Chapter 27

The following three weeks flew by quicker than Colette had imagined. She’d thought the days would crawl by, but with Sorin around, it was better than her best days back home.

Sorin was incredibly attentive. He showered her with food, clothes, and cozy bedding.

They chatted about everything. Their fears, their pasts, their dreams. Colette discovered every secret Sorin held, and he learned hers.

Without any prompting from Colette, he admitted that he’d slept with Ylenia, and a few older women from the pack.

Despite their open conversations, he never mentioned the fact that they were mates. It was as if he was scared she would deny him and reject his love. He always avoided the topic.

Every few days, he’d bring her a bucket of warm soapy water and hand her a washcloth through the bars so she could clean herself.

At first, he’d bring her brand new clothes, but after a while, Colette managed to convince him to give her his own shirt. That way, when he wasn’t around, she could bask in his citrusy scent.

Colette sat wrapped in a pile of plush blankets, watching Sorin peel an orange for her. She had something she wanted to discuss with him, but she wasn’t sure how to approach it. He hadn’t outright refused to talk about it, but it seemed more difficult than their usual conversations. Everything else flowed naturally.

“Sorin,” she began, pulling her blankets tighter around her.

“Yeah?” He responded, peeling the orange and piling the pieces in front of his crossed legs.

“What’s it like when you…change into a wolf?” she asked, hesitating.

Sorin looked up from the orange to study her. “What do you mean?”

She paused, even though she’d thought about it a lot. “When you become a wolf, do you still think like a human? Or do you think like a wolf?”

Sorin grinned. “I still think just as I do now. I don’t suddenly become all animal,” he said, turning back to the orange.

But that wasn’t all she wanted to ask. She felt like she had to get it out or she’d never know. “Can I see it…him?”

He looked back at her. “What?”

“I-I want to see your wolf,” she said softly, almost whispering.

He blushed. He didn’t know why that would make him so… “Are you sure, Colette?”

“Will you bite me?” she asked, suddenly worried.

He shook his head slowly. “No, my love, but my wolf form is mated to you, so I’m not sure how I’ll react,” he said, sounding nervous.

Colette nodded, her curiosity unwavering.

Sorin handed her the orange before stepping back. He slowly took off his clothes and while Colette intended to watch him transform, she found herself admiring his body instead. She felt a warmth spread through her at his nakedness.

He stood before her, completely nude, standing tall as his mate studied him. He stood for a long while, longer than he should’ve, just letting her examine him. It was her right to decide if he was worthy, but he could smell her arousal.

In a blink of an eye, where a man stood, a large black wolf replaced him. It shook out its fur and blinked a few times, then turned its head to her.

Colette should’ve been scared, but as it looked at her and approached, she felt a calmness wash over her. She knew this wolf. It was Sorin. No matter what form, she somehow knew that this was Sorin.

He came up to the bars with his head low, probably to show her he meant no harm. But Colette felt, deeply, that he would never hurt her, not intentionally.

Colette found herself reaching out to him, stroking his soft black fur. It only took him a second to change. It gave Colette hope that the process wouldn’t be too painful or long for her. The thought that she might not change suddenly overwhelmed her.

She’d asked Ylenia one day, “How do you become a werewolf?”

Ylenia had laughed at her and told her that it was all genetic. Unlike in the movies, you couldn’t catch it. She told Colette that either she would shift or she wouldn’t. There was nothing they could do.

Even if Colette managed to get any of them to bite her, it would only result in a painful wound. Painful, she wasn’t sure when she watched Sorin lick his lips and saw his teeth. She fantasized about his mouth.

Colette looked deeply into Sorin’s eyes, tracing her hands over his snout. Would she look like this? Furry and large? His tongue flicked out and licked her hand, curling around her wrist.

He watched her with dark eyes, and she wondered what he was thinking. Suddenly, she really wanted to know what it was like.

“I—” Her chest tightened as she thought about what she wanted to say. “—like you.”

That was all she could manage. She knew her feelings were deeper than that, but the words wouldn’t come out. They’d only known each other for just under six weeks. It felt too fast, too intense, too soon.

“I’m…done. Thank you,” she murmured. “I just want my Sorin back.” The words slipped out before she could stop them. She hoped he hadn’t heard.

The fur disappeared and smooth skin returned. His strong arms reached through the bars and wrapped around her in a tight embrace, but he didn’t say anything, and she was grateful. Colette found herself looking up at his face, hoping he would kiss her.

As if he heard her thoughts, he lowered his lips until they were just a breath away from hers and paused. He waited and watched as Colette’s face seemed to twist in agony, yearning for his touch. He just wanted to see her face soften before he kissed her.

Finally, he gave in, pressing his lips to hers, savoring her taste. Their tongues battled, a mix of citrus and cinnamon.

The warmth of her mouth had his body reacting immediately, but it was in vain. Locked away in a cage, his mate couldn’t help soothe his burning desire.

Colette drew back after a heated, fervent kiss. She was breathless, her eyes wide as she looked up at him. “Sorin,” she gasped.

He leaned in closer, his nose tracing the curve of her neck. He imagined leaving his mark on her, his teeth growing sharper at the thought. He had to pause, to regain control of himself.

“Yes, my love.”

His own words echoed Colette’s. She had asked him to transform, pleading for ~her~ Sorin to return. Words like that made it impossible for him to resist. But the cage around her was a barrier, preventing him from taking her with the intensity he craved. He would have torn her apart.

“Sorin,” she said again. “I…I want more,” she whimpered.