Page 29 of Fated Obsessions

He stayed back, thankfully giving me the space I desperately wanted right now. I could see on his face he didn’t want that, but he didn’t try to talk me into staying, and didn't come any closer either. And for that, I was glad. I needed some time to think. I needed to understand what exactly happened tonight.

I need to calm down from the intense pleasure he gave me.

It took several moments of him breathing in and out slowly, as if trying to gather his bearings. “I understand, although I’d be lying if I said I don’t want you to leave.” His voice was still husky but sounded normal again.

My heart started speeding up at that, and as much as I didn’t want to, I had to put some distance between us. “Yeah, I should go. I need to go.”

“Will you let me walk you home?” Those words were tight as they came out of him, as if the very idea of me leaving him was painful, as if he were stopping himself from pouncing on me.

God, there was this man—thisnon-humanman—being so kind and good, and had been like that from the very first moment I’d met him, but then he dropped this massive truth in my lap, one that sounded more like fantasy, and I was utterly confused. I wanted to just say,yeah,I’m cool with all this. I just want you and nothing else matters.But was I understanding any of this?

Right now... no; no, I wasn’t understanding any of this, and I think getting away from Ren would help, and that even meant just walking home. Maybe that was stupid, and maybe I should have been smarter and taken him up on his offer, because wildanimals and shit. But being around him scrambled my brain, and right now, I needed to get it level.

I didn’t know what else to say, so I started heading toward the front door. He didn’t stop me, and I was thankful, because I wouldn’t have had the willpower to deny him if he asked me to stay again.

Once the door was open and the cool breeze rushed over me, I looked over my shoulder and saw him standing in the same spot, his hands tucked into the pockets of his slacks, his gaze seeming verywolfyin that moment. A shiver skated over my skin, and I faced forward and left, shutting the door behind me.

And as I followed the trail back to town, the entire time I knew I wasn’t really alone.

I knew Ren followed me in the shadows to make sure I got home safely.

Chapter 19

Mikalina

Several days later

I’d stayed away for days, getting used to the idea of what Ren told me—or trying to, at least.

I had one opportunity to ask Mini—with Andrei as the interpreter—about Lycans, about Ren and the folklore she’d known as a child. But when the opportunity had risen, I found the idea of talking about Ren and what he told me… not my place. I felt proprietary of him, which was ludicrous in and of itself, given how long I’d known him. But telling that story—his story—felt wrong on every level.

So I said nothing, which gave me no additional answers to my many questions.

And now here I was, standing on the little stoop of the cottage, thinking about Ren and how no matter what reality and what IthoughtI’d known my entire life, I wanted him. I believed him.

And I wanted to go to him.

For the hundredth time, I thought about the folklore Mini told me about wolf-like creatures. About Ren’s species. Ididfeel like I’d been drawn to this place. And as I stood here on the stoop and closed my eyes, I could feel the wind along my skin and hear the distant sound of birds nearby as if my senses were heightened.

I don’t want to ignore what I feel for Ren.

There was more I needed to know, more from Ren, and I knew he’d give me the answers. I knew hewantedto. He’d given me the space I needed to think, and for that I was grateful.

And this whole time, not once did I think about leaving to go back to America.

I exhaled. I’d had no one to confide in, even if I wanted to. No close friends, not even parents who acted like they’d give a shit. They berated me for even wanting to take this trip, making me feel like I was some immature child who couldn’t settle down.

“Lycan?” My voice trembled as I whispered that word, the one I’d been repeating in my head nonstop since leaving Ren.

Just then, I heard the sound of a door opening and closing, and a moment later, the soft footsteps of someone approaching. I glanced to my side to see Mini coming forward, her expression fierce amongst her wrinkled face. She said nothing as she stopped before me, watching me with such knowing eyes.

And then she spoke, soft, low words I couldn’t understand. She held out her hand, and in the center of her palm was a tiny wooden wolf carving.

“Fate,” she said in English, her accent thick. “Love.”

I reached out with a shaking hand and took the little figurine, staring at it, wondering how she’d known this was my fate when I hadn’t a clue. I’d always felt lost.Until now.

And when she gave me a grandmotherly smile and a pat on my arm, I felt warmth fill me, the kind that said everything would be okay if I just let it.