Chapter 14

Ren

I'd shown her the exterior of the property and wanted to show her the inside, but in due time, I told myself. Little steps to get her used to me, to my presence. Things would move quickly once she was mine, and I wanted her to come to terms with all of this in her own way.

"Thank you for showing me around. It's all so gorgeous." She glanced over her shoulder at the estate again, this wistful expression on her face. "I do have to go though. Someone is waiting for me to bring back supplies they need."

"Please." I gestured for her to go ahead of me. "Let me take you there. It's just a short walk through my property to the next town over, and I can't in good conscience let you travel the woods alone."

Because I have to be with you. I can't leave you. It physically pains me.

She gave me the prettiest smile, and just as she nodded and was about to step onto the trail, the deep, rumbling roar of my brother gone mad sliced through the stone, as if shaking the very stone of the manor.

Mikalina whipped around to stare at the estate, her eyes wide, the scent of her fear coming through sharply.

"It's nothing," I said low, my Lycan rising up at the scent of her fear. My inner animal wanted to protect her, even though I knew what the "threat" was. "Wild animals litter the forest surrounding the estate. They won't dare come close." Because one is already inside the manor. One is deep inside me. "After you, sweetling."

She didn't comment on the endearment, probably still too shocked by what she'd heard.

But the farther we walked from the manor, the more her fear abased and her curiosity of her surroundings—and me—intensified.

I couldn't keep my eyes off her. The way the sun streamed through the branches and hit her dark-brown hair, showing me the golden-red highlights. The way the breeze picked up every once in a while, teasing those strands, and sent the most luscious scent up to my nose had every part of my body tightening.

I was drawn to her, her body every single thing I could've ever wanted. It was like she was plucked for my very fantasies, no part of her undesirable to me. I meant it when I said she was perfect.

"Your house is gorgeous," she said again, and I liked that she kept mentioning it. It made me proud and had my chest puffing up at the fact that my mate was pleased with our home.

And it was ours.

She might not know it yet, but she would. Very soon.

"It's been in my family for generations." I left out the part that I'd been the one to build it centuries ago... in preparation for when I finally found her. I was pretty sure that little bit of information would probably shock the hell out of her.

We were silent for a few more steps, but I could've stayed like this forever.

Both of us quiet.

Both of us speaking.

Or hell, just listening to her talk was enough for me to be happy. It didn't matter what we were doing as long as she was with me.

And her voice... gods, her voice was calming, soothing.

"Do you have family here? Do they live with you?"

My chest swelled with pleasure that my female wanted to learn about me. I cleared my throat and glanced away, wanting to tell her everything. I wanted her to know about me and my life, that for the last three centuries she'd been the only focus of mine. I wanted my mate to know everything I had was here, that I created my life with the sole reason to please her.

"It's just my older brother and me now. He lives with me." Slowly losing his mind in the pits of the manor. "Our parents passed some time ago." My mother died in a tragic accident, and my father couldn't live without his mate. He passed just a week after of a broken heart.

"How much older is your brother?"

He's nearly four centuries old, sweetling."He's a good bit older than I am." We walked for a while more, the silence not uncomfortable, but I wanted to hear more of her voice. It calmed me in more ways than I could ever describe. "My brother isn't… well." I didn't know why I told her that; maybe because I wanted her to know all there was about me.

She stopped and looked at me, her eyes conveying her sympathy. "I'm sorry your brother is sick."

Although I didn't want to talk about Luca, and didn't want to bring a shadow of darkness to this moment I had with Mikalina, connecting with her on this level had me feeling even closer with her. But I would never keep anything from her, never lie. So, I exhaled slowly and thought about how I would broach the subject. I couldn't very well tell her the whole truth at the moment, about why Luca lost his mind, but she would know in due time.

"He lost someone," I responded. "The most important person to him." It wasn't a lie, but not the whole truth. He had lost someone... his mate, in retrospect to him, because he hadn't found her yet. "And he's not handling it well, as can be expected."

She looked at me then, and her blue eyes could have brought me down to my knees for the empathy that shone in them. "I'm really sorry to hear that." She held my focus for a moment and then looked forward again, her throat working as she swallowed, her expression and the tone of her voice so damn genuine and sincere that I wanted to pull her in and kiss her until this darkness was gone.

