What Lurks in Her Eyes

Chapter Twenty Five: First "Date"

Right now, we have to make the best of it, so here we are.

Water skippers dance across the top of the water and she catches them in her hands, watching them skip around in the water she's collected in her hands.

"We didn't have these weird bugs in Russia." She says as she drops them back into the water.

"What did you have in Russia? What wildlife, I mean." I ask. I hadn't asked her much about her Russian home, fearing it was a sensitive topic. For now, I'll just ask her basic things.

"There was brown bears, wolves, polar bears, vipers, wild boars, lynx's, and tigers. There's a lot more wildlife there, I was just naming a few. Most of the time I never saw the wildlife. Once in awhile, though, I'd come across bear tracks, and I would hear talk amongst the villagers about tigers eating their livestock." She says.

I nod. "So not much difference here, then. Well, minus the tigers, of course." I say.

"Yes, not much difference. Except you have those cats....mountain cats." She says.

"Oh, mountain lions?"

"Yes. Those animals."

I nod. "I hope you don't mind me asking but....do you know your parents?"

She shrugs and looks away. "My mother had many children. She was a breeder. She nursed me until I was a year old and then I was taken away, so I have no memory of...what or how she was like."

Oh....

"That's really horrible. I'm so sorry, I don't know what to say. I shouldn't have asked-"

"No, it's fine. I've come to terms with that fact. All slaves that have been conceived in the slave era have, it's just a truth we have to come to terms with it early on." She explains.

"I'll put an end to this. All of it. It's the only way I can think of to avenge what you've been through. It seems only fair."

Her eyes flicker up to mine and she cups my cheek. "Don't let revenge take over who you are, Donovan. Revenge can become twisted all too quick, changing a person from the inside out. Remember that."

"Of course, always." I say quietly. Her gentleness never ceases to amaze me.

"You're so beautiful." I murmur as she draws closer to me. She picks her feet up from the water and clutches to me. Her hands grip my shirt and she pulls herself against me.

I'm surprised by her closeness, that she feels comfortable with me like this now. Of course, I'm pleased that she is showing such affections towards me as her mate, and I've wanted this long ago. It's not easy taking things slow as mates.

Most mated pairs, upon meeting, mark and mate within the first week of knowing each other, completing the bond quickly.

My case was different with Anya, because we had to take slow steps, which is certainly understandable in our situation. Now, patience has paid off, and now that she has gained trust in me, it feels amazing.

She smiles sweetly at me as she stands on her tippy toes and wraps her arms around my neck.

"I didn't know what I had until it was gone. Now that you're back, I've realized who I stand with. I've realized who I can trust, and that is you." She says softly.

Before I can even think, I kiss her cheek.

She smiles up at me, looking flushed.

"You missed." She says.

"What?" Confusion fills me.

"I said you missed." She repeats.

And what she does next surprises me.