VIVIANNA
The guys didn’t immediately respond to my question but sat in silence, not looking at anyone. I could feel Darius’s pulse quicken from my spot in his lap. I wanted to get up and leave the room, but I couldn’t figure out a way not to make the situation even more awkward.
Why did I have to go and ask such a stupid question? These guys must think I’m some attention-seeking wolf whore. I haven’t even known them for a day, and I’m asking if they are vying for my attention? Good god, Viv, you have lost your mind.
You’re thinking like a human again. Wolves work differently.
They are quick to act when they decide something.
If these men and their wolves have set their intentions towards you, it’s a done deal.
Besides, did you hear him say more than one mate?
I vote to bring back the dark ages. That sounds like a fun time to me.
You’re kidding, right? Why would I pick any of them, let alone two or more?
Um, I’m sorry, have you been living a very different day than I have?
Not only did they save our asses, but they brought us to a safe place, fed us, and have been cuddling you since your basement meltdown.
Let’s also not forget that they are drool-worthy in the looks department. I vote to take them all as mates.
What about Koit? You didn’t seem very keen on him earlier.
He makes a good sandwich.
I internally rolled my eyes at her; how nice it must be to be so easily pleased.
I sighed, pulling my legs out of Tavas’s lap and tried to maneuver out of Darius’s lap, unable to take the tension in the room.
Darius gripped my waist, holding me in place, his fingers digging slightly into my skin.
He leaned in so I could feel his breath on the back of my neck.
“Just so we’re clear. I never plan on taking you as a mate—ever. So, don’t get any crazy-ass idea about us, Sunshine,” Darius said before he lifted me off his lap and gave me a slight shove.
Squaring my shoulders, I walked away, not wanting them to know how much Darius’s words were like a dagger to my heart.
I know I don’t always act appropriately around people, but that was a dick move. It’s not like I was asking him to become my mate. Hell, I don’t even know him, why do I care if he doesn’t want a mate?
Girl, you need to take a breath. They aren’t people, they’re werewolves, alphas and a beta at that. They would be perceived to be just as awkward around normal humans as you have all your life.
Thanks for that, glad my artless social skills have been noticed even by you.
I had to sit in silence for twenty-seven years, watching your attempts at a social life. Speaking of which, now that you can hear me, can we talk about Chase?
Finally making it to the solitude of the bedroom I woke up in, I shut the door and flopped on the bed.
Why bring him up? We broke up years ago.
Because you should have never dated him to begin with. You’re turning down four upstanding men because you don’t know them. You spent way too many years with Chase, and come to find out, you didn’t know him either. These men have treated you better than anyone in your life, ever.
First of all, how can I be turning them down when they never said that they were interested? Hmm? Second, Chase is a sack of shit that no one would have ever seen capable of having two relationships going at the same time.
If only you had seen John Tucker Must Die sooner. You would have saved yourself a lot of time and energy.
Don’t forget money. I carried his ass through the first year of college.
That’s when I should have known something was up.
How do you live with someone but only spend half the week sleeping at home?
I know I was in my pre-med program and at the hospital all the time, but still, he should have understood.
He couldn’t have understood, you’re a werewolf. He wasn’t dominant enough for us.
What, so I need a man who feels the need to boss me around and control everything I do? No thanks.
That’s not all there is to being an alpha.
They tend to have a controlling streak, I’ll give you that.
What you’re really attracted to, though, is how self-assured they are.
When a man has no problem making a decision and going for what he wants, it’s a total turn-on.
I’m in your head, so you can’t lie to me.
I groaned into the pillow. Once again, she was right.
Typically, I was attracted to guys who knew what they wanted out of life.
The problem wasn’t them, not really. The issue was me.
I’d just had my world turned upside down, and now they want to take me to a remote island full of strangers who don’t play by the same rules.
Then I’d really be screwed—trapped with four men I didn’t really know.
Just when you didn’t think life could get more interesting, you tack on the fact that if I mated with these guys, I would be making them the most powerful alphas in the world.
I ended up needing more time to adjust to everything that I’d learned about myself and to what the guys had planned for me.
I hid in my room for two whole days, ignoring the knocks on the door and the gentle requests for me to just talk to them.
Someone, my guess was Tav, left food outside the door, giving me the space I needed.
I sat in the dark room, unable to sleep.
I was finally connecting so many dots that I’d never understood about my life.
My father never wanted me because I wasn’t even his child.
I then remembered conversations we’d had and how many times he’d told me what I was to him.
I thought about my mother—or rather, the woman who carried me—and how she seemed to treat me like an orphan more than her own child.
I cried over the loss of a life I thought I knew, of the person I thought I was.
My wolf comforted me however she could, but eventually, I was just going to need to move on and create something new for myself.
A soft knock woke me from the deepest sleep I’d had in days.
I was so disoriented, not knowing where I was and who the hell would be knocking on my door.
Freeing myself from the cocoon of blankets, I was quickly brought back to reality when I saw the room.
I wasn’t home at my terrace house in London.
I was tucked away in a safe house with a group of werewolves, hiding away from other, crazier werewolves.
I glanced at the clock, surprised to see that it was well past noon.
“Viv, I just wanted to let you know we made lunch if you’re hungry.” Tavas’s soothing voice came from the other side of the door. “Come down whenever you feel ready. No rush, just wanted you to know.”
My stomach growled at the mention of food. Guess the food supply to the room was being cut off.
It’s not like I was able to eat much when I felt like my life was falling apart. It might be nice to join the others this time.
Apparently, it’s not just men who can be won over by the promise of food.
Oh, shut it. I’ve hardly eaten in the past few days since I was attacked. With all this adrenaline and stress that’s been attacking my body, the need for a higher caloric intake is reasonable now that my body is no longer in trauma.
Oh, sure, use your medical degree to justify your gluttonous intentions. I see how this is going to work.
Not dignifying her quip with an answer, I rolled out of bed and searched around the room for some fresh clothes.
I was all for being in sweats, but I felt the need to have something a little more normal.
I knew it was my brain trying to grasp onto something routine with all the dramatic changes happening in my life these days.
The dresser was full of different clothing basics in all different sizes.
I sorted through them until I found something I thought would work.
I even found a drawer that had underwear and sports bras in it, too.
I wandered into the bathroom, looking around for a hairbrush to tame my wild mane.
I found a few different kinds in a basket of other hair necessities.
This house was ready for anyone of any gender to stay here for quite some time.
Tugging a brush through my wavy locks, I pulled it over my shoulder and braided it out of my way.
I noticed that it was fuller and had glints of golden tones that hadn’t been there before.
Looking in the mirror to see if there was anything else that had changed, I noticed that my blue-green eyes now had hints of gold swirls.
I turned and looked in the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door, taking in my reflection and seeing a new version of myself looking back.
There I stood, in underwear and a sports bra, but I was different.
The change was subtle, but it was still there.
Boxing had given me tone and definition, but I’d never wanted to bulk out, as they say.
I would now say that I was trim, not an ounce of body fat to be found.
My muscle groups stood out but still looked feminine.
My skin looked like it had more of a healthy glow to it, something that was hard to accomplish in the gray skies of London.
I flexed my arm and grinned at the resulting display.
I’d been so freaked out about changing into a werewolf I hadn’t taken the time to see the benefits.
I was the picture of health; I looked vibrant.
I really wanted to shift so I could see myself as a wolf—I knew a little about what I’d look like from what the others said and the small glimpses of myself I’d been able to manage, but I knew I was going to need to know that part of myself better.
You up for walking me through how to shift? Last time I did it was under duress.
Of course, that’s what I’m here for.
I grinned, excited to have some control over this experience for once.