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  Seconds later, Paris’s son, Constantine, came storming in. “What the hell was going on here and why did I just see my mate run out of the house in tears? I heard yelling in here.”

  Paris narrowed his eyes. “Look, I’ve already taken a lot of shit from Sarah, I’m not interested in getting any from you. So why don’t you ask her what the matter is?”

  “Because I’m asking you. Besides, if I know my mate, she’s going to go back to our house, lock herself in her studio and paint until she feels in the right frame of mind to talk about what’s bothering her. When you summoned her to the office, I assumed you were telling her about her mother.”

  Paris sighed before taking his seat again. Now that a few moments had passed, he realized that he shouldn’t have blown up the way he had. After all, Sarah hadn’t been wrong and he also understood her position and what it would mean for her to be reunited with her mother after all this time. “I lost my temper, is what happened. I…I’ll apologize to Sarah when I see her again.”

  Constantine took the seat in front of Paris’s desk. “Wanna tell me about it?”

  Paris didn’t really feel like telling the story again but Constantine needed to know as his Alpha-in-Waiting what they were up against. As calmly as his already stressed mind would allow him, he told Constantine about what happened in France and his encounter with Anisa and the warlock, Gaspard. And finally, he’d relayed the conversation he’d had had with Sarah.

  When Paris finished speaking, Constantine didn’t speak right away. Instead, he stroked his chin as if he was trying to gather his thoughts. “That’s a lot to take in. It’s no wonder Sarah lost her temper. She’s not usually like that and you know it.”

  “Of course, which is why I regret losing my temper. It’s been nearly two years since you found Sarah. In that span of time, she learned that she wasn’t completely human, about the existence of immortals, that you’re her mate, her mother is still alive and that she’s being hunted by a crazed power-hungry hunter. I think most people would have had a breakdown of some sort if they had to take all of that in,” Paris recounted.

  “Exactly. And on top of that, she’s only recently learned that she’s part seraphim with powers many would covet. Still, she’s managed to take it all in stride because she’s strong. She just needs time to process all this. But, she does have a point. You can’t keep Sarah from her mother forever. Personally, I don’t see any harm in a visit. Besides, once Aries learns that you’ve found Anisa, he’s going to want her brought back to the island so that she can cure his mate.”

  “You’re right, I didn’t think about that. This certainly complicates things.”

  “Father, I understand the position you’re in and how you don’t want to cause Anisa any further stress but how can we trust Gaspard? For all we know, he could be the one brainwashing her. I don’t think it would hurt to pay him a visit.”

  “I don’t know if I can face her right now,” Paris whispered.

  “So, this is about you and how she may react to seeing you again? Look, I get it. You’ve waited for over a century to be reunited with Anisa and now that she’s within your grasp, you’re scared. She’s been unobtainable for so long and you fear that now that you can actually talk to her, she’ll reject you. The two of you are mates and there’s no bond stronger than that. You love her, so fight for her. That aside, you’ve told me countless times to put the needs of the pack before my own. The pack needs Anisa, now more than ever. There’s no telling what will happen if Nina isn’t healed soon. She could spread the illness and when that happens, there’s no way Aries will put his own mate down.”

  “You’re right. I have to face this head on and I will. I just…need a day or so to sort things through.”

  Constantine sighed as he stood up. “Don’t take too long. You have people depending on you, and possibly, Anisa herself. We don’t know what this warlock is up to. He could very well be working for Gage and this is all an elaborate trap.”

  “That had crossed my mind,” Paris admitted.

  “I’m sure it has. Look, I’m going to go check on my mate but please don’t prolong this. You’re only putting off the inevitable.”

  Paris couldn’t help but grin at his son’s statement. “Since when did you become so wise? I remember not very long ago, I had to practically force you to take your responsibilities seriously and now, you’re giving me advice?”

  Constantine smiled. “I learned from the best.” He walked out the door after that statement.

  Paris was proud to see how his son had matured over the past year and a half. He was extremely proud of all of his pups. His daughter, Persephone. who’d had a bit of a wild streak herself, was happily mated with a powerful Alpha whose pack made solid allies. His nephew, Aries, who he loved as one of his own, had recently mated to a beautiful All Black wolf. Despite the dangers that swirled around them, they too were, apparently, very happy together.

  Still, Paris wondered if he would finally have a happiness of his own. Sure, he’d taken a mate after Anisa had left and had two beautiful pups with her. But she wasn’t his bond mate, the one true mate of his heart and soul, like Anisa was. He’d cared for Melanie, his pups’ mother, and even loved her a little, well as much as his empty heart would allow. But she was no Anisa. When Melanie died, he’d felt guilty that his first thought had been that he was free. That guilt still ate away at him to this day.

  However, it wasn’t the biggest weight he carried. The greatest amount of guilt that weighed heaviest on his heart was how cruelly he’d treated Anisa when he had her. Paris winced as the memories came flooding back.

  He looked down at her shivering form. She was so tiny, nearly half his size but she was perfectly proportioned and all woman from her full hips, large breasts to her small waist. He admired the way her beautiful dark brown skin practically glowed. But this wasn’t how he’d pictured their first time together. He didn’t mean to be so rough and uncaring that she was a virgin.

