Here it is!

Want to know what was going inside Ethan's brain that day he met Charlotte?

Check it out below!

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Restless.

That's what I had been this last week. Restless as hell; needless to say it was annoying more than anything.

My wolf was constantly pacing, scratching at my mind and begging to be let out. I felt like I was trying to satisfy a newborn; I went hunting and slaughtered a couple of deer, went on longer runs, and beat the royal shit out of Billy this last week–but nothing satisfied.

I was restless.

I took a sip of my coffee and almost spilled it as my wolf snapped at me again. I growled at him; I had no idea what the hell he wanted. I figured I would take him on a longer hunt later this weekend.

But he snapped again, harder this time. Harder because there was a part of me that he was trying to claw out, a part that died a long time ago and he needed to leave it alone.

I took another sip then started to flip through the transfer files in front of me, giving them another sweep to make sure everything was in order for them today. I glanced over a couple until my eyes landed on one that they seemed to be drawn to almost instinctually.

Charlotte Renee Thorne.

Thorne.

Levi's new adopted pup.

I rubbed my face and took another long sip of my coffee. The whole thing was bizarre as hell to say the least, and I was still convinced that my uncle was probably out of his mind. Looking through her file almost confirmed that hypothesis; a human, a female to say the least, that survived the shift, that was apparently an alpha female–it was crazy.

Evan hadn't linked me since he got to Tikanni. I assumed it was because our uncle was indeed crazy and Evan was just going to wait until he got home to tell me what happened so he didn't spook Levi while he was there.

I couldn't blame Levi though. I'm surprised he's still alive. Last time I saw him he was slipping into the madness after seeing them– last time I saw him was also ten years ago when we were two very different wolves.

Thomas knocked on my door. He nodded to me with a new cup of coffee in his hand. "How's it going in here?"

I sighed and nodded to him. "Paperwork is done, we've got everything together."

"You get a chance to look at the draft itinerary for the council meeting by chance?"

"No, not yet."

"Ethan I need you to get on that," he sighed out.

"I know Thomas," I bit back. He raised his brows at me while my beast nudged me, pushed me to push back harder. I pushed him back. I had been snappy all week, hell, I was cranky with Evangeline this morning. I needed to go hunting again.

I looked back at Thomas and gave him a tired half smile. "Sorry, he's just been restless. I think I just need to go for a longer hunt this weekend."

Thomas' eyes relaxed before he gave me a half smile. "It's alright Ethan. You know, we have everything under control here. You can bug out it you want? I'm sure Evan and I can handle the transfers."

I shook my head. "It's fine. It won't take that long."

Thomas nodded into his coffee cup. "You're sister got the living quarters set up?"

"Yup," I replied back. "Everyone is set up."

"Saw that vamp get Thorne's girl a cabin ready by yours." I shook my head and leaned back in my chair as Thomas walked in and took a seat at a chair in front of my desk. "Some crazy shit right?"

"Do you believe it?"

Thomas shrugged with wide eyes. "I don't know Ethan. I mean, I don't want to say that Levi is–"

"Thomas it's fine," I interjected.

He let out a tired sigh and nodded. "It's just, well, it's damn impossible. Levi was so sure over the phone though, but the things he was telling me? Insane."

"Things like?"

"How she killed a damn bear on their bear hunt..."

I took a long sip of my coffee while my beast watched me curiously like this whole conversation was entertaining for him. "I don't know. I guess we'll find out."

"Have you heard from Evan?"

I shook my head. "I figured he was going to wait and talk to me when he got back. He probably doesn't want to set Levi off."

"I was a little worried about that..."

"Levi would never hurt us. That and I am sure Lander has a good eye on him," I added.

Thomas nodded then lifted his cup. "Well, I better get some more coffee before they get here."

"Me too," I said as I looked into my cup that was running low.

Thomas stood up and started to head out the door with me behind him when it hit me. It felt like the air had been taken out of my lungs. It felt like them.

It felt like Levi's pups, like Lucas and Lydia.

I could feel it even in my office. It was so damn familiar, a feeling I couldn't forget if I wanted to. It was like a wave lapping at my feet and swirling around my body; intoxicating me with the feeling that is pure Thorne blood.

The coffee cup had hit the ground as my mouth hung open. "Ethan?"

I was running.

I was running out of my office and down the stairs because it couldn't be true. This couldn't be happening. They died.

They died. I was there. I saw. I saw their slit throats and skinned backs that day. I saw their blood pooling over the dirt as it left their lifeless bodies.

