Page 46 of Alpha Wolf's Nanny
“If they’re blackmailing you or something, I don’t care, I’ll rip them to shreds no matter what.”
“Blackmail? What? No, no, it’s nothing like that!”
“Then what is it? I can’t help you if you don’t tell me!”
“I didn’t ask for your help!”
“Well, you’ve got it, whether you like it or not.”
“Felix,” she said, her eyes turning steely, “there’s nobody after me. I appreciate your protectiveness, I really do, but I’m fine!”
His eyes narrowed as he searched her face. “Then why do I get the sense that you’re still hiding something from me?”
She sighed, looking to the side, her eyes scanning the trees. She opened her mouth to speak, once, then twice, but no words came out. It was like she couldn’t figure out what to say.
“Look,” she said finally, her cheeks reddening, “I didn’t tell you before because I didn’t want to make a big deal of it. But the truth is, you’re not the only one who’s scared of being close to people. I didn’t…I wasn’t like that before. With anyone.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
She met his eyes, and the words came fast, like she had to say them before she lost her nerve, “That night, when we slept together...I was a virgin.”
The forest seemed to fall completely silent.
Felix stared at her, stunned. “What?”
Cassie flushed deeply. “It’s not some big deal, alright? I just thought you should know. You said you didn’t want to take advantage of me, and I figured if you knew, you’d—”
“Stop,” he said, stepping closer, “wait. Are you serious?”
Her chin lifted, defensive now. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Cassie, I’m not—dammit, I’m not judging you. I’m just…shocked. That’s all. You didn’t seem—”
“Didn’t seem what?” she snapped. “Innocent enough? Naive enough?”
“No!” he said quickly, hands raised. “That’s not what I meant. I just…I didn’t know. You didn’t tell me.”
“Why would I?” she asked, quieter now. “It was supposed to be one night. And I didn’t want you to think less of me.”
Felix let out a long breath, stepping even closer. “Cassie. Look at me.”
She did, reluctantly, arms crossed tight over her chest like a shield.
“I don’t think less of you. Not even a little. I just wish I’d known. Because if I had…I would’ve made sure you knew how much it meant to me.”
Her lip trembled slightly, but she bit it to hide it.
He took another step, brushing his fingers against her forearm. “I would’ve been more careful. Not less passionate, not less honest, but…slower. Safer. Because you deserve that.”
She exhaled a shaky breath, voice small. “You don’t need to make a big deal of it.”
“Maybe I don’t,” he said. “But I want to.”
She didn’t respond right away. Just looked up at him, eyes dark and unreadable.
“I’m not ashamed of it,” she said at last. “I made the choice. I don’t regret it. But it’s hard not to feel like maybe you should’ve had someone with more…experience. Someone who knew what they were doing.”
Felix gave a short, incredulous laugh. “Cassie, do you have any idea what that night did to me? I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Still can’t.”
