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“Are you not an actual bear, Callum?” I ask with a smile.

“Stay on the patio, Lilith,” he says with a smirk.

“Yes, sir,” I smile and sit back in my chair. Callum pauses for a second before walking back inside and shutting the door behind him.

I close my eyes and bask in the evening sunlight. I soak up all of the warmth and remaining sunlight that I can. I haven’t been able to sit out in the sun in a few days. I miss the feeling. I am hoping the sun comes in the window beside my bed the way I think it will. It would be wonderful to wake up with the sunlight pouring into the room and shining on me every morning.

Living with Zypher, my room was essentially the darkest in the house all day long. It was depressing, so I didn’t spend much time in there, and I didn’t want anyone fucking me in my bed, so staying out of there meant no one had the chance. If I fell asleep on the couch reading, I would always wake up to Zypher being inside of me. When he would notice that I was awake, he’d shove my face into the couch cushion and power-fuck me for at least an hour. It is not fun cleaning come off of that couch. Sometimes, I’d catch him before he’d push my face down and get him to move me to my knees in front of the couch.

I am interested to see how things are with Daemon, Callum, and Kael. Kael, I already know is going to hate-fuck me, and I am here for it. He hates me, and I hate him, so we can bond over that. Well, I don’thateKael, but he does piss me off. I am going to push every single button that he has until he breaks. Maybe if he fucks me, he will chill out a bit.

Daemon and Callum are a mystery to me. They’re either extremely tame or extremely feral. There will be no in-between. My gut is telling me that all three are going to be overwhelmingly intense, and honestly, I can’t wait. I like the intensity of sex, which is why when Morwen attempted to hurt me, it made me come. It takes a lot for me to get there, or maybe I’m insane and need someone to try and hurt me for me to get off. I don’t pay it any mind, though. It doesn’t really matter what I am into and what I am not into. I won’t complain if the guys fit the mold of the overwhelming intensity that gets me there. At least, it will make me forget that they don’t want me here if they make me come every time they fuck me.

As I am sitting here, I sense a presence around me. A presence that I’m convinced is trying to call out to me. It’s as if I can almost hear it, but there’s no sound. I snap my eyes open to look around but find nothing. When I try to close my eyes again, I get the same feeling. I scan my surrounding area again to still find nothing.

“Ready to eat?” Daemon says as he, Callum, and Kael come out to sit with me at the table.

“Yeah,” I say happily. “It smells good. What is it?”

“It’s just a roast with a cream sauce. Also, a salad, because you look like the type.” Callum says.

“The type of person who eats more than just meat? Yeah, I guess I am,” I laugh.

“That surprises you that we eat a lot of meat?” Daemon asks, raising an eyebrow.

“No. Not at all. I cooked for everyone when I lived with Zypher. All shifters eat a lot of meat. I am more surprised that you all can cook,” I say as I take a bite of the roast. Explosions of flavor go off in my mouth and tingles dance across my skin as the flavor of the beef and the richness of the sauce mingle together, perfectly. I groan in approval of the food, and they all laugh.

“I assume that means you like it,” Daemon says, grinning.

“Oh, my Gods. Yes,” I say. “This is amazing.”

“Kael made it,” Callum says.

“Should I be worried that mine’s been poisoned?” I ask Kael.

“Only a little,” he says with a smirk. “Ya know… for flavor.”

“If I die… I die,” I say as I take another bite. For the first time since I met him, Kael smiles and it is genuine. I am silent while we eat, but the guys are talking about how to handle the fact that they are mated to a witch. Even if they want me around, it will cause an uproar if they didn’t kill me, but then all hell would break loose if they did.

For now, it’s best we just keep to ourselves, and everyone just sees me as a maiden, until we know how everyone will react at least. They talk as though they want me to stay, but Kael has made it clear that he doesn’t want me here. I’m not sure what to think anymore. They are so hot and cold with their words and actions. Realistically, they need a mate. They’re almost thirty-six years old and most have been married to their mate for a decade already. Although we haven’t had a mated queen in generations. I don’t know why they didn’t just look for their mate; for me, I suppose. They also took everything over at just nineteen, when their fathers died. I’m not sure what the story with their mothers is, though.

When I finish eating, I sit back in my chair with my eyes closed and enjoy the last few minutes of sunlight while they all talk. I sense the presence again, only it’s louder now. My eyes fly open, and I look around to try and find the source. At first, I don’t see anything but a small figure darts through my vision toward the garden. When it stops at the entrance, I see that it’s a soft, whitish gray, will-o-wisp. It is floating about three feet off the ground, and I can sense the warmth emanating from it. Looking at it makes me feel like I am being hugged by sunshine. It’s almost… nurturing.

I jump up from my chair so fast that it tips back and crashes to the concrete. “What in the hell is wrong with you?” Kael asks.

“Do you see that?” I ask, pointing to the Will-o-wisp.

“See what?” Callum asks as he stands up and turns to see what I am looking at.

“That,” I say, pointing to it.

“No. There is nothing there, Lilith,” he says with concern in his tone.

“Oh, great,” Kael says. “Our mate is a witchandcrazy.” I ignore his remark and walk toward the wisp. The closer I get, the more it moves down the garden path. “Where the fuck do you think you are going?” Kael says as he grabs my arm, but I jerk away from him and step off the patio.

“Lilith,” Daemon barks at me. Normally, I would respond and comply, but I need to follow this thing. It wants me to follow it.

I continue to ignore them and take a few more steps, keeping my eyes focused on the wisp. It’s been trying to get my attention; I just couldn’t see it while it was still light out. “Lilith,” Kael growls at me.