by Anna Santos
“What if I don't know how to love anymore? And after thirty days we fail the trial?”
“Then we tried. But that won’t happen.”
He seemed so certain that I forgot how to breathe. Why couldn't he have been my first mate from the start? Why couldn't I have met him before my heart was shredded to pieces and my world stripped away? I could never go back to my pack. To my family. I had been rejected by a powerful and ruthless Alpha. I had disgraced them.
“What's wrong?”
My lips trembled. “There’s nowhere else for me to go.”
“This is your new home. We will see the prince once the night falls. You will meet other angels, and we’ll talk and get to know each other.”
My stomach announced that I was famished. I leaned back in embarrassment.
Jacob smirked, showing his perfectly straight teeth and a tiny dimple at the corner of his mouth. “First, eat. I'll leave so you can bathe and dress in new clothes. Later, I'll show you the house and we can talk some more.”
Straightening up, Jacob went to get the tray of food and placed it on the coffee table.
I was living in a gigantic mansion with other angels. All the couples seemed happy. The females smiled at me with tenderness and without a shade of jealousy or deceitfulness. They had all been rejected and their new angelic matches treasured them as any mate should.
Jacob had taken me to the balcony with a view over the pool. We were seated across from each other.
“I wasn't pretty, fast, and cold-hearted enough for him. Plus, he has several other females to please him and bear his offspring. His pack is all about strong genes and vicious cruelty towards females. We are objects, not people. The males take whomever they want, even if they belong to someone else.”
His jaw clenched and his eyes burned with rage the further I explained the place I was running from.
“Were you born in his pack?”
“No. But it didn't matter. No one dares to confront his pack. Once he sniffed me, he made sure that I suffered the consequences of not being perfect enough for him. He hated me from the first minute he saw me.”
“Why?”
“I really don't know. He didn't even try to get to know me.” I looked down, pulling my eyes away from his. “I barely survived. Can we change the subject? I’m not comfortable talking about it.”
“As you wish.”
His voice came out soft, and I examined him again, lingering on his figure. Jacob was taller than my ex-mate. His eyes were sweetly brown and his face was stunning. They had nothing in common.
“Do angels have parents?”
“Yes, but mine have ascended for more than five years, now. It's just me...and you. We’re a family now. And you? What happened to your family?”
“My parents are ashamed of me. I only have my brother. He was the reason I was able to escape.”
“Have you been to Paris before?”
“Once, when I was little.”
His lips curved into a smile. “I shall show you the city then. Plenty of beautiful things to see.”
As much as his invite warmed my heart, I knew I wasn’t safe. “He’ll send other werewolves to track me down. You killed one of them to protect me. He will want revenge and try to show superiority over the other packs.”
“Let him come. He will learn that not everybody is afraid of him. As for his men, Paris is ruled by a vampire king. Permission will need to be granted to have men in the king’s territory. King Philippe will not violate the truce with us because of an arrogant alpha who attacked us in our territory.”
“I hope you are right.”
I was terrified of what could happen. The Shadow Pack was arrogant enough to start a war with the angels to get me back and make good on their threats.
“Please trust me. I'll protect you. I may not be the prince, but angels and gargoyles stick together, and I'm a good friend of Cedric’s. He's a good ruler. I'll explain to him what is happening, and we’ll keep you safe. Even if you decide you can’t love me and want to break our bond.”
A bubbling sensation overtook my stomach. He wasn't just gorgeous and kind, he was also protective and honorable. It was hard to believe that we had been bonded, and I had a new mate. But, if all that was true, I was glad it was Jacob. Plus, I really needed to feel safe. I needed protection. It had been weeks since the last time I didn't feel scared, rejected, lost, and terribly alone.
Chapter Three—The Prince of Angels
We had to teleport to another dimension to be able to talk to the prince. It turned out that angels had special abilities, but, until we got our wings, the gorgeous dark-haired angel and I could only get there by teleporting. Which other angels had to do for us.
The idea of being in another dimension fueled all of my childhood fantasies when I devoured books and daydreamed of their magical worlds. I was a huge fan of Narnia and Hogwarts. I had always wanted to be a witch.
“Are you okay?” Jacob's voice brought me out of my reverie, and I focused on the marble flooring and high vaulted ceilings of the corridor we were in.
We were heading to the prince's library, his favorite place to hang out. Jacob wanted to introduce me to him. I was a bundle of nerves. It was the first time I was meeting a real prince. I smoothed my flannel shirt and looked at my jeans and boots. I had nothing better to wear, to my dismay.
“What if he doesn't let me stay? I bring more trouble than anything else.”
“It's our duty to protect the innocent and punish the ones who bring evil into this world. If a pack of wolves is attacking and bullying others, they need to be stopped.”
The certainty in Jacob's voice sent jolts of happiness down my stomach. He spoke like a superhero. I found my knight in shining armor, and he claimed we were meant to be together, forever.
Jacob knocked on the huge wooden door. “Cedric, can we come in?”
My eyes widened at the familiar way he addressed his prince.
