《Reborn: I Won't Leave My Werewolf Mate》 01锛歂ew life The alley reeked of blood, sharp and suffocating. I gasped for air, clutching the gaping wound in my abdomen. My clothes were soaked in blood, the pain so intense I nearly screamed. I shouldn¡¯t have come out tonight. Since Ethan moved out, my savings had dried up. I¡¯d been working multiple jobs just to pay rent. Tonight, I¡¯d only wanted to grab a discounted mystery meal box. Click, click, click. The sharp sound of high heels echoed through the quiet alley. I pressed myself against the wall, trying to summon the strength to move. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I called out, my voice trembling. ¡°Show yourself! Stop playing games!¡± Then I caught a familiar scent¡ªSophia¡¯s favorite perfume, the one that smelled like datura flowers. I knew it well. Sophia, with her soft, delicate features and flowing blonde hair, looked like the quintessential damsel in distress. She loved that perfume. I didn¡¯t know much about datura flowers, but I¡¯d seen them once at her place. Their dark, blood-red petals intertwined like a symbol of sin and power. Even dried, they had an unsettling aura. ¡°Sophia, is that you?¡± I asked, my voice shaky. ¡°I thought you moved away. I messaged you a few days ago, but you never replied.¡± Click, click, click. The sound of heels grew closer, and the familiar scent enveloped me like a suffocating cloud. Then I heard a sharp, mocking voice. ¡°How beautiful,¡± the voice sneered. ¡°No wonder Ethan chose to hide his true self just to be with a mere human like you.¡± I forced my eyes open, only to see a flash of fiery red fabric and the glint of pointed high heels. A woman stood over me, her gaze filled with malice. ¡°Look at you,¡± she said, her voice dripping with venom. ¡°Even in this pathetic state, you¡¯re still so captivating. No wonder he fell for you.¡± She kicked me like I was trash, the sharp heel of her shoe piercing my thigh. I cried out as blood seeped from the wound. ¡°Who are you?¡± I gasped, clutching my leg. ¡°I¡¯m divorced from Ethan! If you¡¯re here for revenge¡­ Sophia?¡± I looked up, and my heart stopped. The woman in front of me, with her smudged smoky eyes and red high heels, was nothing like the meek, white-dress-wearing Sophia I knew. Her face was twisted with hatred, her eyes cold and filled with murderous intent. ¡°You¡­ how?¡± I stammered, my mind reeling. ¡°Did you bring me here? What do you want? Let me go!¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°And why should I?¡± Sophia¡¯s voice was icy, a far cry from her usual gentle tone. ¡°Do you know how long I¡¯ve loved Ethan? And yet, he chose you¡ªa human! He even came to your world and married you!¡± Her voice rose, sharp and shrill, her expression contorted with jealousy. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for seven years,¡± I said, my voice breaking. ¡°How could you¡­?¡± ¡°Friends?¡± Sophia let out a bitter laugh. ¡°You think we were friends? You¡¯re nothing but a mundane, a human with no special abilities, a lifespan that¡¯s barely a blink in time. All you have is a pretty face, and you don¡¯t even know how to use it.¡± In her eyes, I saw my reflection¡ªtorn clothes, bloodied legs, my body battered and broken. I looked like I¡¯d been dragged through hell. Sophia crouched down, her red dress brushing against the damp ground. She grabbed my face, her nails digging into my skin as she forced me to look at her. ¡°You¡¯re lucky,¡± she said, her voice low and dangerous. ¡°Ethan protected you before. I couldn¡¯t touch you without ruining my image in his eyes. But you¡­ you were so easy to manipulate. You actually believed Ethan was an addict, that he cheated on you. Did you know that werewolves only have one mate in their lifetime?¡± My breath hitched. ¡°Werewolves?¡± Sophia¡¯s lips curled into a cruel smile. ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know? Your plain, ordinary ex-husband is actually the prince of the werewolf clan, the most powerful Alpha.¡± Her eyes glazed over with reverence as she spoke of Ethan. ¡°He¡¯s like a god¡ªhandsome, powerful, with silver hair that shimmers like moonlight. Even in disarray, he looks like he belongs on the cover of a magazine. No photograph could ever capture his true beauty.