BRIAN’S POVI knew what my fate would be once I entered that camp. I could see it in their eyes. I could hear it in the whispers around me.I'm going to die.There was a point in time in my life when I want to die. After my first mate was killed, I felt guilty. She was killed because of me. I’ve always known it was my fault.My mate was killed because I had taken the wrong person, and someone who loved them came after me. They killed her as revenge. And I knew I deserved to die after that. I know that honestly, I still do deserve death after everything I’ve done.However, I can't help but be sad about it now. I just barely found my new mate, and I don't want to leave her. I want to explore the connection we have. I want to love this beautiful woman.I know I can't though. I couldn’t before because it was too dangerous for her to be around me. I can’t now because I won’t be alive for much longer.They are going to kill me. I've accepted my fate, and I'm just glad I got to meet
I'm terrified as the burly looking man towers over my mate. I'm terrified and I don't know what to do. I don't know how to save him. But I know I must save him.Then, it feels like something different stirs within me. All of the pain I’ve felt since Rafael challenged the alpha bubbles within me. All the fights. All the sadness. They add up into a hurricane slowly building.My fear floods through my bloodstream. And I'm tired of being afraid. I'm tired of not knowing if my mate will die. I'm tired and I want to do anything I can to destroy these people.I look around me for anything I can use it as a distraction. I can't just run into this fight with my wolf skills. They are also wolves, and they can destroy me. There are too many of them. I can’t take them all on myself. I have to have more weapons. I have to figure out what to do soon.There are vendors all around the area. This is a busy part of town. There are lots of options. So, I take stock of all of them and try to figure
“That was... quite the fight,” I say.I can't really say what's really going on in my mind because I can't quite put words to it yet. I know I'll tell her eventually. I just need a little time to come up with the words and sort my own thoughts out.“That was,” she says. “It feels like I don't even know quite what happened. It all happened so quickly. I've never fought with a sword like that.”“You've never fought with a sword like that?” I ask. “That honestly baffles me. You did so amazing. How did you learn to fight with that if you never fought with a sword before?”“I really don't know,” Samantha says. “I didn't think I could do something like that. I'm just as shocked as you are.”That's the word I'm thinking of. Shocked. I'm shocked by her skill. I don't know quite how to fathom it.I can't fathom it. It's impossible. And now I learn that she's never fought with a sword before, it becomes even more impossible.“Well, you did well too,” she points out.I think of all the ti
I can't say that I'm not a little bit surprised by Brian’s questions. Sure, I was shocked by what I did. But I figured I'd be the only person who was surprised by it.Throughout my life, I've never thought of myself as particularly special. I'm just myself. I'm just another member of the pack. I know I have my unique skills and personality traits, but I never thought I stood out so much. Brian is making me think I am special though. And I guess it's just the fact that we're mates. Mates are supposed to make each other feel special. That's what we were built for. That's what we were born for. We were made for each other, so it makes sense. Still, it's rather nicer than I expected.“It can't be that much different than anyone else,” I say. “Maybe lots of people just learn how to use swords quickly. Maybe in the heat of the moment, you have to.“I've heard about people who can move cars with their adrenaline if someone they love is stuck underneath one. Maybe it was just the push of
Spending time in the water together is like a dream. Brian I talk about nature, we talk a little bit about the past, we talk a little bit about the future.I know he's still holding a lot back. That much is obvious. There are things he won't talk about, there are ways he's shutting me out. He has so many walls, I don't know how to get behind them. I don't know why he's so aloof. I don't know why my mate holds so much space between us.But at least he's opening up to me in a way that he never opened up to me before. He's letting me get to know him. And getting to know him is wonderful. Getting to know him is everything I've dreamed of in a mate.I hope that means he's changed his mind about leaving. I hope that he'll stay even once we reach his pack. I can't imagine us being apart now. I can't imagine him wanting us to be apart now.But it's still a little tough. Because I felt this way before about him, and he still wanted to leave me. At one point in time, he wanted to sell me.
