Not expecting that to be his first question, Shaylin stuttered out of surprise: “W-what?” “Elder Harkenfield called you a Desiderium a few minutes ago,” he explained but then his eyes suddenly became larger than two saucers: “Oh my Goddess, I am so sorry. Was that a rude thing to ask?” It took Shaylin a second to regroup her thoughts that turned to mush ever since she first locked eyes with this handsome stranger, but when she finally realised what he was asking she laughed wholeheartedly, making Damian’s heart and wolf inside his mind swell with joy to call this divine woman their own. A silent oath had been made in Damian’s and Isyr’s shared mind at that very moment, that they would live the rest of their lives doing everything in their power to make her laugh like that every day, whole day. Even if it was her laughing at them, or her laughing with them, this had suddenly become a new reason to live. Still cackling slightly, Shaylin explained: “No! No, for he

When Shaylin realised she won’t get out of her predicament by staying pertinacious in her resolve not to apologise, a Tug of war game came to mind; the best way to defeat the opposing team is to let them believe they have already won. Hauling the rope with almost everything you got, almost, makes the opponents raise the stakes and pull even harder, but when they do...releasing the rope in just the right moment will send the opponents tumbling down like bowling pins, letting you drag them into their demise like squirming maggots through the mud.“Fine.” Shay did her best to dismiss Theodore, raising both hands in a fake surrender and almost enjoying the mistaken glee that ignited Theo’s face. His white hair with only a few remnant strands of black that stood there as a spiteful reminder of time flying by with no intention to ever back-track, and his white flawlessly trimmed beard, made him look almost docile. He was your typical polished gentleman in his early eighties, although to anyo

“Look Shaylin,” Damian sighed and Shaylin’s heart instantly sank to the pits of deepest despair assuming he was going to reject her…why else would he start with “look, Shaylin”, right? But one word in particular caught her attention as he continued talking. “I’m not going to lie…my position as head warrior and training the pack members were two of the most important things to me…stuff that kept me going each day without finding my mate for so long. My home, my friends and my entire way of life in that pack was what mattered most as I had nothing more dear than that to give myself to.”Shaylin, who had been listening to Damian as they swayed on the dance floor, suddenly froze on the spot. “Wait…what do you mean by ‘were’?” Shaylin asked him.“That is exactly what I mean. They were…but now you are.” Damian whispered gently, raising her chin with his hand to look at him. He wanted her to look him in the eyes and both see and feel the emotions behind his words as well as the entire worl

Zoelle and Bree had just exited Shaylin’s quarters that were located on the highest floor of the compound. The moment they closed the doors behind them, both wearing dumbfounded looks on their faces, they instantly doubled over in laughter. Holding onto their bellies and their mouths at the same time, the girls tried to muffle their voices but to no avail. . Hurrying away not to be even further annoyance for Shay and Damian, the pair scurried down the stairs.When she was sure they were out of earshot even for a werewolf, Zoelle took a stop on one of the many landings between the stairs to catch a breath.“Oh sacred Gaia,” she giggled, still unable to calm down enough not to pant as she spoke to Bree. “Did you see the look on Shay’s face?”“I have not only seen it, I will forever cherish it!” Bree chuckled. “I mean, he is good looking all right, but she never took me as the type to jump the poor man’s bones like that!”It was a given they should not have entered Shaylin’s suit just lik

One week later Shay wandered the halls of the compound as she had taken to doing a lot in the last week; anything she could to distract herself. Her heart found itself numb with grief but craving its other half. Her mind though was filled with unanswered questions, making her feel like she had two sides fighting with each other. Shay hadn’t told a single soul about Damian as of yet. She wasn’t sure who to say it to or what to say in the first place. She did not feel like ‘saying’ anything, that is. She felt like screaming; going out into the night and screaming at the skies as loud and as long as her own voice would allow her, until it broke entirely. Ever since the night of the ball, Damian had been trying to see her or at least talk to her, his messages becoming more desperate with each passing day. They never went on the tour of the grounds or even had breakfast together the following morning, as Shay made an excuse and sent him out that night, immediately after getting ahold