I gulped audibly. He turned towards me painfully slow. He glared at me like a hawk.
I looked like deer caught in headlights. Nowhere to escape, I remained in my spot. His breathing was rugged, and there was a turmoil of emotions in his eyes. Hurt, pain, regret but the most prominent one was the anger. Fuck.
He was furious with me for not telling him about the letters. As if reading my thoughts, he clutched the paper in his hand harder.
“What is this?” he grumbled, his voice on edge. He was in no mood to mess with.
“Um… a letter,” I said innocently.
He closed his eyes and rubbed them in exaggeration. I was shrinking with every minute. He was leaking a very dangerous aura. When he opened them, they were the most intense blue shade I had ever seen. He smirked and took a large step toward me, eating most of the distance.
I stepped back on reflex. He looked so carnal, so dangerous, and I shuddered visibly.
“I didn’t mean that,” he whispered huskily; his voice was like melted dark chocolate. I trailed my eyes to his expert features.
The long messy hair and his 4 o’clock shade made him more attractive. He was wearing a loose t-shirt and August’s jeans. He looked devilishly handsome. How could anyone look this good and it still be legal?
“You know how much I hate repeating myself,” he murmured. I stepped back again only to meet the wall. I groaned inwardly. Fuck. He smiled knowingly.
He stood before me. His natural scent of cardamom and vanilla hit my nose and knocked out my senses. I shuddered for the second time in the last two minutes. Why do I suddenly become so vulnerable in front of him?
He tucked the loose hair behind my hair. The sparks danced on the surface wherever he made contact. He peered down at me. Oh, he was waiting for my response.
I melted at his touch. “I… It arrived today.” I was half afraid to speak, fearing that the quake in my voice would expose my trepidation.
“I didn’t read it,” I said, trying to look innocent. He narrowed his eyes but did not say anything and released his breath.
I walked towards the bed to have some space from him and his sexy demonic eyes. He looked lost in thought for a minute before nodding his head and sitting on the other edge of the bed.
“I was worried,” he whispered lowly, only for me to hear, and looked away. He was talking. Good. I wanted to know about him, but… I needed to give him a chance. Seeing this as the best opportunity, I tried to make a list of the questions.
“Who is Selene?” Reed immediately tensed on the mention of Selene. Shit, bad timing. He looked at my face trying to see through me. I tried to be passive.
“Where did you hear that?” he grumbled after an odd silence. I know old Reed was a minute away from returning.
“I saw your tattoo. The one on your chest. Just above your heart,” I said, playing with my fingers.
Many emotions crossed his face, none of which I could place, but he settled for anxiety. He pursed his lips as if fearing his words would betray him.
“You should sleep.” His voice was clipped and firm, and he started walking back to his room.
“No.” The word slipped from my mouth automatically. Reed was hurting from inside. Maybe he was a killer; maybe he was a monster. Maybe Hecate was right about him, but he is my mate. He is an Alpha.
Moon goddess would not have tied him to me. He stopped near the door but didn’t turn. I gathered all the courage inside me and walked toward him. I stood behind him so that his back touched me and took him into my arms, surprising both of us.
“Please, don’t go. Stay with me,” I pleaded softly. His whole body was stone cold. He didn’t move, and I prepared myself for another heartbreak. Out of the blue, he held both of my hands and turned to face me. Sparks. I will never get used to his touch.
His face looked so much like Selene’s. Who was she? What happened to her?
“Okay,” Reed said, more to himself, and my heart leaped inside my mouth. The butterflies, which were dormant, were now flapping their wings angrily.
I walked back to the bed with Reed following me. My face was ready to split in two. I was grinning like a schoolgirl. Reed laid on the other side of the bed and looked straight to the wall.
“Lie on your side facing away from me,” he said, his voice was torn and husky at the same point.
I switched the lights off and laid beside him, making sure to have a considerate distance between us. Suddenly he draped his one arm over me and pushed me so that my back was touching his chest. Oh my! Skin to skin.
All the sparks that were erupting from our touch were slowly moving toward unknown places till I felt Reed.
He inhaled sharply, but neither he nor I spoke a word. After a long yet comfortable silence, he spoke.
“Do you want to hear a story?” he whispered so slowly in my ear that even I doubted if it was my imagination. I shuddered visibly due to his hot breath on my neck. My wolf was a minute away from taking control over me and mate with her. She didn’t give a flying fuck about him or his past. She just wants him, to mate with him.
“My mother’s name was Selene. She was a devotee of your moon goddess. She never meant to fall in love with him.” My heart tugged at his voice. He was trying so hard not to show it, but it took a great deal of him to share all this with me.
“She didn’t even listen to the moon goddess. She… she broke her vow and loved one person. The one person she thought would cherish her. Love her. But as soon as he found his mate, he left her but not alone. He left her alone, wandering house to house, begging with me in her womb,” Reed completed and inhaled again as if to control himself.
My head was still processing what he just told me. “Don’t dwell over it,” he said and pushed the hair from my neck and kissed it. It sent strange sensations all the way to my forbidden region.
He pulled me more to his chest so that we were spooning. The most feared alpha of the entire continent likes to cuddle. A giggle passed my lips before I could stop it.
“Care to tell, what exactly did you find amusing?” he asked. His voice was light, and I knew he was amused himself. I shook my head and smiled.
“You.”
“Me?” I could easily sense the smile in his voice.
“Yes, you.”