Her lips felt like soft rose petals against his. It only made him kiss her deeper. She was startled for some moments before the lust in her took over and soon she was moving her lips against his. His arms were snaked around her, keeping her pressed against his body.

When his canines grazed against her lips, she moaned. He swallowed it like the thirstiest man stuck in a dessert. They were out of breath when they pulled back.

Orabelle’s brain was trying to process what had just happened while he looked down at her fervently. Her taste lingered on his lips and he was fighting back the urge to taste her again and again.

“Let’s get you to eat something,” He uttered with a frown climbing on his face. He didn’t know what she had been thinking about him but he was afraid that the sudden and unwarranted kiss would put a dent on their still underdeveloped relationship.

Slowly and unwantingly, he unwrapped his arms from her waist but still held on to one of her hands because he was afraid that it could be a dream and that she would fade away when it ends. He wanted her forever.

Meanwhile, Orabelle was perplexed. The kiss had not only taken her by surprise but it fueled the lust inside her that she had been trying to suppress all this time. Her cheeks were flaming red and her heart was thumping in her chest. She had never been kissed like that. The kiss had managed to rake her insides. It was already messing with her brain which was busy conjuring more lusty thoughts whose subject happened to be the man who now guided her out of the room.

Sparks danced on her skin wherever he touched. She had been touched by men before but none ever made her feel like she was on fire. He was simply holding her hand but it felt much more than that. Her soft and small hand fitted perfectly between his big and rough one – a fact that both seemed to have noticed at the same time because it made their heads snap at each other.

Their eyes met.

Their hearts raced.

His hold tightened on hers before he tore his gaze away from her and looked forward. After they had stepped out of the bedroom, he guided her through a long corridor. The corridor opened to a big room at the center of which there was a fountain. On the other end of the room stood a big door and suddenly, the logical part of her mind was awake.

It didn’t take her long to put the words door and escape in the same sentence. Haestus caught her looking at the door with a glint in her eyes. He could see the wheels turning in her head. It made him tug her towards him once more but this time, she didn’t stumble.

“Don’t even think about it,” He muttered lowly under his breath. It was loud enough for her to hear. She sucked in a breath before giving him a challenging look. He continued to tug her to the passage at the other end of the room. It took them into another corridor.

“This is my office,” He informed her while pointing to a door before taking a turn. The sound of the big trousers ruffling while she walked took over the silence between them as they made their way to the kitchen.

“This is the kitchen,” His announcement was unwarranted. At the sight of food, her stomach growled out loud. He heard it clearly before taking her in. She was amazed by the way the place looked. It was lavish.

She sat at the kitchen island as he strolled further into the kitchen, looking for food. Meanwhile, she was studying her surroundings.

“What would you like to have?” He asked, turning towards her. She fed him her attention before answering, “Answers,” She spoke stiffly. He cocked an eyebrow at her and looked at the things available in the small storage unit before answering, “Not in the menu,”

She gritted her teeth while blood ran to her cheeks. The corner of his lips turned up into a smirk. His eyes were set on her intensely - watching her, studying her, remembering all her details. He wanted to know everything about her.

“Still, what would like to have?” He tried again but this time, he was met with silence as she gave him a hard look. He sighed before muttering under his breath, “I’ll ask the royal chef to make something,”

His eyes fogged as he turned his back to her and mindlinked the chef and told him to bring some food.

“Why I am here?” She asked again as she rolled back the sleeves of the enormously big shirt she had been wearing. It instantly claimed his attention and he turned to her. With his eyes set on her, he stalked towards her like a predator before touching the back of her exposed hand. Sparks danced on her skin instantly and she sucked in air.

“You feel it, don’t you?” He asked gently. His voice came out more melodic than the music that she liked to dance to. It made her look up to his dark blue eyes. She found it hard to not get lost in them again.

“Yes,” The answer found its way out of her mouth. His long fingers grazed the back of her hand before hooking his small finger with hers.

“You know I am a wolf borne, right?” He asked further, maintaining eye contact.

“Yes… and I am a witch.” She added after a small pause.

“I know that…” He trailed off before continuing, “How much do you know about us?” He asked further as he looked down at her prudently. He wanted to know what was going on in her head and what she thought about me.

When she didn’t answer him, he asked further, “What do you know about me?” There was an undertone of desperation in his voice as he had asked the question. She tried to move her hand away from his but he didn’t let her do that. The sparks were bothering her. They were interfering with her ability to think straight.

“Nothing,” She uttered as the sparks danced their way up to her arm, sending small ripples of pleasure down her body. He took his hand off hers suddenly when a sound was heard outside the kitchen.

He vanished in a blink of her eye before returning with a small trolley laden up with food for seemingly ten people.

“The chef sent you some food to taste,” He announced with a small smile but she was still surrounded by so many doubts and questions that at the moment, they had overpowered her hunger. She wasn’t starving for food anymore. She was starving for answers.

“Haestus…” She called his name for the first time and it made him snap his head at her at lightning speed. It made his wolf stir inside him as a wave of new emotions washed over them. “We were talking,” She reminded him. He stopped halfway from transferring the food from the small trolley to the table before her.

“I remember,” He nodded at her as he resumed to transfer the food. He took a seat beside her when he was done. His arm brushed against her and instantly sparks shot up her hand. It made her almost jump from her seat. She wasn’t used to that. It felt exquisite yet overwhelming. It made her want him more but at the same time, set the logical part of her mind flashing like a red sign. She was sure he was messing with her.

He was careful enough to have noticed the effect he was having on her. She straightened up and turned her head towards her.

“Why does it happen?” She asked while trying to maintain a safe distance between them so that their skin wasn’t touching anymore but this simple task felt so difficult because he was sitting so close to her that even if they weren’t touching, she felt the air around them buzz with electricity.

He had his head turned towards her. A prolonged silence fell between them before he answered, “We are mates. We have been paired together,”

“I don’t get it,” Orabelle lied as she tore her gaze away from him and looked at the food on the table. She knew what he was talking about. His kind got paired with a partner who’d complement them in all aspects. The new pairer, Inanna was responsible for this. But she was finding it hard to believe that being a witch, she’d be paired with him.

“Get what?”

“I am a witch, you’re a wolf!” She leaned away from him as she said that.

“What a better combination, isn’t it?” He let out a small laugh as he snaked one of his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. He hated it whenever she showed any sign of physical dissociation.

“No!” She exclaimed as she tried to fight the lust in her and take his arm off her.

“Why? Don’t you feel anything for me?” He asked urgently while pulling her closer. She was halfway hanging from the stool. His arm was firmly wrapped around her. His eyes shimmered with heat as the question sank into her mind.

She opened and closed her mouth. She knew well enough that she couldn’t answer ‘no’. He knew well enough to tell that she was lying.

“I am hungry. What’s that?” She croaked while pointing to a small basket that laid across the table. He sighed, knowing that she had just changed the topic but he had already got his answer when she didn’t try to move away from him again.