NADINE.“Is that a cemetery?” I asked as my attention was drawn to the vast land surrounded by iron gates. In the middle of it stood an old, beautiful chapel with stained-glass windows casting rainbow hues on the ground. “Yes.”“Can we stop? Or are we even allowed to go inside?”“Yes, it’s a public cemetery? But why?” He asked, his forehead creasing. I gulped before I flashed him a smile. “I have a fascination with this kind of place. It’s eerie, but I don’t know. I’m sorry, I’m weird.”He chuckled as he maneuvered his car to a designated parking lot. “I like your weirdness. I’ll take that.”I smiled at him, silently hoping I could take him, too. Because, as much as I was trying to deny it, in just twenty-four hours, I think I was already falling for my mate. Xander helped me out of the car, and even though I was capable of doing it, I didn’t stop him. I liked that his attention was all on me. The green scenery and the smell of fresh and decayed flowers swirled around us while we w
NADINE.I was grateful that Xander gave me space around the cemetery.I didn’t stay at my grandparents' grave, but I did talk to them while I walked around. I told them about Dad and Uncle David, and how they found their mates. I told them Mom was human but thriving well in the shifters’ world. I also told them about Nadia, my eldest half-sister, and how she had a wonderful life with her Alpha mate. I let them know who her mother was, because I was sure they knew her, as she was from this pack. I told them about the life we had and where we lived. I spoke with pride, telling Grandpa that I was as skilled in combat as he was, just as Dad had told me.I told them I wished I met them, but even if I didn’t get to, I had loved them from how Dad and Uncle David spoke of them. I was sure they knew everything, but I had fun telling them all about us. I also promised them that one of these days I would visit and bring them flowers. And before I left, I told Grandpa that I would take back h
XANDER. I wrapped my arms around her, and before she could say more, I had already crashed my lips against her. It was taking all of my restraint not to kiss Nadine. I didn’t want her to think I was taking advantage, but having her this close to me made me forget whatever control I was trying to have.A soft moan escaped her throat as her grip on my shirt tightened, and she kissed me back with the same intensity that I was giving. The moment her lips parted, I plunged my tongue inside her, devouring the whole of her mouth.I forgot we were in public—in a small family restaurant where there were families with pups eating breakfast. I only snapped back to reality when I heard a soft gasp, making me open my eyes and see our server with a tray of food in her hands, turning around. She probably didn’t want to disturb us. I gently pulled away from Nadine, and she didn’t like it. Her hands tightened on my clothes, pulling me back, but I shook my head and connected with her head. ‘The serv
NADINE. Breakfast was fun and hot. I couldn’t keep my hands off him, and I could tell he was restraining himself from touching me. Maybe because he knew everyone was looking at us, but I didn’t care. I wanted Xander to fall hard for me. I told myself I was doing it so I could use him for my plans, but I knew as well that deep inside, I wanted him to like me so much that when all was revealed, he would choose me over the Alpha title. I could already tell he didn’t like Maddox with the way he spoke of him, but then he was here and still working as his Beta. He might say it was for Mindy, but what if he wanted the Alpha title? I knew this was my first impression when Catherine told me that Maddox’s half-brother was here with him.Of course, he was the firstborn and the rightful Alpha, like how my sister Nadia was the firstborn and the rightful Alpha of this pack. But the difference was that Nadia didn’t want to be an Alpha. She was happy to be Riley’s partner and Luna. I didn’t think t
XANDER.“Does Tristan like Maddox?” I asked. Nadine nodded her head before she answered. “He was proud to be his Beta and would always tell me that Maddox would become the most powerful Alpha in the country. He had so much faith in him.”“Did he say things about Maddox? What he does and his connections?”“Hmmm…” Her hands went to the collar of my shirt, and she began playing with it. “Nothing really… I’m sorry. I’m not sure what you want to know about me and Tristan. But we don’t really talk about what he does.”“I see…”“But what does it have to do with us?” She asked.“You asked why I was hostile toward you at the border when you arrived.”She stopped fidgeting with my shirt and met my eyes. “Tell me.”I let out a sigh before I began. “I don’t want you here, not because I don’t like you. My whole being craves you, Nadine.”I saw her eyes dilated, and it was good news to me. Her wolf, which Orion told me was named Star, showed itself to me for the first time.My hand cupped her jaw,
NADINE. After we talked about my tattoo, Xander and I spent time cleaning the house. He said we could stay in a hotel, but he didn’t want anyone to know where we were staying, and that was the reason he left his car at the restaurant. But he did ask me if I would be comfortable in that place. I didn’t mind. I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon. We had just enough. My sister, Nadia, was married to an Alpha, and they had offered to help with our finances, especially after I was born, but my father had declined. Everything we had came from my parents’ hard-earned money, so I knew what it was like to grow up with just the basics.I was not sure why Xander wanted to hide in this house, but a part of me was guessing he wanted to see if I would complain. Xander seemed to be a decent man, but you couldn’t blame me for being careful with my thoughts and words around him. He was still a Trevino, and one day of being with him was not enough to get to know him. Especially as half of that day,
XANDER.The day was perfect. Nadine and I spent the whole day together until it was time to go home, only for us to realize that Hanna had no gas on her stove and that the house had no electricity. We thought it was cut off when Hanna left, but Nadine saw a disconnection notice from four months ago. They’d been living without electricity, and I wondered how they would survive the colder nights. Nadine was able to find the candles and oil lamps we used to light the house, while I went to the backyard and found the area where Hanna cooked using wood. I had no problem with that, as I had a time in my life when we had to resort to this. And I would do most of the cooking, as my mother would cough violently whenever she inhaled smoke. Her lungs were not that strong.Despite all these challenges tonight, I felt complete. Nadine was just perfect. I never saw her cringe because of the lack of basic things in this house. She just took it lightly and helped me get things done. We prepared the
XANDER.“Now, be a good girl and hop on me,” I growled as I patted my thighs. Nadine giggled and threw her head back. She was like a dream, and I couldn’t stop staring. She was igniting a fire that had been long dead inside me. And I liked it.She pushed her chair back, and I watched her like a prey as she sat on my lap with her legs parted and straddling my thighs. She rubbed her front against my growing erection a couple of times while her hands grabbed my shoulders without taking her gaze off me. “Now tell me, wild heart, in what area can I hurt you?” I asked, pushing my luck.She licked her lips before her hand grabbed mine and placed it on her ponytailed hair.“Tug it…” She said in a sultry voice, and I tugged her hair harshly. Her head tilted up, and a loud gasp left her throat as a grunt left mine.She smiled as she slowly tilted her head down, then she took both of my hands and placed them on the top of her breasts. “You can also hurt me here. The harder, the better.”I gulpe