~CASSELBA'S POV
ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT, the men's eyes remain on me; like I'm the center of the universe. It's a lovely feeling; the mild flutters in my belly at their shared smiles, the unbridled play of lust in their brown eyes. I see this all—and feel it all.
My wolf feels it too. She goes tripping all over the sexy mould of Caden's muscles into his suit. She purrs at Ryan's bright eyes so beautiful against his milk skin, like warm coffee on a snowy morning.
The dinner before me was one of a kind. The men knew what I loved and they took pleasure in giving it to me. I placed it at the back of my mind to let them in often.
The only thing holding me back from dissolving into their arms was the elephant in the room. Caden and Ryan were both humans, and no matter how drugged up I was on them, I could never have them close to me.
I was a werewolf—the stuff of fairytales, sometimes even nightmares, and a huge part of me would always be wild. I could never fully submit to any man.
Caden's eyes tell me he doesn't want me to submit. I could see the power play in the brown pools. He was a powerful man and loved dominance. He loved a woman who pushed at his limits. He loved exhilaration. He craved me. I so much loved the desire I always see in his features.
The desire for me. I loved games too. I also loved to win. So I give him exactly what he wants.
...A telepathic striptease.
I let his gaze flow liquid like honey all over me, all over the exposed skin of my chest and thighs. I let his mind struggle to fill in the gaps of what lingerie I wore underneath.
I let his faculties conjure up how my skin would taste in his mouth. I let his mind wander about how it be to take me. From the tight pull of his lips, I know it's working. The man couldn't wait to get his hands on me. Desire that hot signified only one thing.
Obsession.
Men and women—of both worlds, were attracted to me. I was attracted to humans, so it came as no surprise at all when I discovered my mates were actually humans. How is that even possible? Werewolves only bonded to their kind.
They could take on humans as their lovers and mistresses, but never, ever did a shifter take on a mate among humankind. The ones that dared to, Hiram the Feral Alpha was always there to pull their claws out with pincers until the mind bond broke away.
That is why I can't let Caden and Ryan into my mind. If anything should happen to me, they'll never be the same. Not out of grief but out of necessity. If anything should break apart our mind connection, they would be unhinged for life.
No human should be subjected to that kind of torture. I already knew Caden and Ryan had lost a woman in their lives.
A wife and mother.
The path I was taking was a path of revenge, maybe even suicidal, and I was sure as hell not letting the men loose another woman. So, the only thing I can do is to never let them fully bond with me.
I was surprised when I learned however that I had two mates. It wasn't enough that my wolf wanted a human, they were now two. Two beautiful brown-eyed males with cream for skin. My White Chocolate and my Masked Voyeur.
I slip out of my mind for a moment , looking to Caden. He drops his cutlery on the dinning table and picks up a soft white napkin. He dabs at the corners of his mouth as his gaze remains on me. I spy his lips twitching behind the towel.
Was he smirking at me?
He knew he was winning our game. God! He was. I hated to admit it but his movements had me already in heat. If he made a move on me right now, I would comply. Caden was a force who loved Power, and I liked dangerous men.
The french waiter comes back once more and clears away our plates.
"We'd like the vintage now," Caden says to him.
"Very well, sir," the waiter replies and walks away. He returns some moments later with a wine bottle I'm sure is older than my great-grandfather—and that's saying something. Shifters had long lifespans.
The man uncorks the bottle and out from it flows a silvery sparkly liquid with a scent that tickles the nose. He pours it into each of our glasses until they're half-filled. He then gently places the bottle back on the table.
"Merci," Caden says with a smile, his voice holding a resonating undertone and a surprisingly excellent french accent.
"Merci, monsieur," the waiter replies.
His smile stretches until his dimples pop and he flushes a little under Caden's gaze. I smile at this, knowing exactly the feeling. Caden had that warm effect on people. You just can't help but admire his confidence.
The waiter turns and walks away.
"That man is going to receive one huge tip," Ryan jokes and we all smile, including Caden.
He lifts his glass to his lips and takes a sip of his chilling wine. His eyes pin me as he lowers the glass back to the table.
"Now," he says, his voice more of a growl, "... about that contract."