Aura awoke while the moon was still high in the sky. She felt a buzzing in her mind, and she knew someone was mindlinking her. First, she had to drop her human appearance to answer the call. Aura wormed her way out of Dax's comforting hold. The magnetic pull between the two of them was increasing. Why would she be attracted to a man outside of her race? Such pairings between different races were not allowed in this land. This would be an attraction that could not come to fruition, and Dax would never know why.

Aura looked back at Dax. She admired his features. Dax had solid black hair that was just long enough to run her fingers through. His eyes were closed, covering his bright, blue eyes. She thought his face was strong and symmetrical, and his face was gruff from the lack of shaving. Dax even had a scar over his left eye. Without his armor, Aura could see his well-defined muscles through his black shirt and pants. Aura’s face felt flush from rising heat in her body. She backed away from the fair-skinned, handsome man in front of him.

Dax had no fur or tail. His ears were round, not fluffy and pointed. He had feet that required shoes, not strong paws. How was she attracted to that? Her beast form was different from this hairless human form she was dawning. Beast shifters had ears and a tail that matched their beast form with patches of fur along their lower half of the body and up their back that complimented their form. Aura thought if Dax saw either of her natural forms he would no longer fall for her charms because of the vast differences between them. Could a human admire a beast shifter’s true beauty? She felt sad at that thought as she looked at the beautiful night sky, leaving the campsite behind her.

The buzz in her mind intensified as she ran deeper into the forest, putting as much distance as she could between her and the humans. When she reached the river, she allowed her magic disguise to fade. Bones cracked, her skin sprouted fur, ears grew from her head and a tail stretched out from her lower back. She sat on her haunches and exhaled out the dull pain in her body. Shifting into an unnatural form using magic takes a toll on the shifter's body and over time shortens the shifter's life span.

Once Aura had her body settled, she let her mental block down to answer the call of the mindlink. Two voices fought to break into her mind vying for attention. She whined at the pain through the link. Both voices quieted allowing her a moment of peace before the Alpha Hunter filled her head.

"Aura, you are late for your report." Alpha Hunter Enoch announced in his cold voice.

"I apologize, Alpha." Aura said. "I have gathered the necessary intel."

"Don't keep me waiting." Alpha Enoch responded, impatiently.

"The humans will be out of our valley by midday, but they will be back in two weeks. The leader of the caravan is Captain Dax Shalltear of the Knights of the Land. He has been traveling through the valley on a series of mercy missions to the villages on the other side of the Hailia Mountains. The disease is plaguing the villages, and the Kingdom of Regalia has employed the knight to deliver needed supplies." Aura explained. She always felt odd conversing with the Alpha because only two years ago she was training him. She is four years older than him, which made their relationship weird when he won the title of Alpha Hunter last year.

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"So, that's why they have entered our valley. Unfortunately for those villages, these trips through the valley cannot continue. I will not risk our clan. We must not let them enter the valley again. See that they leave on schedule tomorrow and return home. We must come up with a plan of attack." Alpha Enoch said, bluntly.

"Yes, Alpha. I believe I may have a solution that would work." Her tail wagged at the thought of helping Dax.

Alpha Enoch growled, making Aura involuntarily bow her head. "Do not get cocky, Aura. I feel your admiration for the human, and you must not continue your infatuation. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Alpha." Aura whimpered. The mindlink faded, and Aura dropped to the forest floor. Her head pounded from the shift and mindlink. She could not believe Enoch would not listen to her words, but he was right about her attraction to Dax. Her life just became more complicated. If only she could have followed her dream of being a healer instead of a Huntress.

The stars dimmed giving way to the rising sun. Aura dashed back toward the campsite and shifted into her human disguise once more. She emerged from the forest to see Dax waking up by the fire pit. He looked handsome, maybe even sexy. She gave herself a nice mental slap for that thought. Alpha Enoch did have a point about this growing attraction, which only made Dax seem more attractive.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Aura faked a smile to keep the mood light.

"Mmm...morning," Dax said in his husky morning voice. Dax liked Aura's sweet attitude toward him. He could get used to having her around, but she won't be around, he reminded himself.

"Get up, Dax. I am feeling hungry, and your men are already moving." Aura informed him. She pulled the buns and jam from Dax's bag. She made a little breakfast for the both of them while he stretched out on the ground. "Here. You need to eat."

Dax sat up and took the bun from Aura. "You win. I am up." He smiled and thanked her.

"I always win, Dax. I have yet to lose in my life, and I don't plan to start now." She gave a sly grin to his happy expression.

"I think I could happily lose to you, but we don't have time to test that theory." He muttered while trying to down his breakfast. His words betrayed him, slowly exposing his attraction to her. Dax knew he was only deepening the hole he created for himself. "Will you meet us when we return in two weeks?"

Aura froze at his question. She wanted to meet him, but it wouldn't be her decision when the time came. Being undercover has never been hard or complicated for her before. She knows six languages and has infiltrated countless organizations, villages, and kingdoms in her sixteen years as a Huntress. "Dax, I can't promise anything. I don't know if I will still be here then. Running for my life is not a game. You have to promise not to look for me, okay?"

"I understand. I wouldn't want to put you in trouble, Aura. You have been a breath of fresh air for me, and I am eager not to lose that." Dax said as he packed trying to keep himself from looking her in the eye.

"If God deems it so, we will see each other again, Dax. Have faith in that." Aura said, trying to convince herself of the same idea.

"Sure, Aura." He responded. Dax had a feeling that he wouldn't be seeing Aura again any time soon. The caravan was ready to leave too soon, and Dax mounted his horse with Aura right behind her.

All morning the two of them sat in silence as Aura tightly hugged Dax's waist giving him whatever comfort she could offer. There were many other things that she wished she could do with Dax, but that day may not come for them. They reached the cave of the valley border and gave a silent goodbye. Dax looked at Aura trying to remember her for the future. He wanted this to be a moment to remember and made a reckless decision, pulling Aura to him and giving her the kiss they both desired. His smooth pink lips moved in time with hers as they tasted what could only be forbidden fruit. Aura responded to his passion in kind for a moment. The buzzing hit Aura's head hard causing her to end the moment faster than she wanted.

"Until next time, Dax." She planted a chaste kiss on his cheek and ran into the forest.