¡± Her words sounded like a fairy tale, something too absurd to be real. ¡°Wait,¡± I said, my voice trembling. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Ethan? A werewolf? That¡¯s impossible.¡± The Ethan I knew was ordinary, forgettable, with a scruffy beard and a habit of taking mysterious pills. He didn¡¯t even have a job. We¡¯d been divorced for two years, and I hadn¡¯t heard from him in months. Sophia smirked, clearly enjoying my confusion. ¡°What you saw was just a disguise. As for the ¡®affair¡¯¡ªthat was one of Ethan¡¯s subordinates. He was trying to protect you, to keep you from being frightened.¡± Her claws emerged, sharp and deadly. ¡°You¡¯re a lucky girl, but your luck ends here.¡± Pain exploded through my body as her claws tore into me. Darkness closed in, and my last thought was a desperate wish: If I could do it all over again, I wouldn¡¯t have let Ethan go. I¡¯d have fought for us. ¡­¡­ When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I noticed was the smell of roasted turkey. Sunlight streamed through the window, warming the room and easing the pain in my body. ¡°Elena, you¡¯re awake,¡± a familiar voice said. ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯re not feeling well, so let¡¯s not talk about divorce for the next couple of days.¡± I blinked, my vision clearing to reveal Ethan standing in front of me. He was wearing a plaid shirt, his sleeves rolled up to reveal muscular arms. His face was scruffy, his beard unkempt, but his eyes¡­ His eyes were a deep, mesmerizing shade of amber-blue, like a mysterious spring. They were so beautiful, so out of place on his otherwise ordinary face. I stared at him, stunned. How had I never noticed how striking his eyes were? ¡°Divorce?¡± I mumbled, still disoriented. ¡°But we¡¯re already divorced.¡± The room fell silent, the air growing heavy. Ethan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Elena,¡± he said, his voice cold, ¡°do you really want to leave me that badly?¡± Before I could respond, I heard a news report playing in the background. I couldn¡¯t make out most of it, but one thing caught my attention¡ªthe date. Five years ago. I had gone back five years in time. Five years ago, I was 25, just three years into my relationship with Ethan. This was the year when things between us had started to fall apart. I stared at Ethan, then at my phone, my hands trembling as I scrolled through the messages. The phone was an older model, the kind I hadn¡¯t used in years. My chat app was still open, and there, at the top of my messages, was a text from Sophia. [Sophia: I¡¯m sorry, but I feel like you should know this.] [Sophia: You should really ask Ethan what kind of medication he¡¯s taking.] [Sophia: Also, he says he¡¯s going to work every day, but I¡¯ve never seen him at the office. Maybe¡­ you should ask him about that too.] Sophia¡¯s profile picture showed her in a white dress, smiling softly, looking as innocent and harmless as a little rabbit. But I knew better. Memories of what had happened next flooded my mind, and a wave of anger surged through me. If it hadn¡¯t been for Sophia, Ethan and I would never have gotten divorced. Maybe, in my past life, I hadn¡¯t trusted Ethan enough. Maybe that had given Sophia the opening she needed to worm her way into our lives. But not this time. This time, I had been given a second chance. And I wasn¡¯t going to waste it. ¡°This time,¡± I muttered under my breath, my eyes narrowing with determination, ¡°I¡¯m going to make things right. And Sophia¡­ you¡¯re going to pay for what you did.