They were dead, but this feeling of power was not.

It was so alive.

My beast was yapping in the back of my brain, clouding my thoughts and causing me to push him back harder so I could think straight as I ran past a bunch of wolves looking at me like I grew an extra head. I ran outside and looked around, looked around for blonde hair and silver eyes.

I let out a hot breath as confusion settled in before it hit me again. I could feel the hum of the blood, the crackle of it like Pop Rock candy on my tongue.

My head was whipping around as my feet marched forwards, searching for the source of it. I turned forward and saw them, saw the transfers coming in.

My brother was in the front with a vampire behind him and a girl. A girl with long dark hair, the color of a cool cocoa that my fingers started to yearn to touch. I couldn't help but stare out at her. She was further away, maybe the length of a football field, but I swear from here that I could see the dimples in her cheeks as she smiled.

The wind.

The wind blew down the valley and hit me like a freight train. It was like hands reaching into me and dragging something out of its grave, shaking it awake, and forcing it to open its eyes and see.

See what was in front of it.

A roar.

It came from deep within me and out of my lips. I hadn't even realized that I had done it. I was so consumed with the scent. The scent that almost pulled me to my knees. It was like vanilla, lavender, and the smell of a new summer day. It was like the sun shining on the dark valley within the depths of my soul; sunshine.

Another roar.

I was walking, no I was marching. I was marching as my beast pushed me forwards towards the scent that was driving me wild. Towards the female that was on her knees, clutching her stomach as she looked at me with wide stormy blue eyes.

Blue eyes.

Once I saw those blue eyes I knew that I would chase them forever. Those blue eyes held mine and in that moment it clicked to me. It clicked to me what she was, who she was, what she was supposed to be.

Mine.

I was closer, marching faster to her. I don't know if I had ever been more excited or this happy in a long ass time. I had waited for what felt like forever for her.

A growl tore through my lips as the wind blew more of her scent to me that I tattooed in my mind. I would forever be able to recognize that anywhere.

Evan was yelling something at me, but I didn't listen. I didn't give a shit. All I saw was her.

Her until she got up quickly and ran.

She ran.

My wolf licked his lips, as did I. If our female wanted to play games then we would play them all damn day.

I ran.

I ran after her as she tore out towards the forest. She had no idea where she was going, but from here I could feel how strong she was. She would be no easy catch.

She tore off her shoes and dress; something that stirred a strong desire in me that I didn't know could exist. God, she had the nicest ass. I cursed myself for not catching her sooner, mostly so I could continue to imprint what every curve on her looked like because she shifted into a wolf the same color as her hair.

The sight in itself made mine howl out to the moon because she was the epitome of beauty in his eyes, and in mine.

I let my fur come forwards and hauled ass after her. I actually liked that she was making us work hard, work for her.

She was fast though, she was so damn fast. I found myself having to work a little harder to catch up to her, pull a little deeper to a part of myself that I let stay hidden.

But right now I didn't care, right now my beast and I wanted our female. Our female that hauled ass towards some boulders that sloped sharply downwards. I barked out wildly to her, tried to reach out through the mate-pull and find her mind so I could tell her to watch out.

She just pushed me back, pushed me out harder than some alpha males had pushed me out of their minds. My wolf cocked his head in intrigue before he pushed harder as our female disappeared over the boulder.

We skidded to a stop and watched her hit the ground below with a 'thud' that sounded pretty painful. I was pacing back and forth, barking at her to try and catch her damn attention.

She snapped her head up to me; blue eyes catching mine in a moment that seemed to squeeze all the air out of my lungs. I found myself roaring again, roaring out to what was mine. What I was craving to hold and touch as her scent seemed to get me drunk the longer I smelled it.

She turned on her heel and ran some more.

Damn female.

I laughed to myself and chased after her; jumping down boulders and onto the ground where I ran through the trees that seemed to thicken. She ran harder, trying to lose me, but I would always find her.

I lost sight of her, but I could still smell her and feel the blood in her veins that called to mine like they were a damn siren.

She was here.

I knew she was hiding somewhere. I shifted back to my skin and looked around until I could smell her from behind a tree. A tree that was soaking up all her scent like a sponge.

I laughed inwardly and shook my head. It was a terrible hiding spot. "I can chase you all day mate," I called out. "Although this is a fun game, you're going to have to lose eventually."

My beast paced and waited for her to come out. We would push her, but not that much. We wouldn't push her into something she didn't want.

