Chapter 5 - WOLF ME - END

I looked at him and Ciara. My eyes scanned their faces down to their feet and back to their faces again. A force of breath left through my nose, giggling, that then turned to soft laughs as I took a seat across from him.

"Last night, you said the same thing. And by the way, Ciara, I indeed saw a wolf; it was with me the night before, though it wasn't a very pleasing encounter. It almost gave me a heart attack. But last night it vanished-"

"Because I shifted." He cut me.

"You shifted? As in, shift to a wolf form and shift back to human again, like those scary, horror books?" I chuckled. "This is the craziest thing someone has ever said to me. " This time, I doubted my own sanity. "It's ridiculous."

I turned to Ciara.

"You're his mate. You've mated. I can feel your presence more than ever before. His scent is very strong on you. And that's because he marked you when he bit you on your neck. "

"Marked me." My hand flew to my neck. "There's nothing."

"It healed. Humans won't see it. You will see it when you want to." He was serious with his words. His eyes flickered to black and red again.

I felt everything around me seem to spin. My starved stomach complained to the extent of it squeezing the pain.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up, puffing the frustration out of my lungs. My head and my heart refused to believe it. It just couldn't be.

"Shift," I told him.

His eyes showed surprise, but for a fleeting moment only.

"You'll run away." He stood up, dragging the chair in the process.

"I won't. I already saw you, right? This is just to prove yourself to me."

"Cal, maybe later. I can hear your stomach grumbling. You're hungry." Ciara offered.

"No. I want it now. And you too. I've known you for three years. Three long years, Ciara. I can't...I don't know."

"Kitten, we can't do it now, not when you're weak and-"

"No!" I vehemently shook my head. "Shift!" I ordered, feeling the strong word come out of me like a compelling command.

He looked struck.

And in the transient moment, alongside the sounds of heavy waves hitting the rocks and swiping off the seaboard, his body dramatically changed in form, from the black hairy spikes coming out of his skin to the contortion of his face and bones. My eyes couldn't blink, and my lungs stopped pumping air. His complete transformation damaged the balcony floor. The glass was strong enough to withstand the force.

The breath leaving my mouth trembled at the sight of the massive wolf that had once chilled me to the bone.

"It's you," I whispered.

"It is I, mate." He said, making me jump out of my skin. It spoke... but not on the surface.

I looked at Ciara. She appeared hot to trot as her eyes focused intently on me.

"He's in my head..." I incredulously muttered before I blacked out.

.

.

.

"I'm hungry," I murmured against the pillow as I became conscious of the softness of the bed. My stomach initially woke me up. I heard someone chuckle. No...not someone. It's Conall.

I took a deep calming breath, slowly getting up from bed. It should sound crazy, but I was expertly taking it in. It was true. I saw it with my own eyes.

What should I do? They showed me who they really were, expecting I could accept it. Despite the weight of their revelation, the danger, and the risks, they had revealed themselves to me. They trust me. How in the world should I react? Run? Forget Ciara, Conall? Deep inside me, I know I can't. There was a pull or something that seemed to draw me closer to him...to be touched by him...to be with him... forever.

"I brought you food," he said.

I didn't look at him. I directed my eyes at the food on the tray. Toasted bread, scrambled eggs, three pieces of strawberry, orange jam, bacon, and milk. I quickly started devouring the food, uncaring about his presence. Hmmm, scrumptious...

I was halfway done when I decided I couldn't endure the silence, so I asked. Still not bothering to glance at him. He was at the foot of the bed, standing.

"How long was I out?"

"Five, 10 minutes or so."

"You're fast...to prepare food," I said, chewing.

"As you like it," he answered. I seemed to stop chewing for seconds at the sound of it. Sue me, but his answer sounded sexual to me. Who doesn't like it faster?

He chuckled, making me look in his direction.

"What?" I asked him. I felt my throat go suddenly dry. He was so good-looking in a white t-shirt and cream sweats; unquestionably, his toned body was the sexiest I'd ever seen.

"Thank you." He smirked. Eyes glimmering with fondness.

I immediately guzzled the milk into the glass when it hit me.

"Stay out of my head, will you?" Noisily pushing the food trolley, I marched my way to the bathroom.

"I can't help it. Your thoughts have been all over the map." I heard him say from the outside. My hearing was excellent.

"But it doesn't give you the right to read those or hear those. Those are not yours."

"I doubt that."

After cleaning myself, I walked out of the bathroom, not speaking a word. What for? He could read them.

So you wanna hear my thoughts, huh? Alright. I strode past him, murmuring in my head.

Asshole. You're not handsome. You're the ugliest, weirdest creature I've ever met. Last night was absurd. It shouldn't have happened.

"Calista," his tone was full of warning. Something tightened in his jaw.

"What? You wanna read my mind, right? You have it. They're all yours. But then, now I'm talking, so listen to this..." My heart... for a reason heaved about what I was about to say. As I looked at him, I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I will... never stay on this island with you. I'm not yours to claim. Whatever that mate thing you're talking about. I don't want it. I reject you-"

He gasped aloud as if in pain and fell down on his knees, stopping me from talking further. His hand went to his chest, clutching his shirt and groaning like something painfully struck him.

"Conall, hey, are you okay?" I ran to his side. I held his head to look at me. His eyes turned dark and red, tears were threatening to come out. "Don't scare me...please...What's going on?"

"You..." groaning, his hand over mine clutched my hand so tight it was hurting me. That showed his pain. On my neck, the stinging sensation pricked my skin. "the bond, you're rejecting it..." he fell down on his back. His hand was hitting his chest.

"I'm sorry...I didn't know it was going to be like this."

"It's not your...fault. Ciara was right. I shouldn't...have-"

I frantically kissed his lips, skimming my hands over his hair, his face which was now covered in sweat.

"I didn't mean it, Conall. I was just upset. I'm taking it back. You know I like you...It's...it's crazy, but yes, I want to stay with you here, on this island. I'm not rejecting anyone. Just, please, stop this." I sobbed, unable to control the fear and the pain I'd caused him.

I laid there on top of him, hugging him tight around his chest. I slowly felt the tension leaving his body; his breathing normalized.

"You almost killed me, kitten." He said, wrapping his arms around me.

"I'm so sorry..." tears once again poured out of my eyes. "I'd never want that."

"Shh, it's okay. I'm okay. Thank you." He whispered. "Thank you for accepting me. I love you. I've loved you ever since I found you. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid my eyes on. The moon goddess paired me with you, which makes me the luckiest man alive."

His words melt my heart, making me cry even more against his chest.

Taking a deep breath, I raised myself to look at his eyes, sniffling, brushing the tears away, and my hair annoyingly fell over my face.

"I've only met you, but it feels like I've known you for the rest of my life. Maybe it's a wolf thing," I chuckled. "but I'm so happy. I've never been this happy. I love you, Conall."

His eyes brightened with happiness.

"I'm just so in love with you, kitten."