¡± 02 New life2 Ethan was cooking in the kitchen. As he placed the food on the table£¬ he casually asked£¬ "Does Sophia visit you often?" His tone was light£¬ almost indifferent. At first£¬ I didn''t think much of it. It was like watching an old movie£¬ a scene replaying in my mind. In my past life£¬ I had completely overlooked this moment. But now£¬ remembering how I had died at Sophia''s hands£¬ my heart clenched. Before I could stop myself£¬ the words slipped out. "You don''t like her?" "Why?" "She just moved here£¬ and you two are already close?" "Are you hiding something from me?" "Ethan£¬ I..." The moment I asked£¬ I regretted it. I had been careless. The old me wouldn''t have made such a mistake. I stared at Ethan£¬ carefully watching his reaction. Sure enough£¬ his hand froze for a brief second while arranging the plate. His deep blue eyes£¬ usually calm and unreadable£¬ darkened. For a fleeting moment£¬ a sharp£¬ almost menacing glint flickered in them¡ªlike a crack appearing in a perfectly crafted mask£¬ revealing something hidden underneath. That cold£¬ fleeting look¡ªnatural£¬ commanding£¬ almost regal¡ªvanished as quickly as it came. A strange feeling crept into my heart. I recalled Sophia''s final words before she died. The prince of the werewolves£¬ the strongest Alpha. Had I ever truly understood Ethan? What was he hiding? Why hadn''t he ever told me? Was it because he knew I would die soon£¬ and I simply wasn''t important enough to know the truth? Can I trust Ethan? If he really cared about me in my past life£¬ why did he divorce me? If he truly cared£¬ knowing the danger Sophia posed£¬ why did he do nothing? So many questions swirled in my mind. Perhaps because I had already experienced death once£¬ I now understood¡ªsomeone like Sophia£¬ who seemed fragile and gentle£¬ had been capable of taking my life without hesitation. I had to be careful. For now£¬ I couldn''t act rashly. ... "I was just asking." I quickly covered up my moment of weakness£¬ lowering my voice. "You never liked parties before." "They''re boring." "..."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. "You should stop going£¬ too." "Ethan£¬ I don''t throw huge parties. It''s just friends gathering to eat and talk¡ª" "A bunch of dull people wasting their dull lives." Ethan cut me off£¬ his voice slow and casual£¬ as if the words meant nothing. "They eat some meat£¬ drink a little wine£¬ and suddenly think they''re profound." He placed the plate down with effortless grace£¬ his expression indifferent. "And just a few decades£¬ they act like they''ve seen it all." His tone wasn''t harsh£¬ but it carried an air of superiority. Not just a casual arrogance£¬ but the kind of detachment one would have after living far too long. My heart tightened. I gazed at Ethan£¬ a sense of unease creeping in. "...Is the chicken ready? I''m hungry." I changed the subject. "No extra sauce for you today." He spoke lightly. "You''re in good shape right now. I like it. Don''t gain or lose weight." He smiled as if he were making an innocent remark. "...Okay." "You don''t like that?" His voice remained gentle£¬ the same as always. But in those blue eyes£¬ I caught a flicker of displeasure. I quickly waved my hand. "I¡ªno£¬ that''s not it. I mean... thank you£¬ baby." Ethan''s gaze sharpened slightly. "What did you just say?" "I said... thank you." "The last two words." "...Baby." A slow smile curled at the corners of Ethan''s lips. ...... The chicken was golden brown¡ªcrispy on the outside£¬ tender on the inside. As I took a bite£¬ the rich£¬ cheesy flavor melted on my tongue£¬ accompanied by a subtle£¬ smoky aroma. For the first time tonight£¬ my mood lightened. A familiar melody drifted from the speakers. It took me a moment to realize¡ªit was one of my old favorites. I felt like I had been transported back five years£¬ reliving a past life. But then I started to panic. What should I do? Divorce? No. Divorce meant death. Sophia had already killed me once. If Ethan weren''t here£¬ she would do it again. If I died by her hands this time£¬ would fate grant me another chance? Would God favor me again? If I don''t get a divorce... Confessing everything to Ethan? No£¬ that''s not an option either. In my past life£¬ Ethan gave up on me. And because of that£¬ Sophia had killed me without hesitation. I can''t afford to gamble my life on trust. Not again. He''s a werewolf¡ªpowerful£¬ long-lived£¬ and indifferent to humans. But what am I to Ethan? He hasn''t even shown me his true form. "What are you thinking about?" Ethan cut a piece of steak and placed it in front of me. "You''ve been distracted all night. Are you thinking about the divorce?" "No." His eyes darkened. "No?" "Elena£¬ you''ve been bringing up divorce a lot lately. And now£¬ even on a night like this£¬ you''re