quickly.” “Where are the others?” I pressed him hard. Adam's eyes gleamed dangerously. “There are no others.” “You don't think I would believe that no one knows that you're here, not even Gunward?” I grunted in his mind. “Oh, he knows alright, at least by now, but he's not coming unless you call him,” Adam mocked.
In my mind I saw David lying on our couch, relaxed, and me snuggling in his arms. I saw his smile full of warmth and his deep blue eyes and I knew it was not the time to call Gunward, not yet. I actually didn't even want him to come, not now when everything was almost back to normal between me and David. I also knew that Adam knew that.
I growled at him, frustrated. “What do you want?” “Clarissa. Give me Clarissa and I'll leave you alone,” Adam claimed boldly. “You're insane! You have no right to claim Clarissa and you know that. If you agree to leave now, we can forget that you were even here.” “No, Sofia. This time that won't work. I'm not going anywhere,” Adam revealed his teeth lightly, but stopped threatening me at once when Joshua and Daniel took a step towards him. “It's my birthright to claim her to be mine and you know that well enough. Why do you deny me that while you give it to the other males?”
I didn't answer him, but instead I revealed my fangs and growled. “What do you want for leaving?” I asked. Adam looked at me and this time I thought I felt some kind of uncertainty coming from him. “Just give me an equal chance, like you gave the others.”
I could sense his fear and this time I was really confused. He was truly scared of my denial. “What do you mean? What kind of chance are you talking about? I don't understand,” I wiped his thoughts with wonder. “I want the same kind of chance that you gave the other shape shifters. I will honor your rules and if Clarissa does not choose me, I promise you, I'll be gone for good.”
I searched his face for betrayal, but I saw no trace of it. He just stood and begged with his devil eyes. He would never be humble, that I knew for sure, and he would never openly beg, but something in his eyes moved me and I trembled. Even though I wanted to drive him away, I knew he was right. I had to give him an equal chance. I lowered my head and turned my back to him. Finally I swayed my tail demonstratively. “All right then, but Clarissa is the one who decides who m she wi ll choose. If you try to weasel in any way, you're ou t.” I knew without even looking that he was grinning. “It's a deal. I won't bother you anymore. I'll turn myself into a human and start hunting Clarissa tomorrow.”
I sighed. Why did the idea of Adam hunting Clarissa make me feel uncomfortable? T here was nothing that I could do now so I started to run. After grunting at Adam once more, Joshua and Daniel followed me.
We ran home as fast as we could and when we were close enough to see our house we stopped and stood on the grass heaving breathlessly. I didn't know whether I had made the right decision, especially when my head was full of complaints from Joshua and Daniel and I could hardly imagine how the other members of our pack would react. I breathed exhausted ly awhile, before I turned myself back to my human form and returned to face my pack at home.
I didn't know how to explain this to them, but I knew that there would be trouble for sure. Adam would never settle for behaving like a decent human being nor would he respect the rules we had made. He would weasel and lie and do whatever it took to have Clarissa to himself. And without any of us even noticing he would, eventually, win her heart. I wasn't sure if that was the best for Clarissa, so I had no choice but tighten Clarissa's guard. My pack couldn't do that without the help of the new strange males, but under these circumstances, I believed that they would be pleased to help us .
CHAPTER 2
The house was quiet as we came back. David had left for work and had probably taken
In my mind I saw David lying on our couch, relaxed, and me snuggling in his arms. I saw his smile full of warmth and his deep blue eyes and I knew it was not the time to call Gunward, not yet. I actually didn't even want him to come, not now when everything was almost back to normal between me and David. I also knew that Adam knew that.
I growled at him, frustrated. “What do you want?” “Clarissa. Give me Clarissa and I'll leave you alone,” Adam claimed boldly. “You're insane! You have no right to claim Clarissa and you know that. If you agree to leave now, we can forget that you were even here.” “No, Sofia. This time that won't work. I'm not going anywhere,” Adam revealed his teeth lightly, but stopped threatening me at once when Joshua and Daniel took a step towards him. “It's my birthright to claim her to be mine and you know that well enough. Why do you deny me that while you give it to the other males?”
I didn't answer him, but instead I revealed my fangs and growled. “What do you want for leaving?” I asked. Adam looked at me and this time I thought I felt some kind of uncertainty coming from him. “Just give me an equal chance, like you gave the others.”
I could sense his fear and this time I was really confused. He was truly scared of my denial. “What do you mean? What kind of chance are you talking about? I don't understand,” I wiped his thoughts with wonder. “I want the same kind of chance that you gave the other shape shifters. I will honor your rules and if Clarissa does not choose me, I promise you, I'll be gone for good.”
I searched his face for betrayal, but I saw no trace of it. He just stood and begged with his devil eyes. He would never be humble, that I knew for sure, and he would never openly beg, but something in his eyes moved me and I trembled. Even though I wanted to drive him away, I knew he was right. I had to give him an equal chance. I lowered my head and turned my back to him. Finally I swayed my tail demonstratively. “All right then, but Clarissa is the one who decides who m she wi ll choose. If you try to weasel in any way, you're ou t.” I knew without even looking that he was grinning. “It's a deal. I won't bother you anymore. I'll turn myself into a human and start hunting Clarissa tomorrow.”
I sighed. Why did the idea of Adam hunting Clarissa make me feel uncomfortable? T here was nothing that I could do now so I started to run. After grunting at Adam once more, Joshua and Daniel followed me.
We ran home as fast as we could and when we were close enough to see our house we stopped and stood on the grass heaving breathlessly. I didn't know whether I had made the right decision, especially when my head was full of complaints from Joshua and Daniel and I could hardly imagine how the other members of our pack would react. I breathed exhausted ly awhile, before I turned myself back to my human form and returned to face my pack at home.
I didn't know how to explain this to them, but I knew that there would be trouble for sure. Adam would never settle for behaving like a decent human being nor would he respect the rules we had made. He would weasel and lie and do whatever it took to have Clarissa to himself. And without any of us even noticing he would, eventually, win her heart. I wasn't sure if that was the best for Clarissa, so I had no choice but tighten Clarissa's guard. My pack couldn't do that without the help of the new strange males, but under these circumstances, I believed that they would be pleased to help us .
CHAPTER 2
The house was quiet as we came back. David had left for work and had probably taken
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