Chapter 11
(Isabella’s POV)
Every muscle in my body tightens. “I’m sorry, you want me to what?” I ask with widened eyes. “I’ll remind you that our contract clearly states there will be no sex. This is non-negotiable, Santiago. We must stick to the agreement. You can make other requests, but…not this one. I’m not a prostitute.”
Santiago looks down on the ground.
I can’t help but notice that his face is ever so slightly red.
“Look, it’s not about sex. Ever since Layla and I divorced, my wolf…he goes feral.”
I didn’t anticipate this response. “Feral?” I ask with furrowed eyebrows. “I don’t understand, I’ve never heard of this before.”
“Without the comfort of a mate, a werewolf can go feral. It’s blinding, all consuming rage. The wolf loses himself, takes over. I shift, It’s dangerous for everyone around me. I need your help to suppress it.” His gaze remains downward as his eyes dart side to side while he explains.
I sit down and try to process what he has said and what he needs from me. “How can having me here prevent that? And why is staying tonight necessary? I mean, you seem fine right now.”
“During the full moon, a wolf’s power is at its peak. I’ve been going feral at night anyways; the full moon is likely going to make it worse. I lose control, Bella. My wolf, he looses control and he overtakes my sanity. I desperately need your help.”
He sits down next to me. I take his hand in mine. “Santiago, it’s not that I don’t want to help you. But I’m not your actual mate. It should be impossible for me to ease these symptoms for you.”
He smiles but it’s a sad smile. The defeat in his eyes shakes me to my core. This cold, arrogant Alpha…he’s being vulnerable with me.
“You’re right,” he says. “You shouldn’t be able to. But you do. My wolf screams in my head every waking minute, but when you are by my side, he quiets. I don’t understand it either, but you have a unique ability. There’s something special about you. You calm him. As long as you stay close, that’s enough.”
He squeezes my hand. “Bella,” he whispers
I look him over.
His jaw ticks and his shoulders slump.
“This is why I need you to appear when I ask at any time in the future,” he says. “This is the reason that is in the contract. I need you to come and be close whenever my wolf becomes unstable…no sex.”
“What happens if you lose your sanity and your wolf loses his with me there?”
“You calm him, I can promise you, he will not hurt you.”
I nod my understanding. “Okay, I can do this for you,” I say.
I wasn’t prepared for him to stand abruptly and scoop me up into a hug. I’m guessing he wasn’t prepared to do that either.
His arms firmly wrap around my waist and his head tucks into the crook of my shoulder. He thanks me and then quickly lets go and take a step back.
He looks away from me, runs his hands through his hair. “Um, Sorry about that…”
“Yeah, no…it’s fine,” I say, also avoiding eye contact.
Santiago takes me back to his pack. I expected a list of rules, or I don’t know, control from him while on the premises, but he tells me I’m allowed to move around freely.
This pack takes training seriously. Everything here is highly organized and runs like a well-oiled machine. I suppose this is how Santiago has managed to turn it into the largest and strongest pack in the region.
There are stations spread across the massive training field. Gamma wolves shout commands to the soldiers running drills.
I can see a shooting range across the way. Even at this distance the crack of firearms ring in my ears.
There are two fighting mat areas on the opposite side of the field. One looks like traditional hand-to-hand combat practice as warriors spar each other. First, I notice them practicing what looks like mixed martial arts, then they shift and go after each other in wolf form.
The other mat has warriors taking turns sparing with non-firearm weapons. I notice swords, several daggers, spears, batons, and staffs available for soldiers to choose from.
A mix of gun smoke, sweat, diesel, adrenaline, and fear invade my nose. It’s subtle, but sulfuric and metallic mixed with cortisol, yet almost a hard candy-like sweetness. It causes my nose to scrunch as I walk by.
I remember my parents commenting that when Santiago’s father was in charge, the pack wasn’t nearly as strong as it is now. In fact, it used to be weaker than Pack A. It’s clear to see Santiago has put in the for this evolution to take place.
Nightfall comes quickly.
After the tour of the grounds, Santiago shows me the house. As it’s late already, he promises me a more detailed tour tomorrow.
Santiago’s room is expansive with a breathtaking second story view of the pack training grounds as well as the lush green foliage leading into the forest, whose leaves fall to the ground in color arrays of orange, yellow, green, and red.
The color scheme across the room is brown leather, gray, and green. The walls are a light silver hued shade of gray.
Behind the king-size bed with its plush, dark brown leathered headboard sits a bay window. To the left of the bed is a smaller, but still large corner spanning window.
A long black curtain rod with rounded ends run across the bay window clutch to the crown molding. It stops ahead of the second rod that matches it and spans the remaining length to cover the other window.
The windows have two dark slate colored curtain panels each, both tied back with brown leather straps.
Wooden nightstands with matching lamps sit on either side of the bed.
On the left, by the window, sits a stocked liquor cabinet. While an oversized chocolate brown leather armchair with matching ottoman take up real estate on the right.
A gray woven area rug covers most of the maple floor.
The sheets on the bed are a crisp white satin with two plush king size pillows.
Additionally, the headboard is nearly covered with six throw pillows – three large gray, two smaller hunter green, and one rolled forest green lumbar pillow. The gray pillows have a matching comforter. There is a slightly smaller quit that matches the lumbar pillow.
I sit in bed under all the covers wearing my crop top and panties to sleep in while he showers in the next room.
The sheets are cold and soft against my bare legs. My chest feels tight and my skin prickles as I wait. Suddenly, I hear the water turn off and my racing thoughts go off on a tangent.
I know he’s attractive, but I am not attracted to him. This is a business arrangement. Get a grip.
He exits the bathroom, wearing only a towel around his waist. Shit.
His tawny skin glistens with water droplets that are yet to be wiped away from biceps that seem to bulge with power. I try to divert my stare but fail.
His muscles flex ever so slightly when he uses the second towel to dry his still soaked jet-black hair that seems to fall perfectly against his forehead. Water runs down his face, trickling down his sculpted chest.
My eyes follow their descent to six-pack abs. He looks over his shoulder my direction and I quickly look away.
He slips on gym shorts and climbs into the bed next to me. We lay there in awkward silence.
Moon Goddess, help me. Sandalwood and rich testosterone flood my senses. A sharp ache deep inside me pulsates. Before my mind can catch up with my body’s betrayal, I’m wet for him.
Santiago turns to face me, “Don’t get any ideas. I can smell arousal,” he says with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.
I feel the heat rise up my neck as my face flushes red. “You must be mistaken,” I mumble.
“Bella,” he says calmly, “There will be no emotional development between us.”
The warmth in my cheeks fade instantly. My heartbeat slows allowing my awareness of it in my throat to relax. Tension in my shoulders all but relax.
Thank Goddess, my emotions settle. Maybe now I can go to sleep.
I look over at the window. The moonlight shines brightly tonight as it spills in across the room.
Full moon, I muse.
I take a deep breath. My eyes heavy from the weight of the day begin to flutter closed. Sleep is about to overtake me.
As the world begins to fade to black, my eyes shoot open wide as Santiago’s razor sharp canines bite down deep where my shoulder meets my neck…penetrating flesh and muscle.