completely lost in thought..." He exhaled sharply£¬ the warmth in his gaze vanishing. The air between us turned frigid in an instant. His long£¬ slender fingers set down the knife and fork. He stared at me£¬ his expression unreadable¡ªanger mixed with something else£¬ something almost... trapped. The intensity in his eyes made me instinctively shrink back. For a moment£¬ I couldn''t find my voice. And then£¬ as if he had finally lost patience£¬ Ethan spoke again£¬ his tone icy. "Do you really want to leave?" "I''m not thinking about divorce." "What?" "I''m not thinking about divorce." I poured him a glass of red wine£¬ watching the flicker of surprise in his expression before I quickly added£¬ "I was thinking about my brother." Silence. After a long pause£¬ Ethan finally spoke. "Your brother wants to see you?" "Yeah. He invited us to dinner at my place tomorrow." "And that''s enough to distract you this much?" Ethan narrowed his eyes. "You know my brother doesn''t like you£¬" I said quietly. "He never wanted me to be with you." "So?" "I''m going to see him tomorrow£¬" I continued£¬ hesitating for a moment. Then£¬ watching Ethan''s expression carefully£¬ I added: "...And I want you to come with me." Ethan seemed to relax slightly. His expression softened£¬ though I couldn''t quite tell if it was relief or something else. Thinking about my brother£¬ I felt an unexpected sense of comfort. I hadn''t seen him in so long. Vesper was a lawyer. Always busy. He had been adopted by my mother when he was six. Yes... I hadn''t seen him in a long time. I vaguely recalled that in my previous life£¬ Vesper had texted me one evening£¬ asking to meet. But I never went. That day£¬ Ethan and I had fought£¬ and I ignored the message. My phone vibrated. [Wisp: Let''s meet tomorrow. Just us.] [Wisp: I need to talk to you about your husband.] My heart skipped a beat. The message¡ªword for word¡ªwas the same as in my past life. This time£¬ I wouldn''t ignore it. [Elena: Okay.] [Elena: See you tomorrow.] I hit send and glanced at Ethan£¬ half expecting him to stop me. But he didn''t. Instead£¬ he seemed... pleased. "Vesper wants you to go alone£¬ doesn''t he?" I froze. "How did you know?" Ethan smiled£¬ his expression as gentle as ever. "Just a guess." He didn''t explain further. He simply looked at me£¬ his gaze unreadable£¬ and said£¬ "I''ll wait for you at home." "...Alright." Just as the words left my lips£¬ a familiar voice called from outside. "Elena£¬ are you home?" Sophia is coming. 03 lies and truths01 When I heard Sophia''s voice, my heart raced. A familiar sense of fear crept up my spine. I knew I had started over and was now five years in the past, but the memory of my death in that alley still haunted me. I felt a mix of worry, fear... and excitement. Yes, excitement. For once, I was in control. "Elena, are you home?" Sophia''s voice was soft, almost too gentle. "I brought you some food. I made it myself." I took a deep, steadying breath. What was I supposed to say when I opened the door? Right¡ªbe gentle with her, treat her like a good friend. That''s what I did in my last life. But... I died at her hands. She was my enemy. "Not going to open the door?" Ethan''s voice pulled me from my thoughts. His tone was gentle, but his gaze was sharp, studying me. "What''s on your mind this time?" I shuddered despite myself, a thin layer of sweat forming on my palms. "No, I was just thinking... it might be more fun for the two of us to spend the holiday together. Just us." I took another breath, forcing a smile, and got up to open the door. Sophia let out a soft laugh the moment she saw me. "It''s cold out here." "Come in." "I almost thought you didn''t want to let me in." I stiffened. Sophia looked as soft and lovely as ever, but there was something hidden beneath her calm tone¡ªa quiet malice. "What makes you think that?" I said lightly. "In fact, we weren''t expecting company tonight." "I''m just kidding," she giggled. "I know I''m intruding." A gust of cold wind followed her inside, making her white dress flutter. Before I could say anything else, she had already turned her attention to Ethan. "Hi, Ethan! It''s been so long!" Her voice was warm, sweet. "Am I interrupting