Querencia

Chapter Five

FLORENCE HILL

We reached his house in about ten minutes and throughout the ride, Vladimir was quite stiff. He hadn't said a word to me and I was curious as to what was going on with him, but I didn't ask him about it.

When we entered his mansion, he suddenly turned me around and pressed me against the large wooden door. His hands were gripping my waist and his nose was almost touching mine. His intoxicating masculine scent engulfed me. He stared at me with his grey eyes that for some reason were turning dark.

"Thank you." He whispered, his breath fanning my face and he squeezed my waist making me bite my lip to keep in a sound.

"F-For what?" I managed to squeak out.

"For calming me down...no one's ever really done that for me..." he breathed out. "I mean no one's ever really had the guts to do that either.." he spluttered.

"You're welcome." I said softly because I didn't really know what else to say. I was surprised by his words, they were unexpected.

He frowned at me before nestling his head in my neck. "Please tell me you're always going to be the one to calm me down."

In that moment, I realised that Vladimir was broken. I didn't know what had broken him but something had made him the stoic and harsh person he was.

I remained silent and felt him stiffen and pull away. I could tell that he didn't plan on having an unguarded and vulnerable moment like that.

"Vladimir.." I started softly but he didn't let me finish.

"Go to bed, I'll be there in a while." He said, his forehead still marred with a frown, before he proceeded to pull away. completely. My wolf whimpered at how he'd reacted and I instantly felt incomplete without his touch and cold all over my body. What's wrong with me?

'He's your mate. Only his touch can make you feel that way.' My wolf said.

In that instant Jason's words rang through my brain. 'You crave your mate. You feel incomplete without their touch....without them.' I realised he was so right.

"Florence." Vladimir's deep voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?"

"I'll meet you in our room." He said, gesturing towards the stairs.

"Right." I said, before walking up to his room. I was puzzled by my thoughts. Are mates really that special, you can't live without them?

'Yes.' My wolf said. 'I know you feel bad about Xavier but you know deep down that your heart wants your true mate, Vladimir..'

For the first time I questioned if I still wanted Xavier but instantly felt a huge wave of guilt wash over me for thinking like that. I wasn't going to just dump him like yesterday's trash, no. He's an important person in my life, who helped me through so much, he was there for me.

'Let him go. He's not yours.' My wolf said before cutting off the connection.

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. Why is this so hard?

I decided to call the only person who I knew would make me feel better. I took the house phone that was lying on the nightstand and quickly dialled Jason's number. It rang six times and I started to lose hope but on the seventh ring he picked it up.

"Hello?" His familiar voice rang through the phone.

"Jason." I said.

"Florence! Oh my god. How are you? You found your mate, you lucky bitch, I heard he's the drop dead gorgeous Alpha rig—" he started rambling but I quickly cut him off.