It was like an electric field that sizzles and intensified in sparks with each step he took toward me. It almost felt like he commanded my attention without saying anything. Looking at him makes me feel alive and numb at the same time. His being dominated this entire presence with just a look my way. Tearing my eyes away from him, I looked around to see if anyone was as affected as me, at least then I knew I wasn't imagining things but no one seemed affected as me.

Returning my gaze to him, I see more of his tattoo. The tattoos on his arms mirrored each other. Black inky wings are carefully drawn down his arms. The v-neck t-shirt revealed a fiery flames tattoo to erupt from underneath his shirt. An angel burning in hell. The Devil hoping to flee to heavens with his black wings.

Why am I so flustered around him? I had never felt this way before with anybody.

I am a sensible woman who had never held any regard for emotions or relationships whatsoever.

I am a woman with an adequate amount of brain cells and nerves to formulate a sentence or remember how to swallow but standing in front of him I can't think or remember to breathe.

Maybe it was because he is your mate.

No, it wasn't just the mate calling that was drugging my brain cells. I am attracted to him. Extremely attracted to him.

My eyes trailed over his neck to his stubble jaw and impeccable lips. They were soft and filled evenly. Finally, I gaze into his dark eyes just as he stood before me. His eyes were still glaring at my forehead.

Conscious, I lifted my hand to cover my forehead but his hand wrapping around my wrist stopped me.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Ellie stood between us, unsure of what's happening. Reaching into his pocket, Liam pulled out a cloth and wiped at my forehead.

"Wait. What?" I tried to move away from his hand.

"Stop moving," he said in a deep baritone voice.

I stopped and wondered how can he know where Tommy has kissed. My eyes trailed the side of his face and saw how hard he was clenching his teeth. He was pissed off.

The memory of our last encounter in his cabin flashed across my mind. He didn't know what he wanted yet he was everywhere. How can I move on if he was everywhere I was? Looking at him made everything harder.

I pulled away from him. Ellie touched my shoulder and whispered into my ear she was going to see her parents for a bit. This left Liam and me alone. I turned to walk away but his hand shot out to grab my elbow. I jerked my arm away from him but this guy was strong.

"Where are you going?" he growled, apparently even more pissed that I am leaving him.

"Oh, I don't know. Have fun? Drink? Make friends? Possibly find me another mate?" I replied with spite.

He yanked me so hard and abruptly I flew right into his chest. No one saw as we were well hidden from the bonfire. I struggled against him.

"Let me go," I demanded.

"Why do you insist on pissing me off, Kitten? You know already I can smell him on you. Yet you continue to say things to drive me mad."

I lifted my chin and looked him straight in his burning chocolate eyes.

"Remember our last conversation, Liam. I am not going to sit around and wait for you to decide if you want me or not. Either choose what you want or leave me alone because I am not a woman who would wait around for an answer."

He slammed his lips against mine. I thought that my kiss earlier was demanding. It was nothing like his. A sweet, slithering shiver developed on my spine. My skin came alive with goosebumps and my core throbbed upon tasting him. I am once again stunned speechless, lost in his darkness and wanting to bathe in his sins and wickedness.

He thrust his tongue inside my mouth as if he owned it. It slid against my tongue like a licking fire. My heart thumped against my chest and my hands have found their way to curl around his shirt, bunching it around my hands.

Liam's hands moved to the back of my head and released my high ponytail. My hair falls into a wild mess cascading down my shoulders.

He pulled back enough to whisper against my lips, "I like it when your hair is down."

He threaded his finger through my hair and forced me to expose my neck. His lips skimmed down my chin and licked my throat igniting my skin for the first time ever.

"You are mine, Sage. No men will ever touch your skin with their lips or I will kill him. Trust me when I tell you this, mate." His hot breath fanning my skin. Involuntarily, I shivered in his arms.

"How did you know?" I managed to say in a huskier voice. His hands tightened around me possessively.

"I know," he growled.

He released me and my knees shook but I refuse to look like a newborn fawn in front of him. I ground my teeth and forced my body to listen. My eyes met his and my body came alive the second I see the scorching desire in his dark eyes.

He makes me feel all kinds of things that I have never felt before.

"So, how long are you two going to stand there and look at each other?" Ellie asked after returning.

I broke the trance. Looking away from Liam, I moved closer to Ellie for mental support. If I didn't, I fear I will go insane.

"We are done here," I whispered.

Ellie took me away to the bonfire. A bunch of our peers sat around talking amongst themselves. We sat on the log seats surrounding the fire pit.

My mind was still lagging from Liam's claim over me. He wants me and threatened to kill any man who touched me. It still surprises me that he was able to smell Tommy on me. It usually takes a lot more than a kiss for a werewolf to smell. Plus, Liam was more than five yards from me.

"Girl, the way he was looking at you was terrifying. He looked like he could eat you up for dinner," Ellie said slightly concerned.

Eat? A smile touched my lips. He does remind me a bit of a heathen.

Ellie squeezed my hand to get my attention.

"You are so whipped," she said with a smile.

I shoved her with my shoulder. Tommy showed up and instead of sitting with us, he sat opposite. Something was up but I don't know what was wrong with him. Elijah one of our peers asked us to join in on their Truth or Dare game.

