Eight
1315 Words
Chapter Eight
Gabriella’s POV
The upper chambers were quiet, the silence broken only by the occasional pop of firewood in the sconces along the corridor. My room lay in the center, nestled like a jewel between four doors—Leo’s to the right, Tristan’s to the left, Rhael and Mark across the hall.
When Tristan had led me here earlier, I thought the placement symbolic, maybe even protective. Surrounded on all sides, the heart of their fortress.
But in the deep of night, with the moon high and my wolf restless, it felt like a cage.
I tossed on the vast bed, sheets tangling around my legs. My human mind whispered of danger, of enemies at the borders, of truths too heavy to bear. But my wolf…
My wolf was laughing.
They’re ours, she purred inside me, her voice silken, wicked. Four strong Alphas. And we’ve tasted nothing of them yet.
“No,” I whispered into the darkness, clutching the blanket tighter. “We can’t. Not like this.”
But she didn’t listen. She never listened. My wolf wasn’t weighed by fear or shame. She was instinct and hunger and the dangerous thrill of belonging.
And tonight, she wanted to play.
Before I could stop her, I felt myself moving. My bare feet padded across the rug, my hand turning the knob. The hall was empty, but the scent of them lingered—cedar, pine, spice, snow. My body swayed toward the left, toward Tristan’s door.
A mischievous smile tugged at my lips. My wolf’s smile.
The door creaked softly as I pushed it open. Moonlight spilled through the high windows, painting Tristan’s room in silver and shadow. He lay on his side atop the bed, one arm tucked beneath his head, his chest bare, the blanket tangled at his waist.
I froze, breath caught. He looked impossibly peaceful, impossibly beautiful.
Then my wolf surged, propelling me forward. My knees sank into the mattress, the sheets cool beneath my palms as I crawled closer.
“Tristan,” I whispered, voice low, teasing.
His lashes fluttered, and blue eyes opened, hazy with sleep before sharpening in an instant. Surprise flickered, then something hotter, something restrained.
“Gabriella?” His voice was rough, heavy with sleep. “What are you—”
I pressed a finger against his lips, giggling softly. “Shhh. Don’t talk. Just… let’s play.”
He caught my wrist gently but firmly, pulling my hand away. His lips curved, not in the smile of a man giving in, but in the grin of one amused and exasperated all at once.
“Play?” he repeated, voice husky.
“Yes,” my wolf purred through me. I leaned closer, so close I could feel the heat radiating from his skin. “You want to. I can smell it.”
He chuckled, the sound vibrating against me. “Little wolf, you have no idea what you’re asking.”
“I do,” I insisted, straddling his waist boldly. “And I want it.”
For a heartbeat, his control wavered. His hands gripped my hips, strong, unyielding, holding me in place. His eyes darkened, hunger flashing so raw it stole my breath.
Then he laughed again, shaking his head. “Not tonight, Gabriella.”
My wolf growled, frustrated. “Why not? You’re mine. I’m yours. What are you afraid of?”
His grip softened, sliding to my waist in a touch that was tender even as it held me back. “I’m not afraid,” he murmured, meeting my gaze with piercing intensity. “But I can see it. This isn’t you. Not your human self. It’s your wolf, restless and mischievous.” He brushed a strand of hair from my cheek, his thumb grazing my jaw. “And I want all of you. The wolf and the girl.”
I wriggled against him, testing his resolve, but he only laughed again, low and warm. “You’ll have me, little one. Tomorrow. When your human heart is awake and asking, not just your wolf’s instincts.”
“I don’t want to wait,” I whispered fiercely.
“And I don’t want to take you when you’re not fully here.” He rolled, faster than I expected, and suddenly I was on my back, his body hovering above mine. His eyes glowed faintly in the moonlight, Alpha power radiating from him. “Do you know how hard it is to resist you right now?”
I gasped, heat flooding me. “Then don’t.”
His lips brushed my temple, lingering, then he pulled back with a groan. “No. I’ll play with you in the morning, when Gabriella and her wolf both want me. Tonight, you go back to bed.”
It took nearly all his strength—his, not mine—for him to lift me gently, carry me out into the hall, and deposit me at my door. His smile lingered, tender and teasing, even as he closed the door firmly behind me.
But my wolf wasn’t done.
Minutes later, my body moved again, silent on the rug, drawn this time to the door on the right.
Leo’s scent hit me the instant I turned the knob—crisp and cold, like winter air. His chamber was darker, the fire banked low, shadows coiled across the stone walls. He sat awake at the desk, papers spread before him, but his head snapped up the moment I entered.
“Gabriella?” His voice was a growl, sharp, commanding. “What are you doing here?”
I shut the door with a soft click, leaning against it, lips curving in a mischievous smile. “I couldn’t sleep.”
His eyes narrowed, suspicion and something hotter mingling in his gaze. “So you thought to come here? In the middle of the night?”
“Yes.” I crossed the room slowly, deliberately swaying my hips. “You said I was home, didn’t you? And home means being… close.”
His chair scraped back as he rose, towering over me in an instant. His hands caught my shoulders, firm, pushing me back half a step. “You don’t know what you’re doing, little mate.”
I tilted my head, wolfish grin spreading. “I know exactly what I’m doing. You want me. I can feel it.”
His jaw clenched, his eyes flashing bright electric blue. “Of course I want you. Every part of me wants you. But this—” he exhaled sharply, steadying himself “—this isn’t your human voice speaking. This is your wolf, wild and untamed.”
“And what’s wrong with that?” I teased, stepping closer, until my chest brushed his.
He groaned, low and dangerous, his hands tightening on my arms. “The problem is, if I give in now, I won’t stop. And when I take you, Gabriella, it will be because you asked, not just the wolf that shares your body.”
I rose onto my toes, whispering against his jaw. “Maybe both of us want it. Maybe you’re just afraid.”
His laughter was dark, rough. “Afraid? No. I’m afraid of nothing. Except hurting you.” He tipped my chin up, forcing my gaze to lock with his. “You think this is a game, but once I start, I won’t be gentle. And I won’t share that first time with just your wolf.”
My wolf whimpered, claws raking inside me, begging. But Leo only lifted me, as if I weighed nothing, and set me gently back in the doorway.
“Go back, little mate,” he ordered, his voice firm but softer now. “Before I stop caring about which part of you is asking.”
The door shut firmly, leaving me in the hallway again, heart pounding, body burning, my wolf laughing inside me.
Because she wasn’t done yet.
- Writer
