Elliot.The empty cabin felt colder without him here, which annoyed me because I had stayed alone for the last five years. I passed his open room door multiple times than I should have, just to star at the neatly folded blanket on the bed, half-expecting Damien to be under it, sprawled out, and asleepThere was nothing.I ran a hand through my hair, fighting the growing pit of unease in my stomach.Where had he gone?Memories from the last time we talked clung to me. The way he'd looked at me, as if I were something that mattered. Then I opened my mouth and said things I couldn't take back.Things I hadn't meant.And now, he was just... gone.I tried to shake it off, focusing on the article I was to send to Frank later, though the words on the screen blurred as I tapped aimlessly at the keyboard. The piece was for old Mr. Harding’s 70th birthday next week, an easy write-up that should’ve taken an hour at most, but u couldn't string two basic sentences together.My thoughts kept drif
Elliot.Damien didn't come back till nighttime.The door creaked open in my quiet cabin, and I knew immediately who it was.I didn't need to look up from my laptop screen to feel the tug towards him, to feel him filling the space. I heard him stop in the doorway, and I felt his eyes on me, watching in that way he did, as though he could see past everything I was trying to hide. I kept typing, ignoring the pounding of my heart, and the tug pulling me to look his way.“What?” I muttered, my fingers hovering over the keys.Damien cleared his throat, and I could feel his hesitation, which only made me angrier. “You left pretty quickly back there,” he said finally.I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "It was only appropriate. You were... occupied."Even without looking back I could tell his jaw was clenched. "She was just an acquaintance."“Sure,” I replied, feigning indifference as I closed my laptop and stood up, unable to stay seated any longer. “None of my business anyway. You don’t have to
Elliot.The world could have collapsed around us, and I wouldn't have noticed.That was how immersed in Damien I was.His lips were warm and unrelenting against mine, his hands tangled in my hair as if he were attaching himself permanently to me, refusing to let go.My body reacted the very same way, pressing against him, craving the heat of his touch and letting go.I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt this... alive, like every nerve in my body was suddenly switched on, responding only to him.For the first time in a long time, I felt free.From overthinking, from fear, from the questions that seemed to eat at me.Right now, all I wanted was him.And he wanted me."Damien..." I murmured, whispered as his mouth left a burning trail down my neck. My fingers tugged at his hair, pulling him closer, because I needed to feel every inch of him against me.He was something solid I could hold onto.Could he even know how much this meant to me?"Don't stop."A low chuckle escaped his lip
Elliot.It took me three days to finally decide to get a breath of fresh air.We slipped out of the cabin just as the sky was beginning to blend into dusk. Despite the way my legs felt like jelly after spending most of my time in bed, I needed answers.So we wandered along the streets of the town, taking in the warmth of the normally quiet town that looked like something out of a post card.Peaceful now.I had barely appreciated the days like this until a few weeks back."Alright," I started, breaking the silence. "I have to ask... this whole mate thing. What does it really mean? It's a bond, yes, but is it like... unavoidable? Bound to all werewolves. How does a human even get a werewolf mate?"Damien glanced over, amusement flickering in his eye as he slid his hands into his pockets."It's a bit more complicated than that." He looked straight ahead, his expression softening as if he was about to share a deep secret. "For us, the mate bond is sacred. It's more than just attraction or
Damien.Most times, I just didn't like other people.But by the time we got to the cabin, the nagging feeling in my got only fit worse. There was something off about Luciana, something that made my skin crawl.Perhaps I could have written it off as paranoia due to the fact that she would be entering the woods or even jealousy at first.I couldn't get the way she looked at Elliot out of my mind..."There's something... wrong about the lady who was with Frank."Elliot opened the door, but I stopped him, holding his arm for a moment. "Don't trust her."He raised an eyebrow, half amused, half exasperated. "She's just here to help, Damien. There wouldn't be anything for her to do so don't sound like you're reading from a horror novel.""I don't like her." I muttered, letting him step inside. I glanced around one last time before following him in, feeling a chill I couldn't shake.We'd barely settled back in when I heard a faint shuffling outside. An animal?I froze at my place close to th
Elliot.A guttural snarl tore through the air, echoing in my ears, deep and predatory.I was running... not with my feet but with my whole body. Hunting. I was hunting.Hungry.My insides fought like someone had poured acid on it. So painful.My feet... no, those were definitely paws clawed at the earth, muscles burning as I pursued something just ahead.A wild, desperate thrill pulsed through my veins, and every instinct in me screamed to catch, to claim, to conquer.Die. Eat. Rabbit.I woke with a jolt, the sensation of claws retracting from my hands. My heart was pounding so hard I was scared it would fly out of my chest, with my breathing shallow. This was the second time.The first time was a fluke. I hadn't expected it, but two nights of this nightmare where I wasn't myself, but... some animal running after something in the woods wasn't a coincidence.And every time, it left me feeling as though I was splitting into two. Damien had gone for a run in the woods, desperate to let
