Darkest Wolf

XXI

His hands grabbed at my back, slipping down to cup my butt while his lips pushed hard down on mine. My arms wrapped around his neck while he turned me around and pushed me against the bar. I grinded into him, my wolf growling in pleasure at the contact. I would have had him mark me then and there but he pulled away.

I leaned against the bar, trying to wrap my head around what had just happened. The entire bar was now in a heated frenzy. Jealousy and lust spinning through every pore of the building. I looked at Nathaniel and he looked just as bewildered as I was.

"What are you?"

"I'm the darkest wolf," I grabbed his hand and started to find our way out of the bar," and I need you to help me find the light."

_

He took me to a cottage on the outskirts of the city. It was really more the country but it was surrounded by so many trees that all I could think of what the Jade Forest. These trees aren't as green as the ones back home.

He glowered at me as he allowed me into his home. It was small, just a living room, kitchen, bedroom and a bathroom, but it was beautiful. 

"I built this place in the early 1900s so I hope you aren't expecting much."

"You built this place? How old are you?"

He glared at me as he started to build a fire in the fireplace that looked older than my parents. My wolf purred in satisfaction at the abilities of her mate. I looked at the small couch and the old rug that made up the living room. All the windows were closed and the candles remained unlit. I looked for a light switch but there was none.

"Does this place have plumbing or electricity?"

"Electricity, no. Plumbing, yes. My niece would never stay here if she couldn't shower."

"You have a niece?"

He looked at me from his place at the fireplace. He had stacked all the wood but the match wasn't lit yet. Something burned in his eyes. Pain.

"Yes."

"You said that no one calls you Nathaniel anymore. What do they call you?"

"Cain."

"Why?"

"What do you remember about your past life," he asked, tossing the match into the fire and starting on the candles. 

"I remember that my name was Sorcha and that we were mated."

"I got that. What else?"

"I had an older sister named Mairi. She died when Abel killed her. They had a daughter that I called Addy. We were all happy."

"That was 400 years ago. How do you know this?"

"I saw a hoodoo lady. She gave me the ability to see my past life. My uncle and aunt did the same thing."

"So you have family," he said more as a statement than a question. He looked tired. I don't blame him. 

This is a lot.

"I have a twin brother named Ethan and my parents. My mom has a brother and a sister and I have a cousin from each along with their mates who are my aunt and uncle. My dad has two sisters and a brother. Only one of his sisters has a child, the rest don't. Her mate died. I could my Alpha and Luna as my family and from them I have what you might call two cousins."

"Sounds like sort of a small family. No grandparents?"

"Dead."

"Dead. Only five cousins? There's not a lot of you- What did you say your last name was again?"

"Wright. My name is Eve Wright of the Jade Forest pack but I am also a Sterling through my mother."

"I've heard of you guys. Last I heard of the Jade Forest old Alpha Nick was in charge. What happened to him?"

"He died a long time ago. We've had three other Alphas since then. Now it's Alpha Michael Stone and his Luna Lucille. Next in line will be this oldest, Jacqueline."

"A girl? Things sure have changed since I was out in society."

I didn't say anything. He's right. Things have changed a lot for werewolves lately but I don't think he's a werewolf.

"What are you?"

He stared at me for a long time before setting the last candle down. The cottage was illuminated with a soft light. I imagine this is what I may have seen on my wedding night, except I don't think Nathaniel would have been so distrusting back then and I don't think Sorcha had hair that wasn't exactly what I would call blond anymore.

"You say you remember how Mairi died, but do you remember how you died? Abel pushed you off a cliff because you tried to save your niece and sister. The huntress saw this and do you know what else she saw? Me ripping out Abel's throat. She saw this as me killing my own brother and she punished me for it. Why don't you take a guess, kid? What am I?"

"Lycan," I whispered, suddenly out of breath. 

I stepped back but tripped over the rug and ended up falling. Nathaniel caught me but didn't hold me. He pushed me onto my feet and turned away from me, disappearing around the wall of his little cottage in the middle of the woods.

I fell to the floor, grasping at my heart. My wolf felt it, too. My mate is the most heartless, cruel being on the planet. Lycans are worse than hybrids and rouges. They are demonic beings that have no control over themselves and have been cursed by the Goddess above to walk the earth for eternity for their sins in her name. 

And one of them is my mate.