something?" Ethan didn''t answer. "What, not talking because you''re mad?" She pouted playfully. Still, Ethan remained silent. "As an apology," she continued, "I brought you something special¡ªyour favorite venison. The freshest steak I could find. I went to the market myself to buy it." She set the dish on the table with deliberate care. The meat was fresh¡ªtoo fresh. The edges were slightly charred, but the scent of blood was unmistakable.Stolen novel; please report. I watched her closely. There was something almost eager in the way she moved, a lightness in her step that I had never noticed before. Why hadn''t I seen these details in my past life? I glanced at Ethan. His demeanor shifted the moment Sophia placed the steak in front of him. He loved it. Too much. He was a werewolf. And that bloody meat¡ªstill glistening, still dripping¡ªwas that really venison? I swallowed the uneasy feeling crawling up my throat. "You should buy more venison for Ethan," Sophia said, turning to me with a knowing smile. Her eyes gleamed with something smug. "Don''t blame me for saying too much. I''m just looking out for you." ... In the past, whenever he was with me, the steak was always medium rare.Were they trying to test me? "Ethan doesn''t like his steak too rare; he prefers it medium rare." I acted as if I hadn''t noticed anything and walked over to the table. "Bring it over. I''ll fry it." The moment I spoke, I felt the disdain in Sophia''s gaze. It was the kind of look an Italian might give someone ruining their pasta¡ªmocking, condescending. I pretended not to see it. I had to pretend not to see it. With their eyes on me, I made my way to the kitchen and started frying the meat. The sizzling sound and the rich aroma filled the air, numbing my senses. I focused on cooking, trying to steady my nerves. The tension in the room weighed on me, yet somehow, the simple act of frying the steak brought me a strange sense of calm. "Rosemary... Where did I put the rosemary?" I searched the counter, then the spice rack, but couldn''t find it. Just as I turned to check the cabinet outside, I froze. My breath caught in my throat. A massive shadow loomed beyond the doorway. It had the unmistakable shape of a wolf. Its claws twitched in the flickering light, casting an eerie, sinister silhouette. Oh my God. A chill ran down my spine. That shadow¡ªthat form¡ªit was exactly the same as the one I saw five years ago, the night I died. Sophia''s werewolf form. What the hell is going on? Wasn''t it supposed to be five years before she revealed her true nature? Panic surged in my veins. My mind screamed at me to run, but my body wouldn''t obey. My hands clenched involuntarily, my fingertips turning pale. Stay calm, Elena. You have to stay calm. I repeated the words in my head, forcing myself to breathe. Ethan and Sophia¡ªwhat did this mean? Were they trying to expose me? Had they already figured me out? No. That didn''t make sense. Then¡ª "Sophia, you''ve gone too far," Ethan''s voice cut through the tension, low and laced with impatience. In an instant, the massive shadow disappeared. Sophia let out a frustrated scoff. "Ethan!" Sophia''s voice sharpened, a crack forming in her usually sweet facade. "Don''t tell me you forgot¡ªI''m your fianc¨¦e!" "I''m your fianc¨¦e!£¡£¡" Gone was the soft, sickeningly sweet voice she used in the past. The warmth, the fake friendliness¡ªit had all vanished. This was the real Sophia. Cold. Ruthless. The same tone she had used when she murdered me in my previous life. Now, there was only thinly veiled disgust in her voice. "She''s just a human! A game! You''re not seriously falling for her, are you?" "Shut up." Ethan''s reply was calm, almost lazy, yet there was an undeniable edge to it. "If she hears you, you know the consequences." His tone was detached. Uncaring. Even with just a wall between us, I could feel the weight of his presence. Was this really my husband, Ethan? The man I once dismissed as insignificant? Maybe... Maybe I never truly knew him at all. My pulse quickened. Sophia''s voice dripped with anger. "You''re protecting her? Her? She''s nothing but a plaything!" She let out a sharp breath before continuing, "Didn''t we agree¡ª" "Shut. Up."Ethan''s voice was low, dangerous. "Even if she is just a plaything," he said, "she''s my plaything." Ethan spoke in a warning tone. Sophia seemed upset, and she said quietly, "It''s been three years, haven''t you had enough yet? She''s just a muggle! You don''t really take her as your wife, do you?" Ethan didn''t respond. Ethan didn''t answer him. He didn''t know if he had been hit on the head or if he didn''t care. 04 lie
