She ran into him, crashed into his chest and landed on her butt. "Where are you off to?" Noah had seen her come running, but thought she'd stop, not crash into him."You maintain the clumsy aura with such finesse, kitten." He teased her before helping her up. She pushed her hair out of her face and bounced on her toes."Hey", she breathed. Her heart sped up. Whether it was him or her running, well, why bother thinking?He obviously enjoyed the reverence in her gaze because maybe she did regard him a little more highly than other people, his infamy was still a part of him. She hoped it was just his past though, not extending into the present. He always was a patron saint of calm and collected, the way he pocketed his hands. "I don't know where I'll be staying. I packed my clothes as you asked." He recalled doing that, yes. Now he was suffering for it. She'd be close to him. A hallway to the left, sometimes a step away from the confines of his bedroom. 'As you asked'. Why did he rea
He looked back and forth between Noah and the stream. His palpable fear mixed in the air. A few more words of coercion and the kid decided to trust him. Noah did catch him. But what was he going to do now? They had taken changelings in before. Usually the ones that were injured. This one was not. And why did his life invite scrutiny when all his plans worked, for he was a shadow? Vanessa. The name came unbidden, and he didnt think twice. His mind searched for hers and tapped on a memory from two days ago. He let his thoughts flow, who he was, why was he knocking on her cerebral door. With a quiet snick he made the contact to find out she was sleeping. Noah was aware of boundaries but the opportunity presented itself, a clover leaf in middle of the winter, and he with delicate care started to look around.Mind link at first, at the origin, had been a communication tool. None the wiser, wolves had been too busy surviving their harsh conditions, lacking the creativity to hone the skil
“How do changelings speak?” Noah sat on the solid rock, a solemn look on his facedirected at Vanessa. She was curled up next to the pup who had, without preamble, fallen asleep on them. Noah knew to question only when the creature was not in distress. But he was losing patiencequicker than Vanessa could ask quesions. And she asked a lot of questions. And she was sitting on her knees, legs folded beneath, an eager smile on her face. What would she do if he kissed her right now? “Would someone come looking for him?” Vanessa triedhard not to stare at him. His barefeet elongated up to calf muscles that’d put an athlete to shame. His ripped jens landed on his knees, and the way the sat emphasized his long muscular thighs. She peered at his face finding it hard to not look at his lips and the stubble that had grown prominently in the last twenty four hours. She dug her nails in her palms. Noah would have indulged in small talk or a lesson on changelings had he not seen the way she loo
Mikhail recoiled as if struck. And the pup whimpered. Mikhail furrowed his brows trying to understand what was happening when Noah stopped him. Because if they didn’t back off now, someone could get hurt. Vanessa nearly had an out of body experience. She saw two gaunt faces staring at her, and the child still sleeping. She then realized she had hissed at Mikhail because she conceived him a threat to the baby when he was one of the people she trusted. The sorry was on her lips but she didn't utter it. The attachment wasn't on purpose. She had never known herself to be possessive but the natural instinct to protect this creature left at nature's mercy seemed natural. So unlike her but natural. Like kissing Noah. 'No wolf is that attached to anyone but the near circle and pack.' Mikhail was pissed. He hadn't done anything to provoke Vanessa, to him the rebuke was unwarranted.'Let this be. She doesn't know she is doing it. She defended him to me.' Noah kept the peace, always. 'I am n
"Vanessa, you shouldn't say things like that." She already sensed him pulling back, as if on a leash. She didn't realize her mistake until his laser eyes burnt a hole in the side of her neck. Oh. Her jugular pulsed an erratic rhythm in response. Mates marked each other there. But mating worked when they were in love and consummated their relationship with sex. She threw caution to the wind, then. All her personal monologues of having to stay away from him burned to cinders. She pushed her hair to the side and laid bare her neck.Noah growled then. In all their time together, he had been controlling, measured, even when acting on instinct. She was testing him, really. This is a bad, bad idea. He said to his wolf. Do it, the animal snarled back. If not a mate, then others should know she is ours, especially Mikhail. He can't be rude to her. At this, man and the animal both bristled. Of course he can't. She was theirs, even just for a short time. Only, others needed a visible walking
Vanessa woke up cocooned in warmth. Last night drifted afresh in her memory. But her legs were tangled in two blankets, pillows strewn across the bed. No Noah. Slightly disappointed, she already quit on the day. Wasn't Silas going to visit today? Yes he was. And her mood did a U-turn because the last she had seen him, she had been in her pigtails. Evan was lounging in the main hallway of Noah's house. He never found it fascinating the way others did and went over his brother's instruction. Someone named Silas… blah blah blah. He caught on pretty easily at Mikhail's escapist tendencies. Mikhail lied so well. Even better than Noah. Because Noah had to instruct and Mikhail had to get the work done. Of course he needed more tricks up his sleeve. So he was asked to fish for information while Silas treated him. How did he know Gregory Flynn? Mainly that. Flynn. Huh. Wasn't Gregory Flynn Vanessa's father? Why can't they just ask her? Unless… the last he saw her, she was so freely smiling a
Vanessa was arrested on the spot. Eyes signalling at Evan to take a step back, as instructed. She would move if she could but behind her was the kitchen slab, and she had the faintest fear if she put some distance between her and Evan, he’d restrict her. That would be an equivalent of male aggression already permeating this room. Not just a rush of testosterone, these were wolves. The resulting damage manifold. “Evan.” Noah growled, slowly moving towards them. His voice razor sharp. He was pulling a rank, commanding in his alpha voice which left no room for disobedience. Evan stepped back, even though his eyes stayed on Vanessa. Evan was no petulant child. He was not up for reprimand in front of someone he had decidedly wanted to impress and court, like normal pack mates did. Except between him and Vanessa, there was a ghost of third person, throbbing under his skin, the one he quite had never gotten over. And while he wasn’t ready for anything life-altering, he cared about her. How
She wasn’t in her room. Nor in the library, guest room, or any other rooms in this behemoth of house. His frustration amped up. First, she looks at him like he has hurt her in immeasurable ways when she was the one tending to Evan Ryder, innocent, caught unawares of his want and affection. Lust. Shameless lust. Even if she was innocent, a deer caught in headlights, she needed a good reminder of why he marked her. Of why he had chosen, allowed, and rejoiced in her earthly presence to be distracted when unknown threats creeped on them anew. He found her atlast, legs folded like a child, swinging in his mother’s garden, her thighs bare, feet covered only in socks. It irked him. She didn’t mean to seduce, yet she did. The moonlight caught in her hair, tempting him to fist the silky strands. That was how she was made, to wear a simple flannel, reaching just the curve of her bottom, and sit there, not a care in the world.Vanessa sensed Noah behind her, made no move to acknowledge him. Not