Fated to a Human

Chapter 11

Nathan kept his hands in his pockets as they strolled down the boardwalk side by side. The ocean breeze cooled the night air, but his body was still burning from earlier. Every part of him wanted to get closer to Rory—closer than he should. His wolf stirred just beneath his skin, still electrified by her scent, her voice, her presence.

He stayed a few steps behind, keeping distance.

He had to.

He couldn’t lose control again.

Then Rory’s voice broke the silence. “So… why Skylar?”

Nathan blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. “Honestly?” he sighed, dragging a hand through his damp hair. “I don’t know. I mean… she wasn’t always a bitch.”

Rory raised a brow at that.

Nathan smirked sheepishly. “She was actually pretty chill when we were younger. Smart, funny. But when we hit high school and she, y’know… grew up, something shifted. She changed. Got more into her looks, social status, drama. I became captain of the football team, she was head cheerleader—it just kinda... made sense.”

Rory nodded, processing. “Do you love her?”

Nathan furrowed his brow and shook his head without hesitation. “No. I mean, I care a little about her as a person—I guess. But I don’t love her.”

Rory didn’t let up. “Then why do you keep going back to her?”

He exhaled slowly. “Because… I don’t really have a choice. It’s this toxic cycle. We break up, hook up with other people, then out of nowhere she’s texting me again like nothing ever happened. It’s like—this messed up norm we’ve created.”

Rory made a face. “And that’s what you want?”

He stopped walking and looked at her, really looked at her. “Not anymore.”

They locked eyes for a moment, something unspoken lingering between them—like an invisible string tugging at both their chests.

They continued the walk in silence, not awkward, just… heavy.

Finally, they reached Rory’s house. It was beautiful—modest but elegant. Two stories, half stone, half siding, with a porch that wrapped around part of the house. On one side, a cozy loveseat swing swayed gently in the breeze.

Nathan followed her up the steps, stealing glances. The porch light above cast a golden hue over her skin, making her look like something straight out of a dream.

Rory turned and smiled slightly. “Thanks for walking me home.”

He nodded, unsure what to say.

For a moment, they just stood there. Staring. Breathing.

Nathan’s heart pounded. He wanted to touch her. Kiss her. Say something smooth. But nothing came out. He froze.

Rory waited. Just long enough to be disappointed.

Then she extended her hand with a sigh. “Guess I’ll see you around.”

Nathan gently placed his hand into hers. Their palms met and instantly—sparks. Literal, pulsing energy shot up his arm like lightning. Rory felt it too. Her breath hitched. Her eyes softened. Half-lidded. Waiting. Just one more second.

Nathan leaned in—slightly—but stopped himself, jaw clenching.

Rory whispered, “Goodnight.”

She turned and walked inside.

Nathan didn’t move. He waited until he heard the soft footsteps upstairs, then let out a growl of frustration, dragging his hands down his face.

“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid,” he muttered under his breath.

He was never like this. Never shy. Never nervous. He was always the confident one, the flirt, the heartbreaker.

But with Rory…

He turned and stepped off the porch, heading down the walkway when something caught his eye—the soft glow of her bedroom light flickering on along the side of the house.

He stopped.

There was a tree. A tall oak about ten feet from the side of her house.

His curiosity got the better of him. No—his wolf got the better of him.

Without thinking, Nathan silently climbed the tree with perfect grace. He moved like a shadow, settling into a thick branch nestled in the leaves, hidden from view. His eyes focused on Rory’s window.

She walked into her room, tossing her phone onto the bed. Her long dark hair spilled down her back in waves, then she threw it up into a messy bun.

Nathan exhaled slowly, watching her.

She walked around her room casually, completely unaware. Then she peeled off her hoodie, revealing a black lace bra, and slipped out of her shorts.

Nathan’s heart slammed in his chest. Heat crawled up his neck. His jaw clenched.

She was stunning.

The black lace hugged her curves perfectly—cheeky underwear that hugged her hips, the bra pushing her breasts just enough to tease. She turned slightly, giving him a view of the ink trailing down her spine.

The tattoo had an intricate, delicate design that run vertically down her spine. It features a series of ornate, interconnected patterns, with a prominent lotus-like flower at the top, just between her shoulders. The design flows downwards with symmetrical flourishes, dots, and smaller floral or leafy motifs, tapering towards her lower back.

Then she turned again, lifting her arm and scratching the back of her head. Nathan's breath hitched. Another tattoo.