"Are you done yet?" A cold, spine-chilling voice echoed above me, and my mind went totally blank. "What the heck are you doing here?" When I looked up, I locked eyes with Ethan''s deep, dark ones. The smile that used to be there was long gone, replaced by a cold, distant look¡ªthe same creepy expression I''d seen before. I could feel the tension in the air, like I was a helpless little mouse being sized up by a hungry cat. I knew that if I didn''t come up with a good explanation quick, things were gonna go south¡ªbig time. "I... I..." "Elena? Did you just... hear something?" Ethan cut me off before I could even think of an excuse. I glanced up and saw that Sophia had somehow snuck up behind him, and she was staring right at me. There was pure malice in her eyes, but she still had that fake, sugary smile plastered on her face. Underneath that smile, though, there was this dark, almost predatory vibe coming from her. It made me think of the way I felt right before I died. I could sense that familiar sixth sense tingling, telling me that danger was close. But even though I was panicking inside, I managed to keep my cool. "What did you hear?" I took a deep breath and decided to take a shot in the dark. "I heard you guys talking about werewolves. Were you chatting about that new romance series that just dropped?" "Ethan, you must be super stressed out lately. You never used to be into these cheesy TV shows, remember?" "Is that so?" Ethan''s voice softened a bit. "What else could it be?" I pushed on, trying to keep things light and breezy, even saying the word "werewolves" like it was no big deal. "I mean, come on, could there really be werewolves in this world?" "Don''t play dumb. You know we..." Sophia''s voice was ice-cold, her eyes narrowing like she wanted to tear me to shreds right then and there. "Sophia, knock it off." "Ethan!" "I said, enough! Don''t you get it?" Ethan reached out and ruffled my hair. I tensed up for a second but then forced myself to relax. "She definitely heard something! Look at her, she''s freaking out!" Sophia didn''t bother pretending anymore. She was all worked up now. "You heard us, didn''t you? We had a deal..." "Sophia!" "Yes, I know!" We both blurted out at the same time. In Ethan''s surprised eyes, I gave it my all, putting on the best act of my life. "You''ve been cheating on me, haven''t you?" "...What?" "Sophia, I''ve seen the way you look at Ethan! You like him!" The words just spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them. My heart was pounding like crazy in my chest, and I felt my face turn bright red. The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. I paused for a second, looking back and forth between Ethan and Sophia. They both looked like they''d been smacked in the face, totally stunned. I took a breath, trying to steady my voice, but I was just getting more and more angry. "Did you two hook up in the living room when I wasn''t around? How far did things go? Did you go on a date? Did you kiss? Or did you actually sleep together?" The words came out harsher than I meant them to, but I couldn''t hold back. All the anger, the hurt, and the feeling of being betrayed just came pouring out. "Ethan and I are married, for real. And yet, even on Thanksgiving, you had to show up and ruin our special time together. Sophia, don''t you think your motives are pretty obvious?" Before they could even say anything, I grabbed the beef and chucked it in the trash, then bolted upstairs, crying my eyes out. My heart was racing a mile a minute. Before they could even react, I tossed the beef in the trash and took off up the stairs, tears streaming down my face. I wasn''t sure if I''d done the right thing by acting so fast. When I shut the bedroom door behind me, I didn''t hear a peep from