5

I felt like killing that asshole, Paul.

Death was what that bastard deserved to get.

When Carol explained to me what Paul had done to Ian months earlier, I set about the task of investigating the fucking traitor. That's how I discovered that Paul was a two-faced man who pretended to be charming and the epitome of decency, when really, he was a good-for-nothing who rubbed shoulders with troubled people.

That's why I had to be more careful about protecting Ian.

I didn't trust a narcissist like Paul to sit still.

I had a valid reason at the time.

My wolf was thirsty for blood, enough to tear apart all the idiots lying unconscious on the floor. They had dared to touch Ian and that was a crime for us.

No one could touch him.

Kill them all, said my wolf, Roy.

His idea was a very good one, but I couldn't do justice that way.

I can't do it; I have to keep Veltonne's pact; if I attack humans here, we will have more problems, I told him, and Roy growled in my head angrily.

I understood his frustration perfectly.

“What did you just do?” asked Ian and I turned to look at him immediately.

Seeing my mate's terrified expression, I had to take a deep breath to calm myself.

“We need to get out of here right now,” I told him serenely.

I slowly approached Ian and took out a knife to remove the restraints from his hands. Once he had his hands free, he moved about five steps away from me and took a defensive stance. 

That was a bit insulting, but I understood his reluctance.

“I'm not insane; I know what I saw, so you're going to tell me what you just did and why your eyes look that way,” Ian said firmly; however, I could sense his fear. “A normal person doesn't move the way you move.”

My mate was completely terrified, so I closed my eyes and controlled my beast enough to get him to back off a bit. Once I felt Roy was in good shelter, I approached Ian again. 

“Please trust me, I'll tell you everything when it's convenient; right now the priority is to get you to safety,” I told Ian and he shook his head in fright. “We need to leave before they wake up.”

“I'm not leaving with you without you telling me what you are,” Ian said firmly.

Let me take full control or Ian is going to bolt, my wolf. Roy said confidently.

I could feel the distrust emanating from Ian.

I was desperate for him to leave with me, so desperate times call for desperate measures. So, I agreed.

“Promise me you won't run away when you see what I am,” I said and Ian scowled at me.

“Yes, you are something,” Ian said in a nervous tone, realizing he was right. “I'm not leaving; I want to know what you are. A human doesn't do what you just did.”

His promise sounded weak, but I nodded and made sure the humans who had attacked him were still unconscious. I looked to see if there were cameras and checked to make sure the alley was lonely. The place was a corner of abandoned centers, so I wanted to make sure no humans saw my beast form.

I began to quickly remove my clothes and Ian blushed.

“What are you doing?” He asked in surprise. “You don't have to—”

“If I want to show you what I am, I have to undress, so hold my clothes, please,” I said and once I was naked, I gave him my clothes in his hands.

Ian watched me with his mouth open and I couldn't hide the smile.

I liked looking good for my mate and knowing I was attractive to him.

I had dated women before and they had never had any problems, so knowing that I was pleasing to Ian's eye was completely pleasing.

Focus, Roy said firmly.

I closed my eyes and backed away a little, then my wolf took over and in a few seconds, we were a big, black-furred wolf. Ian, at the sight of my beast, screamed from fear, but Roy submissively moved towards him and began to lick his hands so he wouldn't be afraid of him.

I noticed Ian began to tremble and then, as if something had clicked in his head, he looked at us with wide eyes in surprise.

“You're the wolf of my dreams,” Ian said in bewilderment. “That's impossible.”

Roy purred into his hand and instinctively Ian scratched behind his ear.

“Go back to being Archer, because then I can't fight you,” Ian said with a frown.

Roy burst out laughing in my mind and I took control again.

Ian's expression was pure anger, but he exuded confusion.

He was so transparent; he exuded his truth in every move he made. He threw my clothes at me and once I was dressed, he didn't hesitate to confront me.

“You're an asshole,” Ian said. “How can you lie? What are you really? And don't tell me a wolf.”

