Precious (Werewolf Taboo 1)

thought I'd like it," she confesses. "It just made me feel dirty." She shrugs like it's no big deal, but she's crying again, tears dripping down her face.

He finds himself softening completely. He's never been particularly adept at dealing with her tears. "Silly thing," he sighs, wiping her cheeks with his palm. He kind of wants to pull her down so that he can lick away her tears, make things all better and leave his scent on her skin, but that would just frighten her, so he stops himself. "Did you like the boy, at least?" he asks.

She starts nodding and then shakes her head. "He's popular," she says like it means anything.

He can't help but be reminded of just how young and innocent she is. "You could try again with someone else?" he offers feebly and blanches, wishing he could slam his head into the nearest wall for even suggesting such a stupid thing.

Instead of making her feel better, she starts crying harder, falling over the edge of the chair to wrap her arms around his neck. He's solid enough that he doesn't fall over, but it's a near thing and he ends up on his ass with the young girl in his grasp, clutching to him and sobbing.

He pulls her closer, his hold on her relaxing a little. "Are you hurt?" he asks, his tone softening.

She shakes her head. "He didn't really do anything," she admits and he seriously doubts that that the boy 'didn't really do anything'. There are bruises all over her hips. Then again, she's sixteen. The boy is probably too excited and too inexperienced to remember to make things sex pleasurable for his partner. He probably even forgot that she's human and would have bruises that won't heal as quickly if she was a wolf.

He wants to ask a lot more details, but he has a feeling he's better not knowing. He reminds himself that she's still young. It's normal for her to experiment with her peers. The first time he had sex, he was fourteen. Sixteen is fine. Except he wants to hunt down the boy who had touched her at all.

She isn't crying anymore, but she's still clutching him tightly and he sighs, wondering if it would make her feel better if he went out and hunted the boy down. Then again, she hadn't really appreciated it when he made the bullies's parents lose their jobs. She has always been emphatic and had worried about them not getting enough food if they didn't have work. They had work, just elsewhere, he lied easily. They were probably already packing their bags to leave for another country by then. It made her school days marginally easier. People knew to leave her alone and some of the more powerful families encouraged their children to be friends with her because of him.

Finally, he huffs and just holds her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. It's wet with her tears and he has to resist the urge to lick them away. "It's supposed to feel good for the both of you," he says, feeling a little awkward for having to explain this to her. He doesn't expect her to clutch to him, holding him tight and hiding her face in his neck.

"I know," she says, his breath like hot flames against his skin. "I thought I'd like it, that's why I let him," she whispers. She presses up to him like she's a child again, arms curling around his neck, every inch of her as close to him as she can get. Except she's not a child. She has curves now, full breasts that she's pushing up against his chest, soft thighs straddling his legs and perfect curves everywhere.

He resists the urge to hold her closer. "You shouldn't rush these things," he says. "Your first time should be with someone you love," he says and releases her despite his wolf screaming for him to claim her for himself. He untangles himself from her and stands, pulling her up with him. "Go get cleaned up," he says, resisting the urge to just tear the offending clothes off.

"'kay, Daddy," she whispers and he can't help the shiver that title elicits. She's stopped calling him that for a while, for which he's grateful for.

It's torture when she starts again.

He makes her accept one of the University offers and quits his job to move closer to her. He's hired immediately.

Chapter Two: Heartbreak

She has her first serious boyfriend when she's seventeen.

His name is Sam and he comes from a fairly reputable family. His parents are both werewolves from a long line of wolves. She doesn't expect their relationship to last even though the boy is absolutely smitten with her because Sam is a werewolf. He might not look down on humans, but his family history of only marrying werewolves make is clear that marriage is not going to be on the table for them.

At any rate, he isn't at the risk of losing her to him. While the boy stinks of arousal when he's with her, she smells aloof and mostly amused.

He suspects that she agrees wot be with him because she's a little bit lonely in her new place and it's nice having a friend to spend all her free time with whenever she feels like it. He would put a stop to things if it isn't clear that she hasn't done anything with him other than innocent kisses and that he genuinely enjoys her company. The boy seems to respect her enough not to push her. Perhaps he is a little bit terrified of William too.

When she comes back a few weeks later smelling like disappointment and tears, he doesn't ask questions. He lets her lean her head against his shoulder and gently cards his fingers through her hair. He presses a kiss to her temple.

"Apparently he had been fucking my lab partner for months," she whispers, like she's telling him a secret. "It's funny cause I was the only one who couldn't smell it."

He tightens his arm around her shoulder, heart growing heavy as she sighs. She doesn't smell too heartbroken about it, merely resigned. She has had a lifetime to get used to the fact that she's prey in a world full of predators. She's attending a medical school and is quickly proving herself to be the top of her year despite being the youngest to enter the acclaimed medical school. She's well-liked, but she's also human. There are Shifters who still think of humans as inferior. She liked Sam because he didn't treat her like she's anything less.

He wonders how difficult it is to have him disposed of without getting caught. It's more complicated because his new company frowns against personal vendettas and the boy's family is as clean as they come, but he could probably get it done with minimal fuss.

"He says he doesn't feel anything for her. It's just sex," she shrugs like it's not a big deal, but he knows it is. She hadn't loved him, but she enjoyed his company and it would have been humiliating to find out.

"It's never just sex," he finds himself saying.

She shrugs. It doesn't matter.

Her lack of interest when it comes to sex cause him to be both relieved and worried. He wonders if her first experience had ruined things for her and if she's no longer interested in sex because of it. He hopes not. It isn't as though he had been having one night stands left and right. He's had a few flings, some women whom he thought would match, but they've never worked out well for anyone.

He hasn't found anyone that he trusts enough to bring home, even. His territory is sacred and meant for just the two of them. He doesn't let anyone in and he's noticed that she doesn't bring anyone home either.

She pulls away from him and disappears into the bathroom. They have a quiet dinner that night, but he doesn't mind. It's nice, having her around again. She had been spending so much time with Sam that he finds himself missing her.