Dinner with Brian's family goes amazingly well. It feels like we were all meant to fit in together. And they all welcome me in like they would another family member. I can't believe how perfect it is. I can't believe how perfectly my mate fits with me.Shortly after dinner, Molly comes to join us. The family welcomes her in too, like they know her very well. And something about her strikes a chord of jealousy within me. There's something about the way she interacts with the family and with Brian that makes her feel like competition.I try to shove that to the back of my mind though. I don't want to be a jealous mate. I don't want to come in and mess up whatever Brian has going on here. So, I try to get to know Molly in a nice and respectful way. I try to be as kind as I can to her as I can be. We talk about life and the kind of things I just can’t talk about with guys. I get to know Brian’s friend and I start to see why he likes her.“We seem to be getting along well together,” Mo
Of course, Molly and I don't talk the whole way back to the house. We leave plenty of space between us. The line has been drawn, and neither one of us wants to cross it. Neither one of us wants to spend any more time with each other than we have to.Neither one of us also wants to cause a commotion within the family. So, as we approach to the house, we walk closer to each other. We pretend like we're friends. I don't want to cause trouble for anyone, especially not Brian’s family.“How was your walk,” Diane asks, as we enter the house. “It was wonderful,” I say. “I'm enjoying getting to know everyone. And I'm thankful for you all welcoming me here.”Molly seems upset at that, but I doubt she'd want me to tell the family what she said to me. I doubt she'd want Brian to know. I need to talk to Brian. That's all I know for sure. I need to talk to him and try to make sense of what’s going on here.“That's wonderful that you girls are getting along,” Diane says. “You’re fitting in w
I have to admit that Brian’s admission that he's killed people does shock me. I never thought my mate would be a killer. I don't like that he's done such awful things.Sure, I have also killed people. But I didn't kill people because someone hired me to kill them. I killed people because I needed to. And I hated the feeling of killing peopleEven though the people I killed were people I had to kill to defend myself, I hated how it felt to kill them. I hated taking a life. I hated the feeling of their blood against me. It was one of the most awful things I've ever done. And I take each life that I've had to steal seriously.“Is that what you're going to do next?” I ask. “Are you planning on killing more people? Is that what you're off to do?”There's a lot riding on this. If he says he's going to go off and murder more people, then there's no way I can be with him. I can't accept that. But if he's changed, I'm not too sure what I’ll do. I don't know how I feel about all of this, b
It took awhile for Brian to heal completely, and I’ve been so thankful for that recovery for every day that I was worried he’d be stolen away from.“It’s still difficult to deal with the guilt,” I admit to him, as we wake up in our bed that morning. He rolls over to face me and takes me in his arms.“What do you mean?” he asks.“You almost died because of me,” I remind him, my eyes getting teary at just the thought of it. I almost lost you completely.”“But I’m still here,” he assures me. “It’s not your fault. You were led to believe something that was untrue, and your response makes perfect sense considering that.“Besides, you saved me and that can’t be forgotten. I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you. And I appreciate the sacrifice you made every day.”We kiss and once again I’m reminded of how special he is to me, how important our love is. Not that I’ve ever forgotten it.“I fall more in love with you each day,” I tell him.“And I with you,” he says. “Especially today.
It all makes so much sense, too much sense. Brian didn’t actually have anything to do with Dylan’s death, but his guilt has led him to believe so. Which is why he didn’t protest when I blamed him for it.I feel sick to my stomach. I can’t believe I blamed him for it. He clearly already feels so much pain regarding Dylan’s death. He has taken it all upon himself when he doesn’t deserve it.I made it worse for my mate. I rubbed salt in the wound of his pain. And I still can’t fully believe I would do something as horrible as that. My heart breaks for him.In that moment, I know what I have to do. I have to make things right. I have to assure him that he’s not at fault, he never ways. I have to try to heal the heart that I’ve broken.It’s going to be difficult do that, I understand. He might never want to speak to me again. But I have to at least try.Just as I’m about to stand though, another scene flickers upon the water. This one fills me with horror.I see Brian. He has berries
Watching Brian leave is the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever had to witness. It tears me up inside. I can’t imagine my life without him.He confirmed it though. He didn’t try to deny that he killed his best friend. He didn’t give a good explanation for it. She was right all along. Brian killed his best friend. That’s something so dishonorable that I simply can’t forgive it. I can’t be with someone like that.So, then why does it feel like we’re meant to be? I still can’t understand that. We’re so obviously wrong for each other. He killed an innocent man. He even said he was kind. I would never do something like that. So how is someone who’s capable of such things my mate?Surely the universe is a cruel, unforgiving place. Fate must’ve laughed upon me as it decided who my mate would be. It wanted me to be tortured. My heart was always destined to be broken.I watch him go and wait until he’ll be far enough away so I won’t run into him before I go outside. The cool, night air r
