her, making her want to linger in the water a little longer, but the sting in the open flesh on her back urged her to move.
Titan could smell when she was aroused, and she was deeply aroused after he said that.
What she didn't realize was that he could sense it in other ways, not just from her sweet spot.
Now, he could sense it in her bite as well.
He took her hand and led her out of the water after she finished a few more bites of the leg he'd brought her.
Having grown up exploring the two mountain territories, he was familiar with much of the surrounding area.
That also meant he knew what they contained, as well as the secrets of the surrounding forest.
All those hidden treasures, like the caves.
Titan wanted her to lie down so he could have full access to her back and tend to all her wounds just the way he needed.
At the same time, he wanted to be sure they were safe while he took care of what he needed to and enjoyed a bit of privacy.
He knew the others would be lounging with full bellies after the bear and boar feast, so he had plenty of time to take care of her properly.
He pulled her along, steering her toward what appeared to be just a dense thicket, dotted with a few moderately tall rocks, nothing too imposing, and kept moving ahead.
Tucked away among the shrubs and trees was a hidden path, known only to those who were aware of its existence.
It felt like he had been there countless times before, guiding her through it effortlessly.
Hand in hand, they stepped into a small, cozy, shallow dwelling, just spacious enough for the two of them to lie down without feeling cramped.
After he motioned for her to lie down, there was just enough room for him to settle beside her and gently soothe her wound with his touch.
That was what he had in mind, anyway.
His touch only brought back the sting of the bear's claws sinking into her back, as his fingertips gently traced the fresh splits etched into her skin.
As she winced and tensed at his gentle touch, he realized the bear's attack had injured her far more deeply than he'd first believed, and it would take longer for her to heal than he had expected.
With that, he gently scooted himself down to where he would be able to lick and kiss her affected skin comfortably, knowing it would take a lot of effort.
With his saliva now coating the open lines, entering her wound and mixing with the blood, her healing was kicking into high gear, and so were her intense desires.
It was as if every minute, every second with him was making it harder and harder to resist him.
While he was helping her healing speed up, it was making it impossible to restrain herself, as each lick up her back drove not just him, but her more and more insane with desire.
Her back started to arch, no longer feeling the pain as his hands started to rub up and down her back, caressing her soft skin that felt like silk as he touched her.
All he could think about was never wanting to stop touching her.
He hadn't realized that her wounds were half closed at that point as he began just kissing her, going up her spine to the back of her neck, grazing her with his teeth, teasing her with an innocent bite.
Afterwards, he trailed a mix of soft bites and kisses back down her spine until he reached her thighs, and grabbed them, squeezing them tight.
He teased her by feigning a bite to her thigh, not drawing out his fangs, but sending the sensation of pleasure throughout her whole body, before going back to tending to her wounds again.
Unexpectedly, he flipped her over and kissed her up her thigh until her found where they met and teased her by kissing her lower lips.
Tasting her directly for the first time instead of having to use her fingers or his, and setting all of her nerves on fire instantly.
After a few minutes, he moved a hand between her legs and started to pleasure her with two fingers, finding that sweet spot inside of her that really made the juices flow as he devoured her, and she couldn't control the sounds coming from her mouth.
Once he was sure she was satisfied, he continued to use his fingers to pleasure her, as he kissed her up her stomach until he reached her mouth.
"You don't know how amazing you really do taste to me," he whispered to her as he kissed her.
Ayla didn't care about his words; she was swept up in the rush of everything unfolding.
Titan could have told her the world was burning, and it would have made no difference to her in that moment.
She returned his kiss with a passion unlike anything she had ever known.
Ayla longed for Titan; she wanted him to sink his teeth into her.
Just when she was about to tell him, she climaxed and moaned hard.
Titan paused, closed his eyes, steadied his breath, and collected himself.
"That's good for now. Let me take a look at your back. Roll over."
There was no way he went through all that just to heal her.
"No funny business, remember?" He whispered.
She could tell he wanted her just as much as she wanted him, and if she could sense how he felt, Ayla knew it went both ways.
She had no idea what kind of game he was playing.
The back-and-forth games left her baffled, and she couldn't figure out why he would push her to the brink only to suddenly pull back.
She hesitated for a moment, lying still, until he raised an eyebrow at her.
"What's wrong, Ayla? I didn't do anything you didn't want. You were upset earlier when I didn't satisfy you enough, so I did this time, more than once, when the healing made you a bit 'excited,' so to speak. You don't want me to sleep with you, so I didn't, especially when you're affected by the healing. Now, roll over so I can check your wound."
Ayla couldn't deny the truth in his words, but she wasn't about to give in so easily.
With a slight lift of her eyebrow, she folded her arms across her chest.
At that moment, she was simply acting like a brat.
Titan knew she was in control, so he gripped her shoulders and sat her upright.
"Alright, no need to roll over. I can see your back just fine like this."
All emotion vanished from her face in an instant.
Maybe he could be her match, her equal.
Not someone who would stand beneath her, but right beside her.
Challenge her.
Someone who can recognize her strength, embrace her stubbornness, and rise to meet it.
With her now sitting upright, he could tell the bear's attack was nothing more than a distant memory for Ayla, in more ways than one.
Her back now looked almost as if it had never been touched by its paw, just a few scars.
"Ayla, want to head back to the others with me now? We can rest and grab a bit more to eat before we keep going."
She shot him a sidelong glance and took a deep breath.
"Yeah, we can't keep slipping away from the group. Next time, someone else does the hunting, and we stick around. Otherwise, they're going to start thinking there's something going on between us."
Titan wore a smug expression and said, "Start to think."
"Whatever. Let's go. We aren't making it any better."
He stood and extended a hand to help her up.
As she held his hand, he couldn't stop himself from saying what he was thinking.
"There is something between us, thought Ayla. You just keep fighting it. One day, you will give in."
Ayla ignored his words, but he could sense the truth through their bite bond.
When they returned to where the camp came into view, the others weren't lounging around resting as they had expected.
They couldn't be seen anywhere.
Something happened, or something was seriously wrong.
Very, very wrong.
Ayla glanced at Titan with concern, and he caught on immediately.
Titan and Ayla eased their pace and slipped into stealth mode to see what they could uncover.
Where was everyone?
What did they miss?