"good morning sweetie, you're just in time,Mr skendore here was...."
"Was just leaving"
Everyone's attention turned to the man who had already gotten up, ready to leave.
"Ah-Mr skendore, wouldn't you mind having something before ...."
"It's fine"
He replied briefly turning to Josh.
"I'll be sure to get back to you"
He was short with his phrases which didn't need any replies. He then returned his attention to the woman who was trying to find anywhere to stare at but at him.
"Penelope"
He called her attention which was now drawn to him.
A warm smile on his lips as he just stared at her.
His mate.
The woman made for him.
His other half.
He couldn't believe how long he had waited but now seeing her before him, all those years seemed like nothing.
" I'll see you soon"
Dorian's voice finally broke the akward silence and soon he was gone.
Penelope could conclusively now breath out in relief as the odd tension reduced.
"Penny,I made some pasta if you'd like to eat"
Josh spoke, happiness dancing in every inch of his voice.
.
.
Fetching a bowl of pasta,she grabbed a water bottle, heading into her room,her stomach ached lightly,she hadn't eaten last night anyway.
Opening her door,she nearly got a heart attack at the sight of a black wolf laying comfortably on her bed, luckily,her pasta didn't spill.
The wolf got off,it's head tilting slightly to the side but then it began to shift and immediately, Penelope averted her eyes from it by turning around quickly.
"I'm sorry"
He apologized
"I didn't mean to frighten you"
"What are you doing here!?"
She almost yelled but frowned when she noticed his clothes were on same way as she saw them few minutes ago.
"I thought you said you were leaving"
"I did"
He replied and her eyes alone already asked *AND?*
"Then I came back"
A harmlessly innocent smile over his lip.
"You can't stay in my room"
"Why?" He asked
"It's big enough"he completed while looking around.
Realising she hadn't closed her door,she quickly shut it.
"You said today, remember?"
She frowned but then at the realisation of what he meant,she sighed.
"Well I.."
she sighed heavily,she did agree to his terms on the condition he helped her family right?.
"I'm going to visit my mom today,so perhaps.."
"When Will you be going?"
"Noon,why?"
She asked but he just nodded, heading for her window.
She was confused but thankful he was leaving.
.
.
By noon,or precisely, half an hour towards noon, Dorian was already at their house to pick her up.
Seeing as him and her father had already developed a smitten relationship right from day one, him taking her out wasn't a problem as her father was in full support.
As usual,the two men who were always in the car whenever she got in were there,one with ginger red hair and the other,with grey hair, sitted behind the wheel.
The car rode off,it's destination to the hospital but on their way,she got confused when they took a different route way past the city's central hospital.
"She was moved to another hospital"
Dorian explained when he noticed her confused expression.
"A better one"
He assured so she'd rest her mind
They arrived at the hospital where her mother was now admitted to and as usual, Penelope stayed with her unconcious mother till the day was wasted and gone, only today,she stayed longer past the evening.
When it was time to leave,They rode away from the hospital.
The distance coming here took quite a while so Penelope understood they would be on the road for some time therefore, she soughted to taking a brief nap when her eyes began to feel lazy.
When consciousness hit her,a masculine scent followed,it wasn't one of the harsh nature,minty and similar to the sweet aroma of fresh lemons.
Slight tiredness waffled her and she yawned but at the feel of two fingers placed against her lip,her eyes slowly peeked open to realise her head leaning against the shoulder of the man who sat beside her.
Quickly closing her mouth,she leaned off him but once her eyes registered the environment outside the vehicle,she was quick to sit erect.
"Wh_wher_why I'm I.."
"Relax"
He said pushing her posture back
"You said today, remember?"
She looked at him unbelieving,he had brought her back to the estate without her consent.
This was kidnapping in broad da_ No,in broad night.
"My dad,he..."
"He knows you're with me, I've talked to him"
This time, she kept silent knowing she didn't have or know of anything to use as an excuse,when she had agreed to come with him,she didn't think it through but it seemed he did.
Even her father was in on this. She wanted to laugh,if only he knew he just sent her to a Wolf's den.
She noticed the front seats were unoccupied and the car unmoving in a parked stance,how long had she been asleep for?
Opening the door,he helped her get out,and led her in.
"Alpha Dorian, welcome"
A masculine voice came from an old man who was just approaching.
Penelope frowned at the name. She had heard it before,from that man who had offered to help her escape from here at that time.
Alpha
Why did they address him so.
She noticed Dorian giving him a polite nod as a reply before pulling her up to the stairs she was more than familiar with each step.
.
.
.
Penelope looked at the large bed which laid in front of her.
Wasn't she getting a different room.
Would they be sharing a bed tonight?. Well they had before.
The first night she was abducted when he had sneaked in and second night,when he had lied to let her go if she did,those were the only nights she had shared a bed with him and both were unwillingly but tonight, was she really going to?.
"I can sleep on the sofa if you feel uncomfortable"
She almost yelped when she heard his voice,she hadn't even realize he was out of the room right next to the bathroom,the closet she presumed as he was now fully clothed after taking a bath.
.
.
Seeing how she just kept staring at the bed blankly. Dorian understood they would need slow steps to take and he wasn't going to rush her,his first approach to his mate was wrong he knew,so now he was ready to act or rather be a gentle man to her. He moved to the sofa.
Penelope wanted to refuse but not a word came out. This was his house wasn't it?,if anyone were to sleep on the sofa,it should be her but she said nothing as she watched him go to the white sofa,a smile on his lips.
