Chapter 11: A Lapse of Judgement

The sun beat down on the colossal trees that towered above us, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and verdant foliage, a symphony of bird songs echoing through the ancient boughs. It would have been breathtaking and I would be enjoying it if I wasn't stuck with Silver by my side.

We'd been trekking through this endless forest for a whole day, searching for signs of the elusive silver werewolves around the hunting grounds. My heart hammered in my chest at the mere thought of facing more than one of those terrifying creatures. I could only hope that Silver was telling the truth and genuinely on my side – not that I had any intention of forgiving him anytime soon.

"Red," Silver finally spoke up, shattering the silence that had enveloped us for hours. "Do you plan on never speaking to me again?"

I scoffed, irritation flaring in my chest. "If I could, I'd never speak to you again, indeed."

"Ha!" He laughed. "Well, you just did."

Rolling my eyes, I quickened my pace, putting some distance between us. His footsteps crunched on the leaves and twigs behind me, infuriatingly close.

"Hey, if you think I'm upset about you walking ahead of me, you're wrong," he called out. "The view is much better this way."

I spun around, giving him a glare that could kill. "Pervert!" I spat before turning back and stomping forward.

As we continued our journey, I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift to Adriano. What had possessed Silver to hurt him like that? Even if he was right about Adriano being a werewolf, it didn't justify his actions. And despite everything, there was an undeniable tension simmering beneath the surface between Silver and me.

But I refused to give in to those feelings.

After a while, we decided to make camp. I busied myself with gathering twigs and dried leaves to start a fire while Silver collected branches and foliage for a makeshift roof and bed. The crackle of the fire was the only sound between us as it greedily consumed the kindling I had provided.

"Red," Silver began hesitantly. "What do you want for lunch? My treat."

I scoffed, my back still turned to him. "I can get my own food, thank you very much."

"Please," he replied, genuine remorse in his voice. "Let me do this... as a way of saying sorry for what I did to Adriano. It was wrong to treat your friend like that. Maybe I was blinded by..." He trailed off, clearing his throat. "The point is, I'm sorry."

"Fine," I muttered, finally giving up.

With a flicker of glee in his eyes, he quickly disappeared into the bushes. If he had been in his wolf form, I imagined his tail would be wagging happily. Despite myself, I couldn't help but smile.

Silver returned with two rabbits and a hare, along with a handful of mushrooms and berries. I watched as he took a pot from his bag, some herbs, and a few potatoes. He expertly skinned and cleaned the meat before setting to work on cooking a stew. The way his muscles rippled beneath his shirt as he worked, combined with the charming manner in which he brushed his tussled hair out of his face, mesmerized me.

He caught me staring. I quickly averted my gaze, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. The tension between us grew thicker, yet neither of us dared to acknowledge it. As Silver continued to cook, I found my thoughts drifting to places they shouldn't, fueled by my growing attraction to him.

After a while, Silver handed me a bowl of the stew he'd made, the aroma wafting up to my nostrils and making my stomach growl with anticipation. I hesitated for only a moment before taking a cautious bite. The rich flavors exploded in my mouth - tender meat, earthy mushrooms, and perfectly seasoned with herbs that coated my tongue in pure delight. For something created on the spot in the middle of the forest, it was... surprisingly delicious!

"Wow, Silver," I said between bites, unable to hide my amazement. "This is really good! Did your mom or dad teach you how to cook like this?"

Silver's face, which had softened as he watched me enjoy the meal, suddenly became cold and guarded. "No," he replied curtly before quickly changing the subject. "What about you? Are you any good at cooking?"

I laughed, feeling my earlier tension dissipate slightly. "Not really. My mom wouldn't even let me near the kitchen when I was growing up, especially not around the knives. She's... very protective."

"Protective?" Silver raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "So how did you end up as a Hood then?"

"Actually," I confessed, grinning while recalling the memory, "my mom literally fainted when I passed the trials. I did it in secret." At that, Silver let out a warm, hearty laugh that sent shivers down my spine.

"Your Mom sounds... interesting," he said, still chuckling.

"What about your parents?" I asked, curious to know more about the enigmatic werewolf before me. But his laughter died down, and his expression turned somber.

"That's not a matter I like to discuss," he replied quietly, avoiding my gaze.

My irritation flared up at Silver's sudden reticence. "So, it's okay for me to talk about myself, but you won't?" I snapped, my temper getting the better of me.

"Red, just leave it alone," Silver replied, his voice firm yet strained.

"Fine," I huffed, turning away from him. The rest of our dinner passed in tense silence, both of us too stubborn to make amends.

As if sensing the mounting tension between us, the sky suddenly darkened, and rain began to fall. Fat droplets pattered against the leaves above our heads, quickly turning into a steady downpour that drenched the forest floor. The once-distant thunder now rumbled ominously overhead.

We scrambled beneath the makeshift roof Silver had created earlier with branches and leaves, seeking shelter from the rain. Sitting side by side, our bodies were almost touching. I could feel the warmth of Silver's skin radiating next to mine, causing goosebumps to prickle along my arms and legs.

