Before the Tempest

ESTELLA

We touched down in Greece a few days back.

I was a little heartbroken to leave Spain. So much so, that on our last night there, I fell asleep clutching the souvenirs I’d picked up to take back home.

I know, it’s a bit childish, but I did it anyway, even when Max teased me for being overly sentimental.

But the moment we set foot on the first Greek island, all that sadness just melted away. There was this lightness in the air that instantly lifted my spirits. Or at least, that’s how I felt.

When Sarah, Max, and I were planning our vacation, we decided to skip the popular tourist spots in Greece. They tend to get ridiculously crowded in August.

Instead, we chose smaller islands, and boy, were we glad we did.

They were cozy, peaceful, and full of sights to see.

You could really connect with nature, something the three werewolves in our group appreciated.

We also explored a few places on the mainland before settling on our final island.

Most of our time was spent swimming, eating, and sleeping. We ate so much that I’m already struggling to fit into some of my shorts.

Sure, we’ve been eating like there’s no tomorrow throughout our vacation, but while the others gain energy, I gain weight. That’s the joy of being human.

Sarah thinks I’m being silly, but she’s not the one who had to buy a new bikini because her old one (and by old, I mean three months old) no longer fit. That was me.

Did that stop me from eating? Not a chance. The food here is too good to resist.

I’ve already got a few favorites, but I won’t go into detail. I wouldn’t want to make you drool. Feel free to be jealous though.

If you’re wondering why I’m so chipper, it’s because this is my last shot at winning Max over. It’s like the universe has conspired to give me the perfect opportunity.

You see, at every other hotel we stayed at, the suites had two bedrooms. But here, at our last stop, there’s only one. And it wasn’t even my doing.

When we checked in, they apologized for not being able to honor our initial booking for a two-bedroom suite because a family needed it.

We couldn’t exactly make a fuss or try to kick the family out (which would be a terrible thing to do anyway), so we accepted the one-bedroom suite and thanked them for accommodating us.

So, for the past ten days, Max and I have been sharing a bed. Well, sort of. I offered to sleep on the couch to make him more comfortable, but he refused.

However, he doesn’t actually sleep with me. He stays out on the balcony until late and only comes to bed just before dawn.

I know this because I forced myself to stay awake and spy on him on the third night. He didn’t use the bed.

I didn’t confront him about it, and I haven’t had a chance to talk to Sarah about it.

Speaking of which, Caleb has been acting a bit odd since that night at the club in Spain. I’ll have to talk to him about it at some point.

I really don’t know what his problem is. I’ve had a crush on Max for as long as I can remember. He knows it and teases me about it, so I don’t understand what his issue is.

Anyway, did I mention we made some friends here?

To be honest, we’ve met interesting people everywhere we’ve been. But here, on this last little island, we met the most adorable couple!

They’re in their eighties and have been together since they were in their twenties.

Imagine spending nearly sixty years with someone without being supernatural, like werewolves. When I asked them how they managed it, they simply said, “We’re soulmates.”

They went on to explain that it wasn’t always easy and they’d been separated a few times. They even showed me pictures of their five children.

For reasons I didn’t quite understand, they’d left this little paradise and their children were now scattered all over the world.

Their story was so captivating and, at times, heartbreaking that I even took notes.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll write a book about them someday. An illustrated one. Yeah, definitely an illustrated one.

When I told them I draw, they asked me to do a portrait of them. On commission. Can you believe it?

Of course, I didn’t ask for money, but to avoid making them feel bad, I let them buy my supplies, and I got started right away.

To do this, we had to stay here for the rest of our vacation, so I talked to Max, Caleb, and Sarah, and since they all love it here, we decided to cancel our next two hotel bookings and extend our stay.

Normally, that would be nearly impossible in Greece in August, but this island is a bit off the beaten path and cozy, so we managed to do it.

I didn’t tell Stelios and Elli (that’s the couple’s names) that they were the reason for our extended stay.

I just went to their place early in the mornings and stayed until just before noon, when I’d meet up with the others to hit the beach.

That’s why I’ve temporarily put my efforts to woo Max on hold, but my painting is almost finished, and so is our time here.

MAX

Caleb confronted me the day after our night out at the club in Spain.

“Are you in love with her?” he asked, cutting straight to the chase.

“Yes,” I answered without a second thought.

My actions had already given me away, and they hadn’t gone unnoticed. So, there was no point in lying.

He chuckled in disbelief.

“You are?” he repeated, as if he hadn’t heard me correctly the first time.

“Yes, Cal.”

“How long? Because you’ve known her since she was six, and if you were…”

“What the hell are you suggesting?” I scoffed, but honestly, it was hard not to let your mind go there, which was sick.

“I don’t know…” He ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated.

“I’m not a pedophile, Caleb,” I clarified.

“So how can you be in love with her?”

