Page 165 of Wolf Awakened

Handle my baggage. Handle my insanity. Handle the insecurities I carry on a daily basis that I hide far too well. Handle the wave of enemies that will come their way if we decide to do this. If we're truly ready to take this deal from my father.

It was obvious by now that I wanted these men.

Dimitris, Neo, Saint, and Jayce. I've had a glimpse of each of their qualities, but I won't be able to enjoy their true colors until my allegiance is more than just a bloody fingerprint on paper with a signature.

They want to ensure I'm in to stay. That no matter how fucked up each of them are, I can handle the scorching fire of their complex personalities.

Neo was warning me on purpose. I had to be the first to make it to this round of connecting with the four of them. Further than any woman before me, including Elizabeth. Would I make it to the final round, and if I did, would that lead to a happy ending or a fucked up one?

An ending that leaves us all dead in the water with no option of trying again...

Neo's lips curled up then, and my heart skipped a beat as his smile was so pure that it actually made me want to cry.

A smile of acceptance.

"I'm apparently good at handling shit," he whispered. "Don’t worry, though. I'll handle you specifically with extra care."

"Says the man that destroyed my sports bra and is standing here naked with me in just panties," I complained.

"Oh, you're naked?"

"Fucker," I huffed and actually slapped his chest. "You know I'm fucking nude from the waist up! Don’t tell me your wolf didn't take full-on advantage of that by licking me up!"

"That sounds hot and dirty," he voiced before whispering, "And yes. My wolf totally took advantage of that and wants to lick you all up again, but where that sweet scent of wetness is coming from."

That had me blushing like a sore thumb and he chuckled before snapping his fingers. Within his grasp appeared a large red shirt with a black magic circle. He moved up close to put the top over my head and I slid my arms into the holes of the oversized t-shirt that draped down to my knees.

"This isn't something I see you wearing," I voiced.

"It was mine," he reasoned. "Then Jayce tried to wear it and, well, it stretched out and never shrank back when I washed it."

"That sucks," I reasoned with a smirk, only trying to imagine Jayce trying on this once small piece of clothing only for it to beg for mercy at the hands of his muscles. "Guess it's mine now."

He arched an eyebrow at me while I moved from his grasp and twirled around.

"Perfect to go house exploring."

"Twirl like that again," he whispered and I decided to do exactly that. He admired me from afar, his eyes scanning me like he was mapping out every detail. When I came to a stop after a few more twirls, he walked up to me and very tenderly kissed my lips before pressing our foreheads together.

I froze at the motion, knowing what it meant when a wolf pressed their forehead against another.

Acknowledgment.Acceptance. Expression of worth amongst the pack.

"No matter what happens next, I accept you, Willow. Not sure if you can accept me just yet, but know you have my loyalty."

Loyalty. This man wants to be loyal to someone like me...

"Then it goes both ways," I whispered, the words leaving me like I was in my own little trance. "No matter what happens, I accept you, Neo."

"You sure about that?" he inquired. "You want to be with the blind guy?"

"You're not blind to me," I whispered and gently placed my hands against the frame of his face. "You're just Neo. The artistic, soft-spoken man who's willing to acknowledge me."

"You'll regret it, Sweetness," he whispered, and he may have been exactly right about that.

"Maybe," I replied. "But we won't know until I see it all with my own set of eyes, right?"

His smirk gave me the push I needed to press my lips lightly against his.

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