I looked around until I was hit with another wave. A wave I felt in my office, a wave of power that only could originate from a strong ass wolf. An alpha wolf. An alpha female.

A wave that pulled from deep inside me so I could push back. I didn't have time to realize what was happening, because the next thing I knew she let out a ferocious growl that would have probably made lesser wolves shake in both their fur and skin.

"What the–" I started to breath out right when she tore away from the tree.

I shifted again and tore after her. She didn't have a very good lead this time and with the thick trees she was having to zig-zag through, it made it easy to catch up. I lunged at her, but she was smart. She halted to her feet and let my dumb ass soar right past her into the dirt.

I got up and whipped around to her; whipped around to see her hiss at me. God she was beautiful. Her fur was so damn silky that it shouldn't be real. She was so strong, she looked every bit the part of an alpha female; littered with scars over muscles that looked beautiful instead of ugly to me.

Eyes. I shouldn't have looked into them because when I did I realized that I was frozen.

She growled at me again and I returned it with a low growl of my own, lustful in nature. There was nothing that I wanted more in that moment than the female in front of me.

The one who's soul sang to mine.

The female seemed to roll her eyes at me. My beast cocked his head and was about to let out a warning growl to her when she growled viscously at me and snapped her damn teeth.

My eyes widened as I stared at her, stared into her eyes that held fear and anger.

Anger?

Why the hell was she angry? We were made for each other, this is how this worked. I opened my mouth when she snapped out at me again like I was some kind of enemy.

My beast whined in my mind. He wanted his mate, as did I. The sight of her snapping at us, looking at us like we were the enemy felt like knives.

Before I knew what was happening I was snarling at her, a low warning from her to watch her teeth. I tried to take a step towards her but she just snapped hard at me again before she tore off away from us.

Hurt.

I cursed the moon as I ran after her. I would get stuck with a female that didn't want me. It would be my damn luck.

That couldn't be it. I prayed that wasn't it. But it was hard not to feel that way when she was running from me like she was running for her damn life.

I knew she couldn't run for long though, she didn't have anywhere to go, or so I thought.

The next thing I knew, she was up a damn tree like a cat. She climbed up quickly in her skin while I jumped at the tree, my beast scratched furiously at the base and barked at her while she looked at us through the thick limbs with wide eyes.

I shifted to my skin and took a step back as she pulled a large leafy branch closer to her body. "You can't stay up there forever!"

I eyed her some more and saw so much fear in her eyes. Maybe she was just scared? I only hoped that's all it was. I hoped it was that and not disdain.

"I am not going to hurt you, I would never do that!"

Those blue eyes widened and her plump lips parted a little as she looked at me. I held her gaze and tried to silently plead with her to come down. I needed her to come down so my beast would calm the hell down; he was ripping at my mind, wanting me to climb up there to her.

But something told me not to, something told me to wait for her.

I wanted to wait for her until she snarled at me again. Anger swelled in me as the pull twisted so sharply it felt like a hot knife twisting in my gut. Did she not feel this too? Did she not realize what this was doing to us?!

"What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"There's nothing wrong with her, you're just scaring the hell out of her," Derek hissed out as he walked in with my brother and Thomas in tow.

Evan looked at me cautiously. "You need to calm down brother."

Derek walked towards the tree but I immediately stepped in front of him. That was my mate up there and I wasn't about to let another male near her.

"Ethan, you either get out of my way or I will make you get out of my way. You do not want to do this with me," Derek said as his fangs started to elongate.

"What the hell is wrong with all of you?! She's my damn mate–"

"Ethan," the Thomas man barked out. "Do as Derek says."

"Thomas, what the hell?!" I growled out as my beast snapped hard at him. He was shaking out his fur and snarling in the back of my mind. That was our mate he didn't mind spilling a little blood already for her. "What the hell is going on?!"

"Christ Ethan! Don't you smell it?!" Evan yelled out while throwing his hands up.

I scoffed while Thomas walked over to the base of a tree to his right. "Can I smell it? Do you think I chased her up to this tree because I smelled a regular she-wolf?"

Thomas reached into a hole and pulled out a few pairs of shorts. He tossed some to Evan then tossed another pair to me before slipping some on. "She's not a regular she-wolf, she a damn Thorne. Now you need to calm down."

A Thorne?

I looked at Thomas for a long time like he had eaten worms. No, there was no way. Levi's daughter? His adopted daughter?

The one that we weren't even sure was a real she-wolf?

