Page 6 of Snow’s Charming (Hope Runs Deep #7)

I didn’t mean to do this to him. It was my fault, after all—not his. Still, the guy was freaking me out! My heart was pounding through my chest and my ears felt like they were in a tunnel—fuck. Not again.

I didn’t want it to surface. I thought I had it buried deep, but the memory of who my stepmother fixed me up with on my 16th birthday raced through my head.

That was the ass who raped me. And I didn’t want to relive that fucking experience for the one thousand seven hundred and thirty-second time. Yes, I’d counted.

Who wouldn’t when you see that face every time someone sneaks up on you and hugs you from behind?

Who wouldn’t when you are kissing someone and that memory resurfaces back to life?

That was the best form of birth control, for sure.

So was every nightmare I’ve had this past year about an asshole that made such an impact on my life that I can’t remember his name and only see the shadows of his face.

My heart pounded against my ribcage like a jackhammer, and my breathing grew shallow. Why couldn’t I get myself under control?

I looked up my symptoms online once because I knew damned well my stepmonster wouldn’t allow me to go to the doctor. She was too afraid of them finding my bruises. Not to mention the fact that I, of course, had to be at the house 24/7 for Dad. That’s why I got good at self-diagnosis.

The Mayo Clinic said I was probably suffering from PTSD because of the rape.

But? Who cared? Certainly not my stepmother.

At the mere mention of that guy raping me, she’d probably tell me I deserved it.

I didn’t have the heart to tell Dad while he was sick.

He didn’t need that extra burden. But at least I knew what happened was wrong.

I clung to that as my security blanket every time I had a panic attack.

But with Sylus here? This was so different.

Before I could process anything, Sylus rushed toward me, but he kept a comfortable distance between us.

What the fuck was this guy doing to me and why did I find it so damned attractive? His palms faced me as he spoke.

“I’m sorry, Sesi. I want you to feel you are safe here and safe with me. If I over-stepped, I apologize.”

He bowed before me. Actually. Fucking. Bowed. What was wrong with him?

I tapped his shoulder after I somewhat regained my breathing.

“Hey, dude! I’m sorry! It’s not that deep—I promise. It’s just—we just met.” I said to him between breaths, hoping he’d understand the lie.

“Sesi, I know some things that happened to you while living with Jackie. Jerry and Josie told me about the constant verbal abuse and I’m sorry you went through that.

I’m trying to be respectful. I know it’s hard to talk about, but I’m here for you.

We are family, and you can talk to me about anything you are comfortable with. ”

My heart caught in my throat—did he get me from just one shudder? If so, I’m elevating this guy to Greek God status. He needed the uppercase letters in my book because wow!

“What?” My voice sounded so mousy it wasn’t even funny. And I instantly melted as he raised my chin.

“Look—there’s no easy way to ease you into this, so I’m just going to rip the Band-Aid off—is that okay?”

After all The Crypt Keeper bullshit from this evening, I needed straightforward answers, and I needed to hear him out.

“Yes. You can rip the Band-Aid off. I want to know what is going on. And especially why it seems so easy for you to read my mind.”

I didn’t mean to admit my fears to him, but my inner goddess kept cheering me on to do so.

“Have you ever watched a paranormal show or read a book specifically about shifters? Wolves maybe?”

“What? Like werewolves?”

I bit my lip. It was a nervous habit of mine.

My cheeks heated as his eyes instantly darkened and darted to my lips.

My eyes shot to the ground. I couldn’t handle the hunger he was giving off.

Not right now, at least. Unfortunately, my mouth went bone dry and my tongue darted out to lick my lips of its own volition.

Fuck.

“What does a myth have to do with anything?”

I crossed my arms as I asked to make sure I was hiding my chest. I so yearned to be pressed up against him right now, and I needed that shield.

Why’d this guy have so much power over me?

“It’s no myth. Werewolves are a real thing.”

I threw my head back and laughed .

“Yeah right. Shifters are not real.”

As I said it, my insides heated and twisted.

It was as if someone was stabbing me at each connection to a bone.

Suddenly, Sylus’s protective hand was on my back and rubbing soothing circles.

The excessive heart rate from the anxiety overwhelming me, and from the pain I was experiencing, subsided slightly from his touch.

Yeah, this guy affected me, for sure. And that scared me.

