Chapter 3 Staring down

Audra

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"Hello," I toed the edge with my heel. He was my mate. The thing I've been scared of for the last eighteen years.

I'm scared of falling in love. Knowing that I would only bring him undeniable pain and suffering. Everything in my mind screamed for me to stay, dare I say, go closer.

He kept walking closer and closer. "Stop." I held out a hand. As on command, he halted in his tracks.

"Stop?" I saw his mortal eyebrow raise in question. "Aren't you supposed to jump into my arms, wrap your hands around my neck, and tell me about how long you had to wait?" He shoved his hands into his pant pockets.

Usually, that's how it was supposed to go. I would love him unconditionally for the rest of my life. The next words were so hard to get over my tongue. "I'm cursed, I can't love you."

It tore out my heart to say it. I felt tears well up in my eyes. "Please," I pleaded, and he took a step closer. "I can't even touch you." Then he took another step closer. We were in arms reach. I was pinned, cornered, against the cliff behind me.

He grabbed my arms pulling me into his chest. I gasped, "Please, I don't want to hurt you!" This was the first time I could remember anyone touching me. I wanted to stay in his arms. I wanted him to keep hugging me like nobody had before.

He leaned down and put his nose to the side of my neck. He breathed in, taking in my scent. "A wolf," he mumbled against my skin. I was stiff as a board in his arms. I didn't know what to do, how, if, I could hug him back.

"A shadow wolf." Did he figure all this out by taking in my scent? He raised his head to be at eye level with me. I was 5'9 in height and even then he dwarfed me. He had to be over 6 feet tall.

I stared into his bright blue eyes. I was entranced by him. "You are not cursed." He raised a hand to my cheek. "what have those dogs told you?" A growl unlike any heard before erupted from his throat.

"Dogs?" I questioned; did he mean wolves? I didn't know how to feel about calling my species dogs. He entangled his hang into my hair. He acted as if I would disappear into the mist.

"I've been told I'm cursed, and that I should not touch, look, or speak to others as well as know their name, if I don't want them to be harmed." I couldn't help my body but lean closer.

"Well, my name is Lucian, you can call me Vince." He said it with a smile on his face. I sucked in a breath, wincing at what was to come. Though nothing had happened.

"See? You are not cursed. Now-" he paused; I could tell he was trying to hold in a laugh. "Do you want me to tell you of your gifts?" He rested his forehead against mine, he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Gifts?" I gasped, and then I came to my senses. "Isn't that the nice way to describe the cursed?" I put my lips on. I love talking to someone. Being touched by someone. Feeling like a normal being.

He chuckled, his breath hitting my face. He had a beautiful dark laugh, a sound I had never heard before. It sounded nothing like the books described, and I tried to replicate it. "Stop overthinking." He took my ear in between his thumb and pointer finger, giving it a teasing squeeze.

I nodded my head, desperate for any information about myself. "You." He placed a pointer finger in the middle of my forehead. "Can control anyone's mind."

"What?!" I pushed out of his grasp, it sent me backward, and almost off the cliff.

In a matter of seconds, his arms wrapped around me, pushing me flush against his chest. "Yes, sweet girl." He rested his chin on my head. I heard him let out a sigh of relief. Gosh, my Mate sure was touchy. I didn't mind at all. A hot man, my Mate, draped all over me, I'm a happy woman.

"Want to come inside?" He jerked his chin in the direction of the cave.

"It looks-" I said peering over his shoulder to the dark cave. "Quite, um, dark."

This made his features light up in realization. "Oh, that's a facade. Give me a moment, Mate." He unwrapped his arms from around me, turning to face the cave.

Oh gosh! I haven't told him my name yet, no wonder he hasn't used it! "My," I stuttered out, "my name is Audra! I'm sorry but I don't have a last name." I said reaching out and grabbing his wrist, but he took a step forward, not noticing it. I clenched my fist; I missed my chance to touch my Mate. I already missed his warmth.

He looked back at me over his shoulder. A large grin plastered onto his face. "I don't have one either."

Then his body shifted, the human skin that he was just contained to was no more. His skin was no longer soft human flesh, it was hardened by Snow White scales. He grew to the size of my old house, his wings now clenched tightly to his sides. He looked back at me, the only thing the same was his electric blue eyes. The second after he shifted everything that I once saw changed right in front of my eyes.

He was a dragon. My beautiful Mate was no wolf, he was a rare white dragon, so different from myself. It is a mystery as to why fate aligned us together. "Follow me, my beautiful Audra." He was so much bigger than me now. It was like I was the size of a poppy flower next to him.

I scrambled after him. I tried to look at how my sights shifted, how the cave walls were nicely carved out by quartz, or that the darkness was now filled by this beautiful blue torched light that lined the sides of the cave wall as we walked.

Deeper in I came across a very human kitchen, living room, dining room, even a bed, all paid out for all to see. It was almost humorous to think that this huge, lovable, but huge beast cutting vegetables or sitting by the fire in the living room during the winter.

He breathed out, the smoke filling the room. I waved it out of my face. "You can sleep on the bed. Have you eaten?" His voice filled up every corner of the room.

"No, I haven't." I looked up to find him staring down at me. I think I could get used to this.

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