“What are you?” she asked again, and I exhaled.
This moment was bound to come, especially since I had no intentions of letting her go, but I hadn't meant for her to be frightened. I wanted to ease her into it, although I’d run out of time.
“I’m not human, not wholly. A Lycan, Mikalina.”
She didn’t answer for long seconds, and I wondered what was going on in that beautiful head of hers.
“You’re saying you’re some kind of wolf shifting person?” She sounded skeptical, maybe even hesitant, probably thinking I was a lunatic.
“I’m just another species. Although I can shapeshift, so yes, I suppose lore got that right.”
She was panting, her eyes wide, her confusion and fear so very real. “Another species,” she murmured then glanced down and furrowed her brows.
“A Lycan. And you’re my mate.”
18
Mikalina
Lycan.
Able to shift into a wolf-like creature.
I’m his mate.
Was I dreaming? I had to be, because this was the most fantastical—maybe even ridiculous—thing I’d ever experienced in my life.
I thought over and over again about what Ren just told me, my heart thundering, my body still awake from the intense pleasure he’d just given me. But not even this truth, this unbelievable reality, could douse the fire still simmering in me. And I felt like I was traitorous to myself for feeling this hard need for a man that wasn’t really a man at all.
I exhaled, thankful he stayed by the fire and didn’t make a move toward me. He seemed… heartbroken at having told me, knowing I was terrified. But as I stood there, I felt some of the shock start to leave. I felt reasoning and rationalization start to replace all the confusion.
Another species.
Think. Think.
“You’re taking this better than I expected.”
I snapped my head up to look at him. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his big, wide chest. God, he looks so good. I shook my head and told my thoughts to stay at the task at hand.
“I envisioned this going a lot differently.”
I lifted a brow at that, and it was my turn to cross my arms. I tried to appear stronger than I felt, but I knew the act was all about protecting myself. “How did you envision it going?” My voice was surprisingly strong and clear.
“You running away and never looking back,” he said matter-of-factly.
“I thought about it,” I responded honestly. That had been my first inclination. But even if the fight instinct had been strong in me, I hadn’t been able to leave. “I figure you’re either batshit crazy, or… this is pretty damn real.” I shook my head. “I contemplated running,” I murmured and gave a humorless laugh.
“Why didn’t you?”
I repeated what he said in my mind for long moments and came up with the only thing that made sense out of all of this. “Because it felt wrong to leave you.”
He sucked in a breath, as if shocked by my words, and then I heard a low sound come from him, a mix between a growl and a purr. I looked at him, taking note of everything about him.
“As crazy as this entire situation is, I’m not all that surprised.” I shook my head again at how freaking insane that sounded coming from my mouth. “I mean, the first time I saw you, I felt like you didn’t seem like any other man I'd come across in my life.” I licked my lips as that pleasure started to heighten once more. “You seemed inhuman, in a way. I guess I know why I felt like that.”
He pushed away from the wall, and involuntarily I took a step back. “I won’t hurt you. I’d never hurt you.”
I swallowed. “I know.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “So you believe me, understand what I am?”
No. Yes. “I don’t know what I understand or believe, but everything in me is screaming that you’re telling me the truth, that you won’t hurt me.” I didn't bother bringing up the whole Mini story she told me. It wouldn’t matter at the end of the day.
“Given what I am, how can you not assume I’m some crazed beast wanting to harm you?”
I shrugged half-heartedly. When he put it that way, I supposed I didn’t know shit. But... “You’ve had plenty of time to do that if you’d meant to. And—” I nibbled my bottom lip. “—given what we just did, I can’t see hurting me is your intention.” My face felt hot as my pussy became wet once more at the memory of how good he made me feel.
He growled again, his head lowering slightly, his eyes becoming hooded as he stared at me.
“Can you…” I breathed out slowly, knowing I should feel embarrassed for what I was about to ask. “Can you smell my desire?” My voice was so low, breathy, but I knew he heard me anyway by the way he groaned.