“Breathe, Mina,” he whispered when he realized she still had not taken a breath. She inhaled sharply and then began to breath normally but somewhat unsteadily. Not quite sixteen, Vasile, he growled to himself. The reminder helped him to tone down his influence over her. Being near your true mate for the first time, especially one as dominate as he, could be overwhelming.

“Do you know that a female has a scent that only her true mate can smell?” he asked her quietly. She nodded. “Would you like to know how you smell to me?” She shook her head making him grin at her obstinately. “Good thing I do not usually do as I am told,” he murmured as he breathed her in again. “You smell of the calm morning air when the dew still rests on the leaves and the grass, pure and untouched like the dawn, before any has awoken to taint it.”

Vasile absently rubbed with his thumb just below her ear with his hand that still held onto her. He felt her lean into his touch and the movement flooded his senses with another smell, one of desire and need. His wolf growled victoriously, but the man knew it was time to back off. He stood up abruptly to put some space between them. As he looked down into her vulnerable eyes, he knew that he could not have her, not yet. He was a patient hunter as a wolf and just as patient as a man. His initial reaction to her denial was possessive rage. He wanted her, needed her, and would have her. Look where that had gotten him. Now that he had calmed down, no doubt from her skin on his and her scent washing over him like a waterfall of bliss, he could think a little clearer. She was his, of that he had no doubt, but she would need time to grow and mature into the woman she needed to become. Eighteen was not so far away, two years and he could have her. Until then, he would have to court her and somehow keep his wolf under control. The latter seemed impossible, but then, to have Alina, he would move mountains, destroy fleets or crush nations as long as she ended up by his side.

He would give her some space and time, though his wolf was snarling wholeheartedly at him for it. He had work to do in the village anyway, so he would not be far. That would give him time to consider what to say to her father. She was still under his household and Vasile would have to have his permission to spend time with her, Alpha or not, mate or not. He wondered if the bond would work the same for them as it did for mates who found each other once fully mature. Would it be painful to be apart? Would the ache to be close to her become debilitating? And what of her? Would she be in pain? That was something he did not like the thought of. He never wanted to be the cause of his mate’s suffering.

Feeling better about the situation, more in control, and not on the verge of marking her right there in broad daylight, he pulled her to her feet and pressed his lips to her forehead. Not enough for the wolf, but it would appease the man. She sucked in a breath as her pulse increased, causing his own heart to speed up. Now it was he who needed space because if not he was goingto take her and run. He wrapped her in his embrace and she came willingly, as if she needed his touch as much as he did. He wanted to feel her against him, but more than that he wanted her saturated in his scent. Until she was marked with his bite, the only way for other males to know who she belonged to would be by his scent on her. When he finally released her and stepped back, he smiled down at her rosy cheeks.

“I have business to take care of with the pack here. I know that this is a shock to you, as it is to me as well. So I am going to give you some space, a little breathing room if you will.” Her eyes widened in surprise and she let out a small sigh of relief. He bit back the snarl at her obvious desire to be away from him. For that he added, “If you run from me, I will follow you. No matter where you go, I will find you and I will not stop until I do.” He pressed his lips to her forehead again, postponing leaving her for just a few seconds more. “Think about that before you do something foolish.”

Romanian Proverb # 5

Sãrãcia nu-i rusine.

Poverty is no disgrace.

Her mouth was dry, and her hand shook as she raised it to touch the place on her neck where Vasile, Alpha of their pack, had only moments ago caressed her gently with his thumb. Something so insignificant, and yet it was the most precious touch she had ever received. He was gone now, along with his two warriors and her father. Females could attend meetings, but really there was no point. The males would be too busy trying to protect their mate if they were there, and then they would not get anything accomplished.

She had not moved from the place where he had left her. Her shoes were suddenly filled with lead too heavy to lift. Her eyes stared, not seeing anything in front of her as her mind raced, and she battled her will. She wanted to flee, to hide from the male who had affected her so. She also wanted to throw herself in his arms and make him promise never to leave her again. But instead of doing either, she just stood there frozen with indecision, doubt, and, to her surprise, curiosity. While he had been next to her, she had felt as if she could fly, but now her body felt heavy and uncoordinated.

“Alina,” her mother called to her yet she still could not move. She heard her footsteps coming closer and knew that her mother would want to know what was wrong, and for once she was afraid to tell her―afraid she would insist she pack and leave with him at once and afraid she would not.

“He is the one, no?” she asked.

Somehow Alina managed to get her head to perform a wobbly nod. Her eyes finally shifted as she looked at her mother. “How could you tell?”

Georgeta’s lips puckered. “Tsk, girl, I know a male on the hunt when I see one. He was staring at you as though you were the ripest fruit plucked from the harvest and dropped in his lap. I might have even seen a tad bit of salivating.”