Destined

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

My room is bigger than I was expecting. A large bed settles in the center of the room with the most gorgeous maroon and emerald green rug just peeking through. A grand mirror leans across the opposite wall with a grand window seat expanding across the other side of the doorway. The decor is simple but welcoming. The entire house so far has felt that way. Simple decor matched with a warm, welcoming aura. I don't know what I was expecting from a home that houses werewolves but this wasn't it.

I'm finally alone sitting on the edge of the bed swarmed by massive pillows and a fluffy down comforter. I can hear Enzo in the room next door moving things around and causing a ruckus. They had originally wanted to put him in a room closer to Damon and Emmanuel but he threw a true man fit and demanded he be roomed next to me. I appreciate his eagerness to protect me but I'm still mad at him for lying to me. I can already hear his voice in my head, "I didn't lie! I was just withholding information." Which if you're asking me, is lying.

I still feel like this is all a joke. Half expecting Enzo to pop his head into my room laughing and tell me I'm so gullible. Despite seeing the wolves myself, I can't bring myself to believe werewolves are real and that I'm in a house full of them. I can feel a migraine coming on as the information spirals through my mind.

Suddenly, my watch alerts me that my heart rate has jumped to 130 BPM. My thoughts keep jumping from where I was just days ago, finishing my exams and worrying about finishing college, to now, alone in a room with a werewolf next door. The jumping turns to racing and my breathing turns shallow and quick. I need air. I need air now.

WIthout a second thought, I move towards the door. I remember that Emmanuel mentioned there was a garden just beyond the great house and that's where my legs are taking me. Everything is a blur as I make my way through the house. Thankfully, no one is around to see me and I quickly find my way to the door we entered just hours ago. It doesn't take long for me to find the garden Emmanuel was talking about. It is full of the most beautiful flowers. The smell of rosemary wafts through the air, a bush sitting right at the entrance of the garden.

The smell instantly calms my mind and I focus on taking deep, calming breaths as I make my way through the garden's entrance and towards a Night Phlox.

I'm suddenly on high alert when leaves shuffle behind me. I turn around quickly, my heart rate jumping through the roof right when I was finally calming myself down. Relief washes over as I notice it's Matteo coming up from the garden's entrance, "Oh, Matteo you scared me."

He gives me a shy smile as he gets closer, "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to scare you." His gaze roams around the garden, as if he's ensuring we're alone.

"I'm sorry to wander your garden. I couldn't sleep and I just kinda ended up here. It's beautiful." I keep my eyes on him as his focus shifts to the Night Flox.

He gently takes the Night Phlox into his grasp, thumb gently tracing its petals, "No need to apologize, we all need a bit of beauty sometimes," his gaze shifts back to me and the way the moonlight reflects in his eyes makes me pause. He is breathtaking.

A smile spreads across his face and he breaks the silence. "Walk with me? I'll give you a tour." HIs hand reaches out towards me. For a moment I can't tell if he is gesturing for me to walk that way or to grasp his hand so I just stare at it, waiting for him to make the first move. His chuckle fills my ears as he reaches over and grabs my hand and my stomach jumps into my throat. "Is this okay?"

His hand is warm as it wraps around my own. The nerve endings on my hands seem to be hyper aware as his fingers lace between mine. The touch is almost familiar, as if I have had my hand in his countless times before. Which is crazy. I just met this man, why am I thinking like this? But I can't help it despite my better judgment.