“I saw her as a child when she was one,” I patiently explained. “I’ve always loved her. I think you know that.”

He nodded, and I went on.

“But Estella isn’t a child anymore. She’s a woman. A beautiful one, and I’m attracted to her. Knowing her personality only makes it stronger.”

“Knowing her personality or the crush she’s had on you for years?” He smirked.

“I thought the crush was just a phase, and I always brushed it off. But I can’t ignore my own feelings.”

“You can’t lead her on either,” he shot back, his voice sharp.

“I’m trying not to. But she’s making it hard,” I confessed, feeling worn out.

“She loves you, Max, and I wish she didn’t.”

His words surprised me.

Cal and I had always been on good terms (except for the time he let my girl get drunk), and before the night at the club, we’d always had fun together.

I wouldn’t say we were friends, given the age difference, but we were cool. There was mutual respect.

Then a thought struck me. Eva had mentioned years ago that Caleb was supposed to be Estella’s mate.

Maybe, even though he was now mated to Sarah, he still felt some connection to her. I didn’t like that idea.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said when I stayed silent. “It’s not that I don’t like you or that I care about your age difference with her.”

“Then what is it?” I demanded.

“I told you last night, Max. You have a mate out there. If she shows up and Estella is even more attached to you…”

“Don’t worry about my mate.”

“Damn, Max, how can you say that?”

“I just can.”

“Look, I know that in some packs, not waiting for your destined one isn’t a big deal. But in your pack and mine, marking another she-wolf is only a last resort.

“Besides, Estella isn’t one of us. You can’t mark her, and there’s no way you can promise you won’t lose it when your mate shows up and push Estella away.”

“Listen to me, and listen well because I’m only going to say this once.

“Estella is the most important person in my life. I will never push her away for someone else. I will never leave her. I will never betray her.”

“But…”

“No buts. She’s my soulmate. I know I can’t lead her on or keep her from the life she’s meant to have.

“But, if when she finishes her studies, she decides she still wants to be with me, we’ll be together. I don’t give a damn if I can mark her or not.

“My heart is set on her, and this conversation is over.”

He never brought it up again, but I could see the disapproval in his eyes whenever he saw me with Estella. I knew he wasn’t jealous; he just didn’t agree with me.

I could have told him that Estella was my mate, not just implied that I saw her as my soulmate, but I didn’t trust him not to tell her.

Caleb’s loyalty was always with Estella, and to spare her pain, he would either tell her or pressure me to do it, and I’d had enough of that.

After what happened in Spain, I was determined not to slip up again.

At first, it wasn’t too hard, as the excitement of the last country we visited took over my girl, and she wasn’t trying to seduce me.

Personally, I was glad to leave Spain, where lust was in the air, for Greece, where the carefree joy was infectious and made resisting easier.

Seeing her in my T-shirt every night was still a challenge, but somehow, I mostly managed.

Until we got to the last island, that is.

It was small and only had one luxury hotel. That meant the suite wasn’t as big as the ones we were used to.

As Estella told me, because I was still unloading our luggage from the car when the others checked in, they had given their biggest suite to a family, which made sense. So I believed her this time.

But the fact remained; I had to share a bed with her. Knowing it was only a matter of time before I couldn’t keep my hands to myself if I had to constantly breathe her in, I stayed awake each night.

I knew she noticed. I also knew that a couple of times, she lost sleep waiting for me to come to bed.

But, I pretended not to notice and spent my nights on the balcony, soaking in the midnight breeze and trying not to imagine what it would be like if I went to her instead.

There was something about this place. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but for some reason, my wolf felt truly happy here. It was as if, somehow, he knew his way around when I didn’t.

Stelios and Elli, an elderly Greek couple we met about a week ago, were like a godsend.

Firstly, they reminded me a bit of my parents. They complemented each other perfectly, which is rare in humans, and truly admirable.

Secondly, Elli was the best cook I’d ever met. Every day she treated us to something different but always delicious.

Sarah even started calling her granny, and for those who know the feisty girl, it’s very surprising. You see, for a human-hater, she started doting on them too much since meeting Estella.

But, what I meant when I called them lifesavers was that they commissioned Estella to paint their portrait, and that kept her pretty busy.

She started going to sleep earlier at night since she had to wake up at dawn to go to Stelios and Elli.

As usual, she didn’t let any of us see the painting before it was finished, but I managed to catch a glimpse of it while I teased her one evening. It was magnificent.

My girl is talented. I think she’ll be very successful one day. This is one of the reasons I keep putting everything off again and again.

To be honest, I'm not sure how I keep resisting her. Each day, my love for her grows stronger and stronger.

Right now, my biggest concern is the upcoming full moon. I tried to find another place to stay for that week, but there wasn't a single spot open in the area.

I'm at a loss for how I'm going to get through this.