Chapter 28 She deals in Facts

Chapter 28 She deals in Facts
Roman
The way her mind worked… I could see it.
The need to structure, to categorize, to make sense of something that had just shattered every rule she understood about reality.
Throwing “fated mates” at her and expecting blind acceptance? That wasn’t going to work with Sienna. So I adjusted.
“Okay,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “You need facts. Structure. Something you can process.”
She nodded immediately, relief flickering in her eyes.
Good.
“Then for starters I’ll give you ten,” I said. “Simple. Clear. About what we are.”
She straightened slightly, like she was bracing to absorb information.
I held her gaze. “One—We’re werewolves. Not myths. Not stories. A real species that lives alongside humans.”
A small inhale. No interruption.
“Two—We live in packs. Structured groups with hierarchy, leadership, territory. It’s not chaos—it’s organized.”
She nodded faintly.
“Three—Every pack has an Alpha. The leader. That’s me.”
Her eyes flickered, but she stayed quiet.
“Four—We have something called the Moon Goddess. She’s… not a metaphor. She’s real to us. She guides our kind, especially when it comes to mates.”
That one made her blink harder. But she didn’t spiral. Progress.
“Five—There are fated mates,” I continued. “One person chosen for you. Designed to be your perfect counterpart. That bond… it’s not just emotional. It’s biological. Instinctive.”
Her lips parted slightly.
“Six—There are also chosen mates. Bonds we form by choice, not destiny. They’re real—but they don’t have the same pull. Not like…” I let the sentence trail, watching her carefully.
She swallowed.
“Seven—Scent matters. A lot. It tells us things—emotions, attraction, compatibility. What you’re experiencing with me… and what I’m experiencing with you… that’s part of it.”
Her cheeks flushed, but she held her ground.
“Eight—Marking,” I said more quietly. “A physical bond. A bite that seals the connection between mates. It ties them together… deeply.”
Her breath hitched slightly.
I pushed on. “Nine—We can shift. Human to wolf. Fully. Not metaphorically. Physically.”
That one landed. Hard.
“And ten…” I softened my voice. “When we find our mate… everything in us recognizes them. Even before our minds catch up.”
Silence settled between us. She had taken it in. All of it. But I could still see it—The struggle. The disbelief fighting with everything she had just felt.
She needed proof. Numbers. Certainty. Something undeniable. “You believe in figures,” I said gently. “In actuals. Things you can see, measure, confirm.”
Her eyes snapped back to mine.
“Then trust me,” I said, holding out my hand.
A beat. Then she took it. I led her outside. The air was fresh, grounding. Open space instead of walls closing in. Immediately I could see the tension in her posture easing.
“I’m going to call the dogs,” I told her. “So you feel safer.” She nodded again, quieter this time.

Then I called out—“Morte. Diablo—come.”
A second of stillness. Then—The ground practically shook as the two massive dogs came barreling toward us, full speed, pure excitement.
Morte reached us first, skidding slightly as he stopped in front of Sienna, tail wagging hard enough to move his entire body. Diablo followed close behind, circling her once before pressing in, his nose immediately nudging her hand.
Sienna stiffened for a second—but didn’t pull away.
Good.
“Easy,” I murmured, though they were already adjusting—both dogs visibly restraining themselves, like they knew she was a priority, needed looking after.
And then something clicked. They weren’t just excited. They were… drawn.
Morte let out a low, happy rumble, licking her fingers, while Diablo leaned into her side like he’d known her forever.
Sienna gave a soft, surprised laugh. And then—both dogs while still looking at me for further instruction, positioned themselves next to her in guard position. My breath caught. That wasn’t trained behavior. That was instinct.
Reaper stirred inside me, alert now. “They know,” he murmured. “That she matters…to you…to us.”
Sienna blinked down at them and reached out, fingers brushing through Morte’s fur, then Diablo’s. “Hello my beautiful boys,” she said softly. Reaper preened at that, even though it wasn’t directed at him.
I stepped back. “I’m going to shift now,” I told her gently. “Don’t be afraid. My wolf is part of me...he also recognises you as his Mate. He will never hurt you.”
And then—I started stripping. Her gaze tried—tried—to stay respectfully averted. She failed. Spectacularly.
Colour bloomed on her cheeks. Adorable. Her eyes flicked back. Down. Up again. I caught her. A slow grin pulled at my mouth.
“You know,” I said lightly, “it’s all yours anyway. You’re allowed to look.”
Her face went crimson. “Roman!”
I chuckled softly, but then my tone shifted, grounding again. “Hey,” I said gently. “I don't want you to be afraid...What you’re about to see… it’s still me."
She stilled. Nodded. I stepped back a few more steps onto the grass. And then—I let go.
The shift hit like it always did—bone and muscle reshaping, skin stretching, power surging through every inch of me. It wasn’t painless, but it was familiar. Natural. Like breathing.
Reaper surged forward, taking control as my human form gave way to something bigger. Stronger. Primal.
Fur burst through skin, my spine lengthening, limbs reshaping until I landed solidly on all fours.
The world sharpened. Scent. Sound. Instinct. I lifted my head. And looked at her. Sienna stood frozen. Eyes wide. Mouth slightly parted. Incredulous. But not—Not afraid.
Relief hit me so hard it nearly knocked the breath out of me. “She doesn’t fear us,” Reaper rumbled, deeply satisfied.
She kept staring. Not at my size. Not at my teeth. But at my forehead. At the marking. The white, wing-shaped mark that set me apart.
Slowly… cautiously… she stepped forward. Every instinct in me went still. She raised her hand. Hesitated. Then reached out.
Reaper leaned in before I could even process it, pressing into her touch. Her fingers brushed through my fur—And Reaper lost it. Pure, unfiltered delight surged through him as he licked her hand, tail low but wagging in a way that would have been humiliating if I wasn’t so stunned.
She didn’t pull away. Didn’t flinch. Instead… she touched the marking. Softly. Tracing the white wing shape with reverence, like she already knew it. “Wolfie…” she whispered. My entire body stilled. “I found you.”
Something in her voice—Recognition. Certainty.
"Wolfie..." she kept repeating in a soft singsong voice and Reaper cocked his head to one side...as if listening to something I couldn't hear. 
And then her voice got louder, possessive, almost resonant..."My Wolfie" she said. The words hit like something ancient. Deep. Unshakable.
And then—as if some unspoken communication passed between them, Reaper dropped. Fully. Chest to the ground.
Then to my utter shock he went further—he bared his neck to her. Submission. Not as Alpha. Not as power. But as something deeper. Something instinctive. Something I didn’t understand.
And instantly—Morte and Diablo as her side followed. All three of them lowered before her. Unified. Still. Complete submission, complete devotion.
Sienna didn’t question it. Didn’t pull away. She just kept stroking the marking, her touch gentle, grounding—And Reaper— My wolf, my other half, let out a deep, rumbling sound. A purr. Soft. Trancelike. Completely lost in her.
I was Alpha. Reaper bowed to no one. And yet—my wolf was in the most vulnerable position, open, bared and purring.
I had no idea what was happening. I didn’t understand it. Had no control over it. Only that everything I thought I understood—was now up in the air.
But one thing was certain—Sienna wasn’t just my mate. She was something far more.
Something even my wolf recognized… before I did.