Zelda

He kept saying how preposterous it was and that I was making it up.

This wasn't how I pictured my first night with a man.

"How dare you?" I seethed, "You don't actually believe I'd somehow do this to myself?"

I pulled the covers up over my body and sighed, "I guess you would considering you're a fucking savage."

Zane pulled the covers from me and snarled, "Say it again."

"SAVAGE," I retorted, "S-A-V-A-G-E!"

His eyes turned from anger to humored, "You really had no idea."

"I really don't believe it actually," I shrugged, "But if you're my mate, couldn't,-"

"I can reject you.."

"Would you?"

He eyed me and smiled, "No."

Zane

I wouldn't.

My feelings for her were insane and I couldn't describe them. I was taken with my own mind and hers.

She needed me and I...

"Well, can you tell me what you recall about that night you were marked?"

"I was little—I was on your turf and then someone grabbed me," she said, "I ran and ran, but I couldn't outrun an alpha."

"What did he look like?"

"Long dark hair and green eyes."

My father...

"Maybe you just know that,-"

"I never saw you father before that night," she said, "I remembered being dragged backwards, but not too far. I felt the sting of the claws and then he whispered in my ear that he was happy for his son."

"His...son?"

"I thought he was just a drunkard, but if this is his mark, does that really mean I am your mate and you have to mark me yourself?"

"It does.." I said, "But...you can also reject me."

"What if I do? What will happen to me?"

"I take you....far away from here and keep you protected from a distance."

"You'd...wait, you'd do that for me?"

I sighed. "You're my mate, Zelda. It's only right for me to."

"But are you mated to a vampire? Can you be?"

I looked at her, the way she felt around me was exquisite—heavenly even.

She was the closest to Heaven I'd ever get,I was certain.

"But you can always come back and stay with me," I said, "They'd never know...they'd never think to look for you there."

Zelda

My mind was racing.

Could I really be the mate to an alpha? A wolf alpha?

He seemed to think so...

I was nowhere near being able to take care of myself out there in the world, and once I was found, they'd kill me—or worse.

Zane was looking at me as if I'd already rejected him. I didn't know he could look so vulnerable. Apparently, they took their mates and bonds very seriously.

"Alright.." I whispered, "I will come back with you."

"I need to show you a few things and...keep you hidden for a while."

"Why? Traitors?"

"Possibly," he said, "But I'm not leaving here anytime soon. I want..well, I've always wanted to do things like this with my mate."

"What? Get caught in a monsoon?"

"Yes," he offered, "Memories..memories we'd tell our pups."

"Our pups.." I could feel my ovaries exploding.

"I want to be..." he started, but stopped, "I want to be a good mate for you and I don't think I know how."