Page 23

Sandra's heart fluttered when the door opened and Alphose walked in.

She rose from the couch, smiling. The male looks absolutely exquisite, it was all she could do to keep her hands to herself as he moved toward her.

He was dressed in a dark-blue, evening robe that wrapped his entire body to his ankles.

Even as an evening robe, it looked of high quality and very expensive too.

"Hi," A lame greeting because she was tongue-tied. He is the only man that can manage to turn her brain into mush and make her lack words.

"Kassandra," he leaned closer and kissed her forehead.

Sandra wanted more. She always did.

But, with that feeling came a tightening in her chest because she might never get more. She might not be his to take.

It hurts.

She cleared her throat, "I got the...uhm...the arrows, the bows, the quiver, and the slings. Eline lent hers to me, so..."

"That's very good. Where is Eline?" He asked, looking around .

"She is working night duties in the Tower gates. Did you go to the tower today? You would have seen her."

"No, not today. I was there, yesterday. Today, I had a clan meeting with my Sentinels and Betas. It's about the Cougar Festival coming up soon."

Sandra nodded. Eline had told her about the festival for all cougars that are coming up. A fun festival they do twice every year where all cougars come together to bond, play, and compete together.

"I hope the meeting went well?" She asked.

"It did." he nodded, "Come, let's use the backyard."

He was going to teach her how to shoot an arrow. "We will. Have you eaten? I can make something for you."

His cheeks stretched into that smile that never ceases to sucker-punch her belly. God, she has it bad for him. So bad.

"Arine made enough meal for a feast in the afternoon before she went home. I wasn't able to eat much before the meeting but I ate more than a bit."

"But that's afternoon. This is night and we're talking dinner. Aren't you hungry?"

That smile came again, "You always want to feed me whenever you can, Kassandra. It's... fascinating."

The man had no idea how much she wanted to feed him. She grabbed his arm and began urging him forward, "Let's go to the kitchen, I'll throw something together. We still have time to learn how to shoot arrows before it's time for you to go .

He allowed her to drag him to the kitchen where he lowered himself to the chair beside the door. Sandra began rampaging through the drawers with intent.

Alphose was more than content to just sit there and watch her. The woman is very beautiful to watch, especially whenever she is trying to stuff his belly with food.

She was dressed in a simple green gown that was designed with flowers. But, there was nothing simple about the way the gown was greedily hugging her curves.

She is still off-limits, Alphose. Off-limits.

He'd run those words thousand times, every day, in his head for the past two months that they were beginning to lose meaning. Not to his brain but to his body which wanted this woman with every breath it can take.

It's plain torture. Seeing a woman he wants so damn much but can't have. Being with her, spending time with her.

Not to mention, having to fight the cougar tooth and nail every damn time they were close to her. Every time they scent her sweet, flowery fragrance.

The cougar does not seem to mind that this woman does not carry their scent. In fact, that part of him has turned completely deaf whenever it comes to that subject. His cougar just wants to take this woman—in their bed, on the floor, on the table...anywhere at all.

"We are almost out of groceries." she sighed, regretfully. "What about Bacon and egg ramen?"

Alphose closed his eyes, warding off his incriminating thoughts. "I'm okay with whatever you want to make. "

"You will love it," She promised.

I love everything you make for me, Kassandra. He swallowed those words down.

Time passed. He watched her work in silence. Well, he was silent but she was doing most of the talking; telling him about her day which led to her talking about her job in the human world. He listened while his eyes followed her every movement.

Then, she began chopping scallions. Alphose almost had a heart attack at the way she was handling that knife.

Within the blink of an eye, he was out of the chair, pressing closely behind her and with a hand on top of hers, "You will hurt yourself, handling that knife like that."

"I'll be fine. I've been cutting vegetables for as long as I can remember." Craning her neck to look up at his face, she gave him a warm smile.

He doesn't seem to believe that she wouldn't hurt herself, so his hand stayed on hers while she continued cutting the scallions.

