Page 32 of Warwick

“Did you get whatever it was you needed to talk to your packmate about taken care of?”

Warwick sighed. “Yes and no. I didn’t talk to Atticus. I did seek out Alpha Sergei though.”

I looked back at my mate. “Things taken care of?”

Warwick shrugged before he shook his head. “I needed advice.”

I nodded. I understood that. I was going to have to go talk to Grandfather and Grandpa in a few hours. Maybe they could offer me some advice.

“I needed to know how to romance you,” Warwick said. I tilted my head.

Surely I heard him wrong. “What?”

“I asked for advice on how to not mess things up with you. Atticus and Damien just told me to have sex with you and claim you. I know that we’ll get there when we’re ready, but I know there’s more to it than that. I thought Alpha Sergei would be a good place to ask for advice.”

I scratched my head before turning a little to angle my body toward my mate. “You’re telling me that you went to the created dragon to ask about having sex with me?” Warwick scowled.

“No. I went to ask about how to romance you. I ended up leaving with Alpha mate Chin, and we ended up talking to Alpha mate Lev.”

My eyes widened. “You talked to Grandpa about having sex with me?” Please no. I absolutely didn’t want to hear what I thought I’d just heard.

“Again, no. We were talking about romance. Romantic gestures. I asked what were some things you liked. What I could do to make you smile.”

He did? “You did?”

Warwick nodded. He reached out and ran his finger down the side of my face. I closed my eyes at the sensation and took a deep breath. My bear loved that our mate was finally touching us.

“I did. I’ve never been in love before, nor have I been in a relationship. I know that you deserve better than me for your mate, Cecil. But I hope to be able to figure out how to make it up to you.”

I opened my eyes. “Why do you say that? That I deserve better? Why do you put yourself down like you do?”

“I have spent a long time being avoided because of who I am and how I look. I don’t want that stigma attached to you. It’s unfair since you did nothing to warrant such treatment.”

I felt bad for Warwick. He truly was kind if you got to know him. “I’m not worried about people not talking to me, Warwick. I’m honored to be your mate.” I thought about earlier this morning and smiled. “Just yours. Did you know that I first thought that your packmates were giving me advice about being shared with your pack?”

“What?” Warwick scowled.

I chuckled again. “Yeah. It was quickly sorted, but I misunderstood. They were trying to help because they said you didn’t really have a way with words and would step on my feelings.”

Warwick looked out at the trees when the breeze suddenly picked up. “I don’t talk much. But I’m not asked a whole lot of questions for the most part. I do my job, and I’m good at it, I’d like to think. But outside of work, I don’t do a whole lot.”

“What do you like to do?” I was curious to get to know my mate a little more.

Warwick shrugged. “I go to work, go out on assignments, and that’s about it. We have pack runs several times a week if needed, but other than that, I don’t have a life. I never have.”

I wondered if that was because of who he was or how he was treated. “Can you tell me about it?”

Warwick looked at me. “About what?”

“About your realm. What was it like?”

Warwick was quiet for several minutes. I thought I might have overstepped until he finally started talking. “There isn’t a whole lot to know, really. It’s dreary but in a dark and sinister way. My master was cruel. He used us for his games. We killed or were killed. Those we thought were our packmates could and would turn on us in a blink. We would do the same to them.”

Warwick went quiet again. I took a chance and touched his arm where the sleeve of his long-sleeve shirt was rolled up. His skin was hairy and quite warm. Both were things expected of most alphas.

“Do you know why you were sent here?” It wouldn’t change my feelings that were starting to develop for my mate, but I couldn’t help but be curious.

“I fought back. Something in me snapped. Well, in my beast. I’ve always been incredibly large and dominant, and I’d been one of his favorites for a long time. My beast loved that we made our master so happy. When he got tired of others that I’d considered some of my closest packmates, he ordered me to kill them.” Warwick looked at me, his eyes blank. “My beast wouldn’t do it, and when he whipped me, I fought back. My punishment was to be chained and ordered to watch when he tortured and killed every one of them.”

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