Wheeling Gull Isle sea fever

King withdrew when she did, although his movement was simply to relax his limbs, rather than to recoil. He didn't want to push her, but something deep inside him always twinged when he saw how hard these things were for the wisp.

The male closed his eyes against the sight of her fearful figure - she was far more at ease than she'd been when they met, but there was still a gaping chasm between the two of them. For a wolf like King, who'd left home only recently, and had come from a close-knit and loving family, it was almost more frustration than he could take. He needed wolves that would lay beside him in the sunlight, and pile together in the coldest winters, and chase fireflies in the evening, tumbling together when they tried to catch the same one.

"It's okay, Pookie," he said, his voice soft and low, not quite sure if he was forgiving a transgression or simply trying to comfort the girl. It felt more like trying to comfort himself.