“What do you mean how did I know Rayne was the one? Come to think of it, why do you want to know?” Cael scratched his head as he tried to teach his older brother yet again to control his Change.
“Well, I met this woman,” David puffed out a breath as he stood out in the woods that bordered on side of his enormous beach house with his brother.
“Yeah, and?”
“And I can’t stop thinking about her,” David stretched his muscles. In under a minute, he was back to his gigantic buff-colored Wolf.
That was fast for him, but not painless. The Change was cruel to bones and muscles alike. Pulling and breaking, twisting and tearing, it was a symphony of pain and gory details that made even the doctor in him cringe. And yet, at the same time it was beautiful.
His emergence into his other half was more than just natural and basic, it was fucking magical. Now with the curse gone, it was even more powerful. He felt the bonds of his Pack tighten around him. With his Wolf’s eyes, he could see the silvery threads that connected him to his brother and others nearby.
David loved being a Werewolf. Unlike some Wolves, he had completely settled into that side of himself from the second he’d had his first Change. Hell, he wouldn’t know how not to be. The advantages over the Curse being over proved challenging, but totally worth it.
Especially, now that his beast had become so vocal. His Wolf was constantly pacing near the surface. Especially these last twenty-four hours. He was restless and antsy. One word growled again and again in David’s mind’s eye. MINE!
Cassiopeia DeMarco was taking up every waking moment of his time. Even his dreams weren’t free of her. Her soft cinnamon locks piled high on her head, wispy curls framing her heart-shaped face, her pink lips tilted up in a smile just for him. Her curvy body outlined in tight pants and that pale ivory sweater she’d worn.
Oh yeah, he’d envisioned peeling off that sweater so slowly. Savoring every inch of her creamy flesh as he revealed her to his hungry eyes. Fuck yeah, he wanted to unwrap her like a present, kiss her skin, taste her flesh. Grrrr. He couldn’t take it. He had to have her.
It had only been twenty-four hours since he had met her. And yet, David knew without a single doubt that she was made for him. His fated mate. Mine.
Every single instinct he had was screaming at him to make her his. Ever since the moment he’d scented her in that coffee shop. Fuck. He needed to see her again. Soon.
He wanted to take her in his arms and worship every delectable inch of her from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. He closed his eyes and swore he could almost smell her cocoa butter and vanilla scent in the air. He had it bad alright! And it felt so fucking good.
“David, are you even listening man?”
“What?”
‘I said, you’re good to go. You controlled your Change back and forth in under a minute, bro! Awesome!”
“For real?”
“Yeah, man, besides, I gotta get back to Rayne. Promised her I’d pick up some cherry cheesecake.”
“Ah, cravings hitting her already?”
“Yeah, man I think it might be twins,” Cael’s smile was contagious.
David couldn’t help grinning as he slid into the extra sweats he’d brought with him. Sure, he was close to home, but he didn’t relish walking naked even if just to the car. They’d parked a few miles away from the house, but it was still his property.
“I’m happy for you, Cael, you both deserve this chance,” he said without any hint of jealousy.
How could he be jealous now? Not when his thoughts immediately went to Cassie as he thought of his brother’s impending fatherhood.
Oh fuck, she’d look so beautiful swollen with his pup. He turned his back to his brother before he saw the semi-hard-on he’d gotten just thinking about a pregnant Cassie. Slow down, David, it’s too soon for all that.
It was too soon, but someday. Yeah, someday. He jumped in his car and thanked fuck he was wearing sweats. Just thinking about his little asteri had him growing harder by the second. He shifted gears and headed back to his house.
Asteri mu, he thought to himself. Indeed, she was his little star. His mother taught both he and his brother a few words in her native Greek, but he recalled that one. It fit her. His Cassiopeia, as beautiful and bright as any constellation.
She ruled the stars in his sky as her namesake did those in the northern hemisphere. She was quickly possessing every thought in his head.
He couldn’t stop himself if he wanted to, and what’s more, he didn’t want to. His stomach clenched with anticipation as his Wolf rose to the surface. He fought the beast for control. The only thing they both agreed on was Cassie would be his. Mine.
We have to take it slow, he admonished his beast. She was a normal and needed to be wooed with care. He grinned at his use of the archaic word, but it felt right somehow.
She deserved a proper wooing. He nodded to himself as he walked into the hallway off his state-of-the-art kitchen through the closed garage.
His house was large and expensive, he’d spent a lot of money upgrading and renovating over the past three years, but he frowned at how it just sat there all day long. Alone, dark, and gloomy.
He’d bought it with the hopes of raising a family someday, but he’d pushed that aside in pursuit of his career. He was a damn good doctor and his supervisory skills made him perfect for the position of Chief of Macconwood Memorial’s Emergency Department.
The need for a family was forgotten in his long hours on the job. He frowned as it suddenly came rushing back. David dropped his keys in the glass bowl on the counter and reached the fridge for some bottled spring water. Fuck it. He grabbed a beer instead.
The house felt empty. Sure, everything was neat and clean. He paid a service to come in twice a week to see to the laundry, and even the grocery shopping, but it was all so impersonal. Maybe he should get a Christmas tree? Maybe Cassie could help him decorate it?
He wanted to call her, ask her if she’d come to his house tomorrow night to help him, but he’d already phoned her once that evening. It’s too late, buddy, he told his Wolf who was growling with the need to hear her sweet voice again. He checked the green numbers glowing from his mounted microwave.
Yeah, it is way too late for phone calls. It was past midnight. He didn’t want her to think he was completely crazy. No, he needed to give her some space.
Maybe he could prolong their planned lunch into a dinner date, do a little Christmas tree shopping, have her over for some eggnog and cookies. He could get some delivered, couldn’t he?
He thought about it as he showered and got ready for bed. He knew instinctively that she enjoyed the holidays. So, yeah, she’d definitely like what he had planned.
He grabbed his cell and sent a few emails off before turning down his comforter and settling into his massive king-sized bed. There were only five more hours until he was due back at the hospital. Shit.
He needed to sleep. He closed his eyes and tried to force himself into slumber, but visions of cinnamon hair and smiling lips kept crowding his mind.
They planned to meet at the hospital after her interview. She didn’t know how long it would last, but he assured her that he could pretty much take lunch whenever he wanted. She’d laughed and called him ‘boss’, teased him until he was blushing a beet red.
No one ever did that. Just goofed off with him. He loved that she was comfortable enough to do so. That had to mean something, right?
Tomorrow. We will see tomorrow.