Fighting Darius [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

Summary This is Penny and Darius's story. Question: How long can you resist your heart's true desire? Answer: Until you're tired of resisting and decide you're claiming her and will fight to keep her forever. Penny: I still remember the first moment our eyes met, something happened. Those icy blue eyes. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I could feel the magnetic pull and we're both helpless against it. Our eyes met constantly across the room. He would be the first to tear his eyes away. He's so powerful, though. So charismatic. He's a lycan. I'm just a regular werewolf. I couldn't stop thinking about him. I made up my mind that I would make him love me. I would fight for what I want. I would deny my own mate if it means I get to keep him. Three years I went after him single-mindedly. I laid my heart out for him. He kept pushing me away. Then one day he pushed too far...and I'm tired of fighting for us. There's no us. I'm just a fool. I'm done fighting. I made up my mind that I'm going forget him. I'm going to go out there and lose my virginity, over and over again if I have to. I mean, why hold on to it, right? It's not like I'm getting an award for keeping it the longest. Not likely that my mate will keep his virginity for me. Darius certainly didn't. Why the double standard? So, why can't he just leave me alone now? Why is he so hellbent on breaking me? Stupid lycan. Ughhh...stupid,

Chapter 1 – Werewolf Among Sea of Humans The lecture drones on. I stifle an urge to yawn. Why am I here again? Oh yea, to have a full college experience. I glance around me. I’m the only werewolf here in this lecture hall. The only werewolf among the sea of humans. Oww…An elbow pokes me and I turn to scowl at my human friend Lily. She just giggles and grabs my arm to pull me closer so she can whisper into my ear, “Look at that hottie over there.” She draws an arrow on my notepad pointing towards a guy sitting two rows in front of us. I can only see the back of his

head, but he seems okay. Tall, broad shoulders, short dirty blond hair. So this is the guy my three human friends were giggling and whispering about. What are the chances that I found like-minded girls who are just as boy crazy as I am in a college like this? HUGE. I made friends with Lily, Amanda, and Keisha the first week I got here. “Promising.” I jot down on the pad next to the arrow. “Promising? Penny, he’s hot!!!” exclaims Amanda in a loud whisper as soon as she sees what I wrote. A few students turn to look at us in irritation. Lily turns to the others and they start whispering and giggling again. I fight an urge to roll my eyes. They’re so like high school girls. Well, maybe that’s because they came here right after high school. I had three years to grow up a bit, though I doubt I look a day over 18…or if I was honest, behave much better myself. I try to copy the note and the names of authors and titles of suggested reading scribbled on the board. “Okay, Miss Promising,” whispers Lily, turning to look at me again. “We dare you to go and talk to Mr. Hottie right after class,” she looks at me smugly. Oh, I don’t chicken out from dares. Ever. She knows that. “What do I get out of this?” I quiz her. “Cappuccino from your favorite cafe for his name and phone number,” answers Amanda from beside her.

“Your whole lunch and that includes fries, paid for if you get him to join us for lunch today,” adds Keisha. “Plus that cappuccino?” I ask them. At their nodding heads, I say, “Done!” and start to gather my things together. I have to be quick to catch this “hottie” before he leaves the lecture hall. I’ve been here almost a month now. I’m living with the lycans, but I’ve been trying not to spend all my time with them. Not that I don’t enjoy their company, especially Genesis and Serena, but they have their mates. Every time I spend time with them, I feel like the fifth wheel or something. Their close and loving relationship with their mates remind me of how alone I am. Besides, Genesis is very committed to her art. She and Constantine are always having their painting session. Painting session. Ha!!! As if we don’t know what they’re up to. The lecture ends and our target is getting up. Time to move my ass before “hottie” gets away. “Get your money out bitches. Get ready to pay for my lunch,” I mutter to them with a grin and a wink as I get up and sashay my way towards the “hottie”. The view from the front is actually quite nice. The “hottie” isn’t that bad-looking at all for a human. He’s about six feet tall, nice body, dark gray eyes, and dirty blond hair. Not anywhere nearly as good-looking as Darius, says a little nagging voice in my head that wouldn’t shut up. I shake my head a little. I’m here to forget all about that lycan. Forget about all the three years that I wasted over a man who doesn’t want me. Never mind that not a day goes by that I don’t

think about him. Never mind that my heart aches every minute of the day. Never mind that there’s a Darius’s size hole in my heart. Then there’s the anger that comes with it too. Stupid Penny. Stupid, stupid Penny. Now, focus! I flash the “hottie” in front of me a flirty little smile.

Chapter 2 – No Hello or Goodbye Three Years ago Penny My 18th birthday was just a few days ago. It’s a big deal for me because we could sense our mate when we turn 18. That’s why I planned a big party. It was going to be epic! I invited all the good-looking boys that I had a crush on. Well…that’s basically almost all the unmated werewolf boys at our school. I know, I know…Genesis called me boy crazy, but who knows, one of those boys could be my mate, right? I was just being thorough. I’m a very dedicated she-wolf. Well anyway, that didn’t happen. My birthday party, I mean. My best friend Genesis got kidnapped by this crazy female lycan whose name I dare not mention. Cough* Milan*cough. She was kidnapped while helping me getting things ready for my epic birthday party. My bestie Genesis is mated to a lycan prince, Constantine. That crazy lycan bitch wanted Constantine for herself and almost killed my friend.

The moment we realized that she was kidnapped, was the worst moment of my life. Never had I felt so lost and helpless before. Reese, my other bestie and I drove to her parents’ house to be with Genesis’s mother, Lavinia. Lavinia was a blubbering mess. We were there supposedly to support her and soothe her, but as soon as we saw her crying, Reese and I bawled our eyes out along with her. Not long after, my mom and Reese’s mom showed up. Our moms loved Genesis almost like their own too, soon they started bawling their eyes out as well. It turned out to be a big giant tear fest. No men entered the house that night. I think they heard us crying inside and that was more effective than taping a Do Not Enter sign at the door. My birthday wish this year wasn’t for me to find a mate, but for my best friend Genesis who’s more like a sister to me to come back to us safe and sound. I wished so hard. I wished it with all that I had in me. It was such a relief when we heard that she was alive. We were so relieved and happy that we had another round of tear fest. I wish I could join them in hunting down and killing that lycan bitch who was planning to kill my best friend, but I think I would be more of a hindrance rather than helping. I was just a regular werewolf, while they were lycans. I had no business to be where lycans were fighting lycans. Lycans are different than us regular werewolves. When they phase, they walk on two feet rather than four and are also bigger, faster, fiercer, smarter, stronger and more powerful than any werewolves. They are like killing machines when provoked. No sane werewolf would want to mess with them.

The only way you can kill a lycan is by severing the spine from its body, which is quite impossible for a regular werewolf to do. They are known to be the direct descendants of the moon goddess, so they are treated like the nobility in the werewolf world. In fact, our king, King Alexandros is a lycan. We hadn’t seen my best friend so far. They tracked the lycan bitch down and managed to kill her and a group of rebels in Russia. Genesis and her mate Constantine and her other lycan friends, Serena, Lazarus, and Caspian are supposed to come back from Russia tonight. Serena is mated to Lazarus. Caspian is actually Prince Caspian. The crown prince, also Constantine’s cousin. Prince Caspian is still unmated. He’s also swoon-worthily good looking, of course. If he’s not such an idiot, I might have fallen for him. Well, actually, I did have a crush on him…until he opened his mouth. Then I realized that he’s a cocky, spoil brat lycan prince with the mentality of a five-year-old. It took only less than a minute after he first uttered his first word for me to realize this. I was cured out of my crush on him right away. Thank goddess! All I want to do when he’s around me now is to kick him in the nuts. Every. Freaking. Time. Genesis’s family, my other bestie Reese and her mate River, and even my parents are waiting at the lycans’ home to greet them. It’s quite late, I think it’s close to midnight by the time they finally arrive. As soon as their car pulls in, my wolf Juno starts to get weird. I usually listen to my wolf’s instinct, but I decided to ignore her for now.

“Genesis!” I pull my bestie into my biggest hug as soon as I get the chance. I thought I’d never see her again. “I’m sorry for being such a pain for my birthday party. It’s my fault that they got you,” I apologize. Tears start forming in my eyes. “Oh, Penny…you know it’s not your fault at all. Happy Birthday, love,” she whispers in my ear, while she squeezes me a bit harder. “I thought I’d never see you again. Don’t you dare do that to us again,” I scold her. “Not if I can help it,” she manages to say before Reese pulls her away. After I released Genesis, I straighten up to find myself looking into a pair of icy blue eyes. Those eyes make my heart stop beating before it starts to race like crazy. I could feel the buzz of energy in the air between us. The owner of those eyes is staring back at me. Watching me unwaveringly. I’ve never seen him before. Obviously, he’s a lycan. He’s so gorgeous…and lethal. His eyes are mesmerizing icy blue. He has thick blond eyebrows that are a tad bit darker than his pale thick blond hair. His hair is so pale, it’s almost white. It is slicked back and suits him perfectly. His sharp features look like they’re molded from granite. His red lips contrasting with his fair flawless complexion. His

perfect top lip is firm, yet his bottom lip is full and sexy, at odd with his icy tough exterior. There’s a sinister dangerous air about him that set my inner alarm bell ringing and buzzing…with excitement. I’m not normal…or maybe I’m just stupid. Other normal she-wolves would’ve run away from danger. I jump feet first into danger. Danger excites me. I learn that his name is Darius Ivanovic Rykov. He’s a commander of the Royal Intelligence Force unit and a good friend of Constantine, Lazarus, and Caspian. He’s here with his two other officers to investigate Genesis’s kidnapping. It’s a huge deal, especially since it’s connected to a ruthless and wellknown rebel group. “Beany Penny!!!! Don’t I get a hug too?” Caspian has a big mischievous grin on his face as he pulls me in for a hug. Huh? Beany Penny? I glance quickly back at the smoking hot, icy blue-eyed lycan from over Caspian’s shoulder. He has a big scowl on his handsome face as he stares at Caspian and me. I couldn’t concentrate on anything else around me. People are talking, yet I’m only aware of his every movement and of his eyes on me. I feel the buzzing energy every time those icy blue eyes land on me, which is a lot. My ears zone in on his deep sexy voice as he talks….and that Russian accent. I melt. My heart flutters in my chest like a trapped little bird and my stomach clenches almost painfully every time our eyes meet. All through the night, my eyes keep drifting to him. Like a magnet, I’m hopelessly drawn to him. Like he’s pulling the string to my kite. He can’t seem to keep his eyes off of me too

because, every time I look at him, he’s already looking at me. Our eyes would meet and locked from across the room. He would be the first to break the spell. He would drag his eyes away before they inevitably and reluctantly drift back to me again. It’s like he couldn’t help himself. “Persephone Aspen Ruiz, did you hear a word I was saying?” asks my mom after I fail to answer her question the third time tonight. Of course not Mom. “Of course I have, mom,” I answer her as I feel my cheeks heating up. Gee, thanks a lot mom! Now I’m blushing. I don’t do blushing! My eyes involuntarily flicker to Darius’s direction. I notice that there was a slight smirk on his lips. A little amusement and a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. Oh, how embarrassing! He must know how much his presence is affecting me. “He’s hot, eh?” whispers Reese into my ear. “Who?” I pretend ignorance. “Who else?” she grins mischievously. “I think he looks like Draco Malfoy…only buffer, hotter, bigger, sexier..” “Shut up,” I shush her as I notice his eyes slide to me again. I watch him covertly from afar.

He looks like he’s in his early twenties…22 at the most. He looks so tough, yet sophisticated. Rugged yet so beautiful. So worldly and cultured. I guess he is all that since he’s older than 22. Genesis’s mate, Constantine looks like he’s only 18 but he’s actually over 300 years old. So I imagine he must be a bit older than that. Compared to humans, us werewolves age slower, but Lycans age a lot slower than werewolves. That means they live a lot longer. Thankfully, a lycan mate, be it a human or a werewolf would change into a lycan once they’re bonded. If you’re wondering about how a werewolf could possibly mate with a lycan, then maybe I should begin by telling you a bit that I know about Lycans. You see, Lycans don’t have mates chosen for them by the moon goddess like us regular werewolves. They get to choose their own mates, either another lycans, regular werewolves, or even humans. Even though they’re not blessed with mates, each lycan has “the one” for them. The one that they’re attracted to like no other. That one person can either be another lycan, a werewolf, or even a human. This one being is called “erasthai”. This attraction is governed by their basic survival instinct. It is believed that the erasthai is best suited to the lycan in every way. The stronger the attraction, the stronger their bond will be when they become mates. Lycans are not known to be giving up on their erasthais, even when their erasthais are already mated or married to another. How crazy is that?

That being said, there are lycans who marked and mated with another lycans who are not their erasthais. The bond wouldn’t be as strong, though. The bond between lycans who mated with their erasthais can be stronger than that of a werewolf mates. Seeing my best friend Genesis and her lycan mate Constantine, I can believe that. She’s definitely Constantine’s erasthai. The level of love and understanding between them is incomparable. Their chosen mate, no matter if she or he is a werewolf or a human will turn into a Lycan herself after they form a bond. The mates physical appearance as a human also would change to mold perfectly to its other half, the lycan. In their human form, lycans are better looking and more attractive than us regular werewolves who are considered to be better looking than most humans…like way more. So, lycans are amazing smoking hot. My friend Genesis, who’s very beautiful, to begin with, is now drop dead gorgeous, just like all the other lycans. Genesis cornered me into telling her about what’s going on with me the very next day. My bestie thought that I was Darius Rykov’s erasthai because that’s how she felt the first time she met Constantine. I’m so confused because I was waiting for my mate. I wasn’t expecting to be an erasthai to any lycans. Not at all. What would happen if or when I meet my mate? I don’t know, but all that I know is, the connection is so strong that I can’t stop thinking about him.

Unfortunately, he’s gone right after the investigation without even saying goodbye or acknowledging me at all.

Chapter 3 – Birds of A Feather Still Three Years Ago A few weeks later the school was over, and I still couldn’t get him out of my mind. I had been mulling about this over and over again in my head. I was known to be stubborn and I wasn’t a quitter. I always went after things that I wanted and right then I decided that Darius Ivanovic Rykov was what I wanted. Genesis fully supported me on this. Right after graduation, Genesis and the lycans were planning to go back to Russia for a little while. They invited me to go along, with a hint that a certain gorgeous blond lycan would be there. Well, that’s enough to persuade me. Actually, they didn’t even have to say that to convince me to go. I didn’t have any plan beyond high school. I was hoping that I would have met my mate already by then and we’d be too busy making babies or something. Not life’s greatest plan, but that’s Penny Ruiz’s life plan. Anyway, that’s how I find myself standing in the middle of my bedchamber in Banehallow Palace, Russia. I’m all decked up in Sue Wong’s strapless purple dress. The bodice is exquisitely embroidered and beaded, while the gown is a full feather. A pair of four-inch feathered white Jimmy Choo stilettos graces my feet.

The stylist and the ladies who did my hair and make-up just left and I’m standing here by myself staring at my reflection in the mirror. The lady who did my hair, Olga dried, combed, brushed, and hot ironed my short dark hair till it framed my face in straight shiny cascade down to my chin. She then added a dark purple Great Gatsby’s flapper hair band with shiny beads across my forehead and soft white and purple feathers on the side. They’re holding a party for Constantine and Genesis, and the return of Caspian, Lazarus, and Serena. I was told that Darius is going to be there. This is going be the first time I get to see Darius again after that first time. There’s a brief knock on my door and Genesis breezes in even before I tell her to come in. Her wonderful familiar scent wafts in the air along with a light flowery smell of an expensive perfume. She’s looking glamorous and breathtaking in a peacock green and gold dress. Beautiful peacock feathers adorned the length of her long dress. More peacock feathers in her red hair which is swept up into an elaborate updo with a few wispy tendrils framing her flawless face. She is followed closely by Serena. Serena’s looking stunning in a long red flowing strapless silk dress with a slit that went up all the way to her thigh, showing off her perfect long tanned leg every time she takes a step. The bodice of her dress is covered in soft red feathers. Her bright red lips match her dress. Her golden blond hair is swept up to the side, leaving one shoulder bare. She has feathers weaved cleverly in her hair with three red feathers stuck out dramatically at an angle.

“You look breathtaking!” exclaims Genesis as she takes my hand in hers and twirls me around. “Look who’s talking,” I laugh. “You two look absolutely gorgeous! I feel like a purple bird.” “A beautiful purple bird,” chimes in Serena. Together, we walk out to meet Constantine and Lazarus who are waiting for us in the grand hallway just outside the ballroom. Our entrance is different from everyone else’s since the left wing of the castle is reserved only for the crown Prince Caspian, Prince Constantine, and his mate Genesis, Lazarus, and Serena, and now, a little old me too….for some reason. Lazarus only has eyes for Serena, but he spared me a look after complimenting and kisses his mate affectionately on her cheek. “You look absolutely beautiful, Penny,” he smiles, offering me one of his arms while Serena is hanging onto his other arm. “Yes, you look gorgeous,” agrees Constantine, giving me a little bow. “Thank you,” I smile. “You guys cleaned up pretty well yourselves. Could be better, but ehhh…not too shabby.” “Oh, stop! You’re making me blush,” says Lazarus, deadpan. The three of us girls burst out laughing while Constantine grins, shaking his head. Lazarus and Constantine are actually a lot more than just “not too shabby”. They’re actually looking very spectacular. A sight

to behold. Lazarus is in a dark red high collared 18th-century gentleman’s suit, so dark it appears black in the dim light of the hallway. One side is trimmed with gold buttons. The open coat reveals a red silk vest and an embroidered white silk cravat. He has a hat with a long red feather sitting at an angle at the front. Constantine is wearing a black velvet classic frock coat trimmed with green silk damask similar to the color of Genesis’s dress and antique style gold buttons. The sleeves are also trimmed with green silk damask and gold buttons. The front of his shirt is covered with a white embroidered lace cravat ascot. His black hat is also adorned with a peacock feather to match Genesis’s dress. These men can wear such ostentatious ensembles and still look jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Not that I’m going to admit that to them. Not too shabby is all they’re getting from me. Most of the time I feel like the men are treating me like a pesky, but highly amusing little sister. Speaking of the men…”Where is Caspian?” I ask. Genesis leans to look at me around Constantine and grins mischievously. “He had his arms twisted by Queen Sophia to escort Lady Celeste to the ball,” she giggles. “I think he would much prefer to escort an abominable snowman…or even you, Beany Penny.” I groan inwardly. Caspian gave me that nickname. I still have no idea what Beany means. Gosh, I hate that nickname! “Serves him right for calling me Beany Penny,” I reply. “Just as well…we might kill each other before the party’s over tonight.”

Genesis’s eyes light up with mischief and she says, “Oh gosh! If the party gets too boring the three of us could start…” “That’s why we intend to keep you two away from Caspian for the sake of the ball and the safety everybody attending tonight,” interrupts Constantine quickly, though he sounds amused rather than annoyed. “Debby Downer,” mutters Genesis teasingly before we straighten up just before two uniformed men open the massive heavy door to the ballroom for us. “I thought I was your chunky monkey,” mutters Constantine from the side of his mouth. Genesis’s reply is lost to me as the sound of beautiful live music resonates around us as soon as the doors are opened. I feel my breath caught in my throat as we step further into the room and descend the stairs. The ballroom is like nothing I’d ever seen in my life. It is massive. Sparkling crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling everywhere. There are two sets of staircases at the end of the room. One of which, we are descending from. There are balconies with golden banisters all around. There are fresh flowers and feathers in different colors in big silver pots by the walls. Each is illuminated with its own golden glow of lights. Underneath the curve of the staircase at the other end is a little platform where an orchestra dressed in gold and cream and outrageous feathers is performing. Near our set of the staircase is a wider and grander platform that separates it from the rest of the room. On the platform, there are several intricately

carved chairs with two royal thrones in the middle of the arrangement. Guests dressed to the nines stop and stare when we enter the room. Everyone is wearing feathers of some sort. Some more outrageous than the others. It’s a good thing that their attention is more on Genesis and Constantine. Not long after, King Alexandros and Queen Sophia enter after the announcement is made. I’ve met them before but seeing them now in their formal attire, I can only stare at them in awe. The men bow and the women curtsy, but as soon as they’re seated, King Alexandros waves his hand dismissively and the merriment continues. Queen Sophia is looking beautiful in a yellow and gold silk dress. She’s a very beautiful lady with blond hair, green eyes and a charming smile that looks a lot like Caspian. King Alexandros is a distinguished good looking gentleman with dark hair and dark eyes. I think Constantine looks a lot more like King Alexandros than Caspian does. I feel like a little girl playing dressed up at an adult party. Everyone is looking so sophisticated and flawlessly beautiful. Of course, most of them are Lycans. Outworldly creatures. Even my bestie Genesis is a lycan now and she looks just like one of them. She looks like she belonged here. She is talking quietly to Queen Sophia now, while Constantine’s attention is taken by King Alexandros. I realize that we’re in the area for the royalties, dignitaries and top ranking officers. I am neither one of those, but nobody seems to be making a fuss about it. Still, I feel uneasy. I try to slip away quietly, but Serena grabs my hand. Then she snatches

a drink from one of the attendants in feathered costumes flitting around with trays of drinks and hors-d’oeuvres. I just wave the man away when he offers me a drink. “I would start yawning as soon as they start talking politics and militaries and finances,” comments Serena. I could see that Lazarus’s attention is taken by a couple of older gentlemen. I just nod while my eyes roam around in search of a certain lycan. I know he’s not here yet though because I can feel it when he’s around. It’s weird. “I feel like an outsider here,” I confess quietly to Serena. “You don’t look like an outsider, sweetie. Trust me. If anybody said otherwise, they would have to deal with me,” she said playfully, but I think she means it. “But I think this area here is for the royal family and such,” I protest. “It’s for the royalties and their closest friends and confidantes. You are that to Genesis and more. You’re our friend too. Don’t sweat it, this is not really a formal occasion. They hold balls like this all the time. They just need the slightest excuse to have one, and now we’re it,” she giggles softly. “Oh, my…would you look at that,” whispers Serena in amusement. I twist around to look at what she’s staring at behind me. Caspian just walks in with his date. So that must be Lady Celeste. She barely comes up to Caspian’s shoulder. Her light brown hair is in an elaborate twist with crystals and feathers. Her deep purple dress covered with shiny

crystals and feathers. Lots of feathers. She’s dressed to impress and fully attract attention. Who could blame her? She’s walking in the arm of the crown prince. Caspian is dressed in a dark purple velvet jacket with has an elaborate deep purple silk cravat. His top hat also has feathers at the center. He is dressed a little bit more flamboyant than most men in this room, but he carries the look with such confidence and regal bearing that I can’t fault it. Admittedly they’re looking good together but judging by the cold haughty look on his face, I don’t think Caspian is really liking this arrangement. “Poor Caspian,” I mutter to Serena and I hear her choke on her drink. I don’t sound at all sincere. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t hate Caspian. Not at all. To be honest, I’m quite fond of him already. Not that I’m going to admit that to him. Caspian is truly an enigma. Despite his drop-dead gorgeous appearance and cocky, obnoxious immature royal sonofabitch attitude, he’s a complex personality. He’s a very good judge of character. He doesn’t trust easily. The rest of the lycans, whether they realize it or not, follow his cue. Once Caspian accepted somebody, they’d do the same. So do I. He looks at people he doesn’t know and trust with that haughty worthy of a prince look as if they’re gums stuck beneath his expensive leather shoe. Once he decided that you’re worthy, and accepted within his tight little circle where only a few are allowed in, you’ll know.

I know exactly when he accepted me. It was when he threw his first insult at me. I insulted him right back because…well, because I’m me. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I raised an eyebrow right back at him. We both tipped our chin up in understanding almost in unison. I saw his lips lifted up the corners in a little smile and I can’t stop my lips from curving up into an answering smile. We have an understanding. Caspian and I. We show our mutual fondness and respect for each other by trading insults and making each others’ lives as unbearable as possible. I have a feeling that Lady Celeste wouldn’t be winning his trust and affection anytime soon, though. Suddenly I feel his presence. I feel Serena’s hand tightens around mine. I don’t have to wonder why for very long because my eyes found Darius Ivanovic Rykov and he’s not alone. Hanging onto his arm is a tall blond. She’s flawlessly beautiful. A lycan just like him. He’s dressed almost similarly to Lazarus, except that his jacket is black. His vest is royal blue, the same color as the woman’s dress. I can’t deny it. He’s looking super hot. His top hat is pulled a little low over his forehead, making his sharp perfect jawline looks more prominent and his red lips more sensual. The outline of his tall glorious body cannot be fully concealed by that fine suit. He’s sexy. He’s all man. His pale blue eyes are slightly hidden underneath the shadow of the hat, but I can feel the heat of his gaze on me blazing even from across the room. My heart speeds up at the sight of him.

They look like they belong together. My heart squeezed in jealousy. I have no right to be jealous though. He’s not mine. I feel betrayed nonetheless. I want to go and rip off her arms that are holding him close by the socket. “Karla, one of Lady Celeste close friends,” mutters Serena. She gives my arm a gentle reassuring squeeze. I try to look away, but I can’t seem to tear my eyes away from the approaching couple.His eyes locked on mine immediately. I don’t miss the way his icy blue eyes rake my form from head to toe. I don’t miss the look of want and hunger in his eyes or the sizzle of energy between us.

Chapter 4 – Just a Door Closing I talk and I smile. Fake smile. I laugh too, and I can hear how fake my laughter is. I dance, mainly with Lazarus or Constantine. I suspect they are forced to do so by their mates who take pity on me. I pretend not to notice him and his date. He has another woman hanging onto his arm, yet his eyes are constantly following my every movement. Jealousy is eating at me and I hate how my body is responding to his heated gaze. I don’t understand this. I’m his erasthai. Why is he doing this to me? After a while, it gets too much. I escape outside to one of the balconies. I need to breathe. I need fresh air. I need answers.

Banehallow Palace is on top of a hill. The lights from distant houses dotting the landscape below look like stars in a clear night sky. Cool night breeze touches my exposed arms and shoulders. I’m aware of his presence behind me without even hearing his footsteps. He moves so stealthily and quietly. Like a shadow. Well, I knew he was going to follow me here. Isn’t it why I am here on the balcony all by myself now? “Mr. Rykov,” I say quietly without turning to look at him. “Persephone,” he returns and moves to stand beside me. The sound of my name rolling off his tongue send shivers down my spine. I feel the sizzle of warmth and electricity from the close proximity of our bodies. “I think it’s better that you stay away from me.” His deep voice melts my inside like butter, but his words chill me. I turn to stare at his perfect profile as he stares out into the distance. In this light, his chiseled features seem more prominent, like he’s carved from the marble. Cold and hard and unyielding yet so achingly beautiful. “But I’m your erasthai…I know I am,” I protest. “Yes, you are,” he reluctantly admitted, still staring out into the distance. I got the feeling he’s trying hard not to look at me. “However, I don’t need a mate. I have never wanted a mate, nor will I ever want one. Don’t waste your time on me.”

For a minute I just stand there staring at him, unable to fully comprehend what he just said. Then he turns his face to look at me. The intensity of those icy blue eyes hit me right in the chest. It almost knocks the breath out of my body. “Why?” I whisper, truly confused yet mesmerized. “Nobody should know about us either.” He takes a step closer to me as if he can’t help himself. He’s so close, I could feel his body heat in the cool night air. I could smell his wonderful heady scent. I could feel the buzz of electricity in the air between us. My heartbeat and my body temperature rise. I could see hunger and longing in his captivating eyes as he stares down at me. He lifts a hand to touch my face. It’s just a ghost of a touch and I almost swayed into it. He is gone before I fully grasp what he meant. He left me staring at empty doors of the balcony. Oh no…did he just said that to me? Really? Did I just get rejected by my non-mate??? He rejected me, but I want him. Oh, I so want him. He might’ve decided that we’re not going to be together, but I decided otherwise. I look at the door where he disappeared through and smile. I’m Persephone Aspen Ruiz, will make him want me. I know he wants me. I saw the way he can’t keep his eyes off of me. I won’t give up until I get what I want, and what I want is that dangerous beautiful lycan. He won’t be able to resist me.

I walk back inside more determined than ever that I’m going to make him want me. As much as he doesn’t want anything to do with me, I can still feel his eyes on me. Our eyes still locked on each other from time to time. I think it doesn’t escape his date. I think it infuriates her. At some point during the night, his date Karla turns and touches my shoulder. “Penny, right? Isn’t that what your name is? I’m sorry, but I find it amazing…if not a bit ridiculous that a werewolf is allowed to mingle freely here. You’re aware that this area here is for the royalties and high ranking lycans right?” “Karla!” snaps Darius before I get the chance to get over my shock at the insult. “You’re aware that you wouldn’t even be at this party tonight if I didn’t invite you as my plus one.” He says this through gritted teeth. His jaw clenching and eyes narrowing. Genesis, Constantine, and Caspian who happen to hear her remark are staring at her with cold, narrowed eyes as well. I doubt she’s getting an invite back to the palace any time soon. Darius pretty much ignores her after that incident. From then on I understand one thing very well about Darius Ivanovic Rykov. He can’t stand anybody being rude to me. Since I am no angel and I never claimed to be one, I use that to my advantage. If that’s a sin, I’d be burning in hell. That’s how our three-year courtship begins. Nobody else at the palace knows about us except for our tight little circle, Genesis, Constantine, Serena, Lazarus, and Caspian. A lot of times he would come to dinner at the palace with women in tow as if he’s using them as a shield against me. I know how to get rid of them very fast. All I have to do is to get

them to insult me in any way. It’s not hard, especially when your date can’t seem to take his eyes off the other woman, you’re bound to say something catty. Lycan women see a werewolf like me as somebody beneath them, I don’t have to push their buttons too much. Most of the time, all I have to do is just sit there looking pretty. If that doesn’t work, I’d flash him a coy look. I watch him from under my eyelashes. I’d smile, angle my head just right, lick my lips, play with my hair, bat my eyelashes, playfully and “unintentionally” trace certain parts of my body to draw his attention to it. All designed to catch his attention and it’s just too easy. He has his arm around another woman but he looks at me like he wants to eat me alive. Throughout the years, when I visit Russia, I would be hoping to bump into Darius. When I get back home, I would be dreaming about him. I’m obsessed with him. Once in a while, I think about my mate. It’s hard for an unknown nameless, faceless mate to compete with an amazingly hot, breathtakingly beautiful, larger than life lycan. I figure if I haven’t met him yet by now, that’s the sign that I’m not meant to be with my mate. I’m meant to be with Darius. Two Months Ago Darius is attending another dinner at the palace tonight and I was expecting him to bring another one of those gorgeous lycan bombshells, instead, this time he shows up with somebody different.

The women he usually brought over were oozing with selfconfidence and self-importance. This woman is soft spoken. She seems genuine with a good mix of vulnerability about her. The way she’s staring up at him leaves no doubt that she harbors deep feelings for him. She looks as if she can hardly believe that she’s here with him right now. She wears her heart on her sleeves and she worships the ground he walks on. This woman shitš rainbows and butterflies and unicorns out of her æss. I can tell. Maybe this is the type that Darius goes for. He’ll be bored of her in a day. My thoughts aren’t very charitable. I smile wide and turn to her. “Oh, you’re Stephanie right?” “No, I’m not Stephanie. My name..” “I’m sorry, Darius brings different women over all the time, it’s hard to keep track of them all…anyway, nice to meet you. I’m Penny,” I interrupt her mid-sentence. Her smile slips. I really am not interested to know her name. “I like you better than the last one he brought over…though the one before that sorta look like you…” Caspian chokes on his dessert, zapekanka and coughs loudly. So, I thump Caspian’s back harder than necessary to “help” him clear his air flow. Saving his life. Genesis smirks and looks like she has something to add, but instead, she forces herself to sip her drink slowly. Her eyes glint wickedly.

Serena wipes her mouth delicately with a pretty cloth napkin. If I didn’t know any better, she’s hiding a smile behind that napkin. Lazarus and Constantine seem to be occupied talking with King Alexandros, though I did catch a little smirk on their lips as well. I could see Darius gritting his teeth and clenching his jaw in my peripheral vision and smile wider. “Persephone, may I have a word with you?” says Darius quietly to me after King Alexandros and Queen Sophia left the table. “In private,” he adds. Oh uh…he never asked to talk to me in private before. He stands behind my chair and helps to pull it back for me. Genesis shoots me a concerned look. His fingers are digging into my arm as he pulls me out into the hallway. He’s mad. “Stop messing with my life, malyshka. I told you to stay away from me. We’re no good together.” “Maybe it’s not me. Maybe it’s you who can’t keep away from me. Ever think of that?” I didn’t really mean it, but I just threw it out there because…well…because I’m pissed. I think that hits the nerve, though because his eyes darken considerably and he pushes me to the wall behind a statue of the hallway. His body is pinning me to the wall as a warning. His hand is around my neck, squeezing lightly but enough to

make me aware of how powerful he is. He can just snap my neck off with just a little twist of his fingers. I realize all this, but I’m not scared. I’m so sure that he wouldn’t hurt me. “Watch your mouth, little girl,” he growls. He is so mad, he doesn’t realize how close we are until he stops talking. I could see the exact time when the realization of how close we are, hit him. Those beautiful eyes can tell a story. His eyes widen for a fraction, then they darken even more. Our faces are just a few inches away from each other. The tips of our noses are almost touching. “I told you to stay away,” he groans. As if he can’t help himself. As if there was an invisible chain pulling him. With another tortured groan, his mouth takes mine in a fierce hungry kiss. My body responds immediately before my brain could process that he is kissing me. Darius is kissing me. My mouth opens for his onslaught and his tongue enters my mouth. His exploring tongue touches mine and our tongues tangle together. Heat and passion flares. Like a bomb just detonated inside of me, I return his desperate kiss. Our lips, tongues, and teeth warring against each other. Wild and uninhibited. Shivers of pleasure run down my body. His strong hands are gathering me closer, molding it to his heated body as if he can’t get close enough. He is kissing me as if he’s taking the first breath of oxygen after being underwater for so long. He’s kissing me as if I was his. Uumm…this feels even better than in my wildest dream. My whole body is buzzing with pleasure I’ve never felt before. Vaguely I hear a woman’s voice. Darius peels his mouth off me and lets out a string of curses in Russian.

His breathing is uneven, yet he turns to stare at something behind him and I notice that the woman who is supposed to be his date for the evening is standing there with a shocked and hurt expression on her face. She said something before she takes off. He groans, running his hand through his fair hair. “This can’t happen again,” he says gruffly before he goes off after her. “Polina!” I hear him calling after her. My lips feel bruised and my brain is slow to process what just happened. My legs start to shake and I hold onto the wall beside me for support. I walk slowly to my room, thankful that everybody is still in the dining hall. A few servants walk past and they try not to stare. Goddess knows I must look pretty weird. When I reach my room, I just sit at the edge of the bed for a long time. I don’t know what to feel. I touch my lips slowly. Tracing my lower lip, I could still feel the tingle. I can smell his scent all over me. I can still taste him on my tongue. I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting there when I hear somebody knocking on my door. Darius’s date, Polina is standing there when I open the door.

“May I come in?” she asks quietly. A few seconds go by and I still don’t say a word when she slides in and shuts the door close with her back. She is studying me warily. Her eyes seem vulnerable, but there’s a determined set to her chin and jaw as if it takes a lot of courage on her part to come here to see me. “I’m sorry to bother you,” she begins tentatively. She takes a deep breath and blurts out, “You’re a werewolf. I don’t know why you’re doing what you’re doing, trying to seduce a lycan.” She quickly stops as if she runs out of breath. She closes her eyes for a second before he continues. “I’m asking you to stay away from Darius…” her voice sounds like she’s imploring. “Please.” “I’ve known him since I was very young. I’ve been in love with him for a long time. He never showed any feelings for me….but tonight..tonight he asked me to be his mate and brought me here as his date. First time I’ve ever been in the palace. Tonight was one of the happiest nights of my life…until..” she lets the sentence trails away. Until she saw us kissing in the hallway. Darius had asked her to be his mate. I ruined her happiest night. My heart is beating fast. I think both of us can hear it. She’s looking like she’s waiting for me to say something. She’s imploring me with her eyes. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what I’m feeling. So I don’t say anything. I just stare at her. I want her to go away.

She finally clears her throat and nods awkwardly when it’s clear that I’m not going to say anything. “You can have fun and seduce other lycans. Just please…don’t’ ruin this for me…for us. I..I..really love him,” she says before she opens the door and slips out quietly. Have my fun? What does that mean??? Is he really going to mark her and make her his mate? But I’m his erasthai. Did he not feel it in our shared glances? Did he not feel it every time we’re near each other? Did he not feel it when we kissed? That kiss. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I’ve kissed a few boys before. Not one of them made me feel like he did. Not even close. That kiss was electric…no, it was mindblowing. My lips still tingle from it. My brain goes back and forth from that magical kiss to what Polina said about him asking her to be his mate. Then there is another knock on the door. Maybe that’s Darius. Maybe he’s changed his mind about marking the other woman. Maybe it’s a mistake and he wants to clear things up. Maybe he wants us to be together finally. That kiss was amazing. I know I wouldn’t be able to forget that kiss for the rest of my life. I eagerly open the door, but an unfamiliar man is standing there. A werewolf. I might have seen him before, but I don’t remember where. “Yes?” I raised my eyebrows, peering out from behind my bedroom door.

“Mr. Rykov would like to see you, Ms. Ruiz,” he said, dipping his head respectfully. “I can take you to his bedchamber now if you’re ready,” he offers. “No, that’s okay. I know where it is. Thank you,” I smile at him. “If that’s what you prefer, miss,” he gives me a little bow before he walks away. I hear the sound of a woman moaning before I even open the door. I shouldn’t have open it, but I can’t seem to stop myself. It’s not even locked. I push the door open to face tangled bedsheet and writhing naked bodies on the bed. His powerful hands are kneading her creamy flesh. His mouth is on her bare breast. That woman, Polina. She’s on top of him. Straddling him. Moaning in ecstasy. Her dark hair in wild disarray tumbling down her back. His fair hair is messy from the hand of that woman. I’d wanted for so long to feel that fair silky hair between my fingers, yet this woman has her fingers buried in it. He opens his icy blue eyes and stares right at me. His mouth continues to assault her breast while his eyes fixed intensely on me. I have no clue what I’m feeling. Maybe numb…or shocked? Why would I be shocked? I just stare back at him. I can’t stop staring. Another sound of her moaning and the steely look on his face bring me to my senses. So I step back and close the door slowly. I try my best to close the door as quietly as I can, but the thud of the door closing sounds too loud to my ears. Maybe it’s not the sound of the door that’s too loud. Maybe it’s the sound of my heart breaking.

Chapter 5 – One Who Wish You Well. NOT

My heart hurt. Physically hurt. I’m physically ill. I clutch my chest and stagger all the way to my room on the left wing. Such a long walk. I cover my mouth as the bile rises in my throat. As soon as I reach my room, I run to the ensuite bathroom and empty my stomach in the toilet bowl. Then I lay down on the cool tile floor, just staring at the ceiling feeling numb. My chest is hurting badly. So this is what a heartbreak feels like. The scene in the bedroom keeps playing in my mind. Tangled sheets and naked bodies. Cries of ecstasy. His intense icy blue eyes. I threw up a couple more times and now I’m dry heaving because there’s nothing left to come out. After rinsing my mouth, I lie back down on the hard gleaming tile. I just want to lie here and die, but I know I don’t have that option. With shaky hands, I call the airline and make a reservation to go home. The earliest available flight is early tomorrow morning. I would’ve flown home tonight if I could. After that, I throw everything I own haphazardly into my bag. I know I won’t be coming back. I hear somebody knocking on my door before it bursts open. “Oh, my goddess, Penny. I heard! How could he???” exclaims Genesis as soon as she rushes into my bedroom. She’s bristling. What???? She knows what happened? Who else knew? Oh, how embarrassing! “What an ass!!!” she keeps going. “I mean, you’re his erasthai! Why would he want to mark that Polina woman?”

“Is that all you’ve heard?” I ask her. “Huh? Why? Is there more to know?” she suddenly stops ranting. Her big hazel eyes widening, bright with fury on my behalf. “Oh, no, no…I just thought there’s more to know…you know..” Her eyes narrow as she stares at me suspiciously for a second before she continues with her ranting almost as if it happened to her. “Fuzzy slippers!!! Men! I swear it. Urghh!!!! They’re soooo stupid!” she exclaims. “If you want, I volunteer to “accidentally” drop something on his gorgeous head to knock some sense into him. Drop something REALLY hard and big and heavy,” she lifted her fingers to air quote when she said “Accidentally”. Her flawless face flushes prettily from her anger. “No, Genesis. Please don’t. I just want to go home. I don’t want any embarrassing scene,” I plead. All fire disappears from her eyes as she looks at me. I know, of all the people here, Genesis would be the person who would understand me the most right now. She had gone through worse rejection. “I’ll go back with you,” she offers. “No, I can go back by myself. I’m leaving first thing tomorrow morning. I…I want to be alone for a while,” I tell her. I know she won’t be too happy to be away from her mate for too long. I

don’t want to burden her anymore with my problems. Goddess knows she’d been looking after me for so long now. Three years of endless support. Her thick luscious lips formed a firm rigid line as if trying to stop herself from saying more. Finally, she nods her head looking resigned. She understands that it’s my battle to fight. My pain to suffer through. I pray that she wouldn’t pull me into a hug. I know I’d wail like a baby in her arms if she did. “You know where to find me if you need me,” she drops a kiss on my head before she quietly leaves my bedroom. The moment she closes the door behind her, I zip up my bag and pull up a chair to sit in front of a big window. I love the view from this window in the morning. I can see the sunrise and the valley below. I can see it clearly now. He doesn’t want me. He never wanted me. I made a nuisance of myself. All these years, all I can see was his gorgeous face. His body, his eyes, his lips, his hair,…did I mention his body already? It must be so tiring for him to have to deal with my unwanted attention all these years. Three years. How utterly pathetic am I. How embarrassing. I’m a fool! Stupid Penny! Stupid, stupid Penny! Well, no more. I’m tired of fighting. I’m done. There’s no us. Maybe I’ll find my mate soon. This will be all behind me one day. I stay up all night just staring out the window. I feel numb, but I know the pain will come. When the morning breaks, I get up to shower and do all my morning routine. I don’t think. I’m on

autopilot. I get out of the bathroom to find breakfast waiting for me on the trolley near the bed. Genesis thought of everything. She must have known that I don’t feel like facing anybody this morning. I open the shiny stainless steel cover dome to find steaming hot Russian breakfast underneath. These are usually my favorite, but my appetite is non-existent this morning. I force a few bites down my throat and wash it down with a few sips of thick black coffee. That’s all I can manage. A black Rolls-Royce is waiting to take me to the airport outside. The driver opens the door and takes my two luggage. I climb in to find Genesis already sitting inside the car. She’s in a simple but smart designer dress. She looks every bit of her part as a lycan princess. We hold hands all the way to the airport without saying a word. I feel a sense of calmness enveloping me all through the car ride. I know Genesis is using her lycan power to spread the feeling of calmness in me. She walks with me through the airport to the Golden lounge, along with two big bodyguards. “Where’s Constantine?” I asked her, trying to think of something else instead of feeling sorry for myself. “I told him I needed some alone time with my bestie. As you can see, he wouldn’t agree to it unless we have some big burly for security,” she says, tipping her head towards the two men.

“I can hear you, princess,” mutters one of the men. My bestie just rolls her eyes. She already made friends…or enemy with them, depending on how you look at it. Typical Genesis. “They’re everywhere,” she whispers confidentially to me. “Just call me if you need me,” she says as she pulls me into her arms when they call for my boarding. “You know I’d do anything for you.” Tears pricked beneath my closed eyelids. I just nod as I let go of her. My waterwork starts as soon as I climb on board when I couldn’t feel her calming presence anymore. It’s a good thing that Genesis put me in the business class instead of the economy class that I first booked myself on. I’m in my own private enclosed seating, that means I’m not scaring my neighbor with my ugly crying. I cry all the way from Sheretmetyevo, Moscow to O’Hare International Airport. I don’t even care about the gourmet food or the luxurious kit that comes with first class flying. I must look very bad because an air stewardess asks me just once if I need anything, then she leaves me alone for the rest of the journey. I was tempted to ask for a bottle of Rémy Martin or Johny Walker to chug down my sorrow, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to arrive home drunk. Persephone Aspen Ruiz, you listen here; STOP CRYING AND STOP MAKING A FOOL OF YOURSELF. Well…okay, right now I’m just going to cry my heart out. Then I’m done. Like really really done.

I cry till I fall asleep. I wake up and continue crying. Stupid Penny. One week. I’m in pain. I don’t know if his lycan ever claimed Juno, but something feels different after that kiss. Genesis told me once that when a lycan claimed your wolf, it’s a warning for other lycans to stay away. Other werewolves can’t sense it. It won’t affect your future mating to your mate if that’s the only thing that happened. Two weeks. I’m still in pain. I’ve done nothing but stay in my room and stare at the wall since I got back home from Russia. One day blends into another. My parents are worried about me. I smile fake smile and say all the right things just to get them off my back. Genesis has been calling and texting almost every day. She told me that they’re coming back to go to a college in California soon. She never mentioned Darius. I never asked. He might have marked that woman. They might have mated by now. Stupid Penny! Why do you care? Well, I don’t. I mean, I won’t. Marked and mated is for life. It’s not like you can get a divorce like human marriage. He said he didn’t want a mate, but he’s making her his mate. So, what he meant was, he didn’t want ME as his mate. Stupid Penny. I should’ve known. Stupid, stupid Penny. The both of them must be so happy by now. Him and that woman, Polina. I hate her. I hate him. I hate them both. I hope they have a nice life together. NOT! I hope they’ll have a fucking long miserable life together. I hope they get hit by a

cement truck and die. I hope they fall into shark-infested water and get eaten. I hope they run out of french fries and starved…I can’t think of anything worse because fries are my favorite. I hope they both go to hell. I imagine all sorts of horrible scenarios for them and some of them make me giggle. I think I’m going bonkers. If only it doesn’t hurt so much. Reese and River drag me out of the house today. I’m lying on the grass by the river bank with Reese. River is keeping an eye on their two-year-old Piper who is almost up to her knees in the water. That little girl is fearless, much to her parents’ chagrin. Reese knew what really happened that last night in Russia. I asked her not to tell Genesis or anyone else about it. “Why can’t we tell Genesis about this?” she asks again. I know it doesn’t feel right to keep things from each other. “I don’t want to make a big deal out of it, Reese. You know how Genesis is…she’s convinced that she has a Ninja Monkey DNA or something. Goddess knows what she’ll do if she got a whiff of this.” “Well, I know what she’ll do. She’ll go monkey ninja on his stupid âss! He totally deserves it too!” We both grow quiet as soon as she said that. Then we both burst out laughing. Oh boy, this is the first laugh I have since that night. We watch as River tries to get Piper out of the water. Her golden curls glisten in the sun. He tries to fold up the legs of

her overall, but she wants none of that. She splashes water at him with her foot before she flops on her diaper-padded bottom in the ankle deep water. She rolls over and lies on her belly in the water and pretends to swim. She looks like a plump little turtle. River gives up. She’s totally wet. We both smile at her antics. Parenthood suits River and Reese. “I miss that bitch,” I whisper, thinking of Genesis. I lie back on the grass and study the clouds floating peacefully by. The sky is clear blue. It reminds me of his eyes. Stupid Penny. “Yeah, me too,” sighs Reese. Why does life have to get so complicated? “Hey! you might meet your mate soon,” smiles Reese looking down at me. “It’ll be awesome. You’ll forget all about that âsšwipe. ” “What if my mate doesn’t want me?” What if I wasn’t good enough? Reese stares at me like I just lost my mind. “Who are you???” she screeches. “Who are you and what have you done to my best friend Penny?” I just roll my eyes and keep staring at the sky. We both stay quiet for a while. “You’ve changed,” she says finally. “Penny that I know was confident. She was sassy and strong.” ..and fun, I add in my head.

Back at home in my room, I stare at myself in the mirror. My dark brown eyes look big and bruised. I’ve lost weight. It’s not healthy. I had been neglecting food these last two weeks. Food was my first love. I have to start eating right and start running again. I have to get over this unhealthy obsession I have for Darius. Changes must be made. This pining for a man is not good for me. Maybe this craving I have for Darius is changing me into a weakling. Maybe I can live without a man in my life. Maybe pigs will fly. I, Penny Ruiz had always been boy crazy. For three years now I had been Darius crazy. Well, no more. I will work hard to change that. Werewolves are not like humans. A lone werewolf is not good for the pack. The longer they stay a lone wolf, the closer they get to insanity. They would lose their wolf eventually. At least that what they say. Maybe I can prove them wrong. If I became insane in the end, who’s to know? I’m insane to begin with anyway. I will not be bound by stupid social expectations. My long dark hair comes down to my waist now. I used to wear it short. During dinner at the palace one year ago, a woman sitting next to him was flirting and asked how he liked her hair, he answered that he liked it very much. He liked his women with hair like hers, he’d said. She had beautiful long blond hair. I went up to my room that night and stared at my short sleek haircut. I won’t change my hair color, but I decided there and then that I’d keep my hair long from then on. Come to think of

it now, he probably just said that because my hair was short at the time. So now, a year later, I have long hair. It was straight when it’s short, but it gets curlier as it gets longer. I stare at it. Contemplating whether I should cut it short again. Genesis and Serena said I look exotic with my hair long like this. I quite like my hair long too. Why should I cut it just because of him? I’m going to keep it long because I like it long. It has nothing to do with what he likes or don’t like anymore. Yeah! I’m going to do what I want, who I want or whatever I want. Come human or werewolves. Hell, I’d do a Faery or a vampire if I want to. I’ll hump a fire hydrant like it’s going out of style if I wanted to…which I don’t. Eeeeeewwwww!!!!!!!! Okay, a line has to be drawn somewhere. I’m calling it Operation Forget Jerkface-what’s-his-name and Screw ’em and leave ’em. It’s easier said than done. My appetite hasn’t returned and where do I find these human or werewolves, or Fae, or a vampire to fuck when I’m sitting at home day in and day out? I’m not getting anywhere just sitting here thinking about Mr. Jerkface. A lightbulb goes off in my head and I snatch my phone that’s lying on my pillow. I’m calling Genesis. I’m letting her know that I’m joining them for college. I know it’s late, but I figure if anybody can pull strings to get me in there, the royal lycans can. I’m not even ashamed to use my friendship card that way. I’m very sure Mr. Jerkface won’t show his face around there.

Genesis’s ecstatic, judging by the sound of her screaming and laughing like a maniac at the other end of the line. Gosh! I love that bitch. I’m going off to College! Hell yeah!!!

Chapter 6 – All That Rhymes So I found out that the “Hottie’s” name from the lecture hall is Daniel. He joins us for lunch at the College center food court so Lily, Amanda, and Keisha are thrilled. I had my lunch paid for and a promise of a cappuccino from my favorite cafe on Monday, so I’m good. “So, are you guys going to the Sig Ep party tonight?” asks Keisha. “Penny, you’re going, aren’t you?” I can’t blame her for thinking that I would be going to the party. I’d been partying like it’s going out of style since I got here. It helped me forget for a while. It numbed the pain and filled the emptiness in my chest for a bit. I got wasted only for an hour or so at the most because of my werewolf high metabolism. I could drink any frat boys under the table, which is great for beer pong and stuff. I made out with several random guys, which didn’t do anything for me. No kisses even come close to the one that I had with Darius. I ended up getting more pissed off than ever with him because he spoiled it for me. Honestly, I’m starting to get bored of the whole thing by now. Not that I’m ever going to admit it to anybody. “Nah, I think I’ll pass this time,” I wave my hand dismissively. “Really?” asks Lily looking surprised. “You’re not going?” says Daniel, looking oddly disappointed.

“What about you, Daniel? Do you have any plans for tonight or this weekend?” Amanda bats her eyelashes at him. “That’s my house. I’ll be at the party,” he says. “Are you sure you don’t want to come, Penny?” he directs his dark gray eyes at me. “I’ll make sure you have a great time.” “Well, I’m going. Will you make sure I have a great time?” asks Amanda flirtatiously, placing her hand on his arm. This has been going on for a while. It’s obvious that Amanda likes Daniel. I have lost interest right after I managed to get him to have lunch with us. I’ve got my free meal and a promise of a free cappuccino. I’m done. Daniel seems to think that the invitation to lunch is a prelude to something more. “Sure,” he says glancing at Amanda. “Just find me when you get there.” He turns back to me and says, “I’ll keep an eye out for you just in case you change your mind, Penny.” I smile noncommittally and spot Amanda giving me a death glare from the other side of him. I almost let out a snicker. She didn’t have enough courage to approach him in that lecture hall, now that I’ve done the dirty work, she’s all over him. Well Amanda, you can have him. “OMG! I think I just died and saw an angel,” whispers Lily. She and Keisha have their eyes glued to the entrance of the food court.

I swivel around to look and almost roll my eyes. Angel? More like a devil incarnate. Caspian is sauntering in as if he owns the place. Not a single blond hair is out of place. Everything about him screams beauty and power and wealth. All the girls in the plaza are staring at him as if he’s god’s gift to the female and some male population, but I know better. He’s here to torture me, I just knew it. I’ve been trying to keep my group of lycan friends and human friends separated. Each group didn’t know the other one exist. With the schedule that they have, it has been successful so far. Until now. I knew it wouldn’t last long. Caspian and I had morning classes and we came together today, but I was planning to take a bus to town and walk home from there. “Oh my Gosh! Oh my gosh! He’s coming this way,” says Keisha, almost hyperventilating. I stare at her worriedly for a little while. As he gets closer, Caspian smiles, flashing his straight white teeth at me. “Do you know him?” whispers Lily. “No,” I answer quickly. Caspian’s smile grows bigger and his eyes glint with mischief. I know he can hear us with his lycan super hearing. His striking green eyes are observing the way Daniel’s body is leaning towards me.

“Hey, baby. Ready to go home now?” asks Caspian. “I don’t know you.” I was about to scream stranger danger when he drawls, “Awww…c’mon honey. Are you still mad at me about last night?” I look at him aghast. What? “Nothing happened last night!” I huff. “I know, I know…you don’t have to remind me about that. I’ll give it to you tonight. All night long if you want me to. I’ll make you scream my name from dusk till dawn, sweetie. I promise.” WHAAA…???? With that, he swoops down and grabs my bag and me from the chair. “Now say goodbye to your friends,” he says indulgently almost like he’s talking to a five-year-old. Daniel, Lily, Keisha, and Amanda are staring at us like we’re a five-headed alien from planet Zork. I open my mouth to protest, but only a strange strangled screeching sound comes out of my mouth. It sounds like a cow dying. At least that’s how I imagine the sound of a dying cow sounds like. His arm is like a band of steel as he steers me out of the building and into his waiting flashy red Porche.

What had just happened? “Darius is coming? Here???” I jump out of the sofa. Is his mate coming too? We’re in the living room while Anya, our new cook keeps bringing in snacks from the kitchen. She’s an unmated she-wolf like me and I think she has a major crush on Caspian. She jumps to do his every bidding. I feel sorry for her. At least she can cook. “We can tell him he’s not welcome here,” suggests my friend Genesis. “He can always stay at a hotel or something.” “No, you don’t have to do that.” They shouldn’t have to do that. He’s their close friend and this is not my house. “Are you sure?” asks Serena, narrowing her eyes. Watching me closely. “Pffttt…Yeah. I’m fine with it.” No, I’m not. I’m going to kill him in his sleep. I’m going to poison his food. I’m going to use his toothbrush to clean the toilet bowl. “But why? Why is he coming here?” I really see no reason for him to show up here in California. The reason I came here was because there’s a very slim chance that he ever needs to visit California. I’m here to forget all about him and not to see him again. Like ever. “Well…” starts Serena, looking at Caspian with raised eyebrows.

Caspian rolls his eyes and says, “I might have told him that you’re here.” “Uh…I think that would make him want to stay away from this place,” I mutter. “Caspian might also accidentally revealed to him that you’ve been out partying a lot and uh…hooking up with frat human boys here,” explains Genesis, making air quotes when she said, “accidentally revealed”. I raise an eyebrow. That would concern him how? “I don’t think he’d give a crap what I’m doing or who I’m doing.” I appreciate that they’re concern about me, and they didn’t even know what really happened that night. I’m not happy that he’s coming, not at all! There’s a part of me that feels excited at the thought of seeing him again, and that pisses me off. Stupid Penny! Stupid, stupid Penny!!!! This is supposed to be my sanctuary. A rehab for detoxing Darius. A place to cleanse Darius out of my heart, my head, my body system and whatever else that needs to be Darius free. This is a snag in my Operation Forget Jerkface-what’s-hisname. This is all his fault. Maybe I should just make myself scarce while he’s here. Maybe I could room with Lily or whoever willing to take in a stray werewolf just for however long Darius Ivanovic Rykov is going to be here.

“So….when is he arriving here?” I try to sound nonchalant. Like I don’t care. I don’t think I’m fooling anybody. “This evening,” answers Serena. This evening????? “Now where are you going?” asks Genesis when I jump up from my sitting position beside her on the soft plush sofa. “Out for a run and training,” I answer her. I need to hit and destroy something really badly. I’ve been exercising and doing fight training with the lycans almost every day since we got here. I feel like it’s a necessity for me to channel my anger and frustration that way. I love the burn I feel in my muscle after every rigorous exercise and training session. I welcome the physical pain as if it can take away the ache in my heart. The exhaustion helps me sleep at night. My body is well toned more than ever now. My stomach is flat and shows a bit of my rectus abdominal muscle. There’s definition to my arms. My legs look long and strong. I’m liking the way I’m feeling physically. Fuck him! Fuck him! Fuck him! I chant in my head over and over again as I go up to my room. There are a lot of questions I want to ask them, like is his mate coming too? How long will they be staying? What time will they be arriving this evening? Well, so that I can greet them with a big smile. Not! More like with a shotgun at the door. An ax swinging from the

doorframe. Booby traps with shooting arrows through the heart. Gazzilion legos on the floor. Hah! I think I’m going out to that party at Daniel’s frat house after all. Sig Ep has parties practically every weekend, though this is the first time I’d be going there. My parents are paying for my education here, but I don’t think they care about how much actual studying that I’ve been doing. They’re just happy that their only child is not sulking in her room anymore. Not that they’d be too happy if they knew how much I’d been partying either. My bedroom here might not be as big as Genesis and Constantine’s room or Serena and Lazarus’s room, but it’s easily three times bigger than the room I have at my parents’ house. I had wanted to live in a dorm or rented some offcampus housing, but Genesis and the rest of the lycans wouldn’t have it. They have been more than generous to me. My room is beautiful. It’s richly decorated in light blue and white with a little splash of pink. My queen size bed is the best ever. The view is awesome with three big windows overlooking the long stretch of the beach and a small balcony overlooking the pool area below. A lot of times I leave the windows open so that I can smell the fresh air and sea breeze. I love it. I changed into a pair of black spandex shorts and a bright aqua blue sports bra. I tie my hair up into a high ponytail. The house has a big room for exercising, but right now I don’t feel like staying inside. We usually go to a nearby 76.5 acres of private wooded area that they purchased just for fight training

purposes. It’s up on a little hill and not far from the house. I’d enjoy the five-minute jog to get there. “I’m coming with you,” announces Caspian as I’m putting on my bright aqua blue Nike sneakers. He’s already in his training gear. Genesis isn’t very fond of exercising and fight training. She usually comes armed with food and drinks. It looks more like we’re having a picnic than physical exercise and training. She would train for five minutes, then she would sit and watch, munching on snacks. She would claim that she needs to refuel after draining that much energy. Constantine doesn’t mind it as long as she stays out of trouble. Serena trains with Lazarus, mainly. I would train with anybody as long as I get the chance to kick some butt and pretend that it’s Darius that I was kicking. Not that I have much chance to kick anybody’s butt, they’re lycans after all. Once in a while, I do get lucky when they’re not paying attention or fully ready. I’d pump my fist and yell and make a huge deal out of it as if I just won the world MMA championship. “What’s the deal with you calling me Beany Penny anyway? What’s beany?” We’re in a little clearing in the woods where we often train. Caspian is showing me how to execute a four-figure choke. I have an arm around his neck, while my other hand is pushing his head forward.

I’m trying my best to keep him in my choke hold, but he’s very slick. He makes sure he’s free from my hold before he answers, “Well…it’s hard for me to rhyme Penny with anything else other than the huge appendage that I’m strapped and blessed with right here.” He indicates his crotch area. My jaw just dropped. He didn’t just go there. “It’s either Beany Penny or Penny Penis..” “Shut up!” I screech, grabbing my water bottle to throw at his obnoxious head. “Hey, you asked,” he laughs, catching the water bottle in a swift easy movement. It just seems so easy for him. That just infuriates me further. Why you…you…you!!!” I sputter. My face is turning red. He takes off. “Why does my name have to rhyme with anything???” I run after him. I swear I’m going to kick him in the nuts. That doesn’t make any sense! It doesn’t even rhyme! “Because it’s more fun when it rhymes. Rhyme is fun. F-U-N spells fun. Rhyme is fun..” he starts singing while running backward, facing me. I almost catch him when he laughs and disappears into the woods in a blink of an eye. What an ass. Penny and penis don’t even rhyme! I can’t believe he just ruined my name for me!

“You come back here you…you…asshole!!! Come back here so I can kick your ass!!!!!” I yell. “You have to catch me to do that!!!” comes his reply from somewhere in the woods. He knows there is no way I can catch him. Stupid lycan speed and strength. “Well….it’s hard to find anything that rhymes with Caspian other than äs*hole!” “You need to expand your vocabulary, sweet cheeks!” He sounds further. His laughter echoes through the trees. Ughhh!!!!! Men! Boys!!!! I spend the next ten minutes destroying a tree with my pent up anger and aggression, imagining it as Caspian. Then I imagine it as Darius. Stupid lycan! Stupid lycan! “What did that tree ever do to you?” asks a familiar voice, sounding amused. Constantine. “Where’s Caspian?” he asks me when I didn’t answer him. I just keep kicking and destroying the tree. “That’s him,” I declare, pointing at the tree stump. Constantine struggles to keep a straight face. That’s right, he shouldn’t be laughing at me. I’m so pissed off. Urgghhh!!!! “Where’s Genesis?” I ask him finally. Spent. Sweat trickles down my back. “She’ll be here…sometime. She’s in the shower.”

I don’t get her obsession with showers. Constantine had nine shower heads installed in their ensuite the first thing they bought the house. “Want to train with me while waiting for them?” he asks. Yup! I have a lot of anger I need to work out of my system still. I realize I have a lot of anger in me these days. It’s all Darius’s fault! I blame it on him. By the time I’m done, I’m beyond exhausted. I’m still planning to go out tonight. I don’t plan to be around when Darius shows up.

Chapter 7 – Yummy Lip Ring The hot shower soothes the aches in my muscles a bit after that rigorous training that I had this afternoon. I don’t feel like going out, but I’m not willing to stay and spend my evening making nice with Darius and his mate either. My heart still hurts when I think of them together. I texted Lily earlier to let her know that I’m going to the party. She texted me back to remind me that tonight’s theme is “cowboys and cowgirls” and to pick her up at the dorm and maybe have dinner together before we go to the party. Amanda and Keisha left earlier with a whole bunch of girls to town and they’re going straight to the party from one of the other girl’s place.

Caspian said they’re arriving close to midnight, so I have plenty of time. I know I’m running away like a chicken that I am, but I’m not yet ready to face Darius. Maybe one day I will…when I no longer feel like castrating him on sight. In another word, NEVER. I rummage my closet for something suitable to wear to a “cowboys and cowgirls” theme party….and found my one and only pair of cowboy boots. I decided to pair them with a backless, short white cotton sundress that ends a few inches above my knees. It’s perfect for a warm California night. I wouldn’t look out of place if we decided to go party hopping later on either. I just put a bit of makeup on and leave my hair down to its natural wave. Too bad I don’t own a Stetson. By the time I’m done and ready to go downstairs, I hear voices talking in the front foyer. Juno stirs. Oh, no…are they here already? They can’t be. Caspian said mid-night! Their scent hit my nose and I smell him. I recognize his addictive scent anywhere. My heart starts hammering in my chest. There’s also another smell that I’m not familiar with. Damn Caspian! I hear an unfamiliar female voice talking to my friends. Their voices are muffled and I can’t really make out what they’re saying, but I recognize their voices. I hear Serena, Genesis, then Constantine…then there’s a lull in the conversation. Then I hear Caspian, that unfamiliar female voice laughing, then…him. That causes me to take a sharp intake of breath. Just listening to his voice transports me back to where I was before. It messes with my head.

In my head, he was mine. I hated all the women that got anywhere near him. Jealousy is a painful emotion that tore me apart. Three years I endured it. I fought hard. I’m so tired now. I can’t do it anymore. That last one was the most painful. My heart still burns and cracks painfully over and over again every time that image of him and Polina in bed together flashes across my mind. After it happened, I wanted to crawl somewhere and die. At times…I still do. I was angry with myself for being stupid. I turned that anger towards him. I want so badly to hate him. I’m not ready, though. I’m still convincing myself that I hate him. Why does he have to be here? Why can’t he just go somewhere else? Preferably to hell. No, I’m not ready to face him yet. There are so many emotions raging inside of me. I’m anxious, nervous, excited, sad, pissed off. I’m mainly pissed off. So pissed off that I feel like sucker punch somebody in the face. Kick somebody in the nuts. Shove a baseball bat up somebody’s æss. I have so many violent thoughts in my head. Clearly, the vicious fight I had with the tree stump today wasn’t enough to cool my anger. I frantically look around my bedroom. I intend to borrow one of Caspian’s car tonight. Maybe I could jump out of my window, then sneak back in to get the car key. If they caught me I’d die of embarrassment. Darius would know how much I’m still affected by his presence. I groan to myself. That would be super embarrassing! I have to save what little pride I have left.

Nope, there’s only one way to do this. I have to see him again sooner or later anyway. So, why not treat it like removing a band-aid? Swiftly and painfully. This is going to suck. Big time. I square my shoulders and hold my head up and walk right out before I lose my courage…and my temper. They are all in the living room and I can hear the conversation come to a stop as soon as I’m on the last few steps of the staircase. I take a deep breath and walk into the living room with my head up high and a swing to my hips as if everything is normal. I can feel his intense eyes on me as soon as I enter the room. I can feel his heated gaze on my face before it travels all over my body like a warm caress. It stops briefly over my breasts and lingers on the exposed length of my legs. It takes my breath away. It sends familiar thrill all over my body. He was looking at me like I was his. I can feel him willing me to look at him. It’s ridiculous how much connection we still have with each other. I’m turned on like a live wire, yet a thick sense of betrayal is almost choking me. I’m turned on. I’m pissed off. I’m so confused. I purposely avoid my eyes from looking at him. The longer I stay in here, the harder for me to control myself. I want to kiss him. I want to kill him. I’ve got to get out of here. “Caspian, may I borrow your Eclipse Spyder for tonight?” I realize that I’m gritting my teeth. My nail is biting into the skin of my palm, almost drawing blood.

“Go ahead. Take it. You’ve been driving it more than I do, it’s practically yours anyway,” he says with a smirk. I can’t even think of a single sassy return for that. I’ve been borrowing that car often because it’s the least expensive car that he owns. “Penny, this is Eva. She and Darius just arrived,” he continues casually, with a big grin. “Eva, meet Penny. She’s going out to one of those frat parties again.” Really, Caspian? I almost roll my eyes. “Hey, nice to meet you,” I force a smile at a beautiful lycan woman who is sitting next to Darius. She looks like a Viking with her blond hair and blue eyes. She’s almost as tall as the men. Where is Polina? Is he cheating on her already? I wonder if this is another one of his spoiled rich lycan women that he always brought along as his shield against me. If she is, he really shouldn’t have bothered. I wouldn’t be bothering him anymore. This woman doesn’t look like that type, though. It doesn’t mean that they’re not together, but she looks more like a warrior. “Hi, Penny,” she smiles, her eyes are full of curiosity. “Well, it beats staying home on a Friday night, right?” Her smile seems genuine. “Yeah….” I answer awkwardly. I’m keeping my eyes away from the man beside her. “Hello Persephone,” he says, sounding somewhat angry.

“Well, hope you have a nice visit here,” I wave my hand, encompassing them both though I just glance quickly at Darius, looking somewhere above his shoulder. I know I seem rude and childish to ignore him, but the sight of him makes it hard for me to breathe. I need to get out. “Aren’t you going to have late dinner with us? Anya cooked up a storm this evening,” asks Caspian. There’s a wicked glint in his eyes. I know that look. He’s looking for ways to cause trouble. No, thanks. Not tonight. I glance quickly at Genesis who looks like she’s holding herself from saying something. “Nope, I’m having dinner somewhere else tonight,” I turn on my heel, desperate to get out. “Aaahh….you’re going on a date?” Caspian’s having too much fun. I could kick him in the nuts. That feeling is not new or surprising. Caspian can bring that fuzzy feeling out of a nun. “Know what? I think I might like to borrow your Porche tonight.” I give him a challenging look. “Sure!” he smiles as if it’s no big deal. Well, that’s a disappointing reaction. “So it is a big date.” “Mind your own business!” I yell as I flip him off over my shoulder. “Thanks for the car. You might never see it again!” I can hear him chuckling as I grab the car key and head outside. It would serve him right if I wrap his fancy car around a tree or a traffic light pole tonight.

“Whoah! Is this your car?” Lily’s eyes are like saucers as she takes in Caspian’s shiny red Porsche. She just walked out of her building wearing a short jean skirt, a brown long-sleeved cowboy shirt with tassels, and a pair of cowboy boots. Her light brown hair is braided into two pigtails. “Nope,” I answer, watching her sliding into the passenger seat. “Where’d you get that shirt?” “I borrowed the shirt and the boots from my roommate Tessa.” She raises her foot up to show me the boots. “Wow!” Her eyes are shining brightly as she sinks into the comfortable leather seat. “Does this car belong to your gorgeous boyfriend from this afternoon?” I close my eyes and move my body to the loud music, trying to ignore the smell of cheap beer and sweat and some other nasty stuff I dare not name or think about. The floor feels sticky under my boots. Once in a while, I tip my head back and down the liquid courage in a bottle. Stupid lycan. He should stay away from me and out of my head. Lily and I came after we had burger and fries at Mom and Pops Burger. She kept asking about Caspian, and I kept telling her that he’s just a friend. She’s not at all convinced. Daniel was quite determined to give me a good time at the beginning but had since moved on to more willing girls when I kept him at arm’s length.

We saw Amanda and Keisha briefly not long after that. Amanda was being nosy by asking me why didn’t I bring my “boyfriend” to the party. When she was sure that Caspian wasn’t there, she went looking for Daniel. What’s with girls’ obsession with Caspian? He’s just a big troublemaker. He’s like an annoying brother I never wanted. Well, actually I do love that asshole lycan…bullsh*t and all. I just can’t imagine having him as a mate. He’s more like an annoying brother that I can’t get rid of. Lily was dancing beside me a while ago, now I can’t see her anywhere. I’ll look for her soon. I just need to forget. I’ve been drinking like a fish tonight. Wait. Does that make sense? Sure it does. Fish drinks. I feel warm hands touching my hips and open my eyes. A pair of dark brown eyes is staring back at me. I’m tipsy but I can still tell that he’s a werewolf. I’ve only seen a handful of werewolves around campus so far. His eyes look hard and penetrating. Buzzed cut dark brown hair, a nice tall body with tattoos. One ear is pierced and he has a lip ring. Lip ring! I’d like to feel that lip ring between my teeth, and on my tongue. Yummy lip ring. He gives out dangerous vibes and looks intimidating, but I don’t feel scared or threatened…or maybe I’m too drunk to be sensible. “Hey, where have you been, yummy lip ring? I sway towards him. I think I’m slurring a bit. “Where have you been all my life?”

“Yummy lip ring, huh?” he asks, raising an eyebrow. His eyes still look hard, but now he also looks surprised. “I’ve been watching you. You’re trying too hard to get drunk. Why?” “Shhhh….don’t tell anybody,” I put a finger to his lips, then I pull him closer as if I was about to tell him a big secret. “I wanna get laid!” I inform him quietly…or did I yell that out loud? “Come on!” I pull him by his arm. He’s looking puzzled, but he’s not resisting. I found an empty corner and push him against it. He looks tough and formidable, but there’s a reluctant amusement in his eyes now. I pull the front of his shirt and says, “Now kiss me!” “Wow! You’re bossy. That’s….strangely hot,” one of his eyebrow rises, but he makes no attempt to kiss me. Why do I find myself a talker and not a doer? I growl, pull his head down and plant my lips on his. He doesn’t return my kiss right away. Once I lick the seam of his lips and slip my tongue into his mouth, he starts responding. He tastes like cheap beer and coke. I have the yummy lip ring between my teeth. I suck on it, I love the feeling of warm metal on my tongue. His hands roam all over me. He tries to take over, to dominate the kiss, but I push him back against the wall and kiss him hard. He chuckles against my mouth and pulls me closer. He’s a good kisser, but he’s no Darius. Dammit!!! Why???? Why am I thinking about him now? I think I’m sobering up.

I push Mr. Yummy lip ring off of me. His eyes darken with lust and he’s looking dazed and flushed. He frowns and says, “I thought you wanted to get laid.” “I need more drinks.” “You’re giving me a bad case of blue balls, dollface, but if you need to get drunk before you sleep with me, then I’m not playing. I don’t sleep with drunk girls.” “You’re so noble. Suit yourself.” I land a quick kiss on his lips once and stagger into the crowd. Yummy lip ring. So, he’s going to find himself a girl who’s not drunk to f*ck tonight. Good luck with that. Whoah! Talking to myself. Time to get sober or get more drinks. I eye the rust colored liquid in the red cup warily. Jay, Daniel’s friend who’s in charge of the drinks assured me that it’s a “good shit”. I give it a sniff and dump it on a table by the staircase to the basement. The dubious liquid sloshes everywhere. “Hey, baby…I’m hot, you’re hot. Now let’s go fuck.” Two big hands grab my waist and a mouth lands on my neck. What??? This one’s a slobber. Eeeww…he’s a slobber, drunk, and he reeks…not to mention, lame ass pick up line. I push him off of me and wipe his drool off my neck. “That’s a sucky pick up line. don’t ever use it again!” I advise him and decide that I’ve had enough for tonight. “Awww…c’mon, baby you know you wanna..” he tries to reach out for me again, but I easily evade his outstretched arm.

A blast of cool fresh air on my face is all I need to sober up almost completely. I walk down the front steps of the house and fish out my phone from inside my bra. The front of the house is brightly lit. The temperature has cooled somewhat. There’s a couple heavily making out at the bottom of the step, a guy passed out in the yard, and a girl throwing up in a flowerbed…or a weed bed. At least she has a friend holding her hair back. Her friend doesn’t look too steady on her feet either. I see a text Lily sent me over half an hour ago telling me that she couldn’t find me and that she’s found herself a ride. If I were a human I’d probably be upset because I don’t think she was looking hard enough, but I’m a werewolf. I’m not worried about being by myself in a houseful of drunk strangers. I can take on any human boys all by myself and I’m smart enough not to get drugged. It’s hard for me to even get drunk. I wander around for a bit to make sure that I’ve got all the alcohol out of my system before I get behind the wheel. I don’t see Daniel or Mr. Yummy lip ring anywhere. They’re probably with more amiable girls. Why am I so picky? The house is quite dark when I got back. They always leave the light by the staircase on. The glow of lights from the swimming pool also keeps the house from being in total darkness. Everything is quiet except for the low hum of the fridge in the kitchen and the filter pump from the swimming pools. I could

hear the sound of the waves crashing the shore from afar. I pull off my cowboy boots and try to walk as quietly as I can across the tile floor. I almost make it to the staircase when a deep voice stops me. It almost gives me a heart attack. “Persephone.” A tall figure rises gracefully like a shadow in a dim light from a chair in the great room. Darius.

Chapter 8 – Of Unicorns, Pet Dragons, And Cows “What are you doing? Are you trying to kill me by scaring me to death???” I place both hands on my chest. My heart is hammering against my ribcage. It doesn’t help that he is looking hot as hell. In the dim light, he’s all smooth skin and sharply contoured angles. His hair fair is in disarray as if he’d been running his hand through it so many times. His cotton pajama bottom is resting low over his hips. His white tshirt fits snuggly like a second skin to his amazing sculptured body. My heart squeezes in my chest almost painfully. Stupid lycan. Stupid sexy lycan. “Persephone,” he breathes, ignoring my theatrics. “I think we should talk.” I don’t miss how his eyes are staring at my face, then raking my figure with longing and hunger. They linger on my bare legs before they go up again. My skin tingles. It almost feels like a physical caress. Damn him! “No, I don’t think we do,” I reply quickly, pushing the shivers of pleasure down. “Where’s your mate?” I could’ve kicked myself.

Why did I ask him that? No way he missed the jealousy in my voice. Stupid Penny. “Nevermind. That’s none of my business.” He’s looking at me strangely. “It’s not?” his eyes are suddenly intense on my face, studying me…looking for something. “Of course it’s not. Not my concern. You can do whatever you want. You can mate with whoever you want. It has nothing to do with me.” “It has nothing to do with you..” he’s repeating my words. He’s looking angry for some reason. Already the air between us is crackling with awareness and tension. Me and him, alone in the dark is not a good idea. He studies me quietly for a few more seconds before he takes a deep breath as if trying to calm himself. He runs his hand through his glossy pale blond hair, making it even more tousled than before. That only makes him look even hotter. It’s not fair. I want to run my hand through that hair. I want to feel its silkiness between my fingers. My heart can’t take any more of this. “I’m going to bed. Good night.” I need to get out of here, away from temptation. “Persephone, wait! That night, we didn’t…I didn’t…” “I don’t care!” I do, but I don’t want to talk about it. The image of their writhing bodies is still fresh in my mind.

He moves forward and I move back and suddenly he takes a sharp breath. I know he catches a strong smell of me in the still air. His nostrils flare. Pain and jealousy flash in his eyes before they darken into two black orbs. I didn’t even see him move. He just appears. He was fifteen feet away then suddenly he’s in my personal space, staring down at me. “Are you doing this to torture me now?” he asks through gritted teeth. I know he can smell other males on me, especially Mr. Yummy lip ring, the slobber awful pickup line guy and some other guys who ground on me on the dance floor earlier. “Doing what? It’s not always about you, you know.” I snap instead, turning on my heel to leave. “By being with other men tonight. How close did you let them get to you? How far did you let them touch you?” He’s following me. He’s not giving me a chance to put much-needed space between us. “You’re not sleeping with some random guys just to get back at me.” How dare him! For a second I consider hitting him. He brought out this violent side of me. He’s also a lycan. So much stronger than I am. I turn to face him again with a challenging look. His eyes are now back to pale blue, but I know he’s still angry. It’s there in his eyes and the stiffness of his jaw and body. Oh, I am so going to lose my v card before the week is over. A steely look comes across his face as if he knows what I’m thinking.

We stand there locked in a staring contest. My eyes are full of challenge and rebellion while his filled with jealousy and steely determination. His wonderful scent fills my lungs. My senses are filled with him. This is why I should stay away from him. My heart is racing faster in my chest. I feel more alive now than I had been for months. “You’re not going to do it,” he growls out, moving closer. I just keep glaring up at him. My eyes are defying him, but I can’t deny the strong magnetic pull anchoring us together. Powerfully drawing us into each other. My heart aches at how beautiful he is. His beautifully sculptured lips, they were once on mine. Why am I staring at his lips? I lift my eyes up and notice that his glacier pale blue eyes are staring intently at my lips. “I swear you’re not going to do it,” he says it like a vow. His breath tantalizingly warm on my lips. He’s leaning in like he can’t help himself. My breath caught and my heart flutters like the wings of a bird trapped in a cage. “Do what?” I challenge him. “How are you going to stop me?” My voice sounds breathy and cracks at the end. “I know you more than you know yourself, Persephone.” His voice sounds low and husky. His lips hover just a breath away from mine. I could feel the warmth of his body and smell his wonderful addictive scent. Our chest almost touching.

Delicious chills run down my spine. I want his lips on mine. I want the taste of him on my tongue. So badly. I look back up into his eyes. He’s fighting an inner battle. I can see it…and it hurts. The thought of Polina invades my mind. He took her to bed so easily, yet he doesn’t want me. He had her in his bed, yet he keeps pushing me away. Even now he’s fighting it. He might even be mated to her right now for all I know. The hurt and the anger comes back, in full force that I stagger a few steps back. His hands instinctively come up to grab my arm to keep me from falling, but I push them away. “Then you know I want you to stay the hell away from me,” I yell. I don’t care if I’m waking everybody up or if everybody can hear me now. “Pretend we don’t know each other! Pretend I don’t exist! Pretend whatever fuck you want to pretend. Just leave me alone! You had no problem doing that for the last three years. Why the hell stop now? Just leave me alone!” I turn and stalk away as fast as I can before I start to make a fool of myself like hurling myself into his powerful arms and ask him to kiss me the way I want him to. Like the way he did before. Faintly I hear him say, “sorry, I can’t do that Malyshka.” He climbs up the stairs right behind me. He’s still behind me when I cross the hall to my room. “Are you following me?” I stop right in front of my bedroom door to glare at him. My hands are shaking from being so

angry. I can only see the silhouette of his powerful frame because of the light from the staircase behind him. “My room is right here,” he points to the door of the guest room next to mine. He sounds calm, but the stiffness in his jaw and his body tell me otherwise. Damn Caspian. There are three other extra bedrooms in this house and he gave Darius a room next to mine! There’s even a pool house at the back that he can stay in. I swear that prince’s mission in life is to make my life miserable. Stupid lycan! Saturday morning. The sun is shining bright when I open my eyes reluctantly. The sea breeze is soothing. The bed is comfy. This is a good place to hide from the real world…or more specifically from Darius. I spent hours lying in bed, fuming before I finally fell asleep after my “talk” with Darius last night. Okay, so I keep imagining the “almost kiss” moment that we had too…then curse myself right after I did that. The shame. The want. The anger. The want. You want a fucking fairy godmother, Penny! You want a unicorn that poops jelly beans. You want a pet dragon that breathes fire on Darius’s stupid sexy a*s. That doesn’t mean that you could have any of those things. Stupid Penny!!! I’m still fuming now. I’m mad at him and I’m mad at myself. Last night was the most talk we had in over three years since we first met. Then that almost kiss. Nope, I don’t feel like

facing him today. Nope, I can happily hide in my room for the rest of the day. Pretty soon, though, my stomach starts growling. It sounds like a family of monsters is living in there. Baby monster, mommy monster, daddy monster, grandpa monster…Oh no, I need food! Only the terrifying thought of death caused by starvation motivates me enough to get out of bed finally. It’s beyond pathetic to die of hunger while lying in bed on a Saturday morning. It’s beyond cruel to have to get up so early on a Saturday morning though. I grab my phone on the bedside table. Well, okay so maybe it’s not that early. It’s already close to eleven. I brush my teeth and pull my hair up into a messy ponytail. I stretch and yawn and glance briefly down my sleepwear. I always go down for breakfast in my pajama on weekends, why should today be any different? I’m better covered than I was last night anyway. I think. It’s a white tank top with pink cotton boy shorts that has pictures of smiling pineapples all over it. I put this on uncaringly last night. Sometimes I sleep in shirts that I stole from Caspian. He has the most comfortable shirts to sleep in, I swear! Everybody is already at the breakfast table when I got down. Everybody is already showered and dressed except for Genesis, Caspian and me. The three of us are not morning people in this house. Genesis is in a bathrobe that I know belonged to Constantine, just by the size and the smell of it. Caspian is topless. His

cotton pajama bottom seems to be in danger of slipping off his hips when he yawns and stretches his hands above his head. His golden hair sticking everywhere. “Good Morning,” I mumble, dropping onto the only chair available next to Caspian and Genesis. I try not to look at Darius who’s sitting right across from me. I know he’s all dressed up. Everybody returns my greeting. From the way everybody is looking at us, I think they heard our “talk” last night. It’s hard to hide anything when you live with a bunch of nosey lycans with crazy super hearing. Anya places my favorite mug with the face of a cow on it in front of me and I nod my thanks as she pours me steaming hot black coffee. “I trust you slept well last night, Persephone?” says Darius casually sipping his coffee. I almost choke and spit my coffee out. “Yes, awesome!” I snap out with a scowl. “I slept awesome!” He must’ve known that I spent hours tossing and turning, knowing that we’re sharing a wall, wishing I could kick him in the nuts. Angry at him and wanting him. He should burn in hell. He’s looking great this morning. No sign of late night tossing and turning. His white shirt stretches delightfully tight across his impressive chest. The sunlight streaming in through the big window behind him catches his shiny light blond hair. The

light that surrounds him makes him seem unreal. Shiny and perfect and too beautiful to be real. His pale blue eyes shining brightly as he stares at me from across the table. I have a sudden urge to kick him in the shin underneath the table. Lazarus coughs and clears his throat loudly and I almost jump. I suddenly realize that we’ve been locked in our staring match for a while. I look away with a scowl and notice Caspian’s smirking face and everybody else’s amused expressions. That woman Eva is looking back and forth between Darius and me with curiosity. I look back up at him and give him the meanest glare. His mouth curls up into a sexy lopsided smile. How can a lopsided smile look so sexy and hot? Urghhh…he is so infuriating. The conversation flows around us, but I’m not paying attention. I scowl harder as he raises his coffee mug to his lips with his eyes still on me. I watch him warily before I drag my eyes away and stab a stack of pancakes in front of me furiously with my fork. Stupid sexy lycan! Who likes a hot sexy jerky lycan? Nope! Not me. Gosh! I hate him!!! I hate him so frikin’ much that I…I….I wanna poke his sexy eyes with this fork! After breakfast, Darius and Eva went out. I didn’t even ask the others where they went off to. I don’t care. I’m not jealous at all. Nope. Not at all. Not even a little bit. All the men have business to attend to as well, so Genesis, Serena and I decided to lounge around the swimming pool in our bikini. Serena and I are developing a nice tan. Genesis

remains pale with a nice pink glow to her skin. I don’t know how she manages that. I’m painting Serena’s toenails bright red. Genesis is painting her fingernails. We’re taking turns painting each other’s nails. I don’t have Genesis’s careful precision, I keep messing it up and having to wipe the edges. “I think we should go to the Spa one day. A day of relaxation at the Spa with my sisters,” sighs Serena. I love how she refers to us as her sisters now. I love how the lycans make me feel included and belonged. “So…” says Genesis. “You and Darius..uh…patch things up finally, huh?” I miss Serena’s toenail by a mile and smear the bright red color onto her skin. I curse under my breath as I wipe it off of her skin quickly. That’s Genesis’s idea of being nosey and subtle at the same time. I can’t blame her. I’d do the same thing, only I wouldn’t be subtle. I would demand to know what happened. “Nope, if you were listening harder last night, you would have known that he should stay far far far away from me,” I answer. “Like in a different continent wouldn’t be far enough away.” “Why???” She stops nail painting. “Darius must’ve told you that he didn’t mark that other woman, right?”