The door opened and a blonde man with clear sapphire eyes and gorgeous face stood before us. He was tall, almost as tall as Jacob.
“Congratulations!” the prince said with a beaming smile. He hugged Jacob and patted him on the back. Then, stepping back, he lowered his head to look at me.
“Is this her? Nice to meet you. Welcome to our family. I'm Cedric.” He bowed slightly, and my hands flew to my chest.
“H-hi,” I looked at the ground and lowered my head, hoping it to be a somewhat respectful bow.
“Her name is Camille,” Jacob intervened, resting his hand just below the back of my neck. Warmth spread across my limbs, giving color to my cheeks. It felt really nice every time we touched. “She is worried about the people who were chasing her.''
Cedric squared his shoulders and his hands folded behind his back. His eyes were on Jacob's face. “I heard you’ve dealt with the threat.”
“We were on patrol, Aaron and I. We almost missed her light. They had cornered her and were hurting her by the time we got there. I might have lost control for a moment. I killed one of them. The others escaped, but then we had to take care of her because she was badly wounded. We didn't pursue them. I'm sure the word got back to their leader. Camille believes they will come for her once again.”
Cedric sneered. “Only if they are stupid.”
“Where are you originally from, Camille?” Jacob asked.
“Lyon.”
He faced the prince. “Who do we know from there?”
Cedric shrugged. “It is not our territory, but I'll ask our allies about it.”
“I would like to ask for permission to talk to the king of vampires,” Jacob said as his eyes lowered in a clear sign of submission.
Cedric's pretty face tensed.
Jacob added, “His help would be extremely important to track down any new arrivals coming into the city.”
The prince clenched his jaw. “Why do you think Philippe would help you?”
“It's in his interest to maintain the truce with us.”
“My parents turned their back on me since my former mate claimed me as his property and rejected me as part of the ritual of the Shadow Pack. They reject the weak and use the women...” I cleared my throat. “You don't need to send word to anyone. I'm alone and the only person who cared about me might be dead.”
“Who is that?” Jacob asked.
“My brother. He helped me escape. He told me to come here, to search for the angels. He said I would find a safe haven here.”
“He was right. We will protect you,” the prince assured. “Jacob is my best warrior and the commander of my soldiers. He will take good care of you. I'm really happy he found his mate.”
Cedric's hands fell on my shoulders, and I raised my head to look at him. I was baffled by being accepted among them so willingly and effortlessly.
“I'm not as strong as a Luna should be. That's why he rejected me. I will weaken your—horde?” I frowned, looking for the word that would fit them better.
Cedric smirked. “You are no longer a wolf, Camille. You’ve lost your ability to shift. Your body will evolve and you will become an angel. You are mutating as we speak.”
“Yes, Jacob told me.”
“You are Jacob's mate, so you are technically part of our family. And you are an innocent. You did nothing wrong. We are here to help.” He stepped back and ruffled his blonde hair. His kind face and easy smile reminded me of Thierry and how worried I was about him.
“Thank you.” I breathed deeply and wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans.
“You can be whatever you want to be. Jacob will train you and teach you all you need to know. He's been waiting for you for a long time. So, please, give him a chance.”
I looked at Jacob and nodded.
Cedric asked, “Do you want to meet the other angels and gargoyles? We normally meet in the dining area before we leave for patrolling. Jacob is excused for the next month, but I need to debrief the others about what happened yesterday and select a new acting commander.”
Jacob put his arm around my fragile waist, and we turned around to follow the prince down the corridor.
I was curled up in my new canopy bed that had a lilac satin headboard. There was an unsettling silence around me as I clutched my cell phone in my hand. I had turned it off when I ran away. But, I wanted to turn it on so I could text my brother and find out what had happened to him. He said to run and never look back. That I shouldn't worry about him, but how could I?
The walls closed around me, darkness sucked all air out of the room and made me weak beyond words. I missed shifting, running, and feeling the wild wind on my fur. I missed being able to close my eyes without the fear of nightmares and painful memories.
I leaned too far over the edge, wrapped in the sheet, and fell on the floor. I rushed to the door, opening it, and blinking to the dim lights in the corridor. Legs prevented me from crawling further and arms embraced me and lifted me up.
“What's wrong?” Jacob's smooth voice calmed me.
“I can't sleep. I don't want to be alone.” I gasped, my body shivering despite the heat consuming my skin.
Jacob carried me as if I was a small child, but we didn't enter my bedroom. Instead, we headed to the garden where the cool air greeted me.
“Were you unable to sleep, too?” I asked when he seated me in an armchair in front of the pool.
He eased his body into the armchair beside me. “I'm not used to sleeping or being up during the day.”
“What were you doing outside my bedroom?” I leaned on my knees until they were under my chin and hugged my legs.
“Watching over you. I didn't know what else to do.”
I stayed silent for a few moments, analyzing him. For someone that big, he was extremely gentle every time he touched me, and his answers were always straightforward. I liked that.
Sighing deeply, I told him the truth, “The nightmares come every time I close my eyes to sleep.”
“It's been nearly thirty years since I’ve dreamed of anything.”
