I woke up in fright. I was panting, and my clothes stuck to my skin because I was sweating so much. Spasms and shivers wracked my frame, and I swallowed hard to keep the bile rising in my throat from coming out. Ugh... I hated these dreams.

"What's wrong?" his scent made me dizzy when he drew closer, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Nothing." I jumped out of bed. "It's just a nightmare," I mumbled.

"Wanna talk about it" I could feel his sincerity, but I wasn't sure I was ready to trust him if I ever would. Wait, a minute... of course, I didn't trust him!

"No, I just want to take a shower," I rushed into the bathroom and for a moment I was frozen in shock. It was large, those kinds I admired in magazines. There was a large tub that was built inside the ground. I mean, it didn't get fancier than that. Then there was a compartment made of glass I walked to check out. Sliding open the glass, I looked around, but it was really just a closet-type space. "I wonder what he uses this for," I muttered to myself. It was amazing though, the bathroom was so big you could have a mini party in here. Sliding the door back in place, I stripped and got in the tub. I looked all around for the tap there was... none? Okay, I have a problem.

"Uh... " damn, I didn't know his name. Wow, never quite bothered to ask.

Like I had a chance.

I cracked the door and saw him lying on the bed half-naked. He was wearing a shirt just now. I deny any reports of my smitten expression. I will not be a party to the sick game the Moon goddess plays and calls a mate bond.

It was the light or just probably the fact that he looked so good in bed? He looked up almost immediately.

His hair was covering his eyes partially and his lips were slightly parted and moist like he just licked them.

"Um... How do I turn on the tub?" I peeped with my head sticking out, hiding my naked body behind the door.

"Uh... that might be pretty complicated. Maybe you should just use the shower." he looked up at me with a sly grin. Shower? What shower? There was a shower in there? I was not about to ask, though. He was already looking at me like I was stupid.

"Why? Because I am a dumb woman?"

His eyes narrowed, and the corner of his lips lifted in a smirk. I hated that look more than anything. "Because you are a rogue. You have been living your life in the depths of the forest. I don't think you have seen a lot of bathtubs." Everything he said was absolutely true. While I was aware that the world was changing, I was an outsider looking in. I couldn't show my face in most places, so I took the safety and covering only the woods could offer me. Yet he only made me angry. Hearing it come from those supple lips, ugh. "Or I could join you?"

"Ha ha," I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the shiver that ran down my spine. "I think I'll manage."

I went back in and shut the door, then I remembered I still don't know his name.

"Give up already?" He smirked when I opened the door again. I rolled my eyes. " I don't know your name."

He smiled, and I froze. Don't get me wrong, everything about him is drop-dead gorgeous. He always looked dangerous, big, buff, and handsome. But this was different. It was... beautiful. He was the kind of guy you see, admire, then turn in the opposite direction, but this smile made him seem more human, more lovable. It was a wow.

"Malik," he replied, snapping me out of my trance.

"OK, thanks," I quickly said and shut the door.

"Okay then, tub, how hard can you be?" I looked for a button, some switch at least, and my eyes landed on a remote.

"Perfect," I stared at it, okay there was the regular red button which I assumed was on. I turned it on. I was very bad with technology, didn't exactly have the privilege of one when I literally lived in the woods.

"Okay," I stepped in and I press the button for hot water, gosh it was so good I hadn't bathed in hot water for so long. And the annoying bathroom in the other room had only cold water.

I was so relaxed, so I picked up the remote and perused through. I saw a button for the jet. "Hmm, what is this?" I turned it on.

"Ooh, that's nice," I groaned. I looked at the shelf for bath gel and some shampoo. My poor hair has been on a shampoo sabbatical.

As I stood up to pick up the bath gel, I slipped and chipped my chin on the side of the tub, my body slamming into that tiny pool of water, sticking out my hand through the chaos I tried to grab onto the edge for support, My plan accidentally landed on the remote the water started spurting from everywhere at me with such force

I screamed and as I tried to fight water ( sorely losing, by the way) the remote fell in.

"No no no!"

"Uh... Iris, is everything alright do you need help?"

"Ah!" I screamed out of frustration. I had soap in my mouth and shampoo on my body, and the water was just making everything difficult and slippery.