He didn’t? I remember he was trying to tell me something like that last night and I wouldn’t listen. Well, it wouldn’t matter because I still saw him in bed with that woman. Serena and Genesis are now looking excited. They are looking at me as if all my problems are now solved. Which reminds me that I never told Genesis or Serena about what I saw that night. It was too embarrassing for me. Their erasthais moved heaven and earth to be with them. Mine refused me for years and took another woman to bed to show me how much I’m not wanted. It was all my own fault. I shouldn’t have spent those years waiting for him and going after him. Well, that Penny who had been pining after him is gone. This Penny isn’t waiting for anyone. I’m going to show him just how much I’m not pining after him.

Chapter 9 – One With More Feathers I didn’t see Darius and Eva again on Sunday after they took off after breakfast. I spent most of Sunday training with the men, doing assignments, and later reading by the pool. I still didn’t see them by the time we all went to bed later that night. Not that I care. Something is making a noise in the room next door…or rather somebody is making a noise. It’s loud enough to wake me up. I lie back in my comfy bed, blinking sleepily. It’s quiet now. Maybe I was just dreaming.

I’m about to drift back into sweet, sweet oblivion when I hear it again. Oh gosh…what is that sound? It’s coming from Darius’s bedroom next to mine. A sudden thought occurs to me. Is he having somebody in there? Unless he brought some other female lycan home, the only possible female he can be with is Eva. They have been spending a lot of time together. It shouldn’t be surprising. Jealousy burns in my chest. I grit my teeth and clench my fist tightly. Nope! Nope! I’m not going to feel jealous. He’s not mine. He can do whatever he wants. Arghhh!!! I pull a pillow over my face. I can still hear the noise. Damn him! I pound on my pillow angrily wishing it was his face. Next thing I know, white soft down feathers are flying everywhere. What in tarnation!!!! Great. Just great Penny. You broke the damn pillow! I blow the tiny soft feathers out as they try to settle on my nose and get into my mouth. I have to sit up after I start coughing feathers. Oh, goddess…I have feathers in my hair and in my throat. The noise next door stops and I have feathers everywhere. I feel like a fucking chicken! I’m so pissed off I can throw a tantrum right now. I’m in such a bad mood this morning. I think I’m going to have a permanent scowl on my face. I return everybody’s good morning greetings except for Darius’s. I have my breakfast

quickly without giving him even a single glance. He tries to talk to me, but I pretend he wasn’t even here. I’m totally ignoring him this morning. Everybody is giving me a weird look but doesn’t say anything. Even Caspian is keeping his opinion to himself. I pretend not to notice the look of amusement and that smug little smile on Caspian’s face every time he looks at me. I’m more pissed off than ever at him this morning for giving Darius the room right next to mine. I feel like poking his eyes out with the spoon I’m using to eat my yogurt with. Stupid lycan prince. Unfortunately, I still have to sit right in front of Darius at the breakfast table. I avert my face to one side so that I don’t have to sit facing him. I know that I’m behaving very childishly, but I’m too pissed off to care. I can feel him staring at me the whole time. His intense glacier blue eyes are burning holes on one side of my face. Gosh! I feel like smacking his gorgeous face right now! My class actually starts closer to noon today, but I’m catching a ride with Caspian and Serena this morning to be out of the house as early as I can. I texted Lily that I’m going to be around campus early today and she’s meeting me at Club Espresso Degree with a cup of Cappuccino that I earned for approaching Daniel on Friday. The place is busy in the morning. I’m grateful that Lily has already had a cup of my cappuccino ready along with a table for

two by the corner. It would have been quite impossible to get a place to sit at a time like this. I sit down and blissfully sip my drink. Ahhh…the smell of cappuccino. Both Lily and I open our laptops to start working on our mounting assignments. I’m pushing the thought of Darius away and trying to concentrate on my essay due next Tuesday. Maybe I should take up yoga. Maybe I should’ve gone running in my wolf form and train till I drop instead coming here this morning. I’m still pissed. I look up to see Lily staring at me oddly. She’s fidgeting and she’s sweating more than normal. I can smell it. Her breathing and heartbeat are odd too. “Okay, what’s up?” “Why do you think something is up?” “Lily…” “You’re funny, you know. Not ha, ha kinda funny, but funny. You know how can you read people so easily sometimes? You’re like a witch or something. Not a bad witch, though…I’m not saying..” Oh gosh, she’s blabbering. Something is up. “Lily…” “Okay, okay…but please don’t get mad okay?” She scrunches her face up. She takes a deep breath, blows it out slowly then

she continues, “I sorta hooked up with Daniel that night on Friday.” Her face turns bright red. I burst out laughing. The look on her face is so funny! “How do you sorta hooked up with somebody?” This should be interesting. “Wait. Why do you think I would get mad?” “You mean you’re not mad?” she asks me back. “Lily, the only person you have to worry about is probably Amanda. I’d say go for it if you’re into each other. He seems like a nice guy…it’s not a one-time thing sorta hookup is it?” Lily is now staring at me with wide eyes. Lily is a very pretty half-Asian. She’s also very sweet. She might be boy crazy, but she’s not the type to go for random hookups. If Daniel hurt her, I might have to kick his ass. “You’re telling me I had been worrying for nothing?” She shakes her head. “I thought I was breaking a girl code or something. Well…I guess if you’re living with that hot gorgeousness of a god, you wouldn’t care about mere mortal men. I know I wouldn’t.” I think she’s referring to Caspian. I’ve given up on trying to convince her that nothing is going on between us. I think Caspian did too much damage on that one. “So, you and Daniel? Wanna share any juicy tidbits?” I’m glad to be able to focus on something else instead of keep thinking about Darius. Darn it! There I go again, thinking about him.

“Yeah. Well, at the party, we went out back for some fresh air and we talked. We just clicked, you know…” she sighs dreamily. “We went up to his room and talked some more. Then we made out,” her face turns red. “Then what?” I ask eagerly. I know I’m being nosey, but hey, I’m not getting much action, might as well listen to some. “Then he sent me home. He asked for my phone number and we’ve been texting yesterday and talked on the phone last night.” “Uh…that’s sweet…but when you said hooked up, I thought….” “You thought what?” “Uh…nevermind. It’s nothing,” I say quickly. Oh boy, so much for a hookup story. I think this is why I like Lily so much. She’s so innocent, it’s cute. Daniel sounds like a keeper so far. I walk out of my last class for the day with Lily, Amanda, and Keisha. Daniel comes up to meet us just outside one of the buildings on our way to the campus central food court. He’s grinning almost shyly at us. Lily has a shy smile on her own lips while her cheeks are tinged rosy pink. Oh, these two are so adorable! I could pinch their cheeks! “Daniel!” exclaims Amanda wrapping her arms around Daniel’s waist, pressing her cheek against his chest. “You wanna grab the best Mexican food in town for lunch? I know a place. We can go there now. I can drive us there.”

It’s obvious her invitation doesn’t include us. Lily’s smile drops. “Uh…” he glances uneasily at Lily, trying to disentangle himself out of Amanda’s arms. “I don’t feel like Mexican right now….but I want you to meet my friends, Mason and Cooper.” I have to hold back my laugh. How very clever, He brings his wingmen along. Both Mason and Cooper are tall. Not as tall as the lycans, but they’re an inch or two over six feet tall. Both Mason and Cooper play football. I think I saw Cooper at the party the other night. Cooper is a flirt. He flirts with all of us girls, but before we even reach the food court, he got Amanda and Keisha distracted enough that Daniel is now able to walk behind us, talking quietly to Lily. “So, Penny…how come I’ve never seen you around before?” Mason asks me with a big smile. His blue eyes twinkling. Mason is nice and I can see it right away that he’s interested. I wish I was interested in him as well. “Oh, I’m sure you’ve seen me around, maybe you’ve just never noticed me before.” “Nope, I’m pretty sure I’ve noticed you if I’ve seen you,” he disagrees. “Okay,” I answer. I’m not sure if I should flirt back when I’m not attracted to him. You’re only attracted to him if his name

was Darius and he looked like Darius, sounded like Darius, smelled like Darius. Stupid Penny! His eyebrows lift up. “Okay?” “Yea, okay.” I laugh. Screw attraction. I’m only looking for a distraction. If only it doesn’t come with a heavy dose of a guilty conscience. By the time we reach the food court, I’m laughing at Mason’s remarks. He’s quite a funny guy. He seems confident enough by now to place his hand on my back. As soon as we step in the food court, I stop on my track, causing the others to stop as well. My heart starts to pound faster and my stomach clenches only when he’s around. Darius. His tall frame is leaning casually against the back wall. His hands are tucked into the pockets of his dark blue jeans. His gray henley is tight across his broad chest. The sleeves are pushed up to his elbow. My breath catches in my throat. He stands out. Of course, he does. He’s a lycan. No human man could ever look as good or exude such power, danger, and masculinity as he does. He’s causing quite a stir with the women in the building. Most of the girls here are staring at him, but his eyes are trained solely on me. It looks like he’s been watching me for a while through the glass window even before I got into the building. “Wow!” breathes Keisha from behind me.

“Uh, don’t tell me. You don’t know this one either, Penny?” says Daniel jokingly. I wipe my hand on my jeans as he pushes his shoulder off the wall and stalks his way unhurriedly over to where I’m standing. This is not the first time that he reminds me with just his looks and the way he moves that he’s a dangerous predator. His eyes are slowly surveying and assessing the humans around me. There are eyes following his every step “If you don’t want him, can I have him?” asks Keisha with a nervous laugh and I turn to give her a deadly glare before I can stop myself. “Persephone,” he says, his expression voids of any emotions. His intense glacier blue eyes move to look at Mason who quickly removes his hand from my back in a hurry. I don’t blame him. It’s a gut reaction. Sub-consciously humans know danger when it’s staring them in the face. “Darius,” I return, narrowing my eyes. His eyes are regarding me intently. “We’re leaving.” “You are. I’m not,” I mutter, tipping my chin up stubbornly. Holding his intense stare challengingly. A cold smile forms on his lips. His eyes light up with an answering challenge. The look on his face is telling me that I’m going with him one way or another. I should have known. Lycans thrive on challenges. Challenges excite them.

Stupid lycans! I am seriously considering kicking him in the nuts right now. I know I wouldn’t win a physical fight with him. I’d probably injure my foot instead of his nuts if I attempted that. His nuts are probably made of stone. Gah!!!! Stop thinking about his nuts! Instead of giving him more challenges, I turn around and walk out of there, giving my friends a stiff smile. A sleek black Mercedes coupe is waiting at the curb. He opens the door and ushers me in before I could protest. He slides in the driver’s seat and I couldn’t hold it in anymore. “For goodness sake! Why can’t you just leave me alone already?” I explode. “You’re free to sleep with anybody you want, why can’t I do the same?” He suddenly barks out a short harsh laugh. It sounds almost chilling. “I wish I was free to sleep with somebody that I want. You have no idea, Malyshka,” he mutters bitterly under his breath. I glimpse a tortured look that flashes across his face before he turns to look away. I just stare up at him. He’s looking straight ahead out of the front window of the car. I can only see his profile now, but he looks angry and bleak and almost sad. What does that mean? Is he talking about Polina? That tortured look on his face is haunting. I’ve seen a lot of looks on his face, but never that one. Is she the one that he craves, but cannot have? I thought he had her already. What

happened? That thought hurts, but I understand the feeling well. Suddenly I feel overwhelmingly sad for him. I touch his arm gently. His muscles jump and tensed up at my touch. In fact, his whole body tensed up. It’s as if my touch hurts him. Does he find my touch repulsive? I pull my hand back quickly. The thought hurts. So much. When he turns to look at me, his eyes are shining brightly with anger and other emotions that I don’t quite understand. “Is that what you really want?” he asks me suddenly. “Do you really want to sleep around with other men? You want to be with other men?” This time there’s no mistaken the hurt and jealousy in his eyes. I don’t understand him. I can usually figure boys out with no problem. I usually know what boys want. I know exactly what they want to hear. Boys are mostly simple creatures with basic wants. This man though confuses me to no end. I can’t let my sympathy for him cloud my judgment though. He has his life, he can’t run my life as well. I have to live my life the way I want to, especially since he chooses not to be in it. “What I really want shouldn’t be your concern…” “But it is. It’s my fault. If it’s not for me, you would’ve wanted to wait for your mate. I don’t want you to do this because of me,” he interrupts. “You will wait for your mate.” “Oh, don’t flatter yourself. Don’t you ever stop to think that this has nothing to do with you? That maybe I want to do this

because I want to? Maybe I need the experience to please my mate one day?” His skin paled, for a second he looks almost sick. There’s that tortured look again. Then he closes his eyes and turns his face away to look outside. He’s sitting there gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles are turning white. If he doesn’t ease up soon, I think he’s going to break it. “If he has you, he doesn’t need anything else. He doesn’t need your experience,” he mutters under his breath, almost in an inaudible whisper. So low, I almost missed it. What does that mean? Why is he saying this? Why is he saying something like this when he clearly doesn’t want me? Why would he do this when he’s clearly in agony, yearning for some other woman? I can’t believe we’re sitting here discussing my sex life. This is beyond bizarre. I don’t know what else to say. My heart clenched painfully. It hurts to know that he craves someone else, but how can I hate him when we’re in the same boat? We’re both wanting someone we cannot have.

Chapter 10 – One With a New Resolution The dinner table is noisy as usual with Genesis and Caspian fighting over the most inconsequential matters. Eva too joins in the pointless banter now. Serena laughing over how silly the

argument is but joining in once in a while anyway. Constantine and Lazarus talking more quietly about their work matters, but once in a while listening in or even joining in Genesis and Caspian’s banter. The only thing missing is me leading the argument. I’m just pushing the food around the plate, pretending to eat while mulling over things in my head. Darius is very quiet too. I know his eyes are on me a lot of times, staring at me broodingly, but I refuse to look up. I know they are all wondering what’s going on with me and worried about me, but I don’t even know how to put things into words. I can’t even figure things out in my head. I’m confused. I wonder what happened between Darius and Polina. Why didn’t he mark her when he clearly wants her so badly? I know she loved him. That tortured look on his face haunts me. Whatever happened must be devastating for him to cause such a look on his face. I’m jealous of Polina for getting such a reaction out of him, but this isn’t about me. If she’s what he needs to make him happy, then he should have her. I feel bad for him, but I’m pissed that he’s here when I’m trying to get over him. I know he doesn’t want me, so he should really just leave me alone. I need some alone time to figure things out. For the first time, I’m feeling relieved that dinner is over. I usually love dinner time. Not only that I love food, I also enjoy the noisy banter that we share. Everybody is planning to get into the hot tub and watch a movie there tonight, but I creep upstairs into my bedroom.

The hot tub is in the back by the lower tier swimming pool. It’s inground and big enough to fit twenty people. A big screen tv comes out at a push of a button on the side of the tub. We sometimes spend our time watching movies there, though we’re not in the tub all the time. When it gets too much, we sometimes move to sit on the lounge chairs or pause the movie to cool down in the pool before we get back in. “Oh Beany!!! We’re letting you pick the movie tonight,” yells Caspian, trying to tempt me to join them in the hot tub. “Red, tell her to come and pick a movie for us.” “You guys go ahead. I’ll come watch the movie in a while,” I yell back from the top of the stairs. “When?” asks Genesis. “When I feel like it,” I answer before closing the door. I lay on my bed, trying to think for fifteen minutes, then I open my book, trying to read for another five minutes before I give up. I can hear them having fun down there without me. Their voices, the sound of the water jets, and the movie they got going drift in from the open window of my balcony. I hear Genesis saying, “Oh Penny…you’re missing out!” in a sing a song voice, followed by Caspian, “Stop bugging her, Red. She’s having more fun sitting there all alone, staring at the wall, or pretending to be studying than watching this awesome movie with us.” “You never know, she’s probably up there knitting,” says Constantine.

“Yeah, and I’m Mother Theresa,” says Lazarus in a serious voice. They burst out laughing. Damn it! Bad influence. Bad, bad influence all of them. “Shut it!” I yell and they laugh even harder. That’s it! I’m so weak. Who am I kidding? I knew I wouldn’t be doing any studying when I came up here. I quickly changed into my simple white bikini and tie a little light blue sarong wrap around my hips. I hope Lazarus isn’t in charge of picking out the movie tonight. Last time we let him pick, we had to sit through three hours of a documentary about lions. I had nightmares about those cute cuddly male baby lions getting killed by a big bad male lion who wanted to mate with their mommy lion. I had that nightmare for a whole week! It’s a bit chilly tonight. It’s windier than normal, but the moon and the stars are bright. The backyard is lit up by several patio post lights and underwater pool lights. The hot tub has its own underwater lighting. The lights illuminate the steam that rises from the foamy water. Everybody is already outside in the hot tub. The movie is probably already halfway over. Genesis is sitting on Constantine’s lap and Serena is leaning on Lazarus’s shoulder with their arms around each other. Then there’s Caspian, next to him is Darius with Eva sitting at the end. I notice how good Eva is looking in her black bikini and how close she is sitting to Darius. Remember Penny, he is not yours. Not yours!

“Come on, Penny, you’re missing half the story already!” calls out Serena. This brings out everybody’s attention to me. I give them a little wave as I approach the bar. There are several bottles of drinks chilling in a copper wine bucket. I pick a bottle and pour a generous amount into my glass. I can feel his eyes on me as I undo my wrap and approach the hot tub. My eyes are drawn to him like magnets. He’s leaning back against the wall of the tub. His chest is visible above the jets. His shoulders are broad and his chest is chiseled perfection. His biceps and arms resting on the back of the tub are big and muscular. There’s a thin black chain holding a small black medallion around his neck that I’ve never noticed before. His fair hair is slicked back with a few damp locks fallen over his forehead. His face is a beautiful mask of cold indifference while his eyes narrow as they survey my body slowly with intensity and hunger. My breathing picks up and my stomach tightens deliciously. I should’ve stayed in my room. As I step into the tub, Caspian reaches out and pulls me to sit in between himself and Darius. A place I would not have chosen for myself. Trapped between two muscular half-naked men, I feel small. I don’t know what I’m watching. I’m so aware of his big bare body beside mine. I can’t concentrate but I pretend to watch anyway.

Sometime during the movie, I press myself closer to Caspian’s side and he slings an arm around my shoulders. I thought I saw Darius’s body tensing, or maybe that’s just my imagination. Not long after I feel his leg pressing up against mine. His warm skin is hotter than the hot water. It feels like he’s staking his claim. His scorching skin branding my flesh. My breath catches in my throat. I sneak a quick glance at him and he seems to be concentrating on the movie. I try to move away, but there’s not much room for me to move to unless I climb up onto Caspian’s lap. He turns to look at me as he sensed my little movement. Our eyes meet and hold. There’s a steely glint of possessiveness in his and I bet he can see the stubbornness in mine. I pointedly press myself closer to Caspian who rubs my shoulder absentmindedly. Immediately his leg is pressing up against mine again, but this time even closer. We’re connected from the hip right down to my ankle. The feeling of our bare flesh mashing up together sends shivers all over my body. My heart rate goes through the roof. It’s getting too hot here in the hot tub. Too hot! That’s it! “I’m going for a swim,” I announce suddenly, getting up from the tub. “Awww…seriously? We’re just getting to the good part,” protests Caspian even though he’s already reaching for the pause button. Everybody joins me in the pool. I manage to do six leisurely laps across the pool before we’re back in the hot tub. This time I sit at the other end, as far away as possible from Darius. I’ll

endure Genesis and Constantine’s sickly lovey dovey whispering of sweet nothings to each other if I have to. It doesn’t really do me any good since his eyes are constantly on me. I feel his eyes sweeping over me like fire. Lingering on every visible part of me. In return, I glare at him. He seems to think that’s funny because his lips curl up into a little smirk. His eyes hold a challenging look. This sets my teeth on edge. Argghhh!!! I want to punch him in the face so badly. We end up having a staring contest for the most part of the movie. “I think Groot is adorable,” sighs Genesis at the end of the movie. Yeah, I guess we were watching Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 2. At least now I know the title of the movie. “We can go up and practice making our own little groots,” murmurs Constantine, nuzzling her ear. “Eeewwwww….can you guys not say that out loud?” I exclaim, clambering to get out of the hot tub as if it’s filled with toxic water. Genesis turns bright red, while Constantine just laughs, followed by snickers from other men. Ughh! Men!!! Oh, the things you can’t un-hear! After that, I quickly escape back up to my room, shower and get ready for bed. It’s still too early and my nerves are shot for me to go to bed. I open up my laptop and try to work on some assignments. I can’t concentrate, my mind keeps going back to Darius. I’m hot, bothered, and pissed off.

This hostility between us can’t continue. It’s draining every time I’m around him now. He certainly knows how to play this game better than I do. I need a new approach. I’ve been thinking, since Darius and I are in the same boat and all, that is we both wanting someone we can’t have, we should at least try to be civil with each other instead of trying to kill one another. Well, okay, maybe it’s just me thinking about killing him all the time. If I stop doing that, maybe we could even be friends…maybe. Anyway, I will try to be nicer to him even if it kills me. Nicer would have to include not planning his next funeral. I will treat him like a brother I don’t want, or a distant cousin…or a friend of a friend…or something like that. Penny’s new resolution, I typed on my laptop, be friendly and polite, not hostile towards our house guest. Definition of not hostile: 1) Smile to show friendliness at all times. 2) Be agreeable, not try to disagree even if he’s being idiotic/stupid by saying that the sky is puke green when it’s clearly blue. 3) Go out with other men as planned, just don’t tell him about it. 4) Do NOT under any circumstances try to sneak a poisonous viper snake into his bed. 5) Abort mission to use his toothbrush to clean the toilet bowl.

There, I think that about covers it. Armed with that resolution, I close the laptop and lie down in my comfy bed, feeling quite pleased with myself. I wake up with a start. There’s that sound again from the room next door. Just like last night. Oh, come on!!! I know I have a new resolution and all, it doesn’t need to be tested right away. Can’t he keep it in his pants at all? Sheesh!!! Remember Penny, be friendly. Not hostile. Stupid lycan! Argghhh…somebody needs to be kicked in the nuts! Okay, not hostile. Smile. The sound gets louder. I pound on the pillow, be careful not to break it this time. I do this while smiling. I think I’m grinding my teeth a little, but at least I’m doing this while smiling. The sound gets louder still, and…Oh gosh! That sounds awful. Whoever is in there with him, that must not be very pleasurable. I gingerly put my ear to the wall. No, I am NOT being nosy. I’m just being concerned…you know the new resolution and all. There it is again. Is he calling out for me??? It sounds like he’s saying Persephone over and over again. Just what kinda kinky stuff is he into? The noise keeps getting louder. That’s it! I can’t take it anymore. New resolution or not, I will NOT be a part of any

kinky sex thingy they’re into. I walk out and knock on his door. The noise doesn’t stop. I don’t think they can hear me over that loud cry. The door is locked as well. There’s a sound like something crashes on the floor. Somehow now I don’t think he’s having loud sex at all. It sounds more like a cry of pain. I know some people are into that whole painful sex kinda thing, but I don’t think this is it. I get back to my room and open the French doors to the balcony. His balcony isn’t far from mine. The noise is even louder from here. I climb onto his balcony and realized his balcony door isn’t fully closed. What are you doing Penny? This is not part of your resolution! Still, I’m so curious. Curiosity is going to get Penny killed! The wind is blowing the curtains in. I slowly step inside to where he’s now groaning like he’s in pain. The moonlight is streaming in through the big windows. My eyes adjusted and I can see his form lying in bed. He’s topless and lying almost curled on his side. The sheet has ridden all the way down and I’m relieved to see that he’s at least wearing pajama pants. The muscles of his shoulders and arms are bunching. His skin is glistening in the moonlight. I can see that thin black chain around his neck. His pale blond hair is sticking out in some places and some strands are wet and plastered to his neck and face from sweat. Goddess, he’s beautiful. Even in this light, I can see that his body is a work of art. He grows quiet for a bit, then he starts to groan out and thrashing about again.

“Persephone! No..Persephone..” I’m ten feet away from him and I’m glued to the spot. Then he starts sobbing. “Persephone! My Persephone…” Oh, Gosh! Is he having a nightmare about me? Maybe, if I wake him up… it’s hard to watch him in so much pain. There’s a broken bedside lamp lying on the floor. I am careful not to step on that. I shouldn’t be in here. My heart is in my mouth. I gulp loudly and slowly move closer to hold his shoulder. His skin is smooth and warm to the touch. As soon as my hand settles on his shoulder, he quiets down. His body relaxes. His breaths even out. Okay, time to disappear, Penny. It’s better for everybody if he doesn’t know you’re ever here. I gingerly take a step back, ready to flee. I’m almost at the door when he starts thrashing about again. Goddess, my heart can’t take any more of this. I’m debating whether to run back to the safety of my room and leave him like this or try to wake him up again. Oh shucks! His groan and moan get louder and I move back closer to the bed. You’re so stupid Penny! I touch his bare shoulder again and shake him. “Darius,” I whisper.

“Persephone,” he murmurs. “Yes, I think you…” “Persephone. My Persephone.” He grabs my hand and pulls me to him before I can say anything else. I fall right on top of him and he wraps his arms around me tightly. For a second I thought he was waking up, but I think he’s still trapped in his nightmare. I almost had a heart attack when he buries his face in my hair and breathes in my scent deeply. He murmurs something in Russian over and over again, and after a while, his breaths grow even. I’m lying on his bed with my face pressed up against his chest and his arms tightly wrapped around my body. One of his legs is draped over and bent in between mine. My body is enveloped with warmth. My heart feels like it’s about to burst out of my chest, while he’s fallen into a deep peaceful sleep. I’d always dreamed of being this close against him, but I don’t think he’ll be too happy to see me in his bed like this when he wakes up. Gosh, he smells so good. I close my eyes as the warmth of pleasure ripples throughout my body. Right now all I want to do is kiss and lick his warm hard body everywhere. I want the taste of him on my tongue. I want the scent of him to fill me up and saturate every inch and every pore of my body. I feel like

such a perv to feel that way when the source of that feeling is oblivious and sleeping soundly. This is taking your new resolution too far, Penny. Get out of here! Get out now! Come on! Don’t walk, run! I try to pry his strong arms off of me, but he tightens his hold even more, burying his face further into my hair. My face is squished up against his broad smooth chest. Uhhmmph…. Now what Penny? Now what?

Chapter 11 – Resolution Kills His arms are like a vice around my body. Finally, I realize that the more I try to wiggle out, the tigher his hold gets. So, I lay still, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, breathing in his scent, reveling in the heat of his big, strong body. His strong arms make me feel safe and protected. It’s still dark when I open my eyes again. The warm muscular body holding me reminds me of where I am. Gosh! How could have I fallen asleep here, like this? It couldn’t have been for too long, maybe an hour or so. His arms are more relaxed now, his breathing, steady but his foot is still heavy, tangled between my legs. I slide my body slowly downward. I stop moving when he moves. His crotch is in direct line of my eyes. Oh uh…this is super awkward. If he wakes up now and finds me in this position, I’d die!!! He stops moving and I look up to make sure that’s he’s still asleep. I’m twisted like a pretzel as I try to untangle our legs. Not even Genesis is stupid enough to get herself into this sticky situation. Only you, Penny. Only you.

Miraculously I manage to slip out. For a while, I stand at the end of his bed and watch him sleep. There is undeniable dark and dangerous kind of beauty to him. Even when he’s sleeping, the aura of uncontained power and viciousness are there. Simmering just beneath the surface. He’s very intimidating, though I would never admit it to anybody, especially to him! My fingers itch to touch his silky hair. Then he moves. His hand searching. I curse myself as I spring out of his room the same way I came in. I stayed awake for hours, thinking after I went back into my bedroom, but I make my way down for breakfast with a lighter heart this morning. I guess having a new resolution really helps. I decided to extend my graciousness and friendliness to everybody else around me too…even Caspian. I’ll be as sweet as Serena from now on. I smile and greet everybody cheerfully. Genesis, Serena, and Eva return my greeting just as cheerfully. Caspian, Lazarus, and Constantine look at me suspiciously before returning my greeting cautiously. They’re looking at me like I was a dangerous, unpredictable little creature about to strike at any moment. Men! I almost roll my eyes at them…BUT I remember my resolution just in time and smile instead. Caspian is looking creeped out. I know I haven’t been a ray of sunshine or even a sweet girly girl all these time, but come on! Looking at me all suspicious like that is just too much. Stupid lycan men! I feel like kicking

their shins underneath the table. Remember Penny, resolution. Be nice. Smile. My smile threatens to slip at the sight of Darius. My heart aches at how beautiful he is. Despite his betrayal, my whole being longs for him. Juno yearns for him. Last night was a taste of something that could never be. The yearning for him is a crushing weight in my heart. I decided last night that I should try to let go of my anger. I had been reminding myself last night how he’s not mine and that he’ll never ever be mine. I closed that door that night at Banehallow Castle. It will remain closed. I will make sure of it even if it kills me. I’m conscious of his eyes burning through me the moment I step into the kitchen. I’m aware of his eyes watching and studying me thoughtfully. There’s something different in the way he’s looking at me this morning. I glance up and give him my brightest, most angelic and innocent smile. In return, his eyes narrowed speculatively. He looks puzzled yet intrigued. Like he’s wary of my action, but eagerly waiting for my next move. Nope, no more moves from me. This is me truly saying goodbye to my dreams of us. My heart is still bleeding, but I keep smiling as I spread some butter and blackberry jam on my croissant. The taste of warm flaky, buttery pastry should make me moan in ecstasy, but my appetite is suddenly gone. I bite and chew enthusiastically just for show. “So…you slept well last night?” he asks me. His voice sounds casual, but icy blue eyes are intense on my face, studying me closely.

I almost choke on my croissant. Of course, he could probably smell my scent all over himself and in his bedroom this morning! I almost smacked my head at the realization. Arghh!!! Stupid Penny! “I slept very well, thank you,” I answer. I smile up at him sweetly for a good measure. “No nightmare or anything. What about you?” Oh, keep your mouth shut, Penny! “Never better,” he answers. A little smile that plays on his lips never wavers. I wait for him to say something more, but he just goes back to sipping his black coffee. Then he turns to talk to the other male lycans. Well, if he knew I was in his bedroom and in his bed last night, he hasn’t said anything about it yet. Am I going to bring it up? NO WAY! I’m just going to pretend it never happened. Hopefully, he’ll never bring that up either. Like ever! Serena decided that today is the day we are going to the Spa together. Even Eva is going with us. I know Serena and Genesis have a couple of classes today, but they don’t seem to take this whole college thing seriously. I have one later today. I might be able to make it after we’re done at the Spa. “So, how long have you known Darius, Eva?” asks Genesis conversationally from the passenger seat. She’s sitting next to Serena who’s driving and Eva is sitting next to me in the

backseat of the car. So this is why they’re so eager to get Eva to come with us. Drilling session. Poor Eva. “I’ve known of him for a long time. You know he’s one of the best warriors and top ranking officers, everybody knows him,” she answers, her Russian accent is distinct. “I’ve been placed to work directly under him only for the last nine years.” “He’s really hot,” remarks my crazy best friend. “So…do you have more than work relationship going on with him?” Oh Gosh, I almost groaned out loud. I don’t want to know about this. Eva laughs. “Goddess, no!” she answers. “We warriors mostly don’t do relationships.” “Really???” Genesis twists all the way around to stare at Eva in surprise. “What do you do for…uh..you know…for..” her face turns bright red and I burst out laughing. I can’t help it. Eva starts laughing too. I see Serena biting her lips trying not to laugh in the review mirror. “For sex, you mean?” asks Eva after she stops laughing. “Oh, we have that among warriors all the time. It’s just a physical thing for us. Some treat it like stress relievers. Relationships among warriors can be dangerous and messy. It happens, but we try to avoid it.” “So….meaningless hook-ups,” says Genesis. Her eyes stray to look at me pointedly. “Relationships with non-warriors are okay then?”

“Yes, some of the warriors are mated, especially those who had found their erasthais, but not many of us are in relationships.” “Why exactly are you here with Darius?” asks Serena. “We have some matters to attend to,” answers Eva. “That sounds very vague. Confidential Government matter?” I see Serena raises an eyebrow in the review mirror. Eva just smiles and turns her head to look outside. “So, you and Darius never…?” Genesis is relentless. “No, never,” Eva says. “I did offer him the other night, he seemed so tense,” she adds. “He said no,” she shakes her head regretfully. “I’ll ask again some other time…he’s just so tense all the time lately.” Suddenly I don’t feel like I want to be sitting next to Eva anymore. “What happened?” asks Constantine after I stomped my way inside. Urghhh!!! I need to break something. Never again will I go to a Spa with Serena. I didn’t know her idea of fun and relaxation is akin to getting tortured! “Brazillian wax happened,” answers Serena breezily.

“Huh?” says Lazarus. All the men are suddenly paying attention. All activity ceased at the words. “Somebody decided to…uh, knock the waxing lady out cold,” answers Genesis. Her voice is shaking with suppressed laughter. Suddenly everybody is looking at me and immediately understanding dawns on their faces. What? Why does everybody immediately assumes that it’s me who did it? Well, okay…so it was me who knocked the lady out, but come on! It could have been Serena who did it. That evil lady totally deserved it. She came at me with hot wax on my vagigi, then she ripped it off with such vengeance. Who does that? What did I ever do to her? I cursed like a sailor today. Totally ruined my resolution on my first day! I didn’t even punch her all that hard. It was just a little tap, I swear. She totally deserved a good punch. Savage woman! A woman like that should be the leader of the torture squad at the Banehallow dungeon. Not that I know if the palace had a dungeon, but if they do, that woman should definitely lead the team. With a woman like that, there will be no crime in this world. Rebels would put down their weapons. The dungeons and holding cells would be cleared up in no time. Enemies wouldn’t be able to hold any secrets. The mafias of the lycan world would crumble.

Darius’s eyes move down to my crotch as if he can see me through my layers of clothing and my core clenches. I feel like covering my crotch area with my hands, but of course, I didn’t do that. Instead, I flick my newly trimmed and treated hair and whirl around to escape only to come face to face with Caspian. Caspian flashes me a mischievous grin and says, “So, are you saying that there’s a woman here walking around with half waxed ….” “Shut it, Caspian!” says Genesis, followed by a smack and an “Owww..” It would be a relief to get out of the house today. A big relief. This resolution is killing me. Biting my tongue from sassing people is driving me insane. Keeping a smile on my face at all times when what I really want to do is sucker punch somebody in the face is giving me an ulcer. I’m dying! I don’t know how Serena is still alive. Darius is still staring at me like he’s trying to figure me out. Deliberating over something. I know I’ve given up on the idea of us and I’m trying to let go of my anger towards him, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. This strong attraction I’m feeling for him is still holding me hostage. My feelings for him is very confusing. On top of that, Caspian keeps looking at me suspiciously. I know my being agreeable and smiling all the time is creeping him out big time. At first. Then he starts to take advantage of the situation by doing and saying outrageous things to make me snap. I’ve kept my cool so far. Barely.

I manage to escape the house before I kill somebody. I’m even wearing a dress like Serena today. That’s how committed I am to this new resolution. I’m not about to break it again by killing somebody. If only it’s not so stressful. I’m driving Caspian’s car to class again today. I really should get a job and get myself a car. I’m very careful not to flash anybody as I step out of the low car in my black sheath dress that ends mid-thigh. I don’t mind short dresses, but this one is so tight! I hate this dress. Smile. Mason asked for my phone number today after I assured him that there’s nothing going on between me and Darius. I might not be attracted to him, but he makes me laugh. If nothing else, we could be friends, right? The thing is, I just gave him my number just over an hour ago, and I already got five texts from him. I didn’t know he’s a compulsive texter. Mason: Want to join me studying at the library today? It’s super wild and crazy in here. You don’t want to miss this. No, not at all. I don’t feel like studying at the library. I don’t feel like texting him back right now. I don’t feel like going home. This resolution is killing me. Is it possible to be defeated by your own resolution? Is it possible to die for trying to be nice?

I drive to a small lake behind the Particle Science and Technology building near a walking trail. It’s very quiet here. There’s a bench beside an old Pine tree in front of the lake. I came here twice already when I wanted to be alone. Usually, I didn’t come wearing a tight dress with a pair of high heels. Maybe trying to dress up like Serena is taking it too far, I decided as I totter precariously on uneven ground in my 3.9 inches heels. My heel snags on a tree root…or something and I fall on the ground like a log. Ughhh…stupid heels! Owww…my ankle bends sideways. Dry twigs snap behind me. Great. A witness to my ungainly fall. I really can’t catch a break. A tall figure looming over me. “What are you doing down there?” comes a gruff voice from behind me. What a stupid question! Admiring the close-up view of the soil. Picking up stones for my rock collection. Take your pick. “Nothing, just testing how comfortable the ground is,” I answer trying to lift my leg up. “Owww…” Pain shoots up my calf. “Not very comfortable, I take it?” This time he sounds amused and I look up. “Yummy lip ring!!!” I’m happy to see him. He doesn’t look too thrilled to see me there, but he picks me up and carries me to the bench. He inspects my ankle and announces that it’s just a sprain. Good

thing we werewolves recover fast. It’ll be as good as new in an hour or so. “How come you’re not scared of me?” He turns his austere eyes on me. “Most people are at least wary of me.” It sounds almost like he would prefer me to be scared of him. Looking at him now, I can understand why people are wary of him. He’s a tall guy, maybe just an inch or two shorter than the lycans. The skin over his corded muscle arms and neck are covered with ink. He has four piercings that I can see. His dark brown eyes look cold and his face looks fierce. That lip ring still looks yummy on him. To be honest, that night I was too drunk to understand why I wasn’t scared of him. Now, I can feel Juno’s trust in him. My soul recognizes his, not as soulmates but like a kindred spirit. I know that he can feel it too and it puzzles him. I’m puzzled by it too, so I just shrug my shoulders. “Maybe I’m brave.” “Maybe you’re stupid,” he counters and I’m not even offended. That settles it. I think he’s right. We sit on the bench next to each other in comfortable silence for a long time. A bird swoops down and settles on a rock at the edge of the lake. The late noon sunlight is reflecting off the rippling water. It’s beautiful and quiet here.

I’m feeling sad. I think I’m feeling sorry for myself. It’s good that Yummy lip ring is here. If I was all alone, would be bawling my eyes out right now. “Yummy lip ring?” I call out softly. He seems to be lost in his own thought. “Why don’t guys want me?” “By guys, you mean one particular guy, don’t you?” I sigh. That’s a stupid question to ask a guy. A stranger too. I’m an idiot. “Then he’s an idiot,” he answers simply. “You know what? You are right,” I say. “He is an idiot.” “He doesn’t know what he’s missing.” “He doesn’t know what he’s missing.” “You’re a great kisser, even when you’re drunk.” “That’s right! I’m a great kisser.” I wouldn’t know if that’s true, but I’ll take his word for it. “You’re a great catch.” “I’m a great catch,” I echo him. Saying these things make me feel better even if I don’t believe a word I just said. “I’m freaking awesome!” I announce with more conviction than I’m feeling.

That earns me a little lift of his lips and a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. That little smile from him makes me feel like I’ve just won a gold medal. “What brought you here?” I suddenly ask him. “Life choices.” That’s a very vague answer, but I nod my head in understanding.

Chapter 12 – Librarians in Garter Belts It seems like Darius has just got back as well when I pull into our driveway. He is gracefully unfolding his tall and muscular body out of the car as I’m driving in. He is parked on the edge of our circular driveway. He closes his car door and waits as I park Caspian’s car closer to the garage. Standing there with the glow of the evening sunlight in his fair hair, he’s a beautiful vision. The dark jeans and the white shirt he’s wearing hug his sinew sexy body all in the right places. My heart aches a little bit more everytime I see him. I remind myself again that he can never be mine. Remembering my resolution, I smile and give him a little wave. There are things that I need to talk to him about. Things that I need to make clear. I step out of the car, feeling nervous about talking to him.

Feeling suddenly shy and awkward, I wave at him again. Why are you acting like a stupid five-year-old, Penny? Oh gosh…this is painful. His eyes are taking in my appearance slowly. He smiles a little at my wave. The wind blows and suddenly he tilts his face up as if he’s sniffing the air. Oh uh, his lips thinned and his nostrils flare and I have a sudden urge to bolt and hide. It’s purely instinctive. Before I’m able to take the first step, I find myself being pinned by a big hard body against the side of the car. He leans down and skims the skin of my neck with his nose, sniffing me. “You’re smelling like a werewolf,” he growls. I know he can smell Mr. Yummy lip ring on me, but that’s none of his business, so I snap back, “maybe that’s because I’m a freaking werewolf!” Goddess, how hard is it to be civil with this lycan? “No…you’re with another man,” he barks out. “What did you do, Malyshka?” His grips tighten on my arms. He sounds even more possessive than I’ve ever heard him before. The heat radiating from his body and the feeling of his length pressing up against mine is making it hard for me to breathe. Slowly he leans down lower. His nose skimming over my collarbone, while his hand is trapping both of mine in place behind my back. His nose travels up, grazing my neck then my cheek until the tip of his nose is almost touching my lips. Oh, goddess…what is he doing? My heart is hammering in my chest.

“Did you kiss him?” he bites out. His breath fans my lips. His voice deep and husky. He smells so good. “It shouldn’t matter to you,” my voice comes out in a breathless whisper. His eyebrows come down into a scowl at my answer. He pulls back just a little bit and places a hand warningly on my face. His thumb on one cheek, while his other fingers pressing on the other. I gulp nervously when I notice that pure black is bleeding into the whites of his eyes. It enters his light blue eyes and darkened them into deep cobalt blue. I know his lycan has taken over some part of him. No matter what he wants, that part of him wants me so badly. It wants to mark his claim on me so desperately. I should be worried. He jerks my face up and I wince. That makes his scowl deepens. I thought he’s going to force me to look up again, but instead, he eases his hold on my face. He inspects my face, then caresses my cheeks gently with his finger as if making sure that I wasn’t hurt. I wonder if the lycan part of him is more in control now. His eyes follow the trail of his finger as if he’s fascinated. Something dangerous is lurking in his eyes and I dare not move. It’s strange how his dark eyes look so cold and menacing, yet I can sense his quick-changing mood through them. He was mad at the beginning, then he was tender and concerned, now he’s behaving more like a predator studying it’s most elusive yet desired prey. It reminds me a bit of the way a cat playing with its food before devouring it. Sniffing my cheek, my neck, my

mouth. Then his mood changes again as his eyes roam over my face in awe and reverence. My feet feel so weak. Just when I feel like I can’t take it anymore, he places his big warm hand on top of my chest, over where my heart is beating crazily. Our ragged breathing mingles together. A wave of desire rolls through my body and I close my eyes, waiting for his next move. I hate that my body is liking this, but I can’t help myself. “No, you didn’t kiss him,” he says almost to himself. My eyelids flutter open. His eyes glitter and his lips pull back to show his straight white teeth and canines. Suddenly his hand on my chest moves up to grip the side of my neck as he buries his nose on the other. He licks the side of my neck hungrily and I shiver. Oh, gosh. I let out a small whimper when I feel his canines touching my skin. Suddenly I’m being released. It’s so sudden that I fall sideways on the ground. Owww….this is the second time I’m lying on the ground today. I can’t stress enough, it is NOT comfortable down here. He’s ten feet away from me breathing raggedly. I start cursing and he stares at me on the ground, seemingly surprised to find me there. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he says, running his fingers wildly through his fair blond hair, but makes no move to come closer or help me up. His eyes travel down the length of my leg and I become aware of how much skin I’m showing now that the dress has hitched

itself up my thighs. I try to pull my tight dress down my legs as I try to pull myself up. Sure, be that way. Ogle me, but don’t help me up. Ughhh…this is why I wanted to kick him in the nuts so many times. Owww….thank you very much, Sir Galahad! I’m struggling to get up in my high heels. I’m going to burn these high heels. He sighs deeply before he comes over. He grips my arms firmly but gently and pulls me up to my feet. His eyes are now back to their bright icy blue color. “I’m sorry..” he mutters regretfully and my rage dies down and I remember that there are things that I need to talk to him about. Things that I came to realize when I was sitting there beside Yummy lip ring by the lake. Today by the lake, I’ve finally able to see it clearly. I’ve come to the conclusion that it was all my fault. The wasted three years, the heartbreak. I did that to myself. He never cheated on me because there was nothing between us. Darius told me point blank at the very beginning that there won’t be any future for us. He told me and showed me over and over again that he had no intention nor desire to make me his mate, yet I went after him. I was so sure that if I tried hard enough, he would change his mind one day. I know I’m very stubborn. Everybody who knows me knows that. I go after things that I want single-mindedly. The thing is, I can’t have everything that I want. Especially when it’s a grown

beautiful lycan man who doesn’t want me. I can’t force a man to like me. “Look, there’s something I would like to say,” I begin before I lose my courage. “I know you want Polina.” He winces and I suddenly feel guilty about bringing her up. I don’t know why they’re not together, but it must be pretty painful for him to talk about her. I understand how he feels. “Anyway, if she’s who you want, then you should be with her. You told me so many times that we’re never going to be mates, so I don’t have the right to be mad when you slept with her.” “Look, Persephone, that night we didn’t..” “Look, don’t worry about it. I’ve got it all figured out,” I say quickly. Yes, I’ve got it all figured out at the lake. “You have?” “Yep! I think it’s better if we just forget about the past and be friends.” “Be friends?” “Yes,” I nod my head seriously. “We are going to forget that I’m your erasthai or whatever.” His eyebrows shoot up. “We are?”

“Yes, we just be nice to each other. You do your own thing, and I do my own thing. You’re free to go out and do whatever with whoever you want, and I’m free to go out and…uh, do whatever with..err.. whoever I want.” His eyebrows come down and his jaw clenches at that. He lowers his eyes, staring at the ground for a while. “So, basically, we’re nothing to each other….just friends,” he says, sounding like he’s trying to understand what I just said, still without looking at me. His tone of voice sounds almost like he’s angry. “Yep!” I confirm. He doesn’t look too pleased, yet he’s mulling over something in his head. He raises his eyes to look at me again and I could almost see the wheel turning in his head. His expression clears up and a calculative look enters his eyes as he studies me. “So, I’m your friend now?”He smiles a feral smile. He looks reckless and totally dangerous like this. I feel a bit uneasy, but I push the feeling aside. “Yes, we’re friends,” I smile back. “Let’s shake on it,” he says, holding out his hand for me to take. “Okay.” I look at his hand for a moment before I tentatively place my hand in it. My own hand looks so small and fragile in his big powerful one. He wraps his fingers around my hand and a zing

of electricity and heat burst and spread from our touching hands all the way down to my toes. I almost gasp. My stomach squeezed and my heartbeats pick up. His grip tightens as if he can feel it too. I look up into his eyes and he’s already looking at me, studying my reaction. “Well, okay then.” I try to smile cheerfully up into his eyes while trying to pull my hand out of his. My smile feels wobbly. There’s a glint of satisfaction in his eyes and he’s not letting my hand go right away. Why does it feel like a warning? If we’re playing a game, he’s in total control of it. He’s the master, the rule maker, the manipulator of the game and I’m in way over my head. His full firm lips curl up into a roguish smile when he finally let it go a while moment later. I try to calm my heartbeat and say,” Okay…see you around. Bye!” I practically run from the driveway up to the front stone steps. “So, friend..” he says when he catches up to me. He grabs my elbow and steers me to the private walkway that leads to the back garden and the beach. “Does that mean from now on we’re going to play nice with each other?” “Yea…” I wonder where he’s going with this. “So, maybe I can come to some of these parties with you when I’m feeling bored?” he asks. ” As friends, of course.” I look up at his suspiciously and he grins innocently back.

“Okay….but we can hook up with other people and the other should not be jealous about it,” I caution just to be sure. His grip on my arms tightens for a second, but then he smiles. I have no idea how not to be jealous, but I’ll figure it out when I get there. “Because I’m not your erasthai and we’re just friends,” I add, as a reminder to myself as much as to him. His grip on my arms tightens almost painfully, and his jaw clenches, but his smile is still intact. Looking up at him, suddenly I get the feeling that he’s not too happy with this arrangement. “Are we good? I mean, we don’t have to be friends. We can keep it simple and just ignore each other…as long as we don’t fight anymore. I’m kinda tired of fighting.” “No, no…we’re good. I’m happy to be your…uh, friend, Persephone,” he counters immediately. Something flashes in his eyes, but it’s quickly gone. I’m about to outline our “friendship” rules further when Sexy and I Know it by LMFAO starts playing. I fish my phone from my back pocket and Mason’s goofy face splashes across the screen. He took a selfie this afternoon after keying his number on my phone. I’m about to ignore the call, but Darius says, “no, take the call. Please.” “You sure?”

“Yes,” he says quietly. I don’t really want to take the call with him here. I walk away ahead of him before I slide the screen to accept the call. “Hi, Mase,” I say, flicking my eyes to Darius who’s walking slowly behind me. He’s a few feet away and his light blue eyes are fixed on the distant horizon where the ocean is, looking like he’s in a deep in thought. His hands are shoved down the front pockets of his jeans. “Hey, dollface,” says Mason. “What are you up to?” “Nothing good. How was your evening at the library?” “It was a riot, you should have been there. Everybody was having fun. Disco lights, confetti, pinatas, librarians dancing on the table….just another crazy day at the library.” “Sexy librarians? I bet they were stripping as well. Shading clothes as they go? I bet you must be so happy to discover they had garter belts underneath all those stuffy clothes.” Mason laughs. “Sexy librarians? You haven’t been to our library much have you?” “Eh…I’ve been in….once.” “You might have traumatized me after forcing my brain to imagine our librarians in garter belts.” “You did that all to yourself Mason,” I laugh. “Anyway, what’s wrong with librarians in garter belts?”

“You seriously haven’t seen them? Most of them are like a hundred years old!” “I know a few hundred-year-olds who are still hot…besides if I was there, I’d totally joined them dancing on the table.” He’ll be surprised if he knew that I’m not joking about this. “Now THAT I would like to see,” Mason announces. I giggle. “I bet you would.” Then I remember that Darius can hear this. When I glance at him behind me, he’s staring at the ground, looking thoughtful. “Would you be wearing garter belt as well?” Mason’s voice lowers. Darius’s muscles tightening and his jaw clenches. “I…uh..” “Hey, listen,” continues Mason as if he could sense my uneasiness. “If you have no other plans, we’re having a bonfire party at the beach this Friday. Would you like to come?” “Sure. Sounds like fun,” I smile, letting out a sigh of relief. I know Lily, Amanda and Keisha are going to be there. We were talking about it in class today. If my lycan friends notice the difference on how things are between Darius and me during dinner this evening, they didn’t say anything. They did give us puzzled and questioning looks at the beginning and Genesis gave me a sly happy smile. I hope she’s not planning our marking party and naming our babies in her head already.

We chat like friends. Friends who can’t keep eyes off each other. Another thing that I discover when we’re talking is that I can tell what he’s thinking just by looking at him. I can read his eyes. I can see the wheel turning in his head and I know right away if he disagrees with an idea, or if he comes up with some ideas, or when he finds something is funny even when others are unaware of it yet. He seems to be able to do the same with me. The discovery makes me pull back a little at the end. This is something that I don’t want to find out. I’ve grown quiet at the end of the meal, and I found him studying me closely when he sensed my changing mood. In the middle of the night, I’m awoken again by the sound of his pain and agony. The sound of him trapped in his nightmare.

Chapter 13 – SPF 30 I lay in my bed listening to his agonized groans that keep getting louder. The moaning of my name from his tortured lips is tormenting me. Gosh! Nope, I shouldn’t go back to his room again tonight. Nope. After a while, the sound dies down and I let out a sigh of relief. I roll to my side and promptly fall asleep again. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been asleep for very long when I’m awoken by another loud moan from the room next door. Not again! How many night terrors does a man have in one night? My heart goes out to him, but I don’t want to get into a situation like last night.

I flip to lie on my stomach and grab an extra pillow to cover my head. I press my ears with it with both hands to muffle the sound. Suddenly there’s a loud crashing sound and I whip the pillow off and lift myself up on my elbow. Now what? Something is broken, but now not a sound can be heard from the room next to mine. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and lay back down on the pillow. It was the bedside lamp last night, I wonder what’s broken this time. I wonder if he’s okay. Now I’m debating whether or not to go check on him. No, stay Penny! Stay! Remember what happened last night? Now I can’t sleep because I’m waiting for him to start making noises again. All I can hear is the silence. All of a sudden a gust of wind blows in from the balcony door. I lift my head up and my breath lodge in my throat. He’s standing there, a tall silhouette framed by the glow of the moonlight. He has nothing on except for his pajama bottom hanging low over his hips. Even his feet are bare. His smooth skin and his fair hair seem to glow in the silver moonlight. Wordlessly he steps inside, closing the door behind him while facing me. He moves deliberately over as if waiting for me to tell him to go away. He looms over my bed. With a little light coming in through the windows, I can see the glimmer of his eyes gazing down at me. His blond hair is all messy from sleep. I can see the rise and fall of his muscled chest and that little black oval medallion hanging from his neck. I always wonder what’s on it. His stomach is perfectly sculptured. His magnificent body is really a work of art. My heartbeat increases and my mouth suddenly feels dry. I scoot back and he slips in underneath the blanket, laying his head on my pillow. With a groan he reaches over, wraps his big arms around me and pulls me to him, burying his face in my hair. Taking in my scent in a very deep ragged intake of breath like he’s in a desperate need of it. His arms are holding me possessively and protectively close. One hand is cradling the back of my head, pressing me to him. I rest my cheek against his broad bare chest and close my eyes. The scent of him excites me and calms me. The shelter and the warmth of his body thrill me yet make me feel safe. We’re friends. Friends do this for each other…right? Maybe I should be worried about this. Maybe not? I don’t know. Sometimes I think too much. Sometimes not enough. Gah! Stop it, Penny!

This feels too nice. I breathe in his scent. His steady heartbeat lulls me to sleep. I wake up feeling happy without knowing why. I burrow my face into the blanket and breath in the wonderful intoxicating smell with a smile on my face. Then I almost jump out of the bed, looking wildly around. My bed is empty. Oh, thank goddess! What a crazy dream I had last night! I dreamt that Darius came and snuck in my bed with me. How crazy is that? Silly Penny! It felt so real, though. Even my room smells like him. Wait! My room does smell like him. I start sniffing around. My pillow smells like him. My blanket. Even I smell like him! I groan as I lie back on my pillow that smells like him. He was in my bedroom last night! He was in my bed. We slept together. Oh, gosh! Friends do that, don’t they? I shower to get his smell off of me. Not that I don’t like the smell of him. I do! Maybe a bit too much. I don’t want my nosy lycan friends to get a whiff of this. If they did, they certainly would come to a wrong conclusion. Besides, I have to get ready for class. I’m a bit worried about facing him this morning. Act normal! Not weird! I remind myself before I go downstairs. Everybody is already at the breakfast table except for Genesis and Constantine. I sneak a glance at Darius. He looks so hot. Darn him! Remember, do not act weird, Penny! “I believe everybody slept well last night,” remarks Lazarus casually. “The best,” answers Darius and I almost choke on my coffee. His answer sounds innocent and he doesn’t even blink as I place the mug to my lips again to hide my face. I notice that “the best” is his standard answer every morning. “Maybe not as well as some others around here,” says Caspian eyeing the empty seats at the table where Constantine and Genesis always occupy. “Or maybe there’s another painting round in session.” This time I really choke and spit the hot coffee all over myself.

I go back upstairs to get changed and walk out to find Caspian sitting in the car by himself, waiting for us while listening to the music. “Genesis and Serena aren’t ready yet?” I ask him as I slide into the passenger seat beside him. “Obviously! You know how mated lycans are,” he mutters, lifting his sunglasses up. “Yes, I sure do,” I smile politely up at him. For some reason, my answer seems to irritate him. He leans forward and hugs the steering wheel. His eyes steady on my face, thinking. “I think I’m going to call you Penny Penis from now on,” he remarks suddenly just as Serena and Genesis open the car door and slide into the back seat. “Of course,” I say as I grit my teeth and keep my smile in place. “If that’s what you wish.” “French fries is the vilest thing ever. It shouldn’t even qualify as food.” “If you say so.” “Penny, stop it!” he suddenly bursts out. “Stop what?” I give him my most innocent stare. “I’ll stop it if you tell me what it is that you want me to stop doing,” I tell him pleasantly. “Beany, cut the crap please!!!!” he now moans into his arm that’s draped over the steering wheel in exasperation. “Why, whatever you mean by that, Caspian?” “Penny Beany…why are you acting this way?” he groans pitifully. Genesis and Serena burst out laughing in the backseat. “Acting what way?” I gasp. “Aren’t you happy that I’m as sweet as honey?”

“No, I’m not!” he says, scowling. “Have you not seen yourself in the mirror? Your smile is creepy when you’re all pissed off. I swear you’re giving me nightmares with just your smiles. Just act normal, please. Where’d my old Penny Beany go?” He’s looking so annoyed that I can’t hide my smile. This is fun! I miss torturing Caspian. “Ha! That evil smile. I can’t believe I’m so happy to see that smile again,” he declares triumphantly. “Why, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you miss my abuse,” I grin up at him teasingly. “You’re such a masochist!” “I am not,” he denies vehemently. “Yes, he is. He’s been bugging me more than usual because he wasn’t getting his usual dose of torture from you,” Genesis announces. “Shut it, Red,” he says, starting the car. “So, everything is good with you and Darius?” asks my meddling best friend from the backseat. “Yes, we’ve talked it out,” I answer. “Good! Finally! What’s with you guys waiting for three years before mating? Constantine waited three years before claiming Red. Darius had to go and waited three years too?” remarks Caspian. “Congratulations, girl!!!” shrieks Genesis excitedly, hugging me from behind. “You’re finally REALLY going to be one of us!” exclaims Serena squeezing my arm. Uh, I think they misunderstood what I just said. “Well, we’re…friends now.” Caspian’s eyebrows shoot up his hairline and both Genesis and Serena are staring at me as if I just announced that I’m giving up french fries. “Friends?” asks Caspian as if appalled by that word. “What about mates? Why not mates?” he’s looking pissed off all of a sudden.

“Uh…Darius doesn’t like me that way…” “Not like you…? What the hell!” he explodes, then he let loose a string of curses in Russian. “Caspian,” says Serena warningly. “Okay, okay….none of my business,” he relents, but he’s still scowling. The drive to campus is very quick since Caspian is driving like a maniac, cursing in seven different languages along the way.

All our classes end at noon today. I’m sitting with Serena at Club Espresso Degree Cafe, waiting for Caspian and Genesis. Serena is looking like she mulling over something as we’re sitting there, sipping on our smoothies. “What is it, Serena? You look like you’re thinking very hard.” She looks up and giggles. “Sorry, lost in my head for a while there,” she smiles. “Sometimes I’m glad that Lycans don’t get pregnant easily.” Yeah, I knew Lycans don’t get pregnant easily. A mated lycan couple lives for hundreds of years together and only have two offsprings at the most. A lot don’t have any at all. King Alexandros has two other brothers, which is rare for lycans. I think it’s the nature’s way to balance life. Lycans are dangerous and live a long time. If they have lots of kids like humans or werewolves, pretty soon, this world would be overtaken by lycans. “Okay…why’d you say that?” “Because a lot of lycans don’t make good parents,” she sighs. “Take, for example, Constantine’s, Lazarus’s, and Darius’s parents. They all abandoned their sons at a very young age. At least growing up, Constantine had his uncle, King Alexandros and his grandmother. Lazarus had his great-grandmother. Darius had no one. He grew up with nannies and governesses and was shipped off to the military school when he was just nine. He’s been alone all his life. According to Lazarus, he doesn’t have anybody.” “Okay, that’s sad,” I reply, but I don’t think it has anything to do with Darius and me being friends and not mates.

Serena takes my hand in hers. “Look, I’m not trying to defend him or anything. I’m just telling you this so that you’d understand him better.” I just nod, but I’m nowhere near understanding the complicated man. I don’t think I ever will.

I’m lounging by the pool in my American stripe bikini, working on my tan. This has been our favorite pastime apart from working out and practicing for the last couple of months. Darius and Eva weren’t home when we got back from class this afternoon, so there are just the six of us. The sun is shining bright. The sky is clear azure blue. The sea breeze is refreshing and cooling. The sound of the birds and the waves hitting the shore is comforting. Constantine is in the pool with Genesis doing Goddess knows what. So far all I can hear are their whisperings and Genesis’s giggling. I’m scared to look and see what they’re really up to. Serena and Lazarus are in the hot tub quite hidden from my view by some potted miniature palm trees. Caspian is lying on the lounge chair beside me with only his boardshorts hanging low over his hips and a pair of Wayfarer on, looking better than any male model in a Wayfarer ad. “Do me a favor, babe. Can you please put the sun lotion on me?” he drawls lazily, holding up a bottle of sunscreen. “Not unless you do my back first,” I drawl sleepily back, I’m too lazy to get up. “Okay, turn over,” he says. Caspian never says no to this request. The lycan Prince gets up to do my bidding. Ha! I smile a little to myself. I always get a kick out of this. Every. Freaking. Time. He moves my hair to the side, then I feel his hands on my back. The lotion is cool, but his hands are warm. His big hands unknotted the stiff muscles of my shoulders while spreading the lotion on. Aaahhh…that feels so good. I might have let out a soft moan of pleasure as his hands make their way down my back. Vaguely I feel him pulling the string of my top off.

I’m almost drifting off to sleep when I hear Caspian cheerfully says, “Oh, hey Darius, Eva. I didn’t see you there.” I feel myself stiffen all of a sudden. When did he get back here? Why didn’t I feel him? Suddenly the atmosphere doesn’t seem so relaxed anymore. My body is no longer feeling at ease, but I hold myself still. I can feel his eyes sweeping over my exposed skin. I can almost feel his anger coming at me in waves. I try to get up, but one of Caspian’s hand is pressing me and keeping me firmly down. I turn my head to look at them and give them a little wave while Caspian continues to massage my lower back. Then he moves to smooth the back of my thigh with the lotion. Eva takes a seat on one of the loungers while Darius continues to stand there staring at us. I don’t miss how amazingly hot he’s looking. His light tan Bermuda shorts show off his muscled legs. The sleeves of his white button down shirt are folded up to his elbow and a few top buttons are undone, giving the glimpse of his beautiful muscled pecs and a black chain around his neck. His almost white blond hair is slicked back as usual, and a pair of dark Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses hiding his eyes. Both of them are watching us intently. Eva with curiosity. Darius with clenching jaw and flaring nostrils. I can’t see his eyes behind those sunglasses, but I can feel them. “Would you like some beer? Anya, get some drinks for my friends, please,” says Caspian, nodding to Anya at the bar who flies on her feet to do his bidding. Poor girl. “When did you get in?” asks Caspian casually seemingly oblivious to the tensed air around us. Darius continues to watch us in silence. His whole body is stiff. Eva glances up at him with a little frown before she looks back at us. Anya emerges real quick from the bar, handing the bottles to Darius and Eva. “Not that long ago. We followed the sound to find you guys back here,” Eva answers as she takes the drinks from Anya. She looks thoughtful as her eyes move from Darius to watching me then to Caspian then back to me. “My turn now babe,” Caspian taps my nose playfully. He gets up from my lounger to lie face down on his.

“Caspian! You assh0le!” I huff as I make a grab for my bikini top as it slides down when I get up. He undid the strings, but he didn’t tie them back on. Caspian laughs, but he gets back up to help me tie my top back on. I glance quickly at Darius. I don’t think he saw much. I don’t know what he’s thinking with his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses, but his jaw is set. He takes a quick swig of the beer. The action looks almost casual, but his knuckles are white from gripping the bottle so tightly. I wonder if the bottle would break at any moment. What’s his problem now? He seemed okay this morning…and last night. Gah! Forget about last night, Penny! Caspian lies back down on his stomach and I jump onto his lower back. Both my feet on either side of him, basically straddling him. “Ooompphh..” comes the sound from underneath me. “When I asked you to ride me, I didn’t mean it like that.” Assh0le! I flick his ear before I squirt a blob of lotion into my hand and start massaging his back. There’s a loud bang and I look up in time to see Darius’s retreating back as he storms back into the house, then I hear the sound of the front door banging. The car door slams and then engine revving, burning rubber as he goes. I think he did break the beer bottle after all. There’s a broken beer bottle in the recycling bin next to the bar. Everybody goes quiet. Even Serena and Lazarus peek out from behind the potted plants. After a while, they quietly walk over. “A jealous lycan warrior is dangerous,” warns Serena quietly as she smacks Caspian at the back of his head before she joins Genesis and Constantine in the main pool. I can only see one side of Caspians face, but the corner of his lips lift up into a grin. He did that on purpose! I wanted to tell her that I don’t think Caspian was in any danger. Darius and I are friends now, and Polina is who he really wants. I keep my mouth shut though. I saw how upset Caspian and everybody were with the word “friends” this morning.

I feel like smacking Caspian’s meddling head, but then again, he thought he was helping me and that makes me feel like giving him a hug. I settle for giving Caspian a good back massage. He’s boneless by the time I’m done. I’d totally smack his head later if I feel like it. “Damn! You’re good with your hands,” he drawls sleepily. Eva just sits there watching all of us in bewilderment the whole time.

Chapter 14 – Talking Polar Bears Darius didn’t come home for dinner last night. I came to bed a little after 11 pm and he’s still not home. Not that I was waiting for him. Nope. I wake up this morning with a big strong arm around my waist and a big warm body lying next to mine. I lift my head up to find him staring at me broodingly in the soft, subdued morning light. His pale blond hair is sticking up everywhere. The lower half of his face is covered by morning stubble. Morning stubble looks hot on him. “Hi,” I whisper, then I clear my throat. My voice is croaky in the morning. “Hey,” he says. His voice is deep and husky, but unlike me, he sounds totally sexy. “When did you get in?” I ask him, still half whispering. “Around two this morning.”

“Where did you go?” I feel like a nagging wife as soon as the question comes out of my mouth, but he surprised me by answering, “I went for a run.” His pink lower lip is shoved forward almost into a pout and his thick eyebrows are drawn down, but his light blue eyes are studying my every feature intently like I was the most fascinating thing in the world. It makes me nervous, so I lower my eyes and study the medallion resting on his bare chest instead. It’s made of a black metal. It’s engraved with a raised profile of a lycan’s head with three stars above it. There are a few symbols that I don’t understand underneath it. It actually looks like a nobility crest. Maybe this is his family crest? I’ve seen some of the crests at the Banehallow Palace. I gingerly touch the medallion and I feel like he stops breathing for a second. I feel him watching me as I let my finger trace the raised engraving on the metal. I feel his hand that’s now resting on my hip tightening and his Adam’s apple moves as he swallows. The heat from his hand on my hip burn through the thin fabric of my pajama bottom, sending delicious need straight to my core. The air around us seems to grow heavy and I’m feeling nervous all of a sudden. Nervous Penny is not good. Nervous Penny tends to blab inappropriate things sometimes. So I say the first thing that comes to mind, “sooo…. do you have nightmares every night?” I have been wondering about this for a couple of days now.

“Almost every night, yeah,” he answers, his voice comes out huskier than before. “How long have you been getting them?” My finger keeps toying with the medallion. This time I move up to trace the thin black chain against his skin. I hear his heartbeat speeds up and his draws in a ragged breath. It takes a while for him to answer. He swallows hard before he says, “a long time.” My own breathing grows shallow and fast, and I clenched my thighs together, but I keep going. “How long?” Gosh, I have to keep talking to keep myself from imagining all sorts of things I want him to do to me…or things I want to do to him. Which is not happening. Nope. “Years. Years and years.” Asking for information from this guy is like trying to win one of those little soft toys from the claw machine thingy. “You’ve been having nightmares almost every night for years and years?” “It wasn’t this bad before…it’s just gotten worse.” That answer leaves a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach all of a sudden and I pull my hand back down. Did it start getting worse three years ago? “What are the nightmares about?” “It’s nothing, Persephone,” he says in frustration.

As if he realized how abrasive his answer sounded, he adds, “it’s just always the same thing now. Just the same nightmare.” “What is it about?” I ask him again. When he keeps silent, I know he’s not going to tell me about it. Always the same nightmare, and he keeps calling my name. “You were calling out my name,” I look up at him. “Do…do I give you nightmares?” His eyes soften. He looks at me straight in the eyes and says, “no. No, you don’t, Persephone.” “If I didn’t, then how come you’re calling out my name?” He releases my hips with a sigh and rolls to lie on his back to stare at the ceiling. “It’s complicated.” He says, resting his hand on his forehead. His body is a delicious distraction. My eyes wander to look at his cut pecs, the delicious ridges of his eight packs, the deep v that disappears into that low hanging pajama bottom. I drag my eyes away with difficulty and I raise myself up on my elbow to look into his eyes. “Uncomplicate it. Tell me.” His eyes shift to look at me and then I remember that his eyes are also a distraction. He raises his hand to run his thumb gently down my cheek and my jawline. Jolts of electricity and pleasure travel down my body from that little touch.

“Persephone, whatever happens, know that I care about you. I never meant to hurt you. I care about you more than you know.” What does that mean? Arrggghh!!! Nope, he doesn’t get to say that. Saying things like that would only make me like him. Could make me fall for him even, and I don’t want that. I don’t need that. “No,” I sit back to create more space between us and he lets his hand falls to the side. “No, no, no…Fvck you and your cryptic comments. Talking polar bears make more sense than you do.” He looks amused at my sudden outburst. His eyes gleam and his lips curl up into a sexy lopsided smile. He pulls himself up to his elbow as he stares at me. His muscles flex and I try not to stare. “Talking polar bears?” he asks, raising one blond eyebrow that’s a few shades darker than his hair. “Where do I find these talking polar bears that you speak of?” “Nowhere! Because that’s how much you’re making sense.” “And our old Persephone is back,” he mutters before he throws his head back and laughs. His deep carefree laugh makes my heart aches longingly and stomach dives like I was plunging down on a rollercoaster ride. Fvck him! I don’t want to feel this way and nope, I’m not totally giving up on my resolution yet. We’re still friends and that’s what we’ll ever be, and I don’t want these feelings.

Talking to him this morning didn’t really get me anywhere. I’m nowhere near understanding what’s going on in his head or his persistent nightmares. My curiosity is always my downfall. Sitting across from him at the breakfast table this morning, I steal a glance at him only to find him already watching me with a little amused smile playing on his lips. I still haven’t forgiven him for this morning. I don’t remember exactly why, but I know that I’m pissed. Maybe I’m pissed off because I didn’t get the answers I’ve been looking for or maybe because he makes me feel things I don’t want to feel. Maybe both. I glare at him before I bite into my toast. His smile grows and I force down the urge to throw the nearest object, which happens to be my cow coffee mug at his gorgeous face. Unfortunately for me, and fortunately for him, I love my cow mug too much. Remember your resolution, Penny! Gah! Why the hell did I start that resolution in the first place? This man is making it hard for me to keep my resolution. I feel like kicking him in the nuts every time I see him, to be honest. Him and Caspian. Arrghhh…I need to go and punch and kick…stuff. “Where are you going?” asks Genesis as I push my chair back while still downing my last drop of coffee. “Training.” “Okay, good. I’ll help you train,” says Caspian. “No, she’s training with me,” objects Darius.

“NO!” I say. I’m fully standing up now with my hands on my hips. I want to get away from him and kick something and pretend that it’s him. So, no, I don’t want him there. “Why not?” he has the cheek to ask me. Arrgghhh!!! “Because you make sense like the polar bear!” I exclaim, like duh! “I promise not to be the talking polar bear this time,” he says. “Besides, you get the chance to practice your kick and punch and choke holds on me.” The thought of being able to kick him for real instead of some random punching dummy or a tree trunk is very tempting. He can read me so well, it’s creepy. He smiles up at me innocently and I narrow my eyes at him suspiciously. “You’d better not be!” I point a finger at him. That’s when I notice that everybody is watching us quietly. “The polar bear is way in the Arctic this time, trust me,” he says, looking somewhat satisfied. I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him. The room is still quiet as I huff and twirl around to make my exit. “Am I missing something?” I hear Caspian saying as I climb up the stairs to get changed.

Darius is a very good teacher. I’m surprised. He perfected my stance, demonstrates some moves with easy instructions, and let me figure out my weaknesses and ways to correct them with patience. I know he goes easy on me during our sparring session, but he’s relentless. By the end of our sparring session, I’m drenched in sweat. Our lycan friends all came to train today. I suspect they’re actually more interested in watching Darius and me than actually training. Nosy lycans. All of them. My nosy best friend is the worst of them all. She doesn’t even pretend to train. She spread the blanket on the ground and lay all the food on it. It looks like a small buffet. She sat right in the middle of it and munch away. Watching us like she’s watching one of her favorite shows on tv. Towards the end of our sparring session, Darius peels his sweat soaked t-shirt off and I find it hard to concentrate on anything else. The flex of his muscles, even drops of sweat rivulet down his perfect cut pecs and abs are fascinating. It’s distracting. Very annoying. Drops of sweat are making trails down my back and in between the valley of my breast. I feel the wet material sticking to my skin uncomfortably. All the men are now shirtless, while Serena and I are in our sports bras. I’m feeling a little resentful. “It’s not fair that you guys get to go topless and we girls can’t,” I finally say enviously.

“What’s stopping you girls?” asks Caspian. “By all means, ladies!” he gestures with his hands for us to proceed. A big mischievous smile on his face. “Oh, you would like that, wouldn’t you?” says Serena. Caspian chuckles, and this time he manages to crouch down in time to avoid Lazarus’s attempt to swat the back of his head. I laugh and glance at Darius and catches him staring at me as if in trance. His eyes travel down my body slowly, then up again. The way his eyes darken with hunger makes me want to clench my thighs together. His eyes reach mine and he ducks his head down as if he’s been caught doing what he’s not supposed to do. That’s kinda weird because I caught him staring a lot of times in the past and he always acted as if it’s no big deal. This guy is more complicated than pretzels. Beats me if I know what that means. “I think we should take a break,” he says, still not looking at me. “Yes, sounds good to me,” I agree. Lazarus, Serena, Caspian, and Eva had taken off. They disappeared into the woods for their run. “I think you’ve refueled enough. Want to go for a run with me, my love?” Constantine holds his hand out to his mate.

“I’m stuffed!” says Genesis, taking his offered hand. “I don’t know about running.” He grabs her hand and pulls her to him, then whispers something in her ear. A smile grows on her lips and she pecks his lips all of a sudden. “Race ya!” she yells, then she takes off in a flash. Constantine grins wickedly as he stares after her, then he turns to smile at us. “See you guys later. Much later,” he winks, then he’s gone. I can only imagine what they’re up to…Ughhh!!! Sometimes I’m jealous of their relationship, but I’m also very happy for them. My best friend deserves happiness and the very best. “You love Genesis,” he observes. “She’s family,” I shrug as I take Genesis’s place in the middle of the blanket. “They all are,” I add. I’ve grown to love them all and think of them as my family apart from my own parents and also Reese and River and their daughter Piper. I’d do anything for them. Darius nods in understanding as he clears some containers of food aside and sits next to me on the blanket. I hand him a bottle of water from the cooler and grab another one for myself. “Hey, thank you for teaching me today. You’re a great teacher,” I tell him. He takes a swig of the water, his light blue eyes gleam.

“I’ve trained a lot of warriors. You’re a very fast learner, you’re quick and clever. You’re a natural fighter, Persephone,” he says. Despite myself, I feel myself glowing from his praise. “Your weakness is you loose your temper very easily,” he grins. I chuck a banana at him and he ducks his head but catches it just before it hits the ground. He then makes a show of peeling the banana and takes a big bite out of it all the while smiling at me. I roll my eyes and start peeking into the containers of food that my crazy best friend brought with her. I found chicken sandwiches, cold cut sandwiches, slices of oranges, strawberries, potato salad, potato chips, packets of Twizzlers, a jar of Nutella, and a jar of sauerkraut. What? I must be staring at the sauerkraut in puzzlement for quite a while when Darius says, “kislaya kapusta.” “Huh?” “It’s called kislaya kapusta in Russian,” he explains, looking like he’s trying to hold in his laughter. “Kislaya..what?” I’m still trying to figure out what sauerkraut is doing among the food that Genesis brought and Darius promptly bursts out laughing. We share the rest of the food between the two of us, except for the sauerkraut. We talk and I discover that we have a few things in common. We don’t have one favorite color. We both agree that why chose one when we can like all the other colors too? We like Oreos,

but we don’t like the sweet creme filling in between…well, that’s about it. “We have a lot more in common than you know, Persephone,” he says. “Oh yeah? Tell me about me, oh wise one,” I smirk at him. “Well, we are both the only child. We are stubborn. We hate sharing. We love exercising and training till we drop. We both can be cold and downright cruel to people who pose any threat to what we consider as ours or people we care about.” I don’t know what to say to that because it’s true. I’m not sweet like Serena or cute like Genesis. I’m no angel. I lose my temper easily. If people I love or something that I deem as mine is threatened, I can be a downright bitch. When I love, I love too deeply. I give too freely. If he’s anything like me, he hurts intensely too. “There’s absolutely nothing we wouldn’t do to protect them…including denying our hearts’ greatest desire..or suffer, or die to make sure they’re safe,” he whispers this part while looking into my eyes with a wistful look and some other emotion that I can’t decipher. He stares at me in silence for a moment. As if he can’t help himself, he runs the back of a finger gently down my cheek while his eyes are staring at my eyes, my nose, my lips, then back into my eyes as if memorizing my every feature.

“So much in common we could be so good together or we both could go up in flames,” he whispers almost inaudibly like he’s not even aware that he’s vocalizing it.

Chapter 15 – Anatomy of Friendship It’s Friday night, Darius and I just arrived at the beach party. I brought him here with me against my better judgment. I started having my doubts the moment he stepped out of his room. He looked hot in his dark Bermuda shorts and a black tshirt that fit him like a glove. The t-shirt was snug and didn’t hide much of his glorious body. Even his feet looked sexy in a pair of sandals. It’s crazy and very very annoying. In the car, on the way over, I joked about how he could be my wingman so that I could get with the guys I like. He didn’t even crack a smile at the joke. I was only just half kidding. Darius parked the car and he comes to my side and opens the door for me. For a moment, it looks like he wanted to take my hand in his, but then he lets his hand falls on his side. We walk leisurely to the beach where the party is in full swing together. The temperature is warm despite it being fall, but the wind from the sea is nice. I’m glad to be wearing my jeans shorts and a small black tank top that shows off a bit of my toned abs. Wild by Troye Sivan ft. Alessia Cara is playing and a tall bonfire is blazing in the middle of the gathering. “Hey, Penny!” Amanda is rapidly approaching, waving enthusiastically with her friends trailing behind her.

“So happy to see you here,” she says with a big smile, but her eyes are on Darius. “Who’s your friend?” Darius smiles, showing his straight white teeth. His canines are slightly prominent. They make him look even more dangerously attractive. I can see the girls swooning. Some are just staring at his gorgeous face, while some others are checking out his glorious body. I can’t blame them. He sticks out, with his taller than average height and his impressive body and stunning face. He also radiates that power and sex appeal. “Darius, this is Amanda….” “Hey, Darius. I love your name,” says Amanda with a flirty smile, cutting me off. “We met the other day, but Penny never introduced us.” “Hi, I’m Josie,” purrs one of the girls, literally pushing me out of the way. She takes my place beside him and places her hands on his muscled arm, pushing her chest up against him. Amanda grabs his arm on the other side. Pretty soon girls are swarming around him. A pang of jealousy is clawing inside me, making me feel like clawing all their eyes out. I try to remind myself that he’s not mine. It’s near impossible when every fiber of my being claims him to be mine. MINE!!! All the skimpily dressed girls are now crowding around him. Competing for his attention. It’s too hard for me to watch without wanting to hurt somebody. I want to sucker punch that woman Loosie or Goosie, or whatever her name is as she runs

her hand over his hard muscled pecs and plasters her almost naked body up against his. I want so badly to scratch Amanda’s eyeballs out as she bats her eyelashes and grips his bicep like a vice. So I turn quickly and force my feet to walk away. Gah!!! This part of the beach is now swarmed with people. Mostly college students. Some are dancing near the fire, while some others are just standing around talking. A few are playing beach volleyball. A lot of girls are in their bikini top and shorts. Not many are in the water right now. Judging by their looks, some of them have been here the whole day. A couple of guys are carrying a big cooler from the back of a car walk pass me and I recognize one of them. “Hey, Cooper!” I yell. “Penny!” he grins, slowing down. Cooper is one of Daniel’s friends. “Mason and Daniel were by Jay’s truck last time I saw them,” he indicates his friend. “I’m heading there right now.” “I’ll come with you then,” I say, walking next to them. Mason called earlier today and offered to pick me up, but I told him that I would see him here. I don’t really want humans to come anywhere near where we live. Our home is our private sanctuary where we can be ourselves. We can phase anywhere and anytime we want to. We can talk freely without worrying about exposing ourselves to humans. So no, I don’t want any of my human friends to know where we live. I spot Lily, Daniel, Mason and some other familiar faces by a black Dodge truck parked on the beach. Some are sitting on

lawn chairs and some are standing. Lily is sitting on Daniel’s lap. “Hi, guys!” I give everybody a wave. Everybody returns my greeting and Lily comes up to give me a brief hug. Cooper hands me a bottle of beer from the cooler before he and the other guy place it by the side of the truck. “What’s up, Penny?” says Daniel, as he pulls Lily down on his lap and wraps his arms around her once again. They look cute together. “Sorry, not enough chairs, but you can sit on my lap,” offers Mason. “There you are,” a big strong arm comes up to sling around my shoulders from behind and I look up to see Darius. He slides another arm around my waist and pulls me close so that I’m leaning against his hard chest. He’s smiling, but his eyes are hard. I take a quick peek behind us, wondering where his group of admirers went. “Everybody, this is my friend Darius,” I start to introduce him to my group of human friends. Mason doesn’t look too pleased, but the rest of them are staring at him in awe, even the men. “Were you trying to lose me?” he asks, leaning in close to my ear after I’m done introducing him. His warm breath caresses my cheek and my ear. I’m enveloped by his warmth and mouthwatering male scent. Standing here like this, it feels like we’re in our own personal bubble. It feels safe and thrilling. Everything and everyone ceases to exist.

“I thought you’d enjoy the company of beautiful girls?” I whisper back. My lips almost grazing the corner of his mouth. “So, you two are totally just friends, right?” asks one of the girls there. I think her name is Ashley…or Lassie. She’s staring at him like she’s starving. I could practically see drools coming out from the corners of her mouth. “Yeah, totally,” I nod my head. “You look like a couple, though,” says another girl who’s sitting on her boyfriend’s lap. I think her name is Jade. “She said they’re just friends,” Mason snaps. He’s not looking like his usual cheerful self. Amanda and her friends chose this time to show up. “Darius!!! You just disappeared on us,” she says, grasping at one of his arms. He only tightens his hold on me in response. I can feel his annoyance. She’s moving in too close into my personal space for my liking. I can smell her fruity perfume and sweat. Not a pleasant smell to my nose. The other girl, Suzy or Jodie, or something moves in close too, competing for a space with Amanda. More girls crowded my space and I’m feeling claustrophobic. Too close. The smell is overwhelming. It makes me feeling pissy. Arrghhh…anytime soon, I’ll sucker punch somebody in the face. I try to step away, but his arms are like steel bands, holding me possessively closer. He pulls us back and buries his nose in my shoulder, breathing in my scent as if he needs it and suddenly I

understand. They’re too close. Their scent is bothering him as much as it’s bothering me. This is something I always try to avoid when I’m out partying. I always run out for fresh air or get as drunk as possible to tolerate close encounters like this. “I need to go. I need to get away for a bit,” I inform him, handing him my drink. He nods his head in understanding and reluctantly let me go. “Come on, girls! Let’s dance,” I grab Lily’s and another girl’s hands. I think her name is Hannah…or Lola, or Anna…or something like that. The three of us make our way to the tall bonfire where people are dancing, and start moving our bodies to the music. I don’t know if we look sexy or like retarded monkeys, but we’re having fun. We bump and grind against each other and we giggle a lot. I force myself not to look in Darius’s direction. “He’s so into you, Penny,” says Lily into my ear. “Who?” “Who else. Darius! That yummy sex god. He’s staring at you the whole time like he wants to eat you up,” she answers. “He is yummy, isn’t he?” giggles Hanna…or Wanda. I don’t bother to argue with Lily. I don’t have to see him, to know that he has his eyes on me. I could feel it.

My eyes involuntarily seek him out. He’s standing where I left him earlier with the girls fighting for his attention. His eyes are glued to me while his face is cold and aloof. Right now Rosie or Floosie or whatever her name is, has her front plastered to his side, while her arms are like vines around his arm. In one clever move, he disentangles himself. That doesn’t seem to deter her. Daniel joins us and after the song ends, he and Lily go back to sit by the truck. Soon, the other girl also disappears into the crowd. I look across the fire see his intense eyes fixed on me. Even when I’m not facing him I could feel his burning gaze sweeping over me. I sway my body seductively. Am I seducing him? Oh, Penny, you shouldn’t be doing this. I know I’m playing with fire, but I can’t seem to stop myself. It’s thrilling to be dancing like this, knowing that he’s watching. I’m dancing for him even when I’m trying to look like I’m ignoring him. My whole body moves only for him. When I feel two hands land on my waist, I grind into the stranger’s body behind me like I was grinding into him. I raise my hand up and reach over to bury my fingers in his hair, pulling his face into the crook of my shoulder. “Boy, you’re hot,” he murmurs into my ear. He sounds all wrong, and he smells all wrong, but I push that thought aside. His hands start to roam over my exposed stomach and my thigh as I rub my body against his. I feel his excitement growing. I tilt my head to the side as he starts kissing my neck.

