"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." - Buddha

She is here.

My Vivian.

Standing as confused as ever. But looking even more beautiful than before. A sudden urge to protect her from all the male's took over me. My eyes traveled around the room where I saw that every eye was glued to her.

Mine.

"Out, all of you."

Their eyes transferred to mine.

"Ethan, we-" Alpha Lennon started.

"I said - OUT!" Once again, my canines elongated and I growled at them.

My father realized that I was losing my temper so he nodded towards the rest and quickly they all left the room.

I looked at Vivian, whose eyes were glued to the ground. Slowly, they moved up and as soon as our eyes met, she loudly gasped. Her eyes portrayed fear. Then, swiftly, she turned around and started to follow the others.

She was scared of my wolf.

"Not you," my voice softened, "please."

My voice stopped her. She turned around, looked back at me and raised her eyebrows as if to say 'me?'.

I nodded.

She cautiously walked back inside; as if she was afraid that I'd jump on her and kill her any second.

No. I can never harm my other half.

It pained me to see how vulnerable she looked right now. She was never like this - ever. She was always the ferocious, feisty, take-shit-from-no-one Vivian. But never....this Vivian; who was afraid. She was courageous, brave - everything that I always admired about her.

It is true, and I still regret it, that I bullied her. My father and the other Alphas convinced me that it was the only choice. The only choice which will protect her. But whenever she talked back to me and stood up for herself, it brought peace to my wolf and I because we knew she could defend herself. That she needed no protection. Her pretty narrowed eyes glaring at you, her nose scrunched to the side a bit, her mouth twisted to show her anger was enough to make her win. Her intelligence and strength were like the cherry on top. Altogether she was a force to be reckoned with.

And I deserved all the crap she said to me for all the times I put her through the bullshit. But I never exceeded the limits when it came to her, never.

Her anger and fighting nature never bothered me. Instead, it made me proud of her.

Her hesitant voice interrupted my train of thoughts and brought me back, "Why?"

I raised my eyebrows, "Why, what?"

"Why did you hurt Elliot?"

Vivian mentioning his name brought back all the pain and anger. My wolf resurfaced and it happened.

I quickly closed the distance between us, pulled her by her waist and crashed my lips on her.

---

The last thirty seconds did not make sense. It started with me asking him a question and the next thing I know, he had grabbed me by my waist, pulled me forward and crashed his lips on me.

His kiss was so sudden, demanding and fierce that for a second I thought my front teeth would be knocked down my throat. It had nearly knocked all the wind from my lungs. I wanted to pull away before I lost myself but I responded immediately, surprising myself. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips softer than I could have imagined. My brain lit on fire and the warmth spread throughout my entire body. This kiss was like a beginning, a promise of much more to come. I never believed in or had expected fireworks, tingles, and desire when one kissed their mate. I thought it was all crap. But I was totally wrong. Now I knew what was missing from all the times I kissed other guys.

The connection.

But how is it possible when we rejected each other?

Rej- wait...am I kissing Ethan?

As if somebody dumped a bucket of cold water on me, I pushed him away and slapped him.

But it did nothing to him. His face didn't even slightly turn away by the impact of my slap. However, the swirls of emotion I saw there in his eyes made me gasp.

Lust and desire.

"Remember this: sei mio, Vivian. Mine."

Him speaking in a different language slightly aroused me which left me confused. I heard him speak this before but why didn't I feel this way before?

I pushed it back in my mind for a while and quickly went back to the reason why I came.

"My patience is running out Ethan. I have had enough," I spat. "And don't you ever try to fuvking kiss me again."

He silently stared at me, his face blank.

"What were you all talking about before I came? Tell me everything right this second or I am leaving."

Once again, he silently stared at me.

I knew he was not going to answer me so I turned for the door to go and find my father but suddenly I felt him grab my wrist.

"What do you want to know?"

I turned around, my hair hitting him in the face, "What were you all talking about? Tell me! I am sick of this! Why were you talking about me? Why were you all talking about Lycans? They've been dead for years!" I pulled my hand from his grip and took a few steps back to get some distance between us.

"It is a long story."

I lost it, "Can you cut the crap and -"

"Okay, listen to this then!" he yelled, "Lycans never died, they are alive and they want you dead."

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