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QOTD : Favorite genre of books?

Anxious, I held my breath, and shrunk back against the snow wall. The footsteps lightly crunched, and I knew they were drawing nearer. Her presence, not human, but not werewolf, felt darker. I was confused for I had convinced myself she was no threat, was it possible I was wrong.

A face leaned over the hole, to reveal a woman older than me. Her dark long curls cascaded down her cheeks as she stared at me. I stared at those daunting hazel eyes, somehow feeling nostalgic. 

"Let me help you," She offered, her thick accent coating her words. I gulped, trying not to be afraid of the woman who'd been stalking me.

"Who are you?" I called out. She chuckled. "That story will have to wait until after I get you out," She said. She quickly reached down her hand, but there was no way I could reach from down here. I stared at her, what was she expecting me to do? 

Suddenly she began to twirl her fingers in a spiral. "Ni'hm," She murmured. What did she say? Within seconds, the ground beneath me began to shake. I got up, leaning against the snow, but it also shook. I was beginning to rise, as if the earth was lifting me up, and it was. I was now level with the witch, the ground beneath me was still and unmoving, as though I'd never fallen in the first place.

I took a second to stare at her. She had on a familiar cloak that draped her body. She wore dark purple lipstick that matched her olive skin, and her dark mascara perfected clouded her eyes. "Um, thank you," I told her. She smiled lightly. 

"Who are you?" I couldn't help but ask. "My name is Nora, and I'm not a threat to you, or Alpha Damon Baine, or anyone from Shadowdawn pack."

I froze. "H-how do you know about them?" Nora frowned.

"I know a great deal about you. More than you even know about yourself," She said with a grave look. "How? What do you know?" I tried.

"You are a key element, do not forget that. I can't stay for long without your pack trying to attack me. There's so much to explain, but I'm afraid I can't be the one to tell you at the moment," She turned her back to leave, but I caught her by the cloak.  She cocked her head to stare at me. 

"Please, don't go. Do I know you? Why are you here? Is there something you need to tell me?" I pestered, feeling desperate. 

"I can't explain it now, but I want you to know I'm here for you, and I've got your back, understand?"

"Please wait! Can't you give me more than that?" 

Nora cringed and stepped back. "Catch up on your history," She whispered. I stared at her in confusion. "What? Why-"

"Don't worry Serena, we'll see each other again very soon," And with that, she waved her palm in front of her face, and began to disappear. I reached out for her, but she was gone, just like magic. I let out a growl of frustration.  

-

I ran back to the pack house, and sat by myself for a bit. Catch up on my history? What did that even mean? What was there to catch up on? She saved me again, but why? Did we know each other long ago? I still had so many unanswered questions.  And when I met her I couldn't help but notice the familiar way her eyes locked on mine. It was so strange.

[I think we should keep this to ourselves] I told my wolf. I felt her pace with angst. [I don't like the idea of that] She replied. I agreed. As awful as it was to keep this private, I knew that if Damon knew she'd come into the territory he'd be furious. He had an idea that she wasn't a friend, and more of a foe. 

"Hey stranger," Danica said as she popped by my side. I jumped at her presence. "Hey," I replied.

"So, you weren't at training today. Everything okay?" She asked. 

I froze. I had totally forgotten about the morning session! "Oh I wasn't feeling good, but I'm alright now," I lied through my teeth.

"I'm glad to hear that. Damon was all worried." Danica shook her head and rested against the couch, flipping through some channels on the flat screen that hung on the wall.

"Oh! Since your back, is he here?" I asked, feeling the need to be in his sights. She nodded. "Should be in his study." I nodded and got up to find him.

I walked up the stairs, and came to his room at the end of the hallway. I began to knock on the door, but the door opened immediately. 

Damon pulled me in, his eyes dark and hungry. I was pushed into his hard chest as he wrapped his arms around me. His lips found mine in an instant. I closed my eyes, enjoying this. He didn't hesitate to slam the door closed behind us. I was shocked at his aggressiveness but that didn't mean I wasn't okay with it. He was holding me so close, but I could tell he wanted more. 

He pulled away, letting himself breath, but not for long. Our mouths danced in sync for a couple more seconds before I pulled away, needing air. I rested my palms on his chest. "You okay?" I asked.