My beast snapped at me and forced me back to the present. I looked up to see Derek already up int he tree next to her before I looked back at Thomas who nodded gently to me.

"Thorne's girl? The one he adopted? The human?" I rambled out, and when I did she snarled again at me with so much bloodlust I felt like I could taste it myself.

She let her wolf pour forward and meet mine; meet mine that pushed back at her to remind her of what I was, what my beast and I were, but the feeling of her shocked me. It shocked me because I recognized it. I recognized it too well.

She was a damn Thorne.

Evan chuckled a little and shook his head. "Tell that to her again and see what happens, brother."

"Ethan, enough," Thomas growled out. "You know better than to speak about a Thorne that way."

"Pft that's right," Evan breathed out. "You'll be lucky if Uncle Levi doesn't march down here and have your ass for this."

I growled at Evan and gave him a hard stare. He could have warned me that she was indeed what Levi said she was.

Levi.

Christ, she really did smell like one of them, felt like one of them. How? It was a fairy tail, unheard of. Yet here she was with a scent and beast that called out so strongly to mine that it was everything I had not to chop that tree down so I could get to her.

I let out a hot breath and tried to calm down. I needed to calm down. My veins needed to calm down.

I looked back at her as she watched me through the leaves on the tree limbs. "Do you want to try and climb down?"

Derek chuckled from next to her and kissed her cheek. A cheek that my beast was already pissed about. "Ethan go run it off," he called out.

"You have to be kidding?!" My beast snapped out before I looked back to Thomas.

His beast was shaking out his fur and eying me up and down while mine shook out his fur as well. We didn't care, that was our mate and didn't give a shit that Thomas was our alpha.

My beast licked at his fangs while Thomas raised his brows before his eyes hardened. I snarled lowly to him, he didn't get to put me in my place, not on this.

"Ethan, Does that girl look like she wants to go anywhere near you right now? You scared the hell out of her. She didn't grow up like we did, she doesn't understand the entirety of the mate pull that is starting to cloud your damn judgment. She is confused, shaken up, and probably about ready to tear your hide apart and I am real close to letting her."

A growl of approval tore from her lips and hit me in the gut like a sucker punch.

How could she not want us? How could she agree to hide up there away from us? Good God was I that much of a damn monster to her?

"Charlotte, Ethan is going to go, now. He won't follow you back, you have my word. How about you come down?" Thomas said, looking at me a little more firmly.

I growled out to him, flashing him my teeth, but he returned my growl. I was ready to fight him. In that moment, I was ready to tear him apart.

That is until my brother nudged me. Evan gave me a knowing look which shook me out of my haze. I let out a sharp breath then tore off towards the forest, away from her, away from the one that already tugged at my heart.

I wanted to go back.

I wanted to go back to her and apologize. I wanted to explain to her that I would never hurt her, that I would probably tear apart anyone that did.

I wanted her.

I wanted her but right now she apparently did not feel the same, so I ran. I ran to the one place that was mine, that was my escape.

The treehouse.

The treehouse my father and Levi built us when we were kids. It was our place until it became my place, my place to think and sort through my brain.

I found myself on the top platform, replaying the day and trying to figure out how the hell I was going to fix everything. It wasn't like I could trot up to her and say, 'Oh hey soulmate, how's it going? Want to spend the rest of your life with me?'

I rubbed my face while my beast whined out for her. I pushed him back, this was just as much his fault as it was mine.

"Ethan?" Evan called out as he climbed up to the platform.

I groaned. My younger brother, while he was a good man was also a pain in my ass at times.

"Ethan?" he called again as he poked his head out of hole in the base of the platform that the tree came through. I turned around to see him give me a sympathetic half smile. "Well, at least uncle Levi isn't here beating your ass yet."

I growled lowly to him as he pulled himself up then walked over to sit next to me. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" he replied.

"That she is what she is?"

"I didn't think you would believe me even if I told you, I didn't believe it myself at first," he breathed out. "Besides bro, I mean, it's not like I knew she would be your mate. I felt a familial bond, but I didn't realize that's what it was until you were roaring your head off at her, which is totally romantic by the way–" I growled sharply to him. Evan just rolled his eyes and leaned back on his hands. "Ethan, you couldn't have known. I mean she's like a damn unicorn as it is."

"Does she hate me?"

"No," he replied quickly which took what felt like the weight of bricks off my back. "She's just scared, Ethan. It's like Thomas said, she wasn't raised like us. Hell, she's only been a wolf for like a year. I mean, she's a strong ass female, but this is all still new to her. That and she has a hard past."