The next instant the guy is gone. I stumble backward and almost landed on my behind if it’s not for a strong arm around my waist holding me up. Darius had peeled my dance partner away from me with a firm grip on his shoulder. “Okay, buddy?” he says to the guy. His voice sounds casual and deceptively friendly, but his lips stretch over his teeth and canines into a grin that looks menacing. The grip he has on the other guy’s shoulder must be very strong too judging by the way the guy winces and squirms. There’s a wild and deadly look in his eyes that makes me worried if he’s going to lose control right here in front of all these humans. “Yeah, okay man,” says the guy, his face contorts while his hands are trying to pry Darius’s hold of his shoulder. “Darius,” I whisper urgently clutching his hand, trying to get him to release the man. He could do a lot of damage to the man’s shoulder. “Darius, let go. Please.” “I didn’t know she’s with you,” he stumbles backward as soon as Darius let go of his shoulder. “What are you, man?” he yells before he disappears into the crowd. He looks scared enough to pee in his pants. Darius turns his hard glittering eyes on me. His jaw is set and his nose is flaring. To say that he’s furious is an understatement. He’s on the verge of losing control. His eyes are a lot darker than usual. My stomach clenched. I’m terrified, yet I’m turned on. Something is seriously wrong with me. Without a word, he spins me around till my back is facing him. He grabs my waist and roughly slams my back against his

front. I feel him leaning down until his warm breath is teasing my neck and his nose is touching my earlobe. “Dance with me,” he orders. His voice is gruff. “Dance with me like you danced with him.” You’ve gone and did it this time, Penny! I know I’m stupid…most of the time, but I know enough not to disobey him when his lycan is in danger of taking control like this. Slide by Calvin Harris ft Frank Ocean and Migos starts playing and I sway my body slowly against his. He grips my hips and pulls me closer till my back is rubbing against his front. The heat of his hard body grinding against my back ignites a flame in me, ready to consume us both. Everything around us disappears. Nothing else matters. Just us. His grip on my hips tightens before he runs his big strong hand up the side of my breast then travels down the front of my bare thigh and another one brushes over my stomach. He dips his head down till his cheek is brushing against mine. With our bodies still swaying together, his hand slides underneath the bottom of my tank top to spread over my heated skin. I clench my teeth together to stop from moaning. Waves of pleasure rippled through my entire body. I can feel his hardness pushing against my back as I grind into him. I can hear our hearts thundering in our chests. We are both breathing hard and fast. I run my hand down the side of his thigh as I move my body down then up again and he moans softly in my ear. His warm breath teasing my skin. I raise my hand up and bury my fingers

in his thick silky hair like I always wanted to do and bring his face close down to my neck. I let out a soft moan when his warm lips touch my skin. Darius…Mmm..that feels so good. My grip on his hair tightens as he kisses, nibbles, and sucks on my neck. I feel his canines sharpen and elongated against my skin and I’m ready. The thought suddenly jolts me back to reality. Ready? Ready for what? I tug at his hair and lean forward to create a space between us. His lips automatically seek my neck again and his hands seeking my waist, but I push him back by tugging at his hair harder. There’s a dazed expression on his face as he looks up at me in confusion and annoyance. I can see the exact moment when he comes to his senses. His eyes grow wide and the cloud of passion clears from his eyes. We stare at each other with wide eyes for a few seconds, both breathing hard. My legs feel shaky. “Persephone. I’m sorry,” he says after taking a deep shuddering breath. “I’ll be back,” he mutters before he disappears into the crowd. I walk back to my group of friends, which is not a very good idea at the moment judging by the looks on their faces. I guess they saw that. Too late for me to turn and walk away now. Most of the girls are glaring at me now, especially Amanda. Mason is looking at me accusingly like I just betrayed him. Lily has a teasing smile on her face. She walks up to me and grabs my arm. “Friends huh?” she whispers giggling. “I’m

feeling hot all over just watching you two. I’m that close to dragging Daniel to somewhere private.” I try to smile to that, but I’m still feeling too shaky and confused. I think compared to some couples out here, what we did was still pretty decent. Yeah, sure Penny. No matter what I tell myself, it still feels like we just did something very private in the middle of the crowd. What we did felt almost as intimate as making love. Maybe because he almost marked me? He almost marked me! Oh, Goddess what have we done? What we almost did. We haven’t really done anything, have we? Daniel hands my another bottle of beer before Lily drags him away. My gaze follows them as they slink away into the darkness, out of sight. I turn my eyes back to Mason who sits staring at the crowd and the fire in front of us sullenly. I should feel guilty, but I don’t. Not really. I never thought of him as more than just a friend. I’m not interested in him that way. He’s a good guy and a friend, though, so I don’t want to hurt him either. “Hey Mase,” I say, nudging his foot with mine. His eyes flicker up to look at me before he tips his head up, drinking his beer in silence. So…awkward. I guess we’re not talking now?

Amanda snickers loudly and some of her friends giggle. I narrow my eyes at her. What are we? Middle school? This bitch better not start with me. I’m feeling all alone with all the animosity coming at me but I refuse to cower away. I’ve done nothing wrong to these bitches. Juno has long claimed him to be mine. What I did felt so right deep inside, though my brain is telling me otherwise. I have to keep reminding myself that he’s in love with someone else “You okay?” asks Darius, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, not long after. I wonder where he went off to. He looks in control again, though there’s a slight flush to his cheeks and his hair is still sexily messy. That just reminds me of how I ran my fingers through it not that long ago. I feel a slight flush creeping up my face. Get a grip, Penny! I don’t do blushing…usually. I just nod and he sighs into my shoulder. “I thought you said you were just friends,” says that girl Ashley or Dolly…or something. “Yeah, I thought you were here with me,” says Mason scowling moodily. “Why don’t you sit with me?” he challenges, lifting his hands up, inviting me to sit on his lap. Darius’s arm tightens around my shoulders. His lips form a thin grim line, but he doesn’t say a word. Instead, he takes my hand that’s holding the beer bottle in his and guides it up to his lips. Taking a swig of my beer.

This seems to irritate Mason more. “Why don’t you get your own beer, bruh? Cooper, give him one.” “I don’t mind sharing a bottle with Persephone. What’s sharing a beer when we’re sharing a bed every night?” Huh? What? I can feel eyes shooting daggers at me in every direction. “We don’t…I mean, we do, but we don’t…” Gah!!!! What????

Chapter 16 – Pierced Anatomy “What was that???” I yell as soon as we’re alone in the car. The party was pretty much over for me as soon as Darius dropped the bomb on everyone about our sleeping arrangement. “He was getting on my nerve,” he says. “Getting on your nerve? Who? Mason? Arrgghh! You have no right to tell everyone that we’re sharing a bed. No right at all! We’re supposed to be friends. Like friend friends! In case you haven’t noticed, friends don’t sleep together. Normally. Why did you go and tell them that? You’re supposed to be my wingman! You’re scaring all the men away! Wingmen don’t do that!!!!” I stop for a second, out of breath, but I’m not done yet. He just sits back and watches me having my tantrum. He’s watching me yelling like a crazy woman. His expression is totally bland. Unreadable. The way he’s sitting there though, he looks so relaxed, so sure and satisfied with himself and that pisses me off even more. “You’re overbearing, obnoxious…you…you…you’re impossible!!! I’m so pissed! So pissed! Nobody believes we’re just friends now. I can’t even…They said….I tried to…I said…did you…? Nobody…..What??? Ugghh!!!!” I’m just so pissed off I’m sputtering all over the place. I can’t even finish a darn sentence. “Don’t go telling people we’ve slept together!” “Isn’t that true, though?” he says with a smirk after a beat.

Huh??? “Well….yeah, but you made it sound like…like…” “Like we’re having sex together every night?” “Yes!” I hiss at him, feeling my stomach dips at the way he’s saying it. “At least that got the stupid boy off your back. He was acting like you two were together. It’s grating on my nerves.” “And you’re not? You’re acting like a possessive barbarian…all caveman-like. Well, I’m a free woman. I don’t belong to anybody,” I announce. That triggers something in his eyes. He opens his mouth to say something, but then he closes it again. He starts the engine and turns to look at the road. His jaw is set in a stubborn line as he maneuvers the car out of the street full of party goers. “Mason can act like I’m his wife, it’s none of your business. Why did it bother you anyway?” “It just did. I don’t like it okay?” He’s scowling fiercely at the truck in front of us. “Well….” His words throw me off balance for a little while. I didn’t expect him to say like that. It almost sounded like he’s about to throw a tantrum himself. “Well…it shouldn’t. I can do whatever I want. I can be with Mason if I want to. It’s really none of your concern. You….you can go and be all possessive over Polina” I add for a good measure. Gosh, it still hurts just to say that. Don’t you forget that, Penny! “I can?” he asks through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowing as he stares out the windshield. “Yes!” I snap. I want to kick and scream and punch him still. I want to claw at his perfect face and body. I want to do damage. I remember so many nights that I wanted to yell at him, love me!!! Pick me! Why can’t you love me? Tears pricked in my eyes. I blink rapidly to make it go away. It’s over now…or it should be over now. He made his choice. There’s a muscle ticking in his jaw. His knuckles are turning white around the steering wheel. He doesn’t say anything, nor does he turn to look at me.

The air is thick with tension between the two of us within the little confinement of the car. We both stay quiet the whole way home which doesn’t take long at all with the way that he’s driving.

Arrgghh!!!! I am so pissed! So pissed! It’s hours after we got home and I’m still pissed. He’s not sleeping with me tonight. I don’t care if Freddy Krueger himself appears in his dream and tears him to pieces. That would serve him right. I locked my bedroom door, the balcony doors, and even all the windows. How dare him tell everybody that we sleep together. When I tried to explain, I just made things worse. The more I explained, the worse it sounded. It sounded like I was making up some lame excuses to be sleeping with my “friend”. I gave up. Now everybody thought that we sleep together. I mean, we did sleep together, but not like sleep sleep together. Gah!!!! Nobody even believed we’re just friends with benefits either. This is so screwing up my chances with other guys. Not that I have much interest in other guys….and that’s all his fault too. I pound on my pillow, careful not to break it. That’s not very satisfying. That’s it, the resolution is off! It’s so off like wearing socks with sandals…or is that in style now? My resolution didn’t even last a week. That’s just pathetic. It’s too painful to admit. It’s shameful. Now I can go back to planning his murder. Only he can inspire this need and craving for violence in me. I scowl at the ceiling moodily, then glare at the digital clock on the bedside table. It’s almost three in the morning. That means I’ve been lying here planning Darius’s demise for almost two hours now. I need some fresh air before I break something. I open the balcony door and the wind from the ocean rushes in. Fresh air and saltiness of the sea. The sound of the waves crashing the shore. I’ve come to love these things now. I’m going to miss this when it’s time to move on. As I step further onto the balcony, I notice that Darius’s balcony door is wide open. I gingerly walk to the far side of my own balcony, closer to his room and peek inside. I’m just curious, I swear. I’m not thinking of ways to murder him in his sleep. Well, not unless he’s sound asleep. It’s all his fault that I can’t sleep. So, it wouldn’t be fair if he’s able to sleep soundly and I’m here on the balcony peeking into his room like a thief because I can’t sleep. If he’s sound asleep I have a logical and legitimate reason to kill him.

There’s no movement in his room. I climb onto his balcony and poke my head through the door. A floor lamp at the far corner is on, bathing the room in its warm glow of light. His room is neat, his bed is perfectly made like he hadn’t even been in it yet tonight. I climb over the balustrade, peel my pajama top off and jump from the balcony into the pool.

I woke up alone and I’m in a pissy mood this morning. The few lapses I did in the pool didn’t help. To top it off, I couldn’t find my pajama top. I found out that poking around in only your pajama bottom at four in the morning, looking for your top doesn’t help to improve your mood. I toss and turn all night after that. I can’t sleep not because he wasn’t there with me. Nope, that’s not it. Not at all. It’s because I was still pissed with him. I sit at the breakfast table, scowling at the steaming coffee in my cow mug. Everybody is at the table except for Darius. Where is he? I’m all dressed up this morning and ready for battle. I was expecting him to be here by now..but he’s not. There, right there he’s pissing me off even more. Darn the guy! “Well, somebody is in a good mood this morning,” teases Genesis. “I guess she’s back being herself again,” announces Caspian happily. “I don’t know if I should be relieved or scared,” says Constantine. “Probably both,” observes Lazarus. Great, now they’re talking about me like I wasn’t in the room. “Come on guys, leave her alone,” says Serena, but she sounds like she’s on the verge of laughing. “By the way, those are interesting…uh..mosquito bites you have on your neck,” announces Caspian casually, touching his own neck. This brings everybody’s attention to my neck. “Just where is Darius this morning?” The devil! I scowl at him while pulling the collar of my denim jacket up higher. I noticed the hickeys I got from Darius last night when I was getting ready this morning. That’s the reason why I’m keeping my hair down and I’m wearing a high collared denim jacket on an 86-degree Fahrenheit day.

I wanted to cover it with a concealer, only I don’t have one. I never needed a concealer for my skin. I don’t think Genesis and Serena have one either. Besides, they would be suspicious if I asked to borrow a concealer. Thanks to Caspian, though, now everybody seems to know my business. The mischievous smile on his face makes me want to chuck my cow mug full of steaming hot coffee at his face. “Just where did you guys go to get mosquito bites?” asks Caspian, still unwilling to drop the subject. Seriously??? Genesis snorts into her coffee and splutters her drink everywhere, coughing wildly. Constantine and Serena slap her back while Eva stares at Genesis with concern. Caspian drops his head onto the table with a thud, his wide shoulders shaking violently. That’s it! I kick his shin underneath the table.

Darius did come home just before 11 am. I stayed in my room to study. Nope, I wasn’t hiding from him. I just happen to like studying. So much. I could hear him moving about in his room. I could hear the shower going. I could hear him getting ready. I heard that he has some business to attend to with Eva this afternoon. It’s not like I was listening or anything. Stop thinking about him. Stop thinking about him. Stop thinking about him. Suddenly there’s a soft knock on my bedroom door. I open the door to find Darius standing there looking hot as hell. His light blond hair is slicked back and still damp from the shower. The light blue button up shirt matches his eyes. I can only stare up at him as he stares down at me, drinking in my features like he’s thirsty. Why does he always have to look at me with that intensity that makes my heart stops before it bursts into a frenzy in my chest? He makes my stomach clenches in the most delicious ways. The thrill just having him look at me this way is crazy. It’s addicting. That’s what kept me going back for three years. He lifts up his hand and I almost cover my face in embarrassment.

Right there in his hand is my white pajama top that decided to hide and disappear from me last night. Stupid top! His eyes dance with amusement and his eyebrows rise up in question. I answer him by grabbing my stupid runaway top from his hand and close the door in his face. I hear him leaving the house with Eva ten minutes later. No, I’m not listening. Stop thinking about him. Stop thinking about him. Stop thinking about him. That’s it! I’m going out…somewhere. I don’t know where yet, but I’ll think of somewhere.

I drove around aimlessly in Caspian’s Spyder Eclipse for about twenty minutes before I find myself sitting on a familiar bench in front of the little lake on campus. My lake. Not many students are about on a Saturday afternoon. It’s another beautiful day. There are two guys on a red kayak passing through near the other side of the river bank. That’s nice. Maybe I should do that one day. I’ve been sitting here for 20 minutes when I hear footsteps behind me. Yummy Lip ring!!! As usual, he doesn’t look particularly happy to see me, but I don’t really care. I’m happy to see him. “What? Do you live here or something?” I ask him. “Do you?” he asks back. Good point. I make room and he lowers himself next to me. We just sit there quietly looking at the lake. There’s no need for conversation. Yummy lip ring hates small talk. My thoughts drift back to Darius, as it inevitably does. Always. Me and Darius. We’re very messed up. If I was honest with myself, we can never be just friends. I don’t know what we are. I’m so confused where he is concerned. Just like this morning, first I want to battle with him, then I want to hide from him. He’s turning me into a crazy woman.

For three years, I convinced myself that I had a chance with him. I analyzed his every movement and his every word. I tried to interpret every look he spared my way, which was a lot, and convinced myself that he felt the same. I mean, you would think a guy wanted you when he seemed like he can’t take his eyes off of you, watching you like a hawk. You would think that he’s attracted at least when he seemed to know exactly where you were in a roomful of people no matter where you roamed and moved to. You would think he must have felt something when he’s all protective, assigning his men to keep an eye on you when he’s not around whenever you’re in Russia. You would think he cared even a little bit when he couldn’t stand it when someone uttered even a single word that he thought could hurt your feelings. For a second last night, I almost did the same thing again. Overanalyzing. I was almost convinced that he was jealous. Hah!!! Okay, enough thinking. I hate thinking when it doesn’t get me anywhere. I do that a lot, unfortunately. “Yummy lip ring?” He turns to look at me with a raised eyebrow. Looking a bit annoyed as if I had just disturbed him doing some major thinking. “How many piercings have you got?” “Five,” he answers, leaning back against the back of the bench. I study his face and count his piercings there. A stretch lob on each ear, a barbell on his left eyebrow, one yummy lip ring. My mouth drops open when I counted only four. My brain is busy thinking of the possibilities. Now, where could the fifth be? “I can hear your brain thinking,” he says. I grin and says, “can I see the fifth piercing?” His eyebrow comes up again. “You don’t even know where it is, but you want to see it?” “Sure, why not?” I’m very intrigued. He stands up and begins to unbutton and unzip his pants.

“Whoa!!! What are you doing?” I jump up from the bench. “Show you my piercing,” he says nonchalantly shrugging his pants off. Wow! Seriously??? Cool!!! “Still sure you want to see it? If you’re too intimidated, I’ll understand,” he says challengingly. “What do you mean change my mind? Let’s see it!” I exclaim. This is too good! He’s got the Prince Albert? He shrugs and pulls his boxer down. No, an apadravya! A shiny barbell goes vertically through the head of his cock, from the front to the back. Wow! Hmmm…He’s got a pretty big pierced one-eyed snake of love right there. Yikes! Did I really just think that? “Okay?” he asks, shrugging his pants back on. I have a lot to say, but all I allow myself to say is, “All I can say is, your mate is very lucky.” That earns me a smile. A fucking smile! Finally! “I’m twenty-seven. Don’t know if I’ll ever find a mate,” he says matter of factly. “Oh, you will,” I tell him confidently and with conviction. “Promise me you won’t reject her and to always treat her right? Promise me you’ll have babies live happily ever after with her?” Something flashes in his eyes. His eyes soften. It’s gone too quickly for me to understand what it is. “Maybe, if I ever found her,” he doesn’t sound convinced. “If I promise you that, would you promise me that you’ll never come back here by yourself again?” “Never come back here? Here as to this lake?” I ask him feeling puzzled. “Why?” “Just promise me to stay away from here.”

He sounds so serious. It sorta scared me a bit. “You know you’re really low on self-preservation?” He shakes his head disapprovingly. “A smarter girl would be scared of being alone with a stranger with his pants down in a secluded area like this.” “Are you trying to freak me out? Why shouldn’t I come here again?” I chose to ignore his comment about me not being smart. I know I’m stupid. Eh…nothing new there. “You ask too many questions. Curiosity kills the cat…sometimes little girls too,” he says, getting up. What’s up with men and their cryptic comments? First Darius, then Yummy lips ring…”Are you going now? Will I see you again?” “Again, too many questions, little girl,” he says, walking away. “Remember your promise.” “I didn’t promise anything,” I mumble in protest. “Hey! What’s your real name?” I yell suddenly, but he’s already gone.

Lily texted me about another party at Daniel’s frat house tonight. She forgot to mention what the theme is for tonight, but I don’t really care. I’m going without Darius ruining it for me. I’m sneaking out. I’m feeling like a schoolgirl sneaking out without her parents’ permission. Like I’m doing something bad. It makes me smile a big gleeful smile. It gives me the thrill. I’m not a bad girl, but I’m not a good girl either. I’m just me. Persephone Aspen Ruiz. I put my hair up into messy double buns with french braids at the back. I have my low waist denim shorts with a wide red belt and a crop top on. The top is short so I can see my belly button. I’m seriously thinking about getting my belly button pierced as I remember Yummy lip ring’s piercings this afternoon. My crop top is the same color as my belt. Red. I don’t usually wear red, but I’m feeling rebellious tonight. Red seems like the color for it. I also have a pair of converse on because I’m jumping out of the window and walking all the way to the pizzeria on the main road where I have a cab waiting for me.

I jump out of one of the side windows and my feet land on the soft grass below without making much noise. I stay low and quiet for a minute just in case they heard it. I try to calm my heartbeat. This is giving me a rush. I suppress a giggle. Lycans have a crazy super hearing, I’m not risking getting caught this early in the game. I know all of them are in the great room where Serena is playing the violin. Paganini, Caprice 24 is drifting softly through the air. I crouch low and crawl on all fours past the big window. I feel like a super secret agent or something right now. I’m such a badass! I let out a big breath and a giggle when I finally reach the pizzeria and spot my ride to the party tonight. Made it!!!! I just got past a houseful of lycans! Yeah! I’m awesome!!! Super awesome! I did a crazy happy dance and catch the cab driver looking at me worriedly through the side mirror. I jump into the cab quickly before he decides to drive off without me. Party time! Yeah!!! This time I’m going to enjoy myself without worrying about some hoes plastering themselves onto a certain gorgeous lycan that I have no right to feel possessive about.

Chapter 17 – My Body is My Temple The music is deafening. The room is hot. I reach for my sixth shot, but Jay snatches the drink out of my reach. “Let’s do body shots,” he yells above the music. “Let’s do it!!” Lily is totally sloshed beside me. She only had two shots. She’s such a lightweight. She giggles while trying to climb up the table, but Daniel wraps his arm around her middle and yanks her back down. “Body shot! Body shot! Body shot!” yells Jay followed by some other guys. I giggle and lie down on the table, pulling the bottom of my top up. Seems like my “steamy” dance last night increases my popularity with the guys tonight. I’ve danced with a number of guys and I’ve been drinking a lot tonight with Jay by my side. Jay also belongs to this frat house. He’s drinking just as much

if not more than I have. I might have found my drinking soul mate buddy. Jay licks my neck and sprinkles some salt onto it. Ooohh..that tickles. I try to stop giggling as he places a lemon wedge between my teeth. Amidst hoots and hollers, Jay peers down at me and grins. Someone pours a drink into my belly button and he quickly licks the salt off my neck, sips the drink, then grabs the lemon wedge from my mouth with his. Our lips meet. He spits the lemon out and comes back to slam his lips on mine. He drags me off the table and we continue to make out by the corner before he grabs my wrist and leads me upstairs. I know Jay is a manwhore, but I’m not looking for a wedding ring and five and a half kids from him. A small nagging feeling of guilt and doubt started in the pit of my stomach and in my head as we hobble our way through the corridor, but I push it down. My wolf, Juno’s feelings of distaste come forth too. I need more drink. He unlocks the door and I get a glimpse of his room. A double bed, a study table and chair with a couple of posters. Just what I expect Jay’s room to look like. As soon as we stumble inside, he grabs me around the waist and kisses me again. He peels his shirt off and we both tumble down onto his bed. Doubt grows in my head, as he pulls my top off.

As I lay there in Jay’s bed in my red lacy bra and shorts, I can’t quite ignore how different his touch feels compared to Darius’s. There are no tingles or mind-numbing passion. No quivering of the heart, no butterflies in the tummy, no toe-curling passion. No fire. There’s no love in the touch. This almost feels impersonal. So, this is what meaningless feels like. I don’t think I can do this. I don’t do meaningless. My body is my temple and all that sh!t…well, that and I can feel Juno’s anxiety at being touched. The effect of the drinks I had downstairs is wearing off. I can drown Juno’s feelings and my own when I’m drunk. I definitely need more drinks. Jay pushes himself up and starts to unbutton his jeans and I try to get up. “Where are you going?” “I’m out…and I need to get more drink,” I tell him. I look down at myself and realize I’m not wearing enough to go out there. “No, stay,” he says as he gets up. His jeans fall down to his ankle and he almost falls on his ass as he has to kick off his shoes before he can take his jeans off. That’s just too funny! I burst out laughing. Jay grins before he stumbles into his closet in his boxers and a while later I hear a rustling sound. “Party for two, baby!” he says. He has a stupid grin plastered on his face as he holds up a bottle of whiskey like a winning trophy.

He staggers back and tumbles down on the bed next to me, uncaps the bottle and down it. “You’re the coolest, hottest chick ever. I swear,” he says before he takes another swig of the whiskey. “You’re just saying that to get into my pants. I bet you say that to all the girls you bring up here.” “You know what? ….I do…but I mean it this time,” he says, slurring a bit. “Yeah…sure,” I grab the bottle from him. Next, he’s going to tell me I’m the freakin’ queen of England and means it. Huzzah! He leans down to kiss my shoulder then trails his lips down to the top of my breast just above my lacy bra as I take a sip from the bottle. I feel like squirming and pushing him away as I feel his cool wet lips on my skin. I slam the whiskey bottle to his chest and push him down. He raises his dark glassy eyes to me and grins. My eyes travel down his body slowly as he stretches out one hand to grope me. He’s only in his blue plaid boxer shorts. He’s okay, but he’s certainly not anywhere near as beautifully built as Darius. Ughhh…why do I have to compare every man to him? I need more drink! I snatch the bottle from Jay, but he grabs it back and carelessly drops it on the floor next to the bed.

“Baby…” he groans, as he climbs on top of me and pins my body with his. He grinds his harden groin against mine and my niggling doubts and guilt grow into a full-blown regret. When he starts to fumble with my belt I find myself squirming underneath him. Juno’s anxiety heightens my feelings of aversion. I guess I really am not a one night stand kinda girl…or Darius has ruined it for me. No kisses and touches feel even half as good as his. Juno’s purring only at his touch. Darn him! “Jay,” I grab his groping hands and pull them off me. “Get off,” I tell him. “Awww…come on, baby,” he grabs one of my hands and rubs it against his bulging hardness over his boxers. “Jay, please. Get off of me. Let’s get back to the party,” I retract my hand quickly. “Listen, sweetheart, I brought you up here when I could’ve chosen other girls down there. Now, c’mon…you know you want this. Don’t give me the blue balls, yeah?” He leans down and starts kissing and biting my chest. His hands fumbling with my bra strap this time. “Jay, get off me,” I tell him again, starting to get pissed. I’d give him more than blue balls if he didn’t get off of me soon. He really should listen when a girl says no. He moves up and pins me down with his whole body this time. I lay back, starting to count to ten in my head to cool down my anger. Stupid human boy. I could do a lot of damage to him when I’m pissed off.

…3,4, I could kick him in the nuts. 5, 6, I could squeeze his nuts till they really do turn blue. 7, 8, maybe I’d phase into my wolf and bite off his nuts…ewww.. NO. Gag. 9, 10… The door bursts open and we both jump. Darius is standing in the doorway taking in the scene before him. Why? How? Before I can process what’s happening, Jay is flung to the wall with a bang. He falls down with a loud thud. I spring out of the bed to see him slumped unconscious on the floor. Darius is standing in front of me breathing rapidly. His jaw is set and his nostrils are flaring. He’s looking positively murderous. Darius stalks to where Jay is, like a vicious predator and I jump in front of him without thinking. I push him back from Jay’s lying form on the floor, but it’s like forcing back an advancing concrete wall. His eyes are two black pools of fury. There are faint black veins around his eyes now. His lycan is definitely taking control. I know letting him touch Jay again would be very bad. “Darius, don’t..please,” my plea falls on deaf ears. “Darius, please stop!” I keep pushing, but he keeps advancing. So I did the only thing that I can think of. I grab the back of his neck and haul myself up. I’m practically climbing up his body. I wrap my legs tightly around his hips, lean in and kiss him squarely on the lips.

He stands completely still. My heartbeat triples and my stomach flips as I realized just what I’m doing. Well, too late now, and it seems to be working. I’m totally committed to the cause as I feel heat spreading through my entire body. I mesh our lips together, sucking on his bottom lip before sweeping my tongue over it. Tasting him. I love his taste. I love his smell. I love… With a deep fierce growl in his throat, he takes over the control that I have over the kiss. Devouring my lips like a man starved. His hand grips my bottom, pulling me flush against him. He is so strong that I don’t have to depend on my legs around him keep me up on this level. His tongue plunders inside my mouth, searching for mine. I flick my tongue to meet his, and soon our tongues are warring against each other. My whole body is buzzing with pleasure. I’m kissing a powerful lycan. I run my fingers through his thick lustrous pale blond hair and he moans softly into my mouth. His sexy moan fuels the passion that runs like fire in my blood. I grind my lower body against his and kiss him harder. His grip on my bottom tightens and his other hand roams over the bare skin of my back. It travels up to grasp the back of my neck as he sucks my bottom lip before his tongue goes back to tease mine. Mmmm…the taste of him is driving me wild. Vaguely I hear a groaning sound coming from somewhere in the room. Darius pulls back and we both stare at each other. Our breathing ragged. My heartbeat is still pounding in my ears. His eyes look dazed with passion and hunger. They are back to their usual color, but the irises are dark and dilated. His lips red and swollen from our kisses. So kissable and sexy.

My own lips feel bruised and tingle with pleasure still. Right now he’s staring at my lips like a starving man looking at the most delectable meal. He leans in again and I almost meet his lips halfway when we both hear a loud groan on the floor. We both look down at Jay who is still lying on the floor. He’s waking up. I sigh in relief. At least he’s still alive. I feel Darius’s body stiffen. His eyes narrow and his jaw hardens. A hard lethal look flashes in his eyes. I slide to my feet, getting ready to push him back just in case he tries to go after Jay again. I’m glad that nobody came to check on the loud booming sound that came when Jay was thrown against the wall. I guess the sound of the loud music and the fact that a lot of them are drunk has something to do with that. Instead of advancing towards Jay as I expected him to, he peels his shirt off and pulls it down over my head. It’s a black t-shirt that fits snugly on him, but hangs loosely on me and comes down just above my shorts. Jay starts moving and trying to push himself up, groaning louder. I turn and try to escape out the door while I still can. Darius grips my hips before I get too far. He turns me around, leans down, and effortlessly throws me over his shoulder and carries me out of there. Wha??? NO WAY!!!! I’m stunned silent for a second.

I come to my senses and start to pound on his back. “Darius put me down!” My fists have no effect on him. “Darius!” I can’t even move my legs to kick him. One of his hands is firmly holding my legs together, while another one is pressing my butt down in place on his shoulder. “Put. Me. Down! You brute! Argghh!!!! You’re barbarian, impossible, obnoxious…sucky….meanie!!!” He just keeps walking, leaving the room, then descending the stairs with ease. It’s clear that my protest doesn’t affect him in any way. Why do I even bother? Oh, I give up!!! I slump limply over his bare broad shoulder and grit my teeth, resigning to my fate. Nice Penny! Play dead. Like a possum. Definitely not a cowardly move. There’s really nothing I could do against a lycan strength. Brute!!!

Chapter 18 – Render Me Speechless He saunters through the lively crowd with me draped limply on his shoulder like he has all the right to do so. Like he owns the place. Like he owns me. I’m praying that nobody notices us. Yeah, nobody will notice a hot topless guy carrying a deadweight on his shoulder. Yup, I’m sure that’s exactly what’s happening here. That’s why the conversation stops and the crowd parts for him. Well, okay maybe we’re kinda hard to miss. Now I’m feverishly praying that they’re too drunk to remember seeing this by tomorrow.

I’m cursing and calling him every name under the sun that I can think of in my head. When we reach the car, he gently deposits me on the passenger seat. His movement is totally in contrast with the rage that is still sense coming off of him. He enters the driver’s side and we both sit quietly staring out the window. He seems to be trying very hard to reign in his fury. He’s balling his hands into fists so tightly that his knuckles are turning white. Me, I’m just waiting for him to say something so that I can yell back…it all depends on what he comes up first. “Did you enjoy it?” he finally asks quietly after a long silence. “Did you enjoy what you were doing with him?” He sounds calm. Somehow he manages to make calm sounds menacing. He’s a barely contained force of raging fury. I can feel it radiates off of him. It should be a warning, but since when do I listen to warnings? “Oh, it was awesome! I loved it! I enjoyed every minute of it,” I answer defiantly. Liar liar pants on fire. “Oh, really?” His voice comes out through gritted teeth. His body’s so still. Eerily so. Maybe I should be looking for ways to get out of this situation. He’s clearly very mad. No, scratch that, he’s extremely and terrifyingly furious. Well, I’m mad too. He has no right to barge in like that. He has no right to be mad. We’re nothing to each other. As of last night, we’re not even friends anymore.

A sensible part of my brain is trying to remind me that I’m talking to a furious possessive lycan. That sensible part of my brain is unfortunately very small and I refuse to back down. I won’t back down just because he’s a lycan and so much stronger than I am…and he can crush my skull with one blow. Well, okay put it like that, it is kinda scary. If I was smart, I would have kept my mouth shut, but I never claimed to be smart. So, not so smart Penny says, “yes, really. As a matter of fact, I think I’m going back in there where Jay and I could continue what you so rudely interrupted.” My hand flies to the door handle. The lock clicked into place. “Just how much did you enjoy it?” He hisses. His voice is deep, guttural, and very menacing. I didn’t enjoy that at all. If I was honest with myself, I hated it. Juno hated it. That’s why I needed to get drunk before I let any of those guys touched me. They smelled all wrong. They felt all wrong. They weren’t him. Every other guy’s touch feels bland compared to his, some are just downright revolting. All other guys pale compare to him. The revulsion that I sometimes feel when I let some guys touch me when I’m not drunk enough is really not worth it, but I’d just being stubborn this whole time. The guilt is like a burning hot coal in the pit of my stomach and my heart and my head. I hate it. I stay stubbornly quiet. I will not admit to it. I will not!!! He turns his face to look at me and I let out a gasp. His eyes are two cold black abysses. Faint lines of dark veins are visible

around his eyes, marring his perfect skin. He looks dangerous and seriously hot…and I’m a seriously disturbed person. I must be totally sick in the head, but I can’t help it. All I really want to do right now is run and hide from him and ravish him at the same time. “Answer me, my dear erasthai…did you like his touch more than you like mine?” he leans in close. His face mere inches from mine. His warm breath touches my cheek and my mouth. His sharp white teeth and canines glisten in the dark as the streetlight hits them. Maybe I’ve goaded him too far? I gulp audibly. Uh, maybe now is a good time to run? “I’m asking you, did you enjoy it? Answer me truthfully.” “Did you enjoy Polina’s?” I blurt out instead. Oh, Penny… “No, I hated it,” he says forcefully before his lips close around mine. I locked all my doors and windows again tonight. Okay, I will not deny it, I’m a coward. Usually, I am not a coward, but tonight I am. I’m also very confused, and pissed. A very confused pissed off coward. That’s me. In the car, we kissed again like we’re at war with each other. It was all his fault. He attacked my lips. Well, maybe I sorta kissed him back, but that’s hardly my fault. He’s very good at it. Kissing me, I mean.

We kissed for a few minutes, or maybe for hours…I couldn’t tell. I couldn’t even tell when I ended up on his lap, straddling him, with my hands in his hair and all over his bare beautiful body. His wide shoulders, glorious pecs, perfect abs, and flawless back. His hands all over my body underneath his shirt that I was wearing. When we finally pulled apart, I couldn’t even feel my lips. He drove back like a speed demon. We didn’t utter a single word the whole trip back. His whole body emanated fierce, dangerous energy. The air around us was thick with it. I didn’t even wait for the car to come to a complete stop. I jumped out of the car as soon as we reached the circular driveway. The lycans were all still hanging out in the great room when I barged into the house. Everybody stopped talking and I remember seeing Genesis staring at me with mouth wide open. Everybody was staring. Caspian looked like he wanted to say something, but then he closed his mouth as if he was speechless for the very first time. I think I said an awkwardly hi to everybody, but as soon as Darius opened the front door, I sprint to the safety of my room. I almost fainted when I first saw my own reflection in my bathroom mirror. My double buns were a mess. One bun was totally gone while another one was half undone with pins sticking out everywhere. My skin all flushed and my lips red and swollen. I looked like I’d been thoroughly ravished….and I’m wearing Darius t-shirt! Kill me now. Just kill me now and be done with it.

Knowing Genesis and Serena, they would probably be planning our mating and marking celebration by now. I am so doomed. How do I explain this away? Oh, so embarrassing! It’s so not what it looked like. Gosh, that stupid line. I took a shower to get rid of all the smell from the blasted party. I grabbed the first pajama top and pajama bottom I could get my hands on. My pajama top happened to be a small blue tank top with a big Superman logo at the front, while my pajama bottom was an ugly bright yellow and lime green cotton shorts with prints of bugs bunny all over it. They didn’t even match, but I couldn’t care less. I checked twice to make sure I’ve locked all doors and windows and now I’m hiding under the cover. I mean, I’m lying under the cover. Yeah, I’m lying here with my head under the cover because….because…well, because it’s nice here under the cover. It’s a bit hot and it’s kinda hard to breathe, but it’s still nice and helps one think. Who wouldn’t want to be under the cover? My thoughts go back to his confession that he hated Polina’s touch. Now I am more confused than ever. I try to sleep, but I can’t. I’ve been lying here for hours. Well, maybe not hours, but I’m getting bored. It’s so quiet. I think all my lycan friends are in bed now. Not that I want to face any of them tonight. I know the moment he enters the room. I can feel him standing there, looming over me as I’m curling up underneath the cover. As long as I’m under the cover, I’m invisible.

“Persephone,” he breathes. Yup, he’s still very angry. I can feel it even from under the cover. I feel the bed dips. “You’re not sleeping in my bed tonight,” I snap. “Persephone, come out from under the cover,” he sounds exasperated. “No,” I say, wondering how did he manage to open the door so easily. “I’ve locked that door,” I mumble grumpily. His short bark of laugh sounds harsh in the silence of the night. “You think a locked door can stop me from getting to what I want?” What he wants? My stomach clenches at his words. Nope, I will not dwell on it and read too much into it. “I’m not coming out and you’re still not sleeping in here,” I muttered stubbornly. “Very well,” he answers. Then I feel his hands underneath me and soon I’m being swept up, blanket and all into his arms. What the hell??? I pull the blanket off of me to find out that he’s carrying me through the balcony towards his room. “Wha..??? I never…this is not what I meant! Not at all!!!” I yelp. “Darius, what are you doing?” “Not sleeping in your bed,” he answers calmly.

“Why you…this is trickery! I said…I meant…I didn’t mean…Darius!!! Ugh!!!! Go find other women!” I yell. “I never want other women,” he growls as he climbs from my balcony to his. He drops me in the middle of his bed before he slides in next to me. He grabs me around the waist before I manage to spring out of the bed. For the first time, I realized that he’s bare except for the white cotton pajama pants. He wraps his muscled arms around me and flings a leg across mine, effectively trapping me. I hold myself stiffly. I can’t lie, the feel of his body against mine and his arms around me makes me all tingly and warm. I’m surrounded by his wonderful scent. Just because it feels good, it doesn’t mean that I’m just going to give in to him. His arms around me tighten as I try to wiggle out of them. “Stop struggling,” his voice sounds like a warning. “I’m trying very hard not to go back there and kill all the boys that I smelled on you tonight. My lycan wants their blood. Stay with me, or I can’t stop myself.” That got me to stop moving right away. I should’ve realized that he’s barely hanging onto his control. I can still feel the raging emotions in him, but it’s easy for me to forget how dangerous he is because I never feel like I’m in any danger from him. Even when he’s seething with anger, I feel safe and protected in his arms. Deep inside I’ve always known that no matter what, my safety always comes first to this powerful lycan warrior. Instinctively

I know, without a doubt that he’ll protect me first before anybody else. I come first even before himself. That thought brings a frown to my face. My instinct also told me that I belonged to this lycan the first moment he laid his eyes on me and look where that has gotten me. I’m very comfortable but my mind keeps going around and around. He makes me think too much. He brings out the crazy in me like nobody else can. He makes me understand why some people kill because I feel like killing him more than half the time. Why? If he hated Polina’s touch, then why? Why did he sleep with her? Did he even sleep with her? He has no desire for any other women, yet he doesn’t want me either? My head is full of questions. I want answers. Only he can answer them for me. I intend to get it one way or another. I tilt my head up to look at him. His eyes are closed, but I know he’s still awake. He’s still very tense. Dangerous energy is still leaking out from every part of his body. He’s still struggling to keep in control. “Are you gay?” His eyelids fly open. His glacier blue eyes are staring at me, looking incredulous. He opens his mouth as if he wants to say something, but no sound comes out. I think I just render him speechless.

He blinks and closes his mouth again. We stare at each other in silence. Then the corners of his lips curl up just a little bit into a self-mockery smile. He answers me by turning me slightly to my side so that my back is facing him. Then he tugs me impossibly closer into his body. My bottom is pressed firmly against his hard bulging front. A very hard bulging….Oh, Goddess. My mouth drops open and forms into an o. I shouldn’t have asked that. How am I going to sleep now? My stomach churns deliciously. Heat blooms all over my body and my core tightens with needs. Darn it! Well, at least that got him to smile. Even a little self-derision smile is better than the fury and the coldness from him ever since the party. I hope he’s not thinking about killing anybody anymore tonight. Then I feel him kissing the top of my head before he buries his face in the curve of my shoulder and neck. His arms gathering me even closer that I feel like there’s no part of my body that’s not connected to him. He breathes in deeply and whispers gruffly, “Sleep, malyshka.”

Chapter 19 – Shades of the Sky I wake up to a familiar and wonderful scent. My body is cocooned in a comfortable, familiar warmth. Darius. My face is nestled in the curve of his shoulder. Our legs tangled together. His big warm hand spread just underneath my tank top, spanning my side just under my breast.

My heart stops for a beat when I look up at his face. Even when he’s sleeping he’s stunning to look at. His pale blond hair is messy and in such a contrast to his dark gray pillowcase. His thick dark blond eyebrows soften with no frown marring them. His lips look soft, pink and inviting. I remember how they feel against mine. His whole face looks peaceful, yet still holds the air of intensity for some reason. He’s so beautiful I’ll never tire of looking at him. I could lose myself in his delicious scent and just feel high on just being close to him….only I’m not gonna. My fingers itch to touch him. Touch his warm skin, his lips, his hair, even to trace that black steel chain and medallion around his neck with my fingers and feel his body heat on it…but I know I’m not gonna. I try to pry his hand off me when I feel it tightens. I glance up to see his blue eyes staring at me. I think I forget to breathe. His eyes look so vivid in the onset of the morning light that steals its way into the room through the gaps between the heavy gray curtains. We lay there staring at each other for a long moment until he places his hand on my cheek, leans in, and kisses me on the lips. Brief, sweet, tender, and urgent like he’s trying to tell me something. It’s filled with desperation and yearning. So much yearning. I don’t know what it is. I don’t understand it, but it makes me terribly sad. He releases me and I quickly get up and sneak back into my own room through the balcony before I start crying in front of him.

I jump into the shower before the water warms up and let the water wash away my tears and swallow the sound of my sobs. I’m so pathetic. So pathetic. I’m surprised to see a text from Mason. I thought after Friday, he wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me anymore. He would like to meet and talk. We agreed to meet for breakfast at a cafe in town. I quickly dressed in a white short sleeveless romper and a pair of white ankle lace espadrilles. I put my hair up in a messy bun, a dab of lipgloss, grab my sunglasses and I’m done. I stop by the breakfast table where everyone is and let them know that I’m meeting a friend and won’t be having breakfast with them. I can feel his stare burning through me. I try not to look at him, but like a magnet, my eyes are drawn to him. He looks so good in the morning light. He looks good in any kind of light. He looks good even in the dark. Silly Penny. He doesn’t even know who it is that I’m meeting with, but I can see jealousy in his eyes. I notice the rigidness in his jaw, but he raises the cup to his lips and sips his coffee casually. I drag my eyes away from him and ask Caspian if I could borrow one of his cars. I leave before anybody can make any remarks about last night. I know Genesis wants to talk about it and Caspian is dying to say something “funny”. My bet is, it’s not funny. I drive Caspian’s red Porsche to the cafe. After that first time I drove his Porsche to the party, I’ve been taking it out quite a

few times. I think driving his Porsche has ruined me for other cars. I love driving it and the Prince never seems to mind it. Besides, he has other cars. Some of those cars are custom built just for him. The cafe is adjoining a small, charming bookstore. Book Attic, that’s the name of the bookstore. The cafe is called Coffee Addict. Both stores are quaint and cozy with rustic green and brick red color theme. The identical decor suggests that the stores are under the same management. I arrive five minutes early to find Mason already sitting at one of the tables near the window. I ordered a cup of latte macchiato with an extra shot of espresso, a banana nut and poppy seed muffin and a peach danish. He watches me carry the food to the table and flashes me a smile. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought that everything is fine between us. His eyes betray him, though. They look anxious. “Hey,” I say, placing my food on the table, sitting right across from him. “Hi, Penny. How are you?” he asks, his fingers fiddling with the mug in front of him. The atmosphere between us is just awkward. “Good.” I hate making small talks when things are awkward, so I get straight to the point. “Look, Mase, about the other night…I thought we’re just friends…”

“Penny, I’m sorry,” he says, not letting me finish. “You’re right, we’re just friends. I have no right to be mad.” “You were acting like a jerk,” I tell him. “I know I did,” his shoulders slump in a defeated gesture. “I hope you can forgive me.” I tap my chin and pretend to ponder. Mason is looking at me expectantly. Of course, I forgive him, but I have to make it clear that we’re just friends. He’s fun to be around with and I think we could really be good friends. “Tell me that you acted like a jerk. Say it,” I demand. His eyes widen in surprise. “Uh…I acted like a jerk?” “Not like that,” I huff, rolling my eyes and folding my arms across my chest for a good measure. “Say, Penny, I acted like a jerk. I’m begging for your forgiveness.” “Wait, begging? Uh…if I didn’t say that would you still forgive me?” his eyes stray to my chest. I scowl at him and he looks up, looking sheepish and guilty and quickly raises both hands in a surrender sign. “Okay, okay…Penny, I acted like a jerk. I’m begging for your forgiveness.”

Wow, this is fun! “Say Mason is such an asshat, inconsiderate assh0le. Penny is awesome, smart…” “Nope, I’m not saying that,” he says before I could finish. I glare at him and he quickly says, “Okay!!! Mason is such an asshat, inconsiderate, stupid jerk and an assh0le. Penny is awesome, beautiful, smart, clever, hot, brilliant…did I mention awesome? Yeah, all around the most awesome girl ever. Now, will you forgive me?” My smile gets wider with each of his words. “Okay, now say….” “Penny..” he groans, putting his head in his hands. “Okay, okay…I forgive you.” His eyes brighten and a big grin spread across his face. “Look, Mase, I really like you…as a friend. I’m not looking for a boyfriend. Can we be friends again?” I just want to put everything behind us and go back to the way things were before. “Yeah, okay. Friends,” he sighs looking slightly glum again. “Try not to be a jerk again,” I tell him. “I’ll try not to be a jerk again…though I might at some point.”

“Great!” I nod, giving him a bright smile. Oh, I know he’ll be a jerk again at some point. He’s a guy after all. Men just can’t help themselves. I’m glad we’re good again, though. “So…anyway, uh..you and Darius..” Nosy. I sigh and say, “it’s complicated.” “Okay,” he says as if he’s expecting me to elaborate, but my relationship with Darius is not something I want to discuss with anybody, especially not with a human. “What are your plans for today?” I ask him instead. “My cousin just moved into a new apartment. I’m supposed to be there soon and help him carry the sofa and all the heavy stuff. We’re going to have some drinks and chill afterward,” he says. “Hey, why don’t you join us?” he asks suddenly brightens up. “Unless you have some other things planned,” he adds, suddenly looking hesitant and uncertain. No, I don’t have anything planned for today. Sunday is usually the day for the lycans and me to train or laze around by the pool. “That’s cool. Who’s going to be there?” I don’t want to join in if his whole family is going to be there. I slide the peach danish that he has been eyeing towards him. “Just a couple of other guys, and probably their girlfriends too.” He smiles gratefully before he bites into the yummy looking pastry.

“I can come and help carry stuff, but I can’t stay too long.” I don’t think I want to spend my whole Sunday with a bunch of strangers. He looks skeptical when I mention that I’d help carry stuff. I almost laugh. I could probably carry the whole sofa by myself, but I’m not going to tell him that. We decided to take separate cars since I don’t want to leave Caspian’s car on campus. I also want to be able to leave whenever I want to. Mason gets so excited when he sees the shiny red Porsche. He’s practically drooling all over it until he found out that it belongs to one of my guy “friends”. He acts less enthusiastic after that. I think Darius and I ruined the meaning of the word “friends” for him…or he doesn’t believe when I said Caspian is just another friend of mine. We arrive in front of an apartment block in a trendy part of the town not ten minutes away from the cafe. It’s an older building. Thankfully it has a plenty of visitor’s parking space. Mason’s cousin lives on the second floor. Apartment 203. Mason knocks briefly and the door swings open. “You’re late!” says a girl about my age who opened the door for us.

“Good morning to you too, cousin! I’m not that late, Matthew said to be here around ten, it’s only…uh..thirty minutes after ten,” argues Mason checking the time on his phone. “Yeah, half an hour late,” the girl huffs. Mason ushers me forward and the girl stops glaring up at him. Her gaze shifts to me and her eyes grow bigger. “Uh..hi,” she gives a tentative almost shy smile. Her dark blue eyes shine with curiosity. “Penny, this pesky pest here is my cousin, Elle. We’re helping her brother, Matthew moving in today. Elle, this is Penny,” says Mason. Elle rolls her eyes at Mason and offers me her hand. “Hi Penny, nice to meet you,” she says. Elle is a plump girl with a cute round face. She must be around 5’2″. Her petite figure makes me feel like an awkward giant stick figure standing next to her. “Nice to meet you too, Elle,” I smile back, taking her hand. She’s dressed like she’s ready to work in worn blue jeans and a baggy t-shirt. Her long dark hair is tied up in a ponytail with a bandana. “Where is everybody?” asks Mason as he wanders further into the apartment. It’s pretty bare right now, save for a few boxes. “Like I said, you’re late. Matthew, Jaxson, and Ethan went to get more furniture without you,” answers Elle.

The apartment isn’t big. The living room is half the size of my bedroom. It’s nice and open though. The living room goes straight into a small galley kitchen. There’s a hallway just before the kitchen that I guess leads to a bedroom and a bathroom. “Hey, Mason. You’re late!” says another woman, walking out of a room with towels in her arms. She dumps the towels on the kitchen counter and stands to look at Mason then at me. “Penny, this is Toccara, Jaxson’s girlfriend. Toccara, this is Penny,” Mason introduces me to the woman who seems to be in her mid-twenties. Her curly black hair is tied back in a neat braid. Her dark brown eyes are looking between Mason and me curiously. “It’s nice to meet you, Penny. You’re very beautiful. It’s about time Mason introduces us to his girl,” she says slyly. Mason’s cheeks turn pink and I quickly correct her. “Uh, thank you….but Mason and I are just friends.” “Oh, okay,” she says. “Sorry for jumping into conclusions then,” she adds, but she’s still looking at Mason with that sly smile. Mason rubs the back of his neck looking sheepish. “Would you like some coffee, Penny?” offers Elle, gesturing at a coffee maker sitting on the kitchen counter. “You have to drink out of the glass though. We found the coffee maker and a few glasses, but we can’t find the box where my

idiot brother packed the mugs in,” she points at her own glass of coffee. “No, thanks. I just had coffee,” I decline. “So, how long have you known Mason?” asks Toccara. The door swings open before I could answer and a tall skinny guy walks in carrying sofa cushions. He is followed by an another man walking backward carrying one end of a bookcase. Another end of the bookcase appears with another man who is sweating bullets by the look of it. The two men set the bookcase down and turn to look at us. A sweet scent mixed with the smell of sweat assault my senses. Dark blue eyes are staring at me and I stop breathing. Oh, Goddess, I think I’ve found my mate. “You’re late man!” says the tall man, dropping the cushions right in the middle of the living room. “Yeah, why don’t you just show up an hour from now just for the free pizza and beer?” asks the sweaty guy, fanning himself. The dark blue eyed guy is just standing there still staring at me. My mate. Our eyes locked. I find it hard to believe. My heart is racing. Mate. “Oh, can I?” Mason asks, only to be met with angry glares from the sweaty guy and the girls. “Okay, sorry, guys,” says Mason, looking apologetic.

“Oh, hey…who’s your friend?” says the tall skinny guy suddenly looking at me. A slow flirty smile form on his lips. I have to drag my eyes away from those dark blue gaze to look at the other guy. “Jaxson Alexander Johnson, your girlfriend is standing right here!” yells Toccara, slapping the back of his head with a loud smack. “Owww…what’s wrong with you woman? You’re so violent. I was just being friendly,” the man yells back, rubbing his head furiously. “That hurts!” “Friendly my ass,” mutters Toccara. “Oh, yeah..guys, meet Penny. Penny, this is Jaxson,” says Mason, tilting his head towards the tall lanky guy aka Toccara’s boyfriend. “That over there is Elle’s boyfriend, Ethan,” he points to the sweaty red haired guy whose face is still flushed from carrying the bookcase. Finally, he turns to look at the dark blue eyed guy who is still staring at me and says, “…and this one here is my cousin Matthew.” So his name is Matthew. I notice Mason frowning at his cousin as I say hi to everyone.

“Nice. She’s seriously hot, man..I didn’t think you had it in you,” mutters Jaxson, slapping Mason’s back. I think Matthew heard it too as he straightens up and clears his throat. “Nice of you to come by Penny. I didn’t know Mason was seeing somebody,” says Matthew. “Uh, we’re not seeing each other. Mason and I are just friends,” I quickly clarify. Again. “Oh, really?” he raises his eyes back to look at me. Is it just me, or is he suddenly looking a lot more cheerful? The guys stop to have a drink before they resume carrying heavy stuff up from the back of the u-haul truck that they rented. I finally manage to have a good look at him. My mate. He’s in his mid-twenties. He looks nothing like Darius. His dark brown hair is straight and seems to flop to one side. His eyes are the color of a dark blue sky on the verge of a thunderstorm, while Darius’s are of a light blue sky on a clear sunny day. His face is softly rounded, not sharply chiseled like Darius. His body isn’t muscled like Darius, but not as chubby as his sister. He’s about 5’11”, an inch or two inches taller than I am. Everything about him is attractive to me. His eyes, his smile, his smell, even his floppy hair…everything. A human mate. Maybe that’s just what I need. A sweet normal next door type of guy. Not a dangerous and attract attention everywhere he goes type like Darius. Nice, open and friendly,

not brooding and mysterious like Darius. A human, not a lycan warrior. Not larger than life like Darius. After resting, the guys start carrying the furniture in. Mason helps them this time. The four of them are sweating and breathing fast after a bedframe, a queen size mattress, several chairs, a study table, a tv, and a really big heavy sofa with floral pink cushions that he inherited from his grandmother, according to Elle. Everything seems to be brand new except for the sofa. I try not to laugh. I can hear their racing heartbeats. I think Mason is the only athletic guy in the bunch. I could’ve easily carried everything by myself without breaking a sweat, but I think I enjoyed watching them struggle. I’m evil, I know. Besides, what explanation could I offer them? I don’t think a normal human girl could carry all those by herself in half the time the guys did it without even breaking a sweat. We open up the boxes and help Matthew put things away. We joke about how he wouldn’t be able to find things later when he needs them. Our eyes constantly stray towards each other and I think others start to notice. I don’t know what everyone else thinks, but Mason doesn’t look very pleased. Not that I care.

Chapter 20 – Opposite Attracts I’m sitting on the floor in front of a bookcase with a box filled with books in Matthew’s living room. I’m trying to figure out if I should arrange them by author’s names or by genre. He has

quite a selection of science fictions, biographies, autobiographies, histories, horrors, satires and anthologies. “Hey,” he says, crouching next to me. His eyes right away train on my face. “Need help with that?” he asks. “Yeah, I need help. Desperately. I have no clue how to put these books on this bookcase,” I tease him. I know he’s just looking at for an excuse to be close and talk to me. His cheeks flooded with color at my teasing. Awww…he’s blushing. My mate is so cute! We just met and I already know how to handle him. I feel in control. This feels different. For so long things are out of my control in my life. I feel like I’m being swept up in a tornado with no control when I’m with Darius. With Darius, he’s the force. With Matthew, I’m that force. Why am I still thinking about him? Shouldn’t I be cured of him once I found my mate? It’s so weird to feel something so strong for two guys. Both feel different. “So, how would you like me to do this? By color? By size? What are these coloring books doing here? Do you like coloring? Crayons or markers?” I ask. His color deepens, but he laughs. He has a beautiful laugh. “Neither. Elle gave me those as a birthday gift. She said I need to chill and claimed that coloring is just the right therapy for me.”

He sits next to me and we start to arrange the books together. Conversation flows easily between us. Our hands touched and the heat and electricity zap up my arm. He pulls his hand away quickly and he looks surprised. As we continue to put the books away, I become aware of his gaze on me. Once in a while, I caught a bemused expression on his face. “Are you done, Penny?” asks Mason. He’s been looking like something has crawled up his *ss all afternoon. “You told me this morning that you can’t stay too long.” Go away, Mason! Just go away! “I’m just going to help a bit more, then I’ll go,” I frown up at him. He’d better not be a jerk again. “I have somewhere to be. I have to leave soon,” he says. “You can leave anytime you want. I drove a car here, remember?” Duh! “Yeah, how can I forget. You drove your friend’s Porsche,” he huffs, emphasizing the word friend. What the hell is wrong with him? He spends the next ten minutes scowling. Then he walks out, banging the door behind him. Everyone stares at the door then turn to look at me and Matthew still sitting on the floor. What is his problem??? Gosh, what a drama queen. I turn my attention back to Matthew.

Maybe I should be thankful that my mate is a human. If he’s a werewolf, he would probably be all possessive and be counting the minutes when he could claim me already. With a human, he doesn’t really understand what’s going on. I think he’s terribly attracted to me and feel the pull, but doesn’t understand why. The problem is, how do I break it to him eventually about what I really am? Not many humans are aware of the existence of werewolves, lycans, Fae and other creatures in this world. So many are oblivious to our existence and we’d like to keep it that way. Everybody left around three pm. and I’m still here at Matthew’s. He seems reluctant to let me go and I’m not too eager to leave. We mostly talk and stare at each other, then talk some more. I found out that Matthew is 27 years old. He’s a history teacher at a high school. His parents are both teachers. His sister Elle, whom I met today is my age, 21. Elle goes to the same college as me though I never noticed her around school before. He has another younger sister Taylor, 18. Jaxson is his best friend since ninth grade. He loves sports but doesn’t play any kind of sports himself. He likes reading and loves horror movies. His all time favorite movie is The Shining. His idea of a fun night is watching sports on tv with his buddies or staying home, watching movies or reading. He also loves fishing.

I don’t watch sports on tv, but I like exercising. I love to do fight and weapon training till I drop with exhaustion. I’m not a fan of horror movies. I sorta like reading, but sitting in one place for too long makes me restless. I like staying home watching movies, only when I have my friends around me and they make it fun. I love partying. Sitting in one spot, waiting for fish to take the bait would totally bore me to death. I told him I do like eating fish, though. We’re almost the total opposite, but somehow it works. We complement each other and we never seem to run out of things to talk about. We just clicked. A sudden thought occurs to me. “Matthew, I have to ask you something,” I tell him seriously. “Okay,” he looks worried. “Do you like fries?” “What?” “Do you like french fries?” “Huh, yeah….I like fries,” he answers cautiously. “Is that a trick question?” “Oh Phew!!! Good, coz I don’t know if I can be friends with people who don’t like fries,” I say. What a relief! “Oh,” he looks confused for a second. Then he smiles and says, “then I love fries!”

“Good, good..it’s not a deal breaker, but close enough,” I explain while looking at the time on my phone. “I think I should go,” I slowly got to my feet. “Uh…okay. You have somewhere to be now?” he rises to his feet. “Not really, but I’ve been here long enough.” “Okay…” he says slowly. “Oh, hey…since you’re not in a hurry to be somewhere, would you like to come with me for some icecream or something? I know this place that makes great Gelato.” I smile and nod my head. I’m not ready to end my time with him. Matthew whistles when he sees Caspian’s shiny red Porsche. “Wow, sweet ride.” “It’s not mine,” I reply. He looks at me with questioning eyes, so I answer, “It belongs to a friend.” I know he has more questions. I guess not many people let their friends drive their Porsches. Well, not many people are friends with a lycan Prince. “He’s very generous to lend you his Porsche,” he says casually.

“Yeah, he’s okay,” I answer. I think he’s fishing for more information I’m not willing to give. I think I just confirmed his suspicion that this “friend” is a man. The place that Matthew brought me to is simply called Gelato House. It really does make very good gelato. It almost rivaled the gelato I had in Rome while sitting at a table outside a café in Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina. I was there with my lycan friends last Summer. I also found out that Matthew and his family used to live just a town over where my pack is. They moved here when he was ten. I wonder if that means we could’ve met sooner had his family stayed where they were. He’s just so easy to be around and adorable. His dark blue eyes seem so open and expressive. I feel so giddy yet there’s a niggling feeling of guilt too. Darius. I’m driving slowly, and the closer I get to home the stronger the sadness I feel in my chest and the guilt in the pit of my stomach. No, Penny. You’re stronger than this and you have a mate now. I don’t belong to him. I don’t belong to him. I don’t belong to him. He made his choices. Mine is clear. I have to move on. I guess it means it really is over between us. Would he go back to Polina? Maybe he’d go back to one of those lycan women who would jump at the chance to be with him. The thought of that makes me want to howl in rage and sadness. I want to

scratch their eyeballs out. All of them. Everything in me screams that he’s mine! How can I not be over him yet? Will I ever be over him? This is not the way I imagined what would happen when I found my mate. I imagined being over the moon about it and forget all my feelings for Darius. It’s almost six pm by the time I pull in the driveway. I told Genesis that I’ll be back around five when she texted me asking when I’m going to be home. Yikes! That was an hour ago. “Hey, Beany! Where have you been? I’m starving!” says Caspian as soon as he sees me. Oh, no…they’ve been waiting for me to start dinner. Everybody is in the great room while I can hear Anya and another woman busy setting the table and getting the food out in the dining hall. I feel kinda guilty for being an hour later than I told them I’d be home. I’m also not that hungry from all the gelato that I had with Matthew earlier. I don’t have the heart to tell them that though. “Sorry, I’m late. What’s for dinner? Smells good!” I say instead as I take my seat at the dinner table. I avoid looking at Darius. Anya serves us lobster bisque soup for starter. The smell is awesome. “So we’re planning to visit Asia on our next school holiday,” I hear Genesis announces enthusiastically as I spread the crisp white linen napkin on my lap. “We’ve done Europe and North

America, so why not Asia this time, right? What do you think Penny?” I raise my chin up and meet seven pairs of eyes looking back at me. Obviously, they’ve discussed this while I was out. “We’ll do Tokyo, Fuji-san, Kyoto, skiing in Hokkaido, Osaka, Seoul…oohh, oohh…Maldives,” rattles Genesis. Usually, I would be excited about our trips, but this time I’m just conflicted. World trips with my lycan friends are usually exciting. Expect the unexpected. Lazarus and Constantine would opt for unchartered territories and adventures. Caspian would insist on travel in style and luxury. The best money could offer. Genesis, Serena and I would be up for anything. Looking into their questioning eyes, I realized that I won’t be joining them on any more trips. I’ll be living in a human world. We might move to live among the werewolves in my pack if my mate agrees. They’re still waiting for my answer. “Well, we can always go to other parts of the world if you don’t feel like doing Asia,” says Serena softly, mistaken my silence for disapproval of their choices. “We could always go back to Monaco,” says Caspian with a grin. The others groan. Oh, we all know how much he enjoyed Monaco. He has a magnificent private estate facing the Mediterranean and a yacht in Monaco harbor, not to mention several gorgeous female lycan “friends” keeping him very occupied while we were there the last couple of times.

“Come on Beanie,” says Caspian, nudging my foot. “I’ve found my mate,” I blurt out. There’s a clang of a spoon hitting the bowl then the whole room suddenly goes silent. My eyes automatically flash to Darius. He’s as still as a statue. Seconds ticked by while nobody makes any sound. “Who…what is he?” it’s surprisingly Lazarus who breaks the silence. “A human,” I breathe. Why does he look so angry? “He’s a human.” Caspian stands up and a big bowl of steaming soup flies across the room to smash against the natural stone wall. I cringe as the sound of splintering bowl reverberated through the house. Then the whole table collapsed as he banged his fists against it with a roar. Fine china, crystal glasses, food, drinks, and cutlery slide down with an ear-splitting crashing sound. The thick creamy orange soup splattered on the wall, the pristine white table cloth, on us, spreading on the floor…everywhere. “I’ll mark her myself,” Caspian growls furiously, taking a step in my direction. Oh no… “She’s not yours to mark,” Darius hisses as he steps in threateningly front of the crazed looking Caspian. Both facing off each other, looking very intimidating. They’re staring each other down.

I gulp nervously, but I’m ready to jump in to stop them if they decide to fight. Getting in the middle of two fighting lycans would end up badly for me, but I don’t want either of them to get hurt. Almost a full minute passed before Caspian finally steps back. Before he stalks out, Caspian growls again and gives the massive crystal chandelier in the middle of the dining room a quick swipe. The gleaming crystal chandelier crashes into shards and splinters on top of the whole mess. Lazarus followed him out without another word right after. Darius still doesn’t move a muscle. He’s not even looking at me. His nostril flares. His eyes as black as midnight. Cold and soulless. His body suddenly shakes and black veins around his eyes appear darker and snake further across his face, neck, and body and in a flash, he’s gone. Just gone. The wave of furious energy he radiated was so strong that if I was standing, I would’ve collapsed in a heap on the floor. I take a deep shaky breath as I look around. The rest of us who are still sitting there look ridiculous. Sitting with napkins on our laps around a broken dining table…well, we’re sitting around a big mess now. Eva is still holding her soup spoon. I feel like laughing hysterically…or sobbing hysterically. I can’t decide which one yet. Genesis sits there with a flushed face and a trembling lower lip. Constantine’s face is taut. Genesis moves first. Pushing the chair back with a loud scraping sound, throwing her napkin on the floor, then she runs out. Constantine stalks out right after her.

The table is now cleared except for Serena and Eva. I feel sick. Did my best friend just leave? A sob rises in my throat, but I swallow it down. This is not what I envisioned would happen when I announce that I’ve found my mate. I don’t know what I expected from Darius, but I didn’t expect this. Not from anybody. Wow, I never thought I could clear up a room as quickly as announcing a mate. I don’t get it. I didn’t think everyone would be so pissed off about it. Why can’t they be happy for me? Why did they behave as if I just announced somebody just died instead of me found my mate? Eva flashes me a sympathetic, yet puzzled look before she awkwardly excuses herself as well. Serena sits there with an unreadable look on her face. “Why?” I ask her. It takes her a while to answer my question. “We’re not mad at you. We weren’t expecting it. It was a shock to us. We accepted that you belonged to us. With us…for years,” she says. “We just need time to…to accept the situation,” she adds. “I’m sorry,” she excuses herself and walks stiffly out. It’s after midnight. I’m sitting on the lounge chair staring at the blue depth of the pool, hugging my knees to my chest. The house is awfully quiet. The house is normally quiet when everybody has gone to bed, but not quite like this. This quiet is deafening and suffocating.

Darius. I couldn’t forget how dangerous he looked tonight. Just thinking about him breaks my heart. I still want him. In my head, I still feel like I belong to him. I guess I’m so used to feeling that way, it’s hard to think otherwise. This connection that we have is so strong, at least on my part. Serena once told me that the lycans would feel it more than the werewolf, and the humans feel it even less so, but I doubt it. I doubt Darius feels the pull more than I do. If he did, he wouldn’t have done what he did and broke my heart. The connection is strong, but I’ll be stronger. It’ll go away soon. The closer I get to Matthew, the less my connection to Darius would be. One day it’ll just be a distant memory. The rest of the lycans. They would come around, wouldn’t they? If they see how happy I am with Matthew, surely they’d be happy for me too? Matthew. I’m tempted to give him a call, but I don’t know him enough. It’s late, would it seem weird if I called him now? Would it scare him away? I wake up on the lounge chair in the early hours of the morning with trails of dried tears on my face. My hair slightly damp from the dew. The house is still empty. Nobody is at the breakfast table today. The whole house is completely quiet except for stiff-lipped Anya who poured me coffee and quietly placed a stack of pancakes in front of me. My appetite has left me, just like everyone in this house. I take a sip of the coffee and leave the table. This big ass mansion doesn’t feel like home without them in it. It’s cold, empty, and grim.

I have a class with Lily, Amanda, and Keisha again this morning. I sit at my usual table. My pensive mood must be showing clearly on my face since nobody dares to say a word to me. Not even Amanda and Keisha have the nerve to piss me off yet today. Mason is waiting for me just outside the lecture hall when I got out. I pretend not to see him as I walk past him, but he catches up to me. “Hi, Penny.” “I don’t know you.” “Awww…Penny. Don’t be like that. I’ll buy you lunch,” he says. That’s bribery, but I’ll take it. I think I’m just desperate for interactions…even with a jerk. “So…you like Matthew, huh?” “Really none of your business, Mason,” I feel my ire rise again. “Okay, I know…but I thought you said you weren’t looking for a boyfriend? Why Matthew?” “I wasn’t, but I like Matthew, okay? And why not Matthew?” “Because. Matthew is just Matthew…you know? Girls don’t just “like” Matthew like that.” Well, too bad for them and good for me.

“He’s the last person I’d expect I’d lose a girl to,” he adds sourly. “I’m not your girl, Mason.” “Yeah,” he says. “Did Matthew tell you why he moved? Did he tell you about Cece?” “Who’s Cece?” His eyes light up. Oh uh..do I want to hear about this? “Cece’s Matthew’s girlfriend. They’d been living together. They decided to take a break from each other. So, he moved out,” he explains. “Okay, so that makes her his ex-girlfriend,” I say, shrugging my shoulders as if I didn’t care. I feel a pang of jealousy. I can’t help it, but then again Matthew is 27, so I can’t hold his past against him. “Penny, they’ve been together since Sophomore year university. They do this shit all the time. Over and over again. Breaking up or taking a break from each other, then a few weeks, or a month or two later they’re back together.” I take a deep breath. Why are things so complicated all the time? Why can’t things be easy for once? I’m too tired to deal with this kinda shitz now. “I didn’t mean to upset you, but I thought you should know what you’re getting yourself into.”

I square my shoulders and straighten my back and decide. Nope! Things are going to be different this time. I’m here now. They’re not getting back together. Ever! He’s mine!

Chapter 21 – Subtle Like a Walrus I am now regretting coming for lunch with Mason. I have so many thoughts running through my head. Too much on my plate. Too many things wrong with my world right now. Mason goes to order us lunch after he dropped the bomb about Matthew and his ex-girlfriend, Cece. The food court is busy at this time of the day, so I remain at my seat to make sure we won’t lose the table. What I really feel like doing is to kick Mason in the fvcking mouth and leave him to bleed to death. The only thing that’s stopping me now is that stupid free lunch he promised me earlier. I want to see Matthew right away to get things about his exgirlfriend cleared up, but I don’t want to sound desperate or clingy and scare him off. I have a rule against texting a guy first. I broke that rule today. I’m texting him. Penny: Hey? I get my reply just a few seconds later. Matthew: Hi, Penny. How are you? Penny: Good. What’s up?

Matthew: Nothing much. Forgot to bring lunch, so brown goo from the cafeteria for lunch. Yay! Is that a joke? I’m not too sure. So, I type: Wow, brown goo. Yummm! Want to meet up for green goo later? Sheesh…does that sound desperate? Green goo? Seriously, Penny? What’s that? I delete that. I fiddle around trying to think of the right thing to say to ask a guy out. I never had this kinda problem with men before. Oh, Penny…just grow a pair and do it already! Penny: Do you want to hang out sometime? Eeekk…There! Matthew: Yes, sure. I’d like that. Yesss!!!! Matthew: When are you free? NOW!!! Right now! Right now!!! Penny: Whenever. I have one more class for today, then I’m done. Matthew: Great. I’m not too far away from campus. School is out at 3.30 pm. Penny: Club Espresso Degree at four?

Matthew: Sounds great YESSSS!!!! I think I sounded cool there. I slid the phone into my pocket just as Mason make it back with my pepperoni pizza, a foot long chili cheese dog, fried chicken, fries, brownies with yummy chocolate chunks and a can of Dr Pepper. Yeah, so I wish I’ve ordered more. “Remind me not to offer you free lunch again,” says Mason, eyeing me lifting the foot long chili cheese dog to my mouth. “What? I didn’t have breakfast this morning,” I scowl at him. Okay, so I totally would still eat like this even if I had breakfast. “Thanks for lunch,” I mumble through a mouthful of the warm yummy meat, buns, and gooey cheese goodness. I really wish I’ve ordered more. He definitely should be paying more for being such a jerk, sucky friend, and a blabbermouth. It’s fifteen minutes after four and I’m sitting by myself at a table at Club Espresso Degree, a popular cafe on campus. I’m sipping my mango sunrise smoothie while looking around. Matthew is late and I’m a bit pissed. Fifteen minutes! No guys ever made me wait. Like ever. A group of four guys a couple of tables over is talking about me. I can hear them. Bless my werewolf hearing. They’re giving me a ten and calling me a walking wet dream. They’re egging and daring one guy to come over and ask for my number. They keep glancing at me and I try not to smirk.

Don’t come over, bud or I’m going have to shoot you down. Save yourself from the embarrassment and save me from the trouble. I sigh. It’s nice to have my ego stroked by strangers when the men that I really wanted the attention from aren’t giving me any. At least I know I’m not hideous. Still, not what I truly wanted. I’m contemplating leaving when Matthew comes barrelling in. His eyes anxiously looking around the cafe. When he spotted me, he quickly walks over. I can hear his heartbeat beating fast. He must have run from his car to the cafe. I’m fuming. Twenty minutes late! “Thank goodness you’re still here,” he says after catching his breaths as he sits on a chair right across from me. “I’m sorry I’m late. I had to deal with some stuff after school today,” he adds, looking guilty and apologetic. His white button-up shirt looks wrinkled and a bit crooked with a few buttons undone. His dark brown hair is windblown though still flops to one side. How can I stay mad when he looks so cute like that? Besides, he probably had to deal with his students. “Okay, but just for that you’re buying your own smoothie,” I tell him. He bought himself a sandwich and a can of pop.

We talk about our day and I bring up the topic of his new living arrangement, giving him the opening and the chance to talk about Cece. So far he’s not taking the bait. “So…where were you living before you moved into the apartment?” I ask him, not giving up on my attempt at subtlety. “Not far from my new apartment…just five minutes up the street,” he answers, taking a bite out of his club sandwich. Oh, I give up! I’m done pussyfooting around. I realize now how much I hate subtleties. I don’t have the patience. I have the subtlety of a walrus. Simply put, I suck at it. Big time. “Mason told me about your girlfriend.” There! I’m subtle like a walrus. I’m awesome like that. He starts coughing when his sandwich went the wrong way and he quickly reaches for his soda. He takes a big gulp of his drink then raises his dark blue eyes to me. “He did?” he asks. “Mason told you about Cece?” “Your cousin has a big mouth. Yeah he did,” I confirm. “Oh,” he says, looking away. “So, is it over now between you two?” “Uh, yeah…I moved out,” he replies. That doesn’t sound convincing enough to me. “Look, Matthew. I know we just met yesterday, but I like you.”

“You do?” he asks. His face breaks into a big smile. “Wow…” “Yeah…but, I don’t want to be stepping on anyone’s toes. If you’re already in a relationship, I need to know.” So that I could tie her up to a boulder rock and drop her into the ocean and she could get eaten by the fishies. Preferably by a great white shark. His smile dims and he seems to be conflicted. He rubs both hands over his face, then he pushes them through his hair. It’s funny how his hair flops back to one side as soon as he pulls his fingers out. It’s freaking endearing. “Wow,” he says again. “I never thought I’d find myself in this situation.” He goes quiet for a few seconds as if he’s contemplating what to say next. “I’ve never been with anyone else except for Cece. I never thought another girl would be interested in me,” he says. I highly doubt it. He’s so cute, I bet hundreds of girls are interested. “Especially a girl like you,” he adds. A girl like me? What does he mean a girl like me? “What’s wrong with a girl like me?” I scowl at him. “I didn’t mean anything bad,” he quickly answers, raising his both hands up. “I mean you’re beautiful…I mean, okay, you’re more than that,” he says. “I’m very attracted to you. I thought of you a lot last night and today..” His cheeks and his ears are turning beet red. His eyes are looking elsewhere but at me. He looks like he wants to run out of the cafe right now.

“Well, I’m attracted to you too, Matthew,” I tell him point blank. His eyes light up and there’s that smile again. “So…Cece?” I remind him. “Oh, yeah…right,” he says. “Cece’s my first girlfriend. She’s my first everything,” now his whole face turns red. “We’ve been together for a long time…almost seven years now.” “So I guess you’re getting back together again sometime in the future, huh?” Please don’t break my heart. “I don’t know, Penny. We’ve been doing this for a while now. On and off again. It’s not healthy,” he sighs. “Sometimes I think we’ve taken each other for granted. Our last fight was the worst. She wouldn’t let me move out, but I need space.” He grows quiet for a while as if contemplating whether he should go on. “She came after school today to talk. That’s why I was a bit late. I’m sorry, but she just showed up…I can’t just leave. I’m really glad to be here with you now, though.” Swell! Just swell. I reach home around seven pm. I think I’m anxious to find out if I’m coming back to an empty house. I strained my ears and I can hear their quiet voices as soon as I step out of the car. The conversation stops as soon as I turn the antique copper knob of the big heavy front doors. My footsteps seem to echo throughout the house.

All of them are sitting around in the great room, quiet and unmoving. Unearthly stunningly beautiful looking, all of them. They look like perfect statues, it’s unnerving. I happen to glance at our formal dining area. The destroyed dining table has been replaced by a new solid one. A huge array of brightly colored fresh exotic flowers in a big white ceramic bowl sits in the middle of it. A grand, gleaming crystal chandelier is hanging low in place of the broken one. It looks as if last night never happened. “Hey,” I start. All of them turn their heads around to look at me. That’s when I notice that Darius and Eva aren’t here. “I think us girls need to talk to our sister,” announces Genesis. Her voice sounds clipped and authoritative for once. At first, I wasn’t sure to whom she was addressing to, but the men quietly get up and leave. Only Serena remain seated on the sofa next to her. I move to take a chair across from them, but she moves to create a space between the two of them and indicates that I should sit there. As soon as I sit next o her, I notice her slightly red and puffy eyelids. She had been crying. Oh, Genesis… “I’m sorry for last night,” she says. She takes a deep breath and continues, “I should be more supportive of you. I should be happy for you.” That sounded very rehearsed. It doesn’t sound like she really means it, so I reply sharply, “Yes, you should. You’re my best friend, I thought you’d be more supportive.”

“Well, excuse me,” she snaps back. “Leaving my parents, my sister, Reese, and River was hard, but I thought I still had you. You’re not just my best friend, you’re my sister. You’re almost a part of the pack. I thought I was going to have you for as long as I live. We were supposed to die together. I knew that you might find your mate one day, but then again I didn’t. I didn’t see it coming. I’m sorry I got upset. I can’t help it. I wanted to be with you forever. It was selfish of me, okay?” We’re both grow quiet after her outburst. Her bottom lip quivers, but she continues, “I thought things were going smoothly with you and Darius. I really didn’t see it coming. I’m sorry.” “Things weren’t going smoothly between Darius and me.” “Why didn’t you talk to us, Penny?” she asks. “I felt like I was slowly losing you these last few weeks. You didn’t spend much time with us anymore. I didn’t want to say anything because I thought I should give you some space. I thought you’ll come back to us. Maybe I should’ve said something. I should’ve interfered…it’s all my fault.” I hang my head in guilt. It’s not her fault. I wanted to keep things to myself. I’d been too busy trying to forget and prove to myself that I don’t need Darius, especially lately. I’d been out partying every weekend like there’s no tomorrow since we moved here. So determined to forget about Darius by drinking and seeing other guys, I turned down their invitations to do things together. I know I hardly spend time with them anymore.

Genesis places her fingers on her eyebrows as if she’s having a headache. “Anyway, I’m sorry for losing it…again. I should be happy for you. I mean, I will be happy for you. All of us will, once we get over our selfish and possessive needs to keep you with us,” she continues. “We just need some time to get used to the idea that you’re not part of the pack and that we’re losing you forever.” Her voice breaks at the end and I know she’s trying hard not to burst out into tears again. “We can always see each other… sometimes..” Even as I’m saying those words, I know they’re not true. They’re just words. “Penny, humans aren’t even aware that we exist,” she says after taking another deep breath. “I know you will go where your mate goes. You’ll be living among the humans. You won’t be part of our pack. Where we’re going, you won’t be coming.” I’m very aware of that. At any given moments the lycans would be up and gone. I’ll never see them again, especially when Caspian or Constantine is crowned king. We know that could happen at any moment. It’s something we never talked about but totally understood. It wouldn’t be too long before they would be all be summoned back to Banehallow Palace. No humans ever set foot there. Humans aren’t meant to be in a lycan world. Fae are known to kidnap and keep humans as their playthings. Lycans tend to stay away from humans. It’s an act of kindness. Lycans are known as monsters for a reason. Lycans don’t play by human rules. Lycan’s world is violent. The lycans appear so

cultured, refined, and sophisticated, but their beautiful appearances are a front for a very scary barbaric animal residing inside, not too far from the surface. It’s the survival of the fittest and the most powerful. The pack is as strong as its members. The extermination of a member could mean the destruction of a whole pack. Lycan packs are small, therefore each pack member has to be strong. It makes sense that the erasthais turn into lycans. A human in a lycan pack wouldn’t last long. He would be the target of the enemy. I’m not really a member of their pack yet, but I’m with them and treated as one. Right now as a werewolf, I am their weakest link and I’m still at least twice as strong as a full grown male human. I would be a fool not to know that extra safety precautions were taken for my benefit every time we visited Russia. They are all so protective of me. The thought of never seeing them again hurts. So much. The thought of never seeing Darius again is ripping a hole in my heart no matter how much I try to deny it. “Matthew wants me. Darius doesn’t.” “You and Darius should have a good talk, Penny,” Serena finally pipes in. “He clammed up every time I wanted to talk. He never wanted to talk. He never explains anything to me. He keeps everything to himself,” I exclaim frustratedly. “Anyway, it’s too late for that. I have Matthew now. I’m over it. I’ve moved on. It’s over now.”

“Is it?” asks Serena softly. “Our connection will go away one day. He doesn’t want me. He…he rather mate with another lycan,” I answer. “Besides, he has all those other women.” “Oh, you silly girl. This silliness has gone long enough. Do you even understand fully what erasthai means? Your connection to each other will never go away. An unmated lycan never let his erasthai go,” she says. “Except for a very sick one,” she adds bitterly. I know she’s talking about Milan. That bitch let rogues maul her human mate. Right now Serena sounds so much like a grandmother. If it’s not for her youthful stunning appearance, she would totally remind me of my abuela. “Tell me something, Penny. How does it feel when you let another male other than your erasthai or mate touched you sexually? Did you like it?” She doesn’t give me a chance to answer as she continues, “If you hated it, then he would’ve hated other female’s touches a lot more than you do. Whatever you feel for him, double that…or even triple that.” “He wanted nothing to do with me for over three years now,” I mumble back stubbornly. What does she want me to do? Serena tilt my face up with a finger under my chin. “I know, sweetie,” she says softly. “He’s so stubborn. All lycans are, but your Darius…I could kick him in the nuts.”

Both Genesis and I are staring at Serena with our mouths open. Huh! We never heard her say that. Serena’s lips twitch as she looks at both our expressions. She takes a deep breath and her expression grows sober again. “If you’re sure that’s what you want, then we will support you. If the human makes you happy, then we’ll be happy for you.” “Yes, we will,” echoes Genesis. Her thick eyelashes are covering her eyes as she’s staring at her folded hands on her lap. I can’t really tell what she’s really thinking, but her tone of voice is still not very convincing. Suddenly her eyes light up. “You know what? I think we should invite your mate over. We should all meet him,” she says. What??? No way. “Seriously?” My lycan family never allow humans near our sanctuary. Too much at stake. Serena looks at her warily, then something passes between them and suddenly Serena nods her head. “Yes, I think that’s a great idea,” she agrees. “As a matter of fact, why don’t we invite all his friends over as well?” “Yeah, after all, they’re going to be your…your…uh…new family soon,” suggests Genesis. The way she’s tripping over the word “new family” and the distaste on her face as she said it shows that she’s not liking the idea at all. I know it hurts her, but she’s making an effort. Besides, I do think that it’s a good idea. Once they see what a sweet person Matthew is, they’ll like him. I’m sure of it.

Chapter 22 – Humans, Lycans, and Werewolves

Things at home are kinda weird now. Everything seems to be “normal”, which is totally not normal since we’re never “normal”. The lycans are talking to me again, and I try to spend more time with them. However, I’ve got the feeling that things are not really how it used to be. The guys, especially Caspian, are still playful and trade insults with me, but things are different now. It almost felt like they’re holding out. As if they’re distancing themselves. They’re preparing themselves to say goodbye. They’re guarding themselves against getting hurt. I understand that because I’m doing the same thing. I’m preparing myself. I know pretty soon I’d feel like an outsider looking in. Some days it already feels that way. I know it’s not their fault. I’m not going to be one of them for much longer. For the last couple of nights since I blurt out that I’ve found my mate, I haven’t seen much of Darius. I know he hasn’t been sleeping in his room. I don’t know where he’s gone off to. I try not to care, but for some reason, it bothers me. I’m sitting at Club Espresso Degree Cafe with Matthew again on a Thursday evening. We’ve been spending a few hours every evening at the cafe together. We’ve agreed that we’re attracted to each other, but we’re not rushing it. I think what we’re having now is the attraction from the mate bond. Am I in love with Matthew? I don’t think so. Not yet, but I think I could easily fall for him the more we spend time together and the more we get to know each other. I’m happy that we get to spend time getting to know each other like this, but I’ve been wondering if he’s ever going to invite me his place again or out for dinner sometime. Do I have to be the

one who initiates everything in this relationship? Was that how his relationship with Cece worked? Oh, well…I guess it doesn’t matter because he’ll be coming over to our place tomorrow night. I know he thinks that he’s just coming over for a little party and he gets to meet my friends, and his friends get to meet mine. Only this is more than that. This is him meeting people who are more than just friends to me. These are the people who would put their lives on the line for me. Of that, I never doubt. “So, everybody’s coming tomorrow night, right?” By everybody, I mean Matthew’s best friend, Jaxson and his girlfriend Toccara, Matthew’s sister, Elle and her boyfriend Ethan, and Mason…well, because Mason is his cousin. “Yeah, they’ll be there. I’ve texted them your address,” answers Matthew as he takes my hand in his. I love the way my hand fits together in his and the thrill I feel just from our hands touching. “So what do you think about meeting my friends tomorrow night?” “I think that would be great. I would love to meet your friends. Mason told me that you live with a whole bunch of friends.” “Really? Mason told you that?” I frown. I wonder how Mason knew about that. I’m certain that I’ve never told him about it.