The fact that she showed sympathy toward my brother—a total stranger to her—made me fall in love with her instantly.

"I've never experienced that kind of loss—the kind that sucks the very life out of you, but I can imagine it's very crippling." Her voice was so low, so meaningful.

She had no idea how debilitating it truly was to lose hope that you'd never find your mate.

"I hope he finds peace soon."

And once again, I wanted to pull her in close and just hold her, whisper words of endearment in my native tongue against the shell of her ear. I wanted to thank whoever was listening that I had this extraordinary female as my mate.

And I nearly did reach out for her and do just that, but then she lost her footing and started to fall over from a large root that erupted from the ground. I had her in my arms just seconds later, her body pressed to mine, every part of me humming and singing in pleasure at how good this felt.

She stared up at me with wide eyes, her shock one of adrenaline that she'd almost fallen, or maybe it was because I'd caught her so swiftly and still held her close.

Maybe it was a little bit of both.

"Thank you... for that. For not letting me fall on my face."

I'll always catch you. I was born to be strong so I could protect and provide for you.

She pulled away far too soon—to my disappointment—and the sheepish look she gave me told me she was embarrassed that she'd clung to me. And she most definitely had, her little hands gripping my shirt as if she were afraid to fall once more.

Did she realize she clung to me? Pulled me closer?

She cleared her throat and started walking again but stayed silent. I didn't press for conversation, just enjoyed being in her presence, having her scent surrounding me, slipping into my body. I'd never felt so complete in my life, and I hadn't even claimed her yet. I could only imagine the monumental change within me once I finally had her and was buried deep between her sweet thighs, my fangs gripping her shoulder as I gave her my mark.

All too soon, we were entering the town of Lankalinov. But I had no intentions of letting her be alone. Listening to her talk, feeling complete for the first time in my life, had me greedy for more time with her. So I gestured for her to go before me and let my gaze linger on the perfect roundness of her ass. My heart thundered, my cock punched forward, and I tried to discreetly adjust myself so she couldn't see my raging hard-on pressing against my slacks.

Mikalina stopped and glanced over her shoulder at me, clearly surprised I followed behind. "You're coming with me?"

I gave her a smile, one I hoped conveyed that I was being polite, when in reality I didn't want her to be alone, didn't want any males to look upon her. Although that might be a dangerous combination, because if I were to see someone gazing at her, my inner animal would snarl and growl, likely burst forth and rip throats out before laying them in front of her as an offering.

For the next hour, I helped her shop, looking over the list she had, picking only the best fruits and vegetables, even though they were not for her. The primal need to only get her the best was strong in me, my basic animalistic urges to take care of my mate strong and growing stronger by the day.

And the entire time, my gaze lingered on my mate's perfection. Gods, I was so fucking lucky.

We left and started walking past the little stalls in the village. She stopped at one that had hand carved wooden figurines. This small smile played across her lips as she ran a finger over one, and then I noticed when she stilled before reaching out and touching the wolf figurine. The artists had painted the eyes a vibrant blue… just like my Lycan's… just like her eyes. Her brows were pulled down low, but then she seemed to shake herself out of her thoughts.

"What is it?" Although I knew. I knew she was feeling some kind of recognition, a connection. There was no way she wasn't, with me standing right beside her, the pheromones moving between us and only growing stronger with each passing moment.

"It's nothing," she whispered. "It's just," she said and glanced at me before emoting once more. "My neighbor, Mini, the older woman who I'm shopping for today, said something strange about me being here for a reason, something about wolves, but that they aren't really wolves." She shook her head and stopped, giving me a forced smile. "It's all kind of crazy."

But it feels so real, I could almost hear her say out loud.

"I just feel this weird connection to this place." She looked around, and a genuine smile covered her pink, full lips. "As soon as I stepped foot in this country, I just felt like?—"

"—you were meant to be here," I finished for her.

She looked at me, and her smile widened. "Yes, exactly. Crazy, right?"

I shook my head, knowing my expression was serious. "We all have destinies, and sometimes those are fated with another." Too fast. Don't push her.

The way she watched me—this knowing look in her eyes—made me think she knew exactly what I meant, that she wouldn't deny this attraction between us.

"You speak like you've lived a thousand lives."

Ah, sweetling, if only you knew how long I've waited for you.