“You are going to be fine, my love.”

Love?

What the fuck?

I wanted to protest his pet name, but I couldn’t speak. The pain was excruciating once he moved his hand away from me. Why did he do that? I need his touch! It seemed each bone in my body was breaking all at once.

I’d broken my arm once, so I knew the pain well, but this was over 200 times worse. 206 to be exact!

I peered down at my hands and claws appeared as my nail beds vanished.

Silvery-white fur grew over my arms and then my knees gave out, forcing me to the ground on all fours.

The wooded area we were in seemed to transform before me.

Every blade of grass, tree, and rock appeared sharper, crisper, and more surreal in my view.

“Sesi, love, can you hear me?”

Sylus’s voice seemed more internal than external to my ears, and I wasn’t sure why. I nodded my head in response .

“Good, love. Very good. Do you still hurt?”

This time, I shook my head.

“Awesome! Now, baby, can you try to shift back into your human form? I promise it won’t hurt this time. Only your first time shifting into your wolf hurts.”

I wasn’t sure about anything he was telling me. I mean, sure, we were talking about werewolves moments ago—but to turn into one? All of this was bizarre, but now believable. I certainly wasn’t dreaming any of this up. Still? How could I turn back into a human?

A memory of a movie came to me where the guy thought of his human half and he instantly transformed back into his mortal self. That was worth a shot—right? So I thought of my reflection in a mirror, and poof—I was human again! But crap! I was very, very naked. That’s a little embarrassing.

Sylus turned to a lounger chair and reached for the blanket over the chair. He placed it around me and scooped me up into his arms. My hands instinctively wrapped around his neck.

“Come on. Let’s get you inside and get you clothed. You can borrow a tee shirt and sweatpants from me for tonight. Tomorrow I will take you shopping, my princess.”

“I can’t go shopping without money. I planned on surfing the net tomorrow to look for a job so I could afford a few more outfits than the one I had on my back and the one Jerry gave me when we left Jackie’s. And now? I don’t even have the one I was in a few moments ago.”

Tears welled in my eyes and I tried to blink them back, but they fell down my cheeks, anyway. Sylus kissed each one before responding to me.

“Princess, it’s okay. You don’t need a job. You already have one. You are the proprietor of this inn. And you are also my Luna.”

“I don’t know the first thing about running a place like this. I mean, I can cook, but I wouldn’t know the first thing about QuickBooks.”

“You have plenty of help for all of that. The entire pack helps maintain the place, and it practically runs itself. Alphas and Lunas mostly deal with paperwork, though. Don’t worry. I’ll go easy on you in the beginning.” He said with a wink.

“Okay, but this place can’t be that popular. If it were, my stepmonster would have tried taking it from me before the lawyer even read the will.”

“It’s popular, but only with shifters. We haven’t allowed humans here—it’s a wolf thing.

We like a place where we don’t have to hide our true selves.

The books in the human world do not reflect the exact income we bring in.

That’s why Jackie let you keep the inn. She doesn’t know that the shifter community does a lot with the bartering system.

We are also big tippers.” He said with a wink.

“I’m not sure that will stop Jackie from trying to get her cut.”

“Our lawyers are cutthroat, princess. She won’t get shit and,” He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead before continuing, “she won’t lay a hand on you ever again. You’re safe now. I promise.”

He carried me through a long hallway and then pushed the up button on the elevator. The cart instantly opened, and he whisked me inside. He pushed the only button on the keypad and then placed me in a standing position while smiling.

“We live in the penthouse.”

“We?”

“Yes. There are 12 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms. Pick whichever one you’d like.

I’ll even move my things out of the master if you feel more comfortable there.

But? Whether or not you want me as your mate, you will live here with me.

That’s non-negotiable. As the best huntsman of this pack, I must protect our Luna. ”

“What’s a Luna?”

“It means you are my fated mate and once the coronation happens, I will become the Alpha King and you will become my Luna Queen. But only if you choose me as your mate.”

My heart skipped a beat as he led me from the elevator into an expansive great room. He then placed a hand on the small of my back to guide me down a hall to what I assumed was the master bedroom.

He gently scooped me up in his arms again, placed me on the bed, and walked into the closet, which seemed larger than my old bedroom, as I peered through the open door.

“So we are like together? ”