I think Serena is really enjoying herself organizing the party, even if it’s just a small one. All day long I’ve been seeing workers going back and forth on the main floor. I try to stay out of the way by lazying around the pool with Caspian and Genesis. Later on, they start to take over the backyard and the pool area as well. Oh well, it’s time for me to get up and get ready anyway. I go up to my room and shower to get rid of the sunscreen on my skin. I want to wear something casual but elegant for tonight. I chose a fun and flirty halter necked Betsey Johnson mini dress with a fitted bodice that flares out and tulles peeking out at the bottom. It ends a few inches above my knees and the light rose silk printed with tiny red florals looks great against my golden tan skin. I put nude colored heels on, a little makeup and let my hair tumble down in loose curls. Serena is already downstairs in a figure hugging navy sheath dress that stops just above her knees. The dress shows off her long legs. A pair of black suede Jimmy Choo heels graces her feet. Her golden hair is in a simple yet elegant updo. She looks breathtakingly beautiful, classy, and sexy. She’s giving instructions to two uniformed waiters by the buffet table. Thank goodness for that. If it’s up to Caspian, I suspect our wait staffs would be busty women in barely-there bikinis tottering around in high heels. Eva is on the phone by the pool. She’s looking amazing. Her hair is in a simple sleek ponytail. She has a pair of loose black chiffon pants with a silver camisole top on.

Genesis steps downstairs not long after. Her vivid red hair is in a loose messy bun. She has on a black one-piece Esteban Cortazar pantsuit that looks demure at the front, but the low plunging open back is quite scandalous. Naughty girl. “How did you ever make it out the door of your bedroom in this?” I ask her, knowing how possessive her mate is. “Constantine just saw the front,” she confides, linking her arm through mine. Her eyes light up mischievously. I spot Constantine, Caspian, and Lazarus in a deep conversation by their office door. Probably discussing the palace matters. They haven’t fully taken the responsibilities of the palace yet, but they already seem to be very busy now. The three of them look magnificent in their button up dark dress shirts and pants. “I’d better go and break the serious business talk they’re having,” says Genesis, letting go of my arm. I sense a movement from the corner of my eyes and feel his presence right away. I feel the heat of his eyes raking over me and I turn towards the staircase. Darius. Our eyes meet and lock. My heart lodged in my throat and I find it hard to breathe. It feels like it’s been ages since we last saw each other. I almost forgot how stunningly gorgeous he is. The black dress shirt looks so good on him. The material stretches over his glorious body. I know exactly how he looks underneath that shirt. His eyes are drinking me in like a thirsty man who just found water and I lower my gaze when I realized that I was doing the

same thing. I missed him. I hate myself for it, but I can’t help it. The pull I feel towards him is very strong. I grip my hands into fists, digging my nails into my palm painfully to stop myself from going to him. His sure graceful strides bring him a couple of feet in front of me as if he can’t stop himself. I look up again just in time to see the longing and the inner battle in his eyes before the shutters closed and his expression becomes unreadable. He’s so good at hiding his feelings with his cold stony expression. These last couple of weeks, I’ve learned not to read his expression, but to study his eyes. They tell me a lot more about him and his feelings. “Persephone,” he breathes. “Darius,” I acknowledge. My mouth suddenly feels dry. We stand there staring at each other. My heart is beating fast in my chest. I don’t know what else to say, but I can’t move away either. “You look beautiful,” he finally says. I can only stare at him in silence before I can find my voice, “Thank you.” His hand reaches up as if to touch me, something flashes in his eyes and he pulls back and takes a step back instead.

He’s about to walk away when I blurt out, “have you been sleeping?” That stops him on his track. I don’t know why I said that. Well, maybe I do. I don’t know. He turns back slowly to look at me. His lips curl up at the corners as he answers, “don’t worry about me, Malyshka.” “You haven’t been sleeping,” I say accusingly. He still looks good. He looks gorgeous, in fact. Not a single hair out of place, no bags under his eyes, no physical sign at all that tells the world that he hasn’t been sleeping. Yet, there’s something in the way he carries himself that tells me that everything is not as perfect as it seems. He is not okay. “Darius…” “You don’t have to worry about me. It’s not anything I’m not used to,” his smile is playful with a hint of smugness that I always interpreted as arrogance. It doesn’t even reach his eyes. There’s no amusement in them. “Enjoy yourself tonight,” he murmurs with a curt nod and walks away. This is the way it should be. Matthew is going to be here soon. It’s better this way. “The humans are here,” Caspian announces as he strolls casually over to the poolside. I can hear a few cars turning into our driveway.

A wait staff opens the massive front doors just as someone lifts the heavy copper knocker at the other side of the door, which ironically in the form of a wolf’s head. Matthew is standing outside holding a bottle of wine in his hand. All his other friends are standing behind him. “Hello,” I greet everybody. “Do come in!” I stand aside as an invitation for everybody to step inside. My eyes focus on him right away. He’s looking good in a white button-up dress shirt and black dress pants. I can see that he tried to tame his hair by combing it back, but the top is still going to one side. He is so cute. His dark eyes dance as they take me in. “You look beautiful,” he says as he hands me the bottle of wine. “Thank you,” I reply, immediately passing the bottle over it to the uniformed staff waiting by my elbow. “You cleaned up nicely yourself,” I smile at him. In fact, they’re all looking nice. Jaxson, Ethan, and Mason are all in smart dress shirts. Toccara is in a black long dress and high heels, while her curly hair is in a bun. Elle is wearing loose black pants with a blue sleeveless top. Her hair is down tonight, framing her round pretty face. I usher them inside through the foyer and the great room to the back where all the lycans are.

“So you live here?” asks Toccara. “Yeah,” I answer, noticing how they’re looking around the place in awe for the first time. It’s not the Banehallow palace, but the place is impressive, I suppose. The house is massive. Big original artworks hanging on the walls. The shiny marble floor reflects the pot lights and crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The sea breeze is blowing in through the eight widely opened thirteen-foot glass doors that lead to the pool area, facing the beach. The backyard is brightly lit with all the post lights and the lights from inside the pools and the hot tub. Even the potted plants are illuminated by lights. Water from the top tier swimming pool flows in a glowing cascading waterfall into the second pool. Solar tiki lights lined up the stone steps that lead down to our stretch of private beach. They’re busy looking at the surrounding until my lycan friends walk over and I see their jaws drop. Yeah, I know. They’re stunning and intimidating to look at. I quickly make the introductions. I can say that the party is going okay so far, though there seems to be an invisible line separating the lycans and the humans. Everybody seemed to be polite and tried to make small conversation, in the beginning, then they form into smaller groups. Serena and Genesis are making efforts to make

everybody feels comfortable. The men seem polite, yet aren’t making much effort. Ethan and Jaxson are by the buffet table. I can hear them whispering and yapping about “rich folks” while shelving the food into their plates. If only they knew that we can hear them. Darius, Constantine, and Lazarus are talking quietly by the pool. I find myself even more cautious with Darius. His eyes are full of fierce possessiveness every time they land on me. Sometimes our eyes meet and lock across the room. Even when I’m trying to give my undivided attention to Matthew, I can feel his sharp gaze following my every movement like a predator eyeing its prey. Caspian is sitting quietly on one of the lounge chairs, nursing a flute of wine in his hand broodingly. Sometimes his eyes flash to where I’m standing next to Matthew and among the humans. His eyes show hurt as if I was betraying him. I feel the same vibes coming from Lazarus and Constantine, even though they’re less obvious about it. I knew this isn’t going to be the greatest party ever, but as long as no furniture or food being thrown across the room, I’m good. Nothing has been broken and I consider it a success. I know I set my standard very low. Matthew is standing next to me with Genesis, Toccara, and Elle. He has been nothing but sweet and charming so far. He’s attentive and easy to like. I’m sure Genesis can see what a wonderful person he is. “So all of you live here together?” asks Elle.

“Yeah,” I answer. “Tell me, do you have to look a certain way to be qualified to live here?” asks Toccara, eyeing Darius, Constantine, and Lazarus, then Caspian who is still sulking by himself. Then her gaze moves over to where Serena and Eva who are talking to Mason. “Or is it something in the water or the food that you guys eat to make you look the way you look?” I like Toccara. She just says what she wants to say. She has no filter, just like me. Genesis and I share a look and we both laugh at her question. “Funny,” says Genesis. “Speaking of food, let’s get something to eat,” she ushers everyone towards the buffet table. Matthew holds me back when I’m about to go and join the others. “Is he living here too?” asks Matthew, tilting his head towards Caspian. “Yeah,” I answer. “What about him?” he’s looking at Darius whose eyes look up in time to watch us. I know he can hear us. “He’s…uh, just visiting,” I answer uneasily. “How long is he here for?”

“Hey, there you are. Why don’t we grab something to eat? I don’t know about you, but I’m famished,” says Serena appearing behind us. My eyes flash to hers and we exchange looks. My eyes conveying gratitude for the interruption. By the time we reach the buffet table, my eyes once again wander to where Darius is standing, but he’s gone. I breathe in his faint scent as the wind from the ocean blows in through the open doors. The atmosphere seems better after everybody had their feast and after a glass or two to drink. Everybody seems to be making an effort…well, maybe not everybody. Constantine and Lazarus are polite, yet reserved, Darius is still missing, Caspian is still brooding. I think Mason is trying to chat up Eva, even though the lycan warrior towers over him. Who could blame him? Eva is gorgeous. Mason is good looking, too bad lycans can’t hook up with random humans or werewolves. Matthew is awfully quiet after quizzing me about Darius. I can feel that it’s bothering him. Even when I’m walking him to his car, he’s still not talking much. “Are you okay?” I ask him when he presses the key fob to his car. “Yeah…” says Matthew, opening his car door. Then he turns around and says, “actually, no….is he your boyfriend? Or exboyfriend or something?”

“Who?” I ask, even though I have an idea who he’s talking about. “That boy, Darius. Is there anything going on between you two?” he demands to know. We slept together a couple of times, and I’m his erasthai. “Uh…no?” Why does my answer come out sounding like a question? “I mean he’s awfully good-looking, isn’t he?” he says. “Uh…” Is that a trick question? I don’t know how to answer that. “So, does the pretty boy always look at you like that?” Darius is beautiful, but I wouldn’t call him a pretty boy. If only Matthew knew. Darius might look like a 21-year-old, but he’s way older than that and he’s all man. Tall, tough and dangerous…and build…glorious body…full of hard muscles…pure masculine perfection… “Are you sure there’s nothing going on between you two?” he sounds even crankier when I failed to answer his last question. “Mathew, calm down. Why are you so worried about him?” “I’m fine, but I feel like there’s something between you two. It’s just…look at him. There’s no way I could compete with…that,” he throws out the last word with a mixture of jealousy and disgust.

“Why would you have to compete with Darius?” I laugh nervously. Gosh, that sounds so lame, even to my own ears. “Come on, Matthew…” “Okay, sorry…” he sighs. “Forget what I just said. I’m just being an insecure jerk. I’m probably just tired. It’s been a long day.” “Okay. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow?” “Okay. I’ll give you a call. Good night Penny,” he says, leaning in to give me a kiss. His lips are warm and soft. I feel the warmth spreading across my skin and the butterflies fluttering in my stomach. I pull back just as he’s about to deepen the kiss. “Good night, Matthew,” I whisper. I can see a disappointment in his eyes, but there’s somewhere else I have to be. There’s something I have to do first. Everybody seems to be relieved that the night is over. Everybody says goodnight and takes off not long after I got in. The workers start cleaning and clearing things up. Constantine kisses his mate on her forehead and leaves. Genesis has taken off her shoes and is lying on the sofa with a glass of drink in hand. There’s a faraway sad look in her eyes. I sit on the ottoman next to her. “He seems nice,” she says finally. “Is this really what you want? Does he make you happy, Penny?”

I just shrug my shoulders. I think so. “He does make me happy.” He’s very sweet and he wants to be with me. “Then I shall be happy for you,” she says it like a promise. She places her half-empty glass on the floor and takes my hand in hers. “Do what your heart tells you and be happy. I love you and all I really want is for you to be happy,” she squeezes my hand before she gracefully rises to her feet. “Good night, Penny.” I suspect this is the first time they’ve ever mingled like this with humans and I’m grateful that they’re making an effort. Even Caspian’s brooding presence. It must’ve taken quite an effort for the prince not to throw a massive tantrum tonight. I take my own shoes off, toss them somewhere behind the sofa and pad across the tile to the backyard. I walk past the busy workers, across the pool area, down the lit up stone steps until my feet sink into the soft sand of the beach. The moon and the stars are bright, but I pick up a solar light off the ground and walk down the lonely beach with it. Might as well bring a friend with me. I decided that the solar light is my friend and call it Jake. “Well, Jake. Let’s go for a walk.” My senses are filled with his faint scent, the sound of the waves hitting the shore, and the briny breeze from the sea as I walk the long stretch of the beach. I walk past the boundary of our property and keep walking for miles following my nose. I’m approaching a pier. A solitary figure with hair so fair it looks silvery in the moonlight is leaning against one of the poles.

“Darius,” I whisper as I’m within a couple of feet from him.

Chapter 23 – The Broken One DARIUS POV The party has barely started and I’m already struggling to control myself. Constantine and Lazarus have been keeping me company and keeping me away from the human. They have been watchful, and careful that no humans will be hurt tonight. I think they got their orders from their mates. Persephone. I watch her talking to him. Her mate. Those words echo in my head. Twisting like a knife in my heart and my gut. He’s weak. He’s not good enough for her. I’m not good enough for her. I should’ve let her go a long time ago, but I couldn’t. She’s looking breathtakingly gorgeous tonight, as she always does. The way she’s looking at him is the same way that she sometimes looks at me. The lycan in me is getting harder to control. I know I would go on a rampage if I watch them together for longer. I would crush that puny human’s skull and drag her into my arms and mark and claim her. The human places his hand on the small of her back like he owns her and I clutch the back of the chair in front of me as my vision starts to tinge red. I will crush him! The top wooden part of the chair crumbles beneath my crushing grip and Lazarus clasps my hand. Hard. “Go,” says Constantine. He knows I’ve reached my limit. I run out and keep running until I couldn’t breathe in her scent anymore. I can’t bring myself to go too far…because she’s with him. My lycan wants to go back there to guard and claim what’s mine.

She’s mine. She belonged to me the first time I saw her over three years ago. The moment I set my eyes on her I wanted to claim her and mark her right away, but I am what I am and she is what she is. I am one of the elite warriors of the Royal army intelligence. Threats of violence and death come to me and the ones who I love, especially now.

Ten years ago, my comrade, Roman was in charge of a special unit responsible for uncovering a conspiracy to overthrow the king and to take over the Palace. We managed to capture one of the enemy’s top men who spilled and exposed a lot more than we expected. The web of treachery was bigger than what we primarily believed. The threat was from the trusted and higher up in the government. The enemy had more than just infiltrated the castle. The sensitivity of the matter makes it a classified mission that only the involved few knew about it. Not even a mate is allowed to know about the operation. One word out, and we’re screwed. Apparently, we were getting too close. Five days after the discovery, Roman’s mate disappeared. Solange, Roman’s mate was a sweet woman. Innocent and trusting. Within hours of missing, we received her body parts in small boxes. Roman lost it the moment they killed her. He lost control even before the boxes arrived. The look of pure devastation in his eyes haunts me to this day. The emptiness before his eyes turned black and the rage took over as he felt the connection severed. He knew the exact moment his mate was killed. He went on a rampage. Twenty-five innocent werewolves from a nearby village died. We lost another comrade who tried to stop him. A few others were badly injured. There was no other way, we had to take him down before he could do any more damage. In the end, I was the one who had to take him out. I had to kill a comrade who fought with me side by side for over a century. I was glad he didn’t get to see those bloody boxes and their contents. Ten boxes in all. The first box contained her head. Her spine was in the last box. Killing the enemies was something that I’m used to. Killing a comrade nearly killed my soul. Everything in me rebelled against it. It haunted me. I had nightmares that wouldn’t go away. In my nightmares, I relived that moment I took his life over and over again. Another warrior, Louis took over the mission after Roman. The whole team was revamped. His mate was put under tight security, but that didn’t stop them. She was blown to bits along with her guards. It was done to serve as a warning and intimidation technique. It worked. After Louis, I was put in charge. Not only because I was the obvious choice as I was involved right from the very beginning, but also because I was unmated. A big target would be put on anyone I love. Luckily, I had no one. I was determined to find justice for my fallen comrades. I had hoped my nightmares would stop.

Fate was cruel. I found Persephone three months after I was given the position. The night after I first met Persephone, my nightmare changed. It got worse. It turned into my own personal hell I can’t escape from. In my nightmare, I was opening those boxes again. Only, it wasn’t Solange’s face that I saw when I opened that first box still dripping with blood. Persephone’s dark cold lifeless eyes were staring back at me. I woke up screaming. The fear was paralyzing. I was dying to see her again but I left a couple of days later without saying a word to her. I threw myself into the investigation after I got back to Russia. I wanted nothing else than to bring those bastards to justice, or killed. I wanted my erasthai safe. She’s mine and I take care of what’s mine. I’ll keep her safe no matter what. Just the thought of something bad happening to Persephone nearly drove me insane and we’re not even mated yet. Our connection was strong. I know I would lose it if anything happened to her. I am one of the best fighters in the strongest army force. If I lost control, I could cause a lot of damage. I would take so many innocent lives. I would take a few of my comrades to the grave with me before they can put an end to me. That nightmare kept me away from her, but I could feel myself breaking every time I saw her. She became my obsession. I could have easily stayed away from the palace when she visited, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. I craved her with an obsession bordering insanity. I wanted her so badly I was losing any rational thoughts. I wanted to take her and ravage and mark her and claim her as mine forever. The only thing that’s stopping me was knowing that in doing so I would also mark the end of her. So I watched her. Watching her was the only pleasure I allowed myself to have from this beautiful creature that I couldn’t have but couldn’t stand to lose. All those women I brought over to the palace were just for show. A necessity to distract anybody who’s watching as to why I was there in the first place. Most of them, I didn’t even remember or bother to know their names. Mostly spoiled, entitled, and ambitious lycan women I didn’t give two cents about. I bundled them into the car, promised them a nice dinner at the palace, and they were happy. They thought they had a chance with me. Almost all of them had catty, mean, nasty things to say about a she-wolf who dared to sit among the lycans at the royal dinner table. They’re talking about Persephone. My Persephone. I couldn’t drop them home fast enough. Every time I felt myself weakening and started to hope for a future with her, my nightmare would come back in full force. The nightmare reminded me of what I could stand to lose even before I could get to have her.

Three years was a long time to keep playing this game with her. I worked hard and kept hoping that we would solve the case and I would be free to claim her the way I wanted to. Deep down I knew I was being selfish. I should let her go and let her find her mate. There would be no one else for me, but she should have her happiness. Three years was too long to keep stringing her along, but I craved her more than anything in the world. I lived for the sound of her voice and her laughter. Every movement, every flip of her hair, every look she spared my way…everything about her was fascinating.She’s so beautiful my heart ached. Finally, the threat was too great to finally give me the strength to end it. So, I asked Polina to be my mate. I knew Polina had feelings for me for a long time. I didn’t have any interest in her beyond that of an old acquaintance. I know I was just using her. I pushed away any feelings of guilt I felt for using her like that. I would do anything to protect what’s mine. For my erasthai, I would do anything. Polina was the daughter of Robert Vitsin. A powerful man we had long suspected of involvement with the rebels. He’s involved in selling and supplying weapons illegally to the rebels and their allies. We suspected him to be one of the men behind the killing of our comrades’ mates. Unfortunately, he’s also a very influential man and had the support of the powerful lycans in our society. We couldn’t bring him down without strong proof. As a major player, his own daughter would be safe. Her mating to one of the top commanders in the Royal Force would cement Vitsin’s place in the society and keep his front of innocence as he keeps up with his illegal activities. Little did he know that I intend to crack down and destroy his organization. Polina was as innocent as they come. Completely sheltered from the real world. The only thing Polina had to deal with was her own father. Robert had a volatile temper. If things didn’t go his way, he would take it out on his mate or his daughter. When I first decided to do it. I resigned to the fact that it will be a loveless mating, at least on my part because my heart already belonged to another. Polina wouldn’t be loved the way she deserved, but at least she’ll be safe from her father’s abusive hands. Then I kissed Persephone in that hallway. It shouldn’t have happened. The kiss was more than I imagined it to be. That kiss was just a glimpse of what I couldn’t have. I knew then that I’ll never feel that way again. I had a taste and I wanted more. Polina saw that kiss and I knew it will be just a matter of days if not hours before Robert’s men figured out what Persephone was to me. I sought Polina out right after I kissed my erasthai. I hate leaving Persephone standing there looking dazed and confused, but I had to do damage control. Fast. I told Polina that Persephone was just a she-wolf who enjoyed seducing lycans for fun.

Minutes later I received news from my men what I was afraid of. There were enemies in the castle who were watching Persephone closely as they suspected that she was important to the royalty or someone of importance. It wouldn’t take long for them to connect the dots. The castle was not safe for her to be in. I had to do something quickly to make sure she went home and never set foot in Russia again and ended all the speculation. So I instructed one of my men to get Persephone to my room within fifteen minutes. I called Polina to my room and attempted to mark her with the taste of my erasthai still on my tongue. I felt sick to my stomach at what I was about to do. That was it. Hurting my erasthai and cutting all hopes and destroying any chances of ever making her mine. I felt my world was crumbling around me, but I had to do it. She had to be safe. Only I really couldn’t do it. I was too selfish to go through with it. The taste of another woman felt like acid on my tongue. I wanted what I shouldn’t have. Persephone. I wanted her so desperately it hurt. I never wanted anything or anyone that badly before. She’s a beautiful dream I shouldn’t even dare dream of. The hurt I saw in her eyes when she opened that door gutted me. I was never very good at dealing with anyone who hurt her feelings. I was always feeling very protective of her, and in the end, I was the one who hurt her the most. I pushed Polina off very roughly as soon as she closed the door and couldn’t get rid of the memory of Persephone’s eyes as they pierced through me, full of shock and devastation. I realized then that I couldn’t do it. Mating to someone else for life. I just couldn’t do it. I apologized to Polina and explained that I didn’t love her. She didn’t care. She said she loved me enough for the both of us and begged me to take her anyway. She didn’t know what she’s talking about. She hadn’t met her erasthai yet. She didn’t know what love was. What I felt for Persephone wasn’t just an erasthai pull which was already strong. During those three years, I came to know her. I fell in love with her so irrevocably, there’s no turning back. I felt like there was a gaping bleeding wound in my chest. I struggled with myself from going to Persephone. I knew she was hurt. I felt sick just by the thought of it. Morning came and I lost the battle with myself. I went seeking her out only to find her gone. Just the way I had wanted. I should feel happy. She was away from the palace. Away from danger. Away from me. I didn’t feel happy. Driving her away felt hollow. There’s a big gaping hole of emptiness that swallowed me whole. The loneliness that followed me my whole life never felt so suffocating before and I thought I knew loneliness very well.

Chapter 24 – Of Making Choices STILL DARIUS’S POV Life consists of choices. Our last Commander, Louis made a choice that proved to be disastrous for his mate, himself, and a few others. Here I am, considering bolder choices that could end me or lead me to a fate worse than Louis’s. I have long suspected there is a sleeper within my team. Louis must’ve known this. I don’t blame him for doing what he did. I had recently discovered that Louis discreetly brought the investigation up to King Alexandros. There is a traitor among the Royals. He presented the evidence, but the King flat out refused to believe him. The king was furious. There would be no trial. No royals would be brought to justice. Louis himself will face trial and stripped of his title and position if the matter goes public. A day later, Louis and his mate were gone. Death comes swiftly in our world. I’m very sure that the King had no involvement in Louis and his mate’s killing, but someone very close to him did. I have no illusions of how this is all going to end. A war is coming and I have to end it before it starts. It might not end well for me, but I need to end this once and for all. I’ve considered doing this alone, but that would be committing suicide. I need back up. I need help from warriors who are loyal to the crown Prince.

I’ve been toying with the idea of approaching Prince Caspian, Prince Constantine, and Lazarus about the matter after I knew about Louis’s meeting with the King. They need to know. I hate getting Prince Caspian and his pack involved, especially with Persephone being almost part of them, but nothing can be gained by keeping them in the dark since the crown Prince is the next target after the King. I need them to be on guard and keep Persephone safe. The Princes also have their own men who don’t take orders from the Palace. They’re among the best warriors and to have them on my side would be a great advantage. I’m taking a big risk. If the prince and his pack didn’t believe me, I would be charged for treason. The punishment for treason is death. If they believe me, they would be going against the King, therefore committing an act of treason as well. Whatever action taken from here on would be an act of treason. Security is set up whenever the Prince and his pack settled at after the kidnapping of Prince Constantine’s mate. A few weeks ago there’s a new threat against his pack. I used the security excuse to pay the Prince and his pack a visit. I brought one of my officers, Eva with me. She’s like one of the guys, a very capable warrior in the field and trustworthy, though she’s not very quick to pick up non-verbal cues. It would take a while, if ever for her to figure out what Persephone means to me. The fewer people know about my erasthai, the safer she is.

I have been weighing this decision for a while. Like I said, choices. In my case that could mean life and death. Tonight, I’ve finally come to a decision. It might have something to do with seeing Persephone with her mate. I might have lost my one and only chance at happiness. Tomorrow I will talk with the three Royal lycans. Whatever they decide to believe me or to kill me, it has to be done. If they believed me, I will go back to Russia proceed with their backing and their blessing. If they didn’t, they will have to catch me first because I will make sure that my comrades will be avenged, the throne will not be taken over by the lycan governed by greed, and most importantly, my erasthai will be safe before they end me. I will do this. I will end this with or without help.

The sky is clear and it’s a full moon. The inky black ocean is rolling its waves to the shoreline. A faint familiar tantalizing scent carries by the sea breeze teases my nose. My eyes zero in on a motion in a distance. At the end of miles of pale sandy beach bathed in the silvery moonlight, a speck of dim yellow light and a flurry of pale fabric and movement. Persephone. My lycan stirs and calms immediately. She’s here…that means she’s not with him.

I should’ve kept my distance, but I couldn’t help myself. I can’t seem to leave her alone. I kept telling myself that I was saving her from herself and for her mate. Truth is, I can’t stand the thought of any male touching her. I’m a warrior. I’m strong and always in control of my lycan, but every time she comes home reeking of other males, my lycan is in danger of taking over. She’s very stubborn, though. This stubborn woman is driving me crazy and the worse thing is, she’s never lacked male’s attention. I watch her progresses along the stretch of the sandy beach. The way she walks is fascinating. Her steps always sure and carry the gracefulness and aggressiveness of a warrior with a hint of haughtiness. I don’t think she realizes it, but she walks like she’s giving the world a finger when she’s pissed off…which happens very often. Her long hair dances in the wind. The soft folds of her dress swish gently with her every movement. The pale yellow glow that I saw from afar proves to be one of the solar garden lights. For whatever reason, she’s cradling it to her chest. Huh. What is that for? This should be interesting. I lean on one of the pier poles and cross my arms over my chest. Waiting. As she gets closer, I can tell that she is not pissed. She’s very determined. She is set on something and I’m not too sure if that’s a good thing for me.

This woman is fiery. If you’re not careful you’d be lost, engulfed in her flame. A lesser man would cower and let her lead. With me, we butt heads. She makes me feel alive. A lesser woman would bore me to death. I can smell a hint of that human smell on her and suddenly all I really want to do is go back there and kill the human she calls mate. “Darius,” she calls out softly. I straightened up and my focus is all on her. “Persephone,” I return. “What are you doing out here?” “Isn’t it obvious? I was looking for you,” she answers. My Malyshka. She’s not the one to beat around the bush. “Now, I want you to officially reject me.” What? “Persephone, it doesn’t work that way. We’re tied for life. There’s no rejection in erasthai bond. Even if there was, I won’t ever reject you.” “But you don’t want me,” she exclaims, throwing her arms out in frustration. Then she turns around to look at the sea. “Just…just tell me that you reject me,” she adds in a smaller voice. I can hear uncertainty and fear. That’s not really something that she wants to hear. No, it’s not something I can do either. I can say it, but it won’t mean a thing. Besides, I won’t say it. You can rip my spine off, I still won’t do it. “Is it because I’m not pretty enough? Or tough enough? Or smart enough? I mean, I know I’m pretty stupid, most of the time…”

“Okay, stop!” I tell her. Goddess! This maddening crazy beautiful woman! She’s driving me crazy…all the time. How can she not know how truly desirable she really is? How she torments me with the thought of her day and night? How can she not know I’m giving up my life for her? She owns me completely. The last couple of weeks I’ve been here, I’ve been trying to tell her with my touch and my kisses what I can’t tell her with words. “No, there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re perfect. I’m the one who’s messed up and keep messing things up.” I tell her. “Really? You’re giving me that line? Seriously???” she suddenly screeches, twirling around to face me again. The end of her dress waving wildly in the wind. “What line?” This woman. Now, what is she talking about? “‘It’s not you, it’s me’ line…ugghhh…I hate that line. I use that line on men, not the other way around! And by the way, nobody bought that line. NOBODY!” “Men? What men? How many other men?” I jump in. “Oh, of course, that’s the only thing that you heard from what I’ve just said,” she huffs. What? I’m totally lost now. I never had to deal with women this way. I never answered to anybody except for my higher ranking officers, and they’re NEVER this confusing.

Now what? Okay, let’s do this again. “Persephone.” “Darius,” she mimics my tone. For a moment I’m speechless. Okay, I’m doomed. “You’re giving me a headache,” I tell her. She narrows her eyes at me. Oh uh…I know that look. Wrong thing to say? “Headache? Now you look here! You…you…you…” Okay, this is bad. When she’s mad she’s speechless. She looks totally breathtaking when she’s mad like this, though. Skin all flushed. Eyes bright and shiny. Very adorable. Now her hair is windblown and wild. Very sexy. “Arrrghhhh!!!! You’re so….arrrgghhh!!!!” Okay. “I hate you! I HATE YOU!!!!” she yells and stomps her feet on the wet firm sand and throws the solar lamp she’s been carrying with her for whatever reason on the ground. It would’ve hit me if I didn’t lift my foot on time. So violent. She’s perfect.

“Look! Look!!! You made me throw Jake on the ground! It’s all your fault! All your fault!” Jake? Who’s Jake? Judging by the way she’s pointing at the lantern on the ground, I’m guessing that’s Jake? I lean back and watch her. Beautiful. “Stop looking at me like that! You think…you think this is amusing? You think…Oh my gosh!!! You’re so…you…I never..Arrgghhh!!!” She stops for a beat. I think she’s running out of breath. She’s so amazingly sexy…and cute. “You know what? Fvck you! Fvck you!!!” she screams and turns to stomp away. My feisty little erasthai. “Hey!” I grab her wrist before she gets too far. “Persephone, hey, look at me.” She tries to rip her wrist away from my hold without even looking at me. She stops tugging her hand finally when it’s obvious to her that I wouldn’t let her go. She’s not going anywhere until I’m good and ready. She stays stubbornly stiff, refusing to turn to look at me. I keep holding onto her wrist. Her little wrist feels so fragile in my hand. Her skin feels like warm silk. I didn’t even realize I’m drawing circles on her soft skin until she tugs it once again. “Let me go,” she finally says. Something in her voice and the shake of her shoulders alarms me. I grip both her shoulders and turn her around. Tears are running down her face. My chest constricted painfully.

No, no, no, no…tears. My strong little warrior. I did this. I bring her body close to mine and wrap both arms around her, overwhelmed by the need to protect her. “Don’t. Please don’t. Don’t cry over me, sweetheart. I’m not worth your tears. Please…” How can I fix this? How can I fix this? “Darius…” she cries against my chest. “Tell me how I can make it better,” I place my nose on her smooth cheek and taste the saltiness of her tears on my lips. “Persephone…” I run my thumb over her wet cheek. “Darius…” she sounds tortured. She touches my cheek and I lean into it. Greedily soaking in the feeling that only she can give me. The pleasurable spark that connects our souls together. Breathing in her scent that gives my broken soul peace. Home. She’s my home. She smells so good. I can’t resist pulling her closer and run my lips across her jaw, breathing in her scent. I want so badly to taste her again. “Baby, please don’t cry,” I whisper against her soft skin. This just seems to make her cry harder, so I pull back. Goddess, I’m such a monster. Another tear makes a trail down her face and she says, “Tell me why you don’t want me. Why? Why am I not good enough?”

It’s painful to hear her asking me those questions. She’s always so strong. So confident. It pains me to think that I broke her spirit and confidence in any way. I have to stop her tears. I have to fix this. I wish so badly that I can talk freely to her about our mission. I hate hurting her. So many times in the past I selfishly wanted to ask her to wait for me. How long should she wait? How much longer would it take? Three more years? Ten? Twenty? What if I died during our mission? Now, with the choice I just made, the chance of me not being able to come back to her is higher. The thought of never seeing her again brings a crushing pain to my chest. My life is hers. I doubt anybody would ever love her the way I do. I run my hand over my face and my hair in frustration. I’m going back there and end this one way or another. If I didn’t make it back. If this is the last time I ever see her, I’m going to make sure that she knows how much she is loved. I have to make it count. “Persephone, would it be enough if I told you that…” Oh, Goddess, I’ve never done this before. Pouring my heart out is harder than going to war. “Uh…that I don’t hate you?” I wince as soon as those words come out of my mouth. Seriously??? I am an idiot! Fuck!

She is now staring up at me open-mouthed and with wide eyes. I think she’s speechless. I blow out a tortured breath and try again, “what I really wanted to say is…I uh…I….” “Just spit it out already!” she growls. “I’m trying to bare my soul to you here okay?” I tell her in frustration. “This is not easy.” She answers me by twirling around and plonks herself down on dry sand. “This might take all night,” she sighs. “Might as well make myself comfortable.” I should feel offended, but I can’t deny the truth behind her words. Why is this so hard? Maybe because I’ve never told another soul that I love them. Ever. I never had anyone. Okay, let’s do this. I run my fingers through my hair and say, “I’m very…uh, fond of you.” “Oh, I get it! It’s like when you have a cat or a pet fish, you’re very fond of them, right?” she chimes in. “Yes! NO! I mean, no. Not like that,” I tell her. I narrow my eyes as I look at her closely. She’s not making this any easier for me. The glitter in her eyes could be unshed tears, but then again it looks suspiciously like a wicked glint. I push my suspicion aside when I see her wipe the corner of her eyes. Like I said, I’m such an idiot. “I have feelings for you. I care about you more than I care for anybody in this world.” Ouch! That sounds awkward. Ripping an enemy’s heart out is less stressful and painful than saying

that out loud…especially in front of her. I feel my face heating up. PENNY’S POV “I have feelings for you. I care about you more than I care for anybody in this world.” My heart skips a few beats at his words. He sounds awkward and looks very uncomfortable and even in the pale moonlight, I can see his cheeks redden. Is he blushing? I’m so confused right now. Is this really happening? He has feelings for me, does that mean..? Okay….hold up, first, he said he didn’t hate me. Then he said he was fond of me. Now he said he had feelings and cared for me more than he cared for anybody in this world. What’s next? What does that even mean? Does that mean that he cares for me more than he cares for a pet fish? I mean if it’s any other guy who said that to me, I would assume that they have romantic feelings for me, but you can’t be too sure when you’re dealing with Darius. “Uh…say something,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. I suddenly realized that I’ve been staring up at him with my mouth open for a long while now. I close my mouth and try to think of something to say. “Huh,” I say.

Okay, not my best line, but I can’t think of anything else to say right now. Now he’s the one who’s staring at me in bemusement. His glacier blue eyes look dark in the moonlight. They are always so intense. Every time he’s looking at me it feels like he misses nothing. Tonight I discovered that he couldn’t stand to see my tears. He looked so tormented at the sight of my tears. He looked like he’d give me the moon if I asked for it just to stop my tears. Why didn’t I know about this before? I’d use it sooner had I known about it. I have no shame and I feel no guilt. I’d use anything as my weapon to get what I want. I told you I’m no angel I never showed him my tears all these years for fear that he’d see my weakness, I never thought that his weakness is my tears. I suspect very few people can get through that impenetrable wall he built around himself, tears or no tears. Now I know his weakness, I’m going to use it against him. I try to bring out the tears just for the heck of it. Nothing happens. Too bad I can’t turn my tears on at will like a tap. Note to self: Register for a drama class next semester. “Persephone,” he says, jerking me out of my unholy planning. “What does that mean?” I finally ask him.

He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair for the tenth time tonight. His pale blond strands are all mussed up. A few top buttons of his dress shirt are undone. It’s so unfair. Why does he have to look so hot all the time? “What does that mean? It means that you’re important to me.” “Important to you…like a king is important to you? Or like a pet fish important to you?” I know I’m babbling, but I can’t help myself. Suddenly I’m nervous. My brain shuts down and I can’t form a coherent sentence when I’m too pissed, but I can’t keep my mouth shut when I’m nervous. “You know, King is important. So’s a pet fish, or a pet cat, or a doggy…or pet anything, you know? Or did you mean like….” “Goddess, Persephone!” he bursts out. He sounds very frustrated and very very exasperated. “Yeah, that works too. Goddess is important…I suppose. I mean…” “Persephone…” he groans, sounding extremely frustrated. He has both hands raking over his hair by now. I was about to open my mouth to warn him that he might lose his glorious hair very soon if he keeps doing that when he blurts out, “It means that I love you, okay? I’m in love with you!” My heart almost gives out. My knees feel weak. Ooohh…lightheaded. Lightheaded! It’s a good thing that I’m sitting down. I think I’m about to hyperventilate, so I put my head between my knees. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in…

“Hey, are you okay?” he’s suddenly crouching next to me. He sounds alarmed and very worried. “Malyshka? Talk to me. Are you hurt? Are you sick?” I feel his big warm hand pressing on my back and another on my knee. I had been goading him tonight. I can’t deny, I had been trying to irritate him as much as he’s irritating me, but not even in my wildest dream I thought I’d hear him say those words to me. Did he really just said that he’s in love with me? “Just give me a minute,” I breathe against layers and folds of the fabric of my dress. My voice is muffled by it, but I think he heard me because he stops asking me questions. His hand is now gently stroking my back, trying to soothe me. Arrgghh…he’s messing with my brain! I daydreamed about him confessing his undying love to me in the past but in my dream, nothing like this happened. In my daydream, he confessed his everlasting love, then we stare into each other’s eyes forever and we kissed, then we lived happily ever after. It never ended with me hyperventilating. Near panic attack. Next thought in my head? Hey, this is not romantic! Not romantic at all! Then another thought enters my head. Really? Did he really just tell me that he loves me? After all these years? What about Matthew? What about Polina? Gosh, I’m so confused! I don’t know how I’m feeling. My brain is still trying to take everything in.

I followed him out here tonight wanting him to reject me even though I knew things don’t work that way in erasthai bonds. I knew I’d be heartbroken all over again just to hear him say it. My feelings for him run too deep. I knew no matter what happens, my connection to Darius will never go away but I just wanted closure so that I can go to Matthew without feeling guilty or without any doubt. At least that was what I was planning to do, but dealing with Darius is never that easy. He’s the most complex and confusing male ever. Not to mention frustrating. Now, what do I do? Finally, I raise my head, breathing normally again. He takes a deep breath, looking relieved. “You love me? Since when?” I ask him. “The first time I saw you.” “And you just told me this now? What about Polina?” “What about her?” Oh, did he really just asked me that? “You love her! You slept with her!!!” Arrgghhh!!! Now I’m pissed all over again. “And those other women…you…you asshole!!! How…you…what??? You..” “I don’t love her and I didn’t sleep with her!” he cuts in. “I didn’t okay? It was stupid. I didn’t…Gosh,” he runs a hand down his face. “I don’t love her…never did. I never slept with any of those other women. Since the first time I saw you, there’s only ever been you.”

I open my mouth to say something. Then I close it again. “But I saw you…” He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a second. When he opens them again, there’s a resolved look in them. “I know what you saw…I’ve been trying to tell you that nothing happened. I’m not at all interested in her…or any other women. I couldn’t even pretend that she was you…This is such a mess.” “Pretend she was me?” I ask him. “I don’t understand. You were trying to hurt me?” “Malyshka, I didn’t want to hurt you. I just wanted you out of Russia,” he stands up, putting some distance between us. Good call, I might be tempted to hit something or someone soon. “You did that just to get me out of Russia???” “Yes.” “Why?” “It’s not safe for you to be there.” “Why didn’t you just tell me to leave???” I scream. Arrghhh!!!! “If I asked you to leave and stay away from Banehallow Palace. Stay away from Russia…from me. Would you have listened?”

“Yes!” I answer quickly. He looks at me with those penetrating eyes and I look away. “Well, maybe…” I concede and look up again. He’s still staring at me intently and I look down at the fold of my dress. “Okay, maybe not,” I answer truthfully in a small voice. I’m very stubborn. So what? “I can look after myself,” I say airily, as I get up and wipe the sand at the back of my dress. “So what now?” I ask him. “Are you going to mark me?” “No, Malyshka.” “What do you mean no? You said you loved me.” “I do love you. Believe me, I do. I don’t say those words unless I meant it. I don’t take those words lightly.” “But you won’t mark me?” “No. It wouldn’t be fair to you. It’ll only put your life in danger,” he explains. “And I have to go back to Russia soon.” What??? “You’re leaving?” I shriek. “Let me guess, you won’t take me with you either. Am I right?” “Yes, it’s too dangerous for you to be there right now, Malyshka.” “Everything is too dangerous for me!!! You won’t mark me because it’s too dangerous for me. It’s too dangerous for me there, but you’re going! Is that it?”

“Malyshka,” he says as if he’s talking to a recalcitrant little girl. “I’m a warrior. I have a job to do. I have to go back.” “Why can’t I go with you? I might be able to help. I can help you sleep better. I can..” “No,” he curtly cuts me off. As*hole!!! I don’t know whether to feel elated at his confession or cry that he’s abandoning me. Again. I should’ve known better. “Fine!” I yell. “You know what? Go back to Polina. Just…just…just go! See if I care. I don’t…see if I care.” “Malyshka, I’m not going back to anybody. I don’t think you’ve been listening,” “I did listen! You said you loved me, then you’re leaving me,” tears I’d been trying hard to squeeze out before suddenly starts to prick my eyes. Great! “Persephone,” he groans when he sees my teary eyes. “How long?” I ask him, turning my back to him. “How long are you going to be there?” “I don’t know,” he answers and my tears spill over my cheeks. “Are you ever coming back at all?” I croak out. “Go then! I don’t care! I really don’t,” I tell him while quickly wiping my tears away with the back of my hand.

“Persephone,” he looks tormented. “Please understand. I want nothing more than to mark you and take you away, but I’m trying to do the right thing. Help me do the right thing, Malyshka,” he reaches out to hold me, but I push his hands away. “Just go!” I snap. A new thought suddenly occurs to me. “Wait! Are you getting yourself killed? Is that why you won’t mark me? What if you died?” “If I died, you’re still going to live a long happy life,” he says. “But if I survived, and when my duty is done, I’ll come back.” I cross my arms over my chest and turn to glare up at him. He wants to play the martyr role? Fine! I give him a martyr role! “Whatever!” I say. “Don’t bother. By the time you get back here, I might already be married…to my mate.”I know I’m behaving badly, but I’m so pissed. He can’t just leave me here. I know I can help him and he wouldn’t let me. He growls. His eyes flash warningly. “So happily married and in love with my mate, I’d have forgotten all about you. We’ll have sex. Lots and lots of sex like rabbits!” Oh, gosh…did I really just said that? “Persephone,” he growls warningly. “My mate and I will have lots and lots of kids…lots!” I keep going.

“Stop it! Persephone,” he warns, but I’m just getting started. “In fact, the moment you step on that plane, I will…eeekkk!!” I let out a shriek and gasp as I’m being picked up. One moment my bare feet are firmly planted on the ground, the next they are dangling in the air. My own hands automatically go up to grab his broad shoulders the moment he picked me up. He picked me up like I weigh nothing. One arm goes around me with his hand firmly on my butt, pressing my body against his. The other hand is holding the back of my neck, forcing my head up so that I’m looking up into his fierce eyes. Even in this light, I can see black bleeding into his eyes. “The only sex you’re having is with ME!” he hisses, his hands gripping me tighter. Then he closes his eyes and takes a calming breath. When he opens his eyes a few seconds later, his eyes are back to their pale blue, but he’s still very furious. “Watch your mouth, Malyshka. Now that you found him, marking you is the only thing I can think about. Marking you and claiming you so that you can’t be claimed by anyone else. In my head and my heart, you’re already mine. You’re mine the first time I saw you. You belong to me and you knew it.” “I know of no such thing!” I snap back, quite forgetting the position I’m in. The way I’m being held right now, I’m quite at his mercy. My feet are on either side of his body, the rest of me is pressed up and molded against him very intimately. The warmth of his

hard body and powerful arms around me seep through the layers of our clothing. Pleasurable chills run through me. He leans down and our faces are so close that our mouths are almost touching. My lips part and our breath mingled. Awareness and sparks of electricity sizzle between us. He brings his mouth closer, and tilt my head sideways. I close my eyes and my breath caught. I’m expecting to feel his lips against mine, but I feel them graze my jaw and the side of my face. My heartbeat is going wild. I wrap my arms around his neck as he nuzzles my ear. “If I survived, I will come back for you. Next time I come back here, Malyshka. Run! I WILL mark you and claim you no matter if you’re already marked, claimed or married to someone else,” he nips my earlobe with his teeth once. “None of that matter, because you’re mine.” Darius carried me all the way home after our talk or fight tonight. He gave me a funny look when I asked him to pick Jake the solar garden light off the ground and carry it home with us. I wasn’t about to leave Jake all alone by himself there. I was mad at him, but I watched him all the way home while he stared straight ahead. Every so often he would glance at me and hold my eyes. I studied his features like it’s the last time I would see him. Now I find myself I staring at the mirror in my bathroom. I just brushed my teeth and it’s already two in the morning, yet my eyes are still bright. My hair looks wild, so I run my fingers through it to tame it down. I hear the shower going in the bathroom next door.

I enter my walk-in closet and I’m changing into my pajama shorts and a tank top when I hear the shower being turned off. Oh, gosh, since when did I become a creepy stalker? I’m listening to his every move next door. I should stop listening! I hum softly to myself to stop my ear from tuning in to every move he’s making. It’s not helping much though. I stop humming and my ears perk up when I hear a soft tapping on his door. Uh oh…I hear a door opening and muffled voices. It’s a woman’s voice and it sounds like Eva. What does she want with him at two in the morning? They’re talking so quietly that I can’t make out what they’re saying. Darn it! So I place my ear to the wall. So much for not being a creepy stalker. I can’t hear anything! I scowl at the wall. What is going on? Then I hear the door closing and Eva’s footsteps receding down the hall. I drop myself onto the bed with a sigh. What are you doing, Penny? I honestly don’t know. There is Darius and then there is Matthew. I can’t have them both. I was so ready to let Darius mark me tonight. I had a fight with him about it. I forgot all about Matthew then. It’s not fair for Matthew. As a human, he wouldn’t feel the loss of a mate like a werewolf, but it’s still not fair to him. He hasn’t done anything wrong. Shouldn’t I give him a chance? Tomorrow. I’ll think about everything tomorrow. There’s no way I can fall asleep just yet though. My brain is still fired up

from what Darius just told me. My body is still tingling from his touch. Did he really just told me that he loves me? Then I remember his nightmares. I know he hasn’t been sleeping. He hasn’t slept for a few nights now. I make my way to the balcony and into his darkened bedroom. The moonlight is shining brightly so his room is bathed in its silvery light. His fair head looks bright against the dark headboard. His muscled naked upper torso looks like a smoothly carved marble statue. His room is filled with his wonderful scent. He lifts the corner of the cover up as I step into his room. He’s been waiting for me. I lie on my back and he slides down and rests his head on my chest as if he’s listening to my heart beating. “Thank you,” he says, wrapping his arms tightly around me. I feel tears threatening to come out, but I blink them away. Broken. He’s broken and we are both very messed up. I wrap my arms around him and thread my fingers through his thick silky blond strands. I keep playing with his hair until I hear his breathing evens out. It doesn’t take long. He’d gone so long without sleep. He needs this. It’s the only thing I can give him right now.

Chapter 26 – Thank You, Grand Master Yoda

I know the sun is already up but refuse to open my eyes. The longer I stay like this, the longer I can put off from dealing with the real world. I take a deep content breath and the heady familiar scent fills my senses. The feeling of peace surrounds me and giddiness swirls at the edge of my consciousness. I revel in the warmth of a hard body curled around mine protectively. I savor the feel of a warm powerful arm lying across my stomach with the hand gripping my waist and a long sinewy leg trapping my body under its weight. Sometime during the night, we must have shifted our positions. We fell asleep with his face nestled between my breasts, now I’m guessing a side of my face is close to his chest because of the warmth and I can hear his steady heartbeat very clearly in my ear. The hand on my waist moves to lay flat on my hip. “Persephone,” he says. His voice low, deep, and husky. Sexy. It makes my toes curl. “I know you’re awake.” This early in the morning, his accent is very pronounced. His hand on my hip wanders down to my thigh. His fingertips just skimming the skin at the edge of my shorts. Teasing me. Ahhh…electric current from his fingers travels all over my body, especially to that spot between my legs. I fight the urge to press my legs together. His heavy leg thrown over both of mine is making that quite impossible anyway. I could almost feel his amusement. Still, I refuse to open my eyes.

He moves his hand back up to slip just underneath my tank top. My skin heats up. He has big hands. Long fingers. My lips curl up into a smile. I can’t help it. “You know what they say about men with big hands,” I whisper. My eyes still closed. “No, I don’t. What did they say about men with big hands?” His voice is low and teasing. His hand starts massaging my side. My smile grows. “Uh, I don’t know…” “You do know, you just don’t want to tell me,” his voice sounds closer. His warm hand slides further up. I cover his hand with mine and open my eyes. His glacier blue eyes are gazing down at me with tenderness and playfulness. The ray of the morning light pours in through the open curtains. The light breeze from the sea is blowing in. This feels perfect. Like we’re in our own little bubble where nothing else exists. Nothing else matters. Not even the past or the future. Just us, right at this minute. I want to stay in this bubble for a while longer. I don’t want to think about anything else. I let my eyes roam all over his impressive naked upper body slowly before they settle on the medallion resting on his collarbone. He’s big and well muscled…everywhere. Even relaxed like this, I can feel the power radiating off him. Finally,

my gaze found its way back to his bright intense eyes that are regarding me curiously. He pulls himself up to rest on his elbow, looking down at me. My hand moves up to touch the medallion. I love touching the warm metal resting against his skin. My fingers trace the raised etchings on it. He pushes my hair back behind my ear. His hand lingers on my cheek. For a tough, fierce, looking man, his touch is gentle. Sparks of electricity and awareness crackle between us. The back of his fingers stroke my cheek. It feels so good I almost purr. “What did Eva want last night?” I have to ask. So, okay, I’m very crappy at making small talks, but I really need to know. He looks a bit uneasy, but he answers my question anyway. “She wanted to know if she could help me release some tense, pent-up energy.” Bloody hell. I know exactly what she wanted. “What did you say?” I struggle to sound nonchalant. I don’t think it works. It’s hard to pretend like I don’t care when I’m pissed off. “I told her I don’t need her help,” he answers. “And that I’d appreciate it if she would stop asking.” “Good,” I announce. “Have you ever…take up on her offer?” “No, never. I would never have brought her here with me if I had, Malyshka.”

“What about other female lycan warriors then?” “I never had anyone since that night I first saw you,” he answers earnestly. Okay, fair enough. “Tell me about your nightmare,” I keep digging. I can tell right away that he’s going to avoid answering it. I can see it in his eyes. He moves his hand back to my hip. His muscle tense. “Please?” I place my hand on his arm and his muscle flexes under my touch. His eyes follow my movement. His grip tightening on my hip. “It’s my worst fear,” he answers reluctantly. “You’re killed. In my nightmare, you’re dead.” “So it’s not poisonous snakes or mutant killer squirrels or hostile space aliens? I was dead in your nightmare. That is your worst nightmare?” I tilt my face further up and give him a teasing smile. He doesn’t smile back. “Losing you. Losing you is what I fear most. That’s my worst nightmare.” There’s something so vulnerable in his expression. The side of him that I bet this fierce warrior never showed the world. Oh, Darius! He’s such a douche for making me melt with his words like this, and for looking so hot. I grab the back of his head, pull him down and smash his lips to mine.

I took him by surprise. For a second his lips don’t move against mine. When I pull back, his lips follow mine. In an instant, he captures my lips with his. It starts slow. I move my lips tentatively against his, then he groans and fully takes over the kiss as if he can’t get enough. He opens his mouth and starts to ravish mine hungrily. He kisses with his lips, his tongue, and his teeth. He makes me understand what it feels like to be devoured. My heartbeat shoots through the roof and my stomach feels like I’m diving down on a freaking roller coaster. I grab a hold of his strong broad shoulders and hang on tight. He sucks my bottom lip fervently. His teeth nip my mouth before his tongue laps my bottom lip and the seam of my mouth. I open my mouth and he lets out a deep moan when my tongue meets his. The sound of his sexy moan only fuels my fire for him. I tangle my tongue with his and taste him as eagerly. His thumb and palm cradle my cheek while his fingers grip the back of my head, holding my head still as our kiss grows more desperate and frantic. His other hand starts kneading my butt and drawing me closer to him. He climbs on top of me without breaking our kiss and I grab a handful of his hair, gripping the silky strands between my fingers. I arch my body up to grind up against him and he groans into my mouth. Gosh, that sounds is so hot.

His mouth leaves mine to kiss and nibble on my jaw and my neck before it latches on my throat, sucking on my skin there. A low moan comes out of my mouth. Oh, yes…I want more. I want…what do I want? I want him. Now. His lower body is just hovering over mine while I’m arching my back, trying to get closer. Darn it! I want him closer. I’m floating in the haze of passion, and I want him on me. I hook my leg around his hip and pull him down, grinding against his hardness. “Persephone, baby…I won’t be able to stop soon,” his voice is hoarse and deep. “Then don’t stop,” I say breathlessly. “Is that what you want?” Huh? Ughh..too much talking. “You want to be mated? Now? Is that what you really want?” What? I stop moving for a second, trying to think. He rolls off me, putting a space between us. Both of us are breathing hard, staring at each other. A part of me wants to throw a tantrum, demanding him to get back to doing what he was doing to me. Another more rational part of me wants me to think things through. I scowl up at him anyway. “Please don’t look at me that way, Malyshka.”

“Look at you what way?” I ask him, sounding very petulant. “Like I just took away your favorite toy,” he says. “Gosh, baby, that’s actually very hot. That’s a huge turn on.” He drags his eyes away and quickly lays back, trying to calm his breathing. For some reason that makes me feel very powerful. He already told me he loves me. Now he’s struggling to keep his head. This powerful lycan warrior. I did this to him. Me. I roll over and climb on top of him. I place my legs on either side of him and raise myself up with my hands on his chest to look down at him. I know I’m playing with fire. Do I care? Not really. “Persephone,” he groans, closing his eyes and gulping audibly. His breathing ragged. Before I can blink, I find myself lying on my back with him on top of me. Dark intense eyes staring back at me. His nostrils flare slightly as he pulls in harsh breaths. His lips are pulled slightly back to reveal straight white teeth. His two sharp canines are very prominent now. His lycan is out of his restraint. Okay, I might have pushed my luck….a bit.. with his selfcontrol. His dark eyes are regarding me like I was his prey, unblinking. He tilts his head and leans down. His nose and lips graze my neck. I dare not move.

“I can smell you,” he says. His voice sounds deeper. Very menacing. He’s acting more like a lycan now. Like a predator. “You want me almost as much as I want you….and I want you.” He moves lower. “I want you,” he growls as the tip of his nose and his lips skim down my neck to my collarbone, down to the rise of my chest. He stops at the beginning of my tank top and I stop breathing. Suddenly he bites the fabric between his teeth and yanks it down. Oh, Gosh… I feel the cool air on my bare heated skin. His eyes roam to look at my exposed breasts. “Beautiful,” he purrs before he leans down and licks the skin at the top of the swell. His tongue feels soft, warm and wet against my skin. “This is where I’m going to mark you.” He opens his mouth wider and laps his tongue a few more times there. I can feel his teeth and canines pressing on my skin. I let out a small whimper and he lifts his head up. His eyes are still dark and full of hunger. Then he tilts his head to the side as if he’s listening to something. A second later I hear it too. The clicking sound of footsteps coming down the hall. He lets out a low rumbling growl and gives me a long look before he closes his eyes and takes a few calming breaths. As the footsteps draw nearer, he unhurriedly rolls out of the bed and saunters to the sitting area of the room. He’s only in his navy blue cotton pajama pants. I get a good view of the corded muscle of his back and the tight shapely butt.

Goddess, he’s gorgeous and I’m turned on and…oh, I’m such a slut! He grabs a shirt at the back of a chair and slips it on in a swift, fluid movement. He turns his head slightly to give me a look and I hastily grab the sheet to cover myself. The corner of his lips curls up slightly into an amused smile. His eyes are now back to their bright blue color. He opens the door before the person at the other side of the door even start to knock. “I’m sorry, sir. I thought we’re heading out early today,” says a familiar voice before he slips out and closes the door behind him. It’s Eva. She’s better not be propositioning to him again, or I’ll rip her spine out lycan or not. “You better head out by yourself today, Eva. I have some other matter to attend to this morning.” I hear him say through the closed door. They continue to discuss work-related issues for a couple more minutes before I hear Eva’s footsteps move away from the door and Darius slips back inside. His eyes are watching me thoughtfully as he pushes the door closed and moves closer to the bed.

“What things do you have to do here this morning?” I ask him, pulling the blanket up to my chin. “There are things I have to talk about with Constantine, Caspian, and Lazarus,” he answers. “Things related to your mission in Russia?” “Yes,” he confirms. “Things that you refuse to tell me about,” I state, rather than ask. “I’m sorry, Malyshka,” he sighs, sitting down at the edge of the bed. “It’s confidential. I wish I could tell you, but if things leak out….not only would our lives be in danger, but others too.” “Fine!” I announce as I fling the bedsheet off of me. My tank top is ripped and I’m pretty much topless. I boldly stand up and daringly tip my chin up. His eyes grow darker as he stares up at me hungrily. “You’re pushing all my buttons, my love,” he declares huskily. His hands gripping the bed sheet on either side of him tightly. “We can’t all have what we want now, can we?” I smirk. “By the way, you ruined my top.” “I’ll buy you more shirts,” he replies. I just flip my hair and open the balcony door wide.

“You never told me,” he says. “What did they say about men with big hands?” There are lots of things I can say about men with big hands, but I give him the lamest and the least risqué one ever, “Uh….he needs big gloves?” I hear him chuckling as I climb to my side of the balcony.

It’s ten in the morning by the time I’m done showering and got dressed. It’s already hot so I tie my hair up. I put on a pair of high waisted white shorts, a little pink top and a pair of converse and decided to join others for late breakfast. The breakfast table is surprisingly empty. The coffee pot is still hot. There’s a big bowl of fruit salad and yogurt on the kitchen island. I pull out the warming drawer and lift up the lid one by one to find eggs, hash browns, sausages, and waffles. I pile up my plates and follow the sound of voices to find Genesis and Serena sitting in the patio chairs overlooking the pool and the ocean. Serena has a cup of tea in her hand and Genesis has a big bowl of fruit on her lap. “Good morning,” I say as I pull up a chair to sit on and push Genesis’s feet off a footstool so I can place my heavy plate on it. “So what’s up? Where is everybody?” “Anya left to do some grocery shopping. Eva has already left for the day. Constantine, Caspian, Lazarus, and Darius are having a meeting in the office,” replies Genesis.

“Do you know what they’re talking about?” I ask them quietly before taking a bite of my hash brown. I decided I’m going to keep digging until I find out what Darius is keeping from me. “No idea,” answers Serena. “Whatever it is, it looks important. The guys disappear into the office even before they had their breakfast.” “They won’t let us in the office to listen in,” informs Genesis. “It’s got to be something serious for them to forgo their breakfast,” she adds and Serena and I nod our heads in agreement. “I thought you might have a better idea of what their meeting is about,” questions Serena, turning her bright golden eyes on me. “I know you’ve been…uh, talking to Darius.” Is nothing a secret around here? Great! I roll my eyes and answer, “Nope, no idea, but I think it might have something to do with Darius’s mission in Russia and why he has to get back. I know it’s probably the reason why he thinks it’s dangerous for me to go back there too. I have no idea what it really is all about.” “Isn’t it frustrating when they keep things secret from you?” says Genesis, echoing my thoughts. She’s scowling at the closed office door. “It is, but they’re doing it for our own good. Maybe it’s safer for us not to know about things,” says Serena gently. “Maybe we should trust our men.”

“Well, that sucks and I don’t like it,” I announce, stabbing the sausage on my plate with a fork rather viciously. Serena is a sweetheart, but sometimes I think she’s rather old-fashioned in the way that she thinks about men and women’s role in life. I told you she reminds me of my dear abuela. “I know you don’t,” she says in a soft pacifying voice. “At least stop trying to murder that sausage, love. It’s already dead.” Genesis snorts a laugh. “So, you’ve been…err..talking to Darius, huh?” asks Genesis. My best friend is very nosy. “What about Matthew?” Gosh, I don’t know. That’s something I’d rather not deal with yet. It’s like a can of worms I’d rather not open yet, but I know I can’t just hide it somewhere forever and pretend it doesn’t exist. Last night Darius told me that he loves me. I still feel woozy just thinking about it, and this morning. Oh, my heart, this morning. It was just a kiss. Well, okay maybe it was a little bit more than that, but everything with Darius just feels more. A kiss isn’t just a kiss. This morning it felt like our souls were connecting. I should feel bad for doing that to Matthew, but I don’t. I feel bad for not feeling bad. I should feel guilty. I’m a bad mate. “I don’t know,” I answer miserably. “Darius told me he’s in love with me last night,” I tell them, and noted that they both don’t seem at all surprised. “Wow, I thought you two would be more excited or something.”

“We know he’s in love with you, Penny. A blind man can see that!” announces Genesis. How is it that I didn’t know this? “He said he loves me but he won’t mark me and he’s going back to Russia,” I explain exasperatedly. “On the other hand, Matthew is here. He’s my mate. He’s attracted to me and he’s willing to give us a try even though he has no clue about our mate bond. Most importantly, he’s not going anywhere. The choice is clear, don’t you think?” “It sounds like the choice is clear. So, what is it that you don’t know, Penny?” asks Serena kindly. “In your heart you know, the choice is clear.” “Thanks, Grand Master Yoda,” I say as I bow to her before I take my plate away. Now all my confusion is cleared. NOT. Serena shakes her head, looking amused while Genesis bursts out laughing. “Now where are you going?” asks Genesis. “Now I’m going to go and meditate in my cave aka my bedroom,” I reply.

Chapter 27 – Being Mature is Overrated The harder I try, the harder it seems for me to make sense of the printed words. They seem to jumble together. Dancing around, mocking me. Well, okay maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but I find myself staring out the window more often than looking down at my reading material.

That’s it! Screw studying. I closed my book and push it off the table. It lands on the floor with a thump, while I let my head falls on the table with a thunk. The smooth surface of the study table feels cool under my cheek. How can I concentrate on reading when my brain is stuck on something else…or rather someone else? Darius. I close my eyes and touch my lips. I can still feel his lips on mine. The taste of him on my tongue. The touch of his hands on my skin. The look on his handsome face…Gah!!! What are you doing, Penny? I can’t stop thinking about him…like always. He brings out all these extreme emotions in me. Last night I nearly fainted when he admitted that he loved me. Every time I recall the moment he declared his love for me, I feel the wave of giddiness and euphoria sweeping over me. That, however, is followed very closely by the urge to kick him in the nuts when I remember him telling me he’s leaving. What the hell was that??? Time to face reality. There’s no denying that my connection to him surpasses my bond with Matthew. My own mate. Is it because I’ve known him longer? Has my connection to him weakened my connection to Matthew? Is it because Matthew is human? Would I feel this way for Matthew had I met him first? Would my bond to Matthew ever be as strong if I gave it the same chance? Finally, giving up all attempt to study, I walk downstairs and head to the kitchen. Genesis and Serena aren’t down here anymore while the men are still in the office. Darn it! I’m getting restless, impatient, and bored. That is never good.

Anya is back. I pour myself a tall glass of lemonade, while she cut me a slice of still warm apple pie. I sit on a barstool by the kitchen island, sipping my lemonade while staring at the closed office door resentfully. Just how long are they going to be in there? I’m dying to know what they’re talking about. The room is soundproof, but if I put my ear to the door, maybe I can hear something? If they caught me, I’ll just pretend that I was…uh, fixing the door? Yeah, more like trying to break the door down. My phone beeps and I find a text from Matthew asking me if I want to meet up at the cafe again. I should go see him. I’ll drive myself crazy waiting for the men to come out of the office. The idea of breaking down the door seems to get more appealing by the minute. I would totally do something crazy like that if I have to wait another hour. Besides, I need to face Matthew. I quickly grab the key to one of Caspian’s cars before I change my mind and break the office door down for real. Today, Matthew is already waiting for me when I get to the cafe. He leans in to give me a kiss, but I turn my face and his lips land on my cheek. It would feel so wrong for me to kiss him when I had been kissing Darius just this morning. If he noticed that I avoided his kiss, he doesn’t show it. It’s typical of Matthew. He avoids conflicts while I strive to make

everything so difficult. Why do I make everything so difficult for myself? I ordered a big cup of creamy cappuccino while Matthew has gotten himself a small cup of espresso. “I’m glad I got to meet your friends last night. I had a good time,” he remarks. His eyes are taking in my appearance. He’s looking casual in a pair of blue wash jeans. The navy blue polo shirt brings out the color of his eyes. “You did? Really?” I ask him, surprised. “Well, it wasn’t awful,” he amends. I let out a laugh. Awww…he’s trying not to hurt my feelings. That’s very sweet of him, but I don’t need people sugar coating anything. I know how awkward last night was. “It wasn’t a total disaster,” I announce. “But it was awkward as hell.” “Okay, it was kinda awkward,” he chuckles. “Our friends blend together as well as oil and water. I guess we’re from two different worlds.” He has no idea. We talk about his work and my study until I finally say, “I don’t mean to pry.” I totally mean to pry. “You don’t have to answer me if you don’t want to, but what happened to you and Cece?” I think he’s taken aback by my directness for a second. He’s quiet for a while as if contemplating how much he should be telling me, before he says, “In the beginning, everything was

right….until it wasn’t.” He scratches the side of his face before he continues, “Cece kept saying that our lives were too predictable. We’re too comfortable. Too comfortable? Is there such a thing as too comfortable? I thought we’re doing fine. I mean, We have the same circle of friends, we have the same routine every day and every weekend. Why try to fix something that wasn’t broken, right? Apparently, it was broken, because we kept getting into stupid fights. Some fights got so out of hand that we broke up…only to get back together again a few weeks, or a couple of months later because we missed each other. Once we got into a big fight because Cece wanted to go on a vacation that we couldn’t afford. I mean, we have to be careful with how we’re spending our money. We’re saving the money to buy a place together. It’s a vicious cycle. We fought, then one of us would give in and apologize. Then we’re fine again…until we had another fight. Then this year, everything was great. So great that I bought a ring. I was planning to ask her to marry me. Then two weeks ago, out of the blue she told me that we should see other people. She said that she wanted to see what else is out there. That hurt. I left that night and slept on Jackson’s couch. The next day I went to get my things, she was waiting for me. She apologized and said that she didn’t mean it and didn’t want me to leave. I don’t know what to think, but it hurts so damn

much that she even thought of seeing other people. I mean, she must’ve thought about it if she brought it up, right?” I shrug my shoulders. How would I know? Now I regret asking about him and Cece. I’m starting feel like a counselor to my mate’s problem with another woman. “Anyway, it’s all good. She wanted us to see other people? Well, I’m seeing you now,” he says as he takes my hand that’s lying across the table into his. I wonder if that’s all I am to him. Someone he’s seeing just to get back at his longtime girlfriend, Cece. I feel the tingles and the pull of our mate bond. I wonder if he feels it too. I was told that humans don’t feel the mate pull as strongly as werewolves do. Humans could have more than just one mate, but they fall in love and marry people who aren’t their mates all the time. “So, what’s your plan for the rest of the weekend?” I ask him, trying to change the subject. He opens his mouth to answer me, but he gets distracted. His eyes shift and fixed on something behind me and his body stiffened. I follow his gaze and my eyes fall on Mason who just entered the cafe with a brunet. Mason looks around and doesn’t seem at all surprised to see us, though the woman visibly blanched and her steps faltered.

“Hi, Matthew, Penny! Fancy meeting you here,” says Mason approaching our table with a big smile. The woman seems to be about Matthew’s age. Her eyes look big as she steps up next to Mason. Her light brown eyes suddenly focus on our Matthew’s hand holding mine on the table and Matthew pulls his hand away as if it’s burned. I look at Matthew, but he’s staring at the woman. She’s looking at him with eyes full of hurt and anger and I suddenly know who she is. Of course, stupid Penny. She’s beautiful and petite, about 5’3″. That’s six inches shorter than I am. Her brown curly hair just reaches her shoulders. She has this boho-chic style going with a loose fitting flowery yellow dress and strappy sandals. There are several long and chunky necklaces adorning her neck. “Cece, this is Penny,” says Mason as he pulls her forward. “Penny, meet Cece.” Her eyes narrow when she turns to look at me. She attempts to smile as she offers me her hand without saying a word. I take her hand and just nod before I quickly pull my hand away. Wow, awkward. “What are you doing here?” Matthew is directing his question at Mason, though his eyes are fixed on Cece. He’s looking very uncomfortable. From the corner of my eyes, I see her lips thinned as she studies me from head to toe.

“We thought we’re getting breakfast here this morning,” answers Mason. “Maybe we can join you at your table?” “Yeah. Sure,” says Matthew hesitantly after an awkward silence. I sit back and fold my arms across my chest. I can feel my temperature rising. This is not the way I want to spend my Saturday morning. We’re sitting at a small round table. Matthew is sitting next to me on one side, while Mason on the other. Cece is sitting right across from me. “So, Penny. Are you still in school?” she asks me. She and Matthew are just six years or so older than I am, but the way she’s pointedly looking at me is making me feel like I was just a little kid or something, like I was beneath her. I want so badly to throw my cup along with the hot content at her head, but I like my cappuccino too much. Besides, that would just prove her point that I’m just an immature kid. So, I lean slightly forward and give her a sweet smile. “Yes, I’m attending this school just like Mason,” I reply. “I traveled the world for three years after school before I came here, though.” I’m not exactly lying there. I did travel the world, chasing after a certain lycan. “Oh? You went backpacking around the world?” she seems surprised and oddly excited to know more despite herself. Mason bursts out laughing.

In other circumstances, I think Cece and I could get along and might even like each other. Right now though, I’m not exactly filled with fuzzy feelings. “I don’t think Penny meant she went backpacking around the world,” says Matthew. “I think more like flying first class and fancy hotels with little people like us handling the luggage for her,” adds Mason, still laughing. Try private jets, yachts, palaces, private islands and such. I pick up my cup and sip the last drop of my yummy cappuccino quietly. I think I’m done sitting here pretending to be mature and civilized. Being mature is overrated, anyway. This is just getting weird for me. I’ve seen the way Matthew looks at her. He might find me attractive and feel the pull of our bond, but he loves her. Yeah, it would feel more natural and satisfying for me to smash that big menu board in the corner on everybody’s head. “Well, it’s been nice chatting with all of you.” Not really. I grab my phone and car key. “I better get going. See you guys around.” “I’ll call you later, Penny,” says Matthew with an apologetic look. He’s not even attempting to give me a kiss, not even a peck on the cheek. “Maybe we can hang out later, Penny,” suggests Mason. “We haven’t done that in a while.”

“Yeah,” I answer vaguely. Whatever. On the way back, I drive past my quiet lake. I’m tempted to stop by and sit on that lonely bench, but I promised Yummy lip ring I wouldn’t. So I keep driving.

When I get home, I follow the sound of voices all the way to the back. Caspian, Constantine, Lazarus, Serena, and Genesis are sitting around near the swimming pools. They all look up as soon as I join them. There’s something different in the atmosphere. I don’t quite get what it is. Everything seems normal enough. Caspian is lying on the lounger with his sunglasses on. I don’t know what he’s thinking or if he’s even awake. Lazarus is lying on a big patio swing with his head resting on Serena’s lap. His long legs trailing on the ground at the end of the long swing. Serena’s eyes are also hidden behind sunglasses. Her hand is in her mate’s hair. Lazarus’s striking blue eyes are regarding me thoughtfully. Constantine is looking like he’s in a deep thought. Genesis is sitting next to him, scowling at the blue horizon. I raise an eyebrow, looking at her and she gives me a nod before looking away. We’ve known each other since forever not to understand what that means. Genesis is upset and we’ll be talking about it later. “I think somebody is waiting to talk to you, Penny,” says Constantine, looking pointedly at the other side of the house. I nod again and twirl around to make my way across the beautifully kept grass to the side of the house. Trimmed hedges

and palm trees lined this side of the house to provide more privacy to the pool area. I turn the corner and follow his scent. Finally, I see him. He’s leaning against the wall of the house. From the distance, he looks every inch like an intimidating, fierce, and dangerous warrior that he is. His light blue shirt stretches across his broad shoulders and chest and molded to his tapered waist. His pale blond hair is immaculate except for a few locks that fall over his forehead. His glacier blue eyes are staring out into the horizon. His hands are shoved into the pockets of his pants. He looks so powerful, yet so alone. He makes me feel a lot of emotions, but right now I feel sad. How can you be so alone and not feel lonely? His eyes shift to look at me and they are now following my every movement as I make my way to him. “Hey,” I greet him awkwardly. “Persephone,” he returns, straightening up. Judging by the way his jaw tightens, I think he knows where I’d been. “How did your meeting go?” I ask him. “It went well,” he answers. “How did yours?”

“It was okay,” I answer, suddenly feeling guilty. I went to see my mate. MY mate. I shouldn’t feel guilty, but I peel my eyes away from his accusing stare and hurt in his eyes. “So….are you leaving soon?” I ask him, staring at my feet. “Yes, very soon. Possibly tonight.” “Tonight?” I squeak, raising my eyes to look at him. No!!! “Why tonight? Why so soon?” “Would it make any difference to you, Persephone? Would you care if I leave tonight?” he asks. His eyes are intense and watchful on my face. He’s staring at me as if my answer is very important to him. “Yeah…sure it does,” I answer hesitantly. My heart speeds up. I’m suddenly feeling nervous. “Why?” “Why?” I repeat his question after licking my suddenly dry lips. Uh, why? “Why would you care, Persephone?” “Because…just because,” I say, folding my arms across my chest defensively. I can’t help it. I act this way whenever I feel cornered. It’s a question I’m not willing to answer and look at very closely just yet. Actually, I’m feeling a lot of things right now. Sadness and anger most predominantly, because he’s leaving.

I hear him releasing a long frustrated breath, but he stops pressing me for the answer to the question. “Persephone,” he breathes, moving closer to me. I look up to see him running his fingers through his hair. It almost looks like a nervous gesture, but I know better. This is Darius. He’s a fierce fighter to the Royal Lycan Army. I don’t think he ever gets nervous. “I would like to give you something,” he says, removing his hand out from his pocket. He holds it out to me and my breath catches in my throat. His medallion! I didn’t even realize that he’s not wearing his medallion around his neck before he showed it to me. I stare at the carving of a lycan’s head with three stars above its head. “It’s my family crest. When one of our homes in Petrograd burnt to the ground during the revolution in 1917 not much was left. That was among the things that were salvageable. It was originally a cufflink. I only found one, so I had it made into a medallion. I had been wearing it around my neck since. It reminds me that I have a family, even though I never see them. Makes me feel as if I wasn’t alone in this world. I want you to have it,” he says. “You don’t have to wear it. Just…I just want you to have it. You can sell it. You can give it away…I… It’s okay. Just don’t tell me about it,” he laughs. Selfmocking laugh. There’s a flash of vulnerability in his eyes before he aims them away, staring into the horizon. When he

looks at me again, his eyes are clear blue and bright…and hopeful. Oh, Darius. Why does he always bring out such strong conflicting emotions in me? Right now I feel like crying. *Petrograd (capital of Russia at the time of the revolution) is now known as Saint Petersburg.

Chapter 28 – The Heart Already Knows I blink rapidly to get rid of the tears pricking my eyes, while he continues on, “I don’t want you to think that I’m abandoning you…or that you’re alone because you’re not. You have many people…and me. You have me. Of course, like I said, you don’t have to wear it —” “Darius?” I interrupt him. Sometimes he talks way too much. “Yes?” “Shut up and put that on me,” I command him before turning around and lifting up my hair out of the way. “Yes, ma’am,” he says, with a smile in his voice. I can’t help the smile that creeps up on my face when he fastens the clasp at the back of my neck. His fingers graze my neck and goose bumps bloom all over my skin. I feel his warm breath fanning the nape of my neck before I feel the feather light touch of his lips. I let go of my hair and sway into him until my back falls against his hard chest. His hands grip my waist then

they slide to cover my stomach. The warmth of his hands and his body spreading over me through the thin fabric of my top. He has the power to make me feel weak, yet safe and strong at the same time. My hand quickly goes up to touch the medallion. I’ve liked this medallion since the very first moment I noticed it on him. Now he’s giving it to me. Knowing it’s connection to his roots and how much it means to him makes it so much more special. “I’ll wear it. Always,” I tell him in a whisper. “Thank you.” He turns me around with his hands spanning the side of my waists. He gazes down at me pensively. There’s a flash of possessiveness in his eyes and the way he’s holding me. “I love seeing you wearing my family crest,” he announces. Suddenly the medallion feels like a red hot branding iron, stamping, claiming, and declaring me as his. “I’m done fighting our bond and my feelings for you, Persephone. I should’ve asked you this before, but I’ve always got sidetracked, so I’m asking you now. Persephone, when this is all over, will you be mine? Will you let me mark you?” “When did you decide to stop fighting?” I ask him. He grows quiet for a while. His watchful penetrating gaze intense on my face. He knows I’m avoiding his question. The lines of his mouth look tight, but he answers my question, “I knew right from the start that I was fighting a losing battle, but I tried. That night with Polina, right after you left, I knew then

without a doubt that I can’t let you go. No matter how noble I thought the sacrifice was. “I’m sorry, I know I’m being selfish, but I can’t…I just can’t. Even when I was saying that you need to save yourself for your mate, I didn’t really mean it. I don’t want anybody else and I don’t want anybody else touching you. You’re everything. You’re mine. “I never had anybody to claim as my own. Not even my family. I was always alone and I never wanted anyone. With you though, I can’t help it. You’re mine. All of you.” “What about you? Are you mine?” I ask him boldly. “Yes. Absolutely. I’m yours. All of me,” he answers without hesitation. “But you’re leaving me.” “I have no choice, Malyshka.” “What if I don’t want to be yours by then, Darius? I mean, for years I waited for you. I watched you tried to mark another woman, for goodness sake.” I spit out. “YOU decided we couldn’t be together. YOU decided to give up fighting our bond. You decide everything. What if I decide that I don’t want us together then?” He stares at me wordlessly. There’s a pain in his eyes that breaks my heart, but I refuse to back down. This has been bugging me for a while now. Maybe I’m just being petty.

Waiting for over three years for the one you’re yearning for with your whole being can do that to you. “Then I’ll wait for you to change your mind,” he says quietly. “I’ll wait forever if I have to. “I won’t pretend or promise to sit on the sideline for years just waiting though. You might want to use the time I’m away to enjoy your freedom, but not too much. When I come back for you, I promise you, I’ll do everything in my power to make you want me again. I’m not giving you up, Persephone. Not ever.” Suddenly he moves closer. I step back, but his hands slide to my back, holding me still. He leans in until the tip of his nose is touching the shell of my ear. His warm breath is teasing my skin. “Besides, I know that you do want me now,” he whispers. Arrogant, overbearing, infuriating asshat. He nibbles my ear teasingly. The tip of his tongue comes out to trace the sensitive skin, sending shivers down my spine. Okay, so I do want him. “Cocky, big-headed, obnoxious asshole…” I mutter breathlessly. “I love you too, Malyshka,” he murmurs against my skin as his mouth travels down to rain kisses along my jaw. “No amount of time will change that.” When he reaches my neck, he opens his mouth and his tongue comes out to lap my skin hungrily. His mouth sucking and his teeth nipping gently. My brain stops working.

My hands sweep over his broad shoulders to the nape of his neck and to bury themselves in his silky hair. I lay my palms flat on his cheeks and force his face up so that I can look into his face. I can’t think straight when he’s doing what he was doing to me. “If you love me, why don’t you want to mark me now?” He looks up as if he’s in a daze, then he shakes his head as if to clear it up. I know I’m giving him a whiplash. One moment I’m telling him I might not want him anymore when he gets back, and the next I’m asking him why he’s not marking me. Good. By the end of this conversation, I expect that he might need to lie down or get a stiff drink before he can function properly again. “I know you marked my wolf when you kissed me that night a few months ago. Why not go all the way and mark me physically too?” I ask him. Serena and Genesis told me once when they found out that I am Darius’s erasthai that there are two stages to a lycan’s claim. The first stage is marking the wolf, which is very subtle. It warns other lycans who might be interested to stay away. Werewolves or humans wouldn’t be able to sense the marking at all. At this stage, my true mate can still claim me. The second stage, which is the real stage, is the physical marking. This is when the lycan bites you and become your real mate. You would turn into a lycan and no one else can claim you. “Marking you physically would be irreversible, Malyshka. There’s no undoing it. Your fate would forever be bound to me,” he answers. “I might be selfish, but I can’t destroy you. If I

marked you physically now, you wouldn’t survive it if anything bad happens to me when I’m in Russia. If I didn’t mark you, at least you would still have a chance at happiness even if I’m gone.” No, I don’t want to think about him being gone. “Or you can take me with you,” I insist once again. “No, it’s too dangerous for you to be there.” I can see by the set of his jaw and that determined look on his face that there’s no changing his mind. Well then. “Okay, no biggie,” I tell him, shrugging my shoulders as if I didn’t care. He probably sees something in my face, because he closes his eyes and groans out, “Please don’t, Malyshka.” It’s as if he can read my mind. He knows me so well. “Don’t what?” “Please don’t come to Russia after me.” “Sure I won’t,” I avert his icy blue gaze to study the pattern on the wall. Actually, there is no pattern, it’s just a boring whitewash stucco wall. “Really?” I trace an imaginary line on the wall, still avoiding his penetrating gaze. “Yeah, really. I wasn’t even thinking about it.” Liar!

He sighs. He doesn’t believe me. I don’t believe me. “Just make sure Eva keeps her hand to herself…and make sure you keep your hands off Eva or any other women for that matter,” I tell him, to change the subject. He backs me into the wall and places his forehead against mine. “I’m all yours, Persephone. Only yours,” he breathes before his lips claim mine in a deep searing kiss.

Darius has gone off with Caspian, Constantine, and Lazarus after lunch, so I decided to lounge around the swimming pool with Genesis and Serena. I open my bedroom door after changing into my American flag bikini to find Eva standing on the other side with her hand raised up, ready to knock. “Hi, Penny. I was just about to knock,” she says. “Can we talk for a minute?” “Yeah, sure,” I reply, opening the door wider for her to come in. “We’re leaving tonight. I think you’re already aware of that,” she says as soon as I closed the door. “Look, I would like to think that we’re friends. “What I’m trying to say is, I know you’re Darius’s erasthai. I might be slow in figuring out relationships and feelings and such, but I’ve finally got it.”

“When did you find out? How?” I ask her. We certainly never told anyone outside our little circle about this. Eva was so clueless all these while, I thought she would never figure it out. “I figured it out this morning,” she admits looking slightly sheepish. “I know you were in his bedroom. A lycan and a werewolf wouldn’t be spending the night together unless they’re mates, or meant to be mates. “I’m sorry about offering to have sex with him. Had I known what you are to him, I would never have done that.” Wow, this woman is even more direct than I am. “Okay,” I say. “Darius already marked my wolf before you came here, how can you not sense it?” She grins before she answers, “Oh, honey, only lycans who are really looking or interested in you would pay enough attention to be able to sense that. I don’t swing that way. so…” Huh. “How’d you know you don’t swing that way, you never had me yet,” I flip my hair sassily. Eva busts out laughing. “Would you be willing to give me a sample?” she teases me. She knows that she’s forgiven. I couldn’t bring myself to hold a grudge against Eva. I do like her. She’s not malicious or manipulative like some girls I know. What you see is what you get with Eva. “Nope!” I answer.

“I thought not. You’re as straight as a flagpole. Besides, I know you’re into Darius…I don’t think anybody else really had a chance.” Her response startles me for a second. Is that true? I know my bond and feelings for Darius are deeper, but I thought I was giving Matthew a fair chance. Maybe I still am, that’s why I didn’t answer Darius’s question about becoming his?

Serena is lying on one of the lounge chairs in her white bikini. Her golden tanned skin glows in the evening sunlight. Genesis and I are lying in the floating pool mats in the lower pool. The weather is beautiful. The scenery around us is gorgeous. We are surrounded by well-tended palm trees and shrubs, water falling steadily from the top tier pool into the one we’re in, blue sea and azure sky in the background, yet I’m feeling down. Genesis is looking pissed off. One of her feet is dangling in the water. She’s scowling deeply at the glass of iced tea in her hand. Suddenly she kicks the water with her dangling foot, creating waves that make my mat bounce violently. “You know, I would appreciate it more if you reserved that kick for your mate rather than trying to drown me,” I tell her, clutching the sides of the floating mat. “Oh, stop being so dramatic, Penny,” she says. “I swear I love you like a sister, but you’re so dramatic.” There’s a teasing smile on her lips now. “You’re right though, I should save my kicks and sass for Constantine.

“Nice necklace, by the way. Wonder where you got it from,” she teases. Then she adds quietly, “He’s leaving tonight…are you going to be okay, honey?” “No, not really. I don’t want him to go,” I answer honestly. “He asked me to be his….when he gets back.” “What did you say?” “I said I might not want to be his by then.” “Why?” “I don’t know. Maybe I don’t want to wait that long. Maybe I’m still trying to give Matthew a chance?” Genesis grows quiet for a while, looking like she’s deep in thought. “Maybe you’re still holding grudges. Maybe you’re punishing him for making you wait all those years? Maybe you’re punishing him for leaving?” Am I? Is that what I’m doing?

I must have dozed off a bit in the pool. I feel his eyes on me before I see him standing just outside the door near the pool bar. I guess it’s time to say goodbye? He’s wearing his black official suit like the first time I saw him over three years ago. He doesn’t look like he’s aged a day since.