"Just missed you," He whispered, resting his forehead against mine. "Well maybe if you'd spend more time with me than at the territory borders . . ." I couldn't help but mutter.

"I'm sorry about that, we still have nothing new."

Well that made one of us. 

"Let's just, forget about all that for a little. Sound good?" I asked. He grinned and kissed my forehead. "Sounds perfect." 

With those last words, we continued our heated make-out session. I pulled back, resting against his arms and stayed still. We just stood in each others embrace for what seemed like hours. 

"Whatever happened to Larson's threat a few days ago?" I asked to break the silence. He chuckled. 

"Seems I was right. Your brother never did anything."

I felt my stomach churn. Larson didn't just give up so easily. There must be a reason behind him not following his threats. Did he possibly know anything about the witch? Was she in his territory, bothering them too?

"But we can't let our guard down," He added. I sighed. That was the thing about my life. I could never let my guard down. The only person who managed to squirm through was Damon, the biggest unpredictability of my life. 

I only replied with a dramatic sigh. 

"Hey I'm . . . since I'm not fragile or . . . delicate or breakable with just a tough of a finger, I was . ."  I held my breath, not sure how to bring this up.

"Yeah?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. I backed away from him, unsure of how to touch upon the subject without sounding like an idiot.

"I just thought maybe we should talk about, I don't know, just like, the basics, of . . . you know, having a mate and, all that  . . ." I managed to choke out. Damon smirked but I wanted the ground to swallow me up.

"You mean, sex and the mark?"

I nodded, and stared at the ground, twiddling my thumbs.

"Well for one, I wouldn't ever do anything you're not ready for or comfortable with," He stated. 

"Okay . . ." I muttered. 

"Werewolves barely reproduce, so I mean, condoms or birth control isn't that much of an issue but if it makes you feel safer, then yeah, we'll do what we need to," He said. I nodded. "Hey, don't be embarrassed-"

"I am though!" I snapped. "I never had 'the talk' with my parents, so I don't know anything and I feel stupid!" I shrieked, throwing my hands in the air. God I was just digging my grave even bigger. 

"I will never think you're stupid. I want you to be open with me," He said, grabbing my hands. "It's a conversation that had to have been had."

"How many women have you been with?" I suddenly blurted out. His eyes widened and he clenched his jaw. 

"Two," He replied. I frowned, feeling jealousy swim through my veins. God, why did I even ask that question?

"Oh," I said.

"I was a teenager, but when I matured I decided to wait for the person meant for me," He explained. I nodded, knowing I shouldn't be holding it against him. He was experienced in this region of life. I had no clue what I was doing or what I was supposed to be doing.

"W-when should you, mark someone?" I asked. 

He led me to the bed and sat on the edge. I did the same and leaned my head on his shoulder. 

"When they're both ready."

I bit my lip.

"I don't know if I'll ever be ready Damon, I mean . . . it's not like I don't want . . I just mean, no one is ever really ready are they?" I asked. He kissed my cheek. "I don't think so. Having a mate doesn't exactly come with a guidebook," He chuckled. I smiled lightly. He was so patient with me. 

"I . . I never expected this you know?" I asked. He nodded. "Me too."

"Damon," I caught his attention. He stared at me. "I want you to mark me. But . . . before that happens, I have to tell you about my life, don't I?"

He took in a sharp breath. "Only if you're ready."

"Like I said, I don't think I ever will be, but that's the beauty of it all I suppose," I said with a humorless laugh. He smiled. 

"Like I told you, my parents died during a raid. My mom took me and Larson to a shed in the back of the forest where we kept old tools for gardening and stuff. My dad already died during the time, but my mom wanted to protect us as best as she could. But on our way to the shed, a wolf caught our scent and followed us."

I took a deep breath, remembering the day where everything took a turn for the worst.  "My mom told Larson to protect me, but he ran off to try and help her fight him off. I was too young to shift, so I was hiding behind the shed. She died and Larson killed the wolf that took her away from us."

"I'm so sorry," He said, holding my tighter. 

"Larson was so angry with me. He needed someone to blame and that was me. He said if I fought then maybe we could have helped our mom stay alive. At the time, I believed him and sometimes I still do. We grieved for our parents, and soon, I noticed the subtle changed in my brother. He looked at me differently, and acted out against me often."

