Taken (Sinful Series:book1)

Chapter 9 - Acceptance

(disclaimer: some steamy things are discussed. Still not certain of the rating of this chapter. Please, let me know if it indeed PG13 or mature).

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Karim

Violet was something special, made right just for him. She said what she thought, and did what she spoke. There were no convoluted messages needing decoding. It was refreshing to meet someone so alike him, and Karim admitted he was intrigued. Even her heated glances towards Devon's bare chest did not need translating. She was appreciating another in front of him, provoking this unfamiliar raging jealousy within Karim. It helped knowing the Alpha was set on finding his own mate to take a deeper interest in what Violet was hinting, otherwise Karim did not know what he would do.

"Bet ya' something stupid," his mutt was ready to roll over and to lick the ground Violet walked on, if only she would accept his apology on Karim's behalf.

Karim sighed. He was in the dog house.

Pun intended.

"Serves you right for calling me mutt, Skin."

Skin was a derogatory term for his human side, showing Karim just how mad his beastly side was.

"Better," his wolf acknowledged the new name he was addressed by.

Living with an animal spirit inside you complicated things. On the upside, it meant you were never truly alone, always having someone in your corner... well, most of the times anyways. It was especially hard when the two halves disagreed on a matter. Right now, Karim's wolf wanted nothing but to appease Violet, and to erase the past with his love. Karim knew things were going to be more complicated than just getting naked with her. He wouldn't mind, mind you, but he knew better than to offer it to the strong headed she-wolf beside him.

Devon had hammered his law down. Alphas did not meddle in mating choices, but they sure made their opinions heard. His Alpha Command was preventing Alyssa from contacting both Karim and Violet for the next week. It gave Karim the chance to swallow his pain, and to decide if he wanted to mark Violet. Moreover, Xander's mark needed the next seven days to completely disintegrate. Everything had to be resolved one way or another by the next new moon. Seven days were nothing compared to the years they would have. It was both exciting and frightening to know your fate would be determined in such a short amount of time.

Karim looked forward to spending time with Violet. She was a mysterious puzzle, he could not quite solve. Despite the hurt between the two of them, Karim felt connected to Violet in a way no one else was. He had initially dismissed it as mating pull, but now it was apparent. The Fates were tugging at their life treads together, intertwining them, and assuring the pair would survive any hardship. Karim was just not sure if it was worth all the work.

In the end of the day, Violet and Karim were just different. Yeah, that was it. Their backgrounds and the painful history made it even harder for them to forget themselves in the moment of their closeness. He couldn't help but pick on the little differences between her and Alyssa. Although it looked like Violet was enjoying their walk, she never tried to hold hands with him, or do any of the girl-ie things Alyssa loved. In his mind, the date had gone without a hitch. Yet, it hadn't felt like one. Sure, there was tension, but it wasn't from anticipation of what would happen next, but a result of all the painful memories that led them to this moment. Besides her mark on Xander was always going to be a ghost standing between them. So was his time with Alyssa.

In a way, Violet was right. His place should have been by her side, not consoling another female. Old habits, Karim concluded.

"Weakling," his wolf argued.