He looks so hot yet intimidating, cold, and aloof. Like a stranger. Like he’s switched on his warrior mode. He has sunglasses covering his eyes, the rest of his face looks like they’re carved from the marble. Cold and expressionless. I look at him and remember what Genesis said once about him looking intimidating. I guess this is how others see him. I want to break through that exterior. I want the Darius that I’m used to seeing these last few days back. My heart aches at the thought of not seeing him again. Do I want to wait for him? How long do I have to wait for him this time? I paddle to the side of the pool slowly and he walks over. One quick tug and I land in his powerful arms. He gathers me close and buries his nose in the curve of my neck, inhaling my scent. The fabric of his suit pressing against my bare skin. His wonderful scent enveloping me. My heart breaks a little. “Please don’t cry, Malyshka,” he whispers, pulling back a little. I didn’t even realize I was crying. He wipes the falling tears with his thumb, and I pull his sunglasses away. I want to see his eyes. “I wish I don’t have to go,” he says, crushing me to him again. He buries his face in my hair and I thought he said “I can’t be without you,” but it was so faint, I might have imagined it. “I’ll come back for you. I’ll do everything in my power to come back to you soon,” he promises.

Everybody is already in the foyer waiting for us. Lazarus, Constantine, and Caspian are looking grim. Eva is also in a black official suit. Her hair is swept into a neat French braid. Her stance is rigid, very different from the way I always saw her. Their suitcases are already in the back of a black Bentley waiting just outside. The driver who also looks like a warrior is standing by the door, waiting. I give Eva a hug. I think I’m going to miss her too. He turns to give me one last lingering look before he walks out without looking back.

I skipped dinner tonight. I didn’t feel like eating. All my friends looked at me with concern when I told them that I wasn’t hungry. After showering and changing into my pajamas, I cross over the balcony to Darius’s room…or what used to be his room. The cleaners haven’t been in here yet. All his clothes are gone from the closet. The hangers stand empty. His scent lingers. For now. Very soon his scent too will be gone. I touch his pillow that cradled his head last night. I lay my head on it and rub my nose against it, breathing in his scent. I pull the pillow close to me like I’m pulling him close. My other hand

clutches his medallion tight, close to my heart. I close my eyes and pretend that he’s still here. Last night he was holding me tight. Just this morning we were whispering softly to each other in this bed. I want to go back to last night and this morning. How long could I go on without him this time? Realization hits me. On the surface, Matthew is the obvious choice. He’s so easy to be with. I lead he follows. I’m the storm to his gentle breeze. He balances me out. He calms me down. Life with him should be peaceful and easy. He is, after all, my other half. Darius is the raging fire to my inferno. Together we set each other further ablaze till we turn everything in our path into ashes, but oh man, does he make me feel alive like no other. Question is, do I want calm and easy? Or do I want to burn higher and brighter and be consumed by that raging fire? I think I know the answer to that question. I know what I’m going to do now. The heart already knows.

It’s still dark outside when I open my eyes. I recognize Darius’s room. I fell asleep here last night. My heart instantly feels heavy. I’m surrounded by his scent, but he’s not here. I wonder what he’s doing now.

I walk reluctantly back to my room, straight into my bathroom. I brush my teeth, put on my workout outfit and put my hair up in a ponytail. The gym is in the East Wing of the house. I’m surprised to find Caspian already there, working out this early in the morning. He seems to be totally focused, though. He just keeps working out, totally ignoring me. I start to stretch, watching Caspian warily. Something is not right with this Prince this morning. Maybe if I give him a swift kick in the nuts, he’ll notice that I’m here? On second thought, maybe it’s a good thing that he leaves me alone. After stretching up, I decided to concentrate on the punching bag. It’ll give me the chance to think and plot to get things to go the way I want it to. I wrap my hands, put the gloves on and start punching and kicking. “Keep your elbow down, Beany. Protect your body,” yells Caspian, suddenly. Really??? Now he decided to acknowledge me? I just want to pound the bag in peace. “Mind your footwork. Keep moving. Don’t be lazy,” he yells again. I am so tempted to pound him now. I pause to give him the stink eye just to have him yell, “Keep your eyes on your target. Stop eye-raping me.” What??? My phone lights up. An unknown number is calling. I pull out my glove, flip him the bird, then swipe the screen, rejecting the

call. It starts lighting up again very soon after. The same unknown number. Now I’m curious. Usually, telemarketers don’t call twice in a row. So I answer the call. “Hello?” I say, preparing to hang up if I hear an automated voice or somebody trying to sell me their timeshares or their grandmamas. No offense to telemarketers, but I already have my hands full with my abuela who calls every week. “Hello? Penny?” I know that voice. I’m bad at remembering names, but I remember voices and faces and I remember HER name. “Hi,” I answered tentatively. I wonder what she wants from me. “It’s Cece calling,” she says. Duh! “I wonder if we can meet somewhere this morning…and talk? I won’t take too much of your time.” I have an idea of what she wants to talk about, but I’m still intrigued to know what she has to say. “Not this morning,” I inform her. I have things to do this morning. “What about later? This evening. Would evening suit you better?” “Yeah, evening sounds good,” I tell her, glancing at Caspian.

Chapter 29 - And Then There Are Hyenas

I agree to meet up with Cece at a cafe near the campus at five. I drop my phone on the mat and turn to look at the moody Prince. What has gotten into him lately? He is now facing the punching bag as if it was his opponent. Circling it and throwing punches without really touching it. He must’ve been in here for a while. He’s only wearing a pair of loose workout pants. His bare chest is rising and falling and is glistening wet with sweat. There’s sweat dripping from the tips of his tousled golden hair. He’s looking really focused. “I told you Beany. Stop eye-raping me. I’m not just a gorgeous looking piece of ass, you know,” he says without taking his eyes off the punching bag. “I’m feeling very violated right now.” Seriously??? I feel my mouth drops to the floor. “Aaarrggghhhhh!!!!!!” I charge at him with a loud war cry. Him turning is the last thing I see before he grabs my wrist. A flurry of movement and whooshing of air in my ears, then I’m flat on my back. Good thing that the floor on this part of the gym is covered with the martial art mats. It still hurts, though. Caspian straddles my chest while his hand holds my hands captive over my head. “Really? I thought you’re my star student,” says Caspian, shaking his head, looking down at me as if I’m a disappointment. “You don’t yell like a banshee before you attack anybody Beany,” he admonishes me. “I wasn’t planning on attacking. I just wanted to kick you in the nuts,” I inform him. “What do you mean I’m your star student?

I’m the ONLY student you have. You’re crappy....” Oh, wait! I want to ask him a favor, aggravating him wouldn’t get me anywhere. I need to butter him up. “I mean you’re a great teacher...yeah.” He lets go of my hands and stands up. He then offers me his hand to help me up without saying anything else. Hmmm...something is really up with this Prince. Normally, he wouldn’t let me go without making crude comments or random crappy pickup lines he thought as funny. Anyway, back to my plans, butter him up. Right. “So....are you thirsty? Would you like something to drink?” I ask him. “Here, you can take mine. I haven’t drunk from it yet.” He stops and looks at me warily. His eyes narrowing as he stares suspiciously at the water bottle I’m offering him. “I have my own water bottle, thanks,” he says, still watching me suspiciously. Oh, for goodness sake! Can’t I be nice without anybody looking at me like I was plotting their murder or having ulterior motives? Well, okay, so I do have an ulterior motive this time, but still... “It’s not poisoned, you know,” I tell him exasperatedly. “Yeah, I know, but I have my own water bottle,” he says. As if to prove his point, he picks up his water bottle, unscrewed the lid and starts drinking from it.

“Everything’s okay with you?” I ask him, uncapping my water bottle and start drinking from it. “Yeah, great,” he says. Is it just me or does he sound very sarcastic? “Is there anything I can do for you? Do you need---” “Beany?” “Yes?” “The answer is no.” “What do you mean no?” I scoff. “The answer is no. No, you’re not going to Russia.” “What??? How did you...I didn’t even...I wasn’t... What???” I stammer. “Why not???” “It’s dangerous, Beany,” he sighs wearily. “Look, Darius cares about you very much. He’s willing to give up his life for you if he had to. You can grovel, throw tantrum, or pull tricks as much as you want, but I’m not about to let you get yourself killed. “Oh, by the way, Constantine and Lazarus aren’t going to let you go either. I suggest you won’t try anything funny with them because you would be wasting your time. It’s not going to work. There’s no way we’re going to let your annoying little ass get hurt or killed.”

That’s not the answer that I want. A common she-wolf like me really can’t get anywhere near the Banehallow Palace or a Royal Lycan Army top officer without the help of the lycan Prince like Caspian or any of my lycan friends. The secret of our government is very well protected. The security for the royalties and lycan head warriors are very tight. The king and the queen might know me, but their security people don’t. I’d be very lucky to touch the gate of the palace or catch a glimpse of Darius if I just showed up there. Asking for an audience with the king and queen by someone like me would be like asking for an audience with the queen of England by anyone on the street. The guards and the servants might die laughing if I just walk up and demand to be seen by the king. “I don’t want him to give up his life for me,” I stick my chin up stubbornly. I try to think of anything to say to get him to change his mind but come up with nothing. “You suck!” I declare finally. “Oh, I do more than suck, baby,” replies Caspian with a wink. “Arghhh!!!Stop!!! Why? Why do you have to say such a thing, you perv?” I tell him. “I do not need such visual in my head!” Caspian laughs. His big muscular body shakes uncontrollably. He tries to say something, but he’s wheezing too much to even make sense. Pervert! I leave the room before he gets the chance to say something as equally moronic again. So, they won’t help me go to Russia. That pisses me off.

“We’re doing this for your own good!” he yells from inside the gym as I stomp out indignantly. Ughh!!! Next stop, shower. I’m very sweaty and need to shower. Badly. My hair is wet and sticking to my neck and my cheeks. My body, especially my knuckles are sore. Well, I’m not giving up that easily. Time for a new plan. He mentioned that Constantine and Lazarus wouldn’t help me get to Russia. He didn’t say anything about Genesis or Serena. The shower put me in a better mood. I put on a pair of denim shorts, a white crop top and a pair of white Vans. Time to go looking for Genesis. I found Genesis in the painting studio. Painting a real painting! Well, actually she’s lying upside down on a sofa, staring at her painting that’s sitting on the easel. “What are you doing?” I ask her. Maybe it’s not a good idea to ask. “Looking at my painting from a different angle,” she answers. “Why didn’t you just turn the painting upside down instead?” I ask, tilting my head to see what she’s seeing. I think it’s a painting of Serena, Caspian and me lying on the loungers, viewed from underneath the water of the swimming pool. Ripples of water, obscuring our faces. There are blurring palm trees and blue sky with soft pinkish cotton candy clouds in the background.

It’s kinda strange, yet beautiful like her other paintings. “I can spot the flaw in perspective better this way,” she says. O-kaaayy....I really shouldn’t have asked. “Do you know what’s eating his royal highness Prince Caspian?” I ask her as I plonk myself next to her on the sofa. For a few seconds, she just stares at the painting with her eyes narrowed and eyebrows scrunched together. “Seriously, what’s going on with him?” I ask her again. It feels kinda weird to be talking to a person who sitting upside down with her head dangling down the seat. “Apart from dealing with his possessiveness over you leaving, he thinks he saw his erasthai,” she says. “Really? How can he thinks he saw her? Either he did or he didn’t. Which one is it? What is she? A werewolf? A faery? A lycan?” “Too fast. He thinks she’s a human, but he can’t be sure. She’s too fast.” “Too fast?” “Yeah, she ran away from him,” she answers. “She ran away?” I think I’m resembling a parrot now, repeating Genesis’s every word.

“But..but...but girls never run away from Caspian.” They usually run TOWARDS the arrogant bratty Prince. What’s going on here? Oh, this should be good. “Yeah, I know,” says Genesis knowingly, her grin widens. “I’m already loving her.” “If she’s a human how can she outrun a lycan?” Genesis attempts to shrug her shoulders, but she tumbles down the sofa headfirst. “Owww...I think I broke my butt.” I roll my eyes and help her up. How many times could a person break her butt? “Why didn’t he tell me?” I ask her. She rubs her butt a few times before she sits next to me...the right way, like a normal person this time. “I don’t know. Maybe he thinks that you’re dealing with too much already.” “Dealing with too much??? Too much? I don’t know what the heck I’m dealing with, Genesis! Nobody tells me anything!” “I know right?” she suddenly turns her whole body to face me. “They wouldn’t tell me anything either! I hate it when Constantine keeps things from me. Doesn’t he trust me? ME! His own mate.” “I know what you mean,” I tell her. “Darius wouldn’t let me come with him to Russia. He wouldn’t tell me anything either.

It’s driving me crazy. He said it’s not safe for me. Don’t you think if it concerns me, I have the right to at least know about it?” “I was so ticked off with Constantine yesterday, but it’s hard to stay mad at him,” confesses Genesis. I wonder if it’s a good idea to ask her what Constantine did that makes it hard for her to stay mad at him. “What do you think it is? Do you think it has something to do with what happened to you before? Do you think that somehow it’s connected with what happened to you?” I ask her instead. “I don’t know, but I know that whatever it is, it’s big.” “And dangerous,” I add. “Genesis...I need your help. I need to go to Russia. I need to be where he is.” “Oh, no. No, no, no...you said it yourself that it’s dangerous. You’re not going anywhere near where you can get killed, Penny,” says Genesis, looking alarmed. “Besides, Darius would be furious!” “Who cares if he’s furious!” “Well, I do! Darius is tough and scary...and fierce. He’s one of the best warriors! Doesn’t he scare you? I’ve seen him in action once. Believe me, you don’t want to get on his bad side.” Scare me? He is tough, but I’ve seen the side of him that’s vulnerable and as soft as a teddy bear. He can’t even stand the sight of my tears!

“Pfftt...he’s not that scary. He’s really adorable.” “Adorable???? Darius?” Genesis is gaping at me. “Seriously, did you just use the word adorable and Darius in the same sentence?” “Well...yeah. There are times when I’d like to kick his balls, but he’s really sweet...at times.” “Sweet?” she is almost shrieking. “I guess it’s good that you think he’s sweet and adorable since he’s your erasthai,” she says after a while, still looking very skeptical. “Well, he is!” I insist. “Love makes you blind,” she sighs. I huff indignantly. It’s not my fault that she can’t see how sweet, adorable and vulnerable he is. “Well, are you helping me or not? You know I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere near him without your help.” “Not. I’m sorry Penny,” she says. “I’d die if anything happens to you. Nope, you’re not going.” “If it’s Constantine who’s out there, would you sit here quietly waiting even when you know he might not come back for you?” I ask her. She opens her mouth to answer me, then pause to think and closed her mouth back again. “Hah!!!” I say triumphantly. “Besides, you know very well that I would still go even without your help...though I might get

stranded somewhere and die of starvation and loneliness, or worse, get eaten by hungry hyenas in a foreign land--- ” “Oh, for the love of fuzzy slippers, Penny!!! Why’d you have to be so stubborn?” she wails. “I understand your point. Believe me, I do. If it’s Constantine, I wouldn’t be sitting here, doing nothing either, but I really can’t help you even if I want to.” Cuddly bunnies and fuzzy slippers are equivalent to cursing and swearing in Genesis’s sweet little world. She uses it when she reaches the end of her tether. “They might’ve alerted the airport security to make sure that you don’t fly out of the country. If you tried to leave, they’ll just handcuff you and drag you back home,” she says. What??? They’re very serious about keeping me away from Russia...and from Darius. “And you’re a werewolf for goodness sake. Why would you let hyenas eat you?” I hear her yell as I stomp away the second time today. Darn it! There goes my plan A and plan B. I don’t have a plan C. Well, okay...so I don’t really have any plans. I made things up as I went and now I’m out of ideas. I could try to sneak through the airport and fly to Russia, but I really don’t want to get eaten by the Hyenas. It could happen since I have no means of getting to Darius or the palace. I make my way into Darius’s room. I’m glad I told the cleaning lady not to clean the room or change the bedsheet. The whole

room still smells of him. I curl up on the bed, soaking in his scent. On an impulse, I bring out my phone, find his number and type, ”I miss you.” and hit send. I don’t know if he’d ever see that message. I was told that the line is not secure and he won’t be using it in Russia. So my plans didn’t work out. Now what? This is crazy. Why can’t we be together now? Why do I have to wait? If I can’t go to him, maybe I can make him come to me? How?

I fall asleep in his bed, surrounded by his scent. I open my eyes, look at the time and jump. It’s less than ten minutes to five. I agreed to meet Cece at the cafe around five. Regular drive there takes twenty minutes. I dive into the bathroom and brush my teeth. I pull my hair up into a messy bun while running down the stairs, then grab Caspian’s Porsche’s key fob, out the door, jump into the car and drive like a maniac. The tires screech as I pull the car into a halt right in front of the building. A few people turn to look. I bet I look like a deranged maniac. Cece is one of those people who is standing at the curb to stare at me when I jump out of the car. “I thought you weren’t going to show,” she says. “I was about to leave.”

“Well, sorry I’m late,” I apologize. “But, I’m here now.” “Let’s go to the park, there are too many people here,” she suggests. “It’s just a couple of blocks away from here.” It’s an awkward walk to the park. I think she doesn’t know what to say and I don’t feel like making small talk. She motions me to sit on a bench near a tree when we reach the park. I don’t plan to stay for long. I prefer to stand, so I lean against the tree and she takes the seat. She’s wearing a long blue sundress today with white sandals. She’s still wearing a lot of bangles and long necklaces. Her hair is in a ponytail. She seems to be assessing my appearance just as I’m assessing hers. I should probably dressed better, but I didn’t have time. Besides, I don’t think I really need to impress her. “So, anyway...this is kinda awkward,” she says. “Yeah.” No kidding. “I didn’t invite you here to start a fight or anything, Penny. I just want to talk.” Uhuh..I’m not a big fan of talking to some people’s exgirlfriends. “I had a talk with Matthew last night,” she says. “I know he still loves me.”

“And you’re telling me this because...?” “I just want you to know about this. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Oh, my goddess!!! I burst out laughing. I can’t help it. “How very kind of you,” I tell her. Her face turns red. “I’m sorry you find this funny.” “You should be,” I say. “You know what I really think, though, Cece? I think you’re feeling threatened by me.” “I did not!” she huffs. “We’ve been together for a very long time, Matthew and I. He always comes running back to me. Always.” “You’ve been together for a long time, but yours isn’t the healthiest relationship I’ve seen. You’re always breaking up. What if he doesn’t come running back to you this time, Cece? What if he comes crawling to me instead?” All of a sudden she bursts out crying. A strange breathy high pitched sound that reminds me of the sound of hyenas comes out of her mouth. Well, okay...so I’m not sure how hyenas sound like, but close enough. I glance around quickly to make sure that no one is looking. Gah!!!! Is today my bad luck day or something? I should’ve consulted the stars before stepping out of the bedroom. Maybe I should’ve just stayed in bed all day today. Nothing is going my way today. Nothing!

Now I feel like sobbing alongside this strange woman.

Chapter 30 - One With Thing 1 and Thing 2 “Honestly, I didn’t expect Matthew to be seeing anybody...” she continues. “I thought you’re the one who said you wanted to see other people,” I say. “I know what I said, but I didn’t really mean it. I didn’t want to see other people...and I didn’t think he would start seeing other people either. ” Okay, this woman is starting to give me a headache. “Then why the hell did you tell him you wanted to start seeing other people for?” I almost yell at her. Her face crumpled once more. Thankfully her sobs aren’t as loud this time. “I just wanted him to pay more attention to me...to us. I wanted him to feel jealous. I wanted him to do something. I didn’t want him to run off every time we have a problem. I didn’t expect him to go and start seeing a Victoria Secret model either.” What? Wait a minute. Did she meant me??? I am no underwear model and I’m about to tell her that when she says, “Do you know when was the last time we went on a date? On a proper date?”

“Two years ago!” she answers her own question before I can open my mouth. “He could take you to a cafe, yet he couldn’t even bother to take me out to a nice dinner.” I’m about to let her know that meeting at a cafe could hardly compare to a nice dinner, but I figure now is not a good time for that when she starts sobbing again. Now, what do I do? I pat her arm awkwardly. “There, there...” I say. Her sobs subside... somewhat. “Every time we go out, we always go out with his friends. It’s always about what the group would like to do. I suggested we go on a vacation. Just the two of us. We ended up having a huge fight over it and he just left. “You could’ve had any other men. Why him? Matthew and I, we’ve been through a lot together and I love him,” she declares. “Do you? Do you love him?” Her question throws me off.

I’m sitting on the bench that was occupied by Cece a while ago. That was the weirdest meeting I’ve ever had with anyone. I just need to sit down for a while after an encounter like that. It was so weird. I’m feeling kinda sorry for her while wanting to bitchslap her till tomorrow at the same time. He’s supposed to be my mate, yet now I feel like the other woman.

A gentle breeze blows a few loose whispy tendrils of my hair against my cheek. A few guys jog past and one of them flashes me a smile. He’s cute, but I can’t bring myself to return his smile. The old Penny would’ve returned his smile...and maybe check out his butt too. If I was honest with myself, I haven’t looked at any other men as soon as I met Darius. At the beginning, it was just the pull, which on its own was powerful enough. Now that I’ve gotten to know him, the bond is even stronger. Yes, he did hurt me...a lot. I wanted to forget him. That’s why I partied like there’s no tomorrow. I wanted to get back at him, that’s why I’d been making out with numerous random men. Countless of men. I’m making up for all the women he brought to the castle and Polina. He threw me for a loop when he confessed that he didn’t do anything with any them. I believed him because I didn’t want any of the men either. I know what it feels like. I had to drink myself into a stupor to start doing what I did. All I really wanted was him. I knew all along deep inside that our bond is too strong to have any room for other people in it. Still, he hurt me and I wanted revenge. So where does that leave me now? Missing him. I’m missing him, yet I have no way of seeing him. My hand reaches up for his medallion. Holding it tight.

What about Matthew? I know he’s attracted to me because of the mate bond that he doesn’t even understand. He and Cece have their problem, but he loves Cece. I saw the way he was looking at her. The strange thing is, it doesn’t hurt me all the much anymore when I think of Matthew with Cece. The thought of Darius with someone else though is enough to make me want to rip someone’s heart out. After his promises and confession of love to me, I swear I’ll rip his balls out if I ever see him with any other female. I should talk to Matthew. It’s not fair to be stringing him along when I’m missing someone else. So I do. I call him up and ask him if he’s free to see me today. He agrees to see me at the park since he’s not too far away and I’m already here. He arrives fifteen minutes later. Dark hair and dark eyes. Easy smile. Total opposite of Darius. In different circumstances, I think we could’ve been happy together. “Hey,” he says. “It didn’t take too long for me to get here, did it?” “Nope, you told me you’d be here in 20. You made it in 15, so you’re early.” He smiles and sits next to me on the bench. He takes my hand in his and tingles run up my arm at his touch. “That’s interesting,” he says, leaning in closer. “What is?”

“The medallion,” he answers, looking at the medallion closely. “It looks very old. Is that real or a reproduction? It looks like a crest of one of those European aristocratic families or something.” He reaches up to touch the medallion and I lean back in my seat and wrap my hand tightly around it. We’re not here to discuss Darius’s aristocratic family. “Sorry,” he says. “It’s the history teacher in me talking.” He smiles sheepishly. “I talked to Cece today,” I tell him. I feel his body stiffened next to me. “Okay,” he says cautiously, straightening up. “You told her that you want to try something new.” “Yeah...I did.” “But you love her.” He seems taken aback by my statement. “Well...maybe it’s just not working for me and Cece,” he says slowly, looking away and letting go of my hand. I notice that he’s not denying that he still loves her. “Or maybe you just want to teach her a lesson...before you go back to her?” I say and he draws in a sharp breath. I know I’m right. “It’s not like that, exactly. I mean, I do like you Penny. I do. You’re exciting and beautiful and I can’t believe you like me

too. When I’m with you I feel happy. I know we just met, but we clicked and I think about you a lot when we’re not together.” I know what he’s talking about. Mate attraction. I also know that it’s significantly less intense than what regular werewolves feel. “But you do love her,” I insist. “You know you can’t have us both, right?” “Yeah, I know that. The way I feel about you though...is different from the way I feel for Cece.” Yeah, but he still can’t have us both. “Matthew, if you still love her, you should sort things out with her.” " I know, but I what about us?” Suddenly I sense some changes in the air and the hair at the back fo my neck rises. I tilt my head back and sniff the air. It’s part of the lesson Caspian, Lazarus, Constantine, and Darius taught me. I need to depend on my senses especially during sparring. I know I’m slow, but sometimes the lesson sticks. Right now, I get the sense of being watched as well as the scent of something that doesn’t belong. “Penny, what are you doing?” asks Matthew.

“Shhhhh...” I shush him as I keep sniffing the air and my eyes keep scanning the area. It’s getting dark and the park is quite deserted now. I can’t see or hear anything out of the ordinary, but I smell something off. “I think we should go now,” I tell him quietly. “Why?” he asks. “Penny, what’s going on?” I think I smell other werewolves. That, in itself, isn’t something to be alarmed about. I don’t know what it is, but something isn’t quite right. I couldn’t put a finger on it. “Let’s go, Matthew. Let’s leave. Now.” It must be the urgency in my voice. Matthew jumps up from the bench. I move towards where Matthew parked his car, pulling him with me. I pull out my cell phone, trying to find Lazarus’s number while trying to keep myself aware of the surrounding. The smell is getting stronger. “Penny, who are you calling? What’s going on?” asks Matthew, looking alarmed. “Hello there, Ms. Penny Ruiz.” I gasp and whirl around when I hear an unfamiliar voice behind us. “Where are you going, doll? Leaving so soon?” says another voice.

Two big men are approaching us. Both of them look like they could be in a biker gang or something. The first guy looks younger and has wild hair and lots of tattoos. The second man is taller and looks more intimidating with his bald head and a full beard. They carry that werewolf scent, but not the regular werewolf scent that I’m used to. These men know my name and that’s just creepy. I step in front of Matthew, trying to keep him behind me but he keeps pulling me back and trying to keep me behind him. “What are you doing, fraternizing with humans...and lycans? Aren’t we good enough for you?” sneers the first one. He’s so stupid. “What did he mean? Do you know them, Penny?” asks Matthew, still trying to push me back behind him. “Who are you? What do you want from me?” I ask them. “We don’t want anything from you, you lycan’s pet!” barks the second man. “Cheap whoring bitch!” He spits on the ground. He looks like he’s really disgusted with me. “I’m nobody’s pet, you moron!” I snap back. That’s probably not the best thing to say right now, but he’s pissing me off. I’m gonna call these two morons Thing 1 and Thing 2 even though I actually like Thing 1 and Thing 2. “A spitfire! I like! Too bad we have to kill you before the lycans get here,” says Thing 1.

I press call on my cell phone and Thing 2 seems to notice my small movement. “The bitch has got a phone on her, idiot! Get her!” Thing 1 springs forward, but I kick him squarely in the middle of his chest and yell, “Stay away from me, you a*shole!” The man falls backward and crashes into a tree. He clutches his chest, swearing profusely. I hear a whooshing sound close to my ear and my phone is knocked out of my hand. The bastard, Thing 2 threw a knife at my phone! My hand is now bleeding and my phone is lying on the ground with a knife sticking right through it. Blood is dripping from my hand. “Assh*le!!! You killed my phone!” I wail. I can’t believe that he just destroyed my phone! “She bloody made a call! They’re gonna be here soon. Kill her quick! We’ve gotta go!” says Thing 2. “Jonah, finish her off!” Thing 2 barks out and a figure steps out of from the line of the trees. Yummy Lip Ring? I stare at him in shock. He knows these guys? He’s staring intensely at me but makes no move to get closer.

“For Fvck sake, Jonah! Have you gone deaf? Kill her!” says Thing 2 again. “The lycans are going to be here any seconds,” says Yummy Lip Ring casually. “He’s right. We’gotta finish the bitch off somewhere else,” Thing 1 announces, getting to his feet. No way! I get to my stance and get ready to attack. “No, no, no bitch, we don’t have time for this. If you’re going to be difficult, we’re going to snap your little human’s head off,” says Thing 2. One arm is around Matthew’s neck while his other hand is wrapped around Matthew’s forehead, ready to twist his head off. “Okay, okay...let him go.” I raise my hands up in a surrender gesture. Thing 1 pulls the knife out of my poor phone and tosses it to Thing 2. Thing 2 easily catches the knife. “We can’t let him go now, but if you want him to live, get moving,” says Thing 2, pressing the knife to Matthew’s neck. I shuffle my feet, reluctant to leave the spot, but the Thing 1 pushes me ahead. An old beat up blue Pontiac Grand Am is waiting not far away. “Get in!” snaps Thing 1, forcing me in the backseat. Thing 2 shoves Matthew in beside me before he crawls in and sits with a knife at Matthew’s throat. It’s very crowded in here.

Thing 1 gets in the driver’s seat while Yummy Lip Ring, or should I call him Jonah now gets in the passenger seat. Thing 1 guns the engine and we’re flying through the neighborhood. Matthew is quiet now. I notice him shaking. Poor guy. He has a knife pressed to his throat. This must be all new to him. Who am I kidding? This is new to me too and I’m freaking out on the inside! I hope Lazarus answered the phone and heard enough to know that I’m in trouble. If Darius was with me right now, I know he’ll rip these guys to pieces. The car is going very fast. The buildings we passed seem like a blur. Very soon, I see more trees than buildings. Wherever they’re taking us, it’s to somewhere remote. We’re getting away from the civilization. “My friends are coming, you know,” I tell them, breaking the silence. None of them say anything and that pisses me off, so I continue, “You know what they are and they’re coming for you. When they get their hands on you, you’re all going to die the most painful death.” “You’re going to die first, doll,” says Thing 1 from the front. “Don’t worry, we’re going to rip you into tiny little pieces and scatter your remains all over the place for the lycans to find you,” adds Thing 2.

I can’t believe Yummy Lip Ring...or rather Jonah is one of them. I’m so pissed that he managed to make me trust him so easily. I’ve seen his peepee for goodness sake, and it’s not during sex either! If that’s not a bonding moment, I don’t know what is. Maybe I’m not that good at reading people like I thought I was. He turns around to look at me and I scowl at him. I’m going to kick his nuts to the moon when I get the chance. Yummy Lip Ring, or rather Jonah scowls back at me, but his eyes slide to Thing 1 who is driving beside him then over to Thing 2 before he faces the front again. What? What was that about? Is he trying to tell me something? His message becomes clear a few seconds later when I see his hand braces the roof of the car, while the other grabs the steering wheel and his foot comes in contact with Thing 1 who’s driving. I push Matthew down and dive to tackle Thing 2 against the car window while the car swerves sharply and violently. The tires screeched. I think Thing 2 punches my stomach before we are tossed around like ragged dolls before the car comes to a complete stop with a loud bang. The car is eerily silent for a second. The smell of burning rubber hits my nose. I can smell that metallic smell of blood too, and it is getting stronger. My head and my neck hurt, otherwise I’m okay...I think. I look around and realize that I’m lying half across Matthew. I think he’s okay. I threw myself over him to shield him from the impact of any collision.

The door on the other side is opened and Thing 2 is nowhere to be seen. Thing 1 is slumped over the steering wheel. I don’t see any airbags. Yummy Lip Ring, or rather Jonah is looking around. He glances at me once before he pushes the car door open. I open the car door and pull Matthew out with me. He seems dazed and very shaken. The front side of the car hit a tree. It looks like we’re in the middle of nowhere. We are surrounded by trees. The little road we’re traveling on is a quiet one without a single street light anywhere in sight. No cars so far either. The moon is bright and one of the car headlights is still on. “Jonah, you’re a fucking traitor!” yells Thing 2 from the front of the car. “I might have saved your fucking ass!” Jonah yells back. “Have you any idea what the lycans would do to us if you killed her?” “Bossman would take care of that!” answers Thing 2. “Besides, she’s just their pet. Their plaything. They won’t go crazy searching for her.” “You bloody fool! She’s not their pet. She’s their fucking mate. They would hunt us down and won’t stop until we’re dead. All of us dead,” says Jonah. His eyes landed on me and he has that look on his face that makes me look down at myself.

Sticking out from my stomach is a handle of a knife. Deep crimson is seeping out from it. Half my top and my shorts are soaking wet with blood. Rivulets of blood run down my legs and a few dripping from the hem of my top. So that strong smell of blood actually comes from me because nobody else seems to be bleeding. I thought I was a punched in my stomach by Thing 2, but I wasn’t. That fucking asshole stabbed me! I got distracted when Thing 1 stumbles out of the car and landed on his all fours, growling. He’s changing shape. He’s changing into his wolf. A small sound beside me makes me glance over at Matthew who is now staring from my stomach to Thing 1 who is still crouching and changing on the ground. His eyes are big with terror and his skin is pale and clammy looking. Poor Matthew. He’s shaking so much. He looks like he’s going to be sick. I glance back down at the knife still sticking out of my stomach. How come I didn’t feel it before? I grip the knife and pull. It’s weird how I feel nothing at first. Halfway through, I’m assaulted by hot piercing pain. The pain is so intense that I growl out. My vision is tinged with red.

Chapter 31 - One Who is Changing The heat in my chest is growing and I’m seeing red. My senses suddenly sharpen drastically, it’s overwhelming. It’s too much. It’s crushing me all at once. I drop the knife to the ground, clutching my stomach. Something is happening to me.

Another wave of raw pain hits my stomach and I let out a vicious growl. “What the hell?” yells Thing 2, jumping back. “Bossman said she’s a werewolf. He said she’s their pet!” Jonah watches me and the two men warily. Thing 1, who is now in his wolf form snarls at me showing me his sharp glistening teeth and canines. I snarl ferociously back and hear a thud beside me. Matthew has fallen on the ground looking up at me with terror on his face. He whimpers and shuffles backward on his arms and backside when I turn my attention to him. What the hell is wrong with him? Thing 1 the wolf, use my momentary distraction from him to launch himself at me. He’s really pissing me off, so I knock him away. I must have socked the wolf harder than I thought because he sails a few feet in the air and falls on the ground unmoving. Whoa!!! I look down at my hands and almost stop breathing. My hands are bloody...and look different. Why do my hands look different? The nails are thick and sharp like claws. Fingers are long with veins and muscles. These are NOT my hands! I don’t even look like this when I change into my wolf. What’s happening to me? The red in my vision disappears and now I’m freaking out! The wave of nausea and sharp pain in my stomach assault me again and I stagger backward and fall unceremoniously on the

ground. I don’t have much energy to get up right now, so I sit clutching my stomach. Blood is seeping out through my fingers, but I think it’s slowing down. Thing 2 charges towards me, but Jonah intercepts with a solid punch to his face. I almost wince at the loud sickening crunch. Almost. Thing 2 fell to the ground groaning, cupping his face. Blood is pouring out of his nose and busted lips. “You broke my nose, you fvcking assh*le! Bossman will hear about this. You’re not getting away with it.” He staggers to his feet and clumsily rams headfirst toward Jonah. Jonah just moves aside and Thing 2 tumbles headlong to the ground next to me. He growls and tries to push himself up again, so I raise my fist and sock him right in the jaw causing his head to snap sharply to the side. I raise my fist again, but the big bald man is slumped face first on the ground, out cold. Jonah approaches me warily and cautiously as if he’s approaching a wounded animal. I ignore him and roll Thing 2 to lie on his back. I slap the unconscious Thing 2 a few times. Jonah quietly watches me doing it for a while, then he sighs and shakes his head. Strangely, he seems more relaxed after that. I know there’s no honor in hitting a man who can’t fight back, but I when do I care about honors? I’m very pissed that he stabbed me and that he lost consciousness so quickly and my knuckles hurt from punching him. I hope he gets a massive headache when he comes to.

What is happening to me, though? Where did I get such strength? Thing 2 is a huge male werewolf and I knocked him out cold with just a punch. “What is happening to me?” I look up at Jonah. “You’re becoming a lycan,” he answers me. “You’re just starting to change...and you’ve lost a lot of blood.” Am I really becoming a lycan? I remember Genesis telling me that she started to change into a lycan before Constantine even marked her physically. It happened after he marked her wolf and she mentally accepted him as his mate. It’s her body preparing her for the mating with him. I guess I’ve made my choice and my body knows it. “You should go. Get away from here. My friends are coming,” I tell him as I pull myself up. I’m in pain and very tired, but there are things to be done. “Wait, what are you doing?” Jonah asks me. “What do you think I’m doing?” I’m pulling Thing 2 to the car by his legs. “He’s a souvenir. I’m keeping him in the trunk,” I announce. I’m not risking him waking up and running off anytime soon. “You’re a crazy woman, do you know that?” Jonah says, observing me. “Says the one who’s working with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Thing 1 and Thing 2,” I say, fighting a wave of dizziness. “You guys are like Larry, Curly, and Moe.” I point towards him,

and the two unconscious morons on the ground. Jonah just shakes his head at my insult. “Now help me get him in the trunk.” On any normal day, I could’ve hauled the two men by myself. I’m too tired, weak, and in pain right now. “You’re very bossy,” he complains as he helps me pull Thing 2 up. We deposit him inside the trunk with a loud satisfying thunk. “I am not bossy!” I tell him. “Now, bring Thing 1 over here!” “Why did you help me?” I ask him as he helps me drag Thing 1 to the car. “Because I didn’t feel like killing your crazy ass,” he says. Thing 1′s head is banging against the stones and the protruding tree roots on the ground as we drag him by his feet. Good. That is very satisfying. “Because you didn’t feel like...? Wha..? What kind of hoodlum are you?” He just shrugs his shoulders. “Who’s Bossman?” He doesn’t answer me. Fine! I guess he doesn’t feel like talking anymore.

“I’d go now if I were you. My friends would kill first and ask questions later,” I tell him again as we close the trunk. “NOW GO!!!” I push him away. I’m feeling very cold and lightheaded. I watch him walk away. I wonder if I’d ever see him again. Yummy Lip Ring. “Don’t walk, run!” I yell after him as I hold onto the back of the car. “And I suggest you quit this gig. I don’t think this line of career is the right fit for you.” He looks back and smirks. In seconds, a big black wolf takes off running in his place. Its black coat shines in the moonlight before it disappears into the ravines and bushes. As soon as he disappears from sight, my legs give way. It takes a lot of energy just to be standing. Lying here on the ground next to a wrecked car, I see stars shining brightly up above. The throbbing burning pain in my stomach comes in waves. I wonder where Matthew is. I can still smell him, that means he’s not too far away. I think I’ve stopped bleeding, but I’ve lost a lot of blood and that makes me feel weak. My friends are close by. I can feel it. I just have to hang on to my consciousness just a little bit longer. My hand seeks the medallion. I grip it tightly as I listen to my own heartbeat slowing down. Darius. I want him with me right now. A few seconds later I feel a hand cradling my face. “Penny! Penny!!!” Genesis is wailing. It’s funny, her hands are so gentle on my face, but she’s yelling so loudly. Too loudly.

“Shhh...you’re too loud,” I tell her. “You’re alive!!!” She’s still too loud. Her eyes are brimming with tears. “Penny...” Serena’s soft hand pushes strands of my hair off my forehead. Caspian’s face appears next to Genesis and Serena. “Yup, she’s still alive,” he announces. No sh*t, Sherlock! I wanted to snap back, but looking at his face, I can’t. Caspian’s voice might sound light and playful, but he looks serious and angry as he stares down at me, assessing my injury. His green eyes turn icy cold and his jaw hardens when he sees my bloody stomach. “I will bloody kill them!” he mutters darkly. “They’re still here.” I hear Constantine’s harsh voice close by. “In the trunk,” I manage to mumble just as I hear the trunk is being opened. “I smell another scent. This one is different. He’s not too far away. I’m going after him,” growls Lazarus. I grab Caspian’s arm. “Let him go. He’s a friend..” Is he a friend? I don’t know. It’s hard to keep my eyes open. I don’t want Yummy Lip Ring to be harmed is my last thought before I succumb to the sweet oblivion.

“How long have I been out for?” “Not too long, just about four hours,” Genesis answers. That’s it? It felt longer than that. I woke up in my own bedroom a few minutes ago with Genesis hovering over me like a mother hen. I’m no longer caked with mud and sticky blood. I’m wearing a very pale pink cotton sleeping gown that I rarely wear. “Who cleaned me up and changed me?” I ask her. “Serena and I did. Your wound still looks bad, but it’s healing up. The powerful painkillers we gave you should help with the pain. Let us know when you need more.” “Thanks,” I say, feeling really grateful. “Genesis, I’m changing.” She looks at me uncomprehendingly for a while before her lips tilt up into a big smile. Her eyes glitter. “I knew it! I went through the same thing. You’re not a full lycan yet until you’re marked, but you’re changing,” she says. Her smile suddenly turns mischievous and a wicked gleam enters her eyes. “It would help you heal faster if you’re marked.” She winks before she adds, “And mated.” Yeah, that could happen if the one who’s supposed to do that wasn’t thousands of miles away. “Isn’t it late now? Shouldn’t you be in bed?” I ask her instead.

“It’s just after 11 at night, Penny. Everybody is still awake. I don’t think it’s easy for any of us to go to sleep after what happened tonight. Gosh, we almost lost you!” She leans down and wraps me in a crushing hug. Owww...my stomach! “Okay, okay...I’m still alive,” I tell her, trying to wiggle out from under her crushing weight. Yeah, tonight is something else. “Did you find Matthew? Is he okay?” “Yeah, we found him running about half a mile down the road from where you were,” she answers, pulling back then she grimaces. “Physically he’s fine...he’s in shock though. When we found him, he was rambling about monsters and wolves. Unfortunately, he hasn’t improved much since then. The men are figuring out what to do with him.” I let out a deep breath. It’s my fault that he’s like that. He shouldn’t be involved in our crazy world and it’s not the best way to open his eyes to our existence. Well, okay, that was the worst possible way to let a human know about our world. Heck, he shouldn’t even know about us. Ignorance is bliss they say. “I’m sorry, Penny,” says Genesis. I just shrug tiredly. “What about Thing 1 and Thing 2?” “Thing...Who???” “Uh...the two men in the car trunk. What happens to them? Did you track down the other guy too? “The two men are detained in the cold cellar. Our men, Constantine, Lazarus, and Caspian, are very pissed with what

they did to you, so they’re having too much fun torturing those men for information right now. If they didn’t need information from them so much, those two would already be dead by now. “The other guy....you told us to leave him alone, so we didn’t go looking for him,” she explains. “Who is he?” “Yummy Lip Ring,” I murmur. “Huh?” says Genesis, looking very puzzled. “Thing 1 and Thing 2, Yummy Lip Ring...? Where did you find these guys? In Dr. Seuss book?” “No, in the park,” I manage to whisper. I want to tell Genesis that I want to torture them for information too, but my eyelids are feeling very heavy. “Have a good rest, Penny,” sighs Genesis, kissing my forehead. “I love you.” “I love you too,” I mumbled, drifting off.

“No, you’re not feeding me, Genesis!” My best friend has gone crazy! I just woke up a few minutes earlier to see Genesis balancing a bowl of steaming hot chicken noodle soup on a tray into my room. She’s been insisting on feeding me since. It’s still three o’clock in the morning. It seems like nobody else in this house is sleeping tonight. I heard even our cook, Anya is

still busy downstairs, making tea, coffee, and snacks for everybody. Serena who’s also in the room with us is sitting back quietly on a chair by the window, watching us in amusement. “Yes, I am! You’re still weak. You’ve lost a lot of blood. You need your energy back,” says Genesis. “I can feed myself,” I tell her. “Okay, fine. Let’s see it.” She places the tray on my lap. She sits back on my bed and crosses her arms over her chest, watching me. My hand is shaking. I grip the spoon, try to ladle the soup and bring it to my mouth. The darn spoon rattles against the side of the bowl so much, spilling the soup back into the bowl. By the time it reaches my mouth, nothing is left in the spoon. Genesis lifts an eyebrow. I try again. By the third try, Genesis holds out her hand for the spoon. Okay, I admit defeat. I release the spoon. “This is silly!” I complain. “Can’t I have anything else besides soup?” “You just got stabbed! Your tummy isn’t ready for anything solid yet,” argues my best friend who is now acting like my mom slash nurse slash my tormentor. “I don’t like soup!” I wail loudly.

“Stop being a baby!” wails Genesis just as loudly. “Now open your mouth and let me feed you!” I just got stabbed once and she becomes so bossy! “You need to eat. Persephone Aspen Ruiz, open your mouth right now!” “What’s going on?” asks Caspian, poking his head through the door. Constantine and Lazarus walk in behind him. Great! Now EVERYBODY is in my bedroom. “She’s a bad patient!” complains Genesis, pointing her finger at me. “Constantine, tell your mate to stop torturing me.” Genesis turns her head to glare at Constantine, daring him to say anything. He just raised his hands in mock surrender. Whipped! That man is totally whipped!!! “If you keep this up, I will call your abuela. I will let her know what happened and get her to come and feed you herself!” she threatens me. “Now open your mouth and stop complaining.” Oh, no she didn’t! She just pulled out the big gun. My shoulders slumped. I love my abuela, but having her around here would be really bad. She would fuss over me and baby me and it would totally be embarrassing. Reluctantly I open my mouth and start eating. The soup is surprisingly good...or maybe I’m just very hungry.

I hear snickers from the men and I glower at them while meekly eating my soup. They are all staring at Genesis in awe and wonder. Oh, my goddess! This is so annoying. It’s not like she just solved world hunger issues or reversed climate change or something. She just threatened to call my abuela, for goodness sake! I know they’re secretly laughing at me too. I have to admit, I feel a lot better after I have food in my tummy. After Genesis is done feeding me, Lazarus, Caspian, and Constantine start asking questions about what happened. So I tell them. I tell them about Yummy Lip Ring, or Jonah and the guy they called Bossman too. “Yummy Lip Ring, huh?” says Constantine. “How’d you know his lip ring is yummy?” asks Caspian? “Is that relevant to this investigation at all?” I ask them, dodging my head down to look at the pattern of my purple bedsheet. Why did I let that nickname slip out? “Huh,” says Lazarus thoughtfully. “Huh,” says Caspian. Darn it! Enough with this “huh” thing. I shoot Constantine a glare just in case he’s about to say the same thing. He raises his hands up in mock surrender. “Well,” Lazarus clears his throat. “I suggest we’d better use his real name instead of Yummy Lip Ring...especially in front of Darius.”

“It’s not like Darius is here to hear about it, is he?” I announce sullenly, plonking my head back on the pillow. I’m feeling down now. My heart aches just at the mention of his name. “Well...he’s not here now,” says Caspian with a grin. “Who knows when he might decide to show up...one day.” After they finish interrogating me, Genesis excuses herself to take the tray away. She leaves a glass of water on my bedside table. The three men look like they’re about to give me a hug or something, but change their mind when I scowl at them. I feel bad about it right after the three of them file out of my room. Serena comes over and covers my hand with hers. “Don’t be too hard on them, honey,” she says. “They’re just happy to have you back. All of us are. You should’ve seen the guys when they figured out that you were taken. Not good. They’re about to rip this place apart.” I sigh. “I know. It’s good to be back, Serena. It really is. I love you all,” I tell her, suddenly feeling sappy. “We love you too. It’s only four in the morning. Try to get some more sleep,” she says gently and leans down to give me a kiss on my forehead. “Or maybe not.” She has a smile on her face when she straightens up. “What do you mean?” I ask her just as my ear catches some muffled voices and a faint, but familiar scent. My heart thunders in my chest and I think I can’t breathe. My chest is going to explode any moment.

“He’s here?” I ask Serena breathlessly. Her smile grows bigger as she nods her head. Oh, no no no...he can’t see me looking like this. I bet I look awful! “Now where are you going?” asks Serena looking concerned when I push myself out of the bed. Ooohhh...dizzy. She grabs my arms when I sway on my feet. “He can’t see me looking like this. He can’t see me looking worse than a garden gnome, Serena!” “Garden gnome???” exclaims Serena. “Oh, Penny, you’re looking just fine!” she assures me. “Besides, I don’t think he cares how you look like. He’s too happy that you’re alive.” I comb my fingers through my hair while shuffling toward the bathroom with Serena holding me upright just before my bedroom door bursts open. He’s standing frozen by the door. His glacier blue eyes are wide, bright, and wild, desperately taking me in. His hair is disheveled and he has blond stubble covering his jaw. His white shirt is wrinkled with a few top buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. All in all, he looks breathtakingly gorgeous. Hotter any man has the right to. My heartbeat skyrocket, for a second my brain stops working, I forget to breathe. *Abuela = Grandma (Spanish)

Chapter 32 - One Who Comes Back “Persephone...” his voice is barely a whisper. In just a few rapid steps he reaches me, wrapping his strong arms tightly around me, burying his face in my neck, fiercely breathing me in. There’s a burning pain in my stomach and his stubble grazes my skin, but I don’t care. He’s here! I wrap my arms around his neck and melt into him. The knot in my chest that has been chocking me since he was gone suddenly loosens and I can breathe again. Every nerve ending in my body tingles and comes to life. Bursts of electricity, and heat surge through my body. Fire. He’s my fire. He fills that deep ache of longing and emptiness in my chest. I feel safe and protected. I feel alive and I am right where I belong. I’m lost in his body heat and his scent. I’m lost in him. I vaguely hear the door being closed gently behind us. We stay like that for a long time. I can’t believe that I’m in his arms again, breathing in his wonderful scent. Finally, he pulls back to look at me. Our eyes locked. How I miss those icy blue eyes. They’re the color of the sky on a beautiful sunny day. The pupils and the outlines of the irises are so dark, they’re almost black. The intensity of his gaze makes the butterflies in my stomach to flutter crazily. He scoops me up into his arms, carries me to the bed and gently

places me on it, not once breaking eye contact. He takes off his shoes and climbs up to lie next to me. He pulls me close and I put both my hands on his cheeks. The light fuzz of his stubble tickles the palm of my hand. “You’re here. You’re really here,” I say in wonder. I must be dreaming. “Why are you here?” “Where else can I be?” he asks me. “Persephone, you were taken, I almost lost you...how did I let that happen? I can’t lose you. I can’t.” His eyes are filled with anguish. The raw pain I see in his eyes breaks my heart. “I’m still here,” I try to soothe him. “But I wasn’t here to keep you safe. You were gone...I nearly lost it. That was my worst nightmare, Malyshka. The worst. I can’t bear it.” “I’m here now, and you are here now,” I tell him softly while stroking his cheek. He closes his eyes. I know my touches affect him, but the look of torture and ecstasy in his face make me feel powerful and filled me with awe. I do this to him. My powerful and deadly lycan...putty in my hands. He pressed my hands harder to his cheeks and turns his face slightly to kiss the palm of my hand. With his nose against my palm, he takes in a deep breath as if he needs my scent to calm himself. “Every moment since I left here was unbearable,” he whispers. “The last nine hours since you were taken were pure torture. I

wanted to keep you away from danger, yet I left you just for a day and this happened. Persephone...tell me what do I do with you. Tell me what do I do without you. Tell me...” His voice sounds pained. He opens his eyes and his intense gaze blazes right through my soul. My voice fails me, and he keeps going, “I don’t talk about feelings. Never did and I never wanted to, but when you’re gone...I thought of the things I didn’t get to tell you. The things that I held back from telling you.” “What is it that you want to tell me?” I whisper back. “I wanted to tell you that I love you so much....I love you so much that it hurts.” He brings one of my hands down to lay it flat over his chest where his heart is beating the same fast rhythm as mine. “When you’re not around, I long for you so much and it hurt right here. When I look at you, sometimes my feeling is so overwhelming that I can’t breathe, and it hurts right here. “Malyshka, I want to go to sleep with you in my arms every night and wake up with you safe and secure in my arms every morning. I want to be able to look at you and touch you whenever and wherever I want to. I want to tell the world that you’re mine so that nobody else could claim you or take you away from me.” Oh, my goddess...this is too much! Too much!!! “Sweetheart, why are you crying? Did I say something wrong? Are you hurt? I’m sorry, I’m such an ---”

“No, I’m happy,” I cut him off. “I’m just so so happy.” His thumbs wipe away the tears that are running down my face. I never thought I would hear something like that from him. I must still be dreaming. Darn him for melting me with his words. Darn him for making me cry and turn me into a blubbering mess. Darn him for making me fall deeper in love with him. Darn it, I’m in love with him! “Darius, I ---” A sudden wave of pain hits my stomach, I wince and involuntarily grab his arms. “Malyshka, is the wound bothering you?” I just nod my head. He swiftly gets up and plucks two painkillers and the glass of water that Genesis left on top of my bedside table earlier. After I swallowed the two pills, he takes the glass of water away from me and places it back on the bedside table. His jaw is clenched tight. He lays his head back down on the pillow next to mine with his eyes intent on my face. His jaw is still tight and his lips in a straight firm line. “There’s something I have to do,” he says all of a sudden. “What? What do you have to do?” He lifts himself up to lie on top of me while bracing himself with his knees and elbows so that his weight isn’t crushing me. His warm breath fans my skin. His eyes are watchful on my face. His lips are so close to mine, I can feel the heat. Just when

I’m ready to feel his lips on mine, he moves away. He crawls down my body, his eyes never leaving mine. When his face is at the level of my stomach, he looks down and I feel the heat of his breath on my stomach through the thin fabric of my pale pink sleeping gown. My slow brain suddenly understands what he intends to do when he slowly lifts the edge of my sleeping gown up. I catch his hand in mine, not wanting him to go on. I’m not vain or care much about how I look usually, but I don’t want him to see the ugly wound. He looks up and says, “Malyshka...let me see it.” “No.” “Please, let me see....I have to see it.” His eyes are pleading, his hand is still gripping the edge of my dress. Our eyes battling with each other. After a while, I let go of his hand. He inches the fabric higher and I’m glad that at least I have white cotton panties on. He gently peels off the dressing that covers the wound and when he fully uncovers it, he goes completely still. I can’t see the expression on his face, but his grip on my sleeping gown tightened until his knuckles turn white. I’m half expecting to hear the rip of the fabric between his fingers. Only after he climbs back up so that his face is the same level as mine again that I can see his eyes. They are two soulless black marbles looking down at me. I didn’t see that when he was down there staring at my stomach. Feral, fierce, and deadly. Those words come to mind when I look at him now.

“Those two will be dead before sunrise,” he vows. His voice is low, raspy...and menacing. Right now I’m looking at his lycan. Before I can put my hands on him to calm him down, he’s already standing by the door. “Darius,” I call out. “Please, come back.” He turns around, looking conflicted. I don’t want him to do anything rash while his lycan is in control. Besides, he just got here. I want him near me. I want him to myself. “Please...” I plead with him, extending my hand out to him. He slowly moves back to the bed. It seems like it’s impossible for his lycan to say no to me. His big warm hand envelopes mine and I pull him back down to lie next to me. “I want to mark you,” he says. “You’ll be completely mine and you’ll heal faster after I mark you.” His eyes are still black and his voice still sounds strange. I know his lycan is still very much in control, but there is no conflict between the lycan and the human side. The lycan side is just more primal without the trappings of human sophistication and reservation holding them back. His lycan is just stating plainly what Darius really want. Well, he doesn’t have to convince me on that. I’ve been wanting him to mark me even before he went back to Russia.

“Yes,” I tell him. “Mark me.” My heartbeat spikes and stomach is once again filled with wild fluttering butterflies. I’m nervous, yet my body is filled with excitement. He rolls on top of me and presses his forehead against mine, closing his eyes. My hands come up to touch his broad shoulders and he growls lowly deep in his throat. He grips the back of my neck, my hair twisting around his fingers. His grip is hard but not enough to hurt, just firm enough to immobilize me. His lycan wants to dominate. I’m not one who likes to be dominated, but somehow I know now is not the time to fight him. He tilts my head to one side and his lips and the tip of his nose skim down my cheek and my jawline. Oh, goddess, the pleasurable jolt of electricity streaks down from the root of my hair right to the tip of my toes from that little touch. I sense some struggle within him. “I want to mate with you...so badly, but I don’t want to hurt you,” he says. “I’m just going to mark you for now, but after you’re healed, you can’t escape me, Malyshka,” he adds, making it sounds like a threat. “Oh, the things I want to do to you...” I can’t wait! “Promises, promises,” I whisper back as my eyelids flutter shut and feel his mouth curl up into a smile against my jaw. He nips my jaw and my chin playfully before his warm, firm and soft lips cover mine. I shudder and I swear I see bright colorful stars behind my eyelids. He sucks my bottom lip, then runs his tongue lightly over it as if he’s tasting me. He sucks my lip once more and I try to deepen the kiss, but he pulls back and tilts my head back with the hand that is still gripping the back of my neck. His mouth travels down the

length of my neck, he nips my collarbone, then he kisses the skin just above the collar of my sleeping gown. My eyes fly open when I feel his fingers undoing the buttons of my pajama and my breath hitches. My grip on his shoulders tightens as soon as he pulls the fabric open, exposing my chest. I’m not even wearing a bra. I watch his eyes taking me in. I could feel the shift in his mood. His hunger for me is almost tangible. “Beautiful...and mine,” he says. His voice is husky and possessive. He leans down and licks a spot right on my left chest. I arch my back and hear him groans just before he closes his mouth over the peak of one breast. Oh, goddess....I let out a low moan. He laps his tongue around it once and sucks on it one more time before he looks up at me. His eyes are black and shiny, burning into me. “There’s no turning back. Once you’re mine, you’re mine forever, Persephone.” No turning back. “Yes.” I’m already his. I glimpse his canines extending just before he dips his head down and latches his mouth on the rise of my chest just over my heart. He bites down and pain laces through my body for a brief instant before deep intense pleasure consumes me. Fire. I’m on fire for him. I can hear our rapid heartbeats in my ears. His and mine. My nails are digging into his back. I feel the awareness of him inside me. We are connected, body and soul. He pulls back after licking his mark and the need to mark him takes over me, so I push him roughly onto his back. My own

canines are already fully extended and I sink my teeth into his left chest. He shudders and above our rapid heartbeats, I hear him moan. I taste his blood on my tongue. As soon as I’m done, I lick the mark and collapse on top of him. We are both breathing hard and I can hardly open my eyes or move a muscle. “Sleep, my mate..” I hear him say softly as I drift off.

When I open my eyes again, Darius is lying on his stomach next to me with his hand playing with my hair and his eyes intent on my face. The expression on his face is unreadable. The room is brightly bathed in the sunlight from the opened balcony door even though all the other curtains are drawn. His eyes are bright and vivid in the morning light. His fair blond hair is shiny and slicked back. His gorgeous face is now clean shaven. His dark gray henley fits him like a second skin, the long sleeve pulled up to his elbows. He smells of soap, shampoo and his own mouthwatering smell. He’s clearly taken a shower. Did we really mark each other early this morning? It’s hard to believe that he’s mine. Happy, content, love and longing. My feelings are heightened this morning. I guess some of those feelings are from him. It’s hard for me to differentiate those feelings from mine right now.

“Good morning,” he finally says. “Hey...Good morning,” I reply almost shyly. What??? I don’t do shy...but my cheeks burn. His fingers brush my cheek and a small satisfied smile tugs at his lips. “How are you feeling this morning, my little mate?” His little mate??? The feelings of possessiveness and pride from him make my cheeks, no..my whole face feels like it’s on fire! Gah!!! I don’t do blushing thingy. I’m so not that kind of girl. I grab a pillow next to me and cover my face with it. “Fine,” I answer. My voice is muffled by the big pillow. “Sweetheart, I can’t hear you,” he says, removing the pillow from my face. His eyes are dancing with mischief. Someone is in a very good mood this morning. “Don’t hide your face from me. You are so beautiful.” Beautiful??? I must be looking worse than a garden gnome right now. My hair must be all wild and crazy looking. In fact, I had to fight the urge to wipe the side of my face just in case I have a drool there. “I’m uh...I’m going to take a shower,” I tell him as I pull back the cover and try to get up. “I’m going to take a look at your injury first before you take a shower, Malyshka.” He pushes my shoulders back against the bed and sits at the edge of the bed. I hardly feel any pain that I

almost forgot I have a stab wound. He lifts my sleeping gown up and removes the dressing. “It’s healing as it should be,” he announces. I get up on my elbow to look at it. There’s an angry red line less than two inches long on the side of my stomach. The skin has bonded together. I can feel the pain when I pull myself up like this, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. It’s nowhere near as painful as last night. Lycan self-healing ability. I’m a lycan and I’m marked. Wow! It’s surreal. I still feel like the same old Penny and I’m still waiting for somebody to wake me up from this dream. Darius helps me get up and get into the bathroom even though I’m quite capable of doing so myself. “Are you sure you won’t you be needing my help in the shower as well?” he asks for the third time. His eyes alight with mischief. Suddenly I remember what he said about things he wants to do to me once I’m healed. That makes me answer him very quickly, “I’m very sure. Thank you very much.” I shut the door in his face and hear the chuckle from the other side of the door. Last night when I was in pain I was so eager to mate with him. Now I’m feeling shy. I wonder if the painkillers have something to do with it...or I’ve gone bonkers this morning. I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror. The girl who stares back at me is positively glowing. My hair is all over the place,

but I don’t look half as bad as I thought I did. No offense to garden gnomes everywhere, but I think I look slightly better than them.

After cleaning up, I step into my walk-in closet. The closet is almost the same size as my room at my parents’ house. It has a vanity table and compartments for everything and I love it. It even has a pretty shiny chandelier just above the vanity table. The lycans are very good at spoiling me. I put on a short loose light purple mini dress with a pair of ankle boots. I let my hair air dry into its natural loose curls and put some lipgloss on. I think that’s all the effort I’m going to put on my appearance this morning. I find Darius lying on my bed with his hands behind his head when I walk out of the closet. I almost trip over my own feet when I see him. He is as gorgeous as usual, but I think this is the most relaxed and happy that I’ve seen him. He has a tiny smile playing on his lips as he takes me in. I’m not feeling too relaxed, though. There are a few things that I need to discuss with him still and I’m not going to take no for an answer. I stand right in front of him with my hands on my hips, ready for a battle. He looks at me with amusement, that tiny smile on his lips grows.

“As your mate, I have the right to know what’s going on,” I tell him. “You’re going to tell me everything.” “Yes.” “Don’t you dare to give me excuses, and keeping secrets. I’m tired of...wait. What?” “I said yes, I’ll tell you everything,” he answers. Huh? that was easy. He pushes himself up on his elbows and continues to eye me with interest. He looks so hot lying there like that, but I refuse to be distracted by some beautifully sculptured muscles and gorgeous face, and sexy...focus, Penny!!! Okay, yeah...focus. “You’re not leaving me either.” Just the thought of him leaving again makes my chest tighten in anxiety. “No, I’m not, Malyshka.” “Okay,” I say slowly, looking at him suspiciously. There must be a trick somewhere. This is way too easy. “You are going to buy me a Porsche,” I tell him. “If that’s what you want, sure,” he answers. “Are you making fun of me?” I narrow my eyes at him.

“I’m not making fun of you, Malyshka,” he looks genuinely puzzled at my question. “Anything that you want is yours.” “I don’t really want a Porsche.” Well, I do, but....I’m so confused right now. Suddenly he sits up and plants his feet on the floor. “Come here, Malyshka.” He holds out his hand. I slowly walk over and place my hand in his. He tugs me into his lap and wraps his arms around me. I press my face against his neck, inhaling his amazing scent. “I know you’re a bit confused right now, but we’ll tell you everything. The guys, especially Constantine agree that keeping you in the dark won’t keep you safe.” Ha! Constantine. I’ve got the feeling that Genesis not being happy with him has something to do with it. “Even if the information is confidential?” I ask him, looking up into his eyes. “The information is confidential, yes...but it concerns your safety. We’ll do anything to keep our mates safe. Anything, Malyshka.” “Thank you,” I tell him. “Did I tell you how proud I am of you? You took on two big werewolves by yourself,” he says.

Well, Yummy Lip Ring did help. “I had some help...” I tell him. I don’t know how much he already knows, but I’m not too eager to discuss other men with him right now. “Oh, we should go downstairs now. I should go and check on Matthew,” I add abruptly. I feel the change in him as soon as I mentioned Matthew. His muscle stiffened. His carefree demeanor is gone. Jealousy heats up my chest and I know the feeling doesn’t belong to me. Way to go, Penny! I wrap my arms around his neck and press my cheek to his to calm him down. He threads his fingers through my hair at the back of my neck and his lips swoop down to kiss mine. This kiss is rough and possessive and I can’t help but kiss him back. His tongue explores my mouth hungrily. My tongue meets his and delves inside his mouth just as aggressively. By the time we both pull back for air, we are both breathing heavily and raggedly. “You are mine, Persephone,” he says. His forehead is resting against mine. “Yes, and you’re mine,” I return. “I still need to make sure that Matthew is alright.”

Chapter 33 - Anatomy of A Nightmare Darius slips his fingers through mine as we descend the stairs. His warm palm is pressed against mine. Shivers run up and down my spine at the contact. I’ve never walked around holding a man’s hand before. This is all new to me.

I steal a quick glance at the lycan that is now my mate. His handsome face looks cold, betraying no emotion, but his hand entwining mine feels gentle, warm, and protective. I meant to go and see Matthew right away when I come downstairs, but the smell of food draws my feet to the kitchen. I sit on my regular chair at the breakfast table and Darius slides into the seat next to me. He even drags his chair close to mine. His leg is touching mine and his hand drops on my thigh underneath the table. My stomach does a somersault. How can I eat breakfast with him touching me like that? Somebody pours our coffee, but I’m too busy staring at him. He seems oblivious as he casually sips his coffee. His expression never changes. I move my leg away from his only to have him pulls it back and his hand moves lower down my inner thigh this time. Wowza! My fingers curl around my mug. I’m going to break my favorite cow mug if he didn’t stop doing that soon. I glower at him but he only looks at me innocently as if he’s not wreaking havoc with my senses underneath the table. He can’t seem to stop touching me. Even after I push him off, his leg finds its way back to press against mine and his hand comes back to rest on my thigh. I can’t sense his feeling either. He’s like an impenetrable wall when he wants to. This is the first day being his mate. I can tell already, my life as his mate is going to be very colorful.

It’s not that I don’t like him touching me. Quite the opposite really. I think I like it too much. Right now he’s looking so hot...and he’s touching me. It takes everything in me not to grab him by the neck of his henley and kiss his sexy pink lips till next year. I could kiss those lips forever! “Good morning,” says a cheerful voice as she places our breakfast in front of us. I look up to find somebody else bringing us food instead of our regular cook, Anya. This woman is also a werewolf, but instead of the regular well endowed skimpily clad young woman, this woman looks motherly and very well covered in a short-sleeved blue sundress. Did Caspian hire this lady? Oh gosh!!! Is the Prince ill? “Anya was up all night last night, so we gave her a day off today,” explains Serena as she and Genesis join us at the breakfast table. “This is Rita, she’s going to be our housekeeper when Anya gets back. Yes, Caspian hired her. No, he’s not mentally sick,” says Genesis before she adds under her breath, “...not that we know of anyway.” “Maybe we should get a second opinion on that,” I mumble back. Serena laughs softly as she pulls a chair back. I glance at Darius again and I can see a tiny smile tugging at his lips before he covers it with the mug.

“We were all puzzled until we agreed that maybe seeing his erasthai has something to do with it,” whispers Serena conspiratorially. “He might not want her to see him ogling a half-naked woman when he finally brings her here.” “Whoa!!! Are you gossiping about me?” asks Caspian as he, Lazarus, and Constantine emerge from Lazarus’s office. “Nope, just talking about ducks,” Genesis deadpans. Underneath the table, I pull my leg away again and Darius pulls it back to him. I swat at his hand. “How are you feeling, Penny?” asks Serena, turning to look at me as Lazarus wraps his arm around her from behind. A knowing smile is playing on her lips. “I’m good,” I flash her a smile. “I’m feeling great, actually,” I can’t resist adding. I feel the flush creeping up my neck as I feel his hand moving up my thigh. “Oh. My. Goddess....” whispers Serena. “What?” asks Genesis. “You’ve marked each other,” says Serena, staring at Darius and me in wonder. Genesis’s eyes widen comically. “You’re marked! Oh my gosh!!! You are!!!” she shrieks. “Let me see the mark. Let me see it!” “You can’t!!!!” I stare at her in horror. My hand automatically comes up to cover my mark just above the swell of my left

breast. I know they will see it sooner or later when I wear a low cut top or dress, but now it’s very new and feels very private. If I wasn’t completely mortified, the looks on their faces would have been hilarious. “Now all you two have to do is take an oath as members of this pack,” states Constantine casually after he clears his throat. He looks like he’s trying hard not to laugh. I’ve heard about the pledge and I’m quite excited to be part of the pack. I know they wanted Darius to join the pack after they took on the rebels, but Caspian said they’re holding it off until Darius smartens up and mark me. “Yeah, Constantine’s right,” agrees Caspian. His eyes bright with mischief. “But you have to show us the mark before we can accept you to be a member of our pack.” “We do not!” I gasp indignantly. Lazarus’s hand comes up to smack Caspian upside the head. Darius’s lips curl up into an amused smile and his hand tightens on my thigh. I nudge his leg away and take his hand off of me. You’d think that would deter him a bit, but no...if anything, he just moves in closer. He casually drapes his arm at the back of my chair while his other hand grabs my hand in his. Hard-headed, possessive lycan! Genesis grins at me, her eyes are bright with amusement. I know she’s dying to know all the details. “This calls for a celebration,” she says, instead.

“I can make a reservation at WP24 or Providence or Mélisse...take your pick,” offers Caspian who is still rubbing the back of his head. “WP24!” says Genesis quickly. WP24 is one of our favorite restaurants in LA. It’s owned by Wolfgang Puck, and it’s on the 24th floor of The Ritz-Carlton. The food is awesome, and so is the view. As much as I love to celebrate, we still have things to deal with. “Maybe we can celebrate later. I’d like to see our two prisoners now,” I inform them. Genesis looks very disappointed. My friend is a bottomless pit when it comes to food. “I don’t think that’s possible anymore,” answers Lazarus. “Darius dealt with them....very quickly,” adds Constantine. “They’re dead?” I gape at them then I turn to look at Darius. “Yes,” answers Darius. He doesn’t sound at all apologetic. “Did you manage to get information that you needed from them, at least?” I huff exasperatedly. “Yes, Malyshka. All taken care of,” answers Darius. “I’m sorry, but they hurt you and intended to kill you. I couldn’t rest until I got rid of them.” He made good on his promise to get rid of them before sunrise. His thumb stroking the inside of my wrist and I sigh.

“Don’t feel bad for them, Beanie,” says Caspian. “They’re not good men. They killed for pleasure and they killed for money. They killed, tortured and did unspeakable things to humans and werewolves all over the country for years. If we let them free, they will find a way to kill you because that’s what they were paid to do. I’d say good riddance.” “Oh, I don’t feel bad for them,” I inform him. “I’m just bummed that I didn’t get to torture them before you kill them.” I turn to give Darius a stink eye, but he just gives me a smile then slides an arm around my hip to pull me closer into him. I hear the men snicker at my response. Caspian masks his laughter behind his cough. “Torture them?” says Genesis, shaking her head. “Why am I not surprised? You are two peas in a pod. You two are really suited for each other.” “You are meant for our world,” says Caspian. He sounds oddly proud. I was looking forward to playing with those two mainly because I was pissed that they tried to kidnap me and were planning to kill me. I was planning to really have fun with Thing 2 because he freaking stabbed me! He buried the blade to the hilt in my stomach! I knew those two were not good men. The more I know about them, the more I wish they were still alive so that I could make them feel half of what their victims felt. Maybe that’s why they smelled so different. Maybe that was what I smelled when I

caught the whiff of their scent at the park. Their rotten core left a mark on their essence. “I’m going to go see Matthew now,” I announce. Darius’s hands suddenly tighten possessively around me. I feel his burning jealousy through our bond. I place my hand on top of his to assure him that I’m with him. I chose him. Doesn’t he know that there’s no competition now? Doesn’t he know that I love him and only him? Oh, wait...he doesn’t. I never told him that I love him. I mean, I do want to tell him, but...how do I say it? I should’ve told him when he told me that he loves me, but my brain wasn’t working properly then. It’ll be so awkward now. I mean, how do I broach the subject? Maybe over coffee, like...“Hey, good coffee, by the way, I love you.” Or when we’re in a car, and I’d be like “Wow! Nice driving. So yeah, I love you.” Or after he told me a joke, “Great joke! You’re funny, hahaha..I love you?” Ughhh...AWKWARD! I’m terrible when it comes to talking about feelings. I guess we are two peas in a pod, but he somehow had overcome that fear of talking about feelings...at least to me. I’m still amazed at the things that he said to me this morning. I rub my hand gently over his to calm him down. “Before you go see Matthew, there are a few things we need to discuss concerning him,” says Constantine seriously. “He’s obviously traumatized by what happened. Right now his brain is still trying to make sense of everything that he saw. We have three options on how to deal with this.

“The first option is to let him calm down, then tell him the truth. Let him into our world. “The second option is to make him forget what happened and what he saw by using our lycan “persuasion” ability. The problem with that is, there is a risk or tendency that it might fade over time and he might remember again. We’ll also be playing around with his brain and we might leave permanent and irreversible damage to his mental health in the long run. “The third option and we all agree that this might be the best one is to make the memory a bit hazy and “suggest” that it didn’t really happen. That the memory was just a nightmare.” Constantine pauses to let his words sink in before he continues, “The problem with this one is, it requires a bit of acting and a lot of patience on your part, Penny....and Darius too.” I turn to look at Darius and says, “Okay, explain the third option.” The third option does sound like the best option for us right now. I don’t want Matthew to be exposed to our world. He doesn’t need all that danger in his life. He’s not made for this life. The second option obviously might risk an emotional scar on him and I don’t want that. “Okay then. It seems like we agree on the third option,” says Lazarus. “We make him believe that half of what happened really did happen and the other parts were just his nightmare.” “So we make him believe that he really did meet me at the park,” I say, catching on. My eyes flash to Darius as I feel his jealousy. His arm still wrapped around me possessively.

I met Matthew at the park to end things because I didn’t want to continue leading him on. Now I remember that I didn’t really get to do that. “Yeah, you get attacked by those two bad guys, he got knocked out while trying to save you or something...so, he’s a hero...sort of,” adds Caspian with a little distaste look on his face. He never makes it a secret that he doesn’t like Matthew much. “Tell him that somebody came to your rescue while he was out and you brought him back here for the night. End of story.” “Yeah, keep it simple,” says Constantine. “Let’s go see him,” suggests Lazarus after we get the story straight. Matthew is placed in the library which is on the main floor next to Lazarus’s office. It has been transformed into a makeshift guest bedroom. Floor to ceiling bookcases lining the walls. There’s a little nook with a big bay window at the end of the room with a cozy sofa and chairs at one corner while a full bed has been set up at another corner. They put him on the main floor, as far away from our bedrooms which are on the second and the third floor. I understand they don’t want a stranger, especially a human who doesn’t know about us to be settling close to our private quarters. Matthew is lying on the bed, sleeping...or unconscious. I hope it’s the former. At least he’s looking comfortable even though he’s still wearing the same shirt from yesterday.

There is a little bruising and swelling on his left cheek. I don’t remember him getting hurt at all last night. “What happened?” I ask them. Both Constantine and Lazarus turn to look at Caspian who flashes me a charming, but guilty smile. “So, I might have lost my patience when he was hysterical. He wouldn’t stop screaming about wolves and scary monsters,” answers Caspian. I suspect the fact that he never liked Matthew in the first place, factors in the reason as well. “So you punched him?” I ask him, aghast. “No, I just...slapped him,” he shamefully admits. “I did it once. Only once,” he adds quickly as if doing it just one time makes it okay. Arrgghhh!!! Caspian! This is one of those times when I feel like kicking him in the nuts. “Hey, it worked! He stopped screaming,” he reasons. His eyes earnest, his expression completely innocent. “Yeah, he stopped screaming because he passed out,” Lazarus deadpans. “Well, it worked,” insists the Prince. “So I’m not good at handling hysterical grown men. Besides, it’ll help with the story that he got knocked out.”

I shake my head and sigh. This is our future king. I should be worried about our future.

“They knocked you out when you tried to protect me. Luckily, a few people saw us and threatened to call the police, so they ran off,” I tell Matthew. I don’t even feel guilty about lying to him. If this is what I have to do to keep him safe, then so be it. Right now I’m driving Matthew home in Caspian’s Porsche. Darius isn’t happy about this, but this is something that I have to do. “Wow, that’s mind-boggling! And I got this really crazy dream. One of the men turned into a wolf and tried to attack us. You got stabbed right in your stomach and you have blood all over you, then you turned into this...this...scary looking---” “Yeah, that sounds really crazy,” I cut him off. “I got stabbed? I would be dead or in the hospital right now if I got stabbed...not turning into a monster or something.” I laugh and Matthew gives me a sheepish looking smile. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I don’t want him to think about it. Who knows, he might somehow convince himself that it’s real after all the more he remembers. The less we talk about it, the better. I glance in the review mirror and catch a glimpse of a black Mercedes. I know that they are in that car. Darius and Caspian. I know none of them are willing to let me go off by myself now after that incident last night.

I can’t stop Darius from following me, especially when I’m with Matthew. After last night, I have a feeling that I would have to fight for my independence. Caspian, well...he’s just very stubborn. I managed to convince the rest of them not to be tailing me as well just because Darius and Caspian are already doing it. “My face is still sore,” says Matthew, inspecting his face in the front mirror and gingerly touching his cheek. “I’ve never been punched before. Ever. Wow.” He looks strangely pleased with the thought that he’s being punched. I don’t have the heart to tell him that he had just gotten slapped. Once. “You don’t have to worry about your car. Just give me the keys and I’ll have it delivered back to you by tonight,” I tell him. I pull into the parking lot of his apartment building and unlock the door, leaving the engine running. “So, I’m just going to drop you off...” “Wait a minute, you’re not coming in?” he asks me, not making a move to get out of the car. “I...uh...I have to get back, Matthew. I’ll see you around, okay?” “Oh, come on Penny. Come inside with me,” he says. “I just got knocked out. What if I got a concussion or something?” Seriously??? I look behind us. I don’t know if that’s a good idea.

Chapter 34 - Marking Territories

“Besides, I think we need to talk,” says Matthew. Yeah, we do need to talk, but Matthew doesn’t know how dangerous my lycan mate is. I glance back once again and Matthew suspiciously turns to look behind us too. I know he can’t see them or their car. His human eyes aren’t sharp enough to see as far as mine can. “I don’t know, I don’t think that’s a good idea...” “Come on, Penny.” His eyes are hopeful. Maybe it’s the residual mate pull, as weak as they may be or the guilt for putting his life in danger, but I can’t say no to him. This is so not a good idea, Penny. “Okay, but I can’t stay long,” I finally tell him as I turn off the engine while trying not to look behind us again. I feel Darius’s anger as soon as I exit the car. This is a bad idea. Bad idea. The phone that Genesis lent me beeps with an incoming message and I slide my finger across the screen to read it. Darius: What are you doing, Malyshka? I could almost hear him say that through gritted teeth. He is mad. I know. I can feel his fury. “Is everything okay?” asks Matthew as he opens the door of the building for me. “Yeah,” I tell him as I type my answer back to Darius.

Penny: Going into his apartment. Just need to talk. Darius: No. I sigh. Possessive neanderthal mate! Well, okay...if he were to go into an apartment with another girl that has feelings for him and he might have feelings for, I wouldn’t be too happy too. No, scratch that, I might go berserk. Penny: I won’t be long. Darius: Persephone Penny: Darius It takes a while before I received his next message. I feel him trying to calm himself down. Darius: 5 min. If he touches you I’ll break his neck. I don’t know if I can manage to talk to Matthew in that short amount of time, but I should be lucky he’s not here to break Matthew’s neck. “Would you like something to drink?” asks Matthew as he closes the door and takes a few steps into the kitchen. “No, thanks. I’m not thirsty,” I answer him. If I only have five minutes, I have to start talking now. Besides, I’m not very good at the subtlety or easing the subject into the conversation like normal people.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he says and I watch him turn the tap on and put a glass under it. “Matthew, I think we should stop seeing each other.” Matthew sputtered his drinks everywhere. “Wow, you go straight for the jugular, don’t you Penny?” he says, wiping his chin. His face twisted as if he tasted something bad and pours the water down the sink. “Which one?” “Huh?” “I said which one?” he repeats his question as he searches his cabinet for something. His voice sounds harsh. This is the first time he talks to me like this. “Is it the pretty boy Darius, or is it that other pretty boy, what’s his name? Caspian?” “They’re not pretty boys.” Pretty boys? That’s absurd. I’m feeling personally offended that he called Darius and Caspian pretty boys. “It really doesn’t matter. What really matters is this...us,” I point between the two of us. “This is not working.” “How is it not working?” he asks. He produces a bottle of bourbon from the cabinet and pours it into his glass. “It must be one of those boys. It’s Darius, isn’t it?” If only he knew his nightmare wasn’t really a nightmare and that I really am that monster that caused him to lose his sh!t last night, I’m sure he wouldn’t be fighting me on this. “Please, let’s not fight,” I say as I try not to wince. My injured stomach starts to ache again. I need more painkillers. “Yes, it’s Darius...”

“I knew it! I knew it, Penny. You told me you were just friends, but I saw the way you were looking at each other. What about us Penny, huh? I was willing to give us a chance.” “Oh, please, I know you’re still in love with Cece,” I tell him. I’m starting to get pissed. I still remember how he reacted when Cece showed up at the cafe with Mason the other day. I knew I didn’t have much chance when it comes to Cece and I don’t have much patience with people who are trying to play victims. “Leave Cece out of this. This is not about---” There’a knocking on the door and Matthew groans. That must be Darius. I’m surprised he knocks like a civilized person. I was so sure he was going to kick the door like a caveman. Matthew moves to open the door before I can move. “Hi, Matthew,” says a feminine voice at the door. Cece. Her eyes widen when she spots me standing there. Great. “Uh, Cece...” says Matthew awkwardly staring between Cece and me. Cece gives me a heated glare. Jealousy is apparent in her eyes. “I need to talk to you,” she says to Matthew as she determinedly steps in. Matthew looks at her uneasily as he hesitantly closes the door behind her.

She crosses her arms and keeps staring at me pointedly. Here we are, the three of us just standing around looking at each other in silence. I clear my throat just to break the silence and says, “So...huh! This is...uh, different.” “Would you like to sit down?” “I really should go.” Matthew and I say at the same time. Wow, this is not awkward at all! I still feel a little possessive towards Matthew, but I know a big part of me belongs to Darius now. Once we’re fully mated, any feelings I may still harbor for Matthew will be gone and the attraction will eventually fade into nothing. “Look, I really should go now,” I tell him. “Oh, please, stay,” says Cece sarcastically as she unfolds her arms. She places her bag on top of a bookcase and drapes her cardigan at the back of the sofa, looking very much at home. It looks like this is her way of marking her territory. Just like a dog pissing on a fire hydrant. “Don’t leave on my account,” she adds as she opens a cabinet and takes out a glass. She seems very familiar with the place. She knows her way around. Yes, she’s pissing all over this place, marking her territory.

I look at Matthew, raising an eyebrow. He scratches the back of his head, looking guilty and about to say something when the front door bursts open. The doorknob bounces on the wall behind it, making a dent. The door looks like it’s coming off the hinges. Darius storms in looking fierce followed closely by Caspian behind him. My 5 minute is up, it seems. “What the hell?” yells Matthew. “Persephone, we’re leaving. Now!” growls Darius. Neanderthal! “Beany, let’s go!” says Caspian. Another Neanderthal! I roll my eyes at the two. Oh, for goodness sake!!! Cece is gaping at Darius and Caspian without a word. Somebody should close her mouth before it hits the floor or the fly gets it....or something. “Persephone,” says Darius again in a warning tone. He stalks closer and places his hand firmly on my back. “Leave her alone. She’s not going with you,” says Matthew suddenly. Wow, somebody sounds brave, considering how much taller the two lycans are. They’re practically towering over him, not to mention the wave of power emanating from them. Well, maybe humans don’t recognize or understand the wave of power as a danger warning that it is. Werewolves would have sensed it by now.

Darius’s hand circles my waist possessively and pulls me closer into his body. “She’s mine. She goes where I go. She’s coming with me,” he says. His anger is burning in my chest. His glacier blue eyes darken considerably. Caspian isn’t looking too happy either. He’s holding the door open and when he tilts his head, I understand what he means. I grab the back of Darius’s silky blond head to bring it down so that he’s looking at me. I stroke his cheek once and say, “Let’s go.” “Penny,” says Matthew. I know he’s hurt. The mate bond makes it so, but this is for the best for him and for myself. I ignore him as I take Darius’s hand in mine and walk out of the apartment, followed by Caspian. We take the stairs to get to the ground level. I’m surprised to see that Matthew followed us all the way down. Cece isn’t far behind him. I feel bad for him, but I know he loves Cece. Even if Darius wasn’t in the picture, I’m not good for him. I don’t know if he would ever get used to our world and be able to accept me for what I am. When we reach his apartment parking area, I let go of Darius’s hand and walk to stand in front of Matthew. “I’m sorry. You’re a good man, Matthew. I would like us to stay friends. I really do.” Then I turn to Cece who’s standing next to

him. “I think you two should talk...not fighting, but really talk...like adults. I know you love him...and he loves you.” Note to self: take my own advice. “Beany, key!” says Caspian, holding out his hand. I throw him the key and he easily catches it before he jumps behind the wheel of his shiny red Porsche. Darius takes my arm and leads me to his black AMG Mercedes, parked right behind Caspian’s. I watch Matthew and Cece standing at the curb as Darius rounds the car and slides into the driver’s seat next to me. They look like they belong together. Matthew and Cece. They’ve been together for so long that I feel like a third wheel whenever they’re in the same room even though he’s my mate. I turn to look at Darius who sits behind the wheel staring at me with a curious look on his gorgeous face. I can’t even feel what he’s feeling right now when he puts that wall up. “Tell me you want to be with me and not him. Tell me that you’re mine,” he says. His eyes intense, staring into mine as if trying to read my thoughts. I blocked my emotions from him as soon as he blocked his. Two can play the game. “I want to be with you and no one else. I’m yours as you are mine,” I tell him, letting some of my feelings for him leaked through. I’m already good at this.

He slips his sunglasses on and his lips curve up into a sexy smug smile. He starts the car with a roar of the engine and drives off without saying another word. He surprised me. He’s being more patient than I thought he would. I might have gone in there and killed somebody if he were to go into another girl who was supposed to be his mate’s apartment. I look at Matthew and Cece who are still standing there through the car’s side mirror until they disappear from view. I hope they’ll work it out. I truly want Matthew to be happy. When we reach home, I give Matthew’s car key to Lazarus so that he can drive it back to Matthew’s apartment. Constantine announces that we’re going to have a meeting right after lunch. It seems like our cook Anya is back even though she was given a day off. I think she’s not happy to have somebody else invaded her kitchen. I’m not complaining because she’s prepared enough food to feed an army with Rita’s help. “I think Anya is worried that we’re going to replace her with Rita,” says Serena. Lunch is served buffet style in the backyard by the pool. “As if we can replace her with anybody. Look at all this food,” replies Genesis as she piles up her plate with a generous serving of everything.