"It wasn't your fault, you were too young to shift," Damon said, squeezing my hand. I shook my head and ignored him. "The pack was at a loss. I told you that they adored my parents. So when Larson told them all how my mom died trying to keep me safe, they were swayed to believe that if I fought with Larson that I could have saved my mom."

"That's not fair," Damon said once more. 

"I didn't know that. I accepted it all, all the blame. I knew they needed to grieve, and this was how they were going to do it. I figured, hey, as long as it helps them. But the grieving never went away. The pack began to look at me like I was an outsider. A year or so later they began to treat me that way too. As you can guess, things didn't exactly get better."

"What they did to you was wrong Rena."

"Maybe, but until I met you I didn't know that," I replied, playing with my hands. He raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Like I said, things didn't exactly get better. Seeing as I was looked as an outsider, they treated me as such. They told me even living was a privilege. I was robbed of all the things a girl needed. The day I shifted was rough. I was in my room when it happened. It lasted for hours, I just wanted to die. I was excited afterwards. I was so happy, thinking I was one of them and they'd accept me just as they had when I was a little kid. But instead they thought I was even more of a freak. My wolf is white, and a lot of females don't usually shift into white wolves in that pack."

"But your brother's wolf is white too."

"Yeah, but he's Alpha and a male. The pack was starting to get . . . almost angry with me. Angry at my presence. They were mad at the space I had taken up in the house. Mad at the food I had been eating, food that they believed should be in someone else's stomach. I never went to high school. They didn't think I could handle it, seeing as my brain was so 'stupid'," I put quotes around my words.

"I went from daughter of the Alphas, to a servant, all within years. I stopped eating, and stopped trying. Their verbal abuse upgraded, and after that, well . . I just didn't want to fight anymore . ."

Damon growled. I stared at him. "I'm so damn sorry Serena," He said. I frowned, cupping his cheek. "If I . . If I could have just found you sooner . . ." He trailed off, and got up from the bed. I watched him pace back and forth, rubbing his fingers through his hair and down his face. 

"No, it's not your fault, please don't blame yourself for anything, please," I pleaded. I could see his anger coming off him in waves. 

I walked over to him, grabbing his arms. He froze and looked at me. His eyes, as I had seem them do before, were caught between pale blue and black.

I gave him a quick peck on the lips.  I felt him relax and calm down a bit.

He wanted more than a peck, for after a second, he cupped my cheeks and pulled me closer. He was rough, and hungry. I knew his wolf was frustrated, and needed to let off some steam. His hand curled through my hair, but it didn't hurt. He quickly laid us down on the bed, me underneath him. He held himself up with his palms on either side of my head.

As I studied him, I couldn't help but feel blessed for him finding his way into my life. I wrapped my arms around his neck and we continued to kiss each other till our lips were sore. He bit my lip, making me pause. His eyes were dark, and cold. But they didn't scare me like before.

He leaned down, trailing kisses down my cheek and my neck, down to my collar bone. I arched my back, wanting - no, needing more. I felt something graze the crook of my neck, and then there was a sharp pain. I clutched the sheets, shutting my eyes as fire raced through my blood. 

"Sh," He whispered, biting down harder. I let out a shriek. When the pain left, a certain pleasure replaced it. My eyes fluttered closed and I felt like I was floating on a pink cloud.

"Are you alright?" He asked. "M-hm," I mumbled, still feeling the euphoria. I opened my eyes to see him smiling at me. My high quickly left as though it was never there. I reached for my neck, noticing it felt wet. I studied my fingers, blood.

He grabbed my hand and sucked my fingers clean, making my face heat up.

He sat back, and I did the same.

"Rena, I'm . ." He trailed off. I raised a brow, still taking in all that just happened. "I'm falling in love with you. I don't expect you to say it back, so I won't say those three words. I know you need time, but, I want you to promise me you're not going to give up. On yourself, on this situation, and on us."

I froze and my heart spiked. Falling in love? With me? I smiled and nodded. He grinned, embracing me and we laid down. I fell asleep to him playing with my hair and rubbing circles on my back.

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