He's awake!

I was excited and scared in equal amounts as sparks jumped between our fingers, and had my stomach running the four-minute mile. His eyes opened and for the first time, I could see them clearly. Stopping myself from nervous giggling It didn't register he couldn't see me as the swirls of silver that dominated his pupils were like liquid mercury. They shifted, darkened and lightened with each indirect movement—nothing like I'd ever seen before, almost hypnotizing.

"Where—?" he stopped and inhaled. "Pack hospital." He growled as his awareness of his surroundings increased. He released my hand as if he's been holding poisoned ivy. And my heart deflated along with hoping he may have woken up happy to find me here with him. 

Had he hoped Bella would be be here? Nah, I knocked that idea from my head. Although we would be having chat about her soon enough.

His head lifted from his pillow, turning towards the door, where Sylar stood silently waiting. "I can hear you breathing, your scent is unfamiliar. Announce yourself."

Sylar took a step forward, lowering his head out of respect for the Alpha that lay before him. "My name is Sylar Dufrene Alpha, my apologies I meant no disrespect. I came by to check on Pearl, my cousin, to see if she needed anything."

Sylar's gaze flicked to mine, apologies written across his face. 'I should go. Will you be okay... alone with The Alpha?' he asked.

Offering a quick nod. 'I'm good.'

'Link me if you need me.' He backed out from the room, closing the door behind him.

I had wanted to ask him to get a quick read on the Alpha before he left, but that would no doubt earned me a lecture on using him when I felt like it, then bitching when he read my mind. Can't have it both ways!

Returning my attention to The Alpha, I stiffened instinctively.  Speak Pearl! "Do you want me to get Eve? Are you in any pain—do you feel okay?" The guilt which had disguised itself as excitement the moment his eyes opened removed its mask, tightening across my stomach.

He waved off my suggestion, his eyebrows pinched together as he pushed himself up to sit more in an upright position.

The thick covering that had been sitting just below his impressive pecs whilst lay flat slipped further down, now resting along the v of his abdomen. I could see a delicious trail of hair from below his belly button down, disappearing under the covering.

I double blinked as a burst of heat flooded my body, which was odd because I'd been in the room alone with him, knowing he was naked beneath those covers.

I guess something had otherwise occupied my indecent mind as I hadn't taken the opportunity to take a sneak peek at his fine, god-like form. But him sitting up now, had me visually gobbling him up like my favourite candy, every flex of those mouth-watering arm muscles. I might have drooled a little as I tried not to look, but my greedy eyes fixed on his smooth, broad chest—the one I would happily climb up.

Damn, he was sexy as fuck, bulges everywhere, and every inch edible.

Quit it Pearl. I scowled.  Damn it.  Why couldn't I stop looking at him like that? He wasn't a piece of meat, he was my mate and I should respect him. 

Bollocks to that, just a few more lustful sweeps and then the respect can kick in. And for once my Wolf was in complete agreement, her tail swishing.

Having collected enough of his deliciousness for my memory banks, I closed my eyes.  Quit stalling! Unable to avoid it. Even though I'd already done it whilst he was asleep, but I knew that was a coward's way out. "I—"

"Why am I here?"

We both started talking at the same time. Okay, well, my apology could wait a few more seconds. "They had to use enchanted silver on you and your brother. It terrified them and me you were going to kill him. Or him kill you." I added.

He scoffed. "Orion would never have bested me." His jaw clenched. "But why did they bring me here... to the pack hospital?"

Ah, he was talking about being unconscious. "You were out cold, so they brought you both here. Orion had a serious injury to his shoulder." I didn't dare tell him about Sylar.

"And how is my obnoxious brother fairing?"

"Eve said he will be back to usual self in no time at all."

He snarled, lifting his top lip. "Me and my brother will have a talk."

Phew, talking I could handle—Talking was good, right?

I blew out a deep breath. My turn. Here goes... "I need to apologize for what happened. With your brother." There I'd said it. "You have to know, I would never—"

He cut in. "It is I who needs to apologize... Pearl."

The deep timbre of his voice made the hairs on my arms prickle and my face flush. And he'd said my name with no trace of being pissed off at me. Bonus! "What are you sorry for?"

He ran his hand across his mouth and chin. "For how I behaved in my study, when we first met... officially." He licked over his bottom lip. "I should have acknowledged you as my mate. It was—No, I was disrespectful. And wrong." He lowered his head for a brief moment before lifting, tilting his chin upwards. "I never intended to hurt you."

Fuckity-fuck! Calm down, let's not get overexcited. I steadied my nerves, but my heart was going like the clappers and a stupid grin spread across my lips. "So what does that mean... for us, now?"

"I don't know."

What? Why didn't he know? Well, I'd never been backward in coming forward and I would not start now. "Are you rejecting me as your mate?" My voice cracked a little, but at least I'd put it out there - I'd asked.

A wall of silence dropped between us.

My potential mate rubbed his hand across his entire face. Something obviously weighing heavily on him. "No."

Just one word, No. In the past I'd hated that word, often said to point out I couldn't have something, or I wasn't allowed to do something. But he was saying it in a good way. No, he would not reject me. I stopped myself from dancing on the spot.

But I spoke too soon.

"Maybe it is for the best that you reject me, Dark One."

The illusory bucket of water thrown in my face doused the flames of my optimism.