“I’m glad our men decided to talk to us,” I whisper to Genesis and Serena. Genesis laughs softly to herself. “Pending painting session can work wonders,” she says under her breath. Her eyes widen and her face turns beet red when she realized that she just said that aloud while Serena and I try not to burst out laughing...and fail.

I rub my sore stomach absently as I try to absorb the information and secrets revealed to us during the meeting. We’ve been sitting in Constantine’s office for half an hour now. Lazarus and Serena are sitting close to each other on the love seat. Constantine is sitting on the armrest of a sofa where Genesis is sitting. His hand is playing with her red hair abstractedly. Caspian is sprawled on a wingback chair with his feet up on the coffee table. He’s scowling and staring at his shoes like he’s trying to burn holes through them. I wonder if he’s thinking about the safety of this pack and his erasthai right now. I’m sitting on a sofa with Darius. I tried to sit a bit further from him at the beginning, not wanting to distract him when he’s talking, but he pulled me close with my hand firmly in his. His hand grips mine very tightly, almost painfully as he recounts what happened to his fellow officers’ mates. My heart breaks for him. I wonder what it’s like to be him. It must be so lonely. He’s busy trying to protect everybody, but who’s looking out for him?

I swear I’m going to be there for him from now on. As long as I live, I’m going to look after us and this pack. “You’re one of us now whether you like it or not,” says Constantine. “Nobody messes with anyone of us,” says Lazarus, echoing my thoughts. “We have to get rid of the threat. We dig it out right to the source.” agrees Caspian in a steely voice. I’ve never heard him so serious. “We’re doing this together.” “There’s a big royal party going to be held at the Palace. It’s King Alexandros’s & Queen Sophia’s Mating Godovshchina (anniversary) party,” says Constantine. “What a joke,” scoffs Caspian with a harsh laugh. “We were ordered to make an appearance, but we were planning on avoiding it for Penny’s safety,” continues Constantine, ignoring Caspian’s outburst. “But now I think that’s a good place to start.” I sense the feeling of dread coming from Darius though his expression is cold and uncaring. “Malyshka,” he turns to me. “Would it be too much to ask if I were to ask you to stay away from Russia? I’ll send you anywhere...” “No, I’m going where you and my friends are going,” I interrupt him. My heart is set and I let him know this through our shared

bond. If they’re going into the fire, then I’m going up in flames with them. “Great! Now we’re just going to make sure no one else knows that you two are mated to each other,” says Caspian, looking at us with an amused smile. I look at him suspiciously with narrowed eyes. For once Darius drops his stony expression as he drags his hand through his fair silky hair and lets out a frustrated groan

Chapter 35 - Iron Clad Self-Control “We were ordered to make an appearance, but we were planning on avoiding it for Penny’s safety,” continues Constantine, ignoring Caspian’s outburst. “But now I think that’s a good place to start.” I sense the feeling of dread coming from Darius though his expression is cold and uncaring. “Malyshka,” he turns to me. “Would it be too much to ask if...could you...stay away from Russia? I’ll send you anywhere...” “No, I’m going where you and my friends are going,” I interrupt him. My heart is set and I let him know this through our shared bond. If they’re going into the fire, then I’m going up in flames with them. “Great! Now we’re just going to make sure no one else knows that you two are mated to each other,” says Caspian, looking at us with an amused smile. I look at him suspiciously with narrowed eyes. For once Darius drops his stony expression as he drags his hand through his fair silky hair and lets out a frustrated groan.

“What do you mean?” I ask him. “Why do we have to make sure no one else knows that I’m mated to him?”

“You know the threat of going in as Darius’s mate. There’s going to be a big target on your back. We can’t let that happen,” explains Lazarus. “So now you’re mated to me,” says Caspian looking smug. His eyes flash to Darius wickedly. Darius emits a low irritated growl while his arm tightens around me. “Pretend. Only pretend,” he says. “She’s mated to me.” Obviously, the men had discussed this matter among themselves before they talk to us, girls. “That’s an awful idea,” I protest. “I don’t know how this is going to work. The crown prince taking a mate is a big deal. All the attention will be on us. On me! Wouldn’t that put a bigger target on my back?” “Yes, but they won’t be acting on it right away. Like you said, the attention will be on you. Nobody will dare to make an attempt on your life unless they want an all-out war. An assassination of the future queen is going to bring the wrath of the palace and the army,” explains Caspian. “What about Queen Sophia? She’s going to be livid! She has her heart set on Lady Celeste for you,” I ask him. I really don’t see how this is going to work. “Since when do I listen to my mother?” he scoffs. “They know we’re friends, Caspian. Nobody’s going to believe that we’re mates,” I announce. “I mean, how are we going to convince everybody that we’re mates?” “Easy, Beany. Sure they know we’re friends, but we tell them that over time, we’ve...uh, developed feelings for each other,” he says. ” We just fell in love and decided that we should mark each other even though you’re not my erasthai.” “Yeah, like they can’t see that we’re more eager to kill one another than to mate each other. Nobody’s gonna believe us,” I say, scowling. “They will. We just have to pretend to be lovey-dovey and all touchy-feely just like what you’re doing with Darius right now,” Caspian replies gleefully. He’s enjoying this too much to even hide his feelings. If he were to rub his hands together, he’d look like a villain in a crappy low budget movie.

“No touching,” scowls Darius, totally annoyed. I can feel his irritation, jealousy, possessiveness, and frustration through our bond. “How could anybody believe that we’re mates if we’re not touching?” reasons Caspian. Darius buries his nose in my neck and lets out a low tortured groan that only I can hear. His hand seeking his mark over my shirt. He lays his palm flat over the mark as if reassuring himself and reminding me that I belong to him. “This is going to be hell,” he whispers. I have to agree with him. “This is going to be so much fun.” Caspian flashes me a wide taunting smile and I look at him with a scowl. “How are we going to make this look believable if you two act like this? Can you two refrain from fighting for 5 minutes, at least?” asks Serena as she tries to smack Caspian’s side of the head with a rolled up document that she snatched from the coffee table. “No way!” says Caspian as he ducks away just in time. “That’s how Beany Bean and I show our love and affection for each other.” “We’re doomed,” says Genesis. Caspian shakes his head. “You’re such a pessimist, Red.” This is going to be a problem. I hope this isn’t going to end up badly for us.

The celebration is going to be in just over a week’s time. We need to fly to Russia soon. Before that, there are things that need to be taken care of. One of those things is Bossman, the guy who sent his goons to kill me. Darius’s men managed to track down and detained Bossman. As it turns out, Bossman’s full name is Iron Bossman. Huh! His mom must have some balls to name her son Iron. We girls excuse ourselves while Darius, Lazarus, and Constantine continue to discuss Bossman and smooth out other plans before we leave for Russia.

Caspian leaves the room with us girls. He announces that he has a class this evening. He just changed his classes around for this semester. It’s easy to do when you have the money and people under your thumb to do whatever you want. We suspect that he’s stalking and annoying his erasthai. Just the thought of that is hilarious to us. “Should we all change classes and give his erasthai our moral support?” asks Genesis mischievously. “Nah,” I disagree. “I think he’s quite capable of making things harder for himself just by being his usual annoying, big-headed, bratty self.” Both Serena and Genesis laugh and agree with me. “I’d like to meet her, though,” says Serena. “I think you two are being nosy,” I tell them while making a mental note to track her down soon. Hey, anybody who manages to make the bratty prince go all crazy deserves my admiration and therefore my alliance and support.

I power up my laptop and skype my friends from my werewolf pack, Reese and River for a few minutes. I figure I might not be able to talk to them for a while when I get to Russia. I get to say hi to their little girl, Piper too. She’s growing up so fast. I don’t want her to forget aunt Penny. She’s supposed to like me better than aunt Genesis. It’s a little competition that we’ve got going. Genesis and I compete to be the coolest aunt. We compete buying Piper the coolest gifts. Sometimes I swear that little brat is so smart, she’s playing both of us to get what she wants. She’s tiny and dangerous, but she’s too adorable to say ‘no’ to. I’ve been keeping Reese and River up to date about what’s been going on with us, so they’re not entirely surprised when I tell them about Darius and me marking each other. Darius enters the room just as I’m turning off the laptop. “Here, take these,” he says, handing me two tiny pills and a glass of water. “I noticed you were rubbing your stomach during the meeting.” He waits till I swallow the two pills and down the rest of the water before taking the glass from my hand and places it on the table. It’s sweet that he’s showing concern for me, but it’s infuriating that he’s keeping his feelings hidden from me most of the time. I can feel our bond, yet when it comes to sharing feelings,

there’s like a concrete wall around him. So now, in return, I closed my feeling off from him. It’s almost like a game now trying to figure each other out without sharing our feelings. He’s always watching me too. When he seems to be looking elsewhere or his attention seems to be on someone else, he’s always aware of where I am or what I’m doing. Even during all those years that he claimed he didn’t want me, he’s watching me. It can be unnerving sometimes to have somebody paying that close attention to you. He’s watching me now. He sits on the bed silently watching me putting my things away. I take my time putting my desk in order. I don’t know why I’m feeling so nervous around him all of a sudden. I’m always so confident and brazen with other men. I could eat them up like snacks and spit them out so easily, but with him, I feel like I was the snack. Maybe because we’ve marked each other and now he’s half lying on my bed, waiting for me, and he’s looking so hot. I glance up at him then quickly lower my eyes to look at the papers that I’m gathering...one by one. After these papers, there’s nothing else to do. Oh, Penny. Stupid Penny, you can go organize your closet...by colors! “Do you think, you’ll be done clearing up your table before tomorrow morning?” His voice sounds amused and curious. “Yeah, before tomorrow morning. Definitely,” I reply seriously, nodding my head a few times. “Then I can organize my closet.” “Oh, really?” he says. He’s smiling now, clearly amused. “What’s the plan after the closet?” “Uh..” I never thought that far ahead, but that gives me an idea. “Bathroom. Definitely the bathroom.” “Wow, you’re a busy woman,” he says. Yup, that’s me. “And here I thought the cleaners come in every day.” “Psshhh...the cleaners. They don’t know what they’re doing...” “Persephone?” “Yeah?” I risk another peek at him from beneath my eyelashes. “Come here,” he says.

Eeekk...my heart races and my stomach feels funny. I remember the things that he said he’d like to do to me once my stomach heals. Is it time yet? “Are you scared of me?” “Scared of you?” I straighten my back. “Of course, not!” I huff haughtily. “Then come here,” he says challengingly. His lips curl up into a sexy lopsided smile. His glacier blue eyes glinted wickedly. I look at him warily, trying hard to feel his emotion through our bond, but he’s totally closed off. I glance at my closed closet door. My closet is very neat....but they’re not color coded. On the other hand, he is now raising an eyebrow. His eyes are now openly daring me to show him that I wasn’t at all afraid him. Damn it! I, Persephone Aspen Ruiz would rather crawl through poop covered sewer than being called a coward! I tilt my chin up...and gulp, then march over to the bed. I sit stiffly at the farthest corner of my own bed. Eeeekkk!!! In a flurry of movement and a blink of an eye, I find myself lying in the middle of the bed with him on top of me. His strong powerful body is pinning me to the bed while my hands are trapped above my head by one of his hands. His face hovers only inches from mine. “Now are you scared of me, Malyshka?” His eyes are watching me intently. I shake my head and gulp nervously. Nope. His wonderful scent, combined with the warmth and the weight of his body on top of mine is making me feel a lot of things. Scared is not one of them. I think I can hear my own heartbeats thundering in my ears. He’s still watching me. His lips slowly curve up into a feral, knowing smile, showing his straight white teeth and slightly long canines. He dips his head lower and I can feel his warm breath against my skin as he breathes in deeply, taking in my scent.

His nose and lips graze my jaw and my stomach clenches. I close my eyes as pleasurable sparks break all over my body shooting straight to my core. I feel his lips touching my neck with soft featherlight kisses. I almost moan out in protest. I want more. His lips travel to the side of my jaw, then across my cheek still skimming my skin lightly. He drops a little soft kiss at the corner of my lips. I turn my head to capture his lips with mine, but he pulls back with a playful predatory smile. He’s toying with me. Damn it! I give him a scowl, but he chuckles and leans down to give my chin a little playful bite and soothes it with a soft kiss. I want more and he’s not giving it to me. That pisses me off somehow. I struggle to get my hands out of his stronghold, and my body out from underneath him but he only tightens his hold and his body goes still. “Stop moving, Malyshka,” he says warningly. His voice is husky. Then I feel it. His hard length pressing against my thigh. I grin as I look up at him. He closes his eyes but surprises me by letting out a little laugh before he presses his lips to the shell of my ear. “I only wanted to show you that you don’t have to be scared of me. I won’t force you to do anything...not until you’re ready,” he whispers in my ear. “I have an amazing, ironclad selfcontrol,” he adds cockily. Ironclad self-control? Screw that! I want to wipe that cocky smile off his face. I want to chuck that ironclad self-control of his into the shark-infested ocean. “Wow, that’s a trait to be proud of,” I tell him in a serious tone as I wiggle even more underneath him. I make sure to rub and brush myself harder against his solid length. I hear the catch in his breath and try hard to contain my smile as his smile wanes from his lips. I wriggle myself again and this time he pushes himself up so that our lower bodies aren’t pressed together anymore. His grip on my hands loosens. I used this opportunity to free my hands and flip us around. He’s now lying on his back and I’m straddling him, pinning his hands to the bed with both of mine. I grin down at him and he grins back. His eyes glazed with needs and hunger. There is also the look of amusement and curiosity on his face. All in all, I have one hot gorgeous lycan underneath me and his self-control is not wanted. I know he’s letting me do this. He could easily flip us back if he wants to.

I lean down and whisper in his ear, “I so admire this ironclad self-control that you have.” I emphasize the word ironclad as I grind down on the hardness of his length underneath me. I hear the rumble of laughter from his chest followed by a groan and I suppress the giggle from my lips. I know I’m so inexperienced in this seduction thingy, but I’m having fun....and my mate is hot. So why not? I nuzzle the side of his face and my hands slip underneath his shirt to explore the ridges of his glorious abs. I drop small kisses along the line of his cut jaw and down his neck. The heady smell of him filled my senses and the feel of his silky warm skin underneath my lips is addictive. I flick my tongue out and taste the salty and delicious flavor of his skin on my tongue. Mmm....so good. I can hear him moaning underneath me. It sends chills up my spine. I push my self up. Watching him staring up at me intently. His chest is rising up and down as if he’s just finished running a marathon. His eyes hooded and smoldering. His nostrils flare and his jaw clenched. I reach down and yank my tank top off over my head. For a few seconds, he just lies there. His nostrils flare and his jaw clenched. Suddenly I’m being flipped back onto the bed “I said I have an ironclad self-control, I didn’t say the ironclad is indestructible, Malyshka,” he growls in my ear. “Good,” I whisper back just before his lips cover mine in a fierce hungry kiss. Our lips part only when I try to pull his shirt off. He grabs the end of it and tugs the shirt off in a swift easy movement. His body is perfect. I let my fingers explore the hard contours of his pecks, his amazing abs and lower while he’s watching me with his fists clenched at his sides. Ironclad selfcontrol. When my hand reaches the trail of hair that disappears down his jeans, he grabs my fingers. “Don’t go further if you’re not going to finish this.” I don’t answer him, instead, I free my hand and unbutton his jeans, then pull the zipper down. He stands up to remove his jeans, and as soon as he climbs up the bed again, my fingers close around his impressive hardness over his black boxers. “Persephone,” he moans as he covers my scorching body with his and his warm lips searching mine.

The pleasure I feel from his bare skin touching mine is unbearable. The sparks of heat are now burst of explosions consuming us both. I can’t think. His seeking lips cover mine, swallowing my soft moan. His long fingers cradling my head, holding it in place as his lips continue their assault on mine. His tongue darts out to explore my mouth and glide against my tongue. His other hand pulls my hand that’s caressing his hardness up above my head. His mouth moves down to kiss my cheek, my jaw, my neck...everywhere. It feels like he’s worshipping me while I’m just a mass of feelings, writhing underneath him in pleasure. “Malyshka. So beautiful...” he murmurs against my skin as he releases the clasp of my lacy white bra. His hands are exploring my body, touching, caressing, kneading... His mouth closes over the peak of my breast and I sob in pleasure. My hands disappear into his hair, tugging his head closer to my body. “Darius...” I moan out. Pleading. Crying. I vaguely aware of his hands easing my shorts down before his mouth follows his hand’s path downwards. Trailing fiery kisses and licks. When I feel his mouth closes over my core I nearly combust. Oh, goddess. “Darius....” I shudder and scream out his name. I think it must have taken me a while to recover. When I open my eyes again, Darius is staring down at me with a mixture of hunger and awe and smugness on his face. He pulls his boxer off and my eyes wander downwards. He’s beautiful. Everywhere. “Malyshka,” he says as he crawls over me again. His warm lips meet mine and his sexy magnificent body covers mine. Just like that, I’m ready for him again. Once again, I’m a mindless mass of sensation. I’m only aware of his mouth, hands, and body touching mine. My hands, mouth, and body touching his. The little pain I feel when he finally enters me, makes me open my eyes to stare into his black soulless eyes. In between lycan and man. His eyes are cold, yet the ecstasy on his face is unmistakable.

He moves slowly at first, gripping the edge of the mattress as he does so. The pain and pleasure. I wrap my legs around him, urging him to move faster. He lets out the sexiest groan just before I scream out his name the second time. This time is more intense than the first. I think we truly burst into flames. I think we both ignite and turn to ashes.

“Is it always like that?” I ask him lazily as I turn my head to look at him. His flawless skin is glistening with sweat. His fair disheveled hair looks a bit darker as it sticks to his skin. “It’s never like that. Never like that with anyone else. That’s the first time for me,” he says. “You are amazing.“The possessive look in his eyes as he stares at me takes my breath away. A tiny smug smile is playing on his lips. “Tell me,” I say. “When was the last time you had a proper good night sleep?” My body is sore in places I never knew exist but I’m feeling relaxed. My heartbeat is slowing down close to its normal rhythm. “The night I had you in my arms,” he answers. That was two nights ago. He must be tired. He needs his sleep. “Come here,” I tell him as I pull his head down closer to my chest. His arms immediately slide around my body to pull me closer until we’re both wrapped tightly around each other. I reach out to bury my fingers in his thick silky pale hair. “You’re so bossy,” he mumbles. “Sleep.” “Don’t leave me,” he murmurs. His arms tighten around me possessively and protectively. “I love it when you do that. I love it when you play with my hair.” His voice grows faint. His breathing evens out after a while, but I keep my fingers in his soft silky hair, combing slowly through it, my fingertips gently grazing his scalp.

Chapter 36 - A Cold Shower

This is very nice...and warm. I snuggle in more comfortably and the arms around me tightened to gather me in closer. His wonderful male scent fills my nose and his heart beats steadily in my ear. I open my eyes to the sight of smooth soft skin of my mate’s wide powerful shoulder. My cheek is firmly pressed against his chest. My room is now bathed in sunlight. The curtains are partially opened but I closed all the windows yesterday since the weather is starting to get cooler. It must be after seven in the morning. I pull back a little bit to look at my mate sleeping peacefully on his side. His fair hair is sticking out everywhere. His eyelashes are a bit darker than his hair but they have a slight golden tinge at the tips. His cheeks are slightly flushed pink from sleep. He looks so harmless, almost boyish and cute when he’s sleeping. Cute. I almost giggle at the thought. I just called a fierce, dangerous and powerful lycan warrior cute! Even though his eyes are still closed, a sudden surge of emotion fills me and I know he’s awake. I trace my fingertip along his thick golden eyebrows, down his straight nose, his firm upper lip and watch his firm lips curl up into a tiny smile. “Good morning, Malyshka.” His voice is low, husky and sexy in the morning. He opens his eyes and I’m struck by his penetrating blue gaze. “Good morning, Darius,” I whisper back. I love lying in the bed in the morning with him, just whispering to each other. Just

the two of us in our own little world where no one else exists. This is when he opens up to me the most. “How are you feeling?” “Good,” I answer. “Just good?” His voice is lazy and teasing. He runs his finger over my cheek, down my neck and it goes lower until it touches the medallion that’s resting on my chest. “I have to take it off soon, I suppose,” I tell him reluctantly. “I guess I can’t be seen with your family crest around my neck in Russia.” “Malyshka, I hate doing this,” he says. His voice sounds calm but I can feel his intense frustration through our bond. “I love seeing you wearing my family crest around your neck. I want to tell the whole world that you’re mine.” “I know,” I sigh. I love wearing it but since we’re doing this, I want you to wear it for safekeeping while we’re in Russia. I want it back when it’s safe for me to wear it again.” He pulls me in again and buries his face in my neck. “So, you’re a nobility, a blue blood then?” I tease him, trying to take him out of this sullen mood. He just shrugs like he couldn’t care less. “Now tell me about your family.”

“There’s not much to tell. I have a mother, a father. So, that’s all.” He’s still sounding glum. “End of story?” I ask him, running my fingers through his hair. I know that calms him down. “You never mentioned them at all before. Why? Do you not like talking about them?” “It’s not that I do or do not like talking about them. It’s just that they’re not important to me. Insignificant in my life. We’re not close, to put it mildly. I grew up with nannies and a governess while my parents were never there. “I was shipped off to the military school when I was nine. I saw them a handful of times since then. The last time I saw my parents was briefly at a Royal Gala eighty years ago. They’re like strangers to me.” That’s sad. “What about aunts or uncles or grandparents?” “I have an aunt and a cousin. I saw my aunt twice. I see my cousin, Æmelius quite often now because he’s also in the military. We’re not close though. We don’t really get along.” “You’re pretty much alone your whole life then?” I tighten my hold on him. “Yes, but now for the first time in my life, I’m not alone anymore. Now I have you.”

The next few days are filled with classes and fight training. At first, Darius didn’t want me to leave the house and attend

classes on my own, but I stand my ground. I can’t live my life in fear just because I was kidnapped and hurt that one time. After a long civilized discussion (which consisted of me throwing a fit and threatening him bodily harm) he finally gave in. I suspect he has his men watch me discreetly when I’m out on my own. To be honest, I don’t really mind. It actually makes me feel safe and protected. Despite being stubborn, I’m not too eager to be getting kidnapped and getting stabbed again. My stomach has healed nicely. There is a little raised pink scar on my stomach, but I know pretty soon it’ll be barely noticeable. The fight training is strenuous. Lazarus wants us to be physically ready for anything. Even Genesis is forced to train. Darius and Lazarus drive us to train harder than we ever did before. Days like these remind me that Lazarus is also one of the best warriors and his job is to look after the safety of the princes and the pack. With my new strength as a lycan, I can run with the rest of them. I know that I keep the men on their toes. I might not be the strongest, but I’m fast and a quick learner. I’m quick to pick up on my opponents’ weaknesses and use them to my advantage. When I can’t beat them with my strength, I learn quickly to strike at every little opportunity and opening I can get. “You’re born to be a fighter, Penny,” says Lazarus, patting my back with pride at the end of our session this evening. I can’t help but feel proud. My head might have expanded a bit. It’s rare to get praise from Lazarus.

“Don’t let that get to your head, Beany,” says Caspian. “I’m kicking your *ss tomorrow.” He just has to burst my bubbles. “Oh yeah?” I return. “Well, I whipped your *ss today and I’m going to...I’m going to.. kick you in the nut tomorrow!” Wow, nice come back, Penny. “Hey, no nut kicking!” says Constantine, grimacing as if I’ve just kicked him there. “That’s right. You tell her, Constantine. Royal family jewel is off limits,” says Caspian with a big mischievous grin on his face. Off limits? “How about me kicking your royal family jewel right now?” I yell as I spring up with every intention of chasing him around our 76.5 acres of training ground if I have to. A big strong arm catches me and drags me back against a hard unyielding chest. “Training’s over, Malyshka,” he whispers in my ear. “How about you, me, and a hot bath?” “Okay,” I say meekly. Suddenly I realize how sore my muscles are and Darius’s idea sounds a lot better than chasing Caspian around. “Whipped!” Caspian coughs into his hand. I shoot him a deadly glare. Tomorrow I’ll show him how whipped I am.

There’s a slight chill in the air this morning. It is November and the temperature is beginning to decline. The cold wind isn’t helping either. I pull my little jacket close as I walk between the buildings of the faculties. This is actually the first time I’m wearing a fall jacket and boots since I came here. I just had a tutorial this morning. It’s 9.45 am. now and I’m heading towards Club Espresso Degree Cafe. I promised Darius I’ll be waiting for him there. I’m actually a bit early. I heard from Serena that Caspian’s erasthai is a student working part-time at the cafe. I’m hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Serena told me that if I saw her, I’d know right away that she’s the one. That makes me even more curious. I glance around as I pull the door of the cafe open. There are not too many students here right now. I find a seat near the window and start rooting for my phone that I threw in my messenger bag this morning. Darius got me a new phone a few days ago. “Hello, what would you like to drink?” I look up and I think my eyebrows just go all the way up to my hairline. Standing before me is a gorgeous girl. Serena was right when she said that I’d know right away when I see her. Right now there’s no doubt in my mind that she’s Caspian’s erasthai. Somebody with eyes like that can only be Caspian’s. They’re so unusual and look almost identical to his bright vivid green

eyes. They are surrounded by spiky long dark eyelashes. Her long hair is silky black, a lot darker than mine. Now I know what they mean when they say hair as black as a raven’s wings. It is now tied back into a ponytail. You can’t miss a girl like that anywhere and she’s a human. There’s something else about her that lets me know she’s Caspian’s erasthai. I can’t really put a finger on it. Maybe it’s an aura around her. I suspect only someone who knows Caspian as well as we do can tell, though. Her eyes widen when she sees me. She stands there frozen with a pen and a writing pad in her hands, staring at me apprehensively before she starts to look around as if she’s looking for somebody. “He’s not here,” I tell her. “What?” she asks in confusion, then, “Oh...” her shoulders slumps in relief. I’ve never seen a girl so anxious at the possibility of running into Caspian before. Usually, they flock around him, acting silly trying to catch his attention. I was right, that bratty prince has been harassing this poor girl. I bite down a laugh that almost escapes my lips. This is good. Better than good! My brain is filled with ideas on how to torture that bratty prince. Oh, the possibilities! “What makes you think that he might be lurking around when you saw me here?” I ask her. She bites her lower lip worriedly before she answers me, “I saw you and your other friends with him before....and you look like

him.” I don’t quite understand what she means by “you look like him” but I let it slide. It seems like she wants to say more but she watches me warily for a second as if trying to decide whether or not to trust me. After a while, her curiosity gets the best of her. She looks around as if to make sure that nobody else can hear us, then she leans in and whispers, “I know you’re not a werewolf, but what are you?” She smells like a human, so I’m surprised that she knows about werewolves. “Lycans,” I whisper back. Her eyes widen, all colors seem to drain from her face. “God help me. This is not good. Nana wouldn’t be happy,” she mutters to herself. “You live with your Nana?” I ask her. “No,” she answers, frowning as if she’s wondering how I know about her Nana. “Nana’s dead.” “Oh, I see...” I say. Well, no. Actually, I don’t see at all. Is it just me or is Caspian’s mate is as crazy as he is? “Nana said lycans are dangerous,” she explains. “But don’t worry, I won’t judge. I’m sure not all lycans are dangerous.” “Oh, but we are,” I tell her. “Well, that’s not very reassuring,” she says, frowning again.

“So, he’s been bothering you?” “You have no idea,” she huffs. I grin up at her. “I’m Penny, by the way,” I introduce myself, offering her my hand. “My name’s Quincy,” she says, taking my hand in hers. “Hello, Malyshka,” says a familiar voice. My heartbeat picks up and my stomach clenches with excitement. I quickly look up and my lips turn up into a smile instantly at my mate. My mate. I still can’t get over it. I feel giddy every time he’s near. He’s looking hot in a grey peacoat jacket. His light blond hair is windblown and his eyes are focused solely on me. “Hi, (Лапочка) lapochka,” I chirp. His lips curl up into a smile as he pulls out a chair and seats himself beside me. I know he’s trying not to laugh. I’ve been trying new terms of endearment in Russian every day now. I know my pronunciation is crap, but you’ve got to give me props for trying. A+ for effort. Yesterday I called him (коровушка) korovushka and the day before that I called him (Котик) kotik. He seemed happy and amused by my effort but I learned from Constantine last night that korovushka means cow, and kotik means pussycat. I knew it! I knew I shouldn’t have asked and trusted Caspian.

Constantine assured me that those names are sweet but why would I want to call my mate a cow or a pussycat? Anyway, lapochka means darling or sweetheart, according to Constantine...unless he lied to me too. I notice Quincy staring at him with big round eyes. I almost burst out laughing. I know the effect my mate has on women. He looks gorgeous yet cold and intimidating. Somehow that still attracts girls like moths to a flame. “This is Darius,” I tell her. “Darius, this is Quincy.” Darius gives her a polite nod. “Can we have a cup of cappuccino and a cup of Americano?” Cappuccino is for me and Americano is for Darius. “Also, a grilled vegetarian panini, please,” I add, flashing Darius a sheepish look. “I’ll be right back with your order,” says Quincy cheerfully before she swiftly disappears behind the counter. “I saw you had a big breakfast this morning, Malyshka,” he says, shaking his head in amusement. “I have to refuel after all the grueling activities this morning.” “I don’t recall you complaining at all early this morning.” His voice is low and sexy, making sure that I know that he’s not talking about our training. He leans in further and says, “In fact, I think you ordered me not to stop.” His breath is warm against my ear, his thigh brushing against mine. My breath

hitches and chills of pleasure run up my back. I have to fight the urge to straddle his lap and kiss him silly. “Oh, shut up!” I swat his thigh. He chuckles as he catches my hand and laces his fingers through mine. He makes sure his palm lies flat against mine. skin against skin. He likes to do that and the hold feels very intimate. “Is that Caspian’s erasthai?” he asks me, tipping his head towards where Quincy disappears. “Yes,” I answer with a wicked smile. “Isn’t it awesome? I think we...” “Penny?” says a familiar voice. Oh uh... my human friends, Amanda, Keisha, Lily, and Daniel are approaching our table. I’ve been avoiding my human friends lately, except for Lily. Friends isn’t exactly the right word for Amanda and Keisha, maybe frenemy is the right word for them. For some reason, they always seem to be seeking me out. Mean things spewing out of their mouths makes me want to punch them in the face. Frenemy means drama and I hate that. I’d rather be upfront. If I don’t like you, I’ll just stay away from you. If you seek me out and pissed me off, I’d rather punch you in the face and be done with it. Sadly, I can’t punch those human bitches in the face without seriously hurting them, so...no punch. That means I’m stewing in my anger for them. “Hi, Darius,” purrs Amanda. “It’s great to see you again.”

I feel my temperature rises. Darius just nods politely, though his expression is unreadable. “Hello, Penny. Hi, Darius,” says Lily, giving me a sympathetic glance. “I see an available table over there. Let’s go.” “I think I’d rather sit here,” declares Amanda as she takes a seat next to Darius. “You don’t mind, do you?” she says, smiling up at him. “Actually, I do mind,” he answers before I could. Amanda’s face turns red, but she juts her lips out into a pout. “But Dee, I haven’t seen you around for so long.” Dee? Did she just give my mate a nickname? I feel the burning in my chest. I’m going to rip this human bitch’s face right out off her skull. Darius wraps his arm tightly around my waist just as a glass of water is splashed right into Amanda’s face and the whole front of her shirt. “Ooopppss....sorry. My bad,” says a voice beside me. Quincy is standing there with an empty glass. Her eyes are wide and apologetic. “You stupid bitch!” Amanda screeches, jumping up after she gets over her shock. Keisha tries to give her a napkin, but she throws it on the floor. Lily and Daniel look like they’re holding in their laugh.

“Your manager will hear about this! I’m going to make sure he fires your sorry *ss!” she rants. I look up at Quincy who is still standing there after Amanda stomped off to talk to the manager. “What?” she asks innocently. “She just needed a cold shower.”

Chapter 37 - And Then There Are Seven Tomorrow morning we’re flying off to Russia. Most of the stuff I’m bringing with me is already in the luggage, except for a few toiletries. My bedroom and closet look like they’ve been hit by a tornado. A brimming suitcase is on the floor in my bedroom. Shoes, boots, and sandals are everywhere. Discarded tops, pants, skirts, jackets, and dresses lying haphazardly on the floor and on my bed. It’s hard to pick what to bring and what to leave behind. Darius told me that it’s going to be cold there at this time of the year, but there are so many light pretty dresses and tops, not to mention open-toed shoes and cute strappy sandals that I’d like to bring with me even though I know I shouldn’t. Darius is also taking me out for dinner tonight. He wants to go out in public with me as a couple before we leave for Russia where we have to pretend like we’re nothing to each other. We’ve been inseparable these last few days, knowing that our time is limited. The only time we’re apart is when I attend classes. Being with him is heavenly. Just the thought of having to act like we’re not mates in Russia and be away from him makes me feel sad and a little anxious.

I don’t know where he’s taking me tonight, but I want to make sure to be dressed nicely for it. I keep trying on dresses and discarding them on the floor until Genesis and Serena make the decision for me. After a nice hot shower, I dry off and put on what Genesis and Serena picked out for me. A black lace, open backed bodycon dress that ends a few inches above my knees. The top part of the back and the shoulders are made entirely of sheer lace. The back also has an opening that goes all the way down to the waist. The front and the bottom part is covered with black silk insert. The v neck at the front dipped low enough to show some cleavage, but not too low to keep it classy. Serena dries my hair and pulls it up into a curly messy bun. She teases a few tendrils loose to frame my face. I put on a bit more makeup than I normally do with a little bronze eyeshadow, a light dusting of rosy shade blusher, a coat of mascara, and a couple swipes of bright red lipstick. I rarely wear lipstick, but tonight I want to do something different. Tonight I want to feel sexy. I don’t think I look sexy, but hey, A+ for effort. A pair of diamond earrings and the medallion are my only jewelry for the evening. I finish everything up with a pair of black satin Manolo Blahnik. “You look gorgeous, darling,” comments Genesis imitating Serena’s British accent after she glances up to give me an

inspection. She’s lounging on my bed among my clothes, flipping through some magazines that belong to Serena. Serena rolls her eyes and shakes her head with a small smile on her face as she fixes the back of my dress. “You do look gorgeous, love,” she says. “Very sexy.” “Yes, I bet he won’t be able to take his eyes and hands off you tonight,” Genesis remarks. Her eyes alight with excitement and mischief. Darius sleeps in my room and has left a few shirts in here, but most of his stuff is still in his own bedroom. So he’s getting ready in his own bedroom tonight. There’s no sound coming from the room next door, so I’m guessing he’s already ready and waiting downstairs. Sure enough, I can hear him talking with Lazarus, Constantine, and Caspian downstairs as soon as we step out of my bedroom. The men are standing in the grand foyer talking quietly. They are all so good looking. Tall and imposing. Darius is standing in the middle of them with his back facing the staircase. They cease talking as soon as I step down the landing. Darius turns and I feel my breath is being knocked out of my lungs. He looks stunning in his black suit and black dress shoes. His fair hair is combed back and nicely styled. Underneath the suit, he’s wearing a white shirt and a striped charcoal grey and deep red silk tie.

His eyes widen when he sees me. They rake me slowly from top to bottom, then back up again before they settle back to my eyes. Something flared in his eyes when they locked with mine. He steps forward as I descend the steps. “You look beautiful, Malyshka,” he says before he brushes his lips on my knuckles. Standing at the bottom of the steps with him, I’m glad he’s so tall. Even when I’m wearing heels he still towers over me, making me feel delicate and protected. Well, okay...so delicate is stretching it a little bit. I’m still me. Delicate and Penny should not be used in the same sentence. “Go out there and have fun, kids,” says Lazarus. “Don’t stay out too late, we’re leaving early tomorrow morning,” reminds Constantine. Sheesh...these two totally sound like my father. “Do we have a curfew, dads?” I ask them. “Yes, be home before midnight. I’ll be here waiting with my shotgun,” says Caspian. “Young man, I’ll be watching you.” He points his index and middle fingers to his eyes then to Darius’s direction. The others snicker while Darius just smirks and pulls me towards the front door before I could say anything. “I know something about Quincy that you don’t!” I manage to yell before I’m being dragged outside.

Caspian’s eyes widen comically. “WHAT???” he yells back just before the heavy front door closes behind us. Darius quickly bundles me into the passenger seat of his Mercedes AMG GT before he climbs in behind the wheel himself. Caspian comes running out the door after us. “What?” he yells. “Beany? What???” I see the prince pulling his hair in frustration through the review mirror as the car speeds away down the driveway. Darius has the same smirk on his face and I try to keep a straight face. “What is it that you know about Quincy that Caspian doesn’t?” he finally asks me after some time. “Nothing,” I answer. “I was just messing with him.” Darius leans back in his leather seat and bursts out laughing. Soon, I join him laughing until my side hurts. “That’s very mean, Malyshka,” he admonishes me after he’s done laughing. He still has an amused smile on his lips. Thirty minutes later, we arrive at Chateau de Rouen Restaurant Patio. Normal people would need to make a reservation a week in advance to be able to get a table here. I don’t know when he planned all this, but I don’t doubt he could snatch a table at a moment’s notice.

He exits the car and quickly comes around to open the door for me. His eyes linger on my face before they stray to my legs as I unfold myself out of the car. I raise an eyebrow as he openly ogles my exposed legs. He’s unashamed and unapologetic. He doesn’t move away when I finally unfold myself out of the cream leather seat. Instead, he leans in until his lips almost touching my ear. “It’s all part of the benefit of having a mate, Malyshka,” he whispers. “To be able to look at what’s mine anywhere, anytime I want.” The hostess seems to know who we are as soon as we enter the restaurant. She’s very professional, yet her eyes linger a bit too long on my mate for my liking. As we are being escorted by the hostess to our table, Darius places his hand possessively on the small of my back. His hand feels warm and intimate on my bare skin, making body tingles all over. I feel the eyes of other patrons following us as we make our way to our table. Some whip their head so fast to give us a second look that I thought they would sprain their neck muscles. Who could blame them? My mate is gorgeous. Strikingly good looking. Serena told me that we make a very good looking couple just before we left the house, but I somehow doubt it. I know I’m not ugly. I mean, compared to garden gnomes, I think I’d win by a little more margin than usual tonight but I’m not anywhere near as good looking as my mate. They say surround yourself with ugly looking people to make yourself

look good. I think I’m totally doing this the wrong way. Unfortunately, you can’t control who you love. The dinner goes quickly and I think we look pretty decent and normal to the people around us. If only they knew the truth. We talk about pretty mundane stuff, but his legs are pressed against mine underneath the table making my heartbeat race. When our eyes locked, the hunger in his eyes makes my mouth dry and my skin heats up. He watches me like a predator watching its prey. His eyes watch me intently as I put the food in my mouth. His heated gaze travels from my mouth to my throat as I take a sip of my drink. My skin sizzles as if he physically touched me. The air around us feels thick sizzles with electricity. “Let’s order dessert,” he says suddenly. Now I realize why our dinner seems to go very quickly. He waved off soup and salad earlier. Now we’re almost done with our main course. Somebody is in a hurry to get home. “Okay, (плохо́й ма́льчик) plokhoy mal’chik,” I tell him, so proud that I managed to remember the words and he promptly bursts out laughing. What? I just stare at him in puzzlement. It’s not good when you’re trying to call your mate with sweet endearment and he laughs at you. That’s not really a response I was looking for. To be fair, he’s been looking like he’s trying not to laugh for days now every time I try new terms of endearment in Russian for him. Tonight’s the only time he openly laughs like this.

Now I’m miffed that he laughed at my attempt to find a Russian nickname for him. “Don’t be mad. I love it when you call me with those sweet names, Malyshka,” he assures me. “Really?” I ask him glumly. If he liked it, why did he laugh? “Yes, really,” he answers. “I love it. Especially when you call me a bad boy....I’m your bad boy,” he says, looking very amused....and trying hard not to laugh. Again. Bad boy? Is that what those words really mean??? Serena told me that it’s legit sweet and that’s what she calls Lazarus sometimes when they’re alone. I’m going to kill her! That’s it! I’m done with trying to find him a sweet Russian nickname. Everybody seems to be having too much fun with this at my expense. Even Serena! I can’t believe it! “Come on, don’t be mad, Malyshka. I really love it that you call me with all those sweet Russian words,” he whispers as he leans forward and places his warm hand on my thigh. I take a sharp breath when his hand travels all the way up underneath my dress. The tips of his fingers almost touching the hem of my lacy panties. My breathing speeds up. My skin is burning up for him. I close my eyes and whisper, “Tu me vuelves loca.”

When I open my eyes again, he’s staring at me. His eyes intent and glittering, almost black. “Quiero hacer el amor,” I continue breathlessly. My heart is beating like the wings of a trapped bird in my chest. “Check, please!” he snaps at a passing waiter, his eyes never leaving mine. “Wait, you understand that?” I ask him as he practically drags me out of the restaurant and into the car so fast, my head is reeling. I was speaking Spanish! He could not have understood that. “When you live as long as I have, you tend to pick up a few languages,” he answers with a mocking smile. “It proves to be useful...especially now.” Darn it! I only said those words out loud because I thought he couldn’t understand me. “By the way, you sounded so sexy, mi amor,” his voice low and seductive. My knees go weak. I think I’ve melted into a puddle. Needless to say, the drive back is very fast. Once in a while, he would glance at me. His eyes hold promises and warnings of things he would do to me when we get home. I can’t wait! We arrive home in record time. As soon as he gets me out of the car, he places his hands on my waist and his mouth starts to kiss and nibble on my neck. Only after we get inside do I notice that the whole house is in total darkness. The backyard, however, is brightly lit.

“What’s happening? What’s going on?” I ask him. He lifts his head from my neck, looks around, and groans, “Why me?” “You knew about this?” What is it?” I ask him again. “Yeah, they’ve discussed it with me. Initiation into the pack,” he says sullenly. “Why does it have to be tonight of all nights?” He sounds like a sullen little boy being denied his favorite treat. I hear him muttering something about cockblocking under his breath and I swat his arm while trying not to laugh. “Behave!” I tell him. “Didn’t anybody tell you good things come to those who wait, mi amor,” I tell him. His eyes darken considerably at my words. “Did I tell you, you sound so sexy when you call me that?” he growls in my ear. I swat his arm again. Harder this time. “Tonight’s the last night before we fly off to Russia. It has to be tonight.” He rubs his arm and mumbles something about hot violent mate under his breath. “But I need you,′ he groans. “Now.” “I thought you had an ironclad self-control,” I tease him. “Self-control be damned. I need to have you writhing with pleasure underneath me. I need to feel your skin against mine. I need to hear you yell my name, and only my name when I’m

inside you.” His voice is deep and husky. His body is warm and hard behind me. All of a sudden, I have a mental image of us wild in bed. Arms, legs, and bodies tangled together. My whole body feels warm and my stomach clenches. “Let’s go. Let’s get this done,” he says as he propels me forward. I can see his lips tug up into a smug smile. Darn it! Darius = 1, Penny = 0 I walk quickly forward then I drop down to my knees in front of him just before we reach the back door. I look up at him with a wicked smile on my lips. His eyes widen and his smile wanes. Oh, the confused but hopeful look in his eyes! I place my hand on his thigh then I casually slip off my shoes. “I don’t want to walk out on the sandy beach in my high heels,” I inform him as I stand up and turn around to walk out of the back door. Penny = 1, Darius = 1. His hand clamps on my arm before I can get any further and he pulls me hard against his muscular body. He wraps his arm around me and his lips swoop down on mine with all the pentup hunger. My legs almost give way. His tongue slips into my mouth to slide and tangle with mine. A delicious wave of pleasure engulfs my body. My heart thunders in my chest. He sucks and nibbles on my bottom lip as if he can’t get enough. I deepen the kiss, sucking his lips and the low sexy moan coming from his throat makes me press my core right against his hard thigh. My whole body goes up in flame.

“After this, Malyshka...I will take you back to our room and lock the door. Then I will show you over and over again that you’re mine to do as I want,” he whispers against my lips. “And you will beg me to do it over and over again,” he adds before he lets me go. Okay, Penny = back to 0, Darius = 1000000 x infinity. He takes my hand firmly in his and together we follow the flickering tiki lights that lead the path down to the beach. I try to calm my heartbeat. The ocean wind feels cool against my heated skin. The sand feels soft under my feet as we make our way down our private stretch of the beach. When we reach the top of the dune, I can see five silhouettes standing in the distance by the tall bonfire. The moon is luminous and the stars are flickering against the inky night sky. The reflection of the moon is brilliant in the dark, ominous sea. We walk further down the sandy beach and reach our waiting friends. Their perfect faces and figures aglow warm and golden from the raging bonfire and the tiki lights. I can feel the warmth of the tall bonfire dancing in the wind. It is crackling and popping. The smell of the wood burning fire mixed with the salty wind from the ocean fills the air. “Darius and Persephone Rykov, now it’s time for you follow our path, to take your oath to be part of this pack,” says Caspian above the sound of the rolling waves crashing the shore.

Lazarus, who is holding a copper chalice, steps forward to stand beside Caspian. The chalice looks like an antique with carvings of a crown flanked by a lycan and a wolf. It has strange symbols carved around the edge. “Do you agree to be a member of this pack and do you agree to take this oath willingly?” asks Constantine as he takes his place next to Caspian. In both hands, he carries a very old looking dagger with symbols on the blade. The handle is embedded with a brilliant red ruby surrounded by gleaming emeralds. “Yes,” Darius and I answered simultaneously. Serena moves forward and drops a lighted match into the chalice. The fire flares then turn into a strange brilliant blue flame. Then she steps back to stand beside Lazarus while Genesis takes her place next to Constantine. Caspian nods and Constantine hands him the knife. Caspian holds the blade up, then he cuts a small line in the middle of his palm. “This blood symbolizes our lives, our vows, and my bond to you and yours to me,” he announces. “Follow my lead and repeat after me,” he says before he tilts his already healing hand and lets a drop of his blood falls into the goblet. Suddenly the flame burns bright. It pops and fizzles, then turns back into the blue flame again. “I swear my allegiance to you, as the member of my pack. Our souls are linked. You are privy to my feelings and senses, the keeper of my secrets. I pledge you my protection, in my honor. My loyalty shall be yours. My strength shall quell your

weakness, my courage shall absolve your fear. This is my pledge to you,” he recites. He then hands me the dagger. I wrap my hand around the handle and make a small cut in the middle of my palm. As soon as my blood drops in the chalice, the fire glows brilliantly before it crackles and pops and settles down into the blue flame again. The flame seems bigger and brighter now somehow. Caspian recites the oath again and I repeat after him. My palm is already healing even before I finish reciting the oath. After I’m done, he nods solemnly and leans in to drop a brotherly kiss on my cheek. I pass the dagger to Darius and he does the same thing. After he’s done reciting the pledge, they both nod and give each other a manly hug. This, we repeat with Constantine, Genesis, Lazarus and finally with Serena. This pledge affects me deeply. I feel my soul connected with each and every one of them, not quite like the way it’s connected to Darius’s but I can feel them. Deep in my bones. I just pledged my life, my soul, my loyalty, and my honor to these lycans and my mate and they did the same to me. None of us take this pledge lightly. This pledge might take us all to our deaths, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is my family.

Genesis pulls me into a tight hug. “I’m so happy,” she squeaks tearfully and almost inaudibly. Serena soon joins in, followed by all the others. *(Spanish) Tu me vuelves loca = You’re driving me crazy. * (Spanish) Quiero hacer el amor = I want to make love to you. *(Spanish) Mi amor = My love.

Chapter 38 - Love Shackle Warm pleasant tingles on my cheek make my eyelids flutter open. My mate is lying in bed with me, watching me with a strange look in his eyes. The back of his finger is softly skimming my jawline. We came back to his room last night since my own bedroom was in such a chaos. We barely slept. He kept his promise to show me that I’m his, to do as he wants. Over and over and over again. I’m still feeling sleepy. I can’t believe how awake and alert he’s looking already. How long has he been awake? “Hey,” I say, smiling. “Good morning,” he answers. “What time is it?”

“It’s a little after six.” He’s still looking thoughtful, his eyes never waver from my face. As a mate, I should be able to feel his feelings unless he’s blocking it. A lot of the time I can’t sense anything. The wall that he built around his feelings is impenetrable. It bothers me that he wouldn’t share his feelings. It hurts a little. It feels like he’s shutting me out. I stare at him for a while, trying to figure things out. I don’t know what he’s thinking. “We have to go soon,” I state instead, trying not to pry. Our plane is planned to leave this morning. We should have left a week ago, but we put it off until the last minute. We figured the less time we spend there, the better. He just nods but doesn’t say anything. So, okay...I’m not good at not prying. “What are you thinking?” I ask him. See? I can totally do subtle. “Nothing,” he says broodily. His eyes are now following his finger that’s tracing lightly down my throat until it reaches the chain that holds the medallion. I’m sure he can feel my pulse jumps under his touch. His finger presses harder on the chain and follows it until it reaches the medallion that’s resting against my cleavage. I can’t read him at all now. I hate this feeling. This feeling like our souls aren’t connected and we’re not even in Russia yet. This feeling is pissing me off. I push myself out of the bed roughly, and he quickly sits up. The sheet pools around his waist. I move further away and his

hand shoots up to grab my wrist, trying to stop me from putting the distance between us. I pull my hand out of his grip and stand there defiantly in my naked glory, searching the floor for my dress. I can’t see it anywhere. I remember us peeling each other’s clothes wildly last night. I spot his shirt lying on the floor instead, so I put that on and start to button up, ignoring him. “Persephone,” he says. I feel him letting his guard down and sense his swirling of emotions. None of them are pleasant. My heart softens at the lost, haunted look in his eyes. This man needs me. I walk back to the bed and crawl to his side. “Talk to me, Dar. Don’t shut me out.” He lays his head back on the pillow with a sigh. The back of one hand covers his eyes. He stays like that in silence for a while. Only his breathing tells me that he’s not asleep. “I don’t want to take you back to Banehallow Palace. I want you as far away from there as possible,” he finally says. He pulls his hand away and turns his head to look at me. “Once we’re there, I have to stay away from you and I hate that. I don’t want to stay away from you.” Suddenly I realize something. I can destroy this man. I have the power crush him completely just he can do the same to me. “There, are you happy now?” he asks me as if he regrets his confession. This time he shifts his whole body to face me. The muscles in his arms flex when he moves.

“Happy?” I ask him in puzzlement. I’m too distracted by his amazing naked body to fully comprehend his last question. My eyes drift from his arm to his wide shoulder, down to his impressive pecs, down to his flat abs and down... “Malyshka, focus,” he says, tilting my face up with his fingers under my chin. I see a hint of a smile on his lips before I bring my eyes back up to look into his. “I’m supposed to be a tough warrior, yet I’m whining about having to stay away from my mate. Is that what you want to hear?” “Yes!” I grin up into his eyes. “That’s exactly what I want to hear.” “What are you doing to me, Malyshka?” he groans. His arm snakes around me to pull me down. I press my face into his shoulder and take a deep breath. His smell is so addictive. “Dar?” I pull back a bit after a while. “Dar, huh?” he asks me, one of his eyebrows lifts up. I reach out to trace his firm bottom lip with my index finger. His eyes light up in amusement. “Yeah, short for Darius...short for darling,” I inform him casually. I feel his lip moves underneath my finger as it stretches into a wider smile while heat flares in his eyes. “Dar...I like that,” he says it slowly as if testing the sound of it himself. “Though I like it better when you call me mi amor.” He reaches out and places a kiss on my fingertip.

Pffttt...call him mi amor now and we’ll never get out of this bed today. “Dar,” I try again, not willing to be easily sidetracked this time. “Why are you keeping your feelings from me? Are you trying to put up a barrier between us? Is that why?” “No, Malyshka. I’m sorry, I never wanted to put up a barrier between us. It’s just one of a downside of being a warrior.” I keep my eye on him, silently waiting for him to continue. “There are lycans out there with the ability to detect all other lycans’ feelings. They use it to find out where your true loyalty lies, to find your weakness and use it against you. We were trained to lock our feelings. It’s being hammered into us since we started training that it became our second nature. Still, you managed to get past my barrier sometimes,” he stops to give me a tender smile. “Do me a favor, Malyshka. I want you to do the same when we get to Russia. Keep your feelings locked away. Do you think you can do that for me?” “Anything for you, mi amor.” His lips stretch into a wider smile, his eyes light up wickedly. “Anything?” “Anything...” “In that case, do you think we have time for a quicky?” His lips start to attack my neck with soft kisses and nibbles that make

me giggle and squirm. His fuzzy morning stubble is tickling me. “Come on, we need to get ready. We’re leaving soon,” I say between giggles, trying to push him away. Well, okay...halfheartedly trying to push him away. “You’re right,” he says regretfully pulling back. “I think it’s time for me to give this to you for safekeeping,” I tell him as I undo the clasp of the chain that holds the medallion. My heart feels heavy. I feel like I’m giving a piece of him away as I place it around his neck. “It belongs to you, Malyshka. It always belongs to you,” he says before he reaches over to take something out of the drawer of his nightstand. He then places it on my lap. A red box with gold cursive lettering on it. A Cartier box. “Will you do me a favor? Will you wear this for me?” he asks as he opens the box. Nestled inside is a white gold love bracelet with screw motifs and glittering diamonds. “It’s a symbol of my commitment to you...and also to assure myself that you’re mine even when I can’t announce to the world that you belong to me.” I hold my hand up so that he can put in on me with the screwdriver that comes with it. “It’s beautiful,” I tell him as I hold my wrist up. “A love shackle...I should’ve gotten you one.”

“If you want. I don’t mind...but without the diamonds, please?” He grins as he kisses the inside of my wrist.

Twenty minutes later, I’m back in my room. It’s a relief to see that all my clothes and shoes are neatly put away. The floor of my bedroom and closet is clear again. My bed is neatly made. My luggage is still on the floor, but it is now nicely zipped up. It is so full, though. I wonder if our housekeeper had to sit on top of it in order to zip it up. Honestly, I would’ve brought my cow mug and even the kitchen sink with me if I could fit them in my bag. I brush my teeth, take a quick shower and pull the outfit I already set aside to be worn for today. A smokey grey off shoulder knitted sweater, black leggings, and a pair of black uggs. I put my slightly damp hair up in a messy bun. I’d rather dress comfortably rather than fashionably for traveling. I quickly stuffed in an extra top, underwear, a rust color knitted scarf, a lipgloss, a cell phone, sunglasses, and several other things that I might need into my traveling tote bag. This is my carry on. Lastly, I drape my dark grey Burberry fur trimmed duffel coat over the bag and sling it over my shoulder before I step out. Darius is waiting for me just outside my door. He’s in a white tshirt and blue jeans with a pair of brown leather brogue boots. He’s clean shaven and his hair is nicely combed and still slightly damp from the shower. His eyes are bright icy blue as they stare at me and he smells like heaven. I’m swooning at the sight of him. He leans in to give me a brief sweet kiss on the

lips before he takes my hand in his and we make our way downstairs. My pack members are unusually quiet this morning. Either the enormity of the danger we’re about to face in Russia is on their minds or it’s still too early in the morning for their brain to start functioning properly. I’m guessing the latter, especially for Caspian and Genesis. Two black Bentley SUVs are already waiting outside to take us to the airport. Caspian, Lazarus, and Serena climb into the first SUV while Darius leads me to get into the second one with Genesis and Constantine. He stays outside of the vehicle to talk quietly to our two drivers. He looks like he’s in charge and those two look more like warriors than regular drivers. Constantine wraps his arms around Genesis and she promptly falls asleep again. My friend is definitely not a morning person. She is worse than I am. “Those men aren’t regular drivers, are they?” I ask Constantine quietly. “No. Those are his men,” answers Constantine. I don’t know what to feel about this. The reality of it all just about hitting me. From this point on, we’ll be surrounded by security. It’ll get worse when we reach Russia. There will be eyes watching our every movement. The casual easy going atmosphere we always enjoy while we’re in North America will be gone. When Darius climbs in next to me a few minutes later, I slip my hand into his and lean closer to him. I think he can sense my anxiousness. He squeezes my hand reassuringly and kisses

the top of my head. A strong sense of calm and completeness slowly envelopes me like a warm familiar blanket and I sigh in contentment as I rest my head on his shoulder. All lycans have the ability to control other’s feelings, either to intimidate or to calm them down. He’s using his power to shroud me with comfort. The car moves and I say goodbye to our blue sky and beautiful home in California.

The private jet that we’re on today is different from the one we usually use. The flight crews are different too. I don’t know if this is related to our security and safety. The plane is still very nice, just not as fancy. I sit with Genesis and Serena at the front since our men seem to be busy on their phones and laptops as soon as we safely take off. An hour after we take off, Darius calls everybody to convene for a brief meeting. Genesis, Serena and I sit next to each other on the sofa, Caspian drapes himself on a chair opposite of us like he has no care in the world, while Constantine sits on a chair next to him looking alert. Darius and Lazarus remain standing on the aisle between the seats. “In our current situation, I think it’s very important to keep each other abreast at all time. I won’t sugar coat anything because I don’t think that would do us any favor,” starts Darius. “I have an update on Iron Bossman’s interrogation that you should know.

“We have bad news and good news,” he continues. “Bad news is, Iron Bossman does have a Russian connection. Good news is, he doesn’t know much about Persephone. He underestimated her importance to the pack. He even called Persephone a “werewolf pet of the lycan pack”. Bossman was told to keep an eye on the pack, but he took it upon himself to order his men to kidnap and kill my mate as a warning and to intimidate the whole pack.” His jaw tensed up as he says this. I’m very sure I know the fate of Iron Bossman after they finish interrogating him. “That brings us to more bad news, unfortunately. Now we know that there’s a threat to the Prince as well as the whole pack,” he explains. “Right now we don’t know who hired him since his connection was brutally murdered just yesterday. I’m sure Bossman will be killed too as soon as we let him out.” “If we ever let him out,” adds Caspian, exchanging a wicked but grim smile with Darius. Constantine and Lazarus nod in agreement. Everybody goes very quiet after that exchange, absorbing this new information. After a while, Lazarus says, “These people are obviously very unscrupulous and cunning in covering their tracks. They have eyes and ears everywhere. Therefore we cannot slip up. We have to be on our toes.” Darius tips his chin up in agreement. “Trust nobody outside the pack. Keep your feelings to yourselves, but keep an open communication between ourselves.” “I propose we have brief meetings every evening in my chamber. Keep each other up to date. Report anything amiss or

suspicious,” suggests Caspian before we adjourn. He’s looking bored now, but we all know that everything weights heavily on his mind. After the meeting, Darius is on the phone and the laptop again. So are Constantine and Lazarus. I wonder if they’re going to be this busy all the time when we get to the Palace. I guess he’s preparing his team for our arrival and ironing out security details. I’m about to join Genesis and Serena at the front when I see Caspian staring morosely out the window. His hair that’s usually glossy and perfect, always nicely styled is now messy, so unlike the Prince Caspian that I know. Oh, he’s still dressed very stylishly, but his hair looks like he’s been running his fingers through it countless of times. I’m guessing he’s thinking about his erasthai, Quincy that he left behind. Oh, boy...the prince is whipped, but right now I don’t have the heart to tease him about it. “Hey,” I squeeze his shoulder. “I saw her a couple of days ago. I have a good feeling about her. I like her.” “You do?” He raises his eyes to look at me briefly before he stares out the window again. “How can I bring her into this, Beany? I can’t bring her life into danger,” he says, looking like a petulant royal brat that he is. “I used to be so mad at Darius for keeping you at arm’s length, but now I understand where he’s coming from. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her.” I put my hands on his shoulders and dig my thumbs between his shoulder blades, trying to loosen the tight knots. “She

should be informed. She should not be kept in the dark,” I tell him. “Don’t cut her off or ignore her even if you think it’s for her own good. You’d hurt her more than anything. It’s her choice. Let it be her choice, Caspian.” “Well, right now she wants nothing to do with me,” he pouts. “Good things are hard to get,” I tell him. “When did you get to be so wise?” “Since forever,” I inform him while ruffling his hair even more before I saunter away to look for my mate who’s been on the phone for too long now. “Hey, Beany!” he calls after me. I turn around to look at him and he says, “You’re not going to make it easy for me, are you?” “You bet I’m not!” We both grin at each other. I know he loves me like a pesky little sister and I love him like an annoying big brother, but we’re both put on this earth to make each other’s life a little bit harder. You just can’t deny your true life’s calling.

Chapter 39 - Surviving Your Highness I walk to the back of the plane where Darius is still on the phone. His magnificent body is draped casually in the plush leather seat, while his long legs are crossed at the ankle. His eyes are tracking my movement while he keeps talking quietly but rapidly in Russian. His expression looks sexily playful but his tone of voice remains serious. I wish I knew what he’s saying.

Note to self: learn to speak Russian. Two whole minutes, I’m still standing in front of him as he continues talking. I bat my eyelashes and I pout. His lips twitch into a tiny reluctant smile. Admittedly, his heated gaze has never left my body once since the moment I made my way to him a while ago, but I need more than that from my mate today. Pretty soon we’ll be in Russia and...and I don’t want to think about what’s going to happen there. I reach up and release my hair from its constraint so that it comes tumbling down my shoulders and my back. I lift a shoulder up so that the wide neck of the sweater slides off lower. His eyes zone in on the exposed skin appreciatively, then they leisurely survey my body till I feel like I was standing there naked in front of him. He watches me with amusement like I’m doing a striptease for his entertainment while he keeps talking on the phone. Gah! What does a girl need to do to get some attention around here? I put my hands on my waist, prop my right hip forward and tap my foot impatiently. Really? Do I have to strip down to my knickers? Fine! Whatever! See if I care. Well, I don’t. Obviously! I flip my hair and whirl around. Hah! I’ll go talk to my besties who are probably more eager for my company...or watch a movie..or play candy crush...or something. I managed to take a step before a powerful arm wrap around my middle and I’m being tugged back against a hard chest.

“Where do you think you’re going, (душа моя) Dusha moya?” he asks, nuzzling my ear from behind. “Clearly, my company is not wanted. Go on, keep talking on the phone,” I tell him while trying to wiggle out of his hold. He grazes his lips and the tip of his nose down my neck and I shiver from the chills of pleasure that streaks down my back. “Who says you’re not wanted?” he says before he kisses and playfully nibbles my skin. Chills of pleasure bloom into sparks of heat and ecstasy that spread across my entire body. “You provided me the most magnificent view...even the most mundane business talk becomes exciting,” he continues huskily. His voice thick with the Russian accent. His warm firm lips start trailing kisses on the skin along my neck down to my collarbone and across my exposed shoulder. “What does Dusha..ummm...Dusha..what?” I’m struggling to think. “Dusha moya...my soul,” he whispers against my skin. I think I’m melting. I’m supposed to be mad at him, am I not? I should stay mad. Uuummm...why am I mad again? He bends down and places one arm around my back and another behind my knees and I instinctively wrap my arms around his neck. As he effortlessly he lifts me up, I look up into his glacier blue eyes and our gaze remains locked until he sits down on the seat at the back with me on his lap. Our faces are only inches apart. My heart always goes crazy every time our eyes meet. Right now I can hear my heart thundering in my

ears and my stomach rolls with excitement. His intense smoldering stare moves from my eyes to my lips. My own eyes are drawn to his firm pink lips and I want to taste them again. He leans in and claims my mouth with his. My lips tingle from the heat and electricity that explode every time we touch and I open my mouth willingly to let his tongue plunders inside. I shudder at the jolt of pleasure that zaps through me and I hear him groan as our tongues tangle and dance together. His arms tighten around me and my fingers grab a fistful of his hair as our kiss grows more urgent and intense. His hand slips underneath my sweater to touch my heated bare skin and mold me closer to him like he couldn’t get enough of me. I can’t get enough of him. His scent, the touch of his hand on my body, the feel of his mouth on my mouth and my skin, his taste on my tongue. I think it’s a long time later when he finally pulls back. His hand cradles the back of my neck as he rests his forehead against mine. His other hand is still resting on the bare skin of my back underneath my sweater. Everything is quiet except for our labored breathing and the steady drone of the engine. I think the others are giving us some time and privacy by staying at the front of the plane. Most of them are probably asleep anyway since we got up very early this morning. Too bad this plane doesn’t have bedrooms like the other one. “You must be getting tired. You should get some sleep, Malyshka.” He drops a quick chaste kiss on my swollen lips. We both probably had about two hours of sleep at the most, last night.

“No, I’m not tired,” I deny. Honestly, I’m feeling wide awake. Very wide awake. “Then just lie down with me,” he says, smiling indulgingly as he lowers our seats into a full lying position and pulls me to him until my cheek is resting on his chest. I will stay awake and savor this moment in his arms. My hand automatically reaches out to play with his fair silky locks. A sudden thought occurs to me.“Dar? How would you sleep when I’m not around?” He doesn’t sleep well when I’m not with him. His nightmare will hound him when I’m not in his arms at night. “Don’t worry about me, Malyshka. I’ll be okay.” “But you need your sleep.” I know he’d been surviving without me for so long, but I don’t want him to suffer like that again now that he has me. “I’ll figure something out, sweetheart. Just rest.” He kisses the top of my head. I try not to think of what I’d do without his arms wrapped securely around me like this at night. Falling asleep with his scent and his warm body enveloping me, his steady heartbeat in my ear....so safe, so comfortable, so...home.

“We’re almost there, Malyshka. We’ll be landing soon,” he says.

My eyelids flutter open to look straight into his glacier blue eyes. I’ve fallen asleep despite my effort to stay awake. The reality behind what he just said hits me. Our moment together is almost over. Soon, we have to pretend like we don’t belong to each other. Like we’re not half of each other’s souls. His eyes say it all. “Darius,” I say, sitting up quickly in a moment of panic and despair. No, not yet. I’m not ready. His hand comes up to tangle in my hair at the back of my head and pull me to him until our lips meet. Without hesitation, I kiss him back with everything that I have in me. He cups my face firmly in his hands as he deepens the kiss. I open my mouth for his tongue to invade my mouth and tangle with my own. I wind my arms around his neck and his hands drop to my hips to yank me into his lap until I’m straddling him. Even then, we’re desperately pulling each other close, straining to get closer as if we can’t get close enough. “Malyshka, you are my life. Promise me you stay safe. Promise me you keep your emotions hidden. Stay close to at least one of our pack mates at all time,” he says. I just nod my head. “Now, go clean up. You need to get my scent off you.” I reluctantly get up and grab my tote bag. He gets up with me and grips my hips tightly as if he’s unwilling to let me go as he leads me to the washroom.

At the door, he turns me around to face him and quickly presses his lips to mine before he shoves me into the reasonably sized cubicle. I place my hand on my chest, trying to steady my heartbeat. The washroom is nice with a small glass-covered shower, a sink, a toilet, and even a small seating by the window. There are rolled up fluffy white towels on the counter by the sink. I steal a quick glance at the mirror. My hair is wild from his fingers running through it and my lips are red and swollen from our kisses. I place my bag on the seat, unroll the bath mat by my feet and proceed to take a quick shower. I quickly towel dry and comb my hair. I put on fresh underwear, slip my black leggings back on, pulls on a black long sleeve t-shirt, and drape my rust colored scarf around my neck and slip on my uggs. I fold and put everything else into my bag except for my duffel coat. When I join the others at the front, Darius is nowhere in sight. He’s probably cleaning up too. A few minutes later he steps out from the back in his full uniform. This time with a black royal army trench coat with brown fur lapel collars. He somehow looks bigger and more formidable. His hands are in tan leather gloves. His fair blond hair is sleeked and covered by an army hat. His handsome face is a mask of indifference, a beautiful cold chiseled perfection carved out of a marble. Aloof and unreadable. He looks so handsome yet like a stranger. No longer my Darius.

He sits in a seat at the front on the other side of the aisle from mine as we prepare for landing. His eyes flicker to mine. For endless minutes we only stare at each other. His eyes are cold, but I know mine are full of longing. I know I have to reign it in. I should not show emotion. I promised him I would keep my emotions hidden. As I feel the wheel hitting the ground, I tear my gaze away from him and look straight ahead. I take a deep breath and focus on building a wall around my feelings. I will keep everything in. I’m doing this for my mate, my pack mates, and myself. Our safety and our lives may depend on it. I feel Genesis covering my hand with hers. She gives my hand a gentle squeeze. I return her squeeze and keep my face a stony unreadable mask. He’s right here in front of me, yet I’m missing him already. Oh, grow a pair, Penny! It’s not like we’re not going to see each other again. We’ll be crossing paths. We just need to pretend like we’re acquaintances instead of mates. That’s all. Yup! That’s all...easy peasy.

It’s already dark in Russia. Light fluffy white flakes are slowly drifting down from the sky. The ground is already covered with a light dusting of the snow. I can see that we’re not at a regular airport. It looks like we’re at an air force base somewhere. I shrug my Burberry coat on before we get off the plane.

Darius disembarks the plane first, followed by Caspian and me with the rest right behind us. Men in uniform are waiting for us on the ground. Caspian winds my arm through his and covered my hand with his gloved one as we descend the steps of the stairway. I see Darius being greeted by his men while we are surrounded by Palace’s security. He turns to us and slightly tips his head down while touching the brim of his hat before turning to his men, then he’s off without looking back. They are heading towards one of the big black SUVs at the back, while the rest of us are being swept away into a waiting armored black limousine. I try so hard not to turn around to catch the last glimpse of him before we get in the gleaming black car. It’s so hard though. It feels like a piece of me is already missing. As soon as the car door is closed behind us, I look back but he and his men are no longer there. There are several black cars and SUVs in front and behind us. They are our security detail. I know he must be in one of those cars. I’m quite used to having royal motorcade while we’re here, but we usually only have two or three cars with us, never this many. “Relax, Beany,” says Caspian. “You’re going to break my delicate hand very soon if you don’t relax your hold.” I turn to look at the prince beside me. He’s sitting back, looking bored and unconcerned though our hands are intertwined.

Now I notice how tightly I’m gripping his gloved hand. I quickly let go of his hand and sit back, trying to relax. The car moves and as soon as I feel like my limbs are starting to relax a bit, Caspian takes out a handkerchief from the inside pocket of his jacket. He proceeds to rub the little silk cloth it all over my face and my arms. “What are you doing???” I shriek while trying to scoot away from him, which is not very far since we’re trapped in the limo. Genesis, Constantine, and Serena start laughing, while Lazarus is looking outside the car, smirking. “I’m trying to get my scent all over you...unless you would prefer me to do it the old-fashioned way. I don’t think Darius would be too happy with that though.” Oh, gosh, the torture has just begun. I think his royal highness is looking way too happy to be doing this. I suspect this is a payback for messing with him the other day...or the day before that..or the week before that. “Now what are you doing?” I almost yell at him as he pulls out my used undies from my tote bag. “Trying to get your scent all over me,” he answers with a big naughty grin. Ugghhh!!!! “EEwwwww!!!! NO!” I wail. I think I hear the sound of the delicate lacy little fabric tear as I grab it out of his hand. I hear the others laughing and snickering.

“I swear, your fascination with women’s underwear is unhealthy, Caspian,” I snap at him while shoving my underwear deep into my bag. “Yeah, I think it’s quite worrisome,” agrees Genesis. “Nah, it’s quite normal,” he says dismissively. “You know, as my mate, I think you should act more loving, and meek, and agreeable, and oh, did I mention loving? Yeah, loving,” he says. “Maybe you should start by calling me prince hottie, or prince gorgeous, or better yet, prince perfect, prince sexy, hot cakes, hot stuff, stud muffin, mister wonderful, my hunky prince, or...” “How about lamb chop, your highness?” I ask him sweetly. “Because you’re about to be turned into one...very soon.” “Hey, now! No threatening your perfect, amazing, gorgeous dear mate.” Now we have a new problem. How am I going to survive our time here without strangling the future king who’s supposed to be my beloved mate?

It takes almost an hour to reach Banehallow Palace from the airport. I’m about ready to tear my hair out by the roots. The prince is unbelievable tonight....and I don’t mean it in a good way. Not until we’re almost there that I realize what he’s doing. In his sick twisted way, Caspian is getting my mind off Darius. For

the length of the drive, I almost forgot to be sad about not being with Darius. Caspian is doing well. Only too well. Good thing I haven’t kick him in the nuts. The Palace is massive, surrounded by 197 acres of wellmanicured private gardens and field and also untended meadows and wooded area. The palace itself has over 785 rooms, 300 of those are bedrooms for the Royals, guests, and staffs. We usually have the entire left wing of the palace to ourselves. Our pack stays close together with our bedchambers almost next to each other and Caspian’s massive bedchamber at the center of it. We have our own media room, offices, drawing room, private dining room, and training room. Constantine and Genesis even have their own studio...for doing real painting! This part of the palace is always left empty unless there are huge celebrations or parties being held and they need to use the rooms to house royal guests and dignitaries. According to Constantine, when he and Caspian were very young, they explored this part of the palace one day and decided to claim it as theirs. Now, it’s perfect for us. While we have to act formally around other parts of the palace, we can act normal and be ourselves here. For this huge celebration of King and Queen Mating Godovshchina, a lot of rooms in this wing are being used to house guests, but our areas are still sealed and forbidden to others. There are guards placed to stop others from venturing into our private sections.

It’s almost nine in the evening when we arrive at Banehallow Palace. I hardly had anything to eat on the plane and now I am famished. I’m glad the rest of my pack members have the same idea. Lazarus ordered the kitchen to prepare some dinner to be served in our private dining room in the left wing. The good thing about Banehallow Palace is that the kitchen staff is on duty around the clock to prepare anything you want. The executive chef is always there to make sure that our meal is prepared to perfection no matter what time of the day it is. I ask for a big Philly cheesesteak and fries. Constantine and Lazarus follow my lead and order the same thing, while Genesis, Serena, and Caspian ask for burgers and fries. Ahhh...fries, my love...apart from my mate. By mate, I mean Darius, not Caspian who is still bugging me none stop right now. “Beany, as a loving mate, you should offer to trade me your Philly cheesesteak for my burger simply because he thinks your Philly cheesesteak looks better,” he says, eyeing my Philly cheesesteak with interest. “Why did you ask for a burger when you really want a Philly cheesesteak?” I ask him as I drag my plate of food closer and place my arms around it, effectively and protectively caging in my Philly cheesesteak and fries. “I wanted a burger, but that was before I saw your Philly cheesesteak,” he says.

Urgghh...he is beyond annoying! I should send Quincy a condolence card instead of celebrating when they finally mark each other. Now I’m seriously thinking of running off to the bedchamber with my Philly cheesesteak and fries where I can eat in peace. Speaking of bedchambers, I think we have a big problem. My luggage has been delivered to Caspian’s room. I know his twostory bedchamber is massive, but even that is not big enough for the both of us. As much as I love him, I have to say that at this rate, we have nothing to worry about our enemy trying to kill us. Really, they don’t need to bother because we might end up killing each other before they get the chance to.

Chapter 40 - The Royal Claim When we reach his bedchamber, Caspian shoves me inside and closes the door behind us. How very charming! I seriously need to make a new resolution about not killing the crown prince. Caspian’s bedchamber is a massive two-story suite. Both levels are luxuriously decorated. It looks a bit different from the last time I saw it almost five months ago. The color scheme is different. The red, gold, black and cream are now replaced with black, white, grey, teal blue, and silver. The heavy window coverings and wall art are new. There are now new grey chairs and a sofa facing a curved big screen tv that dominates the wall in the seating area. I venture

further to the spiral wooden stairway which is also new, along with the black wrought iron railing that runs along the stairs and all around the opening of the second level. “Did you re-decorate?” I ask him. “If you want to call it that,” he answers with a slightly derisive smile. “Wait! You destroyed your room after another big fight with the Queen, didn’t you?” “I might have,” he answers with a careless shrug. Wow, that must’ve happened just before they moved to California. “Huh...very interesting,” I remark. “What’s very interesting?” “It’s funny how you destroyed everything else but left your precious books unharmed.” He grins as if I caught on to him, but not an ounce of guilt is present on his smug face. Row after row of books covers an entire wall, from the first level all the way to the second level. There is a black wooden ladder with small wheels, that is attached to the bookcase. These books are precious indeed. Most are first editions, a lot are hundreds of years old and some are even handwritten. On the far wall is a comfortable seating alcove by a big arched window overlooking the garden below.

Caspian takes out a small bottle from his bar fridge and pours the content into a glass. “What’s that?” I ask him, eyeing the clear green liquid in the crystal glass. “Something to help me relax,” he answers and takes a sip of the drink. Relax? I need something to relax especially if I have to deal with Caspian the whole night. I grab the glass from his hand. “Beany!!” he bellows, trying to stop me, but I down the content in one gulp. Ackkk!!! My throat burns. “Oh, Beany...“he shakes his head with a sigh and a slight smile. His eyes narrow as he studies me for a while. “What is it?” I ask him, staring at the empty glass in my hand while trying to catch my breath. Now my chest burns. It tastes somewhat bittersweet...almost like alcoholic licorice. It smells strangely like some kind of flowers and herbs. His lips stretch into a wicked grin. “Don’t you think you should’ve asked first before you down the whole thing?” “Well, too late now,” I say. “What is it?” “Absinthe.” He suddenly laughs. “You’re going to be very drunk very soon.” “No, I won’t. I don’t get drunk easily.”

“Oh, you will. It’s a very good, strong one...a gift from Summer Court of the Fae world.” “It must have gone bad. It tasted awful and it’s not working. I don’t feel any different.” He shoots me another mischievous grin. “You just wait,” he says before he hunches over his electronics. Caspian fiddles around with his sound system while I venture up the stairs to the second floor. “I’m bored,” I tell him. “You won’t be bored for too long,” he sings. Pretty soon, the music fills the air. My fingers playfully trace the railing as the famous Sergei Prokofiev’s Петя и волк (Peter and The Wolf) echoes through the enormous space of the bedchamber. “What are you? Five?” I ask him even though I don’t mind the music. Sometimes I don’t even understand why I have the need to infuriate the Prince without any reason at all. “Now you’re just being ridiculous, Beany. You don’t have to be five to enjoy Prokofiev,” he huffs. “By the way, do you know that we sound like an old married couple? We can totally pull this off. Nobody would have any doubts that we’re mates at all as soon as they hear us. I’m sure of it.” I just roll my eyes and shake my head. Ridiculous!

The second floor is where his massive bed is. It’s too big to be even called king size. Maybe it can be qualified as giant size bed. There’s a huge woodburning fireplace on the other wall facing the bed. A small fire is licking the wood in the center of it, bathing the bed in a warm orange glow. There are two doors beside the fireplace. One opens up to his ensuite bathroom and another, to his walk-in closet. This floor also has a balcony. The thing it doesn’t have is an exit door. You can only access to the second level of his suite through the first floor. “How very nice of you to give up your bed and sleep on the couch for me,” I yell at him from the railing. “Thank you!!!” He looks up at me from where he’s still crouching in front of his sound system on the first floor. His lips twisted funnily. He’s trying not to laugh. “You are so nice, Caspian. So so nice...so nice I could hug you,” I tell him as I let myself fall on his soft silk covered bed with a sigh. I bounce on it a few times. My heart is so full of love right now. I love this music. I love Darius. I love him so so so much. “Yooo hooo!!!! Caspiaaan!” I sing. “You called?” He asks, and I scream. He’s holding onto the railing next to the bed with a big grin. He jumped from where he was to the second level so quickly and quietly that he almost gives me a heart attack. “Thank you for giving up your bed for me,” I thank him again. “Give up my bed? You should know by now that I’m not nice, Beany.”

“Oh, but you are,” I insist. “that’s why you’re letting me sleep in this soft, wonderful, totally awesome bed and you’re taking the sofa.” I spread my arms and legs out like a starfish in the middle of the bed. I love this bed. I love this bed so much I could cry! He climbs up from the railing to flop into the bed next to me. He pushes my arm and my leg out of the way so that he can lie down properly. “Tell you what. Why don’t we share the bed? It’s big enough for the two of us. Hell, it’s big enough for ten people.” “No, no noo...we’re not sharing,” I say, frowning. “Ooohhh, listen!” I grab his hand and put my finger to my lips. “Do you hear that?” “What are we listening to?” “Dance of the Knights. Isn’t it beautiful, Caspian?” The music is floating in the air like freaking butterflies! Never have I ever listen to such a beautiful piece of music before. Prokofiev was a freaking genius! “So beautiful,” I whispered reverently. I feel like getting up and dance but the bed is so soft. Caspian laughs. “You’re so drunk, Beany.” “Am not!” I say, frowning. “You! Go sleep on the sofa.” I try to push him off the bed. “Not going to happen. We can share the bed.” I’m not giving up the bed for anything, nor am I sharing it with Caspian. He might kill me in my sleep.

“You don’t want to share the bed with me. I might hog the blanket,” I tell him. “Or I might kick you out of the bed.” He just rolls over and pretends not to hear me. He has no idea just how very much close to the truth that is. “I might snore like a dying cow when I sleep...or I might have a nightmare and scream bloody murder in the middle of the night.” “Music to my ears,” he says. “I might drool all over you when I sleep, or I might kill you with my morning breath.” “I’d wear a gas mask,” he says and then adds, “You think that’s gross? I might wet the bed.” “Ooohhh...golden shower. Kinkyyy! I yell. “I might have to warn Quincy about that.” “Don’t you dare! That was a joke. I don’t do golden showers!” he jumps out of the bed like he’s had enough and can’t take it anymore. “Okay, get up, Beany.” He lifts me up and set me on my feet away from the bed. “What? Are you throwing me out in the middle of the night?” He just rolls his eyes and pushes me towards the fireplace. “What??? Are you going to burn me?” I ask him in horror. Suddenly, I feel teary-eyed. “Please, don’t do this. Think of the kids, Caspian.”

“What kids?” “Our kids.” “We don’t have kids!” “Duh! Of course not. You’re about to burn me alive, remember?” “This whole conversation doesn’t even make sense!” He pulls a fistful of his hair in frustration. “The darn absinthe. You’re more annoying than usual when you’re drunk.” Oh, now he’s crushing my heart. “You don’t like me. Now you’re mad at me.” My lower lip begins to tremble. For a few seconds, he just stares at me like he can’t believe what’s going on. “Aww..Beany...come on, don’t cry,” he says. The expression on his face looks like he just tasted something sour. “Come here,” he says, pulling me into a hug. “You hurt my feelings,” I sniff as I wrap my arms around him. “I’m sorry, Beany. I won’t do that again,” he promises as he rests his chin on top of my head. Yeah, right! “Don’t lie. You’re totally gonna do it again.” “Okay, I’m going to do it again,” he sighs. “Come on Beany, I’m just going to show you to your own room.”

I quickly pull away from him. “Asshat! Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” “I thought it would be fun watching you squirm,” he answers with a grimace. Ha! Look who’s having fun now!

The fireplace is huge, the roaring fire devouring the firewood in the middle of it doesn’t even reach the sides. Caspian ducks his head and steps into the stone fireplace, careful not to go near the fire. His fingers move along the crevices of the stone and he pushes a slab away. A side panel opens up. The opening is very narrow allowing only one person to fit through. I watch him disappears into the opening in amazement. Wow! A secret door. Cool!!! I always find it strange that there’s no exit door in his room on this level. Now I know it actually does have an exit or at least an entryway that leads somewhere...or is this another ruse to kill me? “Hey, are you coming, Beany?” he pokes his head out through the opening. “You promise you won’t kill me?” He sighs, rolls his eyes, grabs my wrist, and pulls me into the opening with him.

It’s a tunnel! It’s pitch dark until Caspian turns on the flashlight on his iPhone. We’re in a narrow stone passage that only allows one person to fit through at a time. “Follow me,” he says though he’s already grabbing my hand in his and pulling me along to stumble behind him. “Shhh...don’t make any noise, Beany,” he warns me in a whisper. “We might pass through occupied rooms since we have a lot of guests staying in our wing.” The stone wall is thick, but I know a lycan’s hearing is very sharp. We seem to be walking in silence for a long time until we finally reach a dead end. He pushes the wall and it slowly gives way to create a tight opening. He slips through and I follow him out. Caspian flicks a switch on the wall and the space is flooded with light. We’re in a smaller size bedchamber. A king size four poster bed dominates the space. The bed is covered with a white bedsheet and a comforter with lacey frills. The wall is dark pink. Big windows on one side of the bed are covered with white damask semi-sheer curtains. I don’t like the pink walls and the ruffles and frills, but I decided not to complain. “You okay, Beany bean?” he asks me. “Yeah, I’m fine. You’d better go back before I start thinking that you actually love me.” I’m feeling much sober than I was a few minutes ago. I think the effect of the absinthe is fading.

“Yeah, you know how much I hate you, Beany,” he says, chuckling. “I know. I hate you too, your highness.” He gives me a brilliant smile as he pinches my cheek. He draws back before I could swat his hand away. “Make sure you come back to my room through here in the morning,” he instructs me as he slips back out through the tight opening of the wall and a built-in oak armoire. It looks very heavy. I’m sure even a grown male werewolf would have trouble pushing the armoire aside. “Oh, you really should think of a suitable endearment for me, my dove,” he says with a wink before he disappears into the darkness and the furniture slides back into its place. My dove? Pffttt...HE should work on a better nickname for me! My dove. Really? I turn the light off and push the curtains aside. It’s late now but I’m not feeling tired yet. I know I should get some sleep. I peel out of my shirt, pants, and underwear and I lie down naked in my large four poster bed with ruffles and frills. I can see the dark night sky through the big glass windows. I wonder what Darius is doing now. I wonder where he is. Is he thinking about me? Is he missing me like the way I’m missing him? He’d better not be entertaining himself with any of those beautiful lycan women...or else.

Imagining him with other women makes my blood boils. The more I think about it, the angrier I get. I sit up and pound my pillow a few times before dropping my head back into it. Gah! I’m going nuts. My mind is driving me nuts. If he’s here right now, I’m kicking him in the nuts. I really should stop thinking about nuts. Now I hate nuts. Absinthe makes me feel funny. I hate absinthe, I decided. Jet lag is a nasty thing. I hate jet lag. I love everything a while ago. Now I hate everything. I definitely hate absinthe. I don’t hate Darius. I miss him. I need his arms around me right now. I need my other half. Maybe I should start counting sheep.

It’s customary for us to have breakfast and dinner with King Alexandros and Queen Sophia every day when we’re here. We’ve decided to tell them that Caspian and I mated each other this morning. This is not something that I’m looking forward to. So, very early in the morning, I make my way through the tunnel back to Caspian’s bedchamber to get ready. I can see that the passageway leads further than just to Caspian’s room. The narrow tunnel forks out in several directions. It would be fun to discover where they would lead to.

