The Rogue and the Rebel (Sanctuary #3)

Chapter Eight

Vince: Bonding

I had a hard time falling asleep as I was so aroused. I wanted her, but I didn’t want her to think I was using her just for that. My wolf stirred, letting me know that she initiated it the first time the last time, and I told him that I was trying to let her sleep. That was what we should be doing. A few seconds later, I said to my wolf, maybe in the morning if she’s still here .

“You don’t have to sleep on the couch,” she said. Her voice startled me in the quiet room. “I’m sure it has to be uncomfortable.”

It was, but I didn’t want her to know that.

“It’s probably best that I do. For both our sakes,” I replied with a soft laugh.

“You aren’t like any man I’ve ever met,” she said.

“Oh? What makes me so different,” I laughed, turning my head to look at her. I could see her outline in the bed using my wolf’s night vision.

“You’re a gentleman.”

I couldn’t help but roar with laughter. “Honey, I’m far from being a gentleman. Is it because I’m not crawling into that bed and having my way with you?”

“Pretty much, yes,” she said with a soft laugh.

I sat up and looked over at her. She was lying on her side, watching me. The way her hair cascaded around her neck and shoulders made her breathtakingly beautiful.

“I want you every which way I can have you, but not only that, my wolf wants you too, and he has never cared about whatever woman I’ve been with until now. If I take you one more time, I’ll mark you and claim you as mine, but I can’t do that to you without at least letting us get to one another. I don’t want you to think I’m some creep you just met who claimed you as his mate.”

She gulped audibly and opened her mouth to say something but closed it as if she didn’t know what to say. She took in a deep breath and released it. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being honest with me.”

“I guess you haven’t had any luck with honesty in men lately?”

“Try ever,” she replied, and my heart broke a little for her.

“If you want to talk about it or anything, I’m all ears,” I grinned. I would love for her to open up so I could get to know her a little more. “How about this? I’ll tell you something about myself, and you will share something about yourself.”

She snorted, “Do you really want to know anything about me?”

“Woman, did you not hear a word I’ve said?”

She let out a loud laugh and said, “I did. Go ahead, Wolfman. Tell me something about yourself.”

“Well, I’m a rogue wolf.”

“Tell me something I didn’t know already.” I raised an eyebrow, and Lissa continued, “You’re out roaming around on a Harley across state lines. The wolves here know you, so you’ve been here before.”

“You’re quite observant.”

“I’ve learned that I have to be.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. So, tell me something interesting about yourself. Where are you from? I’ve never met a female dragon.”

“I’ve heard that we’re rare.”

“Female dragons are for sure,” I nodded.

“I’m not from anywhere in particular. My mother left me with her coven in Oregon. Once I hit puberty, my dragon emerged, and I was no longer welcomed there.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. They should’ve helped you. Where’s your mom now, do you know?”

She shrugged, “I’m not sure. Probably went back to Europe.”

“Surely you found someone to teach you about your familiar.”

“There was, but it didn’t turn out quite like I had hoped it would have.”

“What happened?”

“They wanted me to be bred so that we could bring our numbers up, and I was to bind myself to the alpha.”

My eyebrows went up in surprise, “I assumed you left straight away?”

“I did. I enjoyed my freedom. I wasn’t ready to bind myself to anyone or start having children when I was still learning about myself, but they wanted to keep me there, popping out dragon babies, and I wasn’t signing up for that.”

“I wouldn’t either. I’m sorry you’ve had a rough go of things.”

My wolf growled, feeling angry that someone would want to abuse her like that, and I agreed. I wanted a woman who was independent and free to be themselves. I couldn’t imagine forcing her to stay home and forcing her to have my kids. It had to be something we both wanted, which was why I couldn’t mark her. I needed her to feel the same for me as I did for her.

“I’ve been talking about me quite a bit. I think you owe me at least five things about yourself.”

“Five?” I said with a breathy laugh. “How about three.”

She smiled, “Okay, fine. Three.”

“I’m from Washington, originally. My cousin is an alpha to a pack up there. He inherited it from his father. My father was a lone wolf, but I remained in my cousin’s pack until a few years ago.”

“What made you become a lone wolf?”

“Pack dynamics were off. Aiden lost his wife and child in childbirth, and he fell into moon sickness.”

“That sounds horrible.”

“It was, especially for the pack.”

“I don’t understand.”

“An alpha and his pack are linked in a way. They’re bonded. It helps keep the pack strong. Aiden lost a part of himself when he lost his wife and child, and the link moved over to his wolf side, causing some of the pack to shift and stay in their wolf form.”

“And that’s bad?”

“In a way, it was.”

“You guys couldn’t have another alpha take over?”

“They would have to challenge him, and no one wanted to do that.”

“Why not?”

“Aiden is powerful and dominant, but he is a great alpha. Though he was heartbroken, he took care of us the best he could, and we were there for him, but the urge to shift more than usual was hard on me. I wanted to give in to my carnal urges.”

“Carnal urges, huh? You mean to tell me that you haven’t been doing that?”

I laughed out loud. “Somewhat.” I glanced over at her, and she had propped her head up on her arm, staring down at me. Her hair was tucked over to one side. I wanted to give in to some of those urges right now.