19

I can't remember how long I lay in bed thinking about everything, but hours must have passed. With difficulty I tried to distinguish reality from dreams and after several pinches on my arm I had to admit with disappointment that I was not in a dream world.

I pulled the hood of my sweater over my head and snuggled into my blanket. Forget how much I would like to be able to do that. Just tune out everything and focus on normal life. Like everyone, go to work and mess with the little things called problems. But it would never be normal again, I was painfully aware of that.

So my grandparents were wolves and lived in a place that seemed untouched by humans and apparently had the magic to move streets or make them disappear altogether. In addition, they waged a war with their pack. How much worse can it get, I thought, and pulled the covers over my head until all I could see was black.

When I woke up, everything around me was pitch black. It was probably the middle of the night, but I just couldn't get any more sleep, so I got up and sat thoughtfully on the edge of my bed. I didn't want to but had to accept it as it was and the best I could do was finish our conversation with my grandma.

I got up ready and walked over the soft carpet to the door and opened it quietly because I didn't know if she was still awake. I tiptoed down the stairs and couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted my grandma and Jayden in the living room.

I immediately wanted to turn around and flee, but my grandmother's voice converted me. "Chiara dear, please come and sit down," she said sympathetically and I turned back to her without even glancing at Jayden.

Hesitantly and tensely, I walked past him to the other side of the couch and sat down next to Lisbeth, taking a deep breath. "So you two. I would like to ask you to take your time and listen to what he has to say," she admonished me and then turned to Jayden. "And you stop being so arrogant and treat her kindly!"

"Of course," Jayden replied, which made me laugh in disbelief. "He doesn't know anything other than his arrogance," I said amused and looked at my grandmother, but she admonished me with a dark mine, which immediately made the grin fall from my face. "I'll make us some tea," she explained, looking back and forth between us one more time and then disappeared from the living room.

"So," he said, leaning forward in his thin white sweater and black vest to examine me closely. "I'm sorry I treated you so badly." "Oh, it can apologize!" I rolled my eyes and then avoided his gaze.

"That's exactly what I mean! How am I supposed to deal with you when you're so narrow-minded and ignorant!" He got up and was about to leave, but he stopped in the living room doorway, ran his hands through his hair and turned back to me. "Chiara, it's the way it is. I didn't choose it, neither did you, but we are meant for each other. Have you ever been really happy or in love? No, right? Because you can't feel those feelings for anyone except for me and if you reject me, we will both perish."

He came closer to me and crouched down right in front of me to take my hands in his. It was just too much for me and absolutely uncomfortable, but he was right. I've often noticed men because of their looks, but I've never felt anything like love. "I would never force you to love me or live with me, but I want you close because it gives me the strength I need for my pack."

I nodded in agreement, just glad he wasn't expecting a relationship or anything, but I was happy too soon. "And I ask you to close the connection with me."

I immediately snatched my hands from him and stood up so quickly that he almost fell backwards. "There's no way I'm going to have my first time with you!" I told him, startled, and ran over to the window. "Your first time?" he asked in surprise and stepped next to me in disbelief to be able to take a good look at me.

"So you've never?" he whispered and I saw the corners of your mouth twitch in delight, which infuriated me. He honestly thought I was saving myself for him. "Can't everyone be such a village mattress like you," I smiled and turned away from him when my grandma came back into the living room with a tablet.

"Have you got everything sorted out?" she asked, looking at us as she carefully placed the tablet on the table. I looked over at Jayden who seemed distracted and just looked down. Was he offended by what I said? It was the truth after all, so he didn't need to play offended.

"Yeah, we did," he murmured, flopping back down on the couch.

"Good, then let's clear up the rest." Lisbeth said and I just looked at her in amazement.

"So. I got that. You don't want a relationship?" she asked and I immediately looked at her in disbelief. "Of course not! I hardly know him and what I do know is totally unacceptable!" I shared and saw Jayden roll his eyes, which I ignored.

"Chiara my darling. I didn't want to attack you or push you into anything. But the fact is that only the two of you can be happy together because you are soul mates." She sat on the couch and held out a hand to get me to sit down next to her, which I did.

"I'm aware of that and yes, I'll stay close to him. That's all," I agreed and he nodded too, accepting the deal. "Good and one more thing. I don't want you to go into the forest alone anymore," she admonished me and I took a deep breath and then nodded in agreement.

"And no other men," Jayden said suddenly, whom I immediately angrily targeted. "Have you actually looked at your place? And you want to tell me something about other men?"

I got up and was immediately back to 180. What was this idiot thinking? I had only just found out that werewolves really existed, was fine with staying close to him on this mate thing and yet he still wasn't satisfied. "You know what? You can fuck me," I hissed and was about to get up to jump at his throat, but my grandma beat me to it.

"Let's all calm down and think about it all for a few days," she said soothingly and then turned to Jayden. "You go now please."

He nodded, gave me a stupid grin and then quickly ran towards the front door to finally disappear. "You can't be so strict with him. He hasn't been an alpha for long and his parents ask a lot of him. In addition, wolves without a permanent partner are always terribly wild and playful," she explained and fell back on the couch.

"Wild and playful? Probably more arrogant and pretentious," I murmured and looked outside. "Is there anything you would like to know?" I felt her eyes on me but didn't look over at her.

"What else should I know?" I asked, still looking into the night.

She started telling me everything I needed to know. Starting with the fact that an alpha is the highest rank in the pack and shouldn't be provoked or challenged, which made me laugh briefly. How many times had I provoked him, but she also explained that I was the only one who could stand up to him as his mate.

There would be another beta, that would be Ethan and Samuel and Chace would be his closest associates. That's probably why Lou called them followers and little puppies. Lou himself had never transformed. She wanted to live a simple, normal life, my grandmother said, but Jayden had her fully under control and even without calling herself a werewolf, she was under him and had to obey him.

The war they waged would be against a pack that had been at enmity with them for hundreds of years. None of today's generation knew why there was a war at all, and yet attacks were launched again and again, in which werewolves often died, like my grandfather.

Food, clothing and everything else was delivered once a month from the money the city raised from its animal husbandry. There would also be criminal business, but my grandmother didn't know exactly what it was either.

"What about Ludwig and the others? Are they wolves too?" I asked her when she stopped talking and turned to her tea. "You have to ask him that yourself," she said and then, when her cup was empty, went to bed.

Meanwhile, the sun was slowly rising and I finally knew why everyone here was so nocturnal. Wolves loved the dark and had very good instincts. For them there was no difference between day and night.

I sat alone on the couch and thought about everything. I slowly started to accept things as they were and to deal with them.

Exhausted from all the new insights and the long conversations, I found my way to my room and went back to sleep with the sun tickling my nose.