I hear knocking at the door while I’m getting dressed in Caspian’s massive walk-in closet after my shower. Caspian answers it. For a while, I hear his voice mingled with someone else’s at the door. “Somebody sent you this,” says Caspian, handing me a sealed envelope when I walk out of the closet. “Wow! This is seriously like in the olden days!” I exclaim. Nobody sends letters anymore. “Exactly like in the olden days,” Caspian agrees. “It’s safer this way. There’s no electronic trail anybody can uncover or trace. Just burn the letter after you’re done reading.” I excitedly open the envelope. There’s only one piece of paper inside.

*Good Morning Malyshka, I wish I could be with you this morning, but I have a pressing matter to attend to. You’re on my mind always. I will see you tonight. Missing you, -D The note is short, but it put a stupid smile on my face. He took a risk just to send me this little note. The paper smells like him.

I hold it up to my heart before I reluctantly hold it over the fire in the fireplace, letting it go slowly only after it catches fire. Caspian just rolls his eyes. “Whipped,” he says before he opens the door of his bedchamber. It seems like Genesis, Constantine, Serena, and Lazarus are waiting for us to go for breakfast together. “This is for everyone. We’re in this together,” says Constantine, squeezing my shoulder. Genesis loops her arm through mine and Serena does the same to my other arm. “We’re a very small pack, but we have each other’s back,” says Caspian with a determined set to his jaw. I guess this is our pep talk. Lazarus pats my head like he’s patting a puppy. He’s totally ruining my hair! I shoot him a glare, but I can’t help my lips from curling up into a grin. We make our way through the palace to the state dining room together. Whether we want to or not, we’re going to do this. We have to. We have no choice. A lot is riding on it. This is not only for my future with Darius or Caspian and his mate, it goes even beyond the survival of our pack. The rebel is set on taking over the crown, that means war is coming. Our success in flushing out the traitor would ensure the safety of the throne and hundreds if not thousands of lives. “Well, here we go,” whispers Caspian, taking my hand in his as we neared the door of the dining room. Constantine tucks Genesis close to him and Lazarus does the same to Serena.

“Time to face the lions...or rather my parents. Are you ready?” asks Caspian holding the doorknob. “Honestly? No,” I answer. “Good. Let’s go,” he says, opening the door. We enter another hallway where two guards are standing by another set of doors. They bow before opening the doors for us.

“You got here rather close to the day of the celebration. I was beginning to think that you’re not going to show,” says Queen Sophia. Her green eyes, quite similar to Caspian’s flash angrily. “Alas, here we are, mother,” answers Caspian. “I’m beginning to think I would rather be spending my time sunbathing in the Caribbean than being here.” His tone of voice is mocking, dripping with insolence. These two can’t be in the same room for five seconds before they start at each other’s throat. This is not a good start. It’s a bad start the very moment we entered the state dining room, actually. Lady Celeste is here. She is seated next to where Caspian is supposed to sit. Caspian barely acknowledges her, instead, he tightens his hold on my hand and drags me to sit at the other end of the table. “Caspian,” warns King Alexandros quietly.

Appearance wise, Caspian looks a lot like his mother, same vivid green eyes, blond hair, and a slightly narrow, but strong jawline. King Alexandros has dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Apart from the eye color, Constantine looks more like the king than Caspian does. I reach out and give Caspian’s hand a little squeeze. Queen Sophia’s eyes flit to our joined hands. She had noticed our linked hands since we first entered the room and has been looking at us with a watchful expression since. I’m sure they can sense that I’m a lycan now. “Caspian, your outfit will match Lady Celeste’s dress for the party tomorrow night,” says the queen. Lady Celeste brightens up for the first time since we got here. She had been pouting, though I doubt anybody really noticed, especially Caspian. I sometimes feel sorry for the poor woman. Caspian can be very rude and cold when he wants to. A total royal brat. Most of the time he mainly ignores Lady Celeste who acts like a puppy, following him around and ever so willing to do anything he tells her to do. Well, okay...I guess I feel sorry, but not sorry enough to befriend her. Lady Celeste is quite a snob, especially when I first met her. Now, my lycan is already loyal to Quincy and wants her to stay away from Caspian. “I’m sorry, mother I won’t be matching with her this time...or any other time in the future. I have my own announcement to

make,” Caspian says, giving my hand a little squeeze. “Mother, father, I have claimed Penny as my mate.” We hear a loud clattering sound following Caspian’s announcement. Lady Celeste has dropped her cutlery. The king doesn’t look at all surprised. Queen Sophia is currently staring at us as if she’s expecting the news but her lips are thinning and her eyes are narrowing.

Chapter 41 - The Web We Weave To say that I had a bad day is an understatement. It was awful! After the announcement, Lady Celeste had a meltdown. Big sobs tore through her and she ran dramatically out of the dining room in tears. It felt like I was watching telenovela for a bit there. I glanced up to see my pack mates already sharing a look. Queen Sophia looked like she would’ve preferred to kill me on the spot....or have me dipped in cow dung and left out to die a slow death in one of those cages on top of a cliff....all shrivel up and gory-looking. Queen Sophia told Caspian to go and apologize to Lady Celeste for making her wait for him for decades then he went and mark someone else. Caspian, of course, refused to do so. He said that none of it was his fault since he never asked Lady Celeste to wait for him in the first place. If it’s anyone’s fault, it would be Queen Sophia’s for giving Lady Celeste false hope by promising the girl something that wasn’t hers to give. The quarrel ended with Queen Sophia leaving the table to pacify Lady Celeste herself, but not before shooting me a furious glare. Not many people scare me, but I almost slink underneath the table from her glare. She has that powerful aura of a lycan Queen. I was so proud of myself for not slinking underneath the table, turning all neon yellow. Yellow being a cowardy color in my mind. I feel bad for Lady Celeste....well, sort of....okay, not really. Told you I’m no angel. I do, however, feel bad about having to lie about being Caspian’s mate, especially to the King and the Queen. I’m very sure this is a punishable crime. A treason. How else are we going to explain the reason I became a lycan though? A werewolf and a human only become a lycan after being mated to one and we can’t let our enemies know that I’m Darius’s mate. Oh, the web of lies we weave!

I wonder if they would stick me to rot in the dungeon somewhere underneath the palace after they discover our lies. They will discover our lies. Of that, I’m sure. I swear, I’m not a slammer material. I don’t know how I’m going to survive the dungeon. I finished breakfast very quickly and I was never so relieved to be out of that dining room before. My relief was short lived. Queen Sophia’s messenger came to inform me that she’s expecting me for the dress fitting. Serena and Genesis wanted to join me, but Queen Sophia already scheduled a painting workshop with a famous painter, Alexei Plutenko for Genesis and Serena was to give an introduction music lesson to werewolf children from a nearby village. I suspected that it was intentionally and calculatingly done. Which explains why I’m standing here right now, staring out the window while half-heartedly listening to the fashion designer, Florian Gaultier, explaining his vision for my dress to Queen Sophia. One of his assistants, in the meantime, is busy taking my measurement while another one is typing it down and taking notes on her tablet. Queen Sophia has been polite, yet cold and distant. Intimidating power radiating off her like tidal waves. Remembering what Darius told me to do, I hold my head high and keep my feelings closely and tightly hidden. I’m a fighter darn it! I keep staring out the window longingly as Florian keeps talking to the queen, showing her swatches of fabrics of different colors and materials. From this window, I can see out on the street where people are celebrating. Werewolves from nearby villages and also those from far and wide travel here just to attend the celebration. Street buskers are performing. People are dancing in the street. Colorful banners and flags are waving around the road and the palace ground. Tents are set up around the designated camping grounds. The cold weather isn’t a deterrent to creatures like werewolves and lycans. None of them are allowed to pass the Palace gate. A lot of them try to get as close as possible to the Palace’s ground. Many people are standing by the gate in the hope of getting a glimpse of the Royal family. Security is increased around and inside the Palace. If only they knew that I’m in the palace imagining myself running out of the place like a prison break at this moment. “She is gorgeous, Your Majesty. Creating a dress for your son’s mate is a pleasure. It will be beautiful. The prince will be pleased,” says Florian, breaking through my daydream. Yeah, keep talking like I wasn’t here.

“Yes. Yes, of course,” says Queen Sophia and I almost wince. Not an ounce of warmth in her voice. Argghh...the lies! I just want to jump out the window and keep running. It’s only been a few hours since Caspian announced our mating to the king and the queen, but it seems like quite a lot of people knows about it already. “Well, that settles it then,” says Queen Sophia, finally. She turns to me and says, “We’re done here. I will see you this evening for dinner.” Just like that, I’m being dismissed. I don’t even have a clue what color my dress for tomorrow night is going to be. Well, good! Being dismissed is good. I’m not going to argue with that. The longer I stand here, the antsier I get, and more pissed off....not to mention exhausted. The main part of the palace is bustling with workers and servants getting the place ready for the big celebration tomorrow night. I walk back to our section in the left wing with two guards on either side of me through the flurries of activity. As soon as I enter Caspian’s bedchamber, I make a beeline straight to his massive and comfortable bed on the second floor. I flop myself onto the bed and stay lying face down on it like a dead duck. I’m too tired to even walk through that tunnel to get to the other room. I’m going to have to explore the tunnel some other time. “What are you doing, Beany?” I feel the bed dipped beside me. “What do you think I’m doing?” I ask him back. My voice is muffled by the soft bedding. “I’m tired. Being with your mother sucked the energy out of me,” I add, turning my face to look at Caspian. “No offense, but your mother sucks.” “No offense taken. She is sucky. My mother is a life force and energy sucking vampire. I’m sorry you have to deal with her alone this afternoon.” I shrug my shoulders. My mind wanders to think about my mate. I miss him. Then my mind wanders to Quincy. She would have to deal with the queen for real one day. “I feel sorry for her. Do you miss her?” By “her” I don’t mean Queen Sophia. I’m glad I’m not Quincy. “Yeah. I do,” he admits. “I miss Darius too.” I think we’re both feeling sorry for ourselves now.

“This sucks,” he says and I agree with him. “You can say that again.” “Well, this sucks!” he says louder. “Again!” I’m jumping up on his bed. “This suuucks!!!!!” “This suucckksss!!!! I join him. “THIS SUUUCKS!!!” we both yell at the top of our lungs. The door to his bedchamber opens with a loud bang. Four puzzled, anxious faces are staring up at the two of us. “Hey, what’s up?” asks Caspian smiling innocently as the four of them jump up to the second floor. “We thought you two were killing each other,” says Constantine with a frown. He’s holding onto the railing now. “I should’ve known better than to allow you two in the same room together even for a minute,” adds Lazarus. “Hey! We’re still alive,” I protest. That should count for something, right? “We were just exercising our lungs,” explains Caspian. “That’s actually very therapeutic,” I tell Caspian. “You two are impossible,” says Genesis. “I bet she wishes that she was doing it with us,” Caspian mock whispers in my ear and I nod in agreement. Knowing Genesis, I bet she does.

Genesis just rolls her eyes. “We were surprised the two of you made it out alive this morning,” she announces before she starts pulling me to my feet. “You! Go get ready.” “But the party is tomorrow night! We’re just having regular dinner tonight,” I protest. “A lot of people are joining us for dinner tonight,” explains Serena as she and Genesis drag me out of Caspian’s bedchamber, and into another room right next to it. “I’m not sure I like it that the two of them are working together now,” I hear Constantine talking to Lazarus. I think he’s referring to Caspian and me. “Yeah, double trouble,” agrees Lazarus. Whatever! Three women are waiting for us there. Apparently, these women will be assisting me to get dressed from now on. It seems that I can’t dress myself anymore even just for a simple dinner since I am now mated to the crown prince. These people are too much. I’m glad they still let me chew my own food. It seems that I have to get ready in this room since the prince won’t allow strangers into his room. The room is filled with racks upon racks of dresses and shoes my size. Makeup and beauty products are set up nicely on the big vanity in front of me. “Now go take a bath,” instructs Genesis as she leads me to the ensuite bathroom. She’s so bossy. “I have to go to go get ready. I’ll see you soon!” she sings as she leaves me in the hand of the three she-wolves. Serena stops to give some instructions to the three women before she leaves as well. Three freaking hours, tons of swearing, and countless of threats of violence from me later, I’m ready. I step out proudly, feeling quite fabulous in my long burgundy sheath dress. It is floor length and has a scooped neckline. The silky material hugs my body like a second skin. When I take a step forward, the side slit opens all the way up to my upper thigh. I have nude high heels on and my shiny hair is in loose curls cascading down my back down to my waist. Genesis, Serena, Caspian, Constantine, and Lazarus are waiting for me in the seating area just outside the door. Caspian lets out a howl as soon as I step out of the room. “My mate is hot!” he says with a wink and a big wicked smile.

The rest of them agree but they all look stunning. The men are looking amazing in their suit. Genesis and Serena are looking breathtaking in their long evening gown. To be honest, I feel rather drab next to their striking appearances. They smile at me approvingly until their gazes land on the three women who step out just behind me. Their eyes widen and their jaws drop before they start to struggle to hold in their laughter. “Oh, Penny...what are we going to do with you?” says Serena shaking her head. Okay, so admittedly my three lady’s maids are looking rather haggard right now. They are lucky I didn’t punch any of them in the face. I don’t have much patience with people touching, scrubbing, and waxing me.

Genesis was right when she said that there are a lot of people joining us for dinner tonight. Dinner is held at the state dining hall. The long formal dining table is full. One of King Alexandros’s two brothers is here. His other brother, Constantine’s father, sent his apologies for not being able to be here for the celebration this year. There are a few other royal family members as well as the highest ranking ministers and Royal army officers present. We arrive just on time, allowing the six of us no time to mingle at all before dinner. We take our seat after the royal couple sits. Before we start, King Alexander stands up and addresses the whole room. “I want to thank you all for being here to celebrate mine and my mate’s marking anniversary this year. However, I’m standing here this evening to make another announcement,” he says. “Get up, son,” he says to Caspian. Caspian stands and pulls me up with him. My heartbeat spikes in my chest and my stomach flips. My eyes I spot Darius sitting not far away immediately. “I know this is sudden and unexpected, but we are happy to announce that our only son, the crown prince, Prince Caspian Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov has finally claimed his mate, Persephone Aspen Ruiz.” I hear gasps, then people clapping. My eyes glued to Darius the whole time. His expression betrays no feeling. I feel Caspian squeezing my hand and I look up to him brushing the back of my hand against his lips.

I put up a tight barricade around my own emotions and smile up at him. I don’t remember much of what is being said after that. A few moments later I find myself sitting down again. King Alexandros is sitting at the head of the table with Queen Sophia on his left. Caspian is seated on his right and I’m right next to him. Genesis is seated right next to me with Constantine beside her. Lazarus and Serena are seated on the other side of the table along with other officers. My eyes seek Darius who is sitting next to Lazarus again. He’s looking gorgeous in his suit and tie. His lustrous light blond hair is swept back and his glacier blue eyes coldly sweep the room. Our eyes meet once again but there is no expression on his face. My gaze slides to his beautiful dinner companion. A stunning lycan woman with shoulder length light brown hair and amber eyes. Her strapless red evening dress follows the curves of her body perfectly. She is flawless. I see her hands intimately clutching his arm. I know he has to do this, and I try to contain my feelings but I can’t help feeling my chest burns with jealousy. I feel Caspian tightening his hand on mine. A warning for me to control my feelings. “Okay, darling?” he asks me loud enough that his uncle’s companion who is seated not far from us nods approvingly and whispers to his uncle how sweet we both are together. “I’m okay, sweetheart,” I say through my gritted teeth. My eyes suddenly catch the sight of a man further down the table and I breathe in a sharp intake of breath. He looks a lot like Darius. The similarity is unbelievable. Same light blond hair, same facial features, and almost the same tall build. They could be brothers or maybe twins, but then I remember Darius told me that he’s an only child. I can’t keep my eyes off of him and he’s watching me with a slight mocking smile. Even that smile looks a lot like Darius’s. As I keep watching him, his smile grows into a smug cocky one. It’s a smile of a man who knows how attractive he is. No, I don’t feel the same pull towards him as I feel for Darius, but right now I can’t stop staring at him. The lady beside him flashes me a hard cold look. Caspian squeezes my hand and leans in. “Careful there, my love. I’m a jealous man. If you don’t watch yourself, I might start to think that you prefer some other man rather than me,” he whispers.

“Nonsense, my snookums. You know you’re the only one for me.” “Ahhh..good to know, my cuddle bug,” he replies. In a lower whisper, he adds, “I thought you might want to know that the man you’re staring at is Æmelius, Darius’s cousin and the woman sitting next to him is his mother, Darius’s aunt, Katya.” Now I remember Darius mentioned something about his cousin and aunt once. His aunt, Katya doesn’t look a day over 30. Her blond hair is shiny and perfectly done in a low twisted bun. Her sharp blue eyes are studying me. “Thank you for telling me, my little monkey. I’ve been wondering about that,” I whisper back and I hear him snickers and huff the word “little monkey” under his breath. “I have to admit, though, Pookie...I’m not a very big fan of the old broad,” he says. Pookie??? Katya is beautiful and looks nothing like an old broad. Just the way Caspian says it and the word “Pookie” makes me burst out laughing and soon he’s laughing right along with me. “Beside them is Lord Volkov and his companion, Lyuba. I swear, every year, for the past ten years or so he’s been bringing a different woman as his date to the palace but for some reason, their name is always Lyuba.” “Kinda like a pet goldfish?” I ask him. “You flush a dead one down the toilet and keep buying a new one and keep naming them Goldie?” We burst into another fit of laughter. We try to keep our laughter quiet, but it still draws attention from people around us. “That or he has a Lyuba fetish,” he says and that makes us laugh harder...I almost snort. I see Queen Sophia raises an eyebrow delicately our way. I am so not a princess material and Caspian just doesn’t give a damn about what people think of him. Genesis nudges me discreetly underneath the table. “You’re going to make me lose my poise and decorum,” she whispers daintily. Pffttt...Genesis losing her poise and decorum? I think she just had her etiquette lesson this afternoon after the painting workshop. I’m itching to tell her that she never has them to begin with. The event is so bland, I can see that she’s dying to join us gossiping. Though Caspian and Genesis keep me occupied throughout dinner, I still can’t help from glancing at Darius and his date once in a while. Just the way she keeps touching his hand or the way she sometimes rubs her hand over his arm suggestively makes me growl lowly and feel like

ripping her arms off the sockets. The only thing that keeps me from doing so is the thought of the danger from the result of blowing our cover. I can feel his attention on me, though. I can feel the heat of his eyes on me from time to time. I know he’s very aware of my presence even when some other woman is hanging onto his arm. That doesn’t stop me from feeling hurt. The torture doesn’t end even after the nine-course dinner is over. We are invited to an adjacent room where butlers and maids carry trays offering liqueurs and coffee. I use the term “invited” rather loosely here because being invited suggests that you have a choice to turn it down. Well, if it’s up to me I would rather go back to our wing and punch and kick something right now. It seems like everybody wants to talk to us. I think Lord Volkov’s date, Lyuba the 10th or something is flirting with Caspian. She raises her hands up to brush the lapels of his suit. She’s standing so close to him that her almost bare chest is nearly pressed up against his chest and I’m standing right here! I can’t believe some of these lycan royalties and nobilities. I discovered tonight that they still flirt with mated men or women...and right in front of their supposed mates too! Why didn’t I notice this before? The crown prince just watches her with amusement. One of his eyebrows is raised elegantly and that reminds me so much of Queen Sophia. I’m quite sure that before he met Quincy, the player prince would have taken her up on her offer. Lyuba is a very beautiful lycan woman. I put my hand to my lips and cough, “Goldie”. Caspian’s lips twitch and suddenly he’s fighting to keep his composure. I know he will get me for this later. “Your Highness,” says an unfamiliar voice. I look around to see Katya and her son Æmelius standing beside us. “Congratulations,” says both, mother and son. Up close, I can see the difference between him and Darius. For one, his eyes are deep dark brown with gold specks in them instead of glacier blue like Darius. True, both of them are gorgeous, like blond Nordic gods, but Æmelius is flaunting his good looks. He’s even cocky about it. That shows in the way he carries himself and that what makes them different. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, princess,” drawls Æmelius, interrupting my thoughts. He takes my hand and raises it to his lips. That is a very ballsy thing for him to do since you don’t take a

royalty’s hand unless it is offered to you. “You are very lucky, Your Highness, to have found such a beautiful mate.” He keeps his eyes locked on mine the whole time. “Yes, aren’t I?” says Caspian haughtily, pulling me closer to his side. “Ahh...did I tell you, my darling, that Prince Constantine wishes to talk with us before we retire?” Huh? I think my head is reeling. Sure enough, though, Constantine and Genesis are heading our way, so are Serena, Lazarus, my mate, Darius...and his date.

Chapter 42 - Things That Hurt I straighten my spine and stand taller. I really don’t like the way she’s hanging onto his arm, or the intimate way she plasters one side of her curvy body to his. Today is a terrible day and this is just a cherry on top of the icing. Irrational or not, jealousy burns through me. I’m hurt, mentally exhausted, and pissed. His face is still unreadable and I can’t sense any feelings at all from him, but his eyes sweep over me from head to toe. Something flickers in his eyes as his gaze lingers on the expanse of my leg exposed through the long slit of my gown. I school my features to the look somewhere close to boredom and haughtiness that I often see on Caspian’s face. I keep my feelings safely hidden while I plot the woman’s murder in my head. “I think we are all ready to go,” says Constantine. That means we’re ready to convene for our nightly meeting. His arm is lightly but possessively wrapped around Genesis’s waist as they all crowded around Caspian and me.

There’s a stranger in our midst and we all turn to stare at the woman who is hanging onto my mate’s arm. “Everyone, this is Désiré. Désiré, you know everyone here, I’m sure,” says Darius carelessly. He’s in a pissy mood himself to even make a proper introduction, it seems. “Your Highness, we would like to congratulate you both on your mating,” says the woman, Debby or Sandy or whatever her name is. She offers her hand to shake and I lift an eyebrow. I won’t touch her hand unless to rip it off her shoulder. The woman is looking at us like we poop butterflies and rainbows. She seems too eager to please. Her smile is too wide. Her lipstick is too red. I don’t like her. No, I hate her. Caspian takes her extended hand in his for a brief handshake after giving me a teasing wink. I completely ignore her hand. I know I look like a snobbish spoilt bratty bitch, but I don’t care. “It’s such a great news. We’re so happy to be here for this occasion, aren’t we, darling?” She tugs Darius’s arm as if to remind him of his manners. Darling? “Of course. Congratulations,” says Darius through gritted teeth. He shakes Caspian’s hand, then holds his hand out to me. I tilt my chin up, hook my arm around Caspian’s and completely ignore his extended hand. I shoot her and Darius a look of disdain as if they’re pesky gums underneath my shoe.

I see the stiffness in his jaw like he’s grinding his teeth. I feel the eyes of my pack mates who are surrounding us watching quietly. After a few seconds of silence, he steps closer to me and deliberately grasps my hand in his. His date gasps at his brazenness. Everyone knows you don’t do that to a royalty....and I am. Royally pissed. His date nudges him uneasily and all he says is, “Newly mated....I’m sure you can’t wait to be alone with your mate.” All the while keeping my hand in his. His words hold a double meaning. “Darling, you’re too much,” his date giggles. “Newly mated aren’t the only ones who can’t wait to be alone.” Her tone teasing and she runs her hand over his muscled arm suggestively. Gah! These lycans have no sense of decency. I hate to feel so jealous but I can’t help it. Not when she keeps touching what’s mine. I know I should reel in my feelings....but that would be right after I rip off her arms. I lift my chin up and look at him haughtily while ineffectively trying to tug my hand out of his tight grip without causing too much scene. The woman Désiré is staring at the way we’re behaving while our pack mates are watching us with amusement. “My good friend Darius and my mate Persephone...they’re...uh, very...errr...close friends,” says Caspian with a very wicked smile playing on his lips, trying to explain our behavior.

“Yeah, we are all very close. Sometimes when you’re close, you have...problems. Problems among close friends are normal. I’m sure you would understand,” adds Constantine. The sides of his lips are curled up into a mischievous smile. “Your Highness Prince Constantine,” breathes Désiré....or what’s her face. “Yes, I understand,” she says quickly and eagerly. “True, but it’s nothing we can’t...handle,” Darius says, still keeping his eyes on me. His lips form a tight wolfish menacing smile that makes chills run down my spine. Désiré what’s her face turns to Darius and gushes, “I didn’t know...Darling, why didn’t you tell me that you’re close friends with the Princes?” Her eyes are shining brightly as if the thought of being close to us really excites her. If she gets any more excited she might just pee in her pants...or rather her revealing red gown. “Oh, didn’t I?” he asks tightly. “Yes, well...we’re close. Very very close,” he says slowly and very deliberately. His eyes are locking mine in place. “So now you know.” “Oh wow. That’s...that’s wonderful,” she says, looking up at my mate like the way she’s looking at us a moment ago...brighteyed and very excited. She presses her body even closer to him and drags her perfectly manicured red fingernails over his chest. “So, what are the plans after this?” Wait, is she expecting to hang out with us? Or is she planning to spend more time with my mate?

I catch Genesis giving her a once-over. I know she’s trying to hide her feelings just like Serena, but I don’t think it’s working too well for her so far. Darius takes the moment to create a bit of space between them, which is good because I’m very close to ripping her arm off her shoulder. As soon as Darius releases my hand, I lift it up to tug Caspian’s white silk tie and says, “Darling, I’m ready for bed.” I don’t miss the stiffening of his body and jaw. “I have to take Désiré home,” Darius says with that same cold look on his face again. “Yeah, bye!” I wave him away dismissively and airily. Yeah, go do whatever! He leans in to shake Caspian’s hand. Wait. Is that slight brush of his fingers on my upper thigh along the slit of my dress accidental? Goosebumps break across my skin from his touch despite the anger that I’m harboring for him. “I’ll be right back,” he whispers to Caspian, while his eyes drift back to me. Why does that sound like a threat?

I watch Darius guides Désiré away with his hand on her back. They look like a couple. Ughhh...right now I want to physically hurt him!

We take our leave and Constantine waves away the guards who are supposed to accompany us back to our wing. The six of us don’t need guards. I’m getting tired and irritated. Being royalty doesn’t suit me. Everybody seems to want to get close to us. The very same people who looked down on me when I was still a werewolf are now kissing my *ss. Being mated to a royalty means everybody wants to be your best friend. Too many fake people. It’s hard to tell when people are being genuine. No wonder Caspian is very selective with the people he surrounds himself with. Now I understand why he’s very distrustful and cold to people outside our little circle. It’s a relief when we finally reach our own private section of the palace. We’re just among ourselves now. As soon as we reach Caspian’s bedchamber, the guys start taking off their jacket and loosening their ties. Serena seats herself primly on the loveseat while Genesis drops herself on the sofa with a sigh. Constantine lowers himself next to her, lifts her feet up onto his lap and wrap her feet in his hands after he slides her shoes off. “Nightcap everyone?” asks Caspian as he moves to stand behind a little bar in the corner beside the bookcase. He rolls his shirt sleeves up, then arranges seven short-stemmed glasses on the black shiny counter. I sit on one of the wingback chairs and watch Caspian mixing the drink. He seems to be very focused on what he’s doing.

“He’s taking this very seriously,” remarks Genesis teasingly. “You know he’s always serious about his drink,” replies Constantine. Caspian just ignores them and pours the mixture into the seven glasses. “He makes a good bartender, though,” says Lazarus as he picks a glass for himself and Serena from the counter before he joins her on the loveseat. “I make an awesome bartender,” agrees Caspian as he brings a few glasses over and hands me one. Always big headed. “There’s no absinthe in this drink, is there?” I stare at the drink in my hand suspiciously. “Absinthe?” asks Serena curiously. Caspian opens his mouth to tell the story and I lift up a hand to stop him. “Shut it,” I tell him as I lift the glass to my lips. I don’t know what the prince put in the drink, but it’s very good. It’s smooth, delicious, and warm as it goes down my throat. Of course, Caspian just can’t keep his mouth shut. I sip my drink slowly while he tells everyone his exaggerated version of what happened last night after I drank the darn absinthe. By the time he’s done, everybody is laughing.

I just ignore them and keep my eyes on the watch, counting every passing minute, imagining all the things that my mate could be doing with his date. Each new scenario pisses me off even more than the last one. Half an hour later, Darius comes strolling in through the door after a brief knock. His intense blue gaze zone in on me right away and my heartbeat increases. “Welcome back,” says Caspian with a knowing smile and places Darius’s drink on the side table next to the chair I’m sitting on. “Good. I need a drink,” he answers while taking off his jacket and drapes it over the back of my chair. I can smell her on his jacket and that makes me want to sucker punch him in the face. I only half listening to everyone else talking as I watch Darius loosening up his tie and undoes a few buttons of his shirt. Next, he removes the cufflinks and rolls his sleeves up to his elbows. All the while he’s keeping his eyes trained solely on me. A tiny mocking smile is playing on his lips. It’s quite unnerving since I sense that he’s in an irritable mood. For a moment I thought he was going to force me to sit near him, but he surprises me by sitting on another chair right across from mine, looking alert and focused. “I just got a word from our men in California,” he announces. “Iron Bossman is dead.” We grow silent. He presses a thumb against his tight lips, deliberating before he continues, “We let him go this afternoon and I had some men following him. Five hours after his release he was shot long range with a silver

bullet to the head. We managed to track down and apprehend the killer almost immediately.” “Oh, good! You’ve got his killer,” exclaims Genesis. “Then we’ll know who’s involved right?” “Not quite. He’s a human. A hired killer. He was questioned,” he explains. By “questioned”, he means they tortured him. “He couldn’t tell us who gave him the assignment and wired him the money. We tried to trace the person who hired him through his correspondence on his laptop. Whoever they are, they’re covering their track very well so far. They rerouted their connection to several proxies based in several different countries.” “I’m sure it would lead back to Russia,” Caspian sighs frustratedly. “That’s true, but we’re hoping to get more specific than that,” answers my mate. “That’s where we hit the roadblock.” “I’ve checked the list of guests for tomorrow night’s event as you requested this morning,” informs Lazarus. “A few people you warned me about, including Robert Vitsin are going to be there.” A chill runs down my spine. Robert Vitsin is the man behind the killing of Darius’s friends’ mates. He is also Polina’s father. Darius stiffens at the mention of Robert Vitsin. “I guess we just have to be extra careful tomorrow night,” says Caspian, looking at me.

“The man is like a snake. He’s very sly and dangerous,” agrees Darius. “Is there anything else?” He seems on edge. “We managed to plant one more of our men inside his operation,” informs Constantine. “That’s good, I’ll have one of my trusted agents in there to contact him soon. The more eyes and ears we have in there, the better,” says Darius. “That’s all I have for now,” announces Constantine. “Unless anybody would like to add anything?” We look at each other but nobody says a word. “Okay, remember to be vigilant and keep an eye on each other,” says Darius with his gaze right on me. “If that’s all, I think we should be retiring for tonight.” “Yeah, great idea. Tomorrow’s going to be a busy day,” replies Caspian lazily. “Yup, we’ll convene again tomorrow night,” agrees Lazarus. “Well, then...I bade you all goodnight,” says Darius though he’s looking at me with that expression that warns me he’s not done with me just yet. “Somebody’s eager to get out of here,” remarks Caspian, giving Darius a knowing look and a smirk. “Aren’t you staying?” asks Genesis.

“Oh, I am,” answers Darius, still looking at me. That definitely sounds like a warning. Then he reaches for his jacket, swings it over one shoulder and walks out the door. Constantine and Lazarus look at me with an amused smile on their faces, while Serena pats my hand sympathetically. She kisses my cheek before she exits the room behind everybody else and closes the door quietly behind her. “Well, I’m going to bed,” I announce to Caspian as I turn on my heel to walk up the stairs. The prince is sprawled on the chair with his feet on one of the Ottomans, still nursing his drink. The song Sadeness by Enigma is echoing through the room. “Yeah, have a good...uh..sleep, beany,” he says, sounding very amused. He is so infuriating. Everything and everybody is pissing me off right now. I feel like kicking something. Too bad kicking the wall of the tunnel that leads me to my room isn’t such a good idea.

His scent reaches my nose even before I step out of the tunnel and into the room through the little opening. Somehow I suspected that he would be waiting for me. He wouldn’t let me get away with the way I acted with him tonight. The light is off, but I can still see him standing by the window clearly. The moon casts a pale silvery glow over his broad shoulders and the outline of his magnificent body. His hair glows and appears white, almost silver in the moonlight. He’s staring out the window like he’s not even aware that I’m here.

I stand there silently for a few seconds, taking in his beautiful form against the inky night sky. This man makes my heart beats faster, my stomach to be filled with a thousand fluttering butterflies, and my emotions to swing all over the place, uncontrollably, just by being in the same room with me. “We have to do better than tonight if we’re going to survive tomorrow night,” he says quietly. “Better as in having more fun with other people? Sure, I can do that,” I return sassily. “I didn’t mean it that way, and you know it.” “Do I? Well, you seemed to be having a great time with that woman tonight.” I push the armoire back into place to close the small opening, then reach over to flip the switch. The room immediately floods with light. He turns slowly to look at me. His tie is gone. A few more top buttons of his shirt is undone to show his smooth muscled pecs. His pale blue gaze is regarding me possessively, boldly roaming all over my body like he has all the right in the world. “What about you? Did you dress like that for me or was it for all those other men who couldn’t take their eyes off of you tonight?” Now he’s having a problem with my dress?

I see something dangerous flickering in his eyes but I’m pissed and I can’t seem to stop my word vomit though I don’t mean any of it. “Definitely not for you,” I spit out. His eyes are darkening alarmingly. “Then take it off,” he demands. What? “NO!” “Why are you so set on defying me tonight?” His voice is getting low almost to the hissing sound should warn me that his lycan is taking over. Because he’s with that woman...Darla or Tracy or whatever her name is and because I hate to feel this uncontrollable jealousy. “I hate you.” “Isn’t it too late for that, sweetheart? I’ve already marked and claimed you mine. For life,” he reminds me. “Now take it off before I rip it off you.” It is a beautiful dress but...NO. I cross my arms over my chest and lift my chin up stubbornly and haughtily. “Very well.” His dark eyes gleamed dangerously. I’m not sure if it’s excitement and lust or anger that I see in his gaze as he stalks closer to me like he’s stalking his prey. My heart thunders furiously in my chest but I refuse to be intimidated by him or his lycan, so I stand my ground. I don’t know if it’s lust, excitement, or anger that makes my heart skyrocket, even more, when he places his hands on either

side of my face firmly and possessively. His palms pressing on my cheeks and his fingers in my hair, holding my face in place. I place my hands on his chest, trying to push him back, but he’s unmovable. If anything he leans in closer until my hands are trapped between our bodies. He moves one hand so that it’s fully gripping my hair and with that, he tilts my head back until my neck is totally exposed to him. I gulp audibly. I feel trapped but excitement courses through my whole body. How did I get into this position? “I love it when you don’t know when to be scared, Malyshka. My little one,” he whispers as his nose and lips brush against my throat. The feeling of his skin touching mine and his warm breath against my skin sends tingles and electricity to every nerve cell in my body. He takes a deep breath, taking in my scent before he pulls back to look into my eyes. His eyes are now almost back to their normal color. My scent seems to calm his lycan, but he’s not done with me yet. He bares his straight white teeth in a tight menacing smile. “Finally, I have my mate where I want her,” he says before his lips swoop down to claim mine. Vaguely I hear the tearing of my dress over the loud pounding of my own heartbeat. Then my nose detects a faint smell of that woman on his shirt. Her hands are all over that shirt and his suit tonight! Ugh!!! I need to kill somebody. I push him wildly off me and look down at my lacy bra and panty covered body before I stomp towards the door.

“NO!” he growls, blocking my way to the door. “You’re not going anywhere.” “Move!” I growl back, trying to shove him out of the way. “Move or I’ll hurt you.” “Then hurt me,” he challenges. I push him roughly against the wall. I grip his neck tightly and he just let me. His eyes gleaming, watching me through lowered eyelids, breathing hard, his nostrils flare. I tighten my grip on his neck further and his face reddens, but he just stands there, making no effort to stop me. I can do whatever I want with him. If I want to kill him right now, he’ll just let me. Well, fuck that! I grip the opening of his expensive dress shirt and pull it apart. All the way through and throw the offensive fabric on the floor. I hate that smell! Then I launch myself at him, grabbing the back of his neck and claim his lips with mine. He responds immediately. Kissing me back with the same urgency and hunger, making me shudder with pleasure. Our mouths moving together, our tongues sliding against one another. His hands grabbing my butt and my waist tightly, pulling my body flush against him. I wrap my leg around his hips, straining to get closer. Shudders run through him as I run my hands all over the dips, curves, and ridges of his muscled body. I bite his bottom lip punishingly and hear a low moaning sound coming from him.

Vaguely I’m aware of him picking me up and placing me on the bed. He pushes my legs apart and his weight settles in between them without even breaking the kiss. His mouth leaves my lips to worship my body with kisses, gentle bites and little sucks and licks. I sink my fingers into his silky fair hair and grip it hard as I guide him to where I want his mouth to be on my body. I’m on fire. My whole body is on fire for him.

Chapter 43 - Things That Are NOT Funny “So, that was our make-up sex?” asks Darius. “No, that was an angry sex. In case you didn’t notice, I took whatever I wanted from you.” “Okay,” he says slowly. A strange expression crosses his handsome face. “That was ummm..wow. Just wow. That never happened to me before.” He grows silent for a while before his firm lips curl up just a tiny bit and he says, “I’m feeling so...used.” “I didn’t hear you complaining about it a while ago,” I reply, pulling the sheet up to my chest. Indeed I took what I wanted. I was pissed. I took control and he let me. I did whatever I wanted to do to him. Finally, I took him in my mouth, and before he found his relief, I pinned him down and rode him. Hard. I’m surprised the bed is still standing. Making love with him is always intense because of the shared bond. We let our feelings go. To feel his fierce hunger for me on top of my own is incredible. What we just had shared a while ago felt a bit different, though. We unleash passion and anger. Lying here in the four poster bed full of white lace and frills with mountains of pillows behind him, he still manages to look very masculine. He looks relaxed with his head resting on top of his hands. The muscles of his folded arms bulge. His hard pecs, imposing abs and the deep v are on display. The black thin chain is around his neck and the medallion sits on his chest. The pure Egyptian cotton sheet sits low over his hips, barely covering his impressive length. “Oh, I’m not complaining now. That was very hot, actually. As long as you’re using me and only me, I’m good with it,” he replies. “By the way, feel free to use me anytime you want.” Despite his relaxed demeanor, I sense his anger still bleeding through our connection.

He removes his hands from underneath his head and angles his body to be facing me even more, not at all caring that the sheet has slipped even further down. “I have to warn you, though...don’t dish out what you can’t serve.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask him warily. I’m not trusting where this is going. He places both hands on either side of me, caging me in. “That means, my little mate,” he whispers against my collarbone. “Since you have the privilege to use me, I have the same privilege.... anytime I want.” “I don’t think so,” I try to growl out but that doesn’t come out the way I wanted it to. That sounds kinda husky and sexy. I blame his mouth on my neck. “I’m still pissed,” I inform him breathlessly. “So am I,” he growls while nibbling on my skin. “Why are you pissed?” I push him off even though what his mouth is doing to me feels terribly good. He groans like I just took his toy away from him. His eyebrows turn down into a moody frown. “Why do you think?” he asks me. “Why are YOU pissed? Wait, it’s that woman, isn’t it?” Yeah, his date! That was no woman. She was an octopus! Seriously! “No, Einstein! Because there’s a red and green polka dotted elephant standing in the middle of this room. Because that old man in the bright red pajamas brought me a lump of coal instead of a pony. Because I just discovered that chickens are now endangered species. Because fries factory...” “Okay, I get it, but you know I have to do that. The plans are to throw people off the scent of our bond and feelings for each other by being with others. We agreed to it so nobody would suspect anything.” “Yeah, I know we agreed to it...but did she have to be all octopus-like on you? Her hands were everywhere!” I snap. “I bet you liked it too,” I can’t resist adding. “Malyshka...” he says in a warning tone. “And you’re alone for half an hour with that woman...Ms. Octopus hands, Mary, Susan, or what’s her face, doing god knows what.”

“No, I wasn’t alone with her for half an hour doing god knows what as you put it. I had to deal with my men and had a quick meeting with my informant. I ditched her and her octopus’s hands as soon as we got out of that reception hall. I got one of my officers to send her home.” “Have you gone out with Ms. Octopus hands before tonight?” I demand to know. “No, never, nor do I ever want to see her again. She’s my comrade’s cousin. Claude kept pushing me to go out with her for a while now. I thought it’d save me the time from finding a random woman. I didn’t know she’s going to be that way.” “But she called you darling,” I huff. “She calls everyone darling,” he grits out. “Do you honestly think I want to have anything to do with other women? That I want her hands anywhere near me? Don’t you get it? I’m obsessed with you, woman! Being with you is all I can think about,” he says, almost yelling now. “What about you? You called Caspian darling...and a whole bunch of other sickly cutesy names. All those whisperings and giggling. Made me feel sick as fvck!” he exclaims. “I missed you and all I wanted to do was to touch you and just be with you. All night I watched all those men looking at you and wanting what’s mine. All night I’d been fighting with my lycan from taking over and rip their heads off. All of them. “I wanted to tell the world that you’re mine, yet I had to sit there and listen to the King announcing that you’re mated to the crown prince. You are my mate! My mate!” he growls, jabbing a finger to his chest. He looks away and grows silent after the outburst. His chest is rising and falling and his jaw is tense. His hands are now gripping the sheet. I can hear his thundering heartbeat. He’s still agitated and angry. I was so focused on my own jealousy that I didn’t realize how it is from his end. “I know we agreed to do this, but this is harder than I thought,” he says quietly, looking down at the bunched up sheet in his hand. “I want you safe and I’m trying not to be jealous. I really am.” I slowly crawl up to sit on his lap, straddling him and he raises his head to look at me. I thread my fingers through his hair while my other hand caresses his cheek. I can feel the beginning of the stubble against the palm of my hand. He closes his eyes, rests his head on my shoulder, and takes a deep shuddering breath.

“I know you are. So am I. My brain is telling me one thing, but my heart is telling me something else. My lycan is possessive of you,” I tell him. Well, so am I, but there’s no need to tell him that. “I know.” His arms slide around my back and he gathers me closer to him, burying his face in my hair. “In my head, I know you and the prince are like siblings. I trust my pack and you, but my lycan and my heart can’t stand others claiming and touching you. The only person that ever belongs to me. You are MY mate.” “Well, my heart and my lycan can’t stand that woman’s hand all over what’s mine! My mate. Mine!” I whisper fiercely, gripping his glossy fair hair tighter. I sense that my outburst makes him feels lighter and happier. I can sense it through our bond. I love it when we don’t have to hide our feelings like this. He nuzzles the side of my face and drops a kiss my cheek. “We can’t go on like this, baby,” he says. “Especially tomorrow night. We’re going to blow it. Neither of us can deal with our feelings and possessiveness when it comes to each other.” He’s right. We’re both very possessive but we can’t blow it. We have to make this work. “Would it help if....” I whisper slowly half to myself, thinking. “...we have our own secret code or signs...just for each other when we’re among other people. Like when I touch your mark just over my heart like this,” I say as I put my hand over his bitemark on my chest. “That means, I have you on my mind and for you to remember that I’m all yours.” “I like that,” he says. His lips curl up into a smile. I love making him smile. He has a beautiful sexy smile. He rarely smiles when we’re out there among other people. “I would be walking around all night tonight with my hand over the mark.” “Such a charmer,” I tease him and he chuckles. “That’s another first. Nobody ever accused me of being a charmer.” He kisses my cheek and caresses my hair. “Or when I touch my nose like this, it means I want to rip the head off the guy who’s talking or staring at you,” he adds. See? My mate is such a charmer. “Oh, such sweet romantic things you say, Mi amor,” I whisper back. “Or when I touch my ear like this, it means I want to rip your clothes right off you and have my wicked ways with you,” I tease him, biting and tugging the shell of his ear with my teeth. His smile grows wider, showing his straight white teeth with those prominent canines. His glacier blue eyes glinted mischievously. “Speaking of which...I believe it’s my turn to have my

wicked ways with you, my naughty little mate.” Suddenly I’m being flipped to be lying on the bed. My wrists are captured and forced over my head, his body pins mine down against the soft white lacy and frilly bedding behind me. His sinfully sexy mouth covers mine in a searing, demanding, and hungry kiss. Uuummm...Oh, yessss!

The subdued early morning light is sneaking in through the sheer white curtains. I smile as I feel small kisses being pressed along my bare back. “I have to leave now. You go back to sleep, Malyshka,” he whispers against my skin. I roll around to face him. “Do you really have to leave now? I pout and trace my fingers over his chest and up to his neck to play with his silky hair. I run my foot slowly down his leg. He leans down rests his forehead against mine. “Yes, I do...and you, my little temptress, isn’t making it easy,” he says. “I promise you when this is all over, we’re going to go away, just the two of us. We can stay in bed all day and do...whatever.” “Sounds good. I love doing whatever with you.” His lips curl up into a devilish smile. “Last night...whatever.. was great. I have to thank Caspian for this arrangement. It’s brilliant.” Being able to spend my night with my mate is more than what I expected. He’s right, we do have to thank Caspian for this, though I have a feeling I’m going to be tortured by the prince’s endless teasing.

“I’m bored!” moans my best friend beside me. We’re currently sitting on a sofa in hers and Constantine’s bedchamber in front of a big screen tv. We can’t be running freely around the palace now since it’s full of guests and workers. The security is tight. Darius left after a quick shower in the ensuite bathroom this morning. He told me that he’s got an idea on how to make tonight bearable for me even when he has to bring a date. I truly hope that tonight is going to be better than last night. I don’t want to be ripping some woman’s head off in the middle of a party. Constantine, Lazarus, and Caspian seem to be busy with their duties today. Serena has gone for a morning of pampering with Lazarus’s aunt. Genesis and I politely declined their invitation to join them.

“Let’s watch Doctor Strange again,” Genesis suggests. “Nope, we’ve watched that like ten times already.” “What about Table 19?” “Nope, twenty times.” “You’re exaggerating. Ender’s Game?” she asks again. She’s right, I just pick random numbers out of thin air. “Forty times,” I announce. “I know what we can do!” I jump up excitedly. “Make sure to bring your phone with you,” I add, pulling the reluctant Genesis off the sofa. Really, my friend needs more exercise than just eating and her nightly painting sessions. We enter Caspian’s bedroom and I lead her right to the fireplace. We’re checking out the tunnel! We discover that there are two main passages with a few smaller ones that branch out everywhere. Some of the openings are so small that we have to crawl to go through it. Genesis absolutely refused to check those ones out. One of the main tunnels leads down the steps and finally end up in the kitchen’s pantry. Another one leads to the back garden shed where we are currently standing and arguing in. There are more to discover, but Genesis refuses to go exploring further. She’s scared of spiders! Gah! Who’s scared of spiders? “Spiders are scary,” she says. “Besides, we’ve been doing this for an hour. I just want to go back.” “So, let me get this straight, you’re a powerful lycan who’s scared of itty-bitty spiders.” I shake my head in disappointment. “You’re a badass lycan who’s scared of scary movies,” she returns. Whatever! “Your idea of fun sucks, Penny,” she continues as she drags her fingers through her hair to dislodge some cobwebs. I have to admit, her hair does resemble a cobweb duster. I bet mine does too.

“I think you look gorgeous with cobwebs in your hair,” I tell her and she glares at me. Sheesh...some people really can’t get over their fear of the eight-legged creature. “Think of what a badass monkey ninja you are going to be when you’re able to use these tunnels to creep up on people.” That idea seems to appeal to my ninja monkey DNA obsessed best friend, but she still refuses the explore any further. Oh well, I thought that was fun. When we emerge from the tunnel, Serena is already waiting for us in our drawing room. The look of horror on her face when she sees the both of us convince me just how bad we look. “What happened?” asks Serena when she finally manages to find her voice. I have to bite a laugh when my bedraggled best friend shoots me a glare. She looks like a very grumpy Oscar the Grouch....with soots on her face and cobwebs in her hair. Genesis put her hands on her hips and glares at me when I start laughing. Serena bursts out laughing too after a little while. That’s when the door opens and four figures step in. Constantine, Caspian, Lazarus, and Darius. Wait, what? Darius? He can’t see me like this! Suddenly it’s not funny anymore. Darius gives me a once over and his eyebrows raise, but he doesn’t say anything. His usually unreadable eyes now seem troubled. Even Caspian seems oblivious to our appearance. He just drops himself on the nearest chair and put his head in his hands. “Okay, what’s going on?” asks Genesis. Silence fills the room when nobody says anything. Lazarus clears his throat and says, “Girls...” “My father wants to hold my coronation ceremony tonight. I’ll be announced King and you, my queen,” interrupts Caspian looking right at me. “Okay, this is not funny, guys! It’s not ha ha funny. At all! It’s really REALLY not funny!” I announce, tugging some cobwebs off my hair. “In fact, this is the opposite of funny.”

Chapter 44 - Things With The Crown “Tell us this is a joke,” demands Genesis. I look around and everybody is just staring at each other and at me. They’re starting to freak me out. I look back at Caspian, waiting for him to tell us that it’s a joke. A horrible joke. He just sits there in silence. I bend down, pull a shoe off my foot and chuck it at his head. My customize Old Skool Vans sours through the air and hits his forehead before it lands on the floor with a thud. “Owww!!! What’s that for?” he yells, rubbing his forehead. “The joke is not funny.” I glare at him. “It’s not funny because it’s not a joke!” Caspian exclaims. “Throwing a shoe at your King’s head isn’t funny either.” No no no no no...this has got to be a joke. King Alexandros can’t do that, can he? I’m still in a denial. Of course, he can. He’s a freaking king! “I’m afraid it’s not a joke, Malyshka,” says Darius, stepping closer to me. He takes both my hands in his. “I think I’m going to be sick,” I tell him. I’m feeling lightheaded and a bit dizzy. He pulls me to the nearest sofa, lifts me up to sit on his lap and presses my face to his shoulder. I breathe in his amazing scent

while he rubs my shoulders and back soothingly. “Breath, Malyshka,” he tells me while I feel him breathing in my scent and realize his need to calm himself too. “What are we going to do now?” I hear Serena’s voice asking. Her question is met with momentary silence before my mate raises his head up to look at Caspian and firmly says, “You have to talk to King Alexandros.” “Da. Yes, you’re going to ask him to give you more time,” says Constantine to Caspian. “I agree.” Lazarus nods his head. “He agreed to give me three years before we went to California months ago. I don’t know what prompted him to do this, but yes, that’s the best course of action,” states Caspian sitting up straight. “My father can be stubborn once he made up his mind. If all else fails, I shall abdicate the crown. That’s all the leverage I have against him at this moment. Constantine, if that happens, it shall fall on your shoulders, brother.” I stare at them with round eyes. There’s a possibility of the heir apparent giving up his throne now. Despite his craziness, I know Caspian doesn’t take this very lightly. There’s a lot at stake. If I wasn’t sitting in Darius’s protective arms, I would have hyperventilated at this point. If Constantine is crowned king, Genesis will be his queen. A roll that I know my free-spirited friend isn’t too willing to take.

I quickly glance at my best friend to see a look of horror briefly flashes on her face. She quickly masked it with a slight smile when Constantine takes her hand in his. They gaze into each other’s eyes for a while before she nods her head and he turns to look at his cousin, Caspian. “We have your back, brother. Do what you have to do.” “Beany, we’ll go face the king together. Let’s go,” says Caspian. “Wait...what happened to you?” he asks, noticing my appearance for the first time. Then he does a double take on Genesis. “Red? You too? What have you two been up to?” “Tunnel happened,” answers Genesis, scowling. “Penny’s idea of fun involves tunnel plus crazy giant mutated killer spiders.” Gawd, my friend is such a drama queen. They’re not mutated! I jump up from my mate’s lap and tells them, “Focus, people!” I turn to Caspian and says, “Okay, let’s go.” “Maybe you should clean up before you go see King Alexandros?” suggests Serena. “Yeah, you two look like dirty giant spiderweb dusters. Very disgusting,” agrees Caspian. “I didn’t know you’re this kinky, Beany.” he shakes his head. “Sorry, I can’t be seen with you like this.” “Disgusting? Can’t be seen...??? Why you..I’m...urghh..kinky...what? What???...darn it!” I sputtered in indignation. I’m going to kick his royal balls!

Darius wraps his arms around my middle before I can move. He pulls me to him until my back hits his chest and my feet are off the ground before I start flinging my arms and feet towards the smug looking Caspian. Darius carries me down the hall towards Caspian’s bedchamber as I keep struggling to be free. “Kinky? I’ll show you... Argghh! You!!! I...darn it! I’m...I’m..I’m gonna kick your nuts so bad one day! You and your mate better start looking into adoption!” Hah! I manage to come up with two complete sentences! Hah!!! I hear Constantine chuckling closely behind us. He and Genesis are walking down the hall with us to their bedchamber. “We left you two alone just for three hours, now look at you,” says Constantine, ruffling Genesis’s hair. He pulls his hand back and stares at the cobweb that stuck to his fingers in amusement. His mate just scowls at him in annoyance. Before we parted ways to clean up, I catch Genesis’s hand in mine and pull her aside. “Can you two give us a minute?” I ask Darius and Constantine. The two men walk on and I hear Constantine saying, “Don’t get into any more trouble, girls. Please.” What’s up with not trusting us? We both scowl at his parting back. As soon as they’re gone, I turn to Genesis. “I’m sorry it happens this way, Genesis. It’s my fault. If Caspian abdicated...” “Penny, it’s not your fault. You know I’d do anything for you. Who knows, the king might agree to give Caspian more time,”

she says. “Besides, being a queen isn’t the worst thing that could happen to a girl, is it?” She smiles and wiggles her eyebrows. No, it isn’t, but I know Genesis would hate it. Millions of other women might be dreaming of becoming a queen. My friend sees it as responsibility instead of power, restrictions instead of privileges. She wants her freedom and eats the cake too. She has no desire to change the world. She’s just like her father, Aaron Fairchild who joined his mate’s pack even though he was next in line to be the alpha of his pack. He left his younger brother to take the position, much to his father’s aggravation. “Oh, by the way, you’re not off the hook. If I were to become the queen, you’ll be my right-hand woman along with Serena.” She flips her cobweb ridden hair sassily before she sashays to her room. “Oh boy, I can see how this whole monarchy is going to crumble,” I yell at her parting back. “Gone! Poof! Taken down by three crazy women.” I hear her laughter echoes down the massive grand hallway as she disappears behind closed doors of their bedchamber. I find my mate waiting in our bedroom. As soon as I walk in, he draws me to him for a gentle yet passionate kiss. We stay in each other’s arms for a while before I have to go and wash up. Our brief stolen moment.

I wash my body and shampoo my hair properly to get rid of the soot and the cobwebs. I dry my hair and choose a tight cream colored short knitted dress and pair it with thigh-high black boots. I add a red scarf around my neck for color and a black leather jacket on top of that. I think I’m ready to face King Alexandros. Darius is sitting on our bed with his elbows on his thighs. He looks up when I come out of the walk-in closet. he’s changed into a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. He was in his black army uniform before. His hair gleams in the sunlight streaming in through the windows. His glacier blue eyes intense, taking in my appearance from head to toe. He’s so beautiful he takes my breath away. “I feel like I’m getting ready to go to war,” I tell him. “You’re beautiful. You look like you’re about to walk down the runway, Malyshka,” he remarks as he gets up. “If all else fails, I’m going to grab you and we’ll disappear together,” he says. “Will you, really?” I ask him. He brushes a finger down my face gently, as if he can’t stop himself. He doesn’t make any attempt to touch me other than that.

“I’m sorry I hit you with my shoe,” I whisper Caspian just before we enter the King’s office.

“You’re just scared that I might throw you in the dungeon when I become King,” he whispers back, taking my hand in his. “Though I could’ve thrown you in the dungeon right now if I so wished.” “Maybe,” I reply. “But you know I’ll come back and haunt you for the rest of your long life if I were to die down there.” Caspian places his hand on the doorknob and twists it as soon as I nod my head.

The dress is exquisite. The most beautiful creation I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s a sleeveless, A-line dress with a sheer seethrough mesh bodice. Golden floral appliques carefully handstitched and conveniently placed to cover important parts of my body that needs to be covered...which apparently not much. The top to the waist at the back is completely bare save for the sheer mesh and the buttons. The skirt is made of light peachcolored tulle that reaches the ground and forms a train at the back. The fold of the tulle is soft and exquisite. More golden appliques are stitched down the front of the gown. The dress is quite risqué. It will definitely draw attention. It makes me wonder what the queen’s motive behind this. I wonder what my mate will think of it. I have five maids helping me today. One of the women helps me do up the tiny buttons at the back. My hair is being pulled up into an elaborate, elegant updo. A beautiful gold headpiece encrusted with diamonds is weaved into my hair to look like I was wearing a tiara.

Earlier on I was given a box. A gift, said the lady who brought it over. Inside were a necklace, a pair of hoop earrings, and a bracelet that match the headpiece. One of the maids is putting them on me now. They are beautiful and must have cost a fortune. I’ve never felt more like a fraud. Our meeting with King Alexandros earlier didn’t go very well. Queen Sophia was in the office with us. I felt like they were just waiting for us. They both refused to budge on our request for more time before we’re announced, king and queen. When Caspian announced that he wanted to abdicate the crown, the queen declared that they would call for Rule of Seven. This is an ancient set of rules. It’s mostly barbaric but is still in practice by some werewolf packs and apparently, by the king and queen to threaten their prince. At first, the two of us just stared at King Alexandros and Queen Sophia as if they just lost their minds. The Rule of Seven would call for the strongest werewolf or lycan to be the next king. There will be fights to the death. It sounded simple enough, but it’s not. If Rule of Seven was announced, there will be chaos and deaths. There will be fights among the packs. There will be war. “Persephone, I would expect you to be advising your mate to do the right thing. I expect you to be telling the man you love to do what’s good for him.” Those were the Queen’s parting words to me. I gaze at myself in the mirror unbelievingly. I look good. As beautiful as the dress is, it smells trouble. I wish it wasn’t as

revealing. I wish I could wear a different dress. The queen has put me in a very difficult situation. My concern is confirmed when I enter the drawing room where Genesis, Constantine, Serena, Lazarus, and Caspian are waiting. They all look stunning. Their eyes widen when they see me. Caspian’s jaw tightens and his eyes grow a few degrees colder. “My mother is playing with fire,” he says as he links my arm through his. He is dressed in a tuxedo. The vest inside his jacket is silky gold material to match my dress, the same with his tie. His golden hair is impeccably smoothed back from his face. “Your mate is going to have a fit when he sees you.” “You’re like a sister and I feel like covering you up with my jacket,” growls Constantine, followed by an agreement noise by Lazarus. I can only pray that my mate has miraculously grown an ironclad self-control over his possessiveness and the patience of a saint for tonight.

Chapter 45 - Aren’t We Having A Ball? To say that my pack was furious with the outcome of the meeting with the King and Queen today was an understatement. My mate was livid. For a brief moment, his eyes turned black, and dark veins appeared around his eye sockets, much like Caspians’ when his mother mentioned Rule of Seven.

Darius roughly yanked me into his arms and bury his nose in my neck, breathing in my scent to calm himself. He held me close the whole time during our pack’s brief discussion. The coronation is going to put Caspian’s and my life in danger. Anything can happen tonight or sometime in the near future. Their initial reaction, especially Darius’s and Genesis’s was to fly us home or take us somewhere else where we would be safe from danger. Caspian and I disagree. Running away is not the answer. The danger would still exist and they would still be hunting us. We are the hunter, not the prey. We think this is the perfect time to hunt down the enemy and to flush out the traitor. I’d like to think that this is a good way to pave a safe pathway for Caspian and his erasthai when the time comes. We also can’t afford to risk Queen Sophia unleashing the Rule of Seven and have lives destroyed because of it. Man’s greed for power is an ugly thing. In the end, everybody reluctantly agreed to go through with it. The plan is to stay close and to be on guard at all time. I could feel my mate’s intense frustration, anger, and fear for my safety through our connection. I could feel his inner struggle with his lycan wanting to snatch me and take me away. After the discussion, he pulled me in for a quick aggressive kiss, then left with a barely contained fury. He’s tightening the security. I hope he’s calmer tonight. A lot calmer.

The six of us walk down the massive, grand hallways to the ballroom in silence. The beautiful dress feels heavy on me. The collective uneasiness of the pack is like an ominous black cloud following above our heads. I might sound brave when I pleaded my case to stay and fight this afternoon, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not scared. We are surrounded by abundance, opulence, and riches yet I feel like bolting. Caspian tightens his hold on my arm as if he can sense that I’m considering making a run for it. Well...maybe it’s not that hard to guess since my eyes keep straying towards the doors or the windows that we pass. I keep imagining myself jumping out the window to freedom. I’d be dancing on the streets of Moscow while the world is burning around me. I could join the circus. “Not happening, Beany,” Caspian whispers in my ear. Wait. What? How did he know? Or did I say it out loud? I shoot him the meanest scowl and hear the snickers and fake coughs of my pack mates behind me. I can hear the sound of live music before we reach our private doors to the ballroom. Two guards are standing by the doors. Caspian squeezes my arm reassuringly. His face is impassive and cold. I turn slightly around and exchange glances with all my pack mates. They seem ready. I square up my shoulders and hold my head up high. My feelings are nicely guarded. Guarding my feelings doesn’t mean I don’t feel them, it just means I’m protecting them from anybody sensing them.

Unfortunately, that also means it’s hidden from my mate who, otherwise can always feel them through our bond. I glance at the aloof-looking prince and he nods at the guards. The music changes tune, the dancing stops, the conversation and laugher hush and all eyes are on us as soon as we enter the room. The women curtsy and the men give us a little bow as we walk past. This happened before in the past when there were parties at the palace. I thought it was cool when it happened the first couple of times. Now it’s something I don’t particularly care for...especially tonight. I nod once in acknowledgment, then I tilt my head up so I look like I was looking down my nose at everybody. A trick I learned from His Royal Highness Prince Caspian. I let my eyes leisurely skim across the crowded room, looking for a particular one person. The only person I really want to see tonight. The grand ballroom always looks magnificent and magical. Tonight is no exception...if not more so. The room looks different every time parties are being held here. Tonight, the decor is deceptively simple, yet very glamorous. The crystal chandeliers gleam and sparkle. The lights bounce off the reflective walls of mirrors. The natural stone tiles shine underneath our feet. Men in white or light colored tuxedos while women in white or soft pastel colored gowns. The only exceptions are the six of us. Constantine, Lazarus, and Caspian are in black tuxedos, while Serena and Genesis are in beautiful sleek, silky, but different shades of peach and gold and I, mostly in gold.

There has got to be over a hundred people at this ballroom tonight. Sea of elegantly dressed men and women in white and pastels everywhere but I don’t see my mate anywhere. “He must be busy arranging the last minute security detail,” whispers Caspian very quietly in my ear again. I nod and smile softly. To the people watching, it must’ve seemed like he’s whispering sweet nothings in my ear. The action must’ve looked loving as I see some mated ladies giving us approving, dreamy smiles. There are chairs for us beside the thrones on a raised podium where we can see everything in front of us clearly. The arrival of the King and the Queen are announced not long after we reached the podium. King Alexandros is looking regal and handsome in a black tuxedo with a gold cummerbund and a blue royal sash. Queen Sophia is beautiful in a blue and gold evening gown, more elaborate and more covered than mine. I stand up and curtsy and raise my head in time to see the queen glancing at me and my gown in satisfaction as she walks past. The music resumes its original tempo after the royal couple is seated. I see Caspian beside me exchanging a few words with his parents. They’re very low and I can’t hear what they are saying above the music and the noise around us. He seems pissed. Not long after, he abruptly stands up, gives a stiff bow and snatches

my hand. He drags me to the dance floor and basically forces me to dance by twirling me around. “Uh... aren’t you supposed to ask me to dance first? I didn’t hear you asking,” I tell him as he grabs my hips and sways us around. “Don’t Beany....just don’t. I need to get away from my dear mother before I thrash this whole place to the ground.” His expression stays cold, aloof and unreadable. I notice Lazarus and Serena dancing next to us. I’m sure Genesis and Constantine aren’t too far away. I follow Caspian’s lead in silence for a while but then my curiosity gets the best of me. “What happened?” I ask him. “Nothing,” he says gruffly. After another moment of silence, he adds, “I was just exchanging pleasantries and compliments with my dear mother over her choice of your wardrobe. What in the blaze is she playing at?” As soon as the music ends, he pulls me to the side and grabs two wine glasses from a passing server. He downs the two drinks quickly. Sheesh...here I thought one was for me. “Don’t get drunk, Pookie bear,” I remind him. “I won’t,” he says as he places the glasses down on the ledge behind us. “I’m just prepping myself for a good time, Beany boo.”

Genesis appears at my elbow and Constantine slaps his cousin gently yet firmly on the back. “Aren’t we having a blast yet?” asks my best friend, squeezing my arm. My mate is here. I sense his presence before I see him. I try not to look around for him or show any reaction, but my back stiffens and my heartbeat accelerates. “Oh, we’ll have a great blast soon,” answers Caspian airily. “Yes, I can see it coming...right now,” adds Constantine. From the corner of my eyes, I can see them approaching. Darius and his date. The four of us turn to face them. Eva is hanging onto his arm. She’s looking radiant in her pale lavender evening gown. My mate is breathtaking in a grey tuxedo with a matching silk vest and a pristine white shirt with a silver-white silk tie. His shiny pale blond hair is combed back and looks slightly damp as if he just hastily jumped in and out of the shower to get here. The expressions on their faces are such a contrast. Eva seems all excited and bright-eyed, looking as if she’s in awe of the whole thing. Darius’s face is looking cold and grim. His penetrating eyes are fixed on me and I feel like hiding. His eyes raked me from top to toe and his expression grows darker as he gets nearer. “If looks could kill,” whispers Genesis with a nervous giggle.

“I don’t think he’s very impressed with my outfit,” I whisper back. “I’m not either,” says Constantine. “Neither am I,” Caspian spits out. “Neanderthal possessive men.” I hear Genesis huffs under her breath. Constantine flashes his charming grin. “Darius, Eva,” he says, lightheartedly. “Your Highness,” says Eva, as she curtsies. “It’s so good to see you again.” Eva’s eyes are shining brightly while my mate beside her looks like he’s about ready to murder someone. Eva really is unobservant. No wonder Darius brought her over to California with him. My mate also knows that I won’t be jealous of her and he trusts her, I believe that’s why she is here as his date tonight. Besides, she already knows about us. “It’s wonderful to see you again, Eva. How have you been?” says Genesis pulling her into a hug and exchanging air kisses. Then they start catching up. “Hi,” I say softly, grinning up at my mate’s furious face. A muscle in his tense jaw is ticking. His firm carved lips are set in a hard line. His glacier blue eyes are now darker and never leaving my face. It’s unnerving. I feel like running off even

though none of this is my fault and I know his anger isn’t exactly directed at me. “That dress....I’m burning it,” he says through clenched teeth. “Burning the dress....got it,” I tell him. Both Constantine and Caspian are trying to give us some privacy to talk without leaving our side. I guess this is their brotherhood of possessive men show of support or some crap like that. I feel like rolling my eyes at the three of them. I’ve no doubt Lazarus would be the same if he’s here right now. He leans in closer and whispers on the side of his face without even moving his lips too much, “I’m very close to carrying you out of here and locking you up so nobody else can see you.” I feel, rather than hear the grunts of approval from the other two neanderthals near us. This time I really roll my eyes. Well, guess who’s going to be watched very closely tonight.

Chapter 46 - Indecent Proposal I’m surrounded by my pack mates at all time and I know Darius has planted his men all around us. My mate agrees not to stay too close to me as not to make it obvious how my appearance is bothering him. I know it pains him to do so, but we can’t afford to have our plan to blow up in our faces. I reach over and grab Eva by the hand before she moves away with Darius.

“Where are you going?” asks Caspian as soon as I step away from his side. “We’re at a ball. I’m going to dance,” I tell him as I lead Eva to the dance floor. I just need to talk to Eva. I can feel my mate’s eyes burning holes through the side of my skull. If it’s up to him, I would be chained to the wall in a locked room, up in a tower. Never to be seen or heard of again. “Is this the first time you’ve ever attended a party here?” I ask Eva as we both glide to the dance floor. I don’t stray too far from my pack and my mate, though. I’m not stupid...well, not too stupid. “Party? This is my very first time at Banehallow Palace. Ever. I don’t know if you knew this, Penny but very few commoners like me ever step foot in this palace.” Funny, I never thought of that. “Really?” I twirl her around then pull her right back. I know my mate is watching me so I put my hand on top of my his mark on my chest, then I lightly touch my ear. “How do you like it so far?” I ask her. I caught the sight of my mate rubbing his nose and I stifle a laugh. Yup, he’d like to rip some men’s head off just for looking at me. “It’s magnificent. Better than I ever imagined,” answers Eva as she tilts her head up to look at the glimmering chandelier above our heads.

She places her hands on my hips and lead us to the side where it’s more private. She leans in and whispers very quietly, “I know you’re not really mated to the Prince and I don’t know what’s going on, but I trust you know what you’re doing.” She looks worried. If this gets out, I don't know how much trouble I'm going to be in. If the king and the queen found out, I'd probably be rotting in the dungeon seven levels underground for hundreds of years until I turn into a prune. I'm already in enough trouble as it is. There are people out to kill me. “Yes,” I whisper back. I hope we do. “We’re trusting you, Eva. I hope this wouldn’t get out.” “No, it wouldn’t. I already had a talk with your mate, Commander Rykov. My loyalty is with the Prince and my General commander.” I stand back and look at Eva. She is very straightforward kind of person, almost like me. Sure, I felt like killing her before when she propositioned my mate for sex as a physical release, but I always knew that I could trust her. “And don’t worry, I don’t offer physical release to men whom I know are taken. I always draw the line where I seek my...pleasure,” she says, smiling. I almost laugh. This woman is almost like a man when it comes to sex. I know I could never do that. “Good, otherwise we might have a big problem,” I tell her, with a grin. I’m not kidding, though. I really meant what I just said.

We’ll have a huge problem if she ever made an offer to my mate again. “He’s not interested in my offers anyways,” she says, shrugging her shoulders dismissively. She seems not at all bothered by it. “Besides, I spent enough time to know your brand of crazy not to get on your bad side. So, I say no to a big problem with Penny. “I have to say, though...that dress is giving my commander...uh, a bad case of a... err...uhh..headache.” “Headache?” I whisper-squeak. I was so sure she’s about to say something else. “Yes,” she says firmly. “He’s totally unlike his cool self. He’s been growling the whole night and I feel like a guard trying to hold him back from hurting men who even look at you tonight,” she explains. There’s a glimmer or amusement and mirth in her eyes. “Please go easy on him.” “Tell him to behave. He might get a reward for being a good boy later tonight.” I give her a wink. “You’re the devil, I swear.” She laughs softly. “Anyway, I’ll be across the room with him. I’ll try to keep him from charging in and snapping the neck of the next male who looks at you.” “Yeah, I can see that happening,” I say, remembering how he was touching his nose earlier. That's our sign for when he's feeling like ripping the heads off some men for just looking at me. His expression was so serious, I’m not too sure if he was just kidding.

“I’ll try to keep him from killing anyone,” Eva promises, patting my arm before we both take a step back away from each other and I nod my head as she curtsies. I become aware of someone stepping closer to Eva and me before I hear his voice. “Your Highness.” I raise my eyes to look into a pair of dark brown eyes on a face so familiar yet so alien. “We meet again,” says Æmilius. He gives Eva a little dismissive wave of his hand while keeping his eyes solely on me. Well, that’s kind of rude. Eva seems hesitant and reluctant to leave my side. She stares at him in bemusement then she looks at me as if asking me if I’d rather she stays. I smile and nod my head, assuring her that it’s okay for her to leave even though I’d rather she stays. Why wouldn’t it be okay, he’s Darius’s cousin, right? As soon as Eva leaves, he steps in closer and suddenly he’s much too close. The intense look in his eyes makes me feel a little uneasy. He leans in and whispers, “I know your little secret, Princess.” What? My body stiffened and my heart stops beating for a beat before it starts to pound uncontrollably fast. I try to even my breathing and regulate my heartbeat while keeping my eyes on him. My heart is still beating fast as I shift my gaze beyond Æmilius’s shoulder to scan around the room and encounter my

pack mates’ eyes watching me intently not far away. All five pairs of them. I don’t see Darius anywhere so far. I’m sure he has moved further, but I know he is watching me closely somewhere in this room. I can feel it. Caspian is staring at me with that cold look, but as he’s about to step towards us, Æmilius takes my hand with a little bow and says, “Dance with me, my princess.” He proceeds to steer me to the dance floor then pulls me close. He places one hand on my hip while tightening his grasp on my hand. I have no choice but to put my other hand on his upper arm. What secret does he know? Does he know that I’m mated to his cousin? I give him a tiny smile and school my features to look bored and amused. “What secret, sir? I’m an open book.” “Please, call me Æmilius, Princess,” he says, with a smile that would’ve charmed countless of other women. The way the word “Princess” rolls off his tongue makes it sound like an endearment rather than a title. “On the contrary, you’re hardly an open book, Your Highness. I think you’re exotic, mysterious, and absolutely fascinating.” “Do you really now?” I lift an eyebrow. I don’t really want to be dancing with him now but I need to know what it is that he knows about me. His lips lift up at the corners while his eyes are watching me closely. I've seen that similar smile and that intense gaze from my mate so many times...it feels strange.

“I know that you’re attracted to my cousin. I’ve watched you during dinner last night. I didn’t see much reaction from my cousin, but I’ve got a feeling that it’s not one-sided,” he says. “That’s absurd,” I tell him. “I’m mated to Prince Caspian.” “That doesn’t mean anything,” he says, shrugging his massive shoulders as if it’s not a big deal or a big secret. “I intend to stay faithful to my mate,” I tell him. “Do you? For how long?” He smiles skeptically. I watch him with narrowed eyes. “You’ve done this before...you’ve slept with mated women,” I hiss. He throws his head back and laughs as if I just said the funniest thing he's ever heard. “Oh, goddess...you and my cousin have more in common than you know. You two should be perfect for each other. Noble and honorable...or very naive,” he says after he’s done laughing. “Pardon me, Your Highness, but everybody knows that you and the Prince are not each other’s erasthais. Mates who aren’t erasthais cheat on each other, all the time, Princess. "With a fiery temper like yours, I doubt you can stay loyal to your mate for very long when you're attracted to another," he muses. He's so close to the truth that I don't dare say a word.

"But then again, I know my cousin well. I know he’s very loyal, especially to his royal highness Prince Caspian, so I don’t think anything will come off it,” he observes. I shift uneasily. I don’t know whether to feel relief or worried. At least he still thinks that I'm mated to Caspian. On the other hand, it might be just a matter of time before he figured it out. “I’m being told I look a lot like my cousin, maybe even better looking,” he says, lightly touching the side of my face as if he’s pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear. Now I can feel the heat of Darius’s gaze burning the side of my face and I almost flinch. He suddenly leans in close...much too close. His breath is fanning my skin, his lips almost touching my ear. His hand moves from my hip to the small of my back. I can feel the brush of his fingers through the sheer fabric of my dress. “So why don’t you take it up with me, Princess?” he whispers smoothly. “I’m interested and very....willing.” Oh, wow...and very brazen. My breath caught in my throat and my eyes flicker up over Æmilius’s shoulder to encounter a pair of glacier blue eyes staring coldly back from across the room.

Chapter 47 - Charming Like a Snake “So why don’t you take it up with me, Princess?” he whispers smoothly. “I’m interested and very....willing.” Oh, wow...and very brazen. My breath caught in my throat and my eyes flicker up over Æmilius’s shoulder to encounter a pair of glacier blue eyes staring coldly back from across the room.

He doesn’t smell like Darius. His touch doesn’t burn me with passion like Darius’s touch does. It’s strange that the two cousins look so much alike yet I don’t feel the pull towards Æmilius that I feel for Darius. In my eyes, no one is as attractive or as captivating as my mate. Æmilius pulls back and I tear my gaze away from my furious mate’s eyes to look into his cousin’s dark brown ones. There are gold flecks right in the center of those brown irises. Those eyes seem familiar, yet I couldn’t put a finger on it. All in all, he is indeed a very good looking man. Suddenly my mate is standing right beside his cousin. We stop dancing and I take a step back, pulling my hand out of Æmilius’s hold. Side by side I can see the resemblance and the difference. They look like two beautiful Nordic Gods. Both are blonds. Both look as cold as ice as they stare at each other like mortal enemies. “Æmilius,” says Darius. His firm lips curl up into a tight smile while his eyes remain icy cold. “Cousin,” says Æmilius stiffly before his face transforms in a blink of an eye. The hostility suddenly vanished. A charming smile graces his lips. His eyes light up with delight and friendliness. “Your Highness,” he says without missing a beat, giving Caspian a little bow of his head. That’s when I notice Caspian’s presence next to me. “I was just telling Princess Persephone what a fascinating woman she is. You’re a lucky man to have such a beautiful, captivating mate, Your Highness,” he says to Caspian.

“Yes, indeed I am,” answers Caspian with an equally charming smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Now if only other men know how to keep their hands to themselves.” “I agree, Your Highness,” replies Æmilius smoothly as if he didn’t just offer himself as a substitute for his cousin to cheat on Caspian just a few minutes ago. “Thank you for the dance, Princess.” He shifts his eyes to me briefly with a little hint of a smile that holds some sort of a promise before he retreats. I don’t think that the look and that smile go unnoticed by my mate or Caspian. “What did he say to you?” demands Caspian stiffly as soon as Æmilius is gone. My mate seems to be speechless in his fury. His eyes darkened considerably while his nostrils are flaring. “He...he..he says that..uh, everybody knows that I’m not your erasthai,” I admit. “Anything else?” hisses my mate quietly but fiercely. I gulp as I struggle to think. I don’t think telling my mate that his cousin just propositioned me is a good idea. He’d flipped for sure. “I said, anything else?” he asks me. I stare at my furious mate’s eyes with a blank look on my face. What? I’m still thinking. “Persephone...” he says warningly.

I shift my gaze to Caspian and he stares right back at me waiting for my answer as well. He’s no help at all. I look down at my golden gown, smoothing my fingers over the fabric before I mutter, “He thinks that Darius and I are attracted to each other. What if somebody else noticed...” My eyes widen and I stare up at the two men in front of me. “You think Queen Sophia noticed and already figured it out?” I whisper to them urgently. “Guys! I can’t be in the dungeon. You can’t let them keep me down there for years and years and years. I don’t want to be a prune!” They’re both staring at me speechless, I think. I take the opportunity before they recover to pull on Caspian’s arm. “You’ve got to dance with me. We can’t let them be suspicious. We can’t let them figure it out.” I leave my mate staring after us with Caspian in tow. I know I can’t avoid Darius’s questions forever but I just want to survive this event. He can kill his cousin in his own free time afterward. I’m actually quite surprised that Darius managed to go this long without ripping anybody’s head off, especially with me dressed this way. It must have taken a lot of discipline and strength on his part to be able to control his lycan half and overcome his own possessiveness to be able to do this. I am not taking any chances by telling him about Æmilius right now, though. “So what else did Æmilius Ivanov say to you?” asks Caspian quietly in my ear as we spin around slowly on the dance floor.

I pull back and about to scowl at him before I remember that I have to act like a devoted mate. I smile at him lovingly and tell him, “See this face? I am actually frowning at you on the inside.” The Prince just stares at me, looking unimpressed and says, “See this face? I actually don’t care. Wait, actually I’d rather you frown. You look very scary like that, Beany bean.” Ughh!!! I wish I could smack him again with my shoe. “Oh, how lovely! I love all the sweet loving words coming out of your mouth, my sweet lamb chop,” I tell him, giving him a wider smile this time. “Stop scaring me and tell me what else did he say to you?” “Ughh..okay.” I give up. I sigh and lean in closer so that nobody can be listening in to our conversation. “He said mated lycans cheat on each other all the time here,” I tell him. He raises an eyebrow but doesn’t seem surprised at all. “And?” “And he offered to have an affair with me since he looks a lot like his cousin.” “The bastard! You are not going to cheat on me,” hisses the Prince. I almost hit him on the back of his head this time. I stop myself just in time. I use the hand that I raise up to hit him to smooth the collar of his tuxedo instead. Great, now he forgot that I’m not really mated to him.

“That would be cheating on Darius, you genius,” I whisper in his ear. “Not on you!” “Oh, right...I knew that. I was just staying in character,” he says. “You are not going to cheat on Darius. Most lycans who are not mated to their erasthais don’t really care when their mates cheat, as long as they're being discreet. You and Darius are different. Goddess knows what destruction Darius is going to cause if you did.” Gah! Didn’t I know that already?

You know how people say that serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer, Paul John Knowles, or Ted Bundy were charming and enigmatic? Paul John Knowles was said to be “breathtakingly gorgeous”. Well, Robert Vitsin, the man who was responsible for the death of so many people, including Darius’s comrades and mates is all of those things. I don’t know how old he really is, but he looks like he’s in his late twenties or early thirties. His grey eyes are sharp and cunning. His straight dark hair is fashionably styled. He is good looking, charming, and charismatic but he makes my skin crawl...or maybe because I already knew what he is capable of. He’s a cold-blooded killer. The fact that he’s Polina's father, the woman that Darius tried to mark as his mate a few months back isn’t helping either. Right now his glittering calculating eyes are looking at me with creepy interest. Not like Æmilius, but rather as in “if I cut her up, how many boxes do I need to load her in?” kind of interest....or maybe that’s just all in my head.

A lot of people approached us tonight, but I notice my mate and my friends moving a lot closer as soon Robert Vitsin present himself in front of me. “It’s an honor for me to meet you and to be here Your Highness,” he says. “To be able to congratulate you on your mating and also your upcoming coronation tonight in person.” “Thank you,” I reply, keeping my eyes on him even though I want so much to look around and see how close my mate and my pack members are to me right at this moment. It’s not that I’m scared of this man...well, maybe I am. A little bit. Like I said, he gives me the creep. In my head, I calculate my moves if he tries anything. I’ll knee him in the junk. Yeah, definitely, knee in the junk. “I’m sure we’ll have the pleasure to meet again, Princess...soon.” His shrewd gaze never wavers from watching me. I feel like squirming. I hate the vibes coming off of this man. I don’t know what he’d do if he knew what I’m imagining doing to his junk in my head right now. “I hope not, Vitsin. I’m sure her mate would hate to have strange men seeing her without him,” replies Darius who suddenly appears beside me. His tone is playful and he flashes the man a smile as if to soften the blow of his cutting words. Knowing Darius, he never bothers to soften anything. His smile looks more like a dueling challenge, baring all his straight white teeth and his sharp canines.

“Yes, I would definitely hate that,” answers Caspian on my other side. “Whatever business you have, you could deal with my people.” He draws me closer to his side not even bothering to hide his disdain. “Your Highness.” Robert Vitsin’s lips stretch into a thin smile. Something flashes in his eyes, but he lowers his head in a show of respect. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing great things under your ruling.” Robert Vitsin steps back, gives us another little bow and leaves. That tiny smile never leaves his lips. “Snake,” snaps Genesis under her breath. Suddenly I realize my whole pack standing behind me. All of them are eyeing Robert Vitsin’s retreating back warily. “Never let your guard down,” says Lazarus. “The King will be making an announcement very shortly.” My heart sinks to the bottom of my expensive shoes.

Chapter 48 - Aren't We Having a Blast? I try to act as if I'm paying attention to Phillipe, Caspian’s third cousin twice removed...or something like that, as we move around on the dance floor. He asked me to dance earlier, and I reluctantly accepted. Apparently, Phillipe is 12th in line to the throne. Evidently, he doesn’t know when to stop talking. What a great loss to my fellow womenfolk everywhere, for such a good looking man, he’s such a bore. Well...okay, so he’s not a bad person, just the

most self-absorbed man I’ve ever met. I don’t know if any of the stories he told me so far has any point to them other than how great he thinks he is. It’s like listening to a bad joke without the punchline. It drives me nuts. I’ve stopped listening after less than a minute. If I keep listening, I might “accidentally” kick him in the nuts. I furiously rub my chest, telling my mate that I’m thinking about him and hoping in vain that he’d come and save me from this fate. I think I have that glazed look in my eyes. The image of my own tombstone is floating in my head. Engraved clearly for all to see on the said tombstone: “Here lies Penny. Cause of death: boredom.” I suspect Caspian must’ve known what a bore his cousin is because he practically pushed me onto the dance floor with Phillipe and told me to "have fun". He must be laughing at me right now. That thought is pissing me enough that I start imagining different ways to torture the annoying Prince Caspian...right after this dance. I almost tripped over my own feet when Phillipe suddenly says, “I guess very soon you’ll be the Queen, huh? “My mother used to say that I could make a great king. She said I have a lot to say,” he explains. “Oh, look full moon! I think it’s time I return you to Prince Caspian’s side. Did you know that the moon goddess....” I tune him out again when I see the dome-like roof over the platform where the thrones are, opens up to the night sky,

revealing the full moon. King Alexandros stands up and a few of his ministers step forward. I realize that Phillipe is still not done talking. This man really loves the sound of his own voice. I nod as if I’m listening while I crane my neck in search of Darius, Caspian, and the rest of my pack mates. Cracking sounds much like the sound of firecrackers erupt above the sound of the music, the talking and the laughter around me. I look around searching for the source, expecting to see fireworks. I hear someone screaming and people start pushing and running around us. We are being shoved and jostled and Phillipe is gripping my shoulders tightly and won’t let go. I try to push my way through to the front where the Royalties are. I catch a glimpse of the Royal guards forming a protective wall around the royalties. My heart starts hammering in my chest. What’s going on? My brain is slow in making the connection, but I think those cracking sounds weren’t fireworks, they were shots being fired. “I don’t think those were fireworks, Phillipe,” I tell him. “I think we’re under attack.” His hazel eyes are now wide with fear. Another round of cracking sound can be heard followed by more ear-splitting screams around us. Phillipe stumbles into me as people around us start to push and shove more violently, trying to get away. I try to hold Phillipe upright, but he slides

down and crumples to the floor. Crimson red blood is slowly spreading on the back of his pristine white jacket. I drop down to my knees. I think I’m in shock. People are still shoving and rushing in panic around us. A few are lying on the ground, bleeding. “Phillipe?” He’s soaking wet with blood. I gingerly grip his shoulder and shake him. “Wake up, Phillipe. Phillipe!” Oh, no! "Keep talking, Phillipe!" I can't believe I just said that. I know he isn’t dead. It takes more than a bullet to kill a lycan but a good shot like that could knock him out for a bit. He’ll stop bleeding soon, but it’ll take a few days, at least for him to recover from the shot. I try to stop people from stepping on him. It’s no use, people are stepping all over the both of us. I let out a scream when somebody steps on my hand with the pointy heel of her shoe, drawing blood. I cradle my bleeding hand to my chest. A big burly man trips and falls on me, knocking the wind out of me. That’s it! We can’t stay here. I hear another round of shots being fired above the thunderous footsteps and the screaming. Chaos. More bloody bodies drop to the floor. I get up and try to pull Phillipe’s unmoving form away. I can’t just leave him lying there. He’ll get trampled on and get more bullets in him. A big powerful body suddenly knocked me to the ground from behind.

