When they touch me (Shelagh Milano)

Artemisia

I dress myself quickly into a sundress before sprinting after them. I follow my mate's voice that booms through the mansion as his brothers are carrying him into the main mansion and downstairs.

Pushing through the crowd that forms on the stairs and in the halls to watch the spectacle, I reach the ground floor without catching up with them.

As I stand in front of a heavy steel door that has been left ajar, I feel goosebumps rising on my skin.

The Dungeon.

Gulping, I start descending the stone staircase that leads down to the cold underground in a spiral form.

The steel door seems to have been the portal to another dimension. Because as I'm enveloped by the cold radiating off the bare walls, I walk through a place that in comparison with the mansion built above it is depressing. But I guess that fits the purpose of the place.

Instead of shiny chandeliers and the expensive, dark-hued interiors matching the gray walls, I find myself surrounded by cells with silver bars.

At the end of a passage leading in between the cells, I find my mates and Cayden with their backs turned to me.

"You can't keep me from seeing my mate!" Fynn roars as he paces back and forth behind the already closed cell door.

"Don't have me tie you to the wall, Finnegan," Cayden says calmly, as I watch them from a secure distance.

But my scent must be blowing my cover as Matthew turns to look at me from time to time while the others seem to ignore me purposely.

Maybe to avoid provoking Fynn.

"Her wolf still isn't talking to me! Why is she keeping her away from me?" Fynn growls, making my breath hitch in my throat.

"You have to leave her alone. Let her get used to us first. You will just get her to want to get away from us like this." Logan turns around, ignoring his brother's raging reaction to his words.

I stand out of his way even if he would have enough space to walk past me and crouch down as if I was about to get caught doing something naughty.

As soon as he passes me, he grabs my arm casually, pulling me back to my feet. "Acting like a total moron."

His whisper just adds to the shivers the sparks resulting from his touch sends through me.

Oh, Goddess.

He doesn't stop a single time as he drags me through the dungeon and up the spiral stairs.

"Logan?" I ask shyly as he kicks the door open to a room not far away from the dungeon's entrance, pushing me into it.

He closes the door behind him, and I have barely regained my balance as he grabs my arm again. Pulling me close, he snarls, "Why isn't your wolf reaching out to any of us? Is there a reason why she ignores us?"

"N-No. She is just trying to cope with everything. Like I am." The silver and blue flecks reappear, signaling me he isn't the only one interested in my answer to this.

"The bond should be stronger than any insecurities for a mate." His disparaging voice paired with his angered expression make me want to crawl straight back into bed. "Tell her to at least respond. It's basic respect, right? She will surely listen to you." Shaking my head, I fear having him bite my head off. "No, she won't listen to me."

"She doesn't listen to you," he murmurs, letting go of me.

As he drives his hands through his hair, he takes a deep breath. "Okay."

I jump as Matthew opens the door, standing in its frame. "Did he hurt you?"

'Who? The first or the second idiot?' Cassy snarls, making me gasp.

"No. Of course not, Matt. But thank you for your concern." I smile at him, but he doesn't seem very convinced by my answer.

Opening the door fully, he gestures with his head, regaining his smile. "Come on. Let's get breakfast, and I'll show you around on the pack grounds."

"Oh, lovely. Thank you."

I practically sprint to the door, and wrap my arms around Matthew's Forcing myself to smile up at him, I can't wait to be out of this room. "Show me."

Matthew smiles cutely as he lays his hands on my arm, and we walk out of the pack house. Leaving a sulking Logan behind.

Wow. My mates are just getting more charming by the minute.

Walking to the left side of the house, we reach a large garage. Matthew points towards a sleek Porsche Coupé as he lets go of me to take a key from a little box by the door.

"This one is mine," he states proudly, unlocking the car for me to get in "We all have our cars, but if you need to take one, you can take any of

them." any of

Looking around amazed, I nod my head absentmindedly. "Oh, wow. Thank you."

He starts the car with a chuckle while he lowers the roof of the sporty car.

The motor roars to life, and he drives it out of the garage carefully.

I would have guessed that he would be a respectful driver, while his brother would surely have raced out of the garage to impress me with the power of the car.

As we drive past the beautiful landscapes of the Blood Fang Pack, I seem to lose my ability to close my mouth.

The large green fields contrast totally with the tales of my brothers, who used to tell me how everything was burned land over here.

"Have you had like a make-over of your lands before I arrived?" I ask, pushing my hair back and out of my face.

Matthew chuckles as he looks at me shortly. "Why do you mean?"

"Nothing in particular," I say, shrugging. "But it is so beautiful here."

"And I guess your family told you it looked like a desert."

I smile as I turn to watch the street before us as well. "No, desert wouldn't quite describe it. But yes, something like that."

Like his brothers, he doesn't take it personally and rather laughs about it.

"Good thing we have enough time to show you everything to debunk them." He takes my hand in his, pressing a light kiss on my knuckles.

I blush as the tingles travel up my arm. "Can't wait."