Chapter 15: Stupid idea

**Mateo**

She was charming and didn't know the power she had over me. I didn't want to think about it, but I was promising her that I would come back in a year. Goddess! Was I doing something stupid?

We went to a women's store in the mall that had everything. She set aside a few pieces, two shoes, lingerie and a nightgown. I set aside a pendant and a gold necklace with a crescent moon for her. I asked her to wrap them as a gift.

While we were in the checkout line, I took the opportunity to smell her hair: jasmine and bamboo. I would never forget that scent.

We left there and I went to show her the boarding house. I told her that breakfast and dinner were included. Nat was very happy about that, but her eyes filled with tears.

" Why are you crying, honey?"

"No one has ever cared about me like this. Having a roof over my head and food every day means that I will never have to dance or do anything I don't want to do, using my body to survive."

Then my eyes filled with tears. I hugged her.

"No, you'll never have to do something like that again."

"I didn't know what I was feeling. But she was very special to me."

My father was going to kill me. His dream of gaining more power involved my marriage to the daughter of an alpha from a strong and powerful pack.

I knew he didn't do it out of malice, he really wanted the best for our community, but this was difficult for me. I even wanted to modernize the businesses we had by investing more in technology to generate more. And what about love?

If I arrived with Nat marked, it would be a shock. My mother might understand me. I know she believed in the Goddess, but did Nat and I really have a connection? My parents never talked much about it. I couldn't identify it.

But the worst thing would be to tell her and she wouldn't want me. What if I put the pack at risk, if she told anyone about it? Was I being stupid for trying to live this passion a little longer? I should preserve it and not drag it into the world of werewolves. I was confused and couldn't think straight. What if after a year everything changed between us and then we could each go on with our lives?