Author's note: this is from Serina's point of view

- - -

​​

Mona continued talking with the focus on the day ahead, "After breakfast, we are going to the beach with nets and other equipment for volleyball and badminton."

I wanted to hear more details about what happened after Duke and I left the beach last night, but I guessed that usually chatty Mona spoke vaguely because Duke was present.

Mona is easygoing and loves to have fun, but she is unexpectedly reliable.

I appreciated how Mona thought about everything, confirming that letting her be the party planner for Luca's birthday was a good decision.

So far, Zoe's, Luca's, and Ash's birthdays were celebrated at Fynn's place with some extra food and drinks (it seems that werewolves don't care about birthdays, just like vampires) and I would bring a cake, but I wanted to do something different considering that all three of them are close to finishing high school and ready to step into the world of adulthood.

Now that we are here, I acknowledged that I would definitely mess it up without Mona's help, but I didn't let that discourage me. It's not my fault that I didn't attend parties so far, and I approached this as a learning experience.

It's not that I'm into party planning, however, technically, I am a mother figure for these kids, so it should be on me to organize such parties. I think.

Mona had different activities planned for each of the days we will be staying here so that no one is bored and based on the enthusiasm among teens, Mona's choices were a hit.

After talking to Duke for a few minutes next to the table with beverages, Ash left to take his seat and Duke gave me his full attention.

"Do you want jam on that biscuit?", Duke asked, already holding the spreading knife while eyeing the plain pastry that was on my plate.

"Strawberry please." I let him pamper me.

Mona's eyes darted from me to Duke when she asked, "What will you play? Badminton will be a competition among doubles, and depending on how many are interested in volleyball, we will decide on team sizes."

Duke responded while glancing at Zoe, "I would love to play, but I promised to someone that I will buy meat for barbeque, and I will keep my side of the bargain even though she still didn't deliver anything."

"Feed me first, then information.", Zoe said cheekily, not hiding that she was eavesdropping on our conversation.

Duke shook his head and shot Zoe a smile while applying jam on my biscuit like it's the most important task in the world.

"You know that she doesn't really have anything important to say, right?", I asked Duke.

Duke placed the biscuit on my plate, took my hand in his, and kissed the back of my palm without breaking eye contact. "Everything related to you is important, sweetheart."

I couldn't believe that he was flirting. Mona was right there staring at us and wiggling her eyebrows! And others are werewolves, so there is a big chance everyone heard that!

I glanced at Mona who was grinning.

"We are going to town to buy meat.", I confirmed to Mona. "If you are still on the beach by the time we are back, we will join."

"Sounds like a plan…", Mona said in a singing voice before sipping whatever was in her cup.

I looked at Duke helplessly. I couldn't even be angry at him for putting me in this embarrassing situation. I am not used to the public display of affection, but it seems that I will need to get used to it or suffer constant blushing like I have rosacea.

- - -

Author's note: this is from Duke's point of view

- - -

The night with Serina in my embrace after two weeks of sleeping alone was fantastic. I loved holding her, feeling her warmth, and inhaling her scent.

The not-so-good part was that I was aroused for most of the night, and I couldn't wait for her to fall asleep so that I get a cold shower or maybe whack myself off once or twice, and save myself from aching balls.

To my misery, she didn't sleep. How is that possible?

It's not unusual for me to miss a night or two of sleep in a row. Somehow, my body can handle it. But I thought that normal people have a need to sleep and considering that Serina slept so much every time we were together, I assumed I will have time to handle my condition.

Maybe it's due to her sickness and whatever anti-sleeping medicine she is taking, is working.

I wondered if it was the right thing to come here. This was much harder than I thought it will be.

I can't stay away from her, yet when we are together I can't get close enough.

I want to touch her, taste her, and merge with her in every way possible, and knowing that she wants me as well is only amplifying my madness, but I can't risk making her condition worse. I waited for so long to get Serina back into my life, and we are finally together, waiting some more until I can pillage her insides shouldn't be this difficult.

I was never this horny, but Serina makes me go all kinds of crazy. My craving for her can't be described with words.

Serina's suggestion that we go for a run was welcomed because I was losing my mind with her in bed next to me while suppressing my urges.

To be honest, I was expecting that I will need to hold Serina's hand and watch over her. She was always slow and slightly clumsy, and this was different, but I didn't hate it. I wondered if this change is because of her newly found confidence as Seraphina, or maybe something else shifted inside her but in the end, it didn't matter. That was still my Sanya.

Serina ran through the forest, swiftly and nimbly like a gazelle that was awakening my desire to chase after her and make her mine in the grass we stepped on. Feverish arousal washed over me at that thought.

The bedroom provided privacy and I thought that going out in the open will force me into decency, but the mental image of Serina naked under me with grass in her hair proved me wrong. Shit! I'm really losing it.

I didn't plan for a make-out session in the tree, but when I saw morning sun caressing Serina's flushed face, I had to taste her.

Serina said she was sweaty like it's a bad thing, but I guess she has no idea how delectable her scent is. The sweat amplified jasmine and Japanese wisteria became sweeter, like an aphrodisiac that made me crave for Serina more.

The good thing was that up in the tree we couldn't go beyond kissing. Actually, we could. I pushed those thoughts away forcefully.

We ran back to the mansion while holding hands and Serina's touch combined with the forest brought me an inexplicable satisfaction.

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