Along the way, Ronan gathered wood and sticks to ignite a fire at the location they were headed towards. He tied the wood fuel into a bundle with rope from his supply backpack and hauled it over his shoulder.
Vivian walked in slow steps beside him, admiring the Lycan Alpha's strength. Shifters were renowned for their extraordinary physical prowess and strength, yet Ronan seemed far more superior than his shifter brethren.
Now and then, he offered her his hand to help her skip over rocks and obstacles in her path. They reached a valley with a rocky cliff face to their left and a gentler slope to the right.
Ronan veered left, walking straight for the sheer cliff face.
"I'm not the best climber," Vivian pointed out, fearing she would only inconvenience the Lycan Alpha. "I'll be fine here at the bottom of the cliff."
Ronan scowled; from anger or irritation, Vivian couldn't discern.
"We're not climbing," Ronan clarified and behind an outcrop of rock, the mouth of a cave became visible. "And even if we were, I'd strap you to my back for the climb if I must."
Ronan ceased his pace and turned around to walk a few steps back to where Vivian had stopped. His eyes ignited into a golden amber once again, like fire embers, and he slipped his arm behind her knees. The Lycan Alpha lifted her weightless body as if she were no heavier than a feather, making her sit on his forearm.
Vivian flushed, forced to wrap her arms around his neck as he tucked her small body against his side.
"You're with me, now," Ronan remarked, his rough and calloused fingers sinking into the soft flesh on the undersides of her thigh where the slit of her makeshift skirt was located. "Never speak of putting yourself behind again."
"I'm sorry," Vivian apologised, her lips pressing into a thin line as Ronan walked with her perched on his arm. Why was the Lycan Alpha so upset about what she said?
"Good girl," was all Ronan replied in a pleased tone before laying Vivian to sit on a boulder near the entrance of a cave.
"I'll get the fire going and then hunt for food," Ronan said, setting down the backpack and bundle of wood. "You rest."
"I can build the fire while you hunt," Vivian suggested, eager to prove that she wasn't entirely useless.
"Rest," Ronan's stern tone warned her. The glow in his eyes faded again. "We have a two-day travel ahead of us and I'll need to dress your burns before you sleep."
The excruciating pain and burn had already resurfaced, but Vivian was stubborn enough that she desperately tried to conceal any visible signs of her suffering during their travels. At Ronan's insistence, she lay down on the rock and submitted to her body's weariness.
Shortly after, Ronan birthed the fire and fed the flames a few logs of wood, radiating warmth and a peaceful crackle once the Lycan Alpha departed to hunt.
Vivian sensed him return some time later, followed by the louder crackling of fire and the smell of roasting meat minutes afterwards.
"Come on, I got some fresh water," Ronan broke the silence. "I'm just boiling it and then we'll change those bandages."
Ronan lifted her up from the boulder and carried her into the cave. The fire was burning at the mouth of its tunnel, and Vivian could feel its heat on her skin.
"Undress and we'll get started."
Vivian responded with a hesitant expression, biting her lip but a piercing look from Ronan had her untying her shawl from around her waist and slowly removing her shirt.
Her body and intimate parts were all wrapped in bandages, allowing her some decency at the least.
"One to ten, how bad is the pain?" Ronan enquired, approaching her.
"It's not bad." Vivian half-shrugged her shoulder, averting her gaze.
The Lycan Alpha took another step closer, lifting her chin with his fingers while his forehead creased.
"You're not a good liar, little wolf," his deeper, huskier voice surfaced along with the amber glow that seemed to flash in his eyes now and then. "Tell me the truth."
"Maybe a five..." She mumbled, finally conceding. Ronan's fingers were cold against her skin, offering a small, temporary relief to the burns crackling over her skin.
The Lycan Alpha brushed the pad of this thumb over her cheek; the glow in his eyes only intensified further.
And it was then that Vivian assumed that perhaps she'd begin to understand the significance behind the amber glow resurfacing and then fading occasionally in the Lycan's eyes.
Then he stepped back and removed his own shirt. He folded it into a makeshift pillow and laid it down on the rocky ground, gesturing for Vivian to sit on it.
The she-wolf had to look away the moment the orangish amber hue of the flames danced across Ronan's slightly tanned skin. It was like watching the burning sunset reflect off the ocean's surface, illuminating the Lucan's sinewed muscles.
Ronan's mouth curled upwards into a half smirk. He kneeled in front of Vivian, face inches away from hers.
"You don't have to keep looking away from me, little wolf," the Lycan spoke boldly, his eyes glinting with tease and mischief. "If you like what you see, you're welcome to keep admiring it."
Vivian swallowed hard, shaking her head.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to stare or look." The she-wolf tried to explain herself, almost fumbling her words.
"Alright, lean forward," Ronan instructed her, deciding to be courteous and save Vivian the embarrassment by returning his focus on redressing her burns. "Head to chin, and I'll start with your back."
Vivian did as she was told. As per routine, she unravelled the bandages concealing her chest by herself; she let them slip, bringing her long, untamed hair to the front to cover her breasts.
"Arms around my neck," Ronan issued another instruction. Vivian didn't argue and complied.
Now her body was flush against his; her breasts, although covered by her hair, were pressed up against his chest when she wrapped her arms around his neck as he brought her onto his lap.
Vivian's face heated up quickly.
Was this position really necessary?
"Hold onto me if it eases your pain." Ronan dipped a piece of cloth into the heated water and wrung it out; the action resulted in his arms almost completely encasing Vivian. "If you want to bite onto my shoulder, don't be afraid to do it."
Resting her chin on his shoulder, Vivian nodded.
Ronan began to dampen the cloth covering her burns. It was convenient for loosening the bandages and removing them, but they still brought pain as they tugged on her skin.
Ronan's amber, glowing eyes never faded, even for a second.
Did that mean his Lycan half was in control?