“What’s wrong?” Nikoli asks as we all walk into the gym, his eyes meeting mine. I don’t know how he can tell something is wrong, but he does. I watch as he drops the weights he was lifting and runs over to us. The gym has five men in it that I haven’t seen before, and they all go silent as they watch us.
“The Hogs have claimed that Harper is their mate. They declared that they are going to attack us at the next full moon,” Gold says, and a ripple of anger flows over Nikoli’s face as he steps closer and puts his hands on both my arms.
“Are you okay?” he asks. “If they hurt you, screw the rules, I’m going to kill them all.”
I can sense how worried he is without listening to his threatening words; the slight growling I hear only confirms what I can detect. I move closer and wrap my arms around him, laying my head on his chest.
“I’m fine. They didn’t touch me. We just spoke, that’s all.”
My words seem to have the desired effect, as the light growling stops, and Nikoli wraps his arms around me, kissing the top of my head.
“Then we fight them. They have wanted this since I killed their parents and took back the land they stole. This is personal between us,” Nikoli shouts, and I hear growling replies scattered around the room.
“I’m sorry you have to be involved,” Nikoli whispers to me.
“I’m here now, and I want to help,” I say, making Nikoli tense up a little.
“Gold, call a meeting for the whole pack tonight. Snow, could you find my betas and tell them to go to my office.”
“We can’t win this alone. Maybe I should call Colton, as his coven is in town and might be willing to fight. The Hogs would never expect vampires,” Snow says.
“Fine, call Colton. I will be there soon, but I want a moment alone with Harper,” Nikoli says, holding me close the entire time he speaks.
“Sure,” Snow says.
I hear everyone leave, but we don’t move. I feel safe in his arms, secure, and that’s not something I remember feeling growing up. The very thought that someone could take this from me just panics me. I can’t lose him, or Colton. Not now; not ever.
“Let me take you somewhere. I want to show you something,” he says, and I nod, stepping away and letting him take my hand. I’ve never had someone this close to me; no one other than Colton. My friend Skye was close to me, but I doubt she will miss me much. We only saw each other once a week after school finished, and I never trusted her like I should have. I never let myself get close to anyone other than Colton; now I have a whole pack. I have Gold and Snow, two women I consider close friends. And two destined mates, I can’t forget about those. We walk out of the training room and around it, towards the gardens at the side of the house.
“I grew up here; my mother loved these gardens. She had a thing for The Secret Garden fairy tales, and recreated her own one with my father’s help. He would have done anything for her,” Nikoli tells me as we walk down a stone path, filled with flowers on each side. At the end of the short path is a big vine-covered door.
“This is yours now,” Nikoli says, and pulls a necklace out his pocket. There’s a medium-sized old-looking key on the end. The necklace is silver and has roses engraved on it, with an ‘F’ on the handle. I’m sure it stands for the Forest pack.
“I can’t accept that,” I say, as he presses it into my hand.
“My mother put this around my neck when she made me run from the pack as a child. I will never forget seeing her for the last time as she pushed us into one of the old tunnels in the woods. She crouched down, with tears running down her face, and Snow holding on to my hand. She told me to give it to my mate and to have a future. That, no matter what happens, she wanted me to be happy, and I am with you, Harper. Please, let me fill her wishes,” he confesses, making me want to cry myself for him. That must have been horrible, knowing he couldn’t save her, and having to protect himself and his sister instead. Nikoli steps closer as we both stare at each other. The emotion in his eyes is hard to see, but I don’t want to look away. I want to be here for him.
“I’ve worn this for many years, waiting to give it you, Harper,” he tells me, forcing me to stare into his bright blue eyes, like he is everything to me as I am to him. Except it isn’t just him wanting to be with me anymore; it’s me. I want to be with him more now than I ever have. This means a lot to him, and I don’t know how to feel about it. I never had anything from my own parents; there was nothing left in the fire, apparently.
“Are you sure?” I ask him gently.
“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life,” he tells me, making me wonder if he means more than just the key. I close my hand around it and walk towards the door, feeling him watching me. The key is hard to turn, as it’s so small for the large door, but I finally manage and push the door open with my shoulder. The garden is impressive, just like the secret garden in the fairy tale, complete with a swing in the middle of it. I don’t know where to look, there is just so much colour in the garden; it’s so alive. There’s an arch in the corner, and I put the necklace on before walking over to it, with Nikoli following me. The arch has dozens of roses around it, and I go to touch one, pricking my finger on a thorn.
“Ouch,” I say, pulling my hand away. Nikoli takes my hand in his, putting my finger in his mouth as I watch in shock. What feels like years later, but it must have only been seconds, he lets go, and I look at my finger in shock. There’s no cut anymore.
“It’s strange to get used to, the whole healing thing. Everything is hard to get used to. I don’t know how to imagine never ageing and being immortal,” I say, and he steps closer, pulling me into his arms.
“Immortal life isn’t easy, but you have the pack and me. You have Colton and his coven. You won’t be alone.”
“Do you mean that?” I ask him gently, not trusting my voice. I don’t want to let them down.
“Harper,” Nikoli says my name slowly, as he pulls me closer. I look up, not moving, as he lowers his head. The first brush of his lips across mine is sweet, tender almost, and then he slides his hand into my hair, kissing me like a starving man. His lips battle against my own, almost punishing me, but in the most seductive way. I can’t seem to get enough of how he tastes, or how good his hard body feels pressed against my own. Nikoli pulls away, breathless as I am, and runs his finger across my bottom lip.
“Whatever happens in our future, I’m fighting for you. I’m here for you, and even if you decide not to mate with me, I will be at your side as your friend, as anything I can be for you,” he declares, looking into my eyes as he speaks, then letting me go and walking out of the garden as I watch him leave. I want to call him back, to tell him that I want him as much as he apparently wants me, but something stops me. I guess it’s a worry of everything being so new and I’m in a world I don’t understand. I know I like him, and I want another kiss, but something stops me from running after him. The same part that thinks of Colton.