Jan rustled from sleep a few weeks later, distinctly feeling something was wrong. Someone was missing. Though not freezing, the bed was colder than he was used to. Unwilling to open his eyes, he stretched out, blindly searching for his usual heat source.
Nothing.
The silvery eyes finally popped open.
His outstretched hand lay over an empty pillow that was too cool to the touch. Ethan had not been in bed for hours.
Jan sat up, his eyes roaming the room, searching for signs of the wolf.
On the dawn after their near-kiss, Jan had insisted on sleeping downstairs. But his body had been too wired up and anxious to sleep. Eventually, Ethan had come to get him and, without a word, returned him to his bed.
Now, Jan had become accustomed to falling asleep with the gray wolf watching over him like he had done this morning. However, unlike other nights, the alpha's soft, silky fur was not wrapped around him when his eyes opened tonight.
An uncomfortable sense of loss settled on his shoulders like someone had snatched away his protective blanket.
"Jan, are you awake?" Ivan called from the living room.
"Yeah- ahem. Yes. Come in."
His brother walked in, sporting his usual dark blazer over a white shirt and slacks. "Why are you still in bed? Get dressed. We don't have a lot of time."
"Where's Ethan?" Jan asked, ignoring the impatience in Ivan's voice.
"His brother has a test today. He's gone to watch. Come on, let's go!"
"Go where?"
"There's a guest I want you to meet. But we must hurry before your wolf comes." Ivan yanked the blanket off him.
"He's not my wolf," Jan grumbled, though he could not help the slight pink coloring his ears. He shuffled out of bed and into the bathroom.
After dressing, the blond vampire latched the Rolex watch on his slender wrist and gave himself a final lookover in the wide mirror. He adjusted his silver tie at his neck and smoothed down the black, pin-striped vest against his belly. Under Naomi's dedicated meal plan, Jan had filled out nicely after guzzling packets of blood every day. He finally fit his clothes again, and his cheeks had plumped out, hiding the bony visage that had haunted the mirror for weeks.
The only detraction was his pale skin. No matter how many packets he drank, he could not get the healthy, pinkish glow a fresh feed provides. Swiveling this way and that to check out his sides, an errant wavy lock slipped free of the leather thong at his nape, tumbling down his temple.
Ugh! His hair was at that awkward length where it was too long to be considered stylish but too short to stay tied up. He picked up the closest brush from the vanity to comb it back into place, then paused, staring at it.
A strand of dark curly hair twisted around one of its bristles.
The alpha's musky scent was all over their suite. But intimate items like this brush, the sheets, and towels held it the strongest. Bringing it to his nose, Jan inhaled deeply and sighed when the wolf's pheromones evoked a tingling rush of heat down his chest.
Ethan's scent was addictive. It was the warm smell of home.
Jan had never thought he could ever be comfortable in a wolf territory. But all around him, the items in the suite spoke of a cozy and relaxed life.
His dark pajamas lay on top of Ethan's gray sweatpants in the laundry basket where he had tossed them. Two fluffy white towels hang on the rack; one for him, the other for the alpha. However, they used both interchangeably, grabbing whichever was nearest when they stepped out of the shower. And the bath held only a bottle each of gel, shampoo and conditioner. Like an old couple, there was no distinction between their toiletries.
YOU ARE READING
Blooded Mate
Fantasy[[MATURE CONTENT]] Pack, family, mate. Loyalty, respect, honor. These are the words that form the foundation of the wolf society. At six years old, Ethan had to choose between his Alpha title and his survival on the night of his father's death. As a...
