When I opened my eyes later that night, my sight met complete darkness.
I winced, rolling over on my bed.
Oh… I must’ve fallen asleep while Damon was carrying me. Whoops.
I sat up on the bed, letting out a long yawn as my sight adjusted to the darkness.
The moment I looked up… I realized I wasn’t in my room.
I blinked, brows drawing together. “Damon…?”
“Alpha Damon,” he corrected from my right.
I gasped, looking at the doorway to find him standing there.
He just smiled, eyes glowing mischievously in the shadows.
“Why are you standing there in the darkness?” I asked him then.
His lashes lowered. “I heard you wake up, so I came here. Couldn’t sleep.”
“Oh…” I said then, looking around, “where am I?”
He stepped in the room then, walking toward me. “The packhouse.” He then sat on the bed. “I was going to take you home, but… just didn’t want to.”
I rolled my eyes then, glancing around.
I then moved my gaze back to him. “Don’t I have school today?”
He chuckled. “Honey… it’s Sunday.”
“Oh.”
He just tipped his head to the side, watching me. “Are you uneasy?”
I shook my head. “No.”
He then crawled onto me, making me suck in a breath as I pressed against the headboard. His face hovered inches over mine. “What about now?”
I breathed shakily. “N—no.”
He lowered himself, lips inches from mine. “Now?”
I didn’t think I could breathe again. “No….”
He just smirked and shoved himself up, sitting on the bed again.
I caught my breath, pressing my hand to my chest. “You’re very horny,” I told him.
He glanced back at me. “Excuse me?”
“I said you’re very horny,” I stated, gazing up at him.
His lashes lowered. “My, my, how observant you are. And you’re not?”
“No.”
He smirked. “Don’t lie. I can smell you.” He glanced down at my jeans.
My cheeks burned a bright red and I pulled the covers over myself, butterflies floating under my skin.
Damon chuckled and stood, stepping over to the door. “Good night.”
“Night, Damon,” I said then.
He stopped suddenly and glanced back at me. “Excuse me?”
“Uhm… I said ‘Night, Damon’.”
“You will address me as Alpha, Winter.”
“That’s stupid,” I said then, smiling, “I’m not an alpha. You are.”
He turned fully and his eyes glowed a bright green. “Are you testing me?”
“Yes,” I said honestly, “is it working?”
He then stepped back over to the bed and lowered his face inches to mine. “Say it again. Nicely this time, or I’m not making you pancakes in the morning.”
I stared, face paling. “No pancakes…?”
“If you don’t say it, no,” he said then, tone rough.
I caved then. “Good night… Alpha Damon.”
He smiled then, lightly patting my head. “Good girl.”
After patting my head, he turned to the door.
“With chocolate chips!” I told him. “And whipped cream! And sprinkles!”
He glanced back at me. “Alright. Good night, Kitten.”
And he closed the door behind him.
I stared into the darkness for a moment, but I just scrambled out of bed and stepped over to the door.
After opening it, I stepped down the hall to find the house engulfed in complete darkness.
“Damon…?” I said then.
There was no response.
I then tried it differently. “Alpha…?”
“Yes?” His voice came to the right.
I turned to him, finding him leaning against the wall of the hallway in a T-shirt and shorts.
“I can’t sleep,” I said to him.
His eyes glowed in amusement. “Did I scare you too much?”
I shook my head. “No. Just… I’m awake. Can we go somewhere?”
“It’s two in the morning, Kitten.”
“Oh,” I said then, sighing.
He watched me curiously. “Something’s on your mind. What is it?”
I just gazed up. “I’m going back to bed. Night… Alpha.”
He watched me as I walked back to the room and closed the door behind me.
I stared into the darkness, breathing slowly.
“Kitten,” he said from in front of me.
I screamed bloody murder, slamming my back against the wall.
“Aw, did I—” he broke off when a tear slipped from my eye.
He just stared at me in concern.
I breathed shakily, looking away when a sudden pain consumed me.
“Angel?” he said then. “Did I scare you that much? No, that isn’t it.” He just watched me. “Something’s bothering you.” He then urged me, “Talk to me.”
I wiped my eyes frantically. “It’s nothing.”
He remained in place.
I breathed shakily, trying to remain calm.
“Angel,” he said then. “Please.”
I just sniffled, setting my back against the wall and sliding down until I sat. “You’re right. I am afraid, but not of you.”
He watched me carefully.
“I guess all this time I… I worried that he was still out there,” I explained. “but I told myself that he died or something… and that’s why he hasn’t killed in so long. But he killed again. But that’s not the only thing…”
I sniffled. “A while ago… when I was twelve, I freaked out after someone bullied me at school. I got so fed up… and I don’t know how I did this, but… I killed them. I watched their skin slice open and their innards spill from their wounds… but nothing sharp touched them. It was…” I touched my head.