As we walked past the stalls, I marveled at the wonder on her face as she looked at the handmade pottery, the woven tapestry, the stitched folk dresses. Although she didn't speak Romanian, she knew a few words, thanking the stall owners, murmuring beautiful, lovely, and a handful of other sweet things to them in passing in my native tongue.

We rounded the corner, and I turned my attention to a stall that sold intricately handwoven silk scarves. I picked up a vibrant blue one, the same shade as Mikalina's eyes, and didn't hesitate to purchase it for her. When I was finished and the scarf wrapped in delicate tissue, I saw two men making their way toward my female, their vile lust clear on their faces as they let their eyes roam up and down her form.

Destroy them for daring to look at her.

My Lycan seethed the words, and I found myself moving toward them with pure violence building. Just a look from the opposite sex toward a mate would send my kind into a frenzied rage. But to know they desired what was mine? I'd tear their limbs from their bodies before they could even contemplate what I was doing.

She was unaware of their lewd looks as she picked up a piece of fresh fruit and brought it to her nose to smell.

I inserted myself between Mikalina and the duo, and they came to a stop, their eyes widening as they took note of me. I knew my eyes glowed blue, felt my muscles become bigger, adrenaline pumping through my veins in anticipation for a fight.

Protect her. She's ours!

I was breathing harder and faster, holding myself back, because I wanted to warn them, to see if they'd be smart enough to leave well enough alone… to leave with their lives intact.

They crossed themselves as if I were the very devil himself, and maybe I was. To them, I'd be whatever I needed to protect my mate.

They scurried off, and I closed my eyes and breathed out slowly, trying to rein myself in.

"Everything okay?" Mikalina's soft voice pierced through my red rage, and I exhaled once more, letting the fight leave me fully.

When I turned around, I was myself once again, gave her a smile that I was sure didn't reach my eyes, but held out the tissue-wrapped scarf to divert her worry.

"For me?" Her eyes were wide as she took the gift. She unwrapped it then made a small, surprised sound. "It's beautiful." She ran her fingers over the embroidered detailing around the edging.

"It's the same shade as your eyes."

"It's the same shade as my eyes." She snapped her head up and gave a small laugh as we said the same thing. "Thank you for this. I've never gotten anything so beautiful before."

I felt my brows lower. I didn't like that. I wanted to lavish things on her, spoil her, give her so much attention she was drowning in it. "It's nothing," I played it off. She'd soon realize, once she was mine, she'd never want for anything ever again.

We stayed in the market a short while longer, then I led her back through the woods. The conversation was easy, with her soft laughter having my body tightening, hardening in all the ways a man did for a woman. Before she knew it, I'd led her back to Dobravina. She seemed startled and surprised, but I planned this all along, refusing to leave even a moment of time spent with her wasted.

"Thank you," she said softly. "You've made this day… memorable."

My heart raced, my canines tingling to make it even more memorable for the both of us.

"How strange we just met, yet I feel like I've known you forever." The way she spoke was soft, absent, and as her eyes widened, I realized she hadn't meant to say those words out loud.

"Will you have dinner with me tomorrow?" I asked before she could say anything, before she could try to shake this fated feeling she had within her.

My focus was on her lips, and I couldn't help myself from feeling that gut-punch of arousal slam into me. There was no denying it or stopping it.

With the glow from the setting sun behind her, and her gorgeous face tipped up to look at me, the need to kiss her was so fucking strong. I curled my fingers into my palms and breathed out slowly, my nails turning into claws as I started toshift.

"Okay," she said almost breathlessly, no hesitation in her voice, and fuck did that make me even harder.

And when she lowered her eyes to my lips, I realized I was growling, the animal breaking free slightly. But she either didn't hear the low rumble, or she was too caught up in the moment, because she didn't react.

"I find myself," she murmured, still staring at my lips, and I lifted a hand and brushed away a strand of hair that blew gently across her cheek from the wind, "wanting to know more about you, to spend more time with you, Ren." She closed her eyes, and her breath caught when my skin touched hers.

So receptive.

"And you will."

She opened her eyes, and I saw the blue become brighter from her emotions… her arousal.

Yes, she would be mine. When the full moon hit, I was claiming my mate once and for all.

And I just hoped it didn't have her running from me forever.