by Brenna Lyons
Julianna stared at him, seemingly considering it. "Yes."
Before he could ask what time or suggest they have dinner together, she was gone, out the door and down the corridor at a run.
He dropped to his back on the bed, thanking the Night Mother for Julianna.
I have my mate. She's in heat. I will have children with her.
Tyler chuckled. Then he laughed...long and hard. Her scent settled in his lungs, causing his cock to rise in response. He groaned.
It's going to be a very long day. I should get a bath. He threw back the quilts and rose to accomplish the task.
As if taking that as his cue that he could begin his work day, Oalo bustled into the room and started stripping the bed.
Tyler bristled at the move. "Leave the pillows and pillowcases."
"Excuse me, sir?" He looked up from the bed in seeming confusion.
Tyler stared him down, unwilling to explain himself to his servant.
Oalo took a deep breath. He stood still, the linens in his hand. At last, he nodded. "As you wish."
Tyler turned toward the bath again.
"Perhaps I should send your regrets to the coach, since you will be missing practice today," Oalo suggested.
He stopped walking and turned back. "What are you talking about?" And why did Oalo annoy him so much today?
His servant sighed. He dropped the quilts on the bed and turned to face Tyler. "I presume you have seduced your mate."
Tyler didn't bother to correct him. Oalo didn't need to know Julianna came here and demanded what he'd offered. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited to see what was coming next.
"The female is fertile, and you wouldn't be that sloppy."
He nodded grimly.
"I also deduce that the two of you are not prepared to make this relationship public."
"Not yet," he admitted.
"The coach usually calls shirts and skins—"
"And I'm typically skin." Damn, he's good. "Thank you, Oalo." He started to turn away.
"If I may be so bold, Tyler?"
"Yes?"
"A servant has the ability to learn things."
Tyler peeked back at him, confused. "Things like what, Oalo?"
He smiled. "Things to help you in your quest, of course."
Tyler nodded, biting back a laugh. "Thank you, Oalo. That would be wonderful."
* * * *
Two days later
"And where have you been hiding?" Veronique asked.
Vanessa popped into the doorway beside her twin. "We stopped by last night, and you were nowhere to be found."
Julianna didn't look up from her work. "Just busy," she lied.
Veronique dropped into the chair beside her, looking completely unruffled in navy blue. Vanessa took the chair on the other side, wearing matching deep purple. Other than the colors they chose to wear, they were nearly identical girls, both dark-haired and with eyes that fluctuated between green and light brown.
"Ah...hem."
Julianna looked up at Veronique, then straightened with a sigh. "Yes?"
"Details?"
Vanessa leaned closer. "Spill."
"I...went on a date."
It wasn't entirely a lie. Tyler had made a show of providing her favorite foods, her favorite music, and a nightgown in her favorite color the night before. Whatever his means and whatever his reasons, he was treating her like a date.
As long as I get what I want, I don't care what his reasons are.
"Oh. My."
"Night Mother, you're serious?" Veronique overpowered her sister's voice.
Julianna nodded. Against her better judgment, she smiled. Her nightly meetings with Tyler were quickly becoming an addiction.
Of course it is. I'm in heat.
"Is he your mate?" Veronique started the interrogation.
"Does he have to be?" Julianna countered.
Vanessa rolled her eyes. "It helps."
"Does it?" Since she'd never told them what Tyler was to her, she could tap dance around this subject all evening long, if she had to.
The twins stared at each other, seemingly—as it often did appear—trading information or conferring without words. Before they could question her further, Julianna started talking.
"There's more than one kind of mates in our world, you know."
They gaped at her.
"You aren't going to wait to find your actual mate?" Veronique asked, seemingly aghast that the notion.
"Why should I?" I can have what I want without that complication.
Vanessa shook her head violently. "What happens if you...you know, and then your actual mate shows up?"
"Unlikely." Impossible. There is no future for us. Tyler made that more than clear long ago. He's always wanted me. I won't be an Alpha's possession.
"Julianna?"
She looked up at Vanessa, her heart tripping at the concern in her friend's eyes.
"What will you do if you're wrong?"
Can my heart be broken any more than it already is? Julianna managed a brittle smile.
I should end this.
No. Just a few more days. A week at the most. I want young. I won't live my whole life without them.
* * * *
Two weeks later
Tyler moaned as Julianna shifted her hips, intensifying the sensation. She arched her back, her hair trailing over his thighs. When she levered her head forward, her fangs were extended.
Tyler shivered at the sight of them. How many times have I seen them and hoped she intended to use them?
Too many.
As if she heard him, Julianna came down over him, her breath warming his throat. But she didn't bite down.
He bit back a half dozen curses, trying to avoid showing his frustration with a shift.
Her teeth scraped lightly at his throat; she retreated abruptly.
"Do it," Tyler begged. "Please. Please do it."
Julianna went still, no longer riding them both toward release. She backed away from him, her eyes wide, shaking her head.
"What is it?" What would cause that look of disbelief?
