DOM POV I pace back and forth near the hole we made for holding thirsty ones. We have never had a human inside the den before. All talks with humans have been at the mansion or within the human territory.I feel oddly exposed having her inside our rudimentary home. I know humans prefer certain accommodations, but our wild side yearns for this way of living. The freedom and connection to the earth satisfy the inner animal we all are. "This is the hole. Alpha will decide what to do next. You will wait here until that decision is made," Giulia says, and I force my brain to focus on my sense of hearing. I hear my mate's heart rate accelerate, and I instantly feel regret about my decision to house her in such a place, but the pack must not find out who she is. She might mean something to me, but to the pack, she is a liability."It's pitch black. I can't see," my human mate says, and the undeniable fear in her voice makes me step forward."I cannot assist you with that problem. Hu
As I sit at the luxurious dining table, my mind runs through a million different scenarios. Scenarios that change depending on which guy I focus on. Like...never entering the forest and growing old with Nathan. Or maybe mating and living forever as a half-Lycan. Having kids...can I have kids with Dom? If I do stay with him, are we destined to never have children. With Nathan, I could have had one. I also would have been stuck in a job I hated, but a chance at being a mother sounds good. But if I am a Lycan, I will be expected to fight against the thirsty one. I don't know how to fight. Inside the human city, I am safe, bored, but safe. I turn the glass of water slowly as if it's in sync with my wheeling mind, completely ignoring the nosy lycans watching me. I have avoided answering any of their questions and instead asked for some water to buy me some time. They haven't backed off, but they haven't asked again, either. They seem to be waiting for me to crack or ask them somethin
DOMENICO POV I fold my arms and lean against the entrance to the main living area. I try to appear calm and relaxed but my insides are a swirl of different emotions. Lust and longing being the primary ones.I tried to stay in my personal around, but I have realized that I can't stay away from her for very long. Even if she is with Giulia, my most trusted female warrior. I personally have to know she is safe and being taken care of. She may have upset me, but I do not think I could ever stay mad at her. She is too precious, even now.Giulia seems to be warming up to my human mate rather quickly, which I am unsure if I like. Humans have never been creatures that we befriend. We protect them, but their short life spans make it painful to care about them on a personal level."I need to explain something to you," Giulia says with almost urgency in her voice, and I freeze."We can kill them with ease, but sometimes their numbers overwhelm us...Each Lycan lost is devastating to us. Over th
I hug my knees close to my chest as I watch some Lycans wrestle in the courtyard behind the massive castle. I feel so cold, and I don't know why. The air outside is warm, and the sun is hitting the area around me. Ever since my annoyance with Domenico left, I have felt weak and cold. I want to see him and have him hug me, but my pride is telling me to stay away. I shake my head a little to push back my thoughts about my mate. Anytime I even think of his name I begin to obsess about him. Where is he? What is he doing? Is he okay? It's baffling me. I have never felt this possessive or obsessive over someone. Nathan was my best friend and lover, but I could go hours without wondering what he was up to. The lycans I am watching seem relaxed and comfortable. They don't even seem to mind that I am staring at them, and I am glad. I would hate to be told I need to go back inside. I am tired of counting the lines in the wood. I needed something else to stare at. Something moving and alive
"What are you doing with that," I ask slowly as I see my family's picture in my mate's hand. She jumps like a frightened bunny, and the picture goes flying toward the fire. Thankfully Alessia snags it before it can be lost to the flames. My mate turns to face me with a horrified expression, and I react before I can stop myself. I grab her arms and lift her to her feet. Fully intending to kiss her full lips, but reality hits me in the face just in time to stop me. "I will escort you outside. You may go as far as the stream. Any farther isn't safe. Sunset is an hour away, and bloodsuckers are unpredictable when they smell a human. A group of them might be dumb enough to enter my den," I manage to say, and her beautiful blue eyes grow even larger. She nods after a few moments and tucks her hands into the pockets of her pants. "I won't go that far. I just need some vitamin D," she says in a voice meant for humor, and confusion riddles my brain. Her body language is su
I feel so giddy. Domenico has asked me to dine with him. After telling his pack about me, he hasn't really left my side. He constantly observes me without saying anything unless it's a question about my life. I have covered everything about my short life, and he seems to be soaking it in. Not just soaking it in, actually, but intrigued. But it is confusing to me since I have only ever lived in one place. I haven't seen very much of the world, and since I am so young, life is a challenge. Compared to me, he is sophisticated and cultured. But I am still excited to spend time with him. The Oracle, Alessia, and Giulia have gone to great lengths to get me a summer dress from the city. So for the first time since telling his pack, I am his mate, Domenico isn't by my side. My two bodyguards are. "Yellow is a good color for your skin," Giulia says while looking like a fashion credit. She has circled me twice while holding her chin, and my nerves are shot. They won't let me see wh
DOMENICO POV "I am sorry I walk slow," she whispers, and my heart aches inside my chest. She sounds sad, and that kills me. She is human, and while I wish she weren't, she can not change it. She isn't slow for a human. She is only slow compared to me. We are nothing alike...and I still find her to be perfect. "All humans are slow. I am only worried about your pace currently because the sun sets soon," I reply after pushing down my sorrow, and she looks up at me cautiously, making me look at her. She quickly looks back down at her feet like a frightened deer. I look away to ease her discomfort, but her heartbeat quickens even more. "Why do they teach us to call you beasts? I mean, it's clear that offends you. Have you addressed it," she asks, and my self-control leaves me. I scoff at how naive she truly is. Does she believe that because something offends me, the humans will alter their decisions? The humans do things to offend us purposefully. Jealousy is the true
The wooden floors creak as I slowly make my way to the dining hall. No matter how lightly I step or how much I try to distribute my weight the ancient wood is protesting each one of my movements. The house is completely silent except for my footsteps since most of the Lycans have either gone to bed or are out in the forest. I can only assume their Alpha told them to make themselves scarce. I know Domenico can hear me coming and that makes me even more nervous. I don't truly understand why because it's not like I haven't been on a date. I mean I lived with a man before. But this feels different...like it's the beginning of the rest of my life. I push open the dining room's beautiful original door and my mate looks in my direction instantly. His green eyes sweep over me so quickly that I almost miss them. "Yellow suits you," he whispers after a second and I blush before stepping further into the room. "Thank you. The girls said the same thing," I reply and he smirks befor