Chapter 21 Warren Onceagain,Icantresistthiswoman.Shesincredible.IknewmyinstinctswererighttotrustthattheMoonGoddesswouldonedaysendmethewomanthatwasmeantforme,butIhadnoideathatIwouldbeworthyofsuchawomanasYara.SheseverythingIveeverwantedinamateandsomuchmore. IknowImcoveredinblood andguts,butintruth,soisshe.Idontlovethat shesmellslikenearlyeverywarriorinmypack,butIalsoknowwhyshedoes.Oneday,hopefullyvery,verysoon,myscentwillbestrongerthananyoftheirsbecauseitwillbemymarkonherneck. Tastingher,havingherinmyarms,smellinghersweetcinnamonandnutmegscentisrelaxingme,calmingme,andhealingmeinwaysthatnothingelseinthisworld haseverdone.Whenpullherintomyarms,itwasntconscious.Well,maybeitwasforArric.MywolfisnearlyasdesperateforourmateasIam.Ifeltherbodytenseandthenrelaxasherarmsslidearoundmyneck.Iletmyselfgetlostinthekiss,knowingthatassoonassheregainsherthoughts,shellpullawaysincemylegisstillopenandbrokenonthetablebehindher. Thekissdoesntlastnearlylongenoughbeforerealityslamsintoher,andshequicklypullsaway, movingtositback. Careful.Youdontwant toundoallthat hardwork,IsaysoftlyIdsufferthepainforthekiss,butIknowshellbeupsetwithherselfifshedoeshurtme. Youareincorrigible!shesays. Arrogant,insufferable,unbelievable,leonine,incorrigible;whatotherinterestingadjectivesdo youhaveforme,mymate? Iseeherglanceupatmeassheleansbackovermyleg.Iwasprettysureshehadntrealized shedspokenoutloudaboutmelookinglikealionsurveyingmykingdom.Arrichadnearlybarkedhislaughoutloudlikesomeofmywarriorsdid.Thewomanisntjusthealingmypacksbodies,althoughthatissomethingincredibletosee .Butshesalsohealingtheirminds,givingthemsomethingtheyhaventhadinalongtime.Hope. Stubborn,theresanaptdescriptionofyou,shesays, tuggingabonebackintoplace.Arric,shesays morequietly.Inarrowmyeyesather.Ithadntescapedmethatshewasmuchmoreinclinedtoloveuponmywolfthansheiswithme. ThatsbecauseImbetterlooking,Arricsays,proudlywatchingourmateputusbacktogether. I snortandYaralooksupatme,raisinganeyebrow. Arric saysyoulikehimbetterthanmebecausehesbetterlooking. Well,heismagnificent,shesayswithouthesitationandArric,thebastard,beginspurring loudly,makingYarasmile. Soyoudolikehimbetterthanme?Iask,feeingalmostjealousofmywolf. Wolvesareeasier,simplerthanhumans.Theylove,theymate,theyeat,theyfightfortheirfamilies,theydiefortheirfamilies.Theydontwaver,theydontjudgebasedonstupidthings.Theysetupahierarchyintheirpackssoeveryoneknowstheirplaceandcanfeelcomfortablewiththeirrolewithinthatpack.Theydontlookdownontheiromegas,theyaccepttheirrolewithinthepackandthestrongerwolvesprotectthemastheyshould.ArricacceptsAnnikaforthewolfsheis ,notjusthismate,butasastrongwolfthat canhelpstrengthenhispack,shesays. AndyoudontthinkthatIaccept youas thewomanyouare?I askasshequietlysaysArricsnameagainandhebeginhealinganotherbone. Sheglancesupatme.Ithinkyouwantmorethanamate. WhatdoyouthinkIwant?Iask,curious aboutwhatsgoingoninherhead.Thewomanisincrediblyintelligentwhenitcomestothehospital,butImbeginningtorealizethatshesignorantwhenitcomestorelationships,whichmakesme 1/2 20:02Sat,Nov30 Chapter21 happy. 40% Youwantsomeonetocomehometoafteryouvebeenfightingsomeonetowarmyourbedandgiveyoupups,shesays andthenstops,as ifallshewouldbetomeisababymakingmachine. Thatspartofit,butthatsnotallofit,Isaytoher,makingherlookupatmeagain. Whydontyoutellmewhatyouwant fromme,shesays,anditsalmostachallenge,asifshedoesntthinkthatIdbehonestwithheraboutwhatIwant.Imaynottellothers,butshesmymate,andIwanttoshareeverythingwith her. +5 ItoldyoubeforethatIwantlove.Yes,Iwantyouinmybedeverynight.EVERYnight.Yes,Iwouldlovenothingmorethantoburymyselfinsideyoursweetheateverynight.Andyes,Iwantpups,withyou,justsowereclear.ButIalsowantawomanwhochallengesme,someonewho canmakemelaugh,someonewhocancalmthefuryandtormentinsidemeafterabattle.SomeoneIcanbecompletelyopenandhonestwithinawaythatIcantwithanyoneelseinthepack,notevenCharlie.Iwantsomeonewholeadsthispack besideme,someonewhoearnstherespectofthepackandtheirallegiance,notjustbecauses hestheirLunabutbecauseshedeservesit.IwantawomanwholovesmeasmuchasIloveher, whowantsmeasmuchasIwanther.Iwanteverything.Iwantitall.Iwantyourlove,yourpassion,yourtears ,yourchildren,yourire ,yourintelligence…everything,Yara.Iwanteverydamnthingyouhavetogiveme. Shesstopped,staringatmewhileImtalking. Thefactthatyoureadamnfantasticdoctorisjustthecherryontopforme. IthinkIlladddemandingtothelistofadjectivesforyou,shesays,gettingbacktoherwork. Whatdoyouwantinamate,Yara?Yousaidyouwantedsomeonewhorespectsyou,whorecognizesthevalueyoubringtothepack,butthosearethingsthatanyonecangive.Whatdoyouwantfromamate.Whatdoyouwantfromme,besidesmonogamy,whichIvealready agreedto. Shefrowns,lookingbackdownatmyleg.Loveandrespect,kindness, compassion,honesty…Idontknow.Iveneverreallygivenitmuchthought. Thinkaboutit.OtherthanthepeaceandquietthatIalreadytoldyouIcantprovide,Iwanttogiveyoueverythingthatyouwantinamateandinlife.Andhonesty…thatsaninterestingone,sinceyouhaveyettobehonestwithme,Isay. WhathaventIbeenhonestwithyouabout?sheasks me. WhydidAlphaSolomonsdeathupsetyousomuch?WasheyourAlpha?Washeyourfather?Iaskandwhenshelooksupagain,Iseethesadness inhereyesandrightbehindit,theresfear. Trustisearned,Warren,shesays,lookingawayquickly. HaveIdonesomethingthatmakesyouthinkImnotworthyofbeingtrusted,Yara?Iask. Shesighsaheavysigh.No.Well,otherthan holdingmecaptiveinyourpack,shesays,glancingupatme. Imkeepingyousafe.Someoneisafteryou,Yara.Fivetrackersdontlie,Isay,watchingherclosely.So,iflosingAlphatSolomonisntwhatscaresyou,thenperhapshavinghisson,Simon, asAlphaiswhathasyou sonervous. Onceagain,ifIhadntbeenwatchingsoclosely,IwouldnthaveseenherflinchwhenIsaidSimonsname.ButIwasandIdid,andnowIknowwhoisaftermymate. After her grandfather's death, she unexpectedly discovers that both her sister and boyfriend betrayed her, taking away the family fortune left by her grandfather. Determined to seek revenge, she decid...