She pushed off of him and rushed to her clothing. Her hands shaking, Julianna scooped them off the foot of the bed.
"Julianna?" Tyler came to his feet, his heart racing.
She dragged her dress on, then turned to face him, her hair still trapped beneath the back. "What is this, Tyler?"
He stroked his hands up and down her upper arms. "What is what?"
"Why am I here? Why do you want me here?"
Her confusion skewered him. "Don't you know?"
"You said you wanted me. You've had me."
There was something left unsaid, but he couldn't guess what it was. "I meant as my mate, Julianna."
She closed her eyes, weaving on her feet. Tyler moved to lift her into his arms, but she pushed him away. In the next moment, she was sprinting for the door, her shoes left behind on the floor.
"Julianna!"
The door opened, then slammed shut behind her.
She left me. She'd left him standing—naked and erect—next to the bed they'd just shared.
And I'm still not sure why.
The only thing he was sure about was that she needed time. Chasing her right now would be a very bad choice.
* * * *
Julianna thanked the Night Mother that no one observed her wild dash across campus. How she would explain her disheveled appearance and the tears rolling down her cheeks was anyone's guess.
I certainly don't know what I would say.
She wasn't sure she would come out with anything but a blubbering mess of half-formed phrases.
When the door to her room was closed behind her, Julianna sank to the floor, venting sobs into her hands.
I thought it couldn't hurt worse. Why did I let it go on this long? Why did I let myself continue to be sucked in?
Some traitor part of her heart rejoiced that he wanted her as his mate. Squelching it was difficu
lt.
I have to.
Why? He wants me as his mate! I can have everything I want.
No. I can't. But Julianna could no longer remember the reasons why she couldn't just accept Tyler as her mate.
She dragged herself up, then lurched her way to the bed. Curled up on the mattress, Julianna tried to decide what to do next.
He'll either give up or chase me. If he gives up, I should let him go.
What if he chases me?
That wasn't as simple.
I guess I'll find out if it happens.
* * * *
Two days later
Tyler looked up at the knock on his door. He didn't answer. He'd told Oalo he didn't want visitors. How someone even made it to his door was beyond him.
It's probably one of my sisters.
All the more reason not to answer.
The knock repeated, a harder knock.
Definitely not one of my sisters. Not that it mattered. There was only one person whose presence he would welcome, and it seemed she wasn't coming back.
Why? What did I do to push her away?
"Damn it, Tyler. Are you going to keep sulking all day?"
Nolan. He considered inviting his brother-in-law in, then dismissed that idea.
The door opened, and Nolan strolled across the room. He stopped in the doorway to the bedroom, crossing his arms over his chest. At last, he cleared his throat, hinting at an explanation Tyler didn't want to give.
Tyler reached for the quilt; he didn't bother to cover himself. Instead, he let his hand drop to the mattress with a sigh.
Nolan didn't address him.
"Why are you here?" Tyler asked.
"Seems to me you made me your den brother. That comes with certain expectations."
He curled his lip to show one fang. "Expectations. Responsibilities. I'm starting to loathe the whole thing."
"Okay. As your brother-in-law and your friend, I'm here to kick some sense into you." He offered a fang-heavy smile.
"Don't push it."
Nolan ambled across the room. "So what went wrong with her?"
"With who?"
His bark of laughter made Tyler want to attack.
Who am I kidding? I'm not going to move.
"Come on, Tyler. The walls aren't completely sound-proofed. For the last few weeks, you've been banging—"
Tyler launched off the bed with a growl, shifting mid-leap. He landed...where Nolan had been a moment before.
"Oh, that hurts," Nolan taunted him.
Tyler leapt for him again. The results were just as disastrous as the last time.
He's making a fool of me. Tyler growled, his hackles coming up in warning.
Nolan laughed at him. "If that's the way you feel, why did you let her leave?"
That took the fight out of Tyler. He collapsed to the rug, folding his ears.
Maybe that's the answer. Maybe I should stay in this form for the rest of my life. Sebastian can lead instead.
Nolan's smile disappeared. "Wasn't it you and your sisters who told me an Alpha always get what he wants?"
He snuffed and turned his head away.
"It's your choice. When I was angry and walked away, Koukla came after me. It just seems to me that females do what they expect you to do for them."
Before Tyler could consider that, Nolan left him alone to sink or swim.
* * * *
A feminine scream echoed down the corridor. Julianna ignored it. Chances were, it was some sort of prank. Some young wolves got off on pranks.
The last thing Julianna needed was to be exposed to anyone else's frivolity, so she curled onto her side and tried to ignore it. Any moment, she would either hear raucous laughter or sounds of annoyance.
"What do you think you're doing here?"
The challenge brought Julianna to sitting. Whatever was going on, it wasn't a prank.
The door to her room opened, and she tensed to attack whoever was coming through it. It was Tyler, and he looked entirely pissed off.
"Julianna?"
She didn't have to look at the person standing behind Tyler to know it was Vanessa. Julianna vaguely wondered where her twin was.
She's asking if I want her to call the guards. "It's okay."