I wait anxiously for Samantha to get back. I can't help but worry about what she'll say. I'm not even sure what I want her to say. Could someone like her really want to be with someone like me?It's too unbelievable to even fathom. But she listened to me. She didn't run away. She listened to me and it seemed like she was willing to give me a chance. So, will she give me a chance? Will she still want to be my mate after everything I’ve done?My fate rests on her. If she doesn't want me here, then I'll leave. There's nothing more to say than that. I'm not going to stay here and bother her if she doesn't want me here.But if by some miracle she does want me here, then I'll stay. Of course, I'll stay. I couldn't leave her. Especially not if she wants me here.I pace around my room, too stressed to go downstairs and have conversation. I think about the money I have saved up. After my mate died, I moved back in with my family to heal. Now, I have enough money that I could get a new h
Walking outside, this village already feels like home. I'm so grateful to be here. No matter what happens, I'm grateful I found this place of peace.Things are a little more complicated than that though? Aren't they. It's not so easy considering everything my mate has done. Now he'll stay with me now, I'm not sure how to feel about everything. It's all such a shock.I walk around the village, hoping that the fresh air and exercise will give me answers. But these answers aren't quite so easy to come by. It is hard work, trying to work out the morals I would expect my mate to have, and what to do now I’ve learned he hasn’t always upheld those morals. I never thought I'd have to be worried about how I respond to a killer. I always thought that kind of situation would be easy to decide between.And maybe it is, honestly. Maybe I already know what my answer will be.I stop at that thought. Maybe I already know what my answer will be.I do already know what my answer will be. I know t
I have to admit that Brian’s admission that he's killed people does shock me. I never thought my mate would be a killer. I don't like that he's done such awful things.Sure, I have also killed people. But I didn't kill people because someone hired me to kill them. I killed people because I needed to. And I hated the feeling of killing peopleEven though the people I killed were people I had to kill to defend myself, I hated how it felt to kill them. I hated taking a life. I hated the feeling of their blood against me. It was one of the most awful things I've ever done. And I take each life that I've had to steal seriously.“Is that what you're going to do next?” I ask. “Are you planning on killing more people? Is that what you're off to do?”There's a lot riding on this. If he says he's going to go off and murder more people, then there's no way I can be with him. I can't accept that. But if he's changed, I'm not too sure what I’ll do. I don't know how I feel about all of this, b
Of course, Molly and I don't talk the whole way back to the house. We leave plenty of space between us. The line has been drawn, and neither one of us wants to cross it. Neither one of us wants to spend any more time with each other than we have to.Neither one of us also wants to cause a commotion within the family. So, as we approach to the house, we walk closer to each other. We pretend like we're friends. I don't want to cause trouble for anyone, especially not Brian’s family.“How was your walk,” Diane asks, as we enter the house. “It was wonderful,” I say. “I'm enjoying getting to know everyone. And I'm thankful for you all welcoming me here.”Molly seems upset at that, but I doubt she'd want me to tell the family what she said to me. I doubt she'd want Brian to know. I need to talk to Brian. That's all I know for sure. I need to talk to him and try to make sense of what’s going on here.“That's wonderful that you girls are getting along,” Diane says. “You’re fitting in w
Dinner with Brian's family goes amazingly well. It feels like we were all meant to fit in together. And they all welcome me in like they would another family member. I can't believe how perfect it is. I can't believe how perfectly my mate fits with me.Shortly after dinner, Molly comes to join us. The family welcomes her in too, like they know her very well. And something about her strikes a chord of jealousy within me. There's something about the way she interacts with the family and with Brian that makes her feel like competition.I try to shove that to the back of my mind though. I don't want to be a jealous mate. I don't want to come in and mess up whatever Brian has going on here. So, I try to get to know Molly in a nice and respectful way. I try to be as kind as I can to her as I can be. We talk about life and the kind of things I just can’t talk about with guys. I get to know Brian’s friend and I start to see why he likes her.“We seem to be getting along well together,” Mo
Spending time in the water together is like a dream. Brian I talk about nature, we talk a little bit about the past, we talk a little bit about the future.I know he's still holding a lot back. That much is obvious. There are things he won't talk about, there are ways he's shutting me out. He has so many walls, I don't know how to get behind them. I don't know why he's so aloof. I don't know why my mate holds so much space between us.But at least he's opening up to me in a way that he never opened up to me before. He's letting me get to know him. And getting to know him is wonderful. Getting to know him is everything I've dreamed of in a mate.I hope that means he's changed his mind about leaving. I hope that he'll stay even once we reach his pack. I can't imagine us being apart now. I can't imagine him wanting us to be apart now.But it's still a little tough. Because I felt this way before about him, and he still wanted to leave me. At one point in time, he wanted to sell me.