  All that had mattered when he’d taken her was to teach her a lesson. Paris had wanted to exert his dominance over her so that there would be no doubt in her mind who she belonged to. Now that the act was complete, however, he felt sick to his stomach.

  Anisa was curled up into a ball, her shoulders slightly shaking and he could practically smell her sadness. He couldn’t see her face but he could tell that she was crying. Paris placed his hand on her shoulder noting the color contrast of their skin. Anisa flinched away. “No. No more,” she whispered.

  “Anisa…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

  “What are you sorry for? For basically taking me against my will or the horrible way you’ve treated me since I arrived on the island.”

  Her words were like a fist to the chest. Paris had never felt such shame in his life. If he could take how he’d treated Anisa since her arrival on the island back, he would have. But he’d been so dead set against this union that instead of getting to know her as he should have, he’d agonized her to the point where she went out of her way to avoid him. When he realized that didn’t make him happy, he’d grown angrier because he had been fighting the inevitable. She was his bond mate.

  Shifters could mate with anyone they decided to spend the rest of their lives with. However, like all other immortals, they had their special one mate with whom they were connected to spiritually by heart, mind, body, and soul. That person to a shifter was their bond mate. The connection was so strong that to be parted from them was a painful experience.

  Paris hated himself at that moment. “Anisa, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “Didn’t you? That’s what you intended when you dragged me up here, isn’t it?” She turned to face him and he winced at seeing the total devastation on her face. “All my life, I’ve felt different. I could never live up to the standards of my mother and aunts. I was never strong enough or assertive enough or powerful enough. I wasn’t a warrior and I had to deal with my mother’s constant disappointment. It didn’t help that she was
the Alpha and I was forever in her shadow. So, when I learned that I would be betrothed to a powerful Alpha-in-Waiting and would join his pack, I was frightened. But then, I learned that I’d be going to pack Kyriakis. I’d heard so many good things about your pack, about how tightknit you all were and how you worked together. How the men valued their women and treated them fairly. I thought maybe this is where I’d finally fit in. But you made me feel so unwelcome and unwanted. If it weren’t for the rest of your pack members, I probably would have lost my mind by now. But this…I wish I could go back to my old pack.”

  This was the most Anisa had said to him since she’d arrived on Circe and he had no one but himself to blame.

  “Anisa, words can’t describe how much I regret what happened. But you probably don’t want to hear that right now. But just know I will make this up to you. I promise.”

  Her response was to turn her back on him again.

  Paris had thought it was best to leave her alone. Tomorrow was their joining ceremony. And he hoped that they could start fresh then. He’d be the man she deserved.

  Unfortunately, the next day, Anisa had disappeared.

  Chapter Two

  Camille sat on the windowsill staring out the window that looked out on the ocean. For some reason, water always seemed to calm her. Mainly, because to her, it represented freedom. She had vague memories of being by the ocean when she was younger but that was a long time ago.

  This new house she and Gaspard had taken residence in seemed somewhat familiar and she couldn’t figure out why. All she knew was that she was being thrust into a situation that frightened the hell out of her. She was in a new home, in another country and being told she was someone she had no memories of. Then that tall rugged looking shifter came storming into their home, calling her by a name that wasn’t hers. He’d frightened her but what scared her the most, was how he seemed like someone she’d once known even though she was almost certain they’d never met. Yet, when he’d touched her, there had been a spark.

  She sought refuge with her protector, her husband. Even thinking about that encounter with the handsome shifter, her heart sped up and anxiety took over. And why had Gaspard so easily given into his demands about them coming here? Nothing made sense.

  Her ears perked up as she heard footsteps approach. She didn’t bother to turn around when Gaspard entered the room.

  “Mon amour, you’ve been in this room for hours. Would you like to join me downstairs for something to eat?”

  Camille shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

  “You haven’t eaten all day. You need energy.”

  He walked over to where she sat and put his arm around her shoulders. “Come. You’ll feel better once you’ve eaten.” He gently tried to guide her off the windowsill.”

  Camille pulled herself out of his grasp and pushed him away. “No. I wish you would stop doing that.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Treating me as if I don’t know my own mind. I said I wasn’t hungry. You can’t make me eat if I don’t want to.”

  “I know I can’t but you’ve been holed up in this room all day and I can’t help but worry about you.”

  “Why are you worried? Is it because you think I’ll remember something you don’t want me to?”

  Gaspard took a step away from her as if she’d struck him. “Camille, you know that I only have your best interests at heart. I stood by your side after the attack that nearly killed you. I nursed you back to health and took care of you. I’ve been the one to keep you safe all these years.”

  It was true that Gaspard had been there for her since she woke up in a small cabin with no memory of where or who she was. But Gaspard, her husband, had been there. He’d told her that she had been attacked by rogue vampires who wanted to drain her essence and he’d saved her just in time. They’d nearly killed her but she’d managed to survive with Gaspard’s intervention. The problem was, she had no memory of any of it or the man who claimed to be her husband. She didn’t remember anything before that point of waking in that cabin.

