Tiberius takes Delphine to the home he purchased in Reisling, the town she ran away to, and refuses to let her leave his side. If she runs again, he won’t be able to control what he does after. He’s found her, he’s tasted her, and he’s of the mind to do anything to keep her. Tiberius leans against the door to his- their- bedroom as she trembles in front of him. She’s cold, he can tell from the goosebumps on her arms and legs along with how her fingers curl to preserve warmth in them.
“Are you cold my darling,” Tiberius’ voice is soft and low, he doesn’t want to spook her more. Delphine shakes her head, “N-no! No don’t come near me.” He approaches her anyway, “Now don’t be like that, you need your health. Soon Austerus Luscinia will be full of people every night. Almost every night, at least, there are still some where I wish to selfishly keep you to myself.” She doesn’t make to move away as he continues approaching and Tiberius knows she must feel the mate bond that pulls at the both of them. He certainly feels it as he wraps his arms around her and her shivering immediately dissipates. Tiberius kisses the crown of her head before lifting her to take to bed. Delphine fights him as he places her down, no doubt thinking he will try to ravage her again, but he smiles lightly at her. “Fear not, song bird, I am simply placing you somewhere warmer while I get out our pajamas,” Tiberius leans back to look at the doe-eyed prey fear that resides in her. “And please try not to run, I have guards outside the door, the windows, and everywhere else you can think to escape to.” Delphine gulps nervously and nods, staying still while he gathers pajamas for them. He allows her, even, to step behind a changing screen even if he thinks they shouldn’t have to be bashful around each other. She is still warming up to him, after all. Tiberius feels his heart in his chest at the sight of her in a long sleeved nightgown of ivory satin. She’s a saint come to bless him. Her innocence will be his undoing, he just knows it. Tiberius pats the spot on the bed next to him and despite her hesitance, he can see the exhaustion in her eyes. Delphine gives in, just as he thought she would, and lays mechanically next to him. Tiberius tucks her under the blankets and pulls her in close, her small voice reaches his ears, “How did you find me? Do… do my parents know where I am?” “No, your parents don’t know. I found you because unlike them, I know you. I know the things you like and the people you enjoy being around. They only think of you as a doll who sits pretty and never uses her energy for her,” Tiberius sighs at the smell of her strawberry blonde hair. It smells like lily flowers and honey. “They would never think to check some run down city in a failing arts district.” Delphine says no more, just nods and pulls the blanket closer to her face. Tiberius is at least glad she isn’t fighting him, but he doubts this will be her last attempt at running. For now, he enjoys her in his arms and he feels as if he will sleep the best he has in his life now that Delphine is in his arms. Tiberius is awoken by a whimper close to his ear and all his senses are on high alert, only for the teary face of an asleep Delphine. She must be having a nightmare. He smoothes back her hair to kiss her forehead and hold her closer. “Sleep, my darling, you’re safe with me,” Tiberius dabbles in singing and he does his best to croon her to a more peaceful sleep. It’s some lullaby his older sister would hum to him. As he sings, his mind turns to his sister and what she would think of him now. They were homeless growing up with no money to their name, so the moment his sister was old enough, she sold the only thing she did have- her body. Tiberius remembers the bruises, cuts, and bites all over her each morning she came home to the little one bed motel room they shared. He wanted to protect her, but she’d shake her head and say that it’s her job to protect him, as the older sister. He was a teen when she passed in early twenties- beaten to death by an alcoholic regular who couldn’t take no for an answer. Tiberius sucks his teeth as he finishes singing while Delphine has calmed back down in his arms. There is more than one reason why he hates the man her parents tried to marry Delphine off to. Not just for about to take what is rightfully his, but also for taking away the only person who cared for him. His mind swirls with darker thoughts, he will get back at Corvus for everything he’s done. For everything he will do. Tiberius spent time building a pack for himself, building wealth, and planning for all that is his.Once at home, Delphine is a whirlwind getting upstairs as she becomes giddy about the thought of dressing up. It’s definitely one of the joys of opera, she finds, is getting to dress up fancy. Not the fancy her parents paraded her around in, but the fancy that’s more subtle. Demure. Mindful. Delphine will never dress the ways her parents used to dress her- like some doll to be shown off when really she wants her voice and personality to be what draws people in. Tiberius watches in amusement as his mate all but tears up their room in the search for perfect outfits. He finds it cute, really, how excited she gets to dress herself up. Delphine always looks radiant, but even more so when she’s smiling, happy, and in her element. He suspects she could’ve been a fashion designer if opera didn’t work out for her. Or a model. He’d love to see that. “Ti,” Delphine approaches him shyly and he nearly gets a hard on at the mere sight of her little smile. “Do you… can I pick your outfit too?” He
