Moonstone

wild beginnings part 1

"If I loved you less I might be able to talk about it more."- Jane Austen's Emma.

Sanem

"Six months! And if I say no, you'll throw me out on the street?" I shot to my feet, growing angrier by the second. Arrogant, high handed, boneheaded wolf...

He sighed. "You still don't get it, do you? I would never throw you out. Your family is another matter. I don't give a shit about them."

"You'll just make me your prisoner," I said bitterly.

"Prisoner is such a strong word. I think I prefer to call you my reluctant guest," he said with a straight face but in his eyes, I saw the triumph. He knew he had won. I was trapped. I wanted to call his bluff. But this stranger standing in front of me seemed capable of doing what he promised and much more.

"Do you think this is funny? Do you find me amusing?" My anger was building into a towering rage. I felt my fingers tingle. The branches on the tree across the street began to sway violently. I was recognizing that my abilities were changing and were increasingly tied to my emotions. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.

He gazed at me for a moment and his eyes gentled.

"I can't think of anything less amusing than this moment."

I looked away from the burning intensity in his eyes.

"No. My answer is no," I said recklessly. "I'm not having sex with you in exchange for..."

"Who said anything about sex?" He asked me softly.

My face turned scarlet. He gazed patiently at me, but his fists were clenched, the only sign of his inner turmoil. His emotions, that were sometimes so clear to me, were now murky. It was like he had contained all his feelings and shut them away and that made me unutterably sad. Still, I wavered knowing that saying yes meant being in his vicinity, undoing everything I'd hoped to do by leaving. Racked by doubt and indecision I thought about how my presence was a source of pain for him and no matter what he said, I knew I would make things incredibly difficult for his Pack and his ambitions for the future. But saying yes meant giving my father a new lease on life. He had given me a home and I could never forget that.

"Fine." I gritted out after a long moment.

He just gazed at me patiently and I had to smother a sigh. He was so achingly beautiful. After all his lord of the underworld posturing earlier, he was very calm and self-possessed now, he had stifled that triumphant glint in his eyes. I wanted to hold him, I wanted him to hold me. I felt a small seed of joy struggling to sprout at the thought that I'd be living with him again.

"Yes?"

"Yes, damn you! You'll get your six months but I have conditions."

At that moment the door jingled.

"Get out!" He fairly roared without turning around.

"Sanem?" Muzzo said timidly.

Can turned his head and pinned him with a death glare.

"If you don't leave now so help me..." He roared.

"Go!" I said to Muzzo, exasperated. He stood frozen like a deer in the headlights. Can released an otherworldly snarl. Muzzo's eyes went wide and the bouquet of roses he was holding fell to the floor. Can's gaze zeroed in on the flowers.

"What's this?" He asked me. "One of your admirers?"

I recognized the wolf's soft tones. It was the calm before the Alpha storm. Poor Muzzo's life must be flashing before his eyes.