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“You seem pretty in control to me now.”
He didn't answer, and I said nothing further. His self-control was remarkable. Right now, I was struggling with my wolf, trying to stop her from submitting to him here and now.
“You could have gotten hurt,” he said after a few moments had passed. “From what I've seen, the wolves on Earth now, like you, aren't like the wolves that existed in my time. You’re smaller—much smaller. I would have hurt you if I lost control and marked you."
Okay, now I understood a bit better. I’d seen wolves lose control and try to forcefully mark their mate the second they met them. Marking one's mate by biting them solidified their bond—like the werewolf equivalent of human marriage, and it was just as everlasting. Inside every one of us, there was a wolf counterpart, a creature we heard and felt constantly. It was the animalistic and primal side of our species, and something like meeting one's mate often did send a wolf into a frenzy.
But I wasn’t totally buying his argument. "I might be smaller, but I'm not weak," I told him, slightly offended. I was considered tall by many. Sure, white wolves from centuries ago were ridiculously enormous, like him, but height didn’t necessarily equal strength.
In fact, I thought it was a bit much to be so tall. But back then, I knew there were more threats to their survival than we had now. White wolves, which existed so long ago, were direct descendants of the Goddess. They had her divinity, so they were stronger than the average werewolf.
I was so conflicted. I wanted to be angry, but I couldn’t help being a little excited as well.
“I never said you were weak, Natalie,” he said, just as my house appeared between the trees. “Even as an Enchanted who can’t shift, you took on that gorgalian alone. You’re brave. Foolish, but brave.”
I decided to ignore him. “What did you call that thing?”
“Gorgalian. They only hunt at night, and they don’t usually attack anyone. But you were on their hunting ground.”
“I see,” I drawled as we climbed the stairs to my front door. The second we entered the house, I headed upstairs. After shifting into his human form, he’d been left naked, and with the lights on in the house, I’d rather he be covered. "Wait here. I don't have any clothes that will fit you, but I can get you a towel."
I rushed into my bedroom once I got to the second floor, heading straight for the bathroom. I splashed my face with water repeatedly. My wolf was screaming in my head, and my skin was prickling with the need to be embraced by Lucian.
"Calm down, damn it! We found him, and that's enough for now!"
My wolf went silent, and I exhaled. I wasn't going to submit to Lucian. I wasn't going to let the pull I felt make me act like a desperate fool. Instead, I gathered two towels and took a few deep breaths before heading back downstairs.
In truth, Enchanteds like me, who could see the past, present, and future, could perform some spells, and even mind-link with other beings because of the Goddess’s divinity in our blood, were simply white wolves unable to shift. It wasn’t a farfetched speculation, since it was that divinity that made White Wolves what they were. Thanks to the Goddess, Lucian’s wolf was stronger than most. As for me, I’d been given additional abilities.
I went back downstairs where I found Lucian standing by a window, his hands clasped behind him.
“Here.” I held the towels out, looking away.
He took his own sweet time walking over to me, and I turned away the second he took the towels from my hand. “Thank you.”
His amused chuckle was perplexing, and I turned around to find him with one towel wrapped around his waist, while the other was thrown over his shoulder.
“A wolf afraid of nudity. Aren’t you a strange one?”
Werewolves were used to being without clothing. But not all creatures were comfortable with being naked, or seeing others naked, so wolves had evolved. Now, wolves had their clothing spelled by witches, clothes that slipped under their skin or into an amulet or ring when they shifted.
As an Enchanted, I’d never had to worry about being naked in front of others.
I had claws, fangs, speed, and exceptional sight, just like the rest of the wolves, but that was it. And sure, I’d seen my fair share of naked men. But modesty was still important to me, and I wasn’t about to stare at Lucian openly.
After all, I’d just met the man even though my wolf was begging me to take a look.
I turned away to leave the room. “I’ll get us something to drink, and then we can talk. Make yourself comfortable.”
* * *
Lucian
The second Natalie left the room, I growled and clenched my fists, fighting the urge to punch something. My wolf was still raging, angry that she’d been hurt. And now, I was inside her damn house, where I was overwhelmed by her scent.
My wolf was desperate to be released, to claim her, to make her ours. But I knew the risk of doing that.
I knew what could happen if I lost control. Natalie was clueless about who I really was. She’d learn more about me at some point, but I wasn’t in any hurry for that. And I desperately hoped she never found out about the man, the wolf, I’d been.
