CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FOUR - SCENT SENSITIVITY

Erik paused in his cleaning, looking at her with a mixture of affection and understanding. "Anna, do you think I became the Alpha of this pack overnight? Learning to control your abilities takes time and practice. And yes, sometimes it involves breaking a few things along the way." His playful tone made Anna smile despite herself. "A few things? I think I've single-handedly destroyed half the mansion's valuables in the past week alone." Erik laughed, a warm, rich sound that never failed to make Anna's heart skip a beat. "Well, look at it this way – you're giving us an excellent excuse to redecorate." As they continued to clean up, Erik regaled Anna with stories of his own mishaps when he was first learning to control his abilities. By the time they had gathered all the broken pieces, Anna's embarrassment had faded, replaced by a sense of camaraderie and shared experience. "You know," Erik said as they disposed of the last of the broken china, "there's something endearing about the