Elliot.I sank into the booth at the back of the coffee shop, my fingers fidgeting around my cup of coffee.Damien not coming after me had felt nice at first, not so great afterwards.I missed the guy. Even when we weren't kissing, he was a great guy to have around. He would have answered my questions without judgement if I had been strong enough to ask them.Frank's book lay open before me, the pages yellowed and worn, and each line felt like it was tugging me deeper into an impossible reality.I had taken the seat at the end of the coffee shop, far away from everyone else, though with how quiet the coffee shop was at this hour, I had doubts anyone would bother me.I read slowly, savouring every word, hoping it would make things clearer.It didn't.If anything, it only made me more confused."Mates often experience shared subconscious moments, especially in dreams. The more time they spent together, the stronger these connections become."The dreams.That was definitely about those
Elliot.The mountain air was sharp, biting at my skin as I trailed Luciana deeper into the woods.No matter how hard I tried, my legs now refused to stop moving. It was almost like I was a puppet meant to do what she wanted against my will.What kind of person had such a twisted command over another?We reached a narrow trail I didn't recognize, leading us up a steep incline. This was the part of the woods I hadn't ventured into when I started my past journey.I never made it to this place.We reached a narrow trail, which led us up a steep incline. Even from where I stood, I could see a hidden cave tucked away in the rocks, partially obscured by tangled vines and shadows.Just another reminder of how freakish I had become.I needed to turn away and run. Hide. Whatever Luciana was up to, I had a feeling it wouldn't be good.But my feet, heavy and numb, didn’t listen."In here." Luciana ordered, her voice a low, dangerous murmur. She glanced over her shoulder, her brown eyes holding a
Elliot.Pleasure clouded my mind, hungry and dangerous, as hazel eyes lined my vision.That was seriously the best blow job I had ever gotten in all my years of living. It was satisfying enough to make me forget the reason I was out here.In the woods.Alone.Damien stood up so he could slide his pants and briefs down and kick them to the side until he was wearing nothing.Damn.I had felt it. Touched it. But seeing it? That was different.I tried to look away, but I realised later on that it was practically impossible to ignore the handsome man in front of me.During most of our time together, I had kept myself from asking why he didn't have any tattoos like most of his peers. Even the werewolves at the pack close to the woods had something inked onto their skin.The moon. Eyes. Anything.Damien didn't.I attempted to get my fill of the way he looked fully naked and under the moonlight. All the muscles that are proportionally placed over his tall frame and slightly broad built.But t
Damien.The bond between us burned, not with the faint flickers I'd felt earlier but with a consuming, relentless fire.It roared in my chest, growing sharper with every breath I took, every frantic beat of my heart.I didn't get all chummy with Elliot most of the time. Not because I didn't want to... if I was opportuned, I would kiss, touch, and fuck him every single day... but because he was still coming to terms with the fact that he was attracted to a male.Elliot was trembling in my arms, his nails digging into my skin as if he was trying to anchor himself. Or maybe trying to hurt me.I couldn't tell, and honestly, I didn't care.All that mattered was him."Elliot, look at me," I whispered, cupping his face, my thumbs brushing against his cheeks. "You're safe. You're with me now. Just tell what happened, and I'll fix it."His brown eyes, darkened with lust, locked onto mine. His lips parted, but no words came out... just a shaky exhale that sent a pang of helplessness straight t
Damien.I often prided myself in my ability not to lose my control.That all burned to ashes when I met Elliot and discovered he was my mate.The house loomed in front of me, silent and dark. Too silent. Too dark.I shifted back into my human form just outside the front door, the transformation leaving my skin pricking with leftover adrenaline. If anyone saw me, that would be a case I would handle some other time.My breaths came in sharp bursts, clouding the cold night air, but my chest still felt tight.This was wrong.This quietness was unusual.The scream... no matter how far I had been from the house... it belonged to Elliot. I was sure of it.I didn't waste time.I slammed my shoulder into the door, forcing it open with a loud crack. The frame splintered, but I barely noticed."Elliot!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the empty hallways.Nothing.No footsteps. No shuffling. No hurried explanations from his parents or questions about why the house was so dark or why I had de
