Page 25 of Wolfgang

Wolfe took a moment to ponder it. He hadn’t intended to factor anyone else into this transformation. But there was something to it, to the thought that there was someone out there, someone for him. Someonejustfor him.

He looked to the pair in front of them. He’d seen them in action; he knew the two of them were bloodthirsty, maybe even cruel. But they still had companionship, acceptance, devotion.

He could have that too. He could have everything.

His resolution strengthened.

“Turn me,” he said again, trying his best to make it a request and not a demand. “I’ll find my mate. You have no need to doubt me.”

The two women shared another look, wordlessly communicating. And Wolfe would have that one day, wouldn’t he? Then Daphne turned to him and smiled. “Come back tonight, little monster. We’ll give you what you need.”

Wolfe left the park with long, eager strides, triumph running through his veins. He’d known there was something off about the pair from the first moment he’d seen them. And he’d been right to follow them that night. It was destiny that he’d seen what he’d seen.

And now he had the perfect path in front of him. Longevity of life, eternal youth, eventual fortune (because how long would it really take to earn back his family’s wealth, when he had whatever supernatural manipulation these women had displayed?).

And a person just for him, someone to keep for always.

Wolfe wondered what they’d be like. He wondered if they’d really see him—each one of his dark corners—and accept him anyway.

Well, they’d have to, wouldn’t they? If it was fate. Destiny.

His smile grew as he walked down the path. Yes, everything was going to be perfect.

nine

Eric

Ericfloppedbackontothe bed, trying to see if lying on his stomach felt any better.

He just couldn’t get fuckingcomfortable. He was exhausted but couldn’t keep his eyes closed. Everything ached, or itched, or…something. He’d stripped out of the robe, down to his underwear, but the sheets felt too heavy on his skin one minute and the room’s mild air too harsh the next. And he kept feeling like his fangs were popping out against his will, but every time he reached up to touch, his teeth were blunt.

The weird, new presence inside him was just as restless, twisting and turning within him in a way that almost felt tangible, even though Eric was pretty sure it didn’t quite work that way. That didn’t stop him feeling like the dang thing was going to split his skin open.

It needed something.Heneeded something.

He needed soothing. He needed that scent.

He needed his fuckingmate, apparently.

Eric groaned aloud in frustration, flopping onto his back and casting his limbs out, grabbing at his phone on the bedside table. The time told him he’d lasted barely an hour before giving in.

Too goddamn bad. He couldn’t keep going like this.

“Wolfe!” he called out, his voice surprisingly hoarse, as if he’d been screaming rather than lying there in silent agony this whole time.

To the bastard’s credit, Wolfe didn’t make Eric wait; he was opening the bedroom door in seconds, almost as if he’d been sitting down there justwaitingfor Eric to swallow his pride. And judging by the triumphant gleam in his light-brown eyes, that was exactly what he’d been doing.

“Don’t look so smug,” Eric griped, not making any move to sit up. He’d already lost the battle, so why bother trying to hide how pathetic he was?

“So accusatory.” Wolfe’s voice was mild as ever, but his gaze was already hungry. It roamed over Eric greedily, the weight of it like a physical touch across Eric’s bare chest, lingering for long moments before it moved down to the evidence of Eric’s stubborn fucking arousal.

Because that was the other damning, humiliating aspect to this thing: Eric had been hard this entire goddamn time. He’d even tried to rub one out in the beginning, hoping it would help him sleep, but it had done nothing but work him up more. Release had kept evading him, just out of reach.

How could someone be this turned on and this uncomfortable at the same time?

It didn’t help matters that Wolfe spent way too much time eye-fucking Eric’s bulge before finally meeting his gaze again.Pervert.

Wolfe’s lips twitched like he’d heard Eric’s insult. Maybe he had. Maybe that was another creepy aspect of their bond no one had seen fit to tell him about. Who fucking knew, at this point?

---