She mounted the bed slowly but also nervously as she could feel his gaze on her,she slipped into the sheets ready to fall asleep as she was already tired but moments after,the sound of someone moving on the sofa made it impossible.
She peeked at the sofa and watched as he kept turning his body which seemed too big for the small chair.
It must be uncomfortable,she thought yet still ignored but when the constant sound of him turning over disturbed her from going to sleep.
"Dorian"
She called and watched him sit up heistly,his eyes fixed on her in the deem light.
"Yes" he answered "is something wrong?" He asked worriedly.
She hesitated before going on with her words.
"We could_could share the bed if you're not comfo...."
Before she would finish ,he was already by her side,ready to join her but then paused.
"Are you sure?"
He wanted to be sure she wouldn't feel uncomfortable but when she nodded,he happily got on the bed.
"Eh_distance" she spoke quickly when he laid too close.
"Oh, sorry"
He moved back, creating a fair distance between them.
The was a big house, certainly there was another room she could stay in so why was he persistent.
She tried to fall asleep but couldn't so she turned around giving him her back to look at.
"Why have you turned to the other side?" Dorian asked
"Because I can't fall asleep when you're staring" her voice came out muffled.
His chuckle followed her words.
"How can I not when you're right next to me"
She ignored his remark and stayed silent wanting unconsciousness to take her but with the knowledge of him right behind her and his eyes on her,it made it the more difficult.
The quiet was louder than any night she'd ever spent as she waited for sleep.
"That man,he called you Alpha, why's that?"
She ended up breaking off the silence but without turning around.
She had made a mental note earlier to ask him, so since she couldn't fall asleep,she decided to.
"In our realm, people like me,born from and with superior blood are referred to as an Alpha" he paused
"We're responsible for shifters under us,our pack"
"Pack?"
This time she turned around making them face themselves again.
"Yes,like a group of shifters under one authority, mainly on a specific territory,for instance, I'm the alpha of the Shadow pack and the supreme Alpha of all other packs in my territory"
She looked at him silently as he explained while trying to understand every sentence and attempting her best to digest them without being overwhelmed.
"And you're my Luna"
She frowned
"What is that?"
"Alpha's mate"
This time,she didn't need to ask since he'd already explained the term mate to her,she just nodded slightly while accepting her reality as it was.
Not once in her life would she have imagined ever finding out of things as bizarre as this but who would have thought.
Supernaturals exist.
"That night, when it was raining" she said remembering that night he had stayed even when it was raining
"Why didn't you leave?"
She didn't understand,it was obviously raining cats and dogs that night but he had stayed all through.
"Do you remember that man from the restaurant?" He asked
Penelope's mind wandered back to that evening at the restaurant,that man Dorian said was a demon,she felt a slight shiver pass through at the thought.
"That's why"
Dorian replied.
"H-how do you know i am your mate?"
She asked truely confused.
Dorian smiled when she asked,he was glad she was curious about this and would gladly explain it to her.
"Through the mate bond"
He saw her curious frown so he scooched closer,his hand went to sit against her cheek and although at first she was wary,she let him.
"Do you feel that?"
He asked and watched as she tried to feel.
It was the warm tingling spark the mate bond brought,the one which only mate's would feel between skin contacts,he was a shifter so the feeling was stronger on his side but for her,she wouldn't feel it so strong,well until they were mated
Penelope felt something, it was a warm sensation which his palm brought to her cheek,same she had always felt whenever he had touched her in the past.
Was that what he meant.
"Uh.."
"Sorry"
Dorian moved back creating same space between them when he noticed how she got when his touch turned to a caress.
.
.
.
.
.
The morning sun rays peeked through the thin curtains,it's warmth grazing slightly against Penelope's skin as she awoke.
Her surroundings coming into visuals for her to realise where she was.
She couldn't believe she slept so comfortably in same place where at first,she had tried her all best to get away from.
A yawn left her lips and she tried to get up but felt a hand by her waist.
She frowned,she was certain she was still on her side of the bed so it must be him who moved. She felt waves of warmth brush against her neck and realised his head was placed close to her neck and his hot breath whispered against it.
Slowly,she pealed his hand off but his hold was glued.
She wanted to turn to see if he was actually sleeping but couldn't,she tried peeling his hand off and this time,his hold loosened a bit giving her the opportunity to move away but before she could escape his hold,he pulled her back and snuggled even more.
She sighed then asked
"You're awake aren't you?"
She heard him chuckle at her remark.
"Have I been caught?"
He asked and she could hear the smile in his voice.
"Just stay like this a little longer" he said but instead.
"No" she peeled his hand off and walked towards the bathroom,she needed to wash her face as she did each morning.
Once she was done,she came out and met Dorian still laying on the bed,a glum look on his face as he rested his weight on one elbow.
"What?"
"You refused my request so heartlessly"
He huffed
"I'm hurt" she noticed a small pout on his lips which looked weird for a grown man as himself but then again,he looked kinda cute .
"I told you to keep a distance, you're the one who refused my request first"
"It wasn't me,it was my wolf,he couldn't bare keeping to himself when so close"
He spoke innocently but rather,she glared at him but then as though realising something.
"Dorian"
"Yes my love"
That name.
she wasn't sure if she would get used to it.
"I'll have to go back home"
Instantly,a frown covered his face and he erected his sitting posture.
"Why?"
His voice didn't sound as soft as he asked.