Damien.The warehouse was cold. Damp. The perfect place for drowning in my own thoughts.I sat on the edge of a rusted steel beam, staring out at the sliver of moonlight that pierced through a crack in the roof. The city hummed faintly in the distance... alive, vibrant, and completely unaware of the chaos simmering inside me.Why couldn't I remember?What had I done years back that was so devious I couldn't even remember?My survival instincts were working overtime at this moment. Run. Run. Leave New York behind. Disappear again.Elliot knew I would leave eventually. We both knew I was just here for the time being.Wasn't that why I delayed everything that had to do with completing our mating process?Yet, every time I tried to make that move, my mind betrayed me with flickers of a certain past I couldn't fully remember. Faces. Voices. Shadows that felt too real to ignore.It was all in my fucking head. "Mate. Mate. Mine." Elliot’s voice replayed in my head like a broken record. "Whe
Elliot.And people blamed me for disappearing for five years.What the heck had just happened?The night felt heavier after Damien left. His silhouette disappeared into the darkness, and with it, any sense of normalcy I thought we still had.Something was wrong... terribly wrong... and if he wouldn't tell me, I'd figure it out myself."Elliot, honey, what's going on? Is Damien alright?"I hesitated, not wanting to alarm her. “I don’t know, Mom. He just… needs some time to himself.”She wanted to say more. The way she moved around and her lips purse together. But thankfully, she kept them to herself and just motioned for me to come inside."You too. It's late, and you shouldn't be out in the cold."Yeah, she was right.I nodded but didn't move. "Mom, who was that man? Ryan?"Her brown eyes narrowed slightly, the worry on her face deepening. Once upon a time, my mom was the prettiest woman in the land, now the stress of old age, a child who disappeared for years, and work had worn her d
Damien."We need to talk."It was one thing for someone to barge into someone's house, neighbour or not. It was another thing for said person to come after a person eating dinner and minding their own business.The tension in the dining room was suffocating. The burly man, Ryan, stood close to the doorway, his shoulders blocking out the light. His eyes were still locked on mine, and I felt the weight of it as though it could crush me where I sat.Elliot’s family watched warily, their smiles vanishing. I would have given a million bucks to know what was going on in their mind."I said," Ryan repeated, his tone low and deliberate. "We need to talk, Damien."Elliot bristled beside me, his chair scraping the floor as he stood. "What the hell is going on? Who are you?" His voice was like sharpened knives. Ryan didn't spare him a glance. His focus was entirely on me, his lips curling into something between a smirk and a sneer. "You know who I am, kid."My stomach twisted.I didn't know thi
Damien.I didn't feel much better the next morning.No matter how much I tried to convince myself that I was probably imagining things, and I couldn't probably have gutted a random girl in the street of New York.Not even a little.My stomach was a tangled mess of nerves, excitement, and uncertainty as Elliot drove us to his childhood home deeper in the city of New York.I had no idea what to expect from meeting his family... what kind of impression I would make, and whether they would accept me.But as much as I hated to be introduced as just a friend, part of me was eager to just see the life he had grown up in, to understand him a little better.Elliot tightened his hand on the wheel, his eyes focused on the road. He looked different today... a bit more casual, no more of the anxiety filled, heightened senses, intense persona he'd been wearing.He looked lighter, almost... happy.It made me want to reach out, slam my lips on those perfect lips, and continue our activity from yester
Damien.This probably wasn't the best time for this.I didn't kiss Elliot because I wanted to. Not that I didn't want to, but not when he was confessing his guts out about what happened to his dead fiancée five years ago.That wouldn't be fair. Not to him. Not to me. But he was so close.His lips trembling with each word, his breath ragged as if the weight of the past was too much to carry on his own.And his eyes... moon goddess, his eyes... they were darker than usual, filled with so much pain that I could feel it in my own chest.And yet... all I could think about was how much I wanted him.Maybe it wasn't the best time. Maybe it was a terrible idea.But the way he looked at me, the way he leaned into me when I touched his face, it felt like an invitation I couldn't turn away from.I cupped his jaw, brushing my thumb over the stubble on his chin, the action almost instinctive. This wasn't the first time we kissed. He had a whole mark on his neck from me.But it just felt right.
Elliot."You can't possibly know that."I pushed Damien's hand off my shoulder, barely sparing him a glance. "Leave me alone.""Elliot...""Just... please." I didn't wait for a response, ducking out of the restaurant and into the streets.I heard Damien's footsteps behind me at first, his steady, relentless presence tracking me, but I didn't turn around.He'd catch on eventually. I just needed space.My feet took me though blocks and alleys without thought, my mind whirling with everything Ethan had thrown at me, every accusation he'd nailed to my skin. I didn't care where I was going, as long as I was alone.Everything...The neon lights outside an old boutique caught my eye, and I stopped, hesitating. This was her boutique.The one she dragged me to whenever she could. One she loved.How did I make it here?I knew every inch of the store... each table, every display, the delicate scent of lavender that lingered on everything she’d brought back from it on the days she didn't drag m