I hoped that I would never see that warlock again because I feared he knew my secret. I feared he could expose what I was. I was also scared to admit I felt sympathy for him. Even when he was about to take me and torture me for his spell, after seeing how the other warlock died... It wasn’t peaceful. A violent end caused by one being to another, and it scared and sickened me. I understood the necessity of it, but it didn’t mean I wanted to see it. In our world, it was them or it was us. But now I wasn’t sure if I was them or us.
“You’re home, I don’t care about anything else.”
I snuggled closer.
“You’re wearing a different shirt than the one I gave you. And your scent is fresh around the cabin.”
He didn’t sound quite like he was accusing me of anything, more curious than anything else. I did look up at him this time.
“I wasn’t kidding when I said I missed you.”
I stopped before I told him anymore. I didn’t want to guilt him or make him feel bad about being away for so long. I understood that as an Enforcer this was his job. I wasn’t stupid enough to believe he would just drop everything to become a doting mate. This was new for both of us. I had been resistant at first, too. Now, come to think about it, it had been almost three months since I arrived.
That first month, I had been so certain that I would be leaving in five months’ time. Then when Hunter and I pretty much started over again, things got better. Now here we were, we spent time apart, and from that experience I didn’t think I could leave him forever. In the end, I wasn’t sure I would be able handle a lifetime without him, never knowing if he was going to come home to me. But I wasn’t yet convinced that I was in love with him. I had stronger feelings for him than just affection, but love?
Sleeping without him nearby had been hell. I went through something similar with Griffin when I first came to live with him. The thing was, I could sleep without him Griffin. I made it without him. And I was sure that, with enough time spent away from Hunter, I would be able to sleep without him, too. But right now I felt more rested than I had in weeks. I knew that I needed to stop thinking so much, and see just what happened in the next three months.
“How was it?” Hunter asked.
“Boring.”
I didn’t know what else to tell him. I was bored without him. Jen kept me entertained for a while, but I was sure even she was beginning to get bored out of her mind by me. And the compound was farther into the woods than my pack’s. We took lots of trips into town to see movies, going out to dinner if we were feeling up to it. Here, while we had connection to the internet, it seemed limited. I could read and watch movies, but I wanted out of the compound. I wanted to visit a town.
I had made a few friends with other pack members while Hunter was away, but most of them kept to themselves. It seemed they had things to do. I knew many of them left to go to work, and the ones who stayed behind usually worked around the compound.
“I won’t apologize for making you stay with Damien.”
Hunter was rubbing my back with one hand. The sensation was lulling me back to sleep. I felt completely at ease with him. I knew that I should have been nervous about sleeping in his room with him only wearing boxer briefs, and me with so little clothing, but it didn’t cross my mind.
I trusted Hunter.
“I understand why you did what you did, but I wish that you didn’t feel that way,” I said not wanting to look at him. I tried to hide the fact that I felt ashamed. He didn’t even think I could take care of myself. And, perhaps, he was right. In the Lupen Pack it was never really much of a worry. I was always usually with one pack member or another. If these threats were going to be a constant in my life with Hunter, then I wanted to be able to stay here. I wanted him to know that I could protect myself.