This one one placed underneath her breast, under the ribcage, and has the appearance of a henna design. It had a large, stylized lotus flower between her breast, positioned towards the front of her body. From the flower, an elaborate, decorative border extends outwards, framing the area. Dainty chains of dots and small, teardrop-shaped elements dangle gracefully from this border, creating a draped, jewelry-like effect across her skin.

And on her thigh—his eyes widened—a detailed wolf. This one depicts the head of a wolf, rendered in a highly detailed, ornamental style reminiscent of a mandala. The wolf's fur was depicted with swirling patterns and intricate lines, and its blue eyes had a knowing, almost mystical quality. Below the wolf's head, there's a prominent, ornate lotus design, from which decorative elements and dangling diamond shapes extend downwards.

His wolf growled in his chest. Possessive.

Then… she unhooked her bra.

Nathan swallowed hard, frozen.

Her breasts were… perfect. Round, firm, high B, maybe low C cup. He could see the soft rise and fall of her breath as she walked across the room—unapologetically confident. Her skin glowed under the light, and every inch of her drove him insane.

Every drop of blood in his body rushed south.

He shifted on the branch, trying to adjust himself.

She grabbed an oversized T-shirt, tossed it over her head, and let it fall lazily over her body, hanging off one shoulder. Then she crawled into bed, pulling the covers up to her chest, turning off the light.

Nathan could still hear the soft rhythm of her breathing.

He wanted to jump through the window. Hold her. Kiss her. Wrap himself around her and fall asleep to the sound of her heart.

But instead, he bolted.

He jumped out of the tree, landing with quiet grace, and took off running down the road—his body still burning, his mind racing, his wolf howling.

He’d never wanted anything more in his life.

And that terrified him.

Nathan ran like hell.

The wind whipped against his skin as he tore through the streets of his neighborhood, his feet pounding the pavement. He didn’t even realize he was barefoot until he reached the edge of Peter’s property and finally slowed down, lungs burning even though he didn’t need the air.

His blood was fire.

His wolf was screaming.

Every step away from Rory felt like dragging a thousand pounds of weight with him. The animal in him fought with every muscle fiber, begging to turn around, to climb that tree again, to go back and claim her.

But Nathan forced himself forward.

He stormed into the guest house and slammed the door behind him, pressing his back to it as his chest heaved. The silence wrapped around him like a trap.

He clenched his jaw and staggered to the kitchen sink, turning on the cold water and splashing his face.

“Get it together,” he muttered, gripping the edge of the counter, knuckles turning white.

But every time he closed his eyes, he saw her again.

The way she tossed her hair up. Her curves, her smooth bare skin. The way her tattoos danced across her skin. The way her eyes looked at him when they stood on her porch—open, trusting, curious.

And then the worst of it—the way his body had responded.

He glanced down at himself, still painfully hard, his shirts doing nothing to hide it. He groaned, turning away from the counter and pacing the floor like a caged animal.

His wolf growled again, clawing at his insides.

“Mate.”

That word echoed in his mind louder than ever before. Louder than the music. Louder than Skylar’s lies. Louder than any doubt.

She was his.

Not just in some physical sense. Not just a girl he wanted to sleep with. It was deeper. In his blood. His soul.

And she didn’t even know.

He couldn’t tell her. Not yet. Not when he couldn’t even control himself around her long enough to say goodnight properly. He’d almost kissed her. Almost marked her without even realizing it.

He gritted his teeth and punched the wall, not hard enough to break it—but hard enough to remind himself to stop.

“Damn it,” he hissed.

He collapsed onto his bed face first. The room smelled like cedar and clean linen, but even that wasn’t enough to clear the lavender and vanilla still clinging to his senses. Her scent haunted him.

He shoved his face into the pillow and growled again, muffling it with frustration.

His body still ached with need, but he wouldn’t give in.

Not like that.

Not with her.

He flipped onto his back, staring at the ceiling. His heart still thundered, and his wolf paced just beneath the surface, wild and restless. But Nathan stayed still. Forcing himself to breathe. To feel instead of react.

This wasn’t just lust.

This was the beginning of something terrifyingly real.

Something dangerous.

Something… worth fighting for.

After what felt like hours, the tension in his chest started to ease. His wolf finally curled up inside him, quiet but not gone—waiting.

Nathan reached over and shut off the bedside lamp, his body finally giving in to the exhaustion.

His last thought before he slipped into sleep was of Rory’s smile on that porch… and the way she’d whispered Goodnight like she’d meant it.

He smiled faintly in the dark.

And then, he finally passed out—his dreams filled with lavender, vanilla, tattoos, and the girl he knew was going to change everything.