“Not sweet, innocent Clara,” Bella said doubtfully. “Oh, I've caught Jason coming out of her apartment once or twice.” “Jason and Clara?” Bella blanched. “But he's so... He chuckled at her reaction. “I know. Doubt he's her type, but the moon makes everyone go crazy, especially unmated fleurs. The rest of us try to stick to our subs, but what happens on a full moon stays on a full moon.”“Until now,” Bella reminded him. “You just told me.”“Hey, you didn't hear it from me.”Bella grinned mischievously. “Nope. I'm thinking now I own you.”“I don't go that way, kiddo. Not even for you,” he scoffed. “Now, if you ever decide you want a new master...”“My contract with Victor isn't exclusive. And don't try to change the subject.”“Sheesh. Okay, fine. It's probably already pretty obvious, but Brendan and Clarence don't just take care of Foster's emotional needs. They share him as a sub, but there's no relationship there otherwise. I'm pretty sure even that's tapered off since
Bella reached across the table and rested her hand on his forearm. “You make it sound like I'm the one who's out of your league and not the other way around.” His eyebrows knit into a perplexed frown. He finally relaxed as if he'd given up trying to figure out whatever it was that was bothering him. “You are. Even aside from the fact that you're probably one of the mythological creatures our entire religion is based on, I don't deserve you. Neither does he, but I'm a big enough man to admit that Vic is a hell of a lot closer to being worthy of you than I am.” “Don't be so sure about that,” Bella said with a wry smile. “You both have your positive qualities.” “And negative ones, I'm sure.” Bella smiled wider.“Well, let's have it. Give me the side-by-side analysis,” he said, sitting back and folding his hands studiously on the table in front of him since he had already finished his meal.She laughed, but stopped abruptly when she realized he wasn't kidding. “You're
Bella reached across the table and rested her hand on his forearm. “You make it sound like I'm the one who's out of your league and not the other way around.” His eyebrows knit into a perplexed frown. He finally relaxed as if he'd given up trying to figure out whatever it was that was bothering him. “You are. Even aside from the fact that you're probably one of the mythological creatures our entire religion is based on, I don't deserve you. Neither does he, but I'm a big enough man to admit that Vic is a hell of a lot closer to being worthy of you than I am.” “Don't be so sure about that,” Bella said with a wry smile. “You both have your positive qualities.” “And negative ones, I'm sure.” Bella smiled wider.“Well, let's have it. Give me the side-by-side analysis,” he said, sitting back and folding his hands studiously on the table in front of him since he had already finished his meal.She laughed, but stopped abruptly when she realized he wasn't kidding. “You're
Bella froze when she realized what she was doing and tossed the pieces in the empty bread basket to hide the evidence. “Sorry,” she murmured, blushing. “You uh, get my blood boiling.”“I can tell,” he said, blinking. He looked down at his hands. “I'm sorry. I had no idea I was that intolerable.”“But you're not,” Bella said earnestly. “You make me angrier than anyone else, but you also make me laugh more than anyone else. You push me, sometimes to the brink of sanity, but she's a better person when she's with him. He's all of those annoying things, but he's also sweet and funny and protective and so compassionate toward the other members of the pack. He's a natural-born leader, and a good one. Whenever she sees the way he is with the other wolves, the way he cares for them and puts their needs above his own without even thinking, she falls a little more in love with him.” He stared at her in shock. “You love me? And you're admitting that freely?”Bella laughed, embarrassed. T
At Eastern Washington University, Bella found the dull and rainy atmosphere she had hoped for, far from Austin, where she wanted to escape. Although it wasn't as far as Bangkok University, which didn't accept international psych majors, it would have to do. The West Coast humidity was a welcome change from the blistering Texan sun, even though her hair disagreed. She tried to flatten it down, but it seemed pointless. Her ex-boyfriend, Jeff, had always insisted that it had to be long and smooth, and that she avoid the sun to prevent her tawny skin from darkening. But now that she was free from his controlling ideals, she was open to change. As she looked around the classroom, she realized that she didn't fit in with her pale, hipster classmates who were mostly wearing the latest old-looking outfits. She was used to being an anomaly as a femme twenty-something of Roma blood in Texas, and it looked like it would be the same here. The professor, who looke
Her first week at school passed smoothly and Sandra turned out to be a great roommate, albeit a loud one. Her snarky sense of humor and abundant energy made the semi-cramped dorm room feel more like home than Jeff's sprawling condo ever had. Bella was happy she had agreed to have her as a roommate. Even though her said roommate had short of bully her into going to the House of Wolf club with her. Bella had stood her ground on not entering the competition, she was going to just to chill. As Bella was going through her phone, she was interrupted by loud clinking sounds coming from the trunk. Pausing, she asked, "What are you doing over there?" "Putting our outfits together for tonight," Sandra replied. "Our outfits?" Bella questioned. "I have my outfit already." Sandra responded, "Yeah, jeans and a hoodie. Or a sweater and a scarf, given what you usually wear to class. Not gonna fly at the Lodge." Realizing her plain clothing wasn'
"Almost there," Sandra announced, pointing to the right. The outline of what looked to be a massive log cabin came into view. The closer they got, the bigger it looked. The grass lot out front was filled with cars, and more than half of them had the university parking sticker on the windshield. "Told ya it was popular," said Sandra. She wasn't kidding. Men and women were filing into the wooded mansion and warm yellow lights glowed through the many opaque windows on its three stories. It was hard to believe this was a BDSM dungeon rather than a secluded Swiss chalet. "How do you like the Lodge?" Sandra asked smugly. She must have noticed Bella's slack-jawed state. "It's beautiful," she admitted. "Not at all what I expected." She laughed. "Bet you're gonna say that at least ten more times before the night's over." The group in front of them came to an abrupt halt at the door. They were talking to a man Bella could only assume w
Sandra took Bella to the bartender to get drinks before the went down to where the main events is taking place but even their row was starting to fill out. Bella quickly realized that if the present turnout was a good representation, Sandra was probably the youngest Red Club Member. A few minutes later, the crowd began to buzz restlessly. She looked at her phone and saw that it had just turned eleven. The competition would doubtlessly be starting soon. Some particularly good-looking men began to stand up and head toward the stairway that led up to the stage and behind a heavy blue curtain. She recognized a handful of them from campus. One of the girls in their row stood up, his collar still attached to a leash held by the broad man behind her. Her light brown hair partially covered her otherwise bare chest, accentuating her delicate build. "Are you going to be a good girl, Amber?" the burly man at het side demanded. "Yes, Master," the younger woman purred, leani