"Fine, I'll bite." Ellie scooted closer to the fire pit.

I shrugged. "I'll join."

Everyone smiled and they began the game with a whole slew of truths. No one really wanting to do a dare because they were too scared of what they would have to do.

When it was Ellie's turn, she selected dare. Elijah dared her to strip off her top but Elijah didn't know what Ellie and I know. She had a tank top underneath her t-shirt. She pulled it off. Elijah groaned when he realized his error. Everyone laughed.

"Alright, Tommy, it is your turn," Ellie stated.

Tommy turned to me.

"Sage, truth or dare?"

Laughing, I shrugged my shoulder.

"Truth."

"Before you met him, did you ever have feelings for another?"

The air grew silent. Everyone looking between Tommy and me. My smile disappeared and I looked at him. What I saw made me hesitate. It was true that I have never ever thought about dating or being emotionally involved what so ever until I met Liam. No man has ever made my heart skip like Liam.

Did I overlook my best friend's flirtatious gestures as a kind, friendly gesture?

Was there an ulterior reason as to why he was asking me this now?

The air grew even quieter with each passing second. Tommy never broke eye contact with me.

At that moment, I knew. I knew the friendship I had with Tommy changed. He doesn't just love me as a friend. He loves me more.

Ellie gave a nervous laugh.

"Tommy, what are you--" Ellie started.

"Before him, did you?" Tommy whispered.

I cared for and loved Tommy as a friend. Nothing more. I knew that for a fact.

Whatever he saw in my face made him look away.

"Tommy---" I began.

"It is okay, Sage. I shouldn't have asked that question but I needed to know." He stood up and walked away.

I got up and chased after him. Grabbing onto his elbow, I turned him around to look at me. I knew I was losing him. A good friend. Someone, I have known my entire life and never thought for a second he felt this way towards me.

How can I? I have always been so focused on myself. I never thought for one second what he felt towards me. I was no pretty girl. I dress in whatever I had in the closet. Sometimes, I forget to even comb my hair for days and end up with frazzled hair.

"Tommy, you don't mean it," I said.

"I mean it, Sage. I have always meant it but it turns out it was never the same with you. You never looked at me the way you look at him."

"He is my mate," I argued.

"Even if he wasn't your mate, you would have looked at him differently. I never measured up," Tommy said.

I couldn't respond and deny it. It was the truth.

"Tommy, please. We are friends."

"And that is what hurts, Sage. I can't be more to you even when I want to." Tommy's face filled with sadness. "I don't need your pity. Don't look at me that way, Sage."

"I am not. You are still my friend," I told him.

"That is the thing. I can't be friends with you when I feel this way towards you. It is foolish but I am not strong enough. So, until I can look at you and not love you so much I think it is best we stay away from each other."

"Tommy, please," I pleaded.

He jerked his arm from my grasp and walked towards the packhouse. I watched him leave me behind. I am heartbroken with losing a friend but I knew it wasn't faired to him if I made him stick by my side.

I felt a presence behind me. Whipping around I collided into Liam's embrace. He was here. He had been listening. I pushed against his chest hard but he tightened his arms around me.

Seriously? Tommy and Liam were making me feel like someone threw me into an extraterrestrial world and everything I ever knew has changed.

I knocked his arms away but he spun me around with his front to my back. I am suddenly angry with him.

"Leave me the fuck alone," I growled.

"It was for the best, Sage. He needs to learn to let you go." Liam held on tight.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? You don't know who I am. You don't get to tell me what is best. Get the fuck off me." I struggled against his hold but he lifted me high and carried me farther from everyone. We were close to the edge of the woods now.

"Get off me," I demanded.

When we were far away from everyone, he released me. I whipped around to face him. I wasn't truly pissed at him. I was more pissed at the situation than at him but he was the closest person to receive my unreasonable anger.

"This is all your fault!" I lashed out.

I charged after him and pushed him. He grabbed onto my wrist and pulled me close to him. He trapped me close. Keeping a firm grip but making sure I am listening to him.

"You can be pissed at me all you want but there is no fucking way I will let you go into another man's arm. You're my mate. He can't have you."

"Why does it matter to you?" I questioned with accusing eyes.

"Be mad at me. Blame me for everything that is fucked up in your life but if you have any feelings that resembles more than friends for him, I will make sure to kill it in anyway I can. If it means kissing you till you can't breathe his name but only mine then so be it. I won't stop until I am the only one on your mind and in your heart. You asked who the fuck I am? I am your soulmate. Yours." he growled.

His forehead pressed against mine. His hands still wrapped around my wrists. His eyes were dark, angry, and filled with jealousy but underneath all that a sliver of fear lingered. It glowed like a little candle that was barely lit.

"You don't want me," I growled.

"That is where you are wrong, Sage. You asked me to decide if I want you. I know you aren't the kind of woman who waits. You are so much stronger and better. I see it and I want it. You are mine as much as I am yours. You can try to resist me but in the end, you are my soulmate. Mine only."

He releases my wrists to cup my cheeks. A second later his lips touched mine again. Claiming and taking what was his. My heart sped a million beats a second being in his arms.

As his tongue grazes mine, I remember his words. He wants me. He won't let me go.