"Uh, hotshot?" Hotshot? "I asked to join you in the bathroom. I'm not sure I like bathing in the bedroom".

Huh?

"What I mean to say is I'm coming in."

"No, no, no! I'm naked."

"So what?"

"So I don't want you to see me naked."

Before I could argue further the door flung open and I pushed myself into the water to hide my naked body, I've never gotten comfortable with nudity, as a wolf you'd think that I would be used to it already and the thought of him seeing me like that did something to my head, my cheeks tinged red and butterflies erupted in my stomach.

"Where is the remote?!" he yelled through the splashing water and soap

"Um, well about that..."

"Don't tell me it fell in." He sounded a bit annoyed, almost angry. I gulped.

He leaned into the water and picked me up. I cuddled close to myself, pulling my knees to my chest and my hands across my generous bust. Trying to cover as much as I could.

His hands rested on my naked back and bare thighs. I felt that familiar shock when our skin touched, extending through my body and my heart thumped against my chest.

He took me out of the bathroom and laid me on the bed. I was soaking the bed with my waist-length black hair. Then he stopped for a moment and his gaze scanned my body. Unconsciously, I pushed my knees up to my chin as his eyes came to rest on the spot around my neck. My breathing hitched and my heart thumped even faster. Was that possible? It was almost painful. I looked up at his face and I noticed his eyes had changed color and his canines were already coming out.

"You're not going to mark me now, are you?"

He cleared his throat, snapping out of it, and he turned to go back and I thought he was going to the bathroom as the water was already flooding the room. He went into the closet and brought out a shirt and a pair of shorts.

"Put it on."

I grabbed the shirt and dragged it over my wet body as he dragged me out of the room.

"Wait, don't I at least get a towel?" I tried to keep up with his long strides. My waist-length hair was soaking the shirt behind me. And forget the shorts. He didn't give me any time to do anything.

I saw some men pass by us, running to the room. He must have told them to go fix it up.

When we stopped walking, I took in my surrounding; it looked like a casino at first with the whole bar and all. But it was smaller and warmer. I saw a large dining table in the corner.

"Madame Louis" Malik yelled, I sneezed, and he glared at me.

"Madam Lou-"

"I can hear you, child," a friendly voice called out from behind the counter of the bar.

"Don't call me that." His grip tightened as he clenched his teeth.

"Ow, Alpha Malik, you're hurting me," I tried to yank it away, but instead he pulled me closer to his side.

"Oh, go twist your underwear somewhere else," the woman said.

"My room is flooded, thanks to this fool by my side," my mouth hung open.

Did he just call me a fool? Nobody calls me a fool.

"Excuse you, jackass, mistakes happen. I'm sorry about your room. You see, I guess I'm too much trouble for you, so why don't you just let me go?" I gestured with both my arms. "Huh?" I yelled at him. It was then I really realized what I had gotten myself into.

Malik was a frigging six-foot-one? Two? Giant and I was a five foot six. I was so small in comparison to him. He looked down at me with such dominance. It was hard to even be angry at him when my whole body screamed, run!

"What did you say, miss?" He looked down and bent so he could look me straight in the eyes.

"Look here, Missy, I will not take any sass or disrespect. You made a mistake, big mess and you will apologize, not yell or shout because guess what?" his hands move up to my shoulders and he squeezed so damn hard. I flinched. "I will end you."

I rolled my eyes. "Roll your eyes one more time and I'll remove them, besides I think a blind Luna is better than a sassy one"

"Ooh, I'm so scared." I wave my palms around. His eyes got lighter, from the deep ocean blue to sky blue. His wolf was taking control. And as he raised his hand to hit me. I braced for the impact.

Then I sneezed, not once, not twice, but several times.

Looking up at him, I tried to glare, look fierce, but I was sniffling.

"Oh you poor thing, you must have caught a cold," the old lady walked over to me. "But how wouldn't you? I'm sure this big dummy didn't let you dry off." She held my shoulder and led me to the kitchen.

But not before she smacked him behind his head. Yes, she was also taller than I was.

"Look at what you put this poor girl through," she spat at him. And as we walked away, I turned around and stuck out my tongue at him.

He growled, and I snickered.

He he he, you just got served.