“I'm a werewolf,” I said calmly and Ian cursed through his teeth in disbelief. “We need to go and talk in private; they're going to wake up and won't hesitate to attack us.”

“You're the wolf of my dreams,” Ian said, paying no attention to me. “You get inside my head every night and enjoy it?”

His reproach was natural, but I immediately denied.

“I don't have that power, but it seems that you do can dream of my beast, which is unheard of, not to say unbelievable,” I said with a smile and Ian cursed again. “We have to go.”

“I don't want to go anywhere with you, liar—”

Ian became dizzy and I immediately scooped him up in my arms.

I held back my instinct to sniff him because it wasn't the time to calm my nerves; however, my wolf was doing cartwheels due to the closeness we had with our mate. It was an incredible thing to feel.

“Calm down; you're hurt; I have to heal you,” I said and Ian saw me with a frown.

“You want to heal me like you did in the library,” the blonde said and I nodded. "You made a fool out of me; you made fun of me and you're messing with my dreams without any permission.”

“I can answer all your questions once we get away from these men,” I said.

Ian, seeing the assailants, nodded, and I helped him out of the alley.

I led him to my truck and we drove several blocks away until we came to a private parking lot. There Ian was able to breathe calmly, which gave me relief.

“I never thought Paul would be so unhinged,” Ian said in disbelief. “How did you get here so fast?”

“I was following you,” I admitted shamelessly. “I had a bad feeling.”

Ian denied in disbelief.

“You're a werewolf,” Ian said and then started laughing until he groaned in pain.

“I am,” I said and carefully held his head.

I placed my hand gently on his jaw and let the healing power take effect on his skin; within seconds Ian had no bumps, no discomfort. He watched me in amazement, unable to believe what was happening.

He looked adorable at that moment. 

“I always thought the stories my father told me about the Reservation were just myths and legends peculiar to the native peoples,” Ian said in disbelief. “Turns out werewolves really do exist. What else is out there and why do I think I'm hallucinating?”

I smiled to see him being so expressive.

It was normal for him to have so many doubts, and at the same time I found it mind-blowing to see him like this.

Before I would have thought it was crazy that the goddess had bonded me to a man, but upon meeting Ian, I knew right away why he was my mate. And I didn't know if it was the bond, but I was more than attracted to him. I loved how he was in his day-to-day life, the efforts he made, the way he had to help and his gentle nature. He wasn't a mean man, but he avoided conflict in the smartest way.

I just hoped Ian would get over the shock he was in so he would really understand what was going on.

I needed to move faster than I had anticipated regarding his situation.

“There are many more things that exist; I can explain them all to you at the right place for that,” I told Ian carefully.

“What place do you mean?” asked Ian with a frown. “We're fine here; it seems to be a private place.”

“It's not,” I replied firmly. “There's a lot going on right now; that's why I'm asking you to come with me to the Reservation.”

Ian's eyes widened in surprise and then he denied.

“I'm not going with you anywhere else,” Ian said serenely. “I barely know you.”

“I just saved your life.”

“I know and for that I'm going to be forever grateful, but you're a werewolf; you're supposed to be part of a legend and I'm not going to go where you came from if there's even a remote possibility that the creatures my father recounted in his stories are real,” Ian said in horror.

On another occasion, I would have laughed, but I needed to be more persuasive.

“There is much to tell and clarify, but I need you to come with me. It's a serious situation and it involves you,” I said in a straightforward manner.

Ian frowned uncomprehendingly.

“Why did you come in to work in the library?” he asked suspiciously.

“Because it's my duty to protect you,” I told him immediately. “Believe it or not, there's a story that explains exactly who you are.”

“I'm Ian De Santis; I'm the son of Mare and Will De Santis,” he said of Ian offensively.

“I know, and I think they did a magnificent job raising you, but you had other parents and can tell you what really happened. Your biological parents didn't abandon you.”

Ian looked at me puzzled.