Stefan’s POV “I think you should,” Mari says, her dark eyes seeking mine. “I heard you’ve been looking for her for years.” “Don’t you want to stay with me?” I ask her. She wraps her arms around herself. “I do.” “Then let’s forget about her. I feel everything with you that I should with my fated one. Maybe it’s you I was meant to find all these years.” Or maybe Mari, the real Mari, is dead. That’s the only way I could have bonded with someone else because I never rejected her. “I don’t want you to be with anyone else, but…” she hesitates and looks away, chewing on her bottom lip. “What is it?” I urge her on. Her eyes lift to mine again. “What happened back then? To her.” “She disappeared. One day she was here, the next, she wasn’t. So was her mother. I never heard from her since then.” “I think your mother was responsible,” she says. I frown. “What?” “When she tied me up in her basement, it was because she thought I was her. Apparently, she planned to get rid of her back the
Mari’s POV I sit in the passenger seat next to Hanna. I remember her well, she was there that night at the club. She’s hard not to remember, with her short haircut, the nose piercing, and the abundance of studs and hoops lining her left ear. About an hour ago, she showed up at my door and said that Stefan had instructed her to take me to town to get whatever I needed. Given I hadn’t brought much, I was happy to oblige. Of course, I had made it clear that I had no money to speak of, of which she assured me he got it covered. I’ve never been one to accept free things—because they usually are not—but I’m making an exception for this one. After everything he has put me through the past few days, I believe I have gained more than enough right to spend some of his money. “You’re taking this quite well,” Hanna comments, her dark brown eyes giving me a cursory glance before focusing on the road. “Am I?” She nods. “I figured you’d freak out and be in denial or something. I have never met
Mari’s POV On the drive back, I flip through one of the paperbacks I just got from the bookstore. “There’s a lot of sex,” I comment as I peruse the pages. Hanna chuckles. “I can’t believe you have never read one of those. In high school, at least.” “I wasn’t your normal high school student,” I confess, bittersweet memories flooding my mind. “Between all the days I was missing from class and my poor grades, I barely graduated. I was never much of a bookworm.” I spent more time during my teenage years trying to keep a roof above mine and my mother’s heads than I did studying. When my mother showed up and took me from my Dad’s house, I was relieved. At first. My stepmother didn’t like me at all, and she had made my life a living hell. So when Mum showed up and took me with her, I thought it was the beginning of a better life. A few months later we got kicked out of the house she was renting. By the time we got kicked out of the third house and sleeping hungry became more frequent, I
Stefan’s POV “Can we talk now?” I ask my mother, looking down at her as she leisurely sips a glass of wine. “You look rested enough.” When I released her last night, she insisted that she wasn’t ready to talk until she cleaned up, fed, and rested well. It’s now almost evening on the next day and I’m finally able to get her. But I know she’s capable of dragging this thing into tomorrow just to spite me. “Sit,” she instructs, indicating the armchair nearest to the couch she’s sitting on. I’m not in the mood to sit around and chat with her, and I make that known right away. “Why is my wolf that way?” She leans forward, two fingers holding her wine glass daintily. “Can you tell me exactly what ‘that way’ means? Any antics to narrate of?” Hah! She’s dreaming if she thinks I’m about to list down all my weaknesses to her. She doesn’t need to know that. “I’m the one asking the questions here,” I grit out. She waves her hand in dismissal and straightens back up. “I’m sure I’ll find out
Mari’s POV I place the book I’ve been reading on my bedside cabin and sigh as I settle back into my pillows. Maybe reading a steamy werewolf novel before bed wasn’t the best idea. Now my mind is taking a wild ride back to all those hours I spent in this bed, taking every last bodily pleasure I could from Stefan. Stefan, who I haven’t seen at all today. A fact that’s making me restless. I turn to my side and stare at the door, willing him to walk through it. But it remains closed. If I want to see him, it’s getting obvious that I’ll have to go and look for him. Unless he doesn’t want to see me. What did his mother tell him about my sister? Did he go looking for her? Maybe that’s why I haven’t seen him all day. An ache spreads throughout my chest as I think about that. They were childhood friends. She was his destiny. He has been looking for her for years. And somehow, stupid me has managed to convince myself that he’s content enough with me. That I can take her place. God, what’s
Gwen’s POV I shift for the first time on a full moon might. It’s a week after Stefan’s wolf bit me when I start feeling the tingling sensation all over my body. It begins with my fingers and toes, spreads to my limbs, and soon, I’m feeling it all over my body. I’m at the dining table when it happens. Thankfully, I’m not alone. “I feel weird,” I tell Stefan, who’s sitting at the head of the table to my right. He must have seen something when he turns to look at me because he instantly grabs my hand in his as if feeling for something. Then he’s coming to his feet, bringing me with him. “Come,” he tells me, heading towards the back of the house. We go through the back hall and out of the back door near the kitchen. When we come to the back garden, he tilts his head back, looking at the sky. At the full moon hanging low in the sky, partially hidden by clouds. “It’s a good night to shift for the first time.” Is it? Nerves are already flooding my stomach. Stefan looks back at me. Hi
Stefan’s POV “Want some more?” I ask Gwen when I notice she has polished off the steak and potatoes I set before her a while ago. She shakes her and grabs her empty plate as she stands. “No, I’m good,” she says, heading to the sink to clean it up. “Thanks for dinner.” “My pleasure,” I say, my eyes following her every movement. Does she know how delectable she looks in that dress of hers? It isn’t exactly body-hugging, but it skims softly over every curve that matters, so it’s not hard to imagine what’s underneath. Knowing that she has only got a pair of panties underneath isn’t exactly helping with my self-control. “What will you drink?” She looks behind her shoulder at me, her dark eyes seeking mine. “Can I have a glass of wine? It’s been a while since I had one.” Right. She had to stay away from alcohol while her body was deciding whether to transition or not. But now, she’s out of the woods. Which means she can drink, though only a little. Or actually want to fuck me without it
Stefan’s POV I brace my palms against the edge of the counter as I stare back at myself in the bathroom mirror. My glowing eyes stare back at me as if mocking me. It feels like it’s someone else looking back at me. “Get the fuck out of my head,” I growl. ‘I’m in more than your head.’ I freeze as the reply comes. I wasn’t exactly expecting one. But the fucker has already made it clear that he has a voice of his own, hasn’t he? “What do you want?” I grit out. ‘Her.’ I scoff and let go of the counter. That’s just fabulous, isn’t it? “I thought you were here for some grand scheme of revenge against humans.” ‘Yeah, that’s what I told your mother.’ I look back at the mirror, narrowing my eyes at…well, myself. What’s that supposed to mean? Did he lie as to why he wanted to hijack someone’s body? “Why are you really here, then?” ‘For her.’ He’s going to keep up with that, isn’t he? “Look, you already do whatever you please with my wolf. How about—” ‘My wolf, you mean.’ I pause.