Toronto

RHIANNON

The drive to Toronto is long and tense. We’re all uncomfortable around each other and not sure what to do or say. Most of the drive is spent in awkward silence.

The information we’ve learned over the last few days swirls around my brain. This is the closest I’ve been to answers about my past, but everything still feels so far out of reach.

I know that a fairy is responsible for sending me to North Carolina, but I don’t know why.

~If I couldn’t smell you… It’s just…you look exactly like a fairy~.

Rhodes’s words play on a loop in my mind.

I smell human but I look like a fairy. I’m involved with fairies somehow, and they’re protecting me. Before she died, Sybil helped protect me. Why would they all do this for me?

Isaac’s hand squeezing my thigh brings me out of my head.

His brows are knit together in concern. I know we need to talk, and I should probably wait until we’ve had a moment together, but the questions are eating away at me.

Isaac hardly acknowledged Rhodes’s comments about me looking like a fairy. He clearly wants to wait to discuss that.

I squeeze his hand and take a deep breath before turning to the backseat and blurting out, “What does a fairy smell like?”

Isaac lets out a rough breath through his nose. He definitely wanted to wait for this discussion.

Rhodes’s brows shoot up in surprise as he looks back and forth between Isaac and me. Undoubtedly, he isn’t sure if he’s allowed to answer.

Isaac nods his head, giving him permission.

“They smell…kind of…floral?” He searches for the right words. “If you’ve never met a fairy, you might not recognize it. They have a slightly sweeter, earthier smell than humans.”

“And they all look similar?” I question further.

“Yes, Luna. They all look…like you,” his voice is soft.

“Annie, please call me Annie. How do they look like me?”

“Like I said before, the eyes, the tiny figure. Even your features—your nose, your lips, your chin.”

Silence falls over the car for a moment before he whispers quietly, “Was it you? Are you the girl Sabina asked Syb to help?”

Before anyone could reply, Isaac pulls the car to a screeching halt in the middle of the deserted road and spins around to face him. A deep growl vibrates through his chest.

Rhodes throws both of his hands into the air in surrender. “I won’t tell anyone, I won’t put her in danger, Alpha.”

Isaac turns around, gripping the steering wheel so tightly I can hear it creaking under the pressure.

Every muscle in his body is so tense that he shakes slightly as he drives in silence down the dark road.

I shouldn’t have asked, I should have waited.

I reach over to lightly touch my fingers to his clenched jaw. He lets out a shaky breath and pulls my hand into his.

He’s holding my hand tightly—not hard enough to hurt, but I can definitely feel his tension.

At some point, I fall asleep. I’m not sure how long I was out, but a gentle kiss against my cheek wakes me.

The sun is rising as I blink, disoriented. Rhodes and Madelyn have already exited the car. We’re outside of a large hotel.

“Come on, angel. Come up to our room and sleep in a bed for a few hours,” Isaac says softly before stepping out of the car.

My door is pulled open by one of the valet attendants, but Isaac quickly steps forward, reaching for my hand and pulling me to him gently.

“The Ritz-Carlton Toronto,” I whisper as we walk into the beautiful lobby. Rhodes and Madelyn are at the front desk, speaking to the receptionist.

My eyes wander over the lobby. Everything is sleek and elegant. The chill in my bones from being outside for a few seconds starts to thaw.

“We are both on the third floor.” Madelyn hands keys to Isaac and tells him, “You’re on the tenth floor.”

“Get some rest,” Isaac says sternly, but his face is soft, concerned.

Madelyn and Rhodes both look exhausted. I wonder if I was the only one to rest in the car. I suddenly feel guilty for sleeping when everyone else was awake.

“I will reach out to a few friends,” Rhodes tells us as we enter the elevator.

“Syb would go to a club somewhere near here. I’ll find out where it is and we’ll go tonight. Hopefully, we can find something there.”

“Okay. Call our room if you need anything.” Isaac nods at them as they step out onto their floor.

The doors close slowly, and the air in the small space changes quickly. Isaac looks tense; his breathing is shallow as he stares down at me.

I feel like a deer in the headlights. He looks like a predator who has his prey in his sights.

I feel dizzy as I stare up at him. He hasn’t touched me, but my skin is on fire just from anticipation.

His honey eyes are dark, full of lust. I hardly hear the elevator ding as we reach our floor. The doors slide open, and Isaac walks out, with my hand in his, so quickly that I have to jog.