"What do you mean?" My wolf snapped his ears forward while Evan chewed on his bottom lip.

"It's her's to tell, so ask her for the details, but she was married before–"

"What?!"

"Calm down she killed him!"

"What!?" I barked out.

Evan grabbed my shoulder and pushed me back down. "Calm the hell down! Jesus just listen, ok?"

"Fine," I bit out.

Evan sighed and leaned against the post of a railing. "She was bitten because she was running from her husband. I guess he beat her up pretty good and she ran. Somehow she ended up on Levi's land where he pulled three rogues off of her.

"Anyways, remember that attack at Levi's? When he had to put extra patrols on the border?"

"Yes," I hissed out as my beast paced in rage. In rage because our female was attacked by the one thing we hated as much as Satan himself–rogues.

"Her husband was with the rogues. Apparently, they found him by chance, but she killed him. She helped Levi kill the other rogues as well.

"She's just scared Ethan. It sounds like her past isn't the most pleasant, and considering how her ex was, this probably scared the hell out of her."

I let out a shaky breath and nodded. I nodded because Evan was right and I hated it. "What do I do?"

"Just talk to her. Try not to roar your head off again, she'll have your ass. I saw the video of her taking a bear and dude, I would put my money on her ninety-nine percent of the time."

I shook my head in disbelief. "The moon had to have been drunk when she put us together."

Evan breathed out a laugh. "I cannot wait to see what Levi thinks of all this."

I groaned inwardly. Levi was definitely going to have my ass. "How was he?"

"Like his old self," Evan chuckled out. "An asshole, but he was like he was before. I think it's her, I think she does that to him."

I felt something stir in me. Something that felt like it was waking up from a long sleep. I nodded to Evan and stood up.

"Let her settle in before you try to roar at her again," he teased.

I growled at Evan before climbing down the ladder. I needed to get my shit together and figure this situation out. I half thought about calling my uncle and trying to feel out how much he was going to beat my ass for this.

I opted on waiting until after I talked to her. My beast agreed. He wanted me to go right there after I left the treehouse, but I decided to heed Evan's advice and give her a little space. I didn't want to scare her any more than she already was. I didn't want to scare her at all.

"Well, well, well," Evangeline said with a sly grin as I trotted into our house. "Heard you had an interesting day."

"Not now red," I groaned out.

"Come on Ethan! Tell me! Evan said you chased her up a tree?"

"God, he cannot keep his mouth shut," I growled out.

"So it is true," she replied as her smile grew wider. She leaned against the kitchen counter and eyed me while I pulled my laundry angrily out of the dryer and tossed it into a basket. She sighed and put her hand on my shoulder. "Ethan it's not your fault, you didn't know."

"You didn't see the look in her eyes, Evangeline," I muttered out.

"Just go talk to her," she said with a soft smile. "It will be fine, just go talk to her and spend some time with her. You're going to have to eventually."

I leaned my head back and shook it then quickly kissed her forehead before I ran upstairs with my laundry. I needed a damn plan.

After showering, most of which I spent trying to figure out what to say, I decided I had waited long enough. I didn't really decide, I just couldn't stand knowing she was only a few houses down away from me.

I felt like a damn stupid adolescent male. Worrying about how my damn hair looked before I gave up and marched out of my room and towards her house; towards the trail that was full of her scent. Her scent that made my mouth water.

I didn't really have a plan. I kind of had a plan. I should have had a better plan.

Dammit.

Before I knew what was happening, I was knocking at her door. I was knocking at her door while my heart pounded as voices shut up from the inside while footsteps came closer to the door.

Her.

She opened the door and the smell of her hit me like a stampede of wild buffalo. I couldn't help but admire what was in front of me; delicate with perfect curves that I could lose myself in. Her eyes were not just blue, they were like looking into a fire I thought I had lost long ago.

It shocked me. Her hair swayed in the wind, her long hair that made her skin look almost porcelain. I felt my beast stir and reach out to meet hers, pulling from deep within me as he did.

I realized that I was gawking at her. I closed my mouth and opened it before I closed it again.

Shit.

She bit her lip as her eyes widened a little more. "I um...Well I...I...Shit," I hissed out.

Dammit to hell.

I was walking away from her with my tail tucked between my legs while my beast groaned at me. He shook his head and pushed me to go back; I pushed back harder, I needed to have a better plan first.

I couldn't just go up and ask her up I could slap a mark on her neck, although the though of my mark on her delicate neck stirred a hot desire from within me.