  All she was told was a name. Camille Fortier. She’d apparently taken on Gaspard’s surname when they ran off and had a spiritual joining. He’d told her that her pack members had disapproved of their union because Gaspard was a warlock without any powerful connections. But they’d loved each other so much they’d run off together and had been on the run ever since. It was one of the reasons they needed to move around a lot so her pack would not find her and not only drag her back but also force her into a union with some brutish Alpha from another pack.

  It had been a lot to process at first but what he’d said seemed plausible. She could sense his dedication to her. But she wondered why she didn’t feel that connection between them. Camille reasoned that it was possible she had misgivings because of her memory loss. Over the past several years, she couldn’t deny his devotion to her and it just felt comfortable to be with him. Besides, when she thought about striking out on her own, an irrational fear took over her. A fear that she couldn’t begin to explain. Being parted from him gave her anxiety, even the few times when they were around other people, she felt anxious.

  But seeing that shifter frightened her. Why did he seem familiar and why did they suddenly need to be under his protection?

  “You like to remind me of that don’t you?”

  “Because you often seem to forget. I’ve had your best interests in mind all the time. If it weren’t for me, you’d be bound to some abusive Alpha. You didn’t want that and I saved you from that fate.”

  “And I should be forever grateful, right?”

  Gaspard narrowed his eyes. “What’s gotten into you, Camille? It’s not like you to ask so many questions.”

  “Maybe it’s time that I started to ask questions. You’ve never told me about the pack I ran away from. Only that they hailed from the Ivory Coast.”

  Gaspard shrugged. “What does it matter?”

  “Shouldn’t it matter if they’ve been after us for the last 26 years? It’s the reason we’re constantly on the move. Yet, you were willing to accept this mysterious Alpha’s protection. And who is this Gage that he spoke of? And why does he think I’m someone named Anisa?”

  Gaspard closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. This time ignoring her resistance. “Bébé, you’re obviously tired. Come, I’ll take you downstairs. Or perhaps, you have an appetite for something else.” He grinned down at her. He was an attractive man with his dark red hair and reddish-brown eyes. Normally, a smile from him was enough to make her melt but now, it only annoyed her.

  Camille was more than a little vexed. He was clearly not going to answer her questions and she was beginning to wonder if he was telling her the truth about her former life.

  She tried to pull out of his hold but he tightened his grip before burying his face against her neck. “So beautiful. You know I love you and would do anything for you.”

  “You claim to love me but you won’t answer my questions.”

  “I’ll answer your questions, sweet Camille, but later.” He placed his lips against hers but she didn’t return his kiss. When she tried to turn her head, he gripped her by the hair and held her steady. “Don’t you pull away from me.” He nipped her bottom lip so hard that he broke skin.

  Camille whimpered as she struggled to break free but Gaspard would not be swayed. He crushed her lips beneath his, taking away any choice she had.

  She felt something come over her. The hairs raised on the back of her neck and her insides felt as if they were moving. Before she realized what was happening, a layer of dark brown fur covered her arms and her nails elongated. Using strength she didn’t realize she possessed, not only did she manage to push Gaspard away; she sent him flying across the room taking them both by surprise.

  She stared in horror as he crashed into the wall with a heavy thud. Apparently, he was surprised as well, judging from the stunned expression on his face. He didn’t move at first and Camill
e thought she might have seriously injured him. But, he slowly wobbled to his feet.

  She brought her hands to her mouth in horror. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how that happened. She stared down at her body, taking note of the fur that covered her arms. Even her voice sounded gravelly. She knew she was a shifter, but for some reason, the wolf side of her had never come out, even when she’d tried to channel it. Gaspard had told her it was one of the reasons her old pack had treated her poorly because she didn’t have a strong connection to her wolf. But apparently, it was ready to come out.

  Gaspard cautiously walked over to her. “Camille, I need you to take a deep breath and calm down. Don’t be frightened.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not afraid. This…this somehow feels right.”

  “I know how it must feel, bébé, but what you just did was very wicked. Let me help you.”

  She took a step away from him. “I didn’t mean to do it. You wouldn’t let me go.”

  “Shh.” Gaspard closed the distance between them. “It’s going to be all right. Let me relax you. It’s been a long day for you.” He slowly placed his fingertips on her temples and gave a gentle massage.”

  “I don’t know why this is necessary,” she said, but as the words left her mouth she felt a peaceful flow of energy spread throughout her body. The fur that had covered her skin only seconds before disappeared and she was fully human again. All of the questions that had swirled in her mind eased away. As Gaspard continued to massage her head, Camille closed her eyes and let the magic flow inside of her.

  When Gaspard lowered his hands, she opened her eyes.

  “How do you feel, Camille?”

  “Wonderful.”

  “And, did you have any questions for me?”

  She frowned and searched her brain for any possible questions that she might have had for him but she couldn’t think of any. “Can I have something to eat? I’m starving.”

  Gaspard chuckled lightly. “Of course, you can, bébé. Your every wish is my command. He lowered his head and dropped a light kiss on her lips. As he led her out of the room, Camille’s only thought was how safe she felt when she was with him.