"You don't find love; it finds you. It's a little to do with destiny, fate, and what's written in the stars," Anais Nin.
I can feel light touches from a hand as it caresses my face, and I instantly scrunch my nose at the cold intrusion. A deep voice lets out a low chuckle as I smile, recognizing the laugh that belongs to someone special.
"Phoebe, sweetheart, it's time to get up. We have to get you back to Rosa before she knows you been gone all night.''
My eyes pop open as I realize I heard him say my former name but with a solid Romanian accent, and I'm shocked when I see that I am in a vast oak bed that looks like it was made in the 15th century with a Victorian Style Canopy attached to it. I move my head to the left, and I'm met with the most beautiful green eyes that I can never get used to seeing. I felt myself smiling and answering him before I could register anything else.
"Rosa will be just fine. Besides, I spent the night with my mate; why would she be upset?" I shrug my shoulders and lean against his chiseled chest, bathing in his scent. He wrapped his arms around my torso, pulling me closer, and I could feel the hardness of his shaft as he let it rest against my ass.
"Don't tempt me, mate. I can never get tired of pumping you full of my seed, so if I were you, I would watch how you wiggle that beautiful ass on me." He licked my neck as he finished his last sentence causing me to whimper in pleasure.
Giggling, I flip over, ensuring his arms never leave my body. He pushed his arms under my ass, lifting me, placing me gently down on his hard shift. I reached up, running my fingers across his lips before I descended upon them, causing him to suck his breath in. He tasted like something out of my wildest dreams, and how his tongue danced in my mouth made me grow wetter with each stroke.
"Oh, this little wolf is ready to be played with," I say with a mischievous smile as I rock back and forth, leaning down to kiss the side of his neck. In my mind, I knew this was me...but not me. But nothing seemed to matter with his bulging penis poking me in the most private of areas.
"Trust me, my lovely, perfect, deliciously sweet human mate. There is nothing little about what I am about to give you." He breathes out as his fingers slowly graze down my back making me suck in a breath. Goddess, just touching his hands makes me wet and hungry with need.
Knock. Knock.
"This better be damn important, Gabriella."
I hear her whimper as she softly says, "Milord, it is. The Council members have arrived. They have been demanding you meet them within the hour."
I can immediately feel the tension in his arms as he pulls me off of him moving too quickly for my eyes to catch his movement. By the time I register, he is gone. He already has his clothes on. I knew why he was worried, but Phoebe didn't understand why. She understood that he was keeping secrets and that there would be trouble in their relationship. She or I, at the time, didn't understand who would be behind that trouble or why.
"Elias, what is wrong? I can see your wolf struggling to stay inside. Why are you so afraid of this council, and does it have anything to do with us?" As he returned to the bedside, I could see the uncertainty cloud his eyes. When he reached out to touch my cheek, I instantly nestled my head into the palm of his freakishly large hands that I loved so much. I couldn't tell whether or not he was uncertain of our relationship or, rather or not; he should say to me why he was bothered by the council's presence.
" Listen, my human love. Please do not concern yourself with these things. I assure you; you are safe with me, and my troubles should not be yours. How about we get you something to eat, and Gabriella can take you back to your cottage? It would be a great dishonor to me if Rosa were to forbid you from seeing me." He gave a slight chuckle with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He was deciding not to tell me the truth. Perhaps to spear me any anxiety his revelations might have triggered. But I was blissfully happy not knowing. It was much easier to pretend that things were fine and would work themselves out.
" Don't worry; nothing could keep me from you. Not even the Goddess Selene could separate me from you." I could feel his eyes follow my ass as I purposely swayed my hips. I patted his hand on my cheek and moved to get up, making my way to my boudoir to change out of my nightwear.
