CHAPTER 3 - Ingrid

Theodore, with a fast walking pace, went to his bedroom and saw Ingrid staring outside from his window. He paused for a moment, admiring her outline from behind, with a smile on his face.

His wolf growled. Thinking that his wolf was angry at him for standing still instead of moving on to the next level, Theodore silently calmed his wolf down, “Calm down, what’s the rush? It’s here now, and we are so doing it today.”

“Are you just going to stand there?” Ingrid said, still looking out of the window. She had smelled him the moment he entered the room, but it was beginning to feel like forever to her, as Theodore was taking forever to come to her.

“Do you not know not to keep a lady waiting?” A slight smile on her face.

A few seconds later, she felt Theodore hold her from behind and pressed a kiss on her neck. She smiled and held his hand, resting her head on his chest.

“Pardon this ignorant man,” he kissed her neck again, “who seems to still freeze at the sight of a dazzling beauty like you.”

“Like me?” She furrowed her brows together and turned around to meet his eyes, creating an opening between them, “What do you mean like me?”

“I meant to say, a dazzling beauty, and that’s you.” He drew her closer, closing the gap between them, “You know there can never be anyone else like you, none can take your place.” He kissed her forehead.

“If that’s the case, then why do I smell a human?” She asked, separating herself from his hold, staring at his eyes; she meant business.

“It was an intruder; we still don’t know yet what she was doing in my room.”

“She?” her eyes wide open.

“Yes, she. She’s been taken care of by Luke, and I just went to see her in the mansion’s prison.”

“Oh, puke was there?”

“You need to stop doing that, you know?”

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “If you don’t have any use for her, can I keep her as a servant?”

“You know I can’t let you do that? She’s human, her people are going to be looking for her, and we are still kind of a secret, so doing what you are asking is not only dangerous to us but also impossible.” Theodore said.

Ingrid was visibly unsatisfied by this; she wanted to teach the intruder who dared to enter her man’s room a bitter lesson that was never going to be forgotten.

Sensing the anger coming from Ingrid, Theodore quickly changed the topic, “What if I tell you,” He drew her closer, closing the gap between them again, “that it has finally happened?”

“Are…. Are you serious?” A shocking expression on her face.

“Mmmhmm, I felt it when Luke and I were in front of the prison door.”

“Wow! I can’t believe this is happening. This is like a dream come true.” She said happily, with a very bright smile lighting up her face.

“I know, right?” Theodore said, using one hand to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear, “Don’t you feel it? Like your heart is racing, don’t you feel different?”

“I feel different anytime we are together; my heart races anytime I see you.” She stared right into his eyes, seeming lost in them, “Like it is racing right now.”

“Then what else are we waiting for?” He asked, and he closed his lips with hers.

Their bodies met with anticipation; they had craved this for a long, long time.

Their lips moved to the rhythm of their bodies, as they subconsciously find their way to Theodore’s bed.

With Theodore right on top of Ingrid and his left hand supporting his weight, his right hand slowly found her neck, and the heat within him grew even more. Her scent enveloped his senses of reasoning, as he slowly retracted from kissing her and lowered his head to her shoulder, while she tilted her neck in response.

He opened his mouth, and his fangs were visible, ready to claim her, for good and forever. It was now or never.

Just as his fangs were about to close in on her skin, his wolf erupted in warning, followed by a low growl.

Theodore paused for a moment, trying to understand what had just happened, but seeing Ingrid’s eyes shut and waiting for him to make the move, he decided to give it another go.

Pain rushed upon his chest, and a low growl followed. He moved back as though he was being pushed back, with one of his hands on his chest and heavy breathing. This was enough for Ingrid to notice that something was off.

She opened her eyes to behold the confused look on Theodore’s face; he looked shaken and confused all at once. This was certainly not the face she had been anticipating seeing.

“Theodore?” She called out, looking at him as if to find answers in his eyes, “Are you okay?”

Theodore dropped his hand as the pain had subsided, looked at Ingrid, still with a confused look, without answering.

“What happened?” Trying to contain her impatience.

“It’s nothing…. trust me,” Theodore said, “I think I got cold feet for a minute there.” He chuckled.

“Cold feet?” Ingrid asked in disbelief, “Come on, we have been waiting for a moment like this since we were teens, and now that we are finally here, you are having cold feet?”

She put her hand on his cheek, and his heart started to race, like his wolf was about to erupt, like it was being stirred up.

“Do you not feel anything anymore?” Ingrid asked, “Because I do, even right now.” She gave a smile, and that was enough for him to close in on her lips.

“Then let’s do this once and for all.” Looking deep into Ingrid’s eyes.

His heartbeat grew faster as he leaned in and tried to use his fangs once more, but his wolf reared back in refusal.

He gasped loudly as though he had almost drowned.

“What’s going on, Theo?” Ingrid asked in a voice that had an underlying annoyed tone.

“I can’t…. I tried again,” He looked terrified, “but I couldn’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t?” She asked in annoyance, “So it wasn’t cold feet.” Her face was in disbelief, realizing the lie he had told.

“But it’s okay, we could try again some other time.” He said, coming closer to Ingrid, while he rubbed his chest to soothe himself.

“Try again some other time?” She asked, “Are you toying with my feelings, Theo?”

“No, why would I do that?” Holding both her shoulders and looking into her eyes, “Maybe we need more time to figure this out.” He gave a convincing look.

“More time? I have waited years for this, Theo? Is there someone else? Are you lying to me?” Ingrid asked.

“No, don’t say that, I won’t ever lie to you.”

“But you did when you told me about the cold feet.”

Theodore put down both his hands, pinching his forehead in guilt.

“It was a mistake coming here in the first place,” She stood up, “See you, ‘some other time’, Theo.”

“Ingrid, wait.” Theodore followed suit, trying to stop her.

“Don’t you dare touch me,” Ingrid shouted, “You lied to me, played with my feelings, took advantage of my vulnerability.”

“I sincerely don’t know what happened,” he tried to keep his hands to himself. “I am sorry for everything. Please give me another chance to fix this.”

“Goodbye for now, Theo.” She adjusted her clothes and stormed out of the room.