"Close the door behind you," Tyler ordered.
Vanessa did so.
"And go away," he added.
The whisper of Vanessa's footsteps made Julianna's heart pound. She was alone with him.
His expression eased, but his stance didn't. "How are you?"
The words to answer stuck in her throat. She nodded, instead.
"I know the feeling."
When she didn't answer, he walked toward the bed with the same determination he'd used to come through the door.
And probably up the corridor. Across campus. Down from his suite of rooms...
To her surprise, he settled lightly on the edge of the mattress and stared at her.
"Why are you here, Tyler?"
He sighed. "A very smart wolf reminded me of a few things."
"And what would they be?"
"The first one is that females expect us to follow when they run."
Julianna wanted to deny it, but she couldn't. How many hours had she dreamed of him demanding what she'd run away from?
I never knew what I would answer. She swallowed hard at the fact that she would have to decide soon. In moments.
Tyler's hand cupping her cheek shocked her back to the present. He smiled slightly, and her stomach did flip-flops.
"Why did you run?"
Explaining it was harder than Julianna thought it would be. Why? It seemed so clear to me when I ran.
"Julianna?"
"I didn't think there was a future for us."
"Why?" he pressed.
"You said..."
Tyler turned her head to meet her gaze directly.
That freed up her tongue. "You said you couldn't imagine spending your life with one of my kind."
He winced. "I told you I was wrong about that. I was...insecure, trying to learn to be a confident Alpha. I made the wrong choices and said the wrong things. I think I knew it then. My words weren't intended to hurt you. They were intended to hurt me."
Her heart skipped in joy. Julianna tried not to show it. "That doesn't make it right."
He eased his hand away from her. "Are you saying you can't forgive me?"
"No. I'm not sure what I'm saying." Admitting that galled her.
"I understand that too." Tyler paused for a moment. "What did you think was happening between us? All that time I was trying to make my sincerity clear to you, but I failed."
Julianna swallowed down a lump in her throat. "You couldn't imagine spending your life with me, but you wanted me."
He groaned. "After everything we've shared, you still believed that about me?"
"I didn't want to. The only reason I stayed so long was that... Well, I didn't want it to end, and I hoped you didn't."
"Then why did you run?" He seemed genuinely perplexed by it.
"It was so sudden." Julianna blinked back tears she couldn't account for. "I don't know," she admitted.
Haven't I spent the last two days trying to figure out why I ran? And why I didn't go back?
"I can be patient if you can."
"You mean... We go on as we have been and let it come naturally?" That sounded a lot less frightening.
His smile came naturally that time. "That's precisely what I mean."
The answer to that came readily to mind. "I think we should."
His eyes shifted, and his fangs came down. "That's good."
It wasn't a threat, but Julianna couldn't guess what it was. "I hope so."
He leaned toward her, his arousal rising, based on his scent. "Maybe I should tell you the other thing I was reminded of."
Her nipples peaked, and her body came to life for him. "Maybe you should."
Tyler came down over her, and Julianna sank to the pillows beneath him.
His lips closed on hers. The kiss heated, and Tyler unfastened his trousers. He pushed them away.
Taking his lead, Julianna pulled up at her dress, urging him on. Tyler thrust inside her, and they parted long enough to voice their pleasure.
Then he parted her lips again. Tyler started moving, and Julianna wrapped her legs around him, drawing him closer.
The time apart made their joining all the more potent. In a matter of minutes, she was lost in climax, his seed coursing into her, waking her nerves with memories of how well they meshed sexually.
Julianna screamed in pleasure, and Tyler howled in triumph.
In the quiet moments afterward, Tyler chuckled darkly.
"What is it?" she asked.
"The other thing I was reminded of."
She stared at him, confused.
Tyler pushed deeper inside her. "An Alpha always gets what he wants."
"Only if I agree," she countered stubbornly.
One eyebrow went up in challenge. "Are you telling me to leave?"
"No." If I decide to do that, it won't be today.
* * * *
Julianna dragged the brush through her hair, glancing toward the clock. She was running late. Her maestros had excused her absence over the last two days, but she highly doubted they would excuse her being late on her first day back.
Tyler came out of the bathroom, tucking his shirt. "I'll have just enough time to run to my rooms and dress in fresh clothes before class."
She laughed. "You can't possibly make it to class on time."
"Oh, I'll miss the first few minutes." He shrugged. "Maestros don't begrudge Alphas being a little late on occasion."
"Lucky you." He was. She was somewhat envious of the leeway he had.
Tyler snuggled up behind her, his cock hard. "It could be lucky you, as well. Just say the word."
She was sorely tempted, but Julianna had already said she would be back at class today. Instead, she peeled his arm away from her waist and stepped forward. "We have places to be."
"You didn't say 'no'." There was a smug note in that.
Julianna laughed. "I didn't say 'no'. I am saying 'not now'."
He sighed. "Fair enough. Well then... Dinner at Regina Hall? Or would you rather go out somewhere?"
"Ohhhh... Dinner out? I will take you up on that." It would be yet another first step for them.