downstairs. I guess I''d managed to fool them. ... I have no idea how long I stayed in the bedroom. When I finally woke up, I looked out the window and saw a crescent moon shining bright in the night sky. I was still alive. But where the heck was Ethan? I got out of bed and walked over to the window, and that''s when I saw something I''d never forget. There was this guy, with silver hair and half-naked, standing in the courtyard. He was bathed in the soft moonlight, and he just oozed power and confidence. He was really tall, probably about six and a half feet, with a ripped body and a seriously good-looking face¡ªa face I''d never seen before. He was as still as a statue, like a huge cedar tree standing tall. His head was tilted back a bit, and the moonlight was hitting his face just right. His lips were perfect, like they were made for kissing. My heart started pounding. His amber-blue eyes, which were usually so warm and kind, now had this cold, distant look in them¡ªlike he was some kind of alpha, untouchable and in charge. Oh my god. Who was this guy? Was that... Ethan? I must have been staring for too long because the silver-haired guy suddenly turned and looked right at me. My heart jumped into my throat, and I panicked. I quickly crouched down and quietly scurried back into bed. Lying there, my mind was going a mile a minute. Was that really Ethan''s face? He seemed so aware of everything around him. I knew I had to be more careful from now on. Werewolves were different. Their hearing was amazing, and their instincts were on another level. I had to be on my guard at all times. I was half asleep when all of a sudden, the bedroom door burst open. A warm body pressed up against mine, and before I knew it, I was being kissed. His hands were all over me, tearing at my clothes like he couldn''t wait any longer. He smelled like cedar and that musky, masculine smell that made my head spin. "Who... who are you? Let go of me!" "It''s me, baby," Ethan''s voice said softly. He stopped for a second, gave my breast a little squeeze, then hugged me tight and kissed my cheek gently. The kiss was sweet and quick, but it made me feel a little better. "I''m sorry, baby. Are you still mad at me?" "...." "Sophia and I... there''s nothing going on between us, I swear." In the dim light of the room, Ethan''s face looked calm. But for some reason, the face of that silver-haired guy I saw in the courtyard¡ªthe one who had really impressed me¡ªkept popping into my head, and it was like it was the same person as Ethan. I was shocked to realize that they were the same guy, both with those amazing, lake-blue eyes. Those eyes were like a magnet, pulling me in. Was he trying to explain things to me? Did they really believe my little act? It seemed like I''d just passed some kind of test and shown them that they were wrong about me. "Ethan, I believe you," I said, feeling a little shy, and then I kissed him on the neck. His skin felt a bit cooler than I was used to. "I love you, Elena," Ethan said, looking into my eyes, and then he kissed me, and it was so tender. His lips were so soft. The moment our breaths mixed together, I just melted under his touch. His fingertips felt like they were sending electric shocks through my skin, and I couldn''t think straight. Ethan''s fingers played with the edge of my underwear, and he gently stroked the inside of my thighs, and I felt this warm, wet feeling wash over me. "Ethan..." "Elena, I''ve been dreaming about this with you," Ethan said as he held my waist tight. His fingers moved faster as he took off my underwear and started kissing my breasts. I couldn''t help but let out a little yelp of surprise. "Ethan, ah..." "Slow down a bit..." "You just said you''ve been dreaming about me," I said. I was feeling all these amazing sensations, but I was also really curious about what he''d said. "Yes, you''re the one I dream about, baby," Ethan said as he kissed me again. I could feel his tongue in my mouth, and I could barely breathe. "Mmm...ah..." "Are you seriously thinking about something else right now?" "Elena, it seems like you still need a little more attention. Even at a time like this, you''re still got your mind on other things..."