TANIA
I was still groggy, vision blurry and muscles lax with exhaustion that hadn't left my limbs yet but my mind was strangely aware. It was aware that I had fallen asleep last night in a set of strong arms which encased me as if forming a barrier against every one of my fears. I wanted to ignore the fact that my sleep was almost blissful when tucked into his chest and cradled but I couldn't. After my nightmare had woken me and I somehow found sleep again, not a single dream—good nor bad—found me. And I liked it that way.
I blinked away the blurriness while perching myself against the cushioned headboard. When my focus returned I found the room empty, the faint whisper of Sylvain's woodsy scent lingering in the air. I almost released a disgruntled sigh but I stopped myself. How could I be mad or even disappointed that he left when he had a life of his own. He was already putting said life on h
TANIAI thoroughly enjoyed watching Sylvain's features contort between surprise and joy as I showed him around town. We stopped at the bakery first and, true to his style, he charmed the bloody socks of the elderly woman behind the counter—even convinced her to talk to me even though her every instinct screamed against it. I appreciated the gesture but I didn't want to go around town making people uncomfortable. Luckily, after coffee and blueberry muffins we left for the next place.It took us longer than necessary to get there because he kept pausing to pet the horses on the paved roads. They adored him, letting out whinnies and swishing their tails through the air. Seeing horses and carriages fascinated him the way seeing cars for the first time fascinated faeries. However, the town wasn't massive, and getting cars here would be a problem we weren't ready to tackle. This method of transportation had serv
SYLVAINI licked her soft bottom lip before drawing it between my teeth and sucking on the pillow. The taste of coffee with hints of blueberry muffin lingered in her mouth and I devoured it until all I could taste was her. And, oh was she sweet. She tasted like sugar-coated lies and bad decisions. It made no sense but it made perfect sense to me.She kept lying to herself that she was the villain, so much so that she was now down the rabbit hole believing it with everyone else. But, if she were so bad then why did she have a laugh that reminded me of angels singing?I tilted my head, deepening the kiss in a way that had anticipation clouding my vision and desire setting my body on fire. If this snow wasn't magically enchanted beneath me it would have turned into a steaming puddle of water. Of that much, I was certain.The more she made me wait, the more I wanted her. I wanted her on top of me with her head tipped back and white locks cascading over her curves and I wanted her beneath m
TANIAI made a mistake. A terrible mistake. I wasn't some hormonal teenager so I should have never decided to throw caution to the wind. My hormones and lack of composure should have never driven my actions. Now, all that could be felt was thick, undiluted tension between Sylvain and me. Tension because we didn't know how to proceed from here, whether or not this was a tilt in another direction for our relationship, or whether things would remain the same.We were exiting the summer court which didn't hold Sylvain's attention. It reminded him of the sweaty, humid, subtropical climate of LA and his skin turned beat red under the direct rays of scorching sunlight. Because of that, we zipped through the summer court and breezed through the autumn as well.It was Spring—surprisingly enough—that held his attention in the same way winter court had. He brushed his fingertips over the tu
SYLVAINIt didn't take much convincing for me to be let out of the city. Zephyr was just happy Tania wasn't cooped up in her room and I was the reason she decided to explore the city so this—letting me out—was his reward. He did, however, tell me to meet him in the clearing we had arrived in days ago when I had first landed here so he could lead me back to the town. I had till sundown to sort out whatever I needed to so I had left early this morning to get started. Tania was still asleep, soft snores passing through her parted lips when I left. I didn't know how to face her. I didn't know what version of her I would get and it terrified me to find out. When she drew me in it had hope seeping into every pore on my body and when she pushed me away, it felt like a vacuum sucking away my very essence.I needed a break from it.I felt bad for thinking so but I did. After yesterday I t
TANIA When I awoke this morning Sylvain had already left to his sister's pack—without even a goodbye. I didn't know why that vexed me so much. He didn't owe me anything, especially not a goodbye or a few words before he decided to leave. However, I kept thinking back on the events as of late. Was he finally fed up with me pushing him away? Did he come to his senses and leave without a thought of turning back?Or, would I see him curled on my bed when I returned to my room later tonight?Only time would tell but the question well and truly plagued me. So much so, I was tempted to leave and use the shadows to find him so I could be there, with him. My father would probably lose his shit but at least I would be able to think of anything other than him.I needed to calm the anxiety that roiled my stomach and turned my hands clammy. No one had ever mad
TANIAI was exhausted by the time I left the library to return to my room. The day just slipped through my fingers and, by the time I left, the moon was lighting up the inky sky along with a few stars glinting between the mass of gray clouds. I was so caught up between ancient pages and old texts that I had forgotten to eat both lunch and supper so, when my stomach grumbled, I wasn't the least bit surprised. Still, I remained on course and didn't pivot in the direction of the kitchen no matter how much my body begged. There was something I needed to do first before eating.Even with the hours spent in that room, I was only a quarter way through the books lining the walls—if not less than that. And, my search thus far was unsuccessful. A small part of me was sort of joyful at that. Maybe I wasn't ready to let go of Sylvain or the companionship he offered.But I had to let go at some poi
TANIA"You're insane," I chastised in a hushed whisper but I still crept through the halls of the estate behind Sylvain.It wasn't as if I didn't know every room in this large building by the back of my hand. Sylvain, on the other hand, thought it would be exciting to explore the estate while everyone was asleep—including the guards who were meant to be awake guarding the damn place. Bloody idiots."Am I, though?" He quipped over his shoulder as we rounded the corner."Yes, why didn't you ask for a tour during broad daylight?" I asked with a roll of my eyes."And what fun would that be?" He quizzed teasingly, reaching back to weave his thick fingers with mine.I jerked my hand back when a jolt of sparks shot up my arm and locked my lips together to prevent my gasp. Sometimes, the way his touch felt still took me by surprise
SYLVAIN You never know when exactly love hit you. One day, you'd wake up with the realization that the last thought you had before nodding off was about your special person, and the first thought to pop into your head also revolved around said person. It was then you would realize how irrefutably in love with the person you were. And it would be too late to save yourself from the inevitable heartbreak you knew you were bound for.Because the fact remained that I knew better than to fall in love with someone who didn't want me. I planned to help her but that was before I met her and got to know her as a person. Now, I didn't just want to help her, I wanted to make her mine and I didn't know how to go about convincing her that we could have a future together. I hadn't figured out the logistics yet like how I would run my pack while being here but I would find a way.It was ti