The Hunger (The Lycans 3)

And playing along was what needed to be done. So I took a deep breath and said, “How about you start from the beginning.”

21

Caelan

I’d spent a good hour sitting on that frail chair as I told my mate everything about the Otherworld. The creatures who inhabited it, Lycans and vampires, shifters of all different kinds, and the magic that surrounded all of us.

I curled my hands around the sink of the kitchen, staring out the window at the thick woods that bordered the estate. The overgrowth was immense, almost a wall of foliage.

Christ, I’ve screwed this all up.

I closed my eyes and exhaled out of my nose as I thought back to less than an hour before. I told her about the powers my kind, as well as others in the Otherworld possessed, and about our long lives. And although an hour wasn’t enough time to fully immerse her in that world, I tried to give her the bullet points, the most important, key aspects so she could wrap her head around them.

And then I told her about herself, how I sensed her wolf, how one of her parents had been a Lycan—a strong one, as I felt her inner animal strongly within her. I wanted her to tell me about her life, but she’d stayed silent, only asking questions in response to what I said every now and then. She was nervous and scared, and I knew a part of her didn’t believe everything I told her. How could she?

Then I told her about being my Linked Mate, the other half of my soul, the one thing in my life that meant the world to me. I explained all about the Linked Connection, how every single Otherworld creature had a fated mate out in the world, and how the sole purpose of the males of the supernatural was to find their other half. I knew she felt the connection we had, even if the females of this preternatural world didn’t have the same Linking as the males did. She’d see and feel me as something more… something important to her, even if she didn’t understand it.

After that, she’d really gotten quiet, retreated into herself, and pulled away from me even more.

I stayed in her room until she’d fallen asleep, and then I pulled the blankets over her, my fingers lingering over the strands of her hair, everything inside me wanting to just curl up beside her and keep her close.

Opening my eyes again, I turned my focus to the meat I’d cut up from my earlier hunt. I needed to finish cooking some of it and smoking the rest to make it last, or I’d have to hunt again far sooner than I wanted, because the meat would go bad. I looked at the jugs of water I'd gotten from the well, slid my gaze to all the items I’d taken out of the duffel, the change of clothes, all the survival supplies… and realized I couldn't keep my mate here.

She deserves better than what I’m giving her.

I found myself walking back to the bedroom and pulling the door open quietly. Seeing her small form curled under the thick quilt I’d covered her up in had longing filling every inch of me. She looked so fragile and small.

She looks like mine.

Darragh must’ve been moving around in her sleep, because the quilt was now at her waist, her arms curled close to her chest, one hand resting under her cheek. The fire I’d started for her earlier was still alive and going strong, so she’d be at least comfortable in that regard. But it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to be next to her, pull her close to me, let my body heat keep her warm.

I was moving toward her before I realized what I was doing. I gripped the edge of the blanket and pulled it up so it once again covered her shoulders. I’d left her unchanged, because I couldn’t stand the very thought of causing her any more discomfort or keeping her prisoner. I hated the thought of keeping my mate here against her will. But I'd be lying if I didn’t admit that for the first time in my life, I was terrified. And the reason was the very thought of losing Darragh when I’d just found her.

But I’d made sure to tell her that, even if she was unrestrained, trying to escape wouldn’t serve her any good. Not only were we out in the middle of nowhere, with hundreds of acres surrounding the estate, but if she did run, she’d end up getting hurt. Besides that… I’d chase her. I’d find her no matter where she was.

I’d catch her.

And if that fear kept her inside the estate, so be it.

I reached out and gently ran my finger along the red mark around her wrist. It was already fading, and I would bet anything that she’d always been a fast healer—a benefit of her Lycan side, and one she might have even questioned a time or two during her life.