Damon just stepped over to me and knelt down, watching my expression.
“I can feel him…” I said then, staring down at my hands, “I can feel him in my skin, controlling me. He’s haunting me… he is me. I am him.”
Damon just sat down in front of me and tipped my chin up. “Listen to me, Angel. You are not him. He is a cold-blooded killer, you are not. Do you understand?”
I nodded, breathing shakily. “The thing that worries me, is that… I don’t fear death anymore. I mean… I wouldn’t kill someone because I’m too messy to hide the evidence, but… I guess seeing dead bodies and watching people die… it doesn’t affect me like it should.” I sniffled. “I watched my grandparents die and I didn’t feel anything when we pulled the life support. I miss them after the fact, but it’s just the… it’s the fact that I cannot talk to them is what bothers me. It isn’t seeing them die or suffer.” I stared down at my hands. “The only time watching death horrified me was my father. Not even when I killed that kid, I didn’t feel sick at all. It makes me wonder… what have I become?”
Damon lightly ran his thumb under my eye, making me gaze up.
He smiled. “I know how you feel.”
I blinked. “You do?”
“I do,” he agreed, nodding. “My sister… once she died, I went through a similar stage. I killed someone because I—as they said ‘wolfed out’—and then I went on a killing spree.” He gazed up. “My grandfather broke me out of it. Ever since then… death isn’t scary for me either.” He shrugged. “I—too—also worry that I’ve become something horrible. Because I murder sometimes… I have to… and I feel no remorse. Just like the man who killed your father, like the man who killed my sister. It makes me wonder….”
“If I’m no better than him,” we both said at the same time.
Damon and I gazed up at each other and stared for a long moment.
I blinked and looked away. “I think in our case, it’s like being a vigilante. But is that any better than being like them?”
“I only kill people who are about to kill you,” Damon said then, making my gaze snap to his.
“Really…?” I said then, brows drawing together. “You’ve killed people?”
“I murdered like… two people today,” he said then, shrugging. “I swear other wolves have it out for what’s mine.”
I smiled then and stared down at the floor. “I honestly think it is different.”
“So you’ve killed, too?” he said then.
“Only once,” I told him.
“I see… what an odd connection we have.”
I giggled, but he just stared at me.
I glanced over at him, finding his gaze searching mine so thoughtfully.
He just set his hand on my head, lightly petting my hair before he stroked it down to my cheek.
I could barely focus because my eyes were focused on him.
I watched as he tipped my chin up, and he then drew closer.
And set his lips on mine.
I moaned softly, feeling his taste burst through my senses… the sweetness of toothpaste and the saltiness of chocolate. He smelled like soap and pepper, and his lips were so soft… so soft.
I pressed to him closer, and his mouth devoured mine.
He just moved to pecking the sides of my lips, and then gently pressed kisses along the side of my throat, going down to the nape of my neck.
He lightly suckled the skin there, and I whimpered, clutching onto his hair.
The moment he started going down further, I kicked out my legs, whimpering.
He just kissed my collarbone and drew back. “It’s alright. It’s alright. I won’t go any further.”
I settled back against the wall, breathing shakily.
He just set his head on my shoulder. “There’s no need to be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”
I just caught my breath. “I know… it’s just overwhelming. I’ve never been kissed before.”
He smiled then. “Do you want to try again?”
I never responded.
He set his lips against my neck, making me stiffen.
“Shhh…” he soothed, “I won’t go further. Relax, okay?”
I closed my eyes tightly. “I’m just on edge.”
“I know,” he said then, lightly kissing the nape of my neck. “The point of this is to distract you, right?”
I just gazed down at him, breath shaking as I spoke quietly, “Damon… why are you doing this?”
He set his head against my collarbone. “Doing what?”
“Kissing me…” I said then, “if you’re just going to kill me.”
He smiled then. “So it does bother you.”
“I’m just….”
“You’re just, what?” he said then.
“I guess I am scared,” I said then. “Because I want to get close to you, but… what if you don’t want to get close to me? Everything is so… confusing.”
He smiled at my honesty.
He sat up then, lightly brushing my hair away from my forehead. “I want to get close to you, too.”
“But… isn’t the killing me thing going to weigh on you?”
“It’s better to get close enough while it lasts… rather than regretting to not do it later.”
I just watched him, but my lashes lowered.
He tipped my chin up, and I stared at him.
He just lightly set his lips on mine and pulled back. “Let’s get you to bed.” He ran his thumb along my lip. “You need to rest.”
I smiled and nodded. “We should go on a killing spree together.”
He chuckled. “Alright, crazy girl.”
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