Evangeline was walking towards her house with a smirk on her lips. She waved at me mischievously as I watched from a distance as she disappeared inside the house.

Shit.

I walked back towards her house and thought over and over and over and over about how to approach this. I felt so ridiculous; never once in my life have I felt so unsure about anything.

The only thing I was sure about was that I wanted her.

I paced a little, thinking of different ways this could go before I decided to screw it. I was just going to go for it and pray that Levi didn't beat my ass.

I found myself knocking on her door again; praying that I wouldn't look like an idiot this time around.

She opened it and held my gaze with her heated one for a moment, a moment that made me want to lean forward and kiss her plump lips.

"Can we talk?"

She breathed out a laugh and nodded. "Sure." I groaned inwardly. She sounded like a damn angel and all I could think about is how my name would sound coming out of her mouth.

I walked towards a column and tried to get my shit together while my wolf sat back and watched me, amused, to say the least.

My nostrils flared as I looked at her. She was a trip. She smelled like, well like her, but she also smelled and felt like them. Like the Thornes–like Levi and his late pups.

"Evan was right, this is trippy," I said, causing her to snap blue eyes full of questions to me as she leaned against the column opposite of me. "You smell like they did, like Levi. Well, you smell like a lot of things, but you smell like his other pups did."

"I've been hearing that a lot lately."

I smiled to myself at the sight of how perfect she looked when a blush caressed her cheeks before I looked back at her. The pull was insane between us. I found myself scratching my head as I tried to get used to it, wrangle myself in so I didn't look like a damn idiot again.

"About today...I'm sorry. I was an idiot." I looked up at her with a tiny bit of hope and felt my heart flip when she nodded at me with a ghost smile on her lips. "I didn't mean what I said before, I wasn't thinking straight at all. I just, uh, he just lost his shit when he realized that you were actually running away."

"I realized that very quickly," She said on the edge of a nervous breathy laugh.

"Levi is going to have my ass," I grumbled. He was. I would be lucky if he didn't march down here tomorrow to remind me of the years when he loved to do that.

"You're lucky that I didn't have your ass," she shot back with a smirk. I felt my wolf cock his head and eye his female curiously. She was something, a damn fairy tale. She pulled and pushed at something in me; I couldn't tell what it was, but all I knew was that I pushed back.

I felt my cheeks start to flush at her words. I would be more than happy for this perfect creature to have my ass right about now, repetitively. She bit back a smile which seemed make her whole face glow, stirring a feeling within me that was warm and full of pride.

"Anyways, I want to make it up to you. Um, I was thinking– I always go for a run in the morning, I thought you could come. I could show you a little of the land," I finished and scratched my head a little nervously again. I figured it was a good idea, not much pressure and we could maybe go hunting if she was up for it. I hoped she was because in that moment there was nothing my beast wanted more than to hunt with his female by his side. "If you don't want to it's ok. I mean I–"

"Ok."

She said the words and I honestly was expecting her to tell me to screw off. After today I more than deserved it. "Ok?"

"I won't repeat myself," She shot back as a coy smile tugged at her lips.

The pull seemed to leap in excitement while my wolf yipped at me. "Ok," I said with a smile on my lips. "I'll come by in the morning?"

The pull was so damn strong. I stepped towards her, not even realizing what I was doing until she stiffened like a board. My beast whined again, but I reminded him that we had to take things slow with her. He agreed, as did I, because in that moment as we looked at the moon's gift to us, we were in agreement that we would do what it took to make sure we didn't screw this up.

"Listen, I won't force you into anything. I am not that person at all."

"Ok," she breathed out with a tiny smile that made my heart beat a little faster.

I sighed then stepped off the porch and walked a few steps away from her, which was so much harder than I thought it would be. "See you in the morning?"

I nodded again. "In the morning."

I turned away with a smile and headed back to my cabin while my heart did flip flops.

Because my mate said yes. Because my mate was going to go run with me in the morning. Because she really didn't hate me. Because she was perfect, by far the most beautiful female I had ever seen, I was willing to put money on that.

Because she breathed life into me, woke up something that I wasn't sure I wanted to leave dead anymore.

A Thorne.

My mate was a damn Thorne. My damn Thorne.

I smiled with every step I took back to my cabin, and for once I couldn't wait to close my eyes. Morning couldn't come soon enough, because in the morning I would get to see her. See the one my heart seemed to beat faster for.

My mate.

Charlotte Renee Thorne.