Chapter 4

Claire's POV

The room had been filled with dead-silence after I'd finished speaking.

The look on the alpha's face and my dad's face was a look of shock. I guess they couldn't understand that I was dead-serious about choosing some outside guy over Dylan.

Sorry, Dad! My decision is final.

And Dylan, oh boy, he was totally flabbergasted. He never imagined that I'd be so firm.

They cite the devil you know is preferable to the angel you don't. But I'll do better now to take the angel I don't know than to have this devil for the remainder of my life.

Even as Blake's face was still blank as he looked down at me, I knew I made the right mistake.

The moment I chose him to be my partner, a feeling I had never felt before tied us together.

It was described by the people who spoke about the bond with their friends that they could not do justice to explaining it. It was magical and, at the same time, terrifying.

I knew he sensed it as well when our eyes locked.

Bending to my stature, he picked me up like I was featherlight, holding me against his chest.

I breathed out at his warmth, feeling his strong heartbeat against mine. My body eased at the touch of his arms around me, as if nothing else matters.

"Not an accident, I hope?" He asked, his deep voice tinged with worry.

As I tried to nod, I was seeing stars. The world was spinning, but I could only manage a faint "yes" as I clung to him for dear life, my heart pounding.

While I could barely make head or tail of what was going on in my muddled brain, the feel of Blake's powerful muscles was like a painkiller and had me wondering what he was like under the shirt.

Stop, Claire!

When did I ever get carried away by a man?

It must be the headache's fault.

Or I was at last crazy.

At any rate, his hard arms around me were a solace to my spirit, giving a feeling of safety and reassurance I had not realized I craved.

I turned a little, looking at Dylan.

It was as if he had something to tell me, but he couldn't.

As I had foreseen, he was just a coward who loved to use his little power over the people under him.

Not so tough now, eh?

I wanted to smile at that moment, but even the attempt made my head bang harder.

Dylan gave me a dirty look with slitted eyes, but I didn't mind.

I was invincible.

I shut my eyes for a moment, not being able to look at him anymore.

"Well, it seems she's made up her mind. Having said everything there was to say, I'm going to attend to my mate."

And he walked back towards the door.

"This is insane," I could hear Dylan saying.

"I think that is left for me to decide." My dad retorted, his tone hard and final.

Thinking about it, it actually doesn't make sense, but at the moment, all I could think about was my unexpected salvation. I felt a strange sense of peace washing over me, as if, for the first time in a long while, everything might be going right.

---

When I opened my eyes, I was momentarily blinded by the nasty sunrays from the window opposite.

Where am I?

I was confused and took some time to realize that I was in my room.

I must have slept on the way here. The sudden shift from reality to waking up in my own bed had me confused, disoriented.

Facing me, I was surprised to see Blake instead of my dad sitting next to me, staring at me, his feet on my bed.

My heart leaped into my throat as I met his gaze, and I could feel the red crawling up my neck. What did he need?

I blushed, feeling my face heat with humiliation, so much so that I involuntarily looked down at myself from the searing intensity of his glance.

It is then that reality struck me.

Oh no! He did.

"Where's my clothes?" I questioned, looking underneath the blanket, but only to realize I was wearing nothing on.

Blake remained nonchalant despite my sudden response. Over there, he indicated the footboard of my bed.

"Did you remove them?"

"If I hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to bathe you," he told me matter-of-factly, the calmness of his tone belied by an underlying tension.

What!!

He can't be… He couldn't have.

"Don't worry, I didn't hurt you," he told me, grinning and holding up his hands in mock surrender.

I suppose he can tell how that irritated me.

"Your dad took care of that," he added with a small laugh.

"My dad?!" How was that going to make me feel better? What the hell happened to privacy?!

I felt like opening a hole and burrowing myself into it.

He smiled, and I had butterflies in my stomach.

Oh my God! When did he ever have that kind of effect on me?!

"I'll bet you're hungry after what you had to endure last night. Sit down, then, here's some breakfast," he said, crossing over to the table in front of the window to fetch the tray which I had refused when I woke up.

Today is going to be full of surprises, I guess.

"Did you have breakfast ready for me?"

"No, your dad did."

Or not.

"Oh!"

But that did not matter. He was very nice, and that made me give in.

I believe because nobody does such things for me aside from my dad when I am sick.

"Where is he?" I inquired between bites. He raised an eyebrow over my rude mode of eating, but I just shrugged and continued to chew my food, not wishing to make a bigger fool of myself.

"He disappeared somewhere after he gave me the food."

"And yes, I have already had mine," he said, looking at me knowingly.

"He did complete justice to those pancakes."

"My dad has always been a good cook."

"I hope you are too," he said with a faint smile.

I smiled and focused my attention back on the food I was eating.

You will be surprised.

When I was done, he took away the plates and handed me a glass of water.

"Yes, your bruises are all better," he told me, having an emotionless face, although his eyes landed on me intensely.

"I guess that makes me a tough werewolf," I said, before drinking the water.

I returned the cup to him, which he set on the table next to the jug of water and dirty dishes.

"I see. Now that you are my mate, would you like to travel back with me to my pack?" He asked as he sat, this time on the bed next to me, his voice low and even.

I enjoyed the sound of his voice rumbling when he spoke.

My lips curved into a smile that I was sure was ear to ear, but I did not care, dazed in his sky-blue eyes.

I would have done anything for him right now.

Something sparked in me as I looked into his sharply chiseled face. Something I had given up a long time ago: hope.

"I would love to."