When we reach our room, he pushes the door open and pulls me inside, only to push my body against the door as soon as he slams it shut.

Taking my face in both of his hands, he brings his lips to mine. I’m desperate for him, but he pauses, hesitating with his lips barely touching mine.

He seems almost nervous to kiss me, like we’ve never done it before.

“I promise you, Annie, I will keep you safe. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispers against my lips, his voice raw with intensity.

“I know you’ll keep me safe,” I say as I try to push our lips closer together.

He pulls back slightly, his gaze meeting mine. His eyes are on fire—blistering passion, deep devotion, and love sear into me.

“P-please, Isaac,” I beg him. I can’t take it anymore.

He slides his hands from my face down the length of my body, lifting me into his arms.

“Tell me what you want, angel,” his voice is thick and raspy.

“You, please, Isaac. I want you. I need you now,” I try to push my lips against his again.

He sets me softly onto the bed. I’m about to whine at the loss of physical contact when he pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it.

The muscles in his chest ripple as he pulls his pants down his legs.

My eyes don’t know where to look. His perfect body is completely exposed in front of me.

“Show me,” he growls as he pulls my shirt up. “Show me how much you need me.”

As I pull my pants off, he lies down on the bed, watching me.

I nervously crawl up the length of his body. He’s holding himself back, I can feel it. He’s giving me control.

I settle over his body, straddling his hips. As I bend down to kiss him, I slide my wet core over his hard bulge. He groans into my mouth, his hips flexing beneath me.

His hands hold the sheets tightly—I know he’s trying to keep himself from thrusting into me.

His struggling gives me a huge confidence boost. I grind myself down on him again as I push my tongue into his mouth.

I take his mouth in mine, exploring him, massaging him, teasing him. The kiss is deep and wet, hungry. We’re both panting as I pull away.

As I look down at him, I feel slick heat at my core. His handsome face is tense with a mixture of pleasure and obvious strain.

His full lips are swollen and pulling in ragged breaths. His eyes are wild and completely blown out.

“Annie,” he groans, his voice shaking, “ride me, baby, please.”

I smile down at him. I’m usually the one doing the begging. It feels good to hear him so restless and needy. He squeezes his eyes shut and rolls his hips against me, obviously growing frustrated.

I lift my hips and adjust him to my entrance. As soon as my hand touches him, he twitches and groans. I sink down onto his tip and stop.

His eyes shoot open and he moans loudly into the room. His hands find their way to my hips and he squeezes them with bruising force.

I stay perched on his tip, testing his resolve. He inhales a sharp breath.

“Shit…fuck, please,” his voice is so tight he can barely choke out the words.

Without warning, I sink down onto him in one swift motion. His jaw goes slack and we both shamelessly moan.

Taking no time to adjust, I rise up and quickly slide down again, impaling myself on him.

His hips flex beneath me as he desperately tries not to roll himself up against me.

I bounce faster, creating a rhythm that makes my chest heave. My walls clench around him as the pleasurable burn in my core grows.

“Annie, I’m…fuck…” he grunts as he rolls his hips up.

He finally loses control and begins to thrust upward to meet me as I come down. The force of each snap of his hips pushes the breath from my lungs.

“Isaac, I’m cumming—” my words are cut off by a scream that forces its way up my throat. The unexpected power of my orgasm takes me by surprise.

My body goes completely rigid, and I squeeze his length so tight that it triggers his release.

His eyes look almost panicked as he jerks roughly inside of me. His hips grind up against mine, desperate and involuntary.

The muscles in his chest and abdomen constrict, and he moans loudly.

“Oh my fucking…~fuuuuuck~, I’m coming.” He throws his head back as a mangled growl tears through him.

I can’t look away from him. His face is etched in bliss as he gasps for air while his body processes the pleasure coursing through his veins.

We both shake and twitch, obscenities and moans falling into the hot, thick air around us.

I lay my head on his damp chest, both of us completely spent.

“We should shower, but I’m not sure I can stand,” he chuckles into my hair.

I use all of my energy to peel my eyes open. “Shower later, can’t…”

My brain isn’t functioning at full capacity. I can hardly think or move. My body feels heavy as my muscles recover from the intense spasms and tension I just felt.

His tired eyes flutter and close, exhaustion taking over.

“I love you, little mate,” he mumbles in a deep, sleepy voice that wraps around my heart and squeezes.

“I love you,” I whisper before allowing sleep to take over.