“How come?”
“Gargoyles don't dream when we are in our stone state. We don't sleep either. It’s like closing our eyes to open them once the sun is down as if no time has passed.”
“That sounds scary.”
“It was, at first.”
I watched him carefully. Sucking in my lower lip, I tried to imagine how his life could be. It felt lonely. His curse was activated long before I was born. He had lived in the darkness, fought evil creatures, and yet, there was a kindness to him that was lacking in a lot of werewolves I had met.
“Yesterday, you saw the sun again after a long time,” I whispered with widened eyes.
Jacob nodded.
My heart tugged in my chest. “Did you miss it?”
“I did, but now I can see a lot of sunny days with you.”
I gave him a half-smile. “Are you always this flirty with girls?”
He lost his smile. “Of course not. Only with you.”
“I was kidding, Jacob. But, I'm sure you had plenty of girls falling over themselves for your smile.”
He shook his head and leaned forward, narrowing the space between our chairs. “You are the only one who I want to fall for it,” he whispered, sending shivers rippling down my spine.
My mouth felt dry, and I had no idea what to tell him next. I grinned and hid my face against my knees.
Jacob chuckled. “You are cute when you blush.” His hand caressed my head, and I relaxed and faced him again. “What do you normally do when you can't sleep?”
I puckered my lips. “I read, but I'm not in the mood right now. I also would shift and run in the forest.”
“When I'm upset with something, it helps if I fly around. But until we...bond further, I won't have wings.”
I smiled, touched by the careful use of his words. “Do you like what you do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you like protecting humans from the supernaturals who use their abilities to cause others harm? Isn't that what I'm also supposed to do if I become an angel? If we bond.”
“I do. But my wife can do what she wants with her life. You can join us for patrolling or you can simply take care of other things in the kingdom. You won't need to become a warrior.”
My wife. Not his mate but his wife. He was accepting me into his life. Again, with ease, he made me happy and sad at the same time. The mistrust in me didn’t go away. Was I really worthy of a mate like him? Was I worthy of becoming an angel?
“You are quiet like me,” Jacob said, and I focused on him. He had stopped caressing my head and was reclined against his own chair. “I really want us to know more about each other.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Whatever you feel comfortable telling me.”
“I like water,” I said, looking at the pool. Stretching my body, I relaxed in the chair. “I like swimming. I'm not scared of heights, and I always wanted to have superpowers. I can be clumsy because I break things easily. Everybody says that I constantly have my head in the clouds. I like cats. It is weird, I know, but cats don't like me because I'm a werewolf.”
Jacob's lips curled into a huge grin with my babbling. “I like cats, too. I always wanted to have a panther as a pet. I like swimming. There is a lake close to the palace where we normally go after patrolling. We swim there before dawn. It's relaxing. I'll take you there sometime.”
“I would love that. The palace was so enchanting. I can't wait to see the surrounding areas. Does it look like this world?”
“It has basically the same type of plants and landscapes. The forest has animals that you can also find here like rabbits, deer, and predators like mountain lions. They are safe from extinction there.”
“Do you like to read?” I stared at him with expectation since it was a key question.
“Yes. When we don't have better things
to do. Though, I’d rather read thrillers and mysteries. I used to read High Fantasy when I was younger, but when I turned into a gargoyle, it was hard to fully understand feelings and the passion for adventure since our feelings are repressed. So, I gave more attention to the logic of things, to solve problems.”
I nodded with my captivated gaze on him. “So, gargoyles don't feel?”
“They feel less, until they find their soul-mate and become overwhelmed with feelings.”
“What type of feelings?” I asked, mesmerized by his chocolate eyes.
“Feelings of protectiveness, caring, and it's also hard to stay away from you. That was why I was outside your bedroom door. I didn't want to be too far away so I wouldn’t feel as lonely.”
I covered my red cheeks with my hands. Jacob was so direct and honest about his feelings that it was endearing. I felt that same need when I found my first mate—the consuming passion that came with the notion that he was the missing part of me. Until all my dreams were shattered by his coldness and the evil corrupting his soul.
“Do you feel the pull?” Jacob asked.
I nodded because I felt it, but I was too scared to want to trust it and end up getting hurt again. “I just need more time. I'm scared.”
“I know. I'll be patient.”
“Thank you,” I mumbled, feeling tired. Now that I had company, I was feeling safer and more willing to give in to sleep.
Jacob's hand touched mine. “Do you want me to take you to bed?”
I shook my head. “It's nice here. I like the cool air on my face.”
“I'll be quiet then and leave you alone with your thoughts.”
With heavy eyelids, I smiled and gripped his hand.
I must have fallen asleep because I woke up alone in my bed when the sun was shining high in the blue sky.
Chapter Four—The Angels’ Realm
I took a shower and spent a lot of time looking at my new long hair and flawless skin in the bathroom mirror. I actually felt pretty.
Dressing in a new sweater and the same jeans, I decided to explore the house while I searched for Jacob. I was somewhat familiar with it, so I wasn't afraid of getting lost.