7
906 Words
Dwayne's jaw tightens. "If I had known... If I had realized you were my true mate..."
"You wouldn't have bought me?" I finish for him.
He meets my eyes. "No, I wouldn't have. I would have found another way."
His words hang in the air between us. I'm not sure if I believe him, but I want to. Despite everything, I find myself wanting to trust him, and that scares me more than anything.
"So what now?" I ask, breaking the tension. "Where do we go from here?"
Dwayne straightens up. "Now, we begin your training. You need to learn to control your Conduit abilities. And..." he hesitates, then continues, "I think it's time you learned more about what it means to be part of this pack."
I nod slowly. "Okay. But I have conditions."
Dwayne raises an eyebrow. "Oh?"
I take a deep breath, steeling myself. "First, no more threats. Not against me, not against my family. Second, I want to be involved in decisions that affect me. No more keeping me in the dark. And third..." I hesitate, then forge ahead. "I want the freedom to say no. To anything."
Dwayne studies me for a long moment. Then, to my surprise, he nods. "Agreed. On one condition of my own."
"What's that?" I ask warily.
"You give this a genuine chance," he says. "Us, the pack, your role here. No more talk of escape. You try, truly try, to make this work. Can you do that?"
I consider his words carefully. It's not freedom, not really. But it's more than I had before. And if I'm honest with myself, I'm curious about this new world, about the power inside me. Maybe, just maybe, I can find a place for myself here.
"Okay," I say finally. "I'll try. But I'm not promising anything beyond that."
Dwayne nods, a small smile playing at his lips. "That's all I ask. Now, are you ready to begin your first lesson?"
I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Dwayne moves to the center of the room, gesturing for me to join him. "The first thing you need to learn is how to sense the energy around you. Close your eyes."
I do as he says, feeling a little foolish.
"Now," Dwayne's voice comes from right in front of me, "reach out with your mind. Try to feel the life force of everything in this room."
I concentrate, not really sure what I'm supposed to be doing. At first, there's nothing. Then, slowly, I start to sense... something. A warmth, a vibration in the air around me.
"I... I think I feel something," I say hesitantly.
"Good," Dwayne encourages. "Now, focus on me. What do you sense?"
I furrow my brow, concentrating harder. Suddenly, it's like a light flicks on in my mind. I can feel Dwayne's presence, a strong, steady pulse of energy.
"You're... bright," I say, struggling to find the right words. "Powerful. But there's something else... a shadow?"
I open my eyes to find Dwayne staring at me with an intensity that makes me shiver.
"Remarkable," he murmurs. "You're a natural, Rebecca."
I blink, trying to shake off the strange sensations. "What was that shadow I felt?"
Dwayne's expression closes off slightly. "My wolf," he says shortly. "What you felt was my other half."
"Oh," I say, fascinated despite myself. "Can I... can I see it sometime?"
Dwayne looks surprised by the request. "You want to see my wolf form?"
I nod. "If that's okay. I mean, if we're going to be... mates... I should probably know all of you, right?"
A slow smile spreads across Dwayne's face. It's the first genuine smile I've seen from him, and it transforms his features. "You continue to surprise me, Rebecca. Yes, you can see my wolf. But not today. You've had enough shocks for one day, I think."
As if on cue, a huge yawn escapes me. The events of the day suddenly catch up with me, and I sway on my feet.
Dwayne steadies me with a hand on my arm. "You need rest. We'll continue your training tomorrow."
I nod, too tired to argue. As Dwayne leads me back to my room, a thought occurs to me. "Wait, what about... I mean, aren't true mates supposed to, um..." I trail off, blushing furiously.
Dwayne chuckles, a deep, warm sound that does funny things to my insides. "Relax, little mate. We have time to figure all that out. For now, just focus on resting and adjusting to your new life."
We reach my door, and Dwayne hesitates. "Will you be alright on your own? I can have Elena stay with you if you'd prefer."
I shake my head. "No, I'll be fine. I think I need some time alone to process everything."
Dwayne nods. "Of course. If you need anything, anything at all, just call for me. I'll hear you."
I raise an eyebrow. "Werewolf hearing?"
He grins. "That, and the mate bond. Goodnight, Rebecca."
As I watch him walk away, I'm struck by how different he seems now. Still intimidating, still powerful, but... softer somehow. More human.
I enter my room and collapse on the bed, my mind whirling with everything that's happened. As I drift off to sleep, one thought rises above the rest:
For better or worse, my life has changed forever. And tomorrow, my real journey begins.
- Writer