Sandra's hand burned where he held her. He was pressing so close to her from behind that she was hyper-tuned to his body. Her breathing becomes strained as she worked.

Control yourself, Sandra. You can control it. Control it.

"I can't," she cried out loud, her head hung in defeat.

"Can't what?" Alphose asked, confused.

She dropped the knife, whirled around, and faced him. "I can't do this anymore, "

His brows narrowed, "Can't do wha—"

Her hand went to the back of his head, pushing it down, and at the same time, she went on tiptoes before she slammed their lips together.

She kissed him with all the feelings inside her. Her lips moved on his hungrily, her body pressing closer to his. For a few moments, he gave no reaction, which made her kiss him more desperately.

Then with a groan of surrender, he was kissing her back as desperately as she kissed him. His hand went to her waist while the other one held the back of her head closer to him. His mouth devoured hers, like a starving male who was offered food.

She opened her mouth and he delved into him, deepening the kiss. His tongue played with her, dueled his with hers. She let out a low, throaty moan that went into his head like liquor.

Time stopped existing and every other thing went away with it. It was just them, kissing each other so long and so deep, into a mindless state of passion.

"By the gods," He broke the kiss at last. Sandra was going to protest, thinking he was about to pull back again. Since she found out about the mating situation between them, he has gone out of his way to make sure he never touched her inappropriately, even when she makes the move.

"Don't stop, please. Not tonight. Not again...!" She pleaded, her eyes clouded with passion.

"I don't think I can stop," He admitted, "I want you so much, Kassandra."

"Then take me. Please just do whatever you like with me, I’m all in.." Pressing closer to him, she plastered kisses all over his neck and his chest .

A growl emitted from his throat before his head lowered and he kissed her neck. His hand went behind her and turned off the gas. Then he joined their lips together again and began walking her out of the kitchen.

Wolfaraine entered his chambers, his eyes automatically following her scent until it landed on the figure standing before the west window.

The curtains were drawn, the windows were open and her eyes were staring out of it. She was in a daze, so lost in thoughts that she wasn't aware of having company in the bedroom.

The wolf growled, sensing her distress.

He walked towards her and pressed against her from behind.

She startled a little, then settled into him. "Wolfe,"

"Are you alright?" He asked, his eyes taking in the view that has held her eyes for long. The sky above was filled with night stars, there was a mountain that can't be seen clearly with human eyes at this time and then, there was the flower garden. It is a beautiful sight.

"I was just thinking about my father. I miss him so much." Her voice cracked.

"Ismena—"

"I'm sorry. I know you hate him after everything he did, but I just can't help it. I know you don't like him. But, he was my father, Wolfe. The man you knew was never the man I know. I only know my father and I miss him so so much."

He raised his hand, used his finger and collected the tear that dropped from her eyes.

"I forgave your father, Ismena. Why would I not, after hearing his version of what happened?

He saved you from those monsters. He made it possible for me and my people to escape and he saved your life in the hospital. "

"You were right when you said the man I knew was different from the man you know, and in the end, I realized that the man I know must have died eighteen years ago. The new man that was left after his death must have been a good husband...a good father."

She nodded vigorously, "He was, he was. I was not his child but he did for me, everything a father could ever do for his child and more."

"Tell me about him," He said, running his hand all over her cheeks in a caress.

She gave a sad smile, "He treated my mother with love and respect.

We didn't have too much growing up, but we never felt the burns that came with it because Dad made sure we were always happy.

We were always together. You know, there was this time in senior high, when this girl was bullying me.

She called me smally-Mena and made the others laugh at me.

Dad came to the school that day to give me a message and only to see them kicking me around. "

"Do you remember their names? Just their names will be enough help. I can take it from there." He said casually.

Ismena snorted, knowing that there was nothing casual about his intentions. "That was nine or ten years ago, Wolfe. Seventy percent of human adults out there experienced some kind of bullying in high school or college, it's almost a normal thing. Horrible but normal."

He grumbled something she didn't hear under his breath.