Olivia
Once again she sat in front of her mirror and looked at her reflection, but it was worse this time. This time she knew she was not human. Well, aside from a healthy dose of denial.
Liv shuddered as she remembered that she'd actually bit Don. What had she been thinking? It was the most embarrassing thing she'd ever done. Her eyes scanned her face, taking in her porcelain complexion and the amber eyes that she'd always thought were unique. Another word for unnatural, she realised.
Baring her teeth she examined them for what felt like the thousandth time. They looked the same, her canines as blunt as any other human's. Only she could vividly remember the feel of them piercing through Don's fragile skin. There had been a sense of power, of wild freedom, of completion.
A shiver raced down her spine as she remembered the exultant feeling she'd had, the primal joy, unlike anything she'd ever known. Part of her wanted to experience it again, to feel the strong bond with him again. Another part was scared at how much she seemed to need him, to crave him.
Her eyes met her mirrored gaze and took in the haunted scared aspect reflecting back at her. All the horrors the alpha had told them were written in the amber depths. The helplessness that had kept her tossing through the night just as much as the emptiness of missing her mate had.
An involuntary laugh escaped her at that. A mate! She was already thinking as the werewolves did. And she knew why. The power she'd only ever glimpsed was like a force that was now a part of her no matter how much she wanted to go back to what had been. Her wolf, she now realised.
It was strong, surging through her being with radiant strength she felt was just a spark away from igniting her and consuming her. At the same time, she wanted to jump up for joy, to run and feel the wind against her, in her hair. She had a primal need to howl at the moon whose rays seemed to sear her like the sun sometimes did.
What was she going to do? How was she going to reconcile her reality? Liv didn't want to leave her life. She was honest with herself to know that she couldn't live as werewolves did in their forest all close to nature and using banana leaves. She was a city girl and would never rough it. But then there was that whole 'the king would kill you' clause in the whole werewolf debacle.
How was this her life?
Liv drew her legs up onto the seat of her chair and hugged them to her as her heart broke anew and the recriminations came full circle. She needed to get out of here, she realised. Even though she hadn't slept, she had more energy than she'd ever had.
Standing up, she went into her closet, took out a pair of sweats and put them on. She didn't have any idea where she was going but she just wanted out. It was like the walls were closing in on her as if a profound itch had found its way deep into her skin and she couldn't scratch it. A drive to move.
It scared her, this claustrophobic feeling she'd never experienced before—the need to move.
Leaving her room, Liv slowly closed the door to minimise any sound. Her mother had been hovering since the wolves had left and Liv was afraid she might just wake up and demand to know where she was going so early. As she tiptoed her way to the front door she realised for the first time how big their suite was.
She was aware of every moment that passed as it stretched out to a painful degree until she finally got to the front door. Once she was out she breathed a sigh of relief. Curiously enough despite the heightened anxiety she'd just been under, her heart was as steady as a rock. She also found herself experiencing a thrill that had her almost laughing.
Then she remembered they shared the floor with her friend's family. Since they weren't human there was no telling what they could sense. And the last thing she wanted was to face the lies they'd been telling her. She got it, they had to keep their secrets, but couldn't they have told her she wasn't human? Explained that her so-called skills were abnormal abilities?
Liv found herself getting off the elevator on Don's floor. She hadn't had any intention of coming here but it was like something was drawing her. A need to see him that was irrational and yet so deep that she couldn't talk herself out of it.
It was an empty feeling she realised had been lurking inside her soul unacknowledged. A thing that had festered so long she had never known it was there. Painful realisation intruding where she'd thought she was content and happy.
Was this what it meant to find your mate? This sense that you were no longer enough as you always had been? she didn't like it.
She was frozen as she stared at the closed door with the golden 13B written on it. A war going on inside her as her common sense screamed at her. Yet all she wanted was to knock on the door and just see him. So she became paralysed by the conflicting desires that were equal in their control of her.
Much as she willed herself to act, to leave and preserve what little dignity she still had, Liv found herself rooted. None of her recriminations had the power to drive her away from what she knew was stalkerish behaviour. What was she doing thinking of knocking on the door of a guy she'd just met in the middle of the night?
And when the door before her opened she felt a flood of relief that warred with the embarrassment warming her cheeks. Even with that embarrassment holding on to her, she felt like she could breathe for the first time. Like the vice that had constricted all she was, had finally let go.
Her eyes met his and everything seemed to fall into place. It was the most natural thing to rush into his arms, to draw in his scent with a deep breath. The feel of his arms wrapping around her was like an explosion splintering every cell of her body. Yet it felt like the calm centre of a perfect storm.
He smelled like sandalwood that had a hint of fire beneath it. A scent that was primal, earthy and absolutely intoxicating. "What is wrong with me?" She asked confusion in her voice.
"You're okay," his deep voice soothed. "Just breathe."
Liv took another deep breath, her arms tightening around him. With another, her heart calmed down from its racing pace. She became aware of the soothing heat that seeped into her body from him. Aware of the hard planes of his chest flush against her body.
Her hands were gripping naked heat in the form of muscled shoulders that flexed with his slightest movement. His skin was soft velvet wrapped around steel. Her hands relaxed their hold and then traced down his back.
"Liv..." his warning was a low growl.
She ignored it and then glided her hands down the smooth curved plane of his back. The feel of his skin was intoxicating, a pleasure she hadn't known could be. His breaths were coming in faster but he held himself still as she slowly caressed his hip bone with one hand whilst the other still traced his back.