"At some point, my love. You must tell me how you know so much about our Goddess and wolves." His blanket statement caught me by surprise. At this point, I completely forgot that I, or should I say, Phoebe, never told Elias precisely what our connection was to the Goddess and that we already knew that we were destined to be the human mate of a werewolf and that it may lead to death. What kind of person am I for withholding this information from him? Perhaps I was too content in living happily ever after. I guess we all have our secrets to bear. How do I tell him that loving me may cost him his life?
Giving a nonchalant shrug, I exited from my private area, walking straight into his awaiting arms. I snuggled deeper into the hug letting out a content sigh, "Have more than you show, Speak less than you know." I quoted the line from Shakespeare, letting him know that it is sometimes better to withhold your knowledge and listen to what others think and how much they know.
"Such an adorable mind you have, my little moon. My Goddess, what am I going to do with my wolf?" He seductively licked his lips, "Your food is waiting too, and as soon as you are finished, get back to Rosa immediately. I will send word to you as soon as I am done. Please be safe, my love." He patted my head like a child poking me in the nose with his index finger before retreating to the door. After lacing up my slippers, I opened the door to an awaiting Gabriella.
"Good day Miss. I have some pottage, rice, rabbit, and cider. After your meal, I will escort you to the village."
Her posture was too formal for me.
"Goddess, Gabriella. It would help if you weren't so formal with me. Please pull up a chair and help yourself to this well-prepared meal." I motioned to the table while using my other arm to pull the chair opposite of me out for her as she hesitantly took a seat. I sat down and admired her tall slim frame with round gray eyes that seemed sincere. "How long have you served Elias?" I peeked at her as I took a slow sip of my pottage.
A bright smile graced her smooth skin, " I have served master since I was just a wee pup. He found me on the outskirts of the border after a few miscreants killed my parents. He took me in and taught me the way of our world." Her voice held so much admiration I almost got jealous. But how could I? This was just an affirmation of how wonderful and thoughtful my mate was. For him to take in a defenseless child and care for her as his own was just an admirable trait, and I smiled slightly at the thought of how he would be with our children. Would he even want children with me? "It has been and is still an honor to serve him, and now I have the pleasure to assist his mate."
"You're so thoughtful to say such wonderful things. I must insist that you do not serve me as you serve Elijah. We shall be friends and will act accordingly." I laughed. " So, tell me, my dear one, what do you like to do for fun?"
Her shyness was quickly recognized. Her eyebrows rose in concentration, " I love to run when the moon is at its highest, and I love to paint when the time permits it. I can show you some of the portraits I have painted if you wish to see them."
" I would love to see anything you have painted, and I am sure I will love it." I don't recall how long we sat there talking, but I enjoyed every bit of time with her. As it turns out, she was a damn fine painter, and her use of color was phenomenal. It was midday when we started walking into the village that led to my home. I sensed that someone or something was watching me for some unknown reason. I couldn't shake the feeling, and my eyes kept drifting around me, trying to notice anything out of place. I wasn't scared, more anxious.
"Gabriella, this is fine. I can make it from here. How about you head home, and I shall see you and Elias tonight." I suddenly wanted to get away from her. To protect her. She gave me a confused smile but reluctantly agreed to do so. I watched as she zigzagged through the streets as soon as she was out of sight. I started walking through the clearing that led to my cottage's woods. I could feel something in the air. It was power, and whoever held this power, I was drawn to it. It called to my veins like a siren calling to its victims. I wanted it. I could taste it. I walked to the middle of the clearing, and I started to hear the movement of someone. Whoever this was, they were trying to be careful not to startle me. Their actions were too deliberate.
"Whoever you are. I can hear you, and I can also feel you. Who are you?" I am unsure where the bravery came from, but I desperately needed to know who this was. Within moments of speaking, a figure appeared from the tree line. To my utter amazement, a man appeared. He was at best 6 Ft tall, trimmed beard, a body built by the Gods, and one of the most handsome faces carved by Adonis himself. Elias was attractive, and my mate, but this stranger entranced me. I felt oddly connected to him.
Who in the fuck is this?
Why do I long for him?