For a moment, I forgot the reason for our argument as I stole glances at Silver's wet shirt, which clung to his perfect torso like a second skin. Raindrops traced a tantalizing path from his neck down to his pecs, inviting my imagination to follow. As much as I tried to focus on anything else, my thoughts kept drifting back to the memory of Silver's body pressed against mine, the taste of his sweat, the feel of his hands on my skin...

As the rain continued to fall, I couldn't help but be reminded of our first encounter in the forest. The way his soft lips felt as they claimed mine, how his tongue explored my mouth, teasing and tasting. My mind lingered on the memory of how he had played with my nipples, pinching them just enough to make me gasp.

The scent of Silver's musk was earthy and intoxicating, filling the air around us as we sat so close together. I couldn't help but remember how he had parted my thighs and buried his head between my legs, starting to stroke my clit with his skilled tongue, inserting his fingers to reach that magical spot... I thought back to how he had shoved his big, hard cock inside me, making me scream and moan, driving me wild with pleasure until I came undone around him. My body ached for him again, and I found myself growing wet at just the thought.

"Shit, rain makes me horny now," I thought to myself, as my nipples tightened beneath my shirt, my clit screaming for attention.

As if drawn by the sudden change in my energy, Silver's fingers brushed against my hand. Startled, I turned to look at him, finding his gaze filled with lust. He stared at my mouth, then my cleavage, followed by my nipples, and finally back up to my lips.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my breath quickening with anticipation and anxiety.

"Can't you feel it, Red?" Silver murmured, his voice husky. "The attraction between us... It's undeniable."

"Silver, we can't do this," I whispered, torn between desire and reason. "We're not supposed to..."

"Who says we're not supposed to?" he countered, his eyes never leaving mine. "Why should we deny ourselves something that feels so right?"

As much as I wanted to give in, to let him take me again and lose ourselves in sex, I knew we couldn't. We were from different worlds; I was a Hood, and he was a werewolf. We could never truly be together.

"Silver," I said firmly, trying to keep my voice steady despite the desire coursing through me, "we can't."

Silver's hot breath tickled my lips, the intensity of his yellow eyes drawing me in like a moth to a flame. His handsome face, so close to mine, seemed to hold all the answers I was craving. And as he leaned in to close the distance between us, I couldn't resist the pull of his full lips against mine.

Our kiss was passionate, urgent, as if our very lives depended on it. His lips were soft yet insistent, his tongue exploring my mouth with a hunger that ignited the fire within me. One of Silver's strong hands held my nape, anchoring me to him, while the other caressed my belly before making its way up towards my breasts. The sensation sent shivers down my spine, and my arousal grew with each expert touch.

God, I wanted him so badly. I wished we could just lose ourselves in each other, forget the world outside and let him fuck me right there...

But I couldn't let that happen.

"Stop!" I shouted, pulling away from our heated kiss. We both stood up, the sudden distance between us feeling like a cold slap in the face.

"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded, anger and confusion swirling inside me.

"Really, Red?" Silver retorted, annoyance etched across his features. "You didn't seem to mind just a moment ago. Why are you getting angry all of a sudden?"

"I don't want to kiss you!" I snapped, even though every fiber of my being screamed otherwise.

His face hardened, anger flashing in his eyes. "Don't lie... You were enjoying it as much as I did."

"Maybe I was," I admitted begrudgingly, my cheeks burning with shame. "But that doesn't change the fact that we shouldn't be doing this!"

"Red, why are you fighting this?" Silver asked, exasperated. "Can't you feel it? The attraction between us..."

"Yes, I do," I spat, my anger momentarily overpowering the desire that had been coursing through me. "But it doesn't matter what I feel, Silver! You're a werewolf—that's why we can't do this!"

His face fell as the hurt flashed across his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a look of confusion. "I don't get it... Why do you hate werewolves so much?"

"Because one killed my father!" I blurted out, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.

Silver looked shocked for a moment, and then his expression softened. "I'm sorry, Red... I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't," I muttered bitterly. Then, looking him straight in the eye, I asked, "Can you assure me that you've never killed another human being, Silver?"

His gaze faltered, and he turned away from me, unable to meet my eyes. That silence spoke volumes.

"That's what I thought," I said quietly, sitting back down and doing my best to put some distance between us. "Don't ever try to kiss me again."

"Fine," Silver replied curtly, sitting far away from me. I turned my back on him, trying to ignore the conflicting emotions raging within me.

As the storm receded and the sky cleared, a sudden rustling behind me caught my attention. Thinking it was Silver trying to approach me again, I spun around, ready to give him a piece of my mind. But he was nowhere to be seen.

Frowning, I stood up and peered into the bushes where the sound had come from. My heart leapt into my throat as I discovered not Silver, but a wild boar staring back at me with fury in its beady eyes. The creature was massive, its tusks sharp and deadly, saliva dripping from its snarling mouth. It pawed at the ground, preparing to charge.

"Silver!" I shouted, adrenaline pumping through my veins. But in that instant, the boar lunged forward, leaving me no choice but to face the beast head-on.