Liv pulled back a little until she was looking into his eyes and their faces were a breath from each other. Her breaths were just as fast, her heart racing until it matched his. He swallowed hard, the intensity in his grey eyes scorching through her.
It was like looking into the heart of fire, searing yet too mesmerising to look away from. His eyes took on a golden sheen, something wild. His scent intensified. A thrill raced down her spine and Liv once again felt the rise of her wolf. Somehow, she knew her eyes now held the sheen his had and she realised what it was she wanted.
Him.
Liv had never felt desire before in her life. She had thought herself incapable of sexual attraction but the flame that now burned through her put paid to that thought. Had she just been waiting for him all this time? Was there something to this mate thing that ensured he would be the only person she would ever desire? Or was it a paranormal thing and humans would never be attractive enough?
Whatever the case, she was ready for this. Even as she was aware of how strange it was that she was so willing to give herself to someone she had just met. It felt right, like it was destined. She almost laughed at that thought. Wasn't it what being mates was all about? Being destined.
"I don't think this is a good idea," he said, even as his eyes traced the softness of her lips.
A stab pierced her heart at those words but she tried to push the pain down. "Are you rejecting me?" she questioned.
Everything she knew about soulmates told her it was painful to reject your mate or be rejected by them. She realised that was the reason she had been in such a dark hole earlier. He had turned away from her and her primal instinct, her wolf had seen that as a rejection of their bond. Even now, that thread of insecurity threatened to rise up again. It was there in the ache that lined her question
He met her gaze with those intense grey eyes of his. "Never." he declared and Liv felt her heart soar.
A smile traced her lips before she once more stood on her toes and brought their lips closer. "Then there is no right or wrong about this," she whispered as her hands went to the waistband of the low-riding sweatpants he had on.
"Liv..." he warned again.
"You're not saying no." she reminded him.
"I share this place with my gamma," he stated and there was a bite in his tone that brought a thrill to her. "I don't ever want him to see you naked."
Her smile deepened as she realised he was giving in to her. "Don't werewolves take off their clothes to shift?" she teased. "I had to take mine off when the Alpha taught me how to shift."
He growled, a sound of displeasure that vibrated the windows in the penthouse. It should have made her afraid, but something within her thrilled at it. More so when he wrapped his arms around her, lifted her up and then carried her up the stairs. Liv couldn't help the giggle that escaped her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
She didn't take her eyes off his, even when he laid her down on his bed. Nothing else mattered to her. "Are you sure about this?" he asked. "We'll be inseparable after this."
Liv felt her wolf stir inside her. It had been silent so far and even though the Alpha had told her she would be able to speak to and hear her wolf. Still, she knew they were both in agreement, that this was right for her. "Yes," she told him before sitting up taking his arm and pulling him down with her.
Their lips came together again, his hands were gentle on her, mapping her body with a reverence that touched her deeply. Their clothes came off, their bodies became tangled as they explored each other. Nothing had ever felt so good, so perfect.
His skin was like silk against her touch, his touch ignited fire as his hands glided over her body. Liv couldn't get enough of him, couldn't get close enough. His strength felt like a shelter, yet he gave way to her touch, giving her a sense of power unlike any she had ever known.
He was gentle, sure, guiding her as they came together, swallowing her cries as the pleasure she experienced became too much. He soothed her as she rose to heights so high she thought she might just lose her mind. And when she crashed so intensely, she held on to him until she could finally breathe and a smile wouldn't leave her face.
"That was awesome!" she breathed out. "Can we do it again?"
Don let out a deep laugh, the first she had heard from him since they met. From what she had seen of him so far, he appeared to be a much too serious kind of guy and it pleased her that she could get him to laugh. His eyes appeared more green when he laughed and a pair of chin dimples appeared.
Liv froze as she realised something and looked at him with horror. He immediately stopped laughing, his body becoming tense and alert as he scanned the room for any danger. "What is it?" he demanded as he used his body to shield her.
"We didn't use any protection," she choked out. "I'm not ready for a child and my parents will kill me if I get pregnant." she panicked.
At that, he relaxed against her. "Don't worry about it, it's okay."
Liv glared at him, then pushed him off so that she could sit up and glare at his prone figure. "Don't worry about it?" she demanded. "That is such a guy way to react to such a disaster! I'm eighteen years old, I have yet to live my life and finding out I'm a werewolf is the limit of what I can take right now. I still have to get my degree, a good job and stuff. And another thing, I'm not going to move to the middle of nowhere and skin some poor defenceless animals and cook for you. I certainly am not going to have a litter of kids."
"Are you done?" he asked and though he appeared as calm as he had been since she met him, Liv was sure he was laughing at her.
She narrowed her eyes at him, "Are you laughing at me?" she demanded.
"Werewolves can't have kids until they are at least a hundred," he told her instead of answering her question.
Her eyes widened at that, "Don't tell me you're an old man! Eew, that is so eew."
Once again he laughed, his hands going around her wai to pull her back against him. "I'm nineteen years old, just nineteen."
"Oh," Liv smiled up at him. "In that case, let's get to know each other better." she suggested as her hands once more explored him.
"You're going to be trouble, aren't you?"
Her smile widened before she gave him a scorching kiss and they both lost themselves to the sensations of once more coming together.
Copyright© Tafadzwa Josephine Kashiri™.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This is the literary property of Tafadzwa Kashiri and is not licensed for unauthorized reuse, reprint, photocopying or any other mechanical/electronic reproduction.