It becomes easier after that as if some unspoken agreement has been made between Delphine and Tiberius. He doesn’t force her to do things she doesn’t want to and she no longer tries to fight him or run away. He eats more meat that she could possibly stomach and she looks just like a prey eating her ‘bunny food’ as Tiberius calls it. It’s easy, Delphine decides, it’s easy to pretend he doesn’t still scare her, that she has no itch beneath her skin to disappear, and it’s easy to get excited every time the Opera and its changes are involved. Tiberius doesn’t touch Delphine as much, either, opting to keep his hands to himself as if in apology for attacking her the first time. She gets to decide on physical contact, if any, and that lifts a weight off her shoulders, too. Delphine gets to decide on her own outfits and her own scents via perfume and shower gels. Tiberius grunts from behind his desk at the opera house, “Why the fuck are they charging me extra for the smooth siding?” Delph
Surprisingly, Tiberius leaves Delphine to her own devices as he goes to his home office. She supposes there’s trust because of all the guards rather than any true trust in her. In the end, why he leaves her alone doesn’t matter as much as the fact that she is alone. Delphine feels devious, almost, that she access to the large house with little supervision. So she explores every nook and cranny so that when it’s time to run again, she’ll have some sort of advantage. The house itself is large enough to boast four bedrooms, not including the office, three and a half baths with an expansive living room. The living room leads into an equally massive kitchen with eight burners, two ovens, a walk in pantry, and a fridge to match. There’s also the three car garage they came through and the back yard with its built in fire pit and brick oven. If Delphine hadn’t grown up in an actual mansion, she would’ve said this house is one just based on the general sizes of everything. Delphine
Delphine feels as if she might start hyperventilating soon as Julian steps out of the house and cannot meet her eyes. She doesn’t think he sold her out, not intentionally anyway, but that doesn’t make her feel any better. Does he hate her now? Everything is changing because of her and no doubt he’ll get in trouble alongside Marcus for helping her. Then she thinks of Marie, who willingly betrayed her trust, and she feels her heart pick up speed in anger. What did she do to deserve this? Why does everyone want to control her? She zones out as Tiberius talks with Julian who, as far as Delphine can tell, is acting as head of the boarding house in Marie’s absence. She doesn’t hear their words, it feels as if her ears are stuffed with cotton and all she can focus on is the pounding of her heart. Delphine feels itchy as if she has to move, scream, or just do anything to expel all the nervous energy building in her. She has never felt this nervous before not even on her first performance n
Delphine decides she hates Tiberius, he’s controlling and entirely too handsy. He dictates what she dresses in, what she smells like- which is stuff she normally uses and smells like, but she doesn’t understand how he knows that- and where she goes. Delphine left home because this is exactly what her parents would do and more, taking all her choices and all her freedom from her. Her eyes tear up as they near the opera house and a calloused hand squeezes her knee. “Don’t be too down, Delphie, I promise this is for you,” Tiberius drives with ease, like someone of his status would. Delphine shakes her head and pulls closer to the car door, “You don’t get it. You’re just some alpha who gets what he wants!” Tiberius doesn’t say anything as he parks and they get out of the car. Delphine is tempted to turn and make a run for it, but she has a feeling he would catch her before she even makes it out of the parking lot. He slides an arm around her waist, pulls her close, and kis
Tiberius is momentarily disjointed when he nexts wake up especially because he remembers a little bird falling asleep in his arms and now said bird is not there. He wants to growl at the prospect of her having slipped out and escaped from him, but Tiberius tempers his rage to think clearly. If Delphine had run then one of his pack members would’ve awoken him the moment they couldn’t find her. Tiberius takes a deep breath to scent the air and calm himself before getting up and going downstairs. He finds Delphine there, sitting at the kitchen island with a mug of tea in her hands. The maid, Pollonia, must already be out and about with the cleaning, cooking, and other things Tiberius doesn’t have the energy for. Grey eyes cut over to him and he beams at the fact Delphine hasn’t tried to run again. He slides an arm around her shoulders pulling her closer to his chest before placing a chaste kiss on the top of her head. “You didn’t try to run and you’ve met Pollonia,” Tiberius sits in