"The way I'm is acting? And how exactly is that, Darian?" she demanded, standing. She planted her hands firmly on her hips and stared him down, willing herself not to give in to the shiver that was creeping up her spine. "Because all I see is you acting like a fuming child who's jealous that his older brother is getting more attention."Darian's fist clenched and for an instant she feared he really was going to hit her. Instead, he turned around and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his desk drawer. His fist enveloped the carton and he stalked out of the room. Against her better judgment, Bella followed him. The one time she had followed Jeff when he had stormed out of the apartment after an argument, she had ended up with a broken jaw. After that she learned that it was better just to cower and hide. It occurred to her that she could remember that now without the familiar hum of pain in her mind. Victor's efforts were working, just not fast enough.If there
Bella didn't care. Her fear of him was fading with every moment that passed. The moon's rays streaming through the trees were warm and encouraging. She just had to get Darian on board. "So let's go to the dungeon," Bella suggested. Her suggestion clearly took him by surprise. "Call me old-fashioned, but I don't want our first time to be in a playroom. Besides, you hate that stuff." Bella knew that telling him she'd come around to the idea of BDSM while he was gone wasn't going to help, so she tried a different tactic. She drew him in for another kiss and subtly wriggled out of his grasp just enough that she could break free.It worked. Bella darted past him and stopped to turn around, grinning at her poor, bewildered wolf. He watched her in confusion as she stepped backward down the slope of the hill the Lodge rested upon. She crooked her finger and gave him a playful look as she beckoned him. He shook his head in bewilderment, but he was grinnin
Bella sensed his mood growing sour again and knew she had to distract him. Kneeling down, she stripped off her last layer of clothing and cast it aside. "Now, about that proposition."He stared brazenly. He was still Darian, after all. She rested a hand on her hip and let him look his fill. Looked like her distraction was a resounding success."I'm not going to chase you, Bella," he said once he picked his jaw up off the ground. "Not a good idea.""Why not?""Because I'm a predator. We react to prey.""I'm prey?" He looked her up and down. "For now.""Hm. Kinky.""I'm serious, Bella. I wouldn't hurt you, but werewolves get aggressive around full moons, this one especially. In all the ways."Sounded promising. Bella held her hands up in surrender and walked backward slowly. "Fine, no chasing. On one condition.”He arched an eyebrow. "Condition?""Mhm. I'll be good and go back if you strip."He rolled his eyes. "I'm serious.""So am I." He hesitated. She co
Bella cried out in pain and dug her nails into the earth as he entered her. Darian gave the nape of her neck an apologetic nip and reminded her that the worst was over. His words were of little comfort, but the feeling of his solid body against hers as he settled on top of her helped ease the pain. His nails dug into her flesh, and he gripped her hips to keep her still as he began to thrust. With each movement came a fresh wave of agony, but the pain started to lessen over time. In its place came a strange, almost foreign sensation. Darian wasn't just hitting the pleasurable spot inside of her; he was grinding against it with his considerable girth. Bella was filled completely, and what had started out as pain turned into pleasure she had never even imagined. Her soft whimpers turned to moans, and her nails were digging into the earth for a completely different reason. His thrusts were outpaced only by her thundering heart, and he showed no si
Bella made a mental note to watch out for him. The idea of what conversations he might have overheard already was nauseating, so she forced her mind down a different road. Darian was clearly less than amused by Ulric’s dog comment. In fact, the two of them seemed to be engaged in a staring match, which wasn't helping his case. Bella was becoming aware enough of the strange insular culture within the Lodge to know better than to interfere. They would work it out amongst themselves. Intervening, whether to calm Darian down or come to his defense, would only humiliate him. Foster returned with the robe and towel not a moment too soon. "Thanks," Bella said to him with a smile, gratefully pulling the robe around her and tying the sash around her waist. "You're welcome!" He handed the towel to Darian and got barely a grunt of acknowledgment and a withering gaze. The poor guy slunk out of the room with his tail between his legs. Bella imagined it wo
In the beginning, there were two kingdoms that ruled the earth," Ulric began, his voice low as he read from the open volume in his hands. "The Kingdom of the Sun was ruled by the kings of man, while the Kingdom of the Moon was ruled by the creatures of the night. Werewolves and vampires were Her chief descendants, but there were countless others. Were-creatures of a variety of species, from the majestic lion to the smallest mouse, ghosts, banshees, even angels who had fallen from the highest ranks of the Kingdom of the Sun to conduct their business here on earth.“The creatures of the night lived a relatively separate existence from mankind for a time, until the inevitable union between the celestial Lord and Lady forced them to coexist. Although the children of the Sun were weaker and their lives shorter, they were the only children of their father, who held them in the highest regard. He took such great delight in them that he was content to look upon them long past the hour w
“As the brothers argued, the Sun turned away, unable to bear the sight of the beasts of night who were beginning to rip into the flesh of his dearest child in an attempt to hide their crime. He disappeared behind a wall of clouds like none the creatures of earth had ever seen. The clouds soon split and torrents gushed from them, flooding the land.“The beasts who had begun to devour the fallen king scattered for shelter. The wolf's fur was soaked with tears and rain as he watched his brother try to escape in the chaos. Before he could pursue him, the fallen king began to rise. As he stood, his spilled entrails drew back within him and the blood that had soaked into the ground returned to his body through his palms, forcing its way through his flesh and into his veins.”My blood ran cold at Ulric's words. It was easy enough to cast everything aside as a fairy tale, but that last bit was far too similar to my grotesque hallucination for comfort. I unconsciously rubbed my hand an
Ulric closed the book unceremoniously and set it aside. "There's more, but those are the relevant scriptures. I'm sure Foster could recite them by heart." Bella took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. "Well, I can definitely see why Victor doesn't believe any of that," she said. Darian grumbled something unintelligible under his breath."I don't really see how it helps in our current situation," Bella admitted. "Maybe it doesn't," said Ulric. "But it is the origin of the soulmate legend, which you happen to be living out right now." "How much of this carries over to today, though?" Bella looked at Darian. "Did you really go to a priest?" "We all do," he replied. "Male or female, all original wolves go to the Lunar Temple for a coming-of-age ceremony once we hit twelve. Ever since I was a kid, it's been a rite of passage and little more. I'll spare you the boring details, but you enter the temple, pay an offering of respect to the priest or priestes