And why—why in this goddess's green earth would I do that? He was as crazy as a box of frogs.

Hold up... Dark One? Why did he call me that? I'd heard it somewhere before. I shook the thought away—one thing at a time!

"Back up handsome. Let's not jump the gun—because it isn't happening. So, if you would care to explain the rationale behind your thinking."

The Alpha sighed. "You are aware of my blindness." It wasn't a question, so I could safely assume Orion had told him I knew.

"And why would that make a difference to me?" It didn't, not in the slightest.

"Just listen to me Pearl, please." His tone slipped into one of frustration.

"You have my full attention."

"It isn't just my blindness which deters me from taking a mate. I have my sister, Willa to consider. I cannot deviate from finding her. She has to come before anything... everything else. My needs, my wants are not important." He sighed. "You wouldn't possibly understand."

"Try me." I shot back. "And I do understand she needs to be your priority. Your worries are my worries. Your problems are now mine too." I raised my eyebrows. "And I can help you—have you thought about that?" Obviously, he hadn't because he didn't know about Sylar... yet.

He remained silent.

"So, let me be clear." I placed my hands on my hips. "You are saying you want me? Just underlying issues are in the way. And I'm not including your blindness in this, because that reason is ridiculous."

"Not to me," he snapped, his frown deepening.

Okaaay we could work on that one.

There had to be another way to convince him. And I could only think of one way. Dropping my hands from my hips, I twisted and sat myself down on the edge of his bed. My hand reached for her cheek as I rested it there.

He didn't swat my hand away—good start.

And then his frown fell, replaced by a tender expression offering me hope and a swell to my heart.

Take charge Pearl. My wolf started prancing on the spot, happy with my assertive approach.

I leaned in and brushed my lips across his.

The connection was there, up front and center. You could have charged batteries from the static electricity and it may only have been a chaste kiss, but he froze as if I'd astonished him. My teeth almost pierced my bottom lip as my mate swallowed slowly before he reached for me and pulled me back to him, our lips a fraction apart.

"Do that again," he commanded.

Hell, yeah!

Liking over my lips, I held onto my giddiness. Edging towards him, I pressed my lips to his.

And this time it wasn't one way. His lips parted and hesitantly tested mine before cranking up a notch and feasting on mine like his life depended on it.

Hal-le-fucking-lujah!

The torch had been well and truly lit. I could feel... taste his sense of urgency - the pace mounting faster as he slipped his tongue into my mouth, capturing mine. The taste of him sent my heart into overdrive as it pounded ruthlessly against my rib cage.

My wolf howled out her delight.

Now, this was a kiss!

His hand ran up my arm, tangling his fingers in my hair as he pulled my head to the side, breaking our kiss to slide his tongue down my neck, scraping his teeth across my sensitive skin, my pulse beating to its own tune under his fiery mouth.

His fangs extended as he growled against my hot skin.

Fuck! Was he going to mark me—here? Now?

Did I want him to? I didn't have a single argument against the idea.

I gasped and a need like I'd never experienced surged through my mind, ramping up the heat between us, rising to a whole new level. At the same time my body caught up with a blasting wave of desire exploding in each nerve cell, leaving me raw and desperate for more—or was that a different part of my anatomy?

Hell yeah, my girly parts sang out, rejoicing.

A deep rolling cough assaulted my ears as The Alpha pulled away.

"Excuse me Alpha."

Fuckity-fuck-fuck-fuck. Shitty timing Seth!

My body sagged, and I swore my vagina pouted at the interruption. I closed my eyes to regain some balance. I started to move, but the Alpha moved his hand to my leg and gripped gently.

"Stay, please." his request was half demand, half suggestive.

A silly grin teased my lips as I restrained a giggle—this was definitely progress.

"Speak Seth," he asserted.

"Forgive the intrusion Alpha. I strongly believe we have a lead on Willa. But it will require a visit to the North, to see the Elders."

I wondered if he was talking about Sylar, remembering the conversation in his study with Seth, although it felt like days ago, rather than mere hours.

My mate didn't move a muscle, but his slow release of breath said more than words.

"Can I get you clothes, Alpha?" asked Seth.

"No. I shall shift; my wolf has fully recovered from the silver assault." His hold on my leg tightened, but not painfully, more of a possessive hold. "Which we shall discuss in more detail later, Seth."

"As you wish, Alpha." Seth lowered his head and once again, the sting of guilt crushed my happy feeling. It was my fault that Seth and Noah had taken drastic measures.

"I will meet you out front in five minutes, Seth." That was his cue to leave.

"We are ready when you are, Alpha" He winked at me before leaving us alone.

My mate turned to face me, his silvery eyes striking as if they held magical essence inside them.

I was sure he must have felt everything that I'd just felt. "Can I come with you?" I hoped the longer we stayed close to one another, the quicker he would come around to accepting me fully as his mate.

He gifted me with a full-blown, panty melting smile.

And spank me pink—Dimples. And they were every bit as sexy as I'd known they would be.

"Yes, I'd like that Pearl."

The way my name rolled off his lips was so hot. I shivered.

"You don't have to ask me twice, Alpha."

"Cassius. My name is Cassius."

My heart slammed to a halt. I heard no one else refer to him by that name. "Cassius." I repeated.

"Good. Now we shall continue this later."

Another shiver as I hoped he was referring to the kissing part as I pushed up from the bed.