What is wrong with me?
Could I have two mates?
Moments later, this handsome stranger was standing in front of me, and I could hear my breath coming out ragged. My heart was beating so loudly that anyone within a mile radius could listen to it. He started walking towards me, his eyes never leaving mine and his pearl white teeth shining as the sun reflected off them. The stranger bent down, bringing his nose to the side of my neck, sniffing me as Elias did. And although this was an invasion of my personal space, I didn't move a muscle. I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer.
His voice, deep and husky, vibrated through my bones. His hand came to my face moving a stray strand of hair behind my ears. " I can hear your unusual heart, smell your desire for me to touch you, and your divine glow has me enthralled. What is your name, enchantress? " I don't know what or who you are, human, but I have never smelt nor laid eyes on such a beautiful creature in all my years on this earth," he smirked.
"My name is Phoebe. Who are you, and what are you? And why are you here? I stammered. It seems all my bravery vanished at the sound of his voice. His hand still lingered on my face, and Goddess helped me. I wanted it to stay right there.
"I go by many names, but you can call me Cal. And I think you know what I am, as I can smell the scent of my kind on you. Why I am here is very simple. I am here for you."
Our kind? What? Is he here for me?
" I don't understand. Me? What are you talking about?" Fear became more apparent as I stood there with this devilishly handsome man.
" I smelt you. And the scent was too unique and delicious for me to ignore it. I followed you the moment you stepped foot into the village square. I could tell that you felt my presence which only excited me more to know that we have a connection, yet we are not mates." I gasped as he confirmed that we were not mates. " Don't look shocked, my beauty. I can smell the scent of another cascading from between your legs, and don't worry; I don't mind removing him from the equation." He so casually stated.
" I don't like your tone, sir. Furthermore, what in the heavens makes you think I would desire you over my mate." I added disgustedly.
He abruptly pulled me in, wrapping his arms around my waist. And by the Goddess, he felt incredible. It wasn't the same feeling I got when I was with Elias. It was more like greed, not love. He had something, and I wanted it. No, I desired it more than I could describe.
" Do you not feel the pull of power between us? A Goddess has touched you as a God has touched me. We may not be mates, but we are bound together by something equally strong. Fate. Fate has chosen us to wield such power, and there is no telling what we can accomplish if we align ourselves.
"You are not my fate. No, my mate is my fate. How could I betray him." I said in a hushed tone.
He laughed as if I said the most hilarious thing in the world, " No, Phoebe, I am your fate, and your mate is your destiny. Do you not know the difference?" I shook my head. " Sweetheart, fate is concrete and determined by the cosmos as destiny depends on the choices you make in your life. Your choices up until now led you to your supposed mate, but no matter what you decided, eventually, you would run into me, or shall I say, I would run into you. The stars determined long ago that this encounter would take place. And now it has. There is no escaping one another. There is no escaping me." He breathed out.
His words scared me, but they also excited me. I stared into his eyes, seeming to get lost in the beauty and power of what they displayed.
" I have something vital to handle. Please meet me here at the witching hour. I will show you what kind of power we can create together. If you don't come, I will come looking for you. Will you be here?" He was confident, even arrogant, until this point, but I couldn't help but notice the pleading look in his eyes. He tried to hide it, but he desperately wanted me to come. Almost like the idea of me not meeting him would wound him.
"Yes, I will be here." I couldn't stop myself from agreeing. I need to know what power he was referring to. Why did the Goddess touch me? Why was the attraction that I had for him so strong? Almost as strong as the mate bond with Elias. I needed answers, and as much as it pained me to betray my mate, I had to get them. He stepped back, giving me a once over, and vanished in a cloud of smoke. My mouth immediately hung open, staring at the space he once occupied. I have never seen anyone disappear in a cloud of smoke. Is this something that I could do as well? My feet started shuffling through the clearing, and my cottage began to come into view. One single thought repeated through my brain.
" The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from an enemy."