“Get off me! Get off me!!!” I start punching and kicking wildly, trying to get the person off me when I hear his voice and notice his familiar scent. “Malyshka, it’s me! It’s me.” “Darius?” I collapsed to the floor as my body sagged in relief. He wraps an arm around me and tucks my body close to his. My back is pressed against his chest. That's when I realize that I’m shaking. “What’s going on?” “Malyshka, I’m...” I hear him say before a deafening explosion blast through the air. Everything shakes, even the ground beneath us. I cling to him as the glass ceiling and the wall mirrors shatter and fall around us like rain. I try to peek out from underneath his body, but all I see is a few bloody bodies lying close by and a thick cloud of smoke everywhere. Shards of broken glass and mirrors littering the floor. The smoke grows thicker as I watch until I can barely see anything at all. I feel like I’m deaf and blind. The pungent iron stench of blood and the acrid smell of something burning permeate the air. Are they blowing the castle up? Gunshots we can recover from, but being blown to bits and pieces...that’s not something even a mighty lycan can survive. My pack mates. My family.“Where is everybody? Are they safe?” I shudder at the thought of losing any of them. “We have to find them, Darius. We have to make sure they’re safe.” I can’t hear his answer. In fact, I can’t even hear my own voice. I can’t hear anything. My ears are ringing from the loud blast of the explosion.

Right now I don’t know much. I don’t know what’s really happening. I don’t know where my pack mates are. I can’t think of anything much except that I know my mate is sheltering me from the shards of glass, the stampede of people and whatever danger we’re in with his own body. “Darius, you must be hurt,” I tell him, desperately trying to wiggle out from under him. I imagine the shards of broken glass and mirrors slicing and embedding itself in his skin. I can’t hear his response, but his arms around me and his grip on my hip tighten. Another powerful blast penetrates through the ringing sound in my ears. I feel the ground move beneath us. More chaos ensues all around us, but my mate holds me steady. I shift and angle my body so that I’m facing him. I look up and we both stare into each other’s eyes. His impeccable hair is now messy and a few fair locks falling over his eyebrow. He has a thin cut with a smear of blood across his cheek. My breath caught in my throat when I notice that the grey of his tuxedo jacket is red with blood on his left shoulder. It’s now soaking wet and spreading fast. “You got shot,” I whisper desperately. The thought of my mate being hurt is more than I can bear. “We’ve got to get out of here and get that fixed.” I see his lips moving as if he’s talking to me but I can’t make out what he’s saying. The ringing in my ears has stopped, but everything still sounds garbled and muffled as if I’m listening to him talking while I’m underwater.

“I can’t hear you...I think I’ve gone deaf,” I tell him sadly. His eyes soften as he gazes down at me. He touches my cheek and mouths something that looks like “I love you” before he kisses my forehead. I can feel his love for me through our connection. He loves me so unselfishly and unconditionally that he’s willing to give up his life for me. Tears welled up in my eyes and I shake my head as I stare up at him. “Don’t you dare die on me.” He’s about to say something when I suddenly feel his body stiffens and his mood shifts. He looks up and I catch a glimpse of a man standing over us with an MP5 (submachine gun) pointing at Darius’s head. My mate swiftly shifts his body so that I’m completely covered. Too late, I already saw the threat to my mate. My heartbeat spikes up. My chest burns and my vision turns red. My hearing is suddenly back and very sensitive. My sensitive ears pick up a slight clicking noise. I raise my head to see another gun pointing at my head. Darius’s grip on me tightens and that’s when his eyes suddenly turn menacing black.

Chapter 49 - Into The Fire My mate is furious. Dangerous violent energy radiates off of him. His anger is red hot in my chest and it burns and fuels my

own rage. His deadly cold soulless eyes are focused on the gunman whose barrel of the gun is aimed at my head. I sense that both gunmen are werewolves. At this point though, I don’t care if they’re werewolves, lycans or unicorns, I’m craving their blood more and more as my lycan Juno surfaces. I just want to destroy the threat to my mate. My own red gaze follows the first werewolf whose gun is trained on my mate’s head. NOBODY holds a gun to my mate and gets away with it. Nobody! I want to rip his head off. I want to reach in and grab his stillbeating heart in my hand and crush it. An angry snarl escapes my mouth and the werewolf gunman strikes the barrel of the gun against the side of my head. It doesn’t hurt me much but that seems to snap whatever control my mate has. He bares his teeth and sharp canines with a hiss. In a blur of a movement, he’s standing behind the gunman. One arm is around the man’s neck while another hand is taking control of the gun. The gun that was pointing at my head is now pointing at the other gunman. My mate just stands there for a beat before he pulls the trigger. I have a feeling that he’s not hesitating, merely giving the men the privilege of knowing what’s coming to them. A sickening cracking noise followed the sound of the gunshot even before the first gunman’s body hit the ground. Darius twists the second man’s head right after he pulls the trigger.

I look down at the two bodies lying on the floor, unmoving. One man has bullet holes in his head while the other man with his head turned at a weird angle. My red tinted haze recedes. I feel my own lycan, Juno rejoicing. It’s retreating, giving me back the control with almost an unrestrained bubbling evil glee. I stare back up at my mate in awe. He was so fast. His movement was graceful and precise. His eyes are still black with the veins snaking out from his eye sockets. I can sense his struggle to control his lycan. I step towards him and he tugs me into him. He buries his face in my hair and his nose brushes over my neck while he takes a deep breath. I sigh and press my face into the crook of his neck. His heady scent is calming my lycan even more. “Malyshka,” he breathes against my skin. “You’re okay.” “I’m okay,” I assure him. He twined the locks of my hair that has come undone through his fingers while he nuzzles my ear. “Listen to me, Любимая (lyubimaya: sweetheart), that was only the first stage of the attack. Explosions and werewolf rebels with guns. It was a distraction to weaken us. The second round of the attack is coming. My bet is, it will be lycan rebels. Hand combats with the royal army to grab what they came here for...” he leaves the sentence hanging. He doesn’t need to finish it. I know what or who they’re after. The moment King Alexandros announced that he’s crowning Caspian and me as King and Queen tonight, we knew they were coming for me or Caspian.

“Do they know that I’m your mate? Are they coming for me as your mate or as the future queen?” I’m curious to know. “I don’t know and I don’t care, but they can’t have you,” he answers gruffly. “Malyshka,” he whispers. “Stay close to me. Whatever you do, don’t let them take you away from me.” He draws back to look into my eyes. “Promise me.” His own eyes are now back to icy blue but they are cold and ruthless. I sense his steely determination and resolve. He’d do anything to keep me alive. I cup his cheeks with both hands and rub my thumb across his skin. “I’ll do whatever I can not to be taken by them if you promise to stay alive. “If you dare to get yourself killed, I will personally kill you myself...again. I swear.” Wait, that doesn’t sound right. I brow furrows as I start to think things through. “I mean, don’t you dare die on me. If you die, you know I’m gonna have to go after whoever killed you. Then I’ll die because they have to kill me because I won’t stop...and you don’t want that....” He places a finger on my lips, effectively stopping my endless illogical blabbering. “Malyshka,” he says, pressing his forehead against mine. Why can’t I talk properly when I’m pissed off or when I’m nervous or scared? He pulls back to stare down at me. His clear blue eyes are studying my face as if he’s memorizing it. He traces his finger gently over my lower lip. The thought of never seeing him again has me gasping for breath. My heart clenches painfully in my chest.

“Don’t you dare die on me...because I wouldn’t survive without you,” I tell him as soon as he removes his finger. “I love you,” I blurt out. He stares at me as if transfixed. Something stirs in his eyes and suddenly his mouth swoops down to capture mine. Warm lips moving against mine urgently, demandingly, and reverently. “You are my life,” he says against my lips. It sounds like a confession and a vow. “Come, this place is burning, let’s get out of here,” he urges me as he grasps my hand. He turns and I see his back clearly for the first time since the attack. Blood stains the back of his suit from a gunshot wound on his shoulder, cuts from splinters of glass and mirrors everywhere, even on his neck...it must be painful but he doesn’t even wince or complain once. Those sharp glass and mirrors still embedded in his skin should be taken out for him to heal properly. Right now though, I know his priority is to get us somewhere safe. Already, half of the huge ballroom is destroyed by the explosions. The bright brilliant lights from the chandeliers are long gone. Heat radiates from the blazing fire that’s licking the wall and the roof of the ballroom. Through the thickening, billowing smoke, I see some of the palace’s guards pulling the bodies of the unconscious lycans out of the burning room. Darius pulls me down low to the ground as the smoke thickens. It’s hard for me to figure out which way is out, but he seems to know where we’re going. The smell of smoke is suffocating and overwhelming. I cling to him and press my nose into his chest.

Fortunately, we don’t have to go too far to reach the heavy ornate doors of the ballroom. If I’m not mistaken, the ballroom has fifteen exit doors. It seems like this one is closed to contain the fire. Darius pulls the big doors open easily. As soon as we exit the ballroom, I drag in a lungful of much needed fresh air. My mate brings me closer to his body and his grip tightens almost painfully around me. His body is rigid. That’s when I notice that we are standing in the grand hallway of the castle and that there are fighters from both sides fighting around us. Not only that, but we are surrounded by five big lycans and they do not look very friendly. Why are these lycans have to be so big? I feel like a midget among them and I’m 5′9". “Hello, Commander Rykov,” says a familiar voice. I would know that voice anywhere now. I’m very bad with names, but I’d remember his name forever. Robert Vitsin steps forward from behind one of the men with a big charming smile on his face. “Vitsin,” returns Darius through gritted teeth. “I knew a traitor like you is behind all this.” The man’s smile turns into an ugly sneer. “A traitor to you, a clever opportunist to others...what's the difference? Tomato, to-mah-to, isn’t that what they say?” he says. "You should've mated my daughter. You know, it would be beneficial for both of us if we work together. There’s no need for this to turn uglier, Rykov. Now, just hand us the Princess and we’ll all leave.” “No,” growls my mate. His anger is spiking.

Robert Vitsin watches us speculatively. His eyes narrow at the protective and possessive way Darius is holding me. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought that she belongs to you rather than to the Prince,” he states mockingly. “Or perhaps the rumor is true...that a high ranking warrior of the Royal army, a trusted close friend of the Prince covets his mate, the future queen.” His eyes move slyly between the two of us. “She’s coming with us one way or another,” continues Vitsin, looking miffed when his taunt is met with silence by my mate. He angles his head as a signal to his men. They all step forward. Two of the men are already starting to phase into their lycan form, ready to attack. “She’s not going anywhere with you. Touch her and you’re dead,” hisses my mate fiercely. Intense, menacing anger emanates from him in strong currents and waves that Vitsin’s men slightly but noticeably hesitate before taking another step closer. Darius pulls me behind him and I squeeze his hand before letting go. I stand with my back to him. I watch the men around us warily. One of them is slowly approaching me. He's dressed impeccably, better than the other four. Actually, he doesn’t look much different from any of those wealthy lycan elites. I bend down while keeping my eyes on the man, slowly slipping off my high heels while he watches. A lecherous smile is slowly spreading across his face. If he thinks I’m going to be an easy target, he’s dead wrong. I’m ready to fight but right now I’m cursing the dress that I’m wearing.

I’m not stupid, I know these men are stronger than I am. However, I have speed and quick thinking on my side...I think. I hear the roar and the fighting behind me and I know that my mate is fighting off the other lycans. My vision is starting to turn red at the thought of someone trying to hurt my mate. I want to turn around and help him but the pervy lecherous man is getting too close. He makes a grab for me and I swiftly duck to evade his grasp. He tries to reach for me again when a hand reaches back to seize him by his neck. My mate is fighting two other lycans while holding the lecherous perv’s neck in a death grip. I whip my head around when two big hands clasp my shoulders painfully. I find myself staring into cold calculating eyes of Robert Vitsin. A cruel menacing smile is etching on his lips. “I told you we’d meet again, Princess.” His dark sinister smile widens and his grips on my shoulders tighten. “Yesss...so you did,” I tell him, flashing him a grin. My voice is a low hiss. My lips are stretching over my sharp teeth and canines. There’s a quick look of surprise on his face before I jab my fingers into his eyes with as much force as I can. Robert Vitsin screams. He clutches and covers his eyes with one hand, yelling profanities in Russian. His grip on me is still very strong. He's still not letting me go. That’s when I kneed him in the nuts. * A quick note to my amazing readers: Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews, votes, love, and

support. I'm trying to update more often so that I can start posting Caspian's story soon. Much love - Nicole

Chapter 50 - An Offer He Can't Refuse The magnificent Grand Hallway of the castle is now a battlefield bathed in blood. The smoke from the ballroom cannot be contained as six out of the fifteen entrances to the ballroom are now wide black gaping holes of hell. Black thick smoke is rolling out of them into the massive hallway, obscuring my vision. After I freed myself from Robert Vitsin, another one of his men grabbed me and dragged me further away from Darius. There were so many of them focusing on us. I managed to get away from him too but I think he broke my arm and left deep claw marks down my back. Now, blood is trickling down my heavy gown. My arm is bent gruesomely and pretty much useless. If any of them attack me now, I know my chances of fighting and getting away again is very slim even in my lycan form. Suddenly, two strong hands land on my shoulders and I jump in fright. The feeling of terror, panic, and helplessness swamp over me. I hate to feel this way. I am not weak, damn it! “Princess, Commander Rykov's order. You have to come with me,” says a big man in front of me. Yeah, right! Like I believe him. I don’t think so. “Over my dead body, you freak!” With that, I jump and kick him in the nuts. The man howls in pain and crumples in a fetal position on the floor. Nothing makes a grown man howl like a sissy faster than a swift kick in the balls. Then I run. I hear footsteps following behind me. I don’t know if they’re after me or other people running for safety. I don’t care nor can I see where I’m going. My heart feels like it’s bursting out of my chest. Darius, I need you! All of a sudden, I feel a crippling fear. The feeling is so strong that I stumble to my knees. Is it my mate? I blocked our connection to keep running blindly through the smoke-filled hallway. Did my mate feel what I was feeling before? Did I distract him fighting our enemy with my fear? Please be safe. I push myself to run faster until I reach a steel door at the end of the corridor. I push it open and find myself standing in an empty kitchen. Smoke fills the air in here too as some parts of the

kitchen are on fire. Broken dishes are everywhere. Pots are still boiling and burning on the stove, food spilling on the table and the floor. Utter chaos. Suddenly I know where I’m going. I run to the back and enter the pantry. I drop on my hand and knees as soon as I hear the door of the kitchen being opened. More footsteps walking around. I crawl to the spice rack and quickly pour spices all over myself. Then I crawl underneath it, dragging my broken arm behind me until I find a small opening and slip inside as quietly as I can. I find myself in the narrow dark tunnel that I was in just this afternoon. I just hope that the spices, the smell of the burning building and food will be enough to mask my scent from those people who are looking for me. My heart is still beating fast. I sit on the cold dirty floor and place my head against the wall, listening to the muffled voices of men talking. Then I hear their footsteps getting nearer until they’re in the pantry just on the other side of the wall.

Darius’s POV This is an all-out attack on the Palace ground. Currently, I’m facing five men. Not an ideal situation, especially when I’m already injured. A bullet is lodged in my left shoulder. The muscle is already trying to heal itself and bonding around it. It’s painful and making it hard for me to move my arm properly. Persephone! I’ve lost sight of her when I was fighting the two men who are now lying as a pile of broken limbs on the floor. My eyes desperately scan my hazy surrounding. I spot Constantine fighting another massive fighter further down the hall, but no Persephone. I curse myself for losing sight of her. I know my woman is a fighter but some of these men are easily twice her size and have been fighting for decades if not centuries. I’ve blocked our bond all this time, especially throughout the ball so that nobody can sense my feelings for her and detect our mate bond to each other. I don’t think that matters anymore now. So, I open my feelings to our bond and feel the myriad of her feelings: anger, anxiousness, worry... It can be a good thing since I know that she’s still alive. An arm curled around my neck from behind, almost lifting me off my feet, crushing my windpipe. I sink my claws into the arm that's choking me and the man roars as he swipes his

sharp claws over my unprotected left ribcage. Blood gushes out of the lacerations. Damn it! I lost my focus when I was trying to locate my mate. Another man approaches with deadly sharp claws and teeth drawn, already salivating at the thought of ripping me apart. I sink my claws further into the arm and swing my legs up towards the man in front of me, aiming just above his stomach, delivering a swift kick to the liver. He crashes back and I use the momentum to kick the man behind me with the heels of my feet. That brings us both crashing down on the floor and I swiftly slide out of his hold. Through the open bond, I feel my mate’s alarm and terror. It shouts to me like a piercing scream. Calling for me. My mate needs me. Fear grips me like nothing before. My lycan is in a fury, clawing to take full control. I let out a growl. I need to find my mate. Now! With a renewed vengeance, I grab his shoulder and the base of his skull and rip him apart. I let my fury takes over. My red vision is turning darker as I tear through my enemies. My mate! My mate needs me. “Darius!” I almost rip the arm off before his words penetrate my red *haze. “...find Persephone,” he says. Lazarus. “I need my mate,” I hiss at him. “Yes, we’re looking for her.” He grips my shoulders firmly when he is sure that I’m not going to try to shred him to pieces. “Penny needs you to be in control. We need to find her. You need to control your lycan. Control your lycan now!” She is still alive. She is still alive. I need to find her.

“You need to calm down, Darius. Losing control isn’t going to help us find her,” says Constantine. His mate, Genesis is standing next to him with red swollen eyes. Serena doesn’t look any better. I growl in frustration. Calm down? It’s almost 45 minutes since I last saw my mate. 20 minutes since the last of our enemy was killed. 5 minutes since they managed to contain the fire. The rest of the rebels ran off, not being able to sustain the fight for much longer. They lost too many of their men.

I will not survive without my mate. I need her like I need air to breathe. Without her, my chest is constricted in the worst pain possible. The longer my mate is missing, the worse it feels. My vision keeps turning red every few seconds. My rage and my lycan are fighting to take over. I can’t stand still. I almost killed the doctor who tried to take the bullet out of my shoulder. Now it’s still lodged in there. She had closed off her feelings and blocked our bond not long after I sensed her fear. That makes it hard for me to pinpoint her whereabouts. We have the guards scouring the whole palace and the palace’s ground looking for her. We ourselves had been searching through the East wing. We all turn to the doorway as we hear footsteps approaching. “I’m sorry sir, we’re still unable to locate her,” says Eva. I snarl and close my fingers tightly around the back of a chair to stop myself from swinging my fist at her. I feel bad when she flinches. I need to control myself. She was assigned to head the search for my mate around the ballroom area. “We followed her faint scent into the kitchen. That’s where it ended. We couldn’t get anymore scent.” That’s it. I’m done waiting around. “Keep searching,” I bark my order at her as I stalk my way to the door. “Yes, sir,” she responds and bolts as if her ass was on fire. “Darius, we need a plan before we go barging in,” says Lazarus, following me closely as I continue walking out the door. All my pack mates are trailing behind us. I see his point. Entering the enemy’s lair without a plan is sheer insanity. He is thinking like a trained army. Something I'm not doing right now, but I need to move or else I’m going into a rage. Every second away from my mate, my control is slipping. They can see my eyes keep shifting colors, as are theirs once in a while. They're trying very hard to keep in control. I take a deep breath, trying to control my raging feelings and reign in my lycan. “If Robert Vitsin has her we have to move now. I know how Robert Vitsin operates,” I tell them. I am not waiting for my mate’s body to be delivered in neat little boxes. This is my nightmare coming true in all my tortured nights. My lycan is clawing to be let out. The only thing that keeps me rational right now is that I can still feel her soul entwined with mine. She’s still with me. She is still alive. For now. “We don’t know for sure if he has her,” says Lazarus.

“I’m not waiting around to find out,” I retort. “How are we going to approach Vitsin? Are we just going to barge in and attack everything that moves while looking for her? We need to form a plan,” insists Lazarus. “Vitsin approached me during the ball,” I announce as we dash down the hall of the East wing that has not been affected by the blast and the fighting. “He suggested a meeting, just between me and him. He hinted at an offer that would benefit us both.” “That’s good. We can form a plan around that,” says Constantine. “I don’t think they knew that Beany’s your mate. If they knew, she’d be dead by now," suggests Caspian. "They still think she’s the future queen. They want to use her as leverage to get what they want. They won’t kill her. She’s more useful to them alive rather than dead.” He’s right. “We’re coming with you to your meeting, but stay hidden until you need us,” says Constantine. “Caspian, you’re going to have to sit this one out.” “The hell I am,” Caspian snaps out angrily. “I’m not hiding away in the safety of the palace, playing Monopoly with the guards while my pack mates are risking their lives. Besides, Beany needs me.” “Penny needs all of us but our enemy wants you too. This is like delivering you right into their hands,” argues Constantine. Personally, I don’t care to argue with the Prince. I don’t see him staying back while Persephone is in danger. Prince Caspian does what Prince Caspian wants. I just want my mate back safely in my arms. I really need to be in total control now. I need to stay in focus for my mate. I have to close our connection to prevent anybody from sensing our mate bond. Closing our bond at this moment is very painful for me to do but Caspian is right. If they knew Persephone is my mate, chances are they would kill her very quickly. If they still think that she’s the future queen, she’s more valuable to them alive rather than dead. “I will meet with him to find out what his offer is. Constantine, you contact our agents and informants inside their network. Find out if any of them know her whereabouts. Lazarus, gather our men. Surround the place. Wait for my signal to infiltrate his fort. This will end tonight.”

I’m being escorted by two men through a bleak, plain, and cold grey brick corridor. I contacted Robert Vitsin earlier and he gave me the address to this old warehouse. I already know that this building is one of a few owned by him to run his operations. The men lead me right to the end of the corridor where a heavy wooden door prevents us from going any further. One of the men knocks briefly before he turns the knob to open the door. This is clearly an office, but it is opulently decorated, a stark contrast to the drab austere hallway and the rest of the building. A big mahogany table sits in the center of the room. Robert Vitsin is sitting comfortably on the big red plush leather chair behind it. Standing behind him in a revealing red silk dress is his daughter, Polina. Why is he bringing his daughter into this? “Commander Rykov. We meet again,” he says with a sly smile. “Please, have a seat.” He motions towards one of the three deep chairs in front of me. “You came after all. I thought you weren’t interested in what I have to offer by the way you fought with my men at the castle this evening,” he adds. “Of course, I have to put up a good fight. I’m one of the best fighters, I couldn’t let your man take me down,” I tell him. “I can understand and I respect that.” He nods in approval. “I am, however, curious to know about your offer." I lean back in my chair comfortably as if I'm at ease even though inside I'm coiled tight like a spring. “You are?” He raises an eyebrow, regarding me carefully. “Yes, with the right offer, I might be...swayed.” I give him a little smile. “My offer is very generous,” he says. “I would like us to work together, Rykov. I heard a lot of good things about you. I want you to be my eyes and ears in the Royal army and the palace. A trusted top fighter like you will be invaluable to my organization.” “Who else is involved?” I ask him. "I would like to know who I'm going to be dealing with if I were to take your offer."

“All in due time, Commander. That information is dangerous. However, that’s not very important right now. If we do it right, we won’t be working with anybody at all,” he answers smugly. “That brings us to what I’m offering you." Oh, so he’s planning on double-crossing whoever he’s working for. I wish I knew which one of the royalties he’s working for and plan to screw over. There’s no honor among thieves. “I’m offering you immense power. Polina,” he gestures to his daughter who has been watching me with big adoring eyes and a slightly coy but smug smile on her face. She leaves her father’s side and rounds the table to stand directly in front of me. She parks her ass on the table and raises one foot over the other. The slit of her red silk dress slides open, revealing the bare skin of her long leg all the way up to her hip. “Mate with my daughter, be part of our family and you’ll know everything. Mate with my daughter, my sole heir and be my successor. You’ll rule the world of lycans and werewolves as king and queen one day.

“I have a bad temper. I often take out my anger on my mate and my daughter. I know my reputation as a bad mate and a bad father preceded me, but what people don’t know is that I’m very generous with them. I like to indulge my mate and my daughter. I give my mate and my daughter whatever their little hearts desire,” he says. “Right now, you are what my daughter wants and that’sChapter 51 - One With Royal

Ambition “You were planning to mate her a few months ago, so what’s changed?” he asks me. “I know a warrior like you won’t like a weak and stupid little woman, but I can assure you, she’s very intelligent, my Polina,” Vitsin says proudly. “I’ve been grooming her to take over my business since she was very young. She knows everything there is to know about my operation. I can trust her to be in charge of certain operations now, isn’t that right, angel?”

“Right, daddy.” She suddenly pushes away from the table and moves closer to me. Her eyes never leaving me, her hips swaying. She walks slowly around the back of my chair while she runs her fingers along my arm, my shoulder, and the back of my neck. Then she lowers her ass to sit sideways on my lap, crossing one leg up over the other so that the slit of her dress slides open all the way down. “She’ll be in charge of a lot more one day and she’s completely loyal to me," he says to me before turning to her daughter. "Do you like what I just did to you, angel?” “Very much. Thank you, daddy,” she says, smiling coyly at me. Her fingers dance around the nape of my neck to play with my hair. What am I? A new toy for his daughter? I almost laugh aloud at the thought and the absurdity of the situation. “So, not only would you gain powerful allies and possible great power in the future, you’ll also be getting an amazingly clever, and exquisite mate. My daughter is beautiful, is she not?” continues Vitsin. True, Polina is beautiful...as many other lycan women out there but I don’t have the slightest interest in her. It might sound mushy as fuck but my heart and my soul are completely taken. My Malyska is the only reason I’m here. My plan to mate Polina a few months ago was a huge mistake. The worst mistake in my life. How could I make Polina my mate when I couldn’t even stand to touch her?

The event of the night when I decided to mark her was a blur except for the first kiss I shared with Persephone and the look of despair in her eyes when she saw us in my room. I hurt my erasthai very badly and I will not make the same mistake again. Right now I have to focus on getting my mate back. The result of losing her would be devastating and catastrophic. I have to push aside the thought of never having her back in my arms again or else I would lose control. My heart aches even more for my mate at this very moment. “That’s an interesting proposition, Vitsin,” I comment. “What if I turn this offer of yours down?” I pull Polina’s hand out of my hair and places it on her lap her so that she’s no longer touching me. “We’re prepared for the possibility that you’re going to say no. That’s why this place is like a fortress. My men are everywhere. There’s no way out of here with your spine still attached to your body unless you’re with us. We can’t just let you go free after knowing what you know.” “Oh, please say yes, darling. I’ll be heartbroken if daddy has to kill you. Please, daddy has such big plans for us.” Polina takes my hand in hers, tangling her fingers with mine, then she places it flat on her exposed thigh. “I have big plans for us,” she adds seductively as she runs her finger up the back of my hand and my arm then back down again. I fight the intense urge to rip my hands out of her grip and push her off me. I can’t stand her scent and her touch. That’s another thing that I now remember. I tried to imagine her as Persephone that night, but her scent was repulsive to my lycan.

Her touch only served to irritate me. Now it is more unbearable after knowing that she’s in a cohort with her father. She’s responsible for the death of my friends and their mates, and so many others. I have a wild, almost uncontrollable desire to snap both their necks and rip their spines off right now. “Of course, I would be a fool to turn down such a generous offer,” I respond casually. I remove my hands from Polina’s and grip the armrest of the chair tightly. I flash her a smile to smooth any ruffled feathers from the gesture. She smiles back happily and I continue, “So, I gather you have the Princess now.” “Not yet,” replies Vitsin with an unpleasant scowl. His face turns red and his lips twisted in anger. “She got away. That woman fought like a hellcat. Wait till I get my hands on her.” I can’t help the surge of pride that filled my chest. My mate is a fighter. The pain I’ve been carrying in my chest ease somewhat knowing that Vitsin doesn’t have my mate. Getting his repulsive hands on my beautiful mate is something that will never happen. I will make sure of that. “I gather you don’t know where she is right now, Rykov? Is she not at the Palace?” he asks me. “I didn’t see her at the Palace...but then again, the Palace is in chaos right now. She might be with her mate,” I reply. The man in front of me smiles smugly. Clearly, he’s quite proud of what they accomplished at the Palace this evening.

“Well, she won’t get away from us forever. We’ll get her soon. I know you’re quite fond of her...judging by the way you were protecting her this evening. I want to know if that’s going to be a problem.” Vitsin produces a box of cigars and a bottle of Vodka from a drawer. “I really hate her,” says Polina suddenly and vehemently. Her face contorts with hatred and jealousy yet her voice remains strangely soft. It’s disturbing. “If you want to be daddy’s heir, you have to prove yourself. You have to bring her to us. We’ll let our men have their fun with her before we end her,” she says, suddenly looking excited. “Not just yet, Polina,” he frowns at her in disapproval. “We need to keep her alive for a while. I’ll let you finish her off after she’s no longer useful to us.” My chest burns in anger and red hues cloud my eyes. My lycan wants to finish these two off right now. I lower my eyes and grit my teeth but keep my smile in place. “I’m not fond of her, as you put it. It won’t be a problem at all bringing her in.” The lie rolls smoothly like acid on my tongue. I look up as soon as I know that my eyes are back to normal. Vitsin is pouring the Vodka into three glasses. He hands us a glass each to celebrate our new alliance. I watch Vitsin carefully. I believe he’s speaking the truth when he said that they don’t have my Malyshka. Now, where can that mate of mine be?

I casually touch the gold watch around my wrist, look at them and lift my lips up into a smirk. “She trusts me. That would make our job easier,” I tell them while I push a button on the side of my watch. “Now, tell me more about your plans for us and what else am I getting out of this.” That button sends a signal for Lazarus to send our men in. Now that I’m sure Persephone isn’t anywhere in this building, I’m free to destroy everyone and everything in it without hurting her. My fingers are itching to tear these two in front of me to pieces right now.

Penny’s POV Once the adrenaline rush dies down, the pain starts to throb. The scratches on my back have stopped bleeding but my broken arm tries to heal at a weird angle. I can’t move it now. It is awkward and painful. I tear down my barrier, trying to sense my mate’s feelings and check on my pack’s condition through our connection. I’m very worried about them and feel stupid for hiding away when they’re risking their lives fighting out there. I realize that the enemy was targeting me as their assault on us was relentless. I wanted to keep my promise to my mate to never getting myself captured by the enemy and I knew I didn’t have the strength to save myself let alone fight in the condition I was in before. I think I’m ready to go back and fight now. I roll out to the other side of the wall from underneath the bottom shelf of the pantry, pinning my now useless arm close to my body with another hand. Dark, dank, and cold. I’m not too sorry to leave the shelter of the tunnel.

There’s no more fire in the kitchen or out in the hallway. A worker walks past me, pushing a gurney with a pile of broken bloody limbs. I try not to gag at the strong stench of blood and open flesh. A few men in the hallway halt what they’re doing to gape at me. I know they are part of the royal guards by their uniforms. One of the men seems to recover quicker than the others and mutters something in Russian into his headpiece. The others hastily give me a quick bow then avert their eyes to gaze at the floor. Hmm...I wonder what’s so interesting about the floor. Nope, I don’t see anything worth staring at down there. Guards are weird! Well, at least there are no more enemies attacking us left and right. Not a minute later Eva comes running down the hall looking like she can hardly believe her eyes. She is still in her lavender evening gown which is now almost gray from the smoke and stained with blood splatters. She instantly pulls me into a hug then she seems to come to her senses and draws back. “Your Highness.” She gives me a bow before her eyes widen like saucers. She looks around then she holds out a hand to one of the Royal guards behind me. He hands her his jacket which she promptly drapes around my shoulders.

“Where is Darius? Where is Genesis? Where is everybody?” I ask Eva as soon as we safely reach the drawing room in the East wing, our private part of the palace. I was expecting to see Darius and my pack mates here. “Is anybody hurt? Are they okay?” I couldn’t feel my mate’s feelings as he was blocking our

connection when I opened my senses a while ago. I didn’t feel any pain of broken ties or anything different either. If he or anybody in my pack was badly hurt or worse...I would have felt it. Wouldn’t I? “I think they went to attack the enemy to get you back because they thought you were taken,” answers Eva. “What???” No, no, no...this is not happening! “We have to do something! Eva, you have to take me there!” I grab Eva’s upper arm with my good hand. “No, we can’t!” answers Eva. “I’m not quite sure where they went. Besides, I think Commander Rykov and Prince Caspian would kill me if I brought you to the enemy. Do you know that the enemy wants you?” “Oh, my goddess Eva! Of course, I knew that!” This woman...I swear. “I don’t care! You have to help me. You have to get me to them.” “I’m sorry, Penny, I can’t...it’ll be too dangerous for you. I have to keep you safe or Commander Rykov would kill me,” she says, looking quite anxious. Oh, gosh! She’s scared of my mate that much? What did he do to her? “Fine! I’ll go by myself!” I wail. I don’t know where to go or how to get there, but I’ll figure it out...somehow. “Wait! You can’t do that!” says Eva, looking horrified. Her Russian accent is very thick when she’s upset. She sighs in

defeat then adds reluctantly, “Okay, I’ll take you...but you can’t go out like that.” She makes a gesture towards my body with her hand. I look down and it all makes sense. My gown is in tatters. It’s showing more than it’s hiding. Gah! No wonder those Royal guards were staring at the floor. “Look at your arm. It needs to be reset. You have to see a doctor,” she adds. “I don’t have time to see a doctor,” I tell her. “Then I have to reset it for you,” she replies. “It’s going to hurt...a lot, but you have to promise not to hit me.” She’s staring at me warily. For someone who’s not too observant, it’s surprising how well Eva knows me by now.

I’m not going to lie. It hurt like a mother f*ck*r. I swore like a sailor. Tears ran down my face as Eva cracked my bone into place. If she wasn't helping me, I would've smacked her for hurting me like that. Fortunately, Eva seemed to know what she’s doing. Now I'm pacing the floor of my dressing room, waiting for Eva to come back. I’ve changed into a pair of black yoga pants, a black knitted sweater, and a pair of knee-high combat boots. I pull a black beanie over my hair. My arm is still hurting right now, but at least the bone is resetting the right way.

A minute later, Eva comes back wearing her black Royal army uniform. Her hair is neatly french braided as usual when she’s on duty. “Ready?” asks Eva. “Yep!” I answer forcefully. “You know where we’re going?” “I think so...” That doesn’t sound too convincing. “Then let’s go!” I tell her. I’m going to get my mate and my pack back.

Chapter 52 - One That Blows Darius’s POV I put my glass down on the floor while Polina drained hers and places it on the table. Vitsin is looking more relaxed. This is his third glass of Vodka. I barely touch mine. The more he drinks, the more freely he talks and the more belligerent he grows. Polina seems eager to please her father and it’s clear that they share the same opinion. She’s as sick as he is and seems to know just about everything there is to know about her father’s operation. I would love to know which of the Royalty they’re working for. I would like an opportunity to get the information out of them. Too bad I would have to kill them both soon.

I watch them interacting and form a plan in my head. I know Robert Vitsin wouldn’t easily reveal his allies despite his eagerness to double cross them. He must know by now how unscrupulous they are...after all, he’s one them. I would have to take him out soon. Polina, on the other hand, is easier to crack. “Who is it that you’re working with? I know he or she is somebody important or very close to the Royals,” I try again. “Like I said before, it’s privileged information,” answers Vitsin. “You won’t be privy to that information until you’ve proven yourself.” He tips his glass back, draining the clear liquid. “Yes, darling. We’ll tell you everything once you make Daddy happy by delivering the Prince or the Princess’s head to us,” adds Polina with a giggle. I suppress a wince when she presses down on my injured shoulder. The bullet that’s still buried in there is bothering me. She touches the side of my face and leans in for a kiss. I avert my face in time, her lips land on my cheek. I see her pouting from the corner of my eyes. “Now, stop asking unless you want me to start questioning where your loyalty really lies,” snaps Vitsin. I can see that he’s starting to get suspicious. He should’ve gotten suspicious of me a long time ago. He should have never trusted me in the first place. I casually wrap my arm around Polina’s shoulders and bring her body closer to mine. She offers no resistance as she leans back against my chest with a sigh. I run my fingers over her neck and she shivers with pleasure. “Maybe you should start

questioning my loyalty,” I inform Vitsin as I tighten my hold on her. “What do you mean?” he asks me, suddenly looking weary. I reach out and curl my hand around her head. A quick twist of my wrist and her body sagged against me, motionless. I’ve snapped and broke her neck. Robert Vitsin springs up from his comfortable chair. His eyes turn inky black within a second. “You...traitor!” He hisses. “Harsh,” I tell him as I push Polina’s limp unmoving body off me. She hits the floor with a thud. “I think I prefer the word “clever opportunist”. I throw the words he uttered to me at the palace this evening back in his face. I unfold myself out of the chair to stand in front of him challengingly. My loyalty to the person I love and the people I ally myself with is unquestionable. My devotion is definite. “I told you there’s no way you’re stepping out of here still breathing. My men will kill you.” He bares his teeth, pulling his lips back into a nasty smile. A shrill alarm sound came on a speaker. “Security Breach. We’re under attack,” comes a voice from the same speaker. “How bad?” he asks the voice on the speaker. “Bad. Royal Army. Sneak attack. So many of them,” answers the voice. It’s true. I didn’t hold back this time. I wanted to destroy Robert Vitsin once and for all. After the attack on

Banehallow Castle and the disappearance of the Crown Princess, The Royal Army was very accommodating in providing as many men as I requested. Not only that, we also have Prince Caspian’s personal security detail men who work under Lazarus with us. His smile turns into a snarl. “You’re ruining it. You could have had everything. Now I have no choice but to blow this whole place up. I told you, you’re not getting out of this place alive,” he says. At this very moment, I decided to let my bond to my mate reach out to her. My heart aches for her. I let her know how much I love her and how happy I am that she is safe. “I’m prepared for a situation such as this, that’s why this place is wired and programmed to blow up with my order. This office will blow up soon. With you gone and no paper trail left, there will be no evidence against me.” I lift my gold wristwatch up to my mouth and snaps, “You heard that, Lazarus. Get yourself and our men out of here, fast!” As soon as the words leave my mouth, the room implodes from the first explosion.

Penny’s POV It wasn’t such a long drive to get here. Eva decided that it’s safer for us to park the car on one of the side roads and

approach the building from behind. Which was why we had to climb a little hill. The dawn is breaking. Now we’re walking behind trees and bushes since we can’t hide behind the darkness of the night anymore. The rose pink hues are staining the purple sky. It has been a long night. All I want is my mate’s warm loving arms back around me and my pack’s presence. All of them. My heart has been hurting for a while now. It’s been getting worse with every passing minute. I need my mate. There is no way I can sit quietly in the safety of the palace when he’s in danger out there. My heart hurts even more just by the thought of not seeing him or my pack mates again. Where they’re going, I’m going with them. If they perished, I’m going to perish with them. It’s not a choice. We’re looking down at a three-story single structure in the middle of nowhere. It’s a big old industrial looking building with a crumbling, rusty steel fence on one side. Not a single light can be seen through the windows of the building. This doesn’t look at all like a place that I expected to see. I imagined a place crawling with soldiers and rebels with explosives going off everywhere. Not a quiet place like this. The place looks abandoned. The snow-covered trees surrounding the building makes it look almost peaceful. “Are you sure this is the right place, Eva?” I scan our surrounding skeptically. “Yes, Leo told me this is it,” she answers.

“It doesn’t look like the place. Who is this Leo? Do you know him well? Can we trust him?” “Calm down, Penny. It’s the only lead that I have. Nobody else seems to know where they've gone to. Leo is one of Commander Rykov’s trusted men. I’ve known him for years. He’s what you call...my regular hook-up.” Regular hook up? Only Eva can say regular hook up in such a matter of fact tone of voice. I understand that not all members of the Royal army know about this mission. We’re worried about a double agent reporting our movements to the higher-up. Only the selected and trusted ones are in it. I guess most of the men who are involved are with Darius and the rest of my pack mates now. The crisp winter air is nipping at my cheeks and my nose. There is no wind. I can’t smell anything out of the ordinary when I raise my nose to sniff out any significant scent around us. “Are you sure this is the place?” I ask her again. I know I’m being annoying, if I were Eva, I would’ve socked me by now. She doesn’t answer me this time. She pulls me closer to her side and points at one of the broken windows at the very top where I detect a slight movement. We both simultaneously squat down on our hunches, watching the window closely. Sure enough, there are some movements behind the broken, yellowing glass. In fact, there are movements everywhere now. There’s a man dressed in a black royal army uniform crawling along the edge of the top of the

building. There are men scouring the walls of the building. My heart starts to beat faster. “This is it! This is the place, Penny!” Eva whispers urgently. Her hand is gripping my arm tightly. Her hands are like iron bands around my arms as I start to crawl forward. “Let go, Eva,” I tell her. “No, you’re not going in there. It’s dangerous! Commander Rykov wouldn’t want you to go in there.” “He’s not my commander, let go, Eva!” “No.” Her jaw is set stubbornly. “He’s your mate, but he’s MY Commander and I’m doing my job. I have to keep you safe. Can’t you see how dangerous it is?” That’s exactly why I have to go in there. I manage to break free from her strong grip and sprint to the front of the building as fast as I can. "Umphhh!!" She jumps right on top of me. “Eva! Damn it!!! If you don’t let me go, I’m going to hurt you,” I threaten her. "Eva, look!" I tell her when I spot Genesis, Serena, and a couple of men crouching low to the ground near one of the side entrances of the building. Our scuffle earlier must have caught their attention. I see Genesis staring at me with her mouth open. Serena’s brown eyes are wide with disbelief.

Eva let go of me and I try to crawl up to them, but a big bulky body pushes me down roughly to the crunchy snow covered ground. The man's sharp claws are digging into my back. In a flash, he is being pushed off me and suddenly Eva is on top of him, dragging her sharp claws and sinking her teeth into him. My body stiffens and I straighten up. I can feel my mate, like a gentle touch to my soul. Like a loving embrace through our bond. Suddenly a loud explosion breaks the silence. We all look up to watch in horror as the top level of the building blows up. One explosion after another. Something isn’t right. My mate. My lover. I can’t feel him. “NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!” Something snaps inside of me and I fall to my knees. Emptiness. No, no, no...I can’t breathe. My whole body is burning up. I’m gasping and shaking. My lycan feels what I can’t comprehend. Uncontrollable rage is taking over. I see red everywhere I look. Every sane thought fades away as darkness, bleakness, and fury take over.

Darius’s POV I must’ve blacked out from the force of the fall and the blast. I don’t know how long I was out for, but my head and my whole body are hurting. I remember grabbing Polina by her foot and jumping out of the exploding building through a window of the three-story building.

For a while, my ears are ringing. I glance around to see Polina lying face down in the snow just a couple of feet away from where I am. I see men fighting and a few lying on the ground. I open my senses to check on my pack mates. All I can feel is a red-hot burning rage in my chest. I push my body up but I flop back to the ground. I can’t move my arm. The same arm where the bullet is still buried in. My left leg isn’t working either. I take a deep breath...pain. I press on my ribcage then add broken ribs to the list. My body isn’t working well but I have to move. The burning in my chest is intense. Beside me, Polina is starting to move. “You broke my neck,” her voice breaks through the roaring in my ears. “Yes, I did,” I answer her while keep pushing myself up. “Where is my father?” she asks me. “You killed him didn’t you?” Her voice is strangely devoid of emotion. “No, I didn’t. He blew everything up. He blew himself up.” I finally manage to sit up. Faintly, I hear a terrifying roar coming closer. That’s when I see her. My mate is in full fledge lycan, blinded by rage. She looks glorious. I can’t tear my eyes away. To our enemies, she looks like a frightening nightmare. To me, she looks like the most beautiful avenging angel. Her dark hair trailing and whipping around behind her in wild abandon. Her dark eyes cold and sinister. Dark veins snaking down her otherwise flawless face. Sharp fangs and teeth gleaming, ripping our enemies to shred. Blood dripping from her chin. Pride and love fill my chest. She’s my match in every way.

“She’s your mate!” says Polina accusingly. Her jealousy makes my skin crawl. “Yes, she is,” I reply, unable to take my eyes off my beautiful mate. All of a sudden Polina jumps up. She’s torn and bloody but she seems oblivious to everything as she charges towards my raging mate. Red clouds my vision. I jump up after her. My broken leg bows under my weight. Pain sears through it all the way up to my gut as it twists and buckles underneath me. That only makes me more furious. I let out a loud growl but I keep crawling forward. I’m ripping that woman apart now! I know my mate heard my growl. She swivels her head my way, watching me with a strange look on her face. Her head tilted to the side. Then she turns her head towards Polina. She sniffs the air and her nostrils flare, her black cold eyes turn sinister. Suddenly she is regarding Polina’s approach with malicious anticipation and glee. Her lips are pulled back to show her gleaming sharp teeth and canines. *Quick notes to my readers: Thank you for your votes, wonderful reviews and love. I'm touched. Thank you also for your support on my soon to be published Catching Genesis. It's the first book in this series and if you haven't read it yet (and you want to), pls do so before I have to take some parts out (of Wattpad) before the 19th Feb.2018. Much love- Nicole

Chapter 53 - One For The Shark Darius’s POV I know my mate heard my growl. She swivels her head my way, watching me with a strange look on her face. Her head tilted to the side. Then she turns her head towards Polina. She sniffs the air and her nostrils flare, her black cold eyes turn sinister. Suddenly she is regarding Polina’s approach with malicious anticipation and glee. Her lips are pulled back to show her gleaming sharp teeth and canines.

The cold gleam in my mate’s eyes tells me that she can smell my scent on Polina. She stalks towards the woman with aggression and menace. For a moment I’m mesmerized. She moves without fear, like nothing can hurt her. She moves like she's stalking her prey and that is hot as hell. Polina reaches out to claw her but my mate sidesteps and swiftly swats her hand away. It angers Polina who strikes again. This time the woman manages to grasp my mate’s arm in a deathly grip. Polina’s sharp long nails dig deep into her skin, drawing blood but my mate seems oblivious to it. She uses the hand that holds her arm to tug Polina in as if pulling her in for a hug. In a flash, she swoops in and sinks her teeth deeply into the back of Polina’s neck. She shakes her head wildly from side to side while the woman lets out a loud and shrill gurgling scream of pain while struggling to be free. Finally, my mate pulls back and spits out a chunk of flesh and bits of bones from her mouth. It’s the basic and the ultimate show of dominance in the world of lycans. From my peripheral vision, I see a figure approaching fast. Robert Vitsin. He’s bloody and covered in soot. The bastard is still alive and he’s charging towards my mate. I try to intercept but my leg gives out from underneath me again. The heat in my chest intensifies until red is all I see. The vein is pulsing around my eyes. Robert Vitsin is in his lycan form and growls loudly in warning. His warning growl seems to distract my mate’s attention from Polina for a second and the woman uses this opportunity to swipe her sharp claws onto the side of my mate’s face and neck. Deep red gashes form from the sharp long nails that rip through the skin. This only serves to make my mate angrier. She pulls back her teeth and lets out a vicious snarl. Then she rips through the other woman, biting and clawing till blood pours out of her like a fountain, bringing Polina to her knees. Vitsin growls again and takes a big leap. Once he reaches them, Vitsin grabs my mate by the neck, pulling her roughly off his daughter. The burn in my chest is red hot as I watch, unable to use both legs. I hiss and crouch low.

My eyes stay focus on my mate whose slender neck is clutched tightly in Robert Vitsin’s dirty paw. Her feet are dangling off the ground. She might be smaller than Vitsin but she’s drawing blood, kicking and clawing at him like a wild thing. Vitsin snarls and flings her violently to the ground. My leg is busted but there is no way I’m going to let him hurt my mate. She’s mine and I take care of what’s mine. I pounce forward and land just a couple of feet away from them. Something snaps inside my leg when I land, causing me to stumble. The pain is sharp and intense but I straighten up and balance myself on one foot. Vitsin is once again reaching for my mate but I take him by surprise when I grab a fistful of his hair. In a flash, my mate leaps up. I quickly and roughly pull Vitsin’s head back exposing his neck. She snarls and slashes his throat open before she sinks her sharp claws into his chest. Blood spluttered out of Vitsin's chest and neck. I then tug his head violently back until I hear a sharp crack of the bones. Polina makes a small whimpering sound. That’s enough to draw my mate’s attention back to the woman who’s bleeding profusely at her feet. Her dark eyes gleam eerily as she bends down to finish what she’s started. I pull Robert Vitsin up and proceed to rip him to shred. This is for all my comrades, their mates, and all those whose lives he cruelly and brutally cut short. Killing him doesn’t bring them all back to life but it satisfies my lycan who demanded justice all these years. It would also stop further threat against my mate and send them a message that we are getting close and we’re coming for them. I look around and see pieces of Polina’s bloody remains scattered on the ground. The snow is no longer pure white. Crimson blood bathes the land around us. My chest is still burning. I scan the perimeter to see my mate ripping yet another one of our enemies to shreds. Rage and violence in her every movement. Polina was a fool to go charging towards my raging out of control mate. I can see that none of my men dares to go anywhere near her. Even our pack mates, Caspian, Genesis, and Constantine stay where they are. They watch her pouring out her aggression without interfering. “Malyshka,” I call out. Just a mere whisper but just like that, she stops and turns to bring her eyes to me. I limp towards her slowly. She stands stock still while her cold black eyes follow my every movement.

I stand five feet away from her and I feel her confusion. “Malyshka,” I call out again gently but louder, trying not to spook her. She tilts her head, sniffing the air. All of a sudden, she bounds for me. She almost knocks me off my feet as she crashes into me. Then she clutches my neck and my shoulder and roughly pulls me down to her. She places her nose and her lips to my neck and breathes in deeply. Her tight hold on me keeps me stay upright. My beautiful mate. She lost control to her lycan yet she knows who I am. I wrap my arms around her and pull her tightly to me. I’m never letting go. She belongs with me and I’ll kill anyone who tries to take her away from me. She’s my home. She’s my everything. She’s mine as I am hers. The scorching heat in my chest is gone but I sense so many feelings coming from her. She’s shaking in my arms. “Malyska, where does it hurt?” I ask her, starting to get worried again. “Let me see you,” I try to push her back to take a good look at her but she clings to me tighter. “I thought you’re gone. I couldn’t feel you...I thought you’re gone,” she says brokenly. Penny’s POV He gathers me close. The feeling of emptiness and the burning pain in my chest are gone, but I’m still shaking. I can’t shake the memory of the devastating hollowness away. I thought I’d lost him forever. I could feel the end of my world. The end of me. “I’m here, Malyshka. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere,” he whispers. His big strong hand is stroking my back soothingly. “Don’t ever leave me,” I tell him. I never want to feel that way again. “Never.” He rains tiny kisses all over my face, careful not to touch the red angry scratches on one side of my face. His arms are wrapped around me tightly and protectively like he’s never letting go. “I smell worse than a poop sewer,” I tell him when he presses his lips to my neck and breathes in deeply.

His body shakes with silent laughter. After a while, a deep rumble of laughter escapes his lips. He sounds happy. Actually he sounds more than happy. He sounds like he’s on top of the world. The feeling of deep happiness and contentment flood through me. We’re both looking very bad. We’re both injured and I know I’m bloody and probably smell like death but I’m happy to be in his arms again. Deeply and euphorically happy. I press my nose and lips to his neck and breath in his scent. “Speaking of which...why do you have Polina’s scent all over you?” I draw back to look at him. “Uh, about that...” “Yes, about that,” I stare at him with narrowing eyes. He has some explaining to do. “Glad to have you back, Malyshka,” he says suddenly, smiling widely, not looking at all guilty. “Don’t you Malyshka me, mister. Explain, and make it good.”

It’s good to be back with my mate and my pack. It’s better than good, actually. I feel happy and complete. It saddens me that we lost a few good men. Many are injured too. It’s a good thing that lycans recover very quickly. I can’t help but feeling thankful that I still have my mate and all my pack mates with me even though some of us are injured. Lazarus was caught in the blast. He suffers minor burns, bruises, and a broken leg. He’s recovering well with Serena quietly doting on him...as usual. Genesis is fine but Constantine has a broken arm and if you thought that it would put a damper on their painting session, then you would be wrong. Caspian has a few bruises and lost his hearing for an hour or so, otherwise, he’s fine. Too bad his hearing wasn’t gone for longer. Much much longer.

Darius had the bullet in his shoulder and broken glasses on his back removed. He has a broken ribcage and his left leg is broken in a couple of places. My poor man. I had to have my broken arm reset...again. The scratches on my face are healing fast. I don't know if I'm going to have scars but I don't really care. King Alexandros and Queen Sophia now know that I am not mated to Caspian. Caspian, Darius, Constantine, and Lazarus had a long talk with the king to explain the situation and the necessity of the deception. The recent attack on the palace helps our case. Queen Sophia didn’t seem to be at all surprised to learn that we’re not mated. I don’t know exactly what was being said or discussed among the men, but the king doesn’t seem to be angry with me. I’m just happy not to be thrown into the dungeon. That would not have ended well for me...and the dungeon. Because of our injuries, we’re stuck in Banehallow Palace for a little longer than we anticipated. For some reason, Darius and I were given personal physiotherapists to help us heal and recover our motor skills faster. As if we needed it. In my opinion, it’s totally unnecessary...but hey, that’s only my opinion. I wasn’t very happy when I saw my mate’s physiotherapist this morning. She was a beautiful lycan woman. Okay, so wasn’t happy was an understatement. I was livid! She had dark hair and dark eyes like mine. It didn’t help that she’s curvier and seemed too eager to put her hands all over my mate. It turned out, I didn’t have to do anything about it. My mate asked for her to be replaced even before the session started. Oh, swoon! I love him so much, I swear! The physiotherapist who was assigned to me showed up soon after. Alonzo was a gorgeous lycan hottie with a smooth mocha colored skin and a killer smile. Of course, nobody is as hot as my mate but he doesn’t need to know that. My mate took one look at Alonzo and threw a fit. He threatened to kill the poor man if he as much as lay a finger on me. I can see Caspian’s hands in this from miles away. Oh, I can’t wait to have my revenge on that royal brat!

It’s been a week, I can see that Caspian is very impatient to leave. He’s moody in most days. I know why he’s so desperately want to be back in California again.

Queen Sophia is now more determined than ever to have Caspian mated to lady Celeste. I can see trouble brewing between Caspian and Queen Sophia in our near future. “I wish we were back in California now,” sighs Genesis. “The weather must be very nice there now,” adds Serena wistfully. The weather is cold again with a dusting of snow blanketing the land around us this morning. We’re in the media room in our wing of the palace. The main part of the palace is busy with workers cleaning up and re-constructing the ruined ballroom. From what I heard, the ballroom is going to be even grander than the last one. “Yeah,” agrees Genesis. “We’d be by the swimming pool sipping our drinks under the blue sky without any snow...or Lady Celeste in sight.” Lady Celeste is now walking around as if it was a sure thing that she’s going to be the next queen. She's been following us around, pissing the crap out of me. Caspian was ordered by the Queen to entertain Lady Celeste. We were ordered to make her feel welcomed and comfortable around us. None of us are very happy about it. “I wish that woman would disappear soon,” I tell them as I glare at Lady Celeste who is now sitting so close to Caspian, she's almost on his lap. I think she would've been siting on his lap by now if Caspian would've let her. So far she's been complaining about how bored she is because we’re sitting around doing nothing. As if it’s our job to entertain her. She should go get herself a performing pet monkey. “Do you think we could all pretend to go hunting and lose her in the deep jungle of Russia? Or we could go fishing and push her off the boat in the middle of the ocean? Better still, we could feed her to the shark.” “You seriously need help, Penny. Your violent thoughts are getting out of control,” says Genesis. “Not that I wouldn’t help you push her off the boat. Feeding her to the shark would be too cruel...to the shark,” she adds as soon as she hears Lady Celeste whines again. “Looking at his face, I think Caspian must be seriously considering all of those options right now,” offers Serena, sounding amused as she leans back in the sofa. The three of us are sitting on a sofa with a movie playing on the screen in front of us but we’re not paying much attention to it right now. We’re too busy being nosy watching Lady Celeste trying to gain Caspian’s attention. The prince is looking totally pissed off as he sits there trying to have a conversation with Lazarus, Constantine and Darius, totally ignoring the woman.

Most of the time I am very tempted to kick her in her lady nuts. I have a very strong feeling that Caspian wouldn’t mind me doing that at all...mainly because he told me, “Beany, I wouldn’t mind at all if you decided to kick her in her lady nuts.” I swear, that’s what he said to me...or maybe he said something else that sounds quite like it. Minor details. As much as we want to have fun messing with Caspian as a revenge for all the tricks he played on us, we don’t want him to lose Quincy as his mate. I now understand the feeling of possessiveness that the others feel towards our pack mates. All of us are loyal to Quincy now. Quincy is already part of our pack as far as we are concerned. We don’t want to interfere, but losing her would be devastating to us. Oh, no promises, but I might not push Lady Celeste off the boat if we happened to be anywhere near the ocean with her. I would totally kick her in her lady nuts if we had to endure her presence for much longer...and that's a promise. *Sorry for not being able to update for a while. I'm still traveling and it's tough to write when there are so many distractions. Writing/typing on unfamiliar devices and places is a challenge for me too. Thank you for your patience.

Chapter 54 - Sunshine and Vitamin D A WEEK LATER... The first day back in sunny California and I'm currently lying on one of the lounge chairs by the pool. Darius is officially part of Lazarus’s security team overseeing the safety of Prince Caspian and our pack. He will still be working closely with the Royal Army, but his first priority will be us. I have no problem with that. None at all. Caspian disappears to god knows where as soon as we landed. Constantine and Genesis are in bed, getting over the jet lag....well, they might be having a painting session for all I know. Lazarus and Serena were in the pool with us in the beginning, but now they too have disappeared.

The sky is clear blue and the sun is shining brightly. Life is beautiful. I turn my head and surreptitiously glance at the lounger next to me. My mate is lying there in his board shorts. A pair of sunglasses is covering his eyes, and his fair hair is glistening in the sun. I wonder if he’s asleep. I let my eyes wander to the perfect curve of his cheeks, nose and the firm carved lips. His strong jaw and chin seem relaxed. His body is a chiseled perfection....and sexy. He’s so beautiful my heart aches just looking at him sometimes. Like now. I can’t believe that he’s mine. My eyes make their journey downwards then up again from the deep v that disappears under his shorts to his cut abs, his wide chest and all the way to his face. My gaze makes it in time to see the corners of his lips slowly and slightly curve up into a tiny smug smile. Ughh...he’s awake. “Don’t stare at me like that unless you want me to take you upstairs and make you scream my name, Malyshka.” His voice comes out in a lazy, naughty, accented drawl. I love it when he talks dirty to me but his self-satisfied smile annoys me. Only he knows how to make me see stars. He plays my body like a welltuned instrument made only for him and he’s smug about it. Humphh...I turn my face away. “Whatever,” I mutter quietly. “What’s that, honey?” He’s very recently added the word “honey” to the list of names he calls me. He still calls me Persephone from time to time when he’s not too happy with the things that I do or say.

“Nothing, mi vida,” I answer, flashing him a big smile, full of sugary sweetness. “Oh, I thought I heard you said “whatever” there for a second,” he says, sounding like he’s on the verge of laughter. His lips curl up sexily even more. “I wouldn’t dare,” I mutter again. We fight a lot. Well, okay...so I get mad a lot. He thinks that I’m cute or funny when I lose my temper. He knows I use the word “whatever” when I’m well and truly exasperated or when I’m losing an argument. Now he’s using the word against me. Whenever I say “whatever”, he’ll take me to bed to do “whatever”. He seems too eager for me to use the word sometimes...not that I’m complaining. “We’re going to Mason’s party, right?” I ask him to change the subject. He lifts the sunglasses up to let his clear blue gaze sweep over my features before they lock on my eyes. “You really want to go?” One of his eyebrows rises up. I received a text invite from Mason, one of my human College friends a few days ago. The party is this evening. Yesterday I asked Darius if he’d go with me. He never answered me. I don’t think he likes Mason much. “Of course, I do. that’s why I’m going,” I answer him. “You’d still go if I’m not going? You do realize that human wants to get in your pants, right?”

I roll my eyes. “You think ALL men want to get in my pants,” I answer back. “This time I’m right,” he says. “As usual.” Actually, I’m aware that Mason is interested in me, I’m not that stupid. I still think that we should go, though. Lycans don’t normally mingle with humans more than necessary but I think we should not limit our association with only lycans and werewolves. I decided that I should still keep my human friends. “Well, I’m still going,” I announce. The slash of his blond eyebrows slope down into a frown and his firm fuller bottom lip sticks out more prominently. “I’m not going and I don’t want you to go either.” If I didn’t know any better I’d say he’s pouting. He looks like a sexy five-year-old about to throw a tantrum. Oh, wait! No five year old is sexy. Gosh, I’m so messed up when it comes to my mate. Still, sexy or not I will not let anybody tell me what to do. “Whatever,” I throw back haughtily, turning my face up towards the sun. “That’s it! That’s twice “whatever” from you.” He jumps to his feet and throws his sunglasses down on the lounger. “Oh, no no...I need my vitamin D a bit longer.” I scoot back up my chair as he advanced menacingly towards me. I let out a yelp as he grabs my hips then throws me over his shoulder.

“Oh, I intend to give you your vitamin D,” he answers and I howl in laughter. “You’re hilarious, Mr. Rykov!” I announce while he carries me like a caveman on his shoulder. “Now, let me down this instant!” On second thought, the view is awesome. My mate has this tight sexy ass... “Did you just bite me?” I hear him ask. Disbelief is apparent in his voice. Well...just a tiny bite. Serves him right. I grin, looking at his delicious back upside down. “That merits a punishment,” he adds just before I feel a smack on my backside. Owww... In a blink, we’re back in our room and he’s kicking the door shut. I bounce on the bed a few times after he drops me in the middle of our super king size bed. “I can’t believe you just bit me.” There’s still a look of amazement in his eyes but there’s laughter in his voice. “Well, you slap my butt,” I counter from my position on the bed. All of a sudden, I’m aware that his smile is gone and his eyes smolder as he stares at me lying in the middle of the bed in my aquamarine blue bikini. My hair fans out wildly around me, framing my face and covering the pillow. My heart flutters in my chest and my stomach clenches with excitement at the way his eyes are raking me from head to toe. Then I remember that he threatened to punish me and I lift myself up. That look on his face instantly changes into a predatory one as soon as I clamber to the edge of the bed. I think I’m going to make a run for it.

I shoot him a glance before I make my next move and he shakes his head in warning. “Don’t do it, Malyshka.” My heart rate spikes up even more as I stare at my beautiful mate. Do I really think I have a chance against my powerful lycan warrior mate? Not really. Am I still going to make a run for it? Heck, yes! He must have sensed my resolve because he grins wolfishly with just a little bit of his white teeth and canines showing while his eyes stay intense and watchful. I’m his prey and this is a game he’s intent on winning. Well, tough luck, mister, I’m not going to make it an easy win for you! I glance at the closed door, then flash him a quick grin before I bound out of one of the windows and brace myself for the inevitable landing. Hah! I bet he didn’t see that coming. I bet he thought I was going to go for the door. I almost let out a self-congratulatory laugh as I roll to my feet on the grass just below our window. Darius lands perfectly on his feet less than a foot from me a second later and I sprint away. “Very clever, Mrs. Rykov,” he compliments me as he moves unhurriedly. I giggle as I dart to the back of the house. I love it when he calls me Mrs. Rykov. I hear his deep laughter and almost silent footsteps following me. He corners me on the landing of our grand staircase after a quick run around the house. I look wildly around for ways to escape but I can see by the way he stalks purposely to me and the predatory intense look in his eyes that this cat and mouse game ends here. He wants his prize now and I’m it.

“Give it up, Malyshka. There’s no escape this time,” he says. His smile is definitely roguish. “You’re due for a lot of punishments.” “No, I’m not,” I answer back, still looking for ways to escape even though he’s standing over me with his powerful arms bracing the wall on either side of me, caging me in. He shakes his head in incredulity and amusement. He always seems amazed at my refusal to admit defeat no matter what the circumstances are. I know, I’m awesome like that...well, some people might find that debatable. “Let’s see, you say “whatever” to me not once, but twice, then you bit my ass...” “Whatever!” I interrupt him before he can continue to list down all the indiscretion I’ve committed within the span of 30 minutes. Well, if I’m going to get punished, might as well go with a bang. Go big or go home as they say. No doing things half-assed for me. I am a very dedicated person, after all. Darius raises an eyebrow, daring me to defy him further. “Whatever, whatever, whatever, whatever...” See what he’s going to do with that! His eyes darken as he grips my waist to make sure that I can’t run off again. He leans in close and whispers warningly, “Oh, you’re going to get it now.” His teeth nip at the shell of my ear gently before his tongue comes out to trace it teasingly. I shudder at the delicious heat that spreads through my body from his closeness and the little teasing.

“Promises, promises.” For some reason, I’m slurring. My tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. He chuckles darkly. His breath tickling my ear. “You’re hot and cute when you defy me like that.” His mouth continues its delicious torment downwards. He kisses me behind my ear and along my neck. I close my eyes and let out a soft moan. “Be careful, I might find out that you actually enjoy your punishment, Malyshka.” His voice is low and husky. “Hate it,” I whisper breathlessly. “I absolutely hate it...” I lean my head on his shoulder to give him a better access to my neck. I feel his lips stretch into a smile against the soft skin of where my shoulder meets my neck before I feel him sucking me there. Oh, my...a little pain mix with pleasure. Mmm...the best kind. “Room,” he whispers huskily before he covers my lips with his. His kiss is hungry and demanding and I open my mouth willingly for the invasion of his tongue. I wrap my arms around his neck and his hand grabs my ass to lift me up. He spreads another hand on my thigh before he pulls my leg up to wrap around his waist. I’m drowning in his taste, his scent, and his touch. I vaguely aware of being carried to our room. I only realize that we’re in our bedroom when my back hits the cool soft bedding of our bed and the pressure of his weight on me. I sink my fingers into his silky hair as his lips continue to ravish me. My other hand eagerly maps out the warm solid expanse of his back. My whole body is burning up for him. He moans deep in his throat before he pushes himself off me. Nooo...He chuckles when I let out a sound of protest and grab the back of his neck to pull him back down to me.

“Oh, mi vida...didn’t I warn you that you’re getting punished?” He drags my hands up and pins them down on the mattress above my head. Say what now? “Get back down here,” I tell him as I scowl up at him. He laughs and shakes his head. Cruel. He bends down to spread my thighs open before he settles on his knees between them. His heavy-lidded eyes scan my body slowly while his hand is still holding both my hands prisoner. “You’re so beautiful,” he says, running his fingers lightly over the side of my face and my neck. He cups and squeezes my breast lightly before moves his hand lower to spread his warm palm over my flat stomach. He leaves a trail of fire wherever his hand touches my body. I’m a writhing mess by the time his hand reaches the little triangle of my bikini. He presses harder as his finger moves lower over the little blue fabric. I arch my body upward and he just eases the pressure and laughs when I start cursing him to the moon and back. I end my tirade with, “Darn you, you asshat!” “Beg for it, Malyshka.” “No. Never,” I growl. His eyes glint and he smiles like he knew all along what my answer would be. “Let go of me,” I tell him. “No. Never,” he answers back, this time his lips are pulled back to show a glimmer of his straight white teeth and the elongated canines. My struggle to pull my hands out of his hold is a futile

effort since he’s much stronger than I am. He watches me writhing and thrashing my body about with such unreadable expression on his face but his tight jaw and clenching fist tell me that he’s not unaffected. Such control he has over his own hunger and want. He pulls the strings of my bikini top, pulling it off me and keep watching. “I hate you,” I hiss in frustration. I catch a flicker of feral hunger in his eyes just before he leans down and presses his mouth to my neck. “So beautiful and so stubborn,” he whispers against my skin before he starts his delicious assault. His lips sucking lightly, his teeth grazing and nipping my skin gently, and his tongue lapping and playing havoc with my senses.

It’s nice lying here with the weight of my mate’s arm curved around my stomach and his scent enveloping me. When I open my eyes, I start to feel confused. Where are we? Are we still in Russia? What time is it? Darn jet lag! I look around in confusion. We’re back in California but this room looks different. Oh, yeah...we’re in our room. This room is in the same wing of the house as my previous bedroom. It’s just a few doors away from it and a lot bigger. Not that we need a bigger room but the rest of the pack insisted on it. They said we need a mated couple’s room: a bigger room with a bigger bed...and better sound-proofed. I turn my head to look at Darius behind me. He is still sleeping soundly. His breathing is soft and even. His gorgeous face looks peaceful and his fair thick silky hair is wildly tousled. He looks almost innocent like this but I know better. There’s

nothing innocent about my mate...especially after what he did to me this morning. His lovemaking was very slow. The slowest ever and it drove me insane. I was panting and writhing underneath him with my hands pinned up above my head. I was also moaning, sobbing, and blubbering uncontrollably. The end was very intense for the both of us. I felt like I was going to combust. I’m so not hating the punishment! I’m guessing it’s around noon right now. I base that theory on my stomach, not the sun. I’m hungry. I slowly edge away but the arm around my body tightens its hold. * Mi vida = (Spanish) My life This is just half of a chapter because it's getting too long. I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I've recovered from the jet lag but still tired from the flu. Thank you for your wonderful messages. I'll be posting the rest of the chapter by Friday evening est. Nicole♥

Sunshine and Vitamin D (2nd part) I’m guessing it’s around noon right now. I base that theory on my stomach, not the sun. I’m hungry. I slowly edge away but the arm around my body tightens its hold. “Where are you going, Malyshka?” His deep voice is husky from sleep. I turn back to look into a pair of glacier blue eyes staring at me. His arm pulls me back closer to his body.

“I just want to see what time it is,” I answer him. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.” “Maybe you did wake me up but I think it’s time to get up anyway,” he says as he reaches an arm out to pick up his watch from the side table. He pulls me to roll with him as he does so and I end up lying on top of him. “I hate to wake you up when you’re sound asleep,” I tell him. He stops moving and glances down at me. “I’m fine now, Malyshka,” he says. “I never have any nightmares when I have you in my arms. I doubt I’ll have any more nightmares now but I intend to keep you in my arms every night...for the rest of my life.” He kisses the top of my head. “Just in case.” A soft little smile is playing on his lips. I wonder how many people have ever seen him smile like that. My guess is, very few...if any. “Just in case,” I repeat, returning his smile. He squeezes me before he glances at his watch and announces, “It’s almost five.” “Five in the evening?” I screech, jumping out of the bed. “No wonder I’m so hungry.” “Hey, you’re not going out like that are you?” he asks me when I stroll towards the door wearing nothing but the medallion that bears his family crest around my neck. “Why? Am I going to traumatize everybody who sees me walking around like this?” I flash him a smile over my shoulder.

He lets out a frustrated sounding groan before he answers, “The only person who’s going to be traumatized is the prick who I’m going to kill after he sees you looking that way. You know how beautiful you are, but only I get to see you like that.” I laugh as I enter our walk-in closet. So possessive. I love teasing him like that. As if I was going to walk around the house like this. Genesis and Serena might not find it too amusing and Caspian would have a lot to say...ugh! No thanks. “I just have something to give you,” I tell him. I grab a royal blue silk kimono robe from the hanger, shrug it on and tie the belt. I reach into my leather crossbody satchel that’s hanging near the door and start fishing for something. Why do I have so much crap in my beg? Darius is sitting at the edge of the bed when I exit the closet. “What’s this?” he asks me when I hand him the small, flat, black, rectangular box. “Just a little something for you,” I tell him. “Open it.” He eagerly opens the box but he stilled when he sees what’s nestled inside. He sits there staring at the black medallion that looks very much like the one I’m wearing right now before he picks it up. He stares at it a moment longer before he lifts his eyes to look at the one that’s already resting between the valley of my breasts. “How?” he raises his eyes to look at me questioningly.

“I have my ways,” I tell him in a voice that I hope would make me sound mysterious. Ugh! I think I sound like I’m having cramps instead. Actually, his cousin, Æmelius saw the medallion the day after Darius put it back on me. The whole palace knew by then that I’m not Caspian’s, but rather Darius’s mate. Æmilius mentioned in the passing that he knew that the medallion was actually a cufflink and that he had another half of the pair in his possession somewhere. He agreed when I asked to buy it from him but instead of money, he suggested a night together for it. So naturally, I threatened to kick him in the nuts as well as tell the Crown Prince and my mate of his disgusting proposition if he didn’t give it to me. I suspect, I amused rather than scared him with my threats. Nevertheless, one of his menservants brought it to me the very next morning. Caspian helped me send it to his jeweler who made it into a medallion. The jeweler was good. He made it look almost exactly like the one that I have and he had it ready just before we flew back home. “So now, we’re wearing a matching medallion,” I say after he places it around his neck. “If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.” “Oh, it’s love, baby,” he says, pulling me to stand between his legs. “So, let me thank you properly...” He kisses me between my breasts while pulling the string that holds my robe together. “Mi amor, I’m hungry,” I protest.

“I know, I’m hungrier,” he agrees while his hands and his mouth move across my body. My body is heating up and delicious chill is running down my back. “Very hungry...and you taste so good...” He murmurs. The rest of the sentence is muffled against my skin. We both know that’s not what I meant. But hey, who needs food when you have love, right? Fries can wait. *The last chapter is coming up by Friday next week. I’ll be also uploading the first few chapters of Caspian’s story (Tapping Quincy) on the very same day.

Chapter 55 - This is Us Against Darius’s protest, we’re here at Mason’s small party. I insisted on coming and Darius decided that he doesn’t trust Mason or any man enough to let me come to the party by myself. Surprisingly, it is not a big party. Maybe because most students are still home for Thanksgiving this week. Lily and Keisha, my humans’ college friends pull me aside as soon as we arrive. We need to catch up since we haven’t seen each other for a few weeks now. Keisha’s best friend, Amanda isn’t here, thankfully. She’s still in Pismo Beach for Thanksgiving with her family. The last time I saw her was when Quincy poured water all over her. The music is playing and the furniture is pulled aside to leave the middle of the room empty for people to mingle and dance. Nobody is dancing so far. We’re standing in groups just talking and drinking.

Daniel, who is now Lily’s boyfriend is one of Mason’s best buddies. They are both in the other corner of the room, talking with a few other guys from college. Apart from the initial greeting, Mason has been keeping away from me when he saw me arrived with Darius. The stare both men gave each other was definitely chilly. I gaze at my mate from across the room where he is standing with his arms crossed at his chest. He’s in black jeans and black button down shirt that contrasts greatly with his sleek fair hair that’s getting a bit long. The back is touching the collar. His skin has a light golden tint from the sun this morning. All in all, he’d featured in any straight women’s wet dream even if they’re not into blonds. I know he wants to come over and stay close to me but he’s giving me some room to talk to my friends alone. Right now his eyes are cold and he’s wearing a bored expression on his face while two girls are currently vying for his attention. If I couldn’t sense his feeling of utter annoyance, I’d be kicking their asses to the moon. Still, this sucks! Darius raises his eyes to meet mine. His blue orbs catch the bright light coming from the kitchen and they reflect it back, making the color very light, almost transparent. I could easily lose myself in those beautiful eyes. Suddenly I have a strong urge to be back in his arms. Whose brilliant idea was it to come here? Oh, wait! It’s mine!

Darius’ eyes turn questioning. He can feel my need for him. I know he would come over as soon as I give any indication that I want him to. Still, we just got here not ten minutes ago and Lily is still talking to me. I have to remind myself that we are here to mix around with my human friends. I’m such a bad friend. I raise my hand and place it on his mark on me above my heart and the corners of his lips twitch up a tiny bit. I can’t help a little smug smile curving my lips up when I see him does the same, placing his hand on the mark I gave him. We are so corny but I love it that I can make a fierce and dangerous lycan warrior does something sweet like that...just for me. “So, Daniel asked me to move in with him next semester. His father got him an apartment just ten minutes away from campus, South of here,” explains Lily while I keep my eyes on my mate. “Wow, moving in together? That’s great, Lil. I’m glad that everything is going well with you and Daniel.” I tear my gaze away from Darius and give Lily’s hand a squeeze. “I know, that’s a big step, right? Moving in together,” she says, sighing. “Thanks to you. It started with a dare, remember? Anyway, enough about me, what about you?” “Yeah, what about you and Mr. sex on legs over there?” Keisha tilts her head towards Darius. “Is he a total sex god in bed? Is he as good as he looks?” My eyes instantly meet his again above the heads of the few people in front of him. There’s a tiny smirk on his lips. I know he can hear us. He’s waiting to hear my answer even though he

knows I’m not the kiss and tell kind of person. I’d love to wipe that smirk off his face for once. Alas, we both know he has the reason to be smug. I’m tempted to poke my tongue childishly out at him but I scrunch up my nose instead. His lips twitched like he’s holding back his laughter. I roll my eyes and he lifts his eyebrows expectantly. Still waiting for my answer. “Oh, he’s okay, I guess,” I finally answer her and I can see my mate’s eyebrows rise up another notch. “I mean, he might be really awful...you know, false advertisement and all,” I can’t resist adding and I could almost hear him growl sexily in my ear. The look in his eyes is warning me of a retribution and a reminder of how “awful” he is in bed as soon as we get home, so I quickly add, “Or he might be awesome. Who knows, right? It’s totally subjective.” I almost snort at how lame and stupid my answer sounds. “Oh, come on. What kind of answer is that? It’s either good or bad. There’s nothing subjective about it. It’s not rocket science, Penny,” snaps Keisha, clearly not liking my response. I know my answer doesn’t make any sense but I’m not going to divulge any sordid detail of my intimate life to anyone, especially not to someone like Keisha. Serves her right for being so nosy. Lily covers her mouth with her hand to muffle her laughter. A loud snort escapes her nose and I almost lost it. “And don’t pretend like you don’t know,” Keisha adds, very irritated now. “Nobody with a pair of eyes will believe that you two are just friends. Nobody will fall for that line again,” she

says as she walks away. I guess she gets the point that I’m not going to confide in her like we’re besties or anything. Lily hooks her skinny arm around my shoulders as we both watch her stomps off indignantly. We look at each other and break into a laugher as soon as Keisha disappears around the corner. When her laughter subsides, Lily says, “Without her evil twin Amanda, Keisha isn’t so bad...but I still don’t trust her.” “Yeah,” I agree. “Nosy bitch.” “I have to agree with her though. Nobody will believe that you and that sexy piece of man candy over there are just friends. I didn’t believe it then and I don’t believe it now,” says Lily. “Oh, yeah?” I ask her absently as I lock eyes with my mate. I see a couple more girls are making a move on him and one, in particular, is being very persistent. A beautiful redhead in a short denim skirt and a tight little white t-shirt is pressing her body against my mate’s side, attaching herself to my man like a leech. My mate, on the other hand, seems oblivious to her desperate attempt. I know his attention is solely on me. There’s not a minute gone by tonight that his focus is not on me. He’s aware of my every movement, my mood and my company. His senses are always scanning for any threats and ready to act if he sees any danger around me. Right now his eyes are enquiring and he cocks his head slightly towards the entrance. Had enough? Ready to leave yet?

I lift my chin up and let my eyes wander to the little redhead leech beside him. Unattach yourself from that bitch or else I’ll do it myself and it won’t be pretty. “That right there is just amazing,” says Lily. “Huh?” “I’ve been watching you two communicating with each other from across the room. I don’t know what you’re saying to each other, but I know you’re talking with just looks. That is just so incredible!” says Lily looking between Darius and me dreamily. “I wish I had that kind of connection with Daniel.” I turn to look at her with a frown. Actually, our conversation involves more than just looks. It also involves the feelings that we sense through our bond and also our awareness of each other. Sometimes that awareness is so intense, it feels like we’re one soul in two bodies. However, Lily’s observation makes me wary of how perceptive she is or how obvious we are. Maybe we should tone it down? It’s hard to do that when the whole world just disappears when we’re looking into each other’s eyes. Only the two of us exist in our personal bubble no matter where we are or who is there with us. A familiar scent hit me first before a strained voice greets me, “Hi, Penny.” Matthew, my mate...or rather my ex-mate is standing next to us. For a second, I can only stare at him and Cece who is standing rather stiffly beside him. Mason and Daniel pick this time to join us. Matthew seems rather awkward but he’s staring at me rather longingly. Cece looks like she just smelt something rotten. Of

course, Matthew is here, Mason is his cousin after all. How did I forget that? I’m so stupid. “Hey, Matthew, Cece...nice to meet you again.” Well, not really but it’s a nice thing to say, right? I’m working on my social skill. I force a smile and wait for the usual thrill that Matthew’s presence brings me but I feel none of it. I guess being mated and marked by Darius have really severed our ties. “I didn’t see you earlier.” “We just got here,” Cece says, as she pulls Matthew’s hand into hers and slides another around his arm. She can’t make it any more obvious that they’re together again now. “Well, this is a very nice party, Mason. Lily was just telling me how nice it is.” I push Lily who, no doubt has sensed the awkwardness forward. She shoots me a look before she faces everybody with a wide smile on her face. “Yeah, awesome party, Mason,” she says. A muscular arm slides possessively around my shoulders, pulling me back against a warm chest behind me. I can’t help but lean into his warmth. His body curved perfectly for mine to fit into. “You remember Darius,” I tell them. I touch Darius’s arm that’s draped around my shoulders and give it a squeeze. There’s no need for him to feel threatened by Matthew or anyone anymore. “Hey, man,” says Daniel. Mason just lifts his Bud Light bottle up.

I sense my mate giving them a nod. Matthew returns his nod while Cece is staring at Darius with wide eyes. I’m also aware that the persistent little redhead from earlier is still hovering beside him. This man. I Can’t take him anywhere. I turn to give the redhead who is now giving me a measured look, a brief bitchy smile. “Congratulations on your engagement,” says my mate to Cece and Matthew. Huh? I glance at Cece again and this time I notice a nice diamond glinting on her finger. Gah! You’re so slow, Penny! I think she’d been trying to show off the engagement ring since they got here but I was too preoccupied with my own thoughts to notice. “Oh, you’re engaged? When is the wedding?” asks Lily excitedly as if she’d known the couple for ages. Oh, Lily. “Congratulations,” I say. “I’m happy for you both,” I continue and I mean it. “Thank you,” says Cece. “I see you two are still... just friends,” retorts Mason, making an air quote while looking at Darius and me with a smirk. Darius’s arm tightens around me and I brace myself. “Who? Us?” he says. “No, we’re not just friends. We’re married.”

Marking and mating to us is like marriage to humans, or maybe more so...with our souls forever connected and there’s no turning back. There’s no such thing as divorce for us. However, to spring something like that on my human friends was something else. We’ve excused ourselves as soon as Darius dropped the bomb and fifteen minutes later I’m sitting in the car quietly with a grin on my face as I recall the look of surprise and shock on their faces. Darius was looking smug when we left the party and now he is driving with a look of concentration on his face. The traffic is light, so I doubt he’s really thinking about the drive right now. I glance down at our entwined fingers on his thigh. Note to self: get a wedding band for my mate. “I should take you away on a honeymoon,” says Darius suddenly. “Really?” I ask him excitedly. “Where?” He lifts my hand up and presses his lips to my knuckles before he glances at me with an indulgent look. “Anywhere you want, Malyshka.” My heart swells with love for this gorgeous man. I didn’t think that it’s possible three years ago. We fought so hard to get here and to be together. We’ve come so far. I’m a different person than I was three years ago. I’m not even the same being anymore. I’ve also traveled the world. I’ve seen and experienced things that changed me. One thing that will never change is the love and loyalty that I have for my family.

Darius turns off the engine and I realize that we’re home. I look out the window at our brightly lit monstrosity of a house. Inside is my family. Genesis, Constantine, Caspian, Serena, and Lazarus. My lycan family. I love them all with everything that I have in me yet I don’t want to completely forget my root. “I want to go visit my old pack. My werewolf pack. I want to see my parents and my old friends, Reese, River and their daughter, Piper.” “Then that’s where I’ll take you. Anything you want, Malyshka. I’m here to protect you and make your life happy.” “I want to make you happy,” I tell him, turning my whole body towards him. “And you do. You make me very happy, every day. My life before you didn’t make sense. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been with you in it. You make me excited to go to bed with you in my arms every night. You make me excited to open my eyes in the morning to see you lying next to me. You’re my home. I devote my life to you. I belong to you. Completely.” Darn it this man! “Hey, did I say something wrong?” he asks me. His voice grows wary and full of concern suddenly. He tilts my face up with his hands and brushes his thumbs along my wet cheeks.

“You say all the right things. You make me cry,” I tell him. He cradles my face in his hands while staring into my eyes. I see the confusion on his face. “I’m not good with words. I’ve never done this before but I’m trying, Malyshka. You wanted me to open up to you and I told you I’d do anything for you. I’m sorry I make you cry---” “Arrgghh...you need to stop before I grow hysterical,” I warn him. More tears are rolling down my face. “Okay. I’ll stop now,” he says. “Okay...whatever,” I snap. The air around us suddenly grows heavy after I uttered that word. His eyes glitter in the dim light. “Room. Now,” he growls, pushing his door open with a force. “Okay,” I answer meekly but a naughty smile is growing on my lips. An answering mischievous smile is already curving his lips as he unbuckles my seatbelt. His eyes darkened with hunger and anticipation. He knows that meekness is just for show. There’s nothing meek about me as there is nothing meek about him. “Prepare to be punished for your crime, Mrs. Rykov,” he says as he lifts me up and kicks the car door closed with his foot. “Whatever. Whatever, whatever, whatever...” He cuts my chant with his warm mouth on mine. Urgent and demanding.

I barely register the snickers and muffled laughter as he strides past the living room with me in his arms or the thud of the door of our room as he pushes my back against it. “I love you,” I tell him between our kisses. “And I love you. Very much,” he says. “Show me how much,” I challenge him and he proceeds to do just that. Over and over again. We fight. We love. This is us. As long as we’re together, we’ll be okay. THE END...OR SHOULD I SAY THEIR STORY GOES ON? *Meet them again in Caspian’s story (Trapping Quincy).