Chapter 20

ASHER

I'm surprised by her honesty and at the same time terribly proud of her. I'd like to take the credit but I don't think I had anything to do with it, the bond and relationship she has with my brothers maybe but me... no. I hate feeling jealous of my brothers, I feel like I'm at a serious disadvantage and I'm not used to it.

Jax approaches her and I hate that they're so comfortable with each other. "Is it our condition that makes you nervous or that we're all considering a relationship together?"

"Both." She answers quickly. "It sounds completely crazy to me. You're werewolves... fucking werewolves. Until yesterday, I never imagined that could exist. And..." She swallows. "I've only known Dominic, I don't know how a... healthy relationship is supposed to work. I feel terribly vulnerable in your midst."

"I think that's a very brave thing to admit." I tell her, and I don't know if it's because of what I've just said or my tone, but she looks at me with gentle eyes. Damn, I could get used to that. "If it makes you feel any better we're not what we'd call relationship specialists either. We'll create the relationship that suits us and take things at our own pace. As for our condition... as Jax called it." I start, looking at my younger brother. "On a day-to-day basis, it's not noticeable. We've learned to live like humans. If you like, we can take you to a pack so you can see how modern werewolves live, and maybe one day we'll show you our wolves. That is, only if and when you want us to."

She looks at me for a moment in silence, and I'd give anything to know what's going on in her little head. "Sounds good to me." She says with a shy smile.

I nod to seal our agreement and return to my breakfast. I wasn't lying when I said we live like humans most of the time, but we do have a very well-developed appetite... even a very, very well-developed one.

The conversation continues, Isabella laughs at the nonsense of my two younger brothers and I pretend not to notice the glances she gives me from time to time.

As soon as my two dear brothers have finished eating, they both pretend to have urgent things to do and go back to their respective rooms, leaving Isabella and me in the kitchen. We both stand up, and when she gets up to gather the plates I interrupt her. "Let me take care of it.

"No, I'll help you. You kindly invited me, so it's only fair that I lend you a hand." After a brief pause she adds. "I've been well raised."

"Well, I accept your help because, as you may have noticed, you're the only one I can count on at the moment."

Normally, I'd go and get my brothers to give me a hand. Although come to think of it, normally I'm sure I'd be the one to come up with a lame excuse for not tidying up the kitchen, on the pretext of an urgent call. Isabella passes me the dishes and I fill the dishwasher as I go. Once we've finished, I watch her as she looks around, and I can feel her nervousness again. She's about to leave. I need to think of a way to keep her with me a little longer.

"Usually, how do you keep busy on Sundays?" I ask her.

She shrugs. "Sometimes Alex's parents invite me to lunch and we spend our afternoon all together, I go for a walk or watch a movie or draw."

"You draw?"

"Yeah, but it's not..." She stops and I see something I don't like in her eyes.

"I want to know about it. I want to know everything about you." I say as I approach her, and against all odds she doesn't move.

"I make little illustrations." She sighs. "Dom always thought it was very childish and pointless, but..." She raises her eyes to mine and they light up along with the smile on her lips. "My dream would be to illustrate a children's book... or even write one. I've got lots of ideas."

"Why haven't you ever tried? I mean now there are ways to self-publish."

"Because that's not what's going to pay the bills." She says in a deep voice.

"I want to see your drawings." I tell her, ignoring the allusion to her ex-husband she's just made. The more she talks about him, the more I want to crush his head.

"Really?" She asks genuinely surprised.

"Of course. Otherwise I wouldn't ask. Believe me I'm not the kind of person who does what he doesn't want to do."

"That's the impression I got indeed." She tells me with a smirk. "Well, my drawings are at home..."

"Lucky you live right downstairs then. Shall I come with you?" I interrupt, cutting her short.

She bites her lower lip and I have a terrible urge to replace her teeth with my own. At this thought, my wolf tries to surface. Ever since we met her, he's been eager to make himself seen. I can understand it, and it's getting harder and harder to control as time goes by, but for the moment it's out of the question. Over breakfast, my brothers and I made a silent agreement not to go too fast with her and to adapt to her pace, even if it's difficult for us. After a few seconds, she nods and I can hear her heart racing. One step at a time, but I remain confident about our future. Deep down I know that the four of us will live happily ever after and that she'll make a perfect queen.

"After you." I say, shifting to let her pass.

She quickly gets ahead of me, but I've had time to see her cheeks redden. I have to force myself not to let my mind wander to wonder if her body turns red in other situations.