Even as the edges of sleep faded, I kept my eyes firmly closed. I was wrapped in warmth, enveloped in a thick, husky scent that almost pulled me back into slumber. It felt like ages since I’d slept so deeply, free from the usual haunt of nightmares. I let myself drift in that comforting void, savoring the peace that shielded me from memories lurking on the edges of my mind. A soft beam of sunlight slipped through the sheer curtains, painting bursts of various colors of light behind my eyelids.
Something firm and warm rested against my face, and I instinctively nestled closer to the source. But then, my pillow shifted, and a rough hand tightened on my thigh. I opened my eyes, finding myself tangled with Leonardo, his addictive scent filling the air. He gently lifted my leg over his waist, resting his hand on my lower back. The touch felt natural, grounding.
Somewhere in the night, my long-sleeve t-shirt had crept up, and as his hand brushed against my bare skin, an electric current shot through me. The sensation was always intense, but this time, the sparks were soothing. Each pulse brushed over my frayed nerves with gentle caresses, coaxing me to let go. I let out a quiet sigh, toes curling as I allowed myself to surrender to the sensation. It was like an invisible thread connecting us had pulled taut, a flood of emotions-devotion, awe, commitment-rushing in. Suddenly overwhelmed, I threw myself from the bed, landing on the cold wooden floor with a sharp hiss as Leonardo jolted awake.
The emotions were relentless, tapping on the walls I’d built, whispering sweet promises, urging me to open up. I had never felt anything like this-not even the pure love my parents shared could compare. This was beyond a destined bond; it was something elemental.
“That…was real?” Leonardo murmured, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he looked at me, frowning as I stumbled to my feet. “That wasn’t a dream?”
“No,” I replied, voice steady despite the chaos in my chest. “Our parents knew each other. And worse, your father knows something about the Fae realm-something important.”
Leonardo exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “He never told me. We were close when I was young, but things got tense as I got older. I wanted to know more about my mom, but he never liked to talk about her.”
Noticing the way I watched him, Leonardo continued. “It’s not what you’re thinking. Mom was from a nearby pack, not far from Sicily. They were mates. She died while giving birth to her third child during a rogue invasion. She’d always wanted a girl, but when my brother, Sebastine, was born 3 years later, he went to live with her parents. Dad remarried not long after.” Leonardo’s gaze hardened with a forced indifference. “Dad’s Beta said he was broken up about it, almost stepped down as Alpha.”
It was obvious how much his father’s silence about his mother affected him. Leonardo had been robbed of so much-memories, family-and he was left with nothing to hold onto. In that moment, I saw past his guarded exterior, saw the intensity of emotion he kept hidden. It explained his defenses, his perfect mask of indifference.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly, letting a small part of my own emotion show. “I might’ve lost my mom, but I got to know her. I wish you’d had the chance too, now that you’re grown.”
“Me too, kitten,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
I shook my head, pushing back the tears as I tossed my duffel bag onto the bed. “We need to go. I have this feeling…like there’s something I’m still missing. Some memory I need.”
Leonardo slipped into the bathroom to change, giving me space to pull on the warm layers he’d provided. I adjusted my coat, but its thick sleeves limited my movement, making me feel caged. When he reemerged, he took the coat from my hands, gently straightening the sleeves with practiced ease. For a moment, the world around us fell away, and all that existed was us. Then he zipped the coat and ruffled my hair with a soft smile.
“It’s bad enough you call me kitten,” I grumbled, stuffing my night clothes into my bag, “don’t start treating me like one.”
“I won’t,” he smirked, swinging his bag over his shoulder. “I just like seeing you bristle. Now, let’s find some food before we go. If it snows, we’ll need our strength. Worst case, we shift-but we won’t have clothes to change back into.”
With a sigh, I followed him downstairs. Dom, the inn’s burly owner, and Cassie, the kindly woman who’d shown us to our room, greeted us in the kitchen. Cassie refilled our mugs and handed us a thermos of soup for the road. After a heartfelt goodbye, we loaded our car and drove off, taking the back roads until we reached the town’s edge. Off the main road, I directed Leonardo to a secluded gravel path winding through the forest. As we parked, I searched the forest edge for a familiar marker.
“This way,” I called, brushing back snow-dusted branches to reveal a green scrap of fabric, hidden in the underbrush, left by my mother.
Leonardo grabbed the thermos and his backpack, and we trekked through the silent forest. Snow blanketed everything, muting the world around us. Only the occasional birdcall or rustle of small creatures broke the quiet. I couldn’t help but lose myself in the beauty of it all-sunlight dappling through the trees, casting a glow on Leonardo’s dark hair, his silhouette blending seamlessly with the snow-dusted landscape.
As we walked, flashes of my past crept in. I saw myself as a child, skipping through this very forest, my mother’s laughter echoing alongside me. Trees loomed, draped in white like old friends welcoming me home. But I knew better-magic of that kind belonged only to the Fae realm, where danger lurked beneath the enchanting beauty.
Hours passed, and finally, we reached a clearing. Sunlight streamed in, illuminating a large cabin nestled against the mountainside, beside a frozen lake. Thick flakes of snow drifted down, and a fierce wind cut through the air. Leonardo turned to me with a gentle smile, as if sensing my trepidation.
“It’ll be alright, kitten,” he murmured, knocking on the cabin’s door.
Inside, footsteps echoed, each one sending a tremor through my heart. When the door opened, the scent of stew and burning wood wafted out, mingling with a sense of warmth and familiarity. “And then, there was Emiliano. His eyes, shimmering with warmth, held a Fae beauty that seemed almost otherworldly, his skin catching the light with an ethereal glow. ‘Come in, kids’.”