Tieran has a reputation for cruelty because of how he killed his mate.
Yet he’s treated me respectfully, allowing me to sleep in his room on my pile of sheets in the corner, and ensuring I not only eat, but know how to eat. He keeps dropping little hints about how to connect to my wolf, too.
It’s… confusing.
I can sense his feral aura and his need to dominate. His Alpha energy is a thick presence against my skin that demands I submit.
But he’s been almost gentle with me since I arrived.
Even the bath punishment was rather kind.
However, there’s an air about him this morning that has me wondering if everything is about to change. I can feel it coming from upstairs, his dominance a suffocating wave that surrounds my very spirit.
He’s coming for me.
I don’t know how I know that, but I do. It’s a warning in the air. A caution my wolf picks up on just as well as I do.
Am I overreacting? I wonder.
All three males have been kind, a claim I really can’t make about any of the Alphas from the Nantahala Pack.
Volt, Caius, and Tieran, are different. They’re Alphas, yet caring. Dominant, yet tender.
I slept well my first night in their den, then Tieran and I spent yesterday talking about how shifters control their wolves. He attempted to show me how to shift by demonstrating himself, but I was too enthralled by the majestic display to truly follow his advice.
The moment his pants came off, I was captivated.
Something that confused me because I grew up around naked men who frequently shifted into wolves.
But Tieran is a whole new breed of male. He’s tall, lean, and sleek. Yet with white fur instead of black—a trait that only makes him more beautiful.
Volt tried to help as well by changing into his wolf. He also maintained that magnetic air of dominance, edged with a hint of lethality that had my animal sitting up and taking notice.
Caius didn’t participate.
Instead, he focused on making food for us all. Mine came cut up in pieces, making it easier to eat—something that endeared me to these Alphas even more.
I couldn’t understand why my pack feared them so much.
But the energy wafting off of Tieran now gives me somewhat of an idea. I can’t tell if he’s angry or tired or perhaps annoyed that I spent another night in his room while he took the guest bed.
I shouldn’t have agreed to these sleeping arrangements.
I only did that because my wolf felt more comfortable in the “nest” she made. And Tieran keeps saying how important it is for me to be one with my wolf, not separate ourselves. So I thought it was the right decision.
However, as he prowls into the room this morning, I can’t help but feel it was a very bad choice.
He goes straight to the shower without looking at me.
I stand up and tiptoe from the room, trying to avoid his mood.
Caius meets me in the hallway, his expression giving nothing away. “How’d you sleep, gorgeous?”
I can’t actually answer him, so I just rub against his leg in response because he seems to like that style of greeting. It’s a sign of affection between wolves, something I really have no right to give, but these males welcomed me into their home. I have no idea why they’re being so nice to me. However, I’m thankful for it.
They’ve turned my nightmare into something akin to a dream.
My anger hasn’t abated.
My sadness is still there, too.
But they’ve somehow introduced a lightness to my heart that I long to embrace. It may all be a trick or some cruel way to lull me into a state of comfort. However, my wolf seems to trust them, which makes me want to trust them, too.
Caius runs his fingers through my fur, telling me how soft and pretty I am. It’s the same thing he said yesterday.
And just like yesterday, he squats before me and asks if I’m hungry.
I pant in response—my equivalent of a “yes” that he seems to translate with ease.
He winks one silver eye at me and stands again. “Follow me.”
I don’t really have a choice since his direction is the only way to go. But I would probably follow him regardless. He possesses an air of happiness about him that I find alluring.
Caius is definitely the playful one of the trio. Volt is the protector, his lethal aura one that makes my wolf want to roll over on her back in immediate submission. And Tieran is the leader.
Which is why I can’t shake this sensation of unease against my fur. Tieran’s displeasure can’t be good. The fact he didn’t even acknowledge me says I’m the cause of that displeasure, or something about me has him on edge.
Maybe I’ll take the guest room tonight.
Assuming they let me continue staying here.
It’s not escaped my notice that this experience is a gift, not a natural occurrence.
Volt meets us in the kitchen, a bowl in his hand. “Morning, sweetling,” he coos, setting the bowl on the ground. “Better eat. Tieran has plans for you today.”
My stomach flips over at his words. Plans? What kind of plans?
I’m not sure I want to spend time with him in his current mood. I can still feel his dominance wrapping around my neck like a noose.
He’s either been holding it back, to help make me feel at ease, or it’s particularly strong today.
Given the last two days of treatment, I suspect it’s the former. And for whatever reason, he’s done hiding his Alpha persona from me today.
Is he going to make me leave? It’s something I should want—freedom. But these Alphas haven’t given me cause to want to run. If anything, they’ve given me very good reasons to stay.
I’ve never been one to rely on others for my survival. My mother trained me well for a reason. However, this island is nothing like the home I grew up in. I’ve not been given a proper tour of the lands, but I can sense the dangers lurking here.
The dangerous wolves.
Their Alpha spirits.
The violent undertones of their need to survive.