Chapter 1

Adelaide She gazed out the window of the limo that had picked her up at her apartment, large lavish houses blurring on by. She needed a change of scenery and moved thousands of miles away from her ex to start fresh, and Penelope, a werewolf，decided to help her.. Though, the catch still left her unsure if this was the right decision to make. "You're not getting cold feet on me, are you?" She smiled so sweetly at her. Adelaide wasn't a fool though. Sure she was getting doubts in her mind, but she wasn't going to look a wolf in the mouth and tell her that. "I'd open the door and tuck and roll, but I don't really know where I am right now." She said truthfully. "I'm not holding you captive, Miss Mill. You are welcome to back out of this arrangement." The woman uncrossed and recrossed her legs, shifting in her seat slightly. She had thought about it, but she already signed the contract for being added on to the lease. Besides, she couldn't go back now. What would that achieve for her? "Who's this roommate that I'll be splitting the rent with?" Adelaide asked her. "My son." She held up her hand before Adelaide could put in her two cents. "Relax dear. I'm not setting you up with him. I saw your post online about wanting a fresh start so I jumped at the chance." "I'll take your word for it." Adelaide said. For now. The woman smiled at her, reaching over and rested a hand on her knee. Even with her jeans on she felt the woman's warmth seep through the fabric and into her skin. What is it with Werewolves and their internal furnace? "As bad as this sounds, I never really got your name." Adelaide said embarrassingly. "You're right. How rude of me. Here I was whisking you away without a proper introduction." The woman leaned across again, smiling as her golden eyes glittered. "You may call me Penelope." The limo drove along a winding road for sometime, trees the only company she had aside from Penelope when the trees broke away and showed a tan stone wall. Adelaide leaned closer to the window, her interest peaking as the wall ended and the limo slowed as they drove up to a gate with a security booth. The car made a turn and Penelope looked out the window, a smile falling onto her lips. "It looks like we're here. Welcome to our pack." Adelaide peered out the window with her, eyes widening at what was standing before her. A large mansion stretched as long as half a football field. The driver opened the door for Penelope and Adelaide followed out, her mouth still agape. The front door swung open and a woman stepped out, her clothes in disarray as she fumbled with her heels. The woman's eyes met Penelope's and she froze up instantly. "Chelsea." Penelope said coldly. The woman dropped her gaze to Adelaide behind her, her lips lifting in a small scowl before rushing off down the driveway. Penelope let out a heavy sigh, turning toward Adelaide with a smile, but she had a twitch in her brow. "Come." "Is something wrong?" Penelope asked her. "I smell rain. Like fresh rain." Adelaide told her. The smell grew stronger as if it was in the very room she sat in. It clung to her clothes, her hair, her skin. It wrapped around her like a thin blanket. She thought she was going to drown when a deep, husky voice sounded from the doorway. "Why I smell lilies?" Geoff The smell of lilies caused him to rise from the couch and climb the stairs. He stealthed down the hall, following the trail until it stopped at a door that was ajar. He heard sniffling coming from inside. His wolf whimpered at the sound. Penelope, his mother had a soft spot for humans, she seemed genuinely invested in this one particularly. She invited the strange woman into the pack without authorization through him first, let alone in his own home. "Don't invite strange women to stay here without my permission." He growled at her, but she was unfazed. "You may be King, but I am your mother." Her golden eyes met his sternly. "There are some things you should know about Adelaide before you decide to pull what you just did." She informed him. He only shrugged at her. "I don't care. I want that woman gone." He told her, but she only shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't send her away." She said. "Is she just some charity case to you?" He asked her. Her eyes narrowed on him. "She wanted a fresh start. So I'm giving her one." She told him, crossing her legs. "By using my home, my pack?" He growled at her again. "She was in a toxic relationship. He was practically killing her." She spoke softly. His growling receded, and he started to listen. "He abused her. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. Even sexually." Her eyes dropped to the coffee table between them. He doesn't care what happened to her, yet his heart ached. "So, I contacted her when she was looking for a way out. She's a writer, so she'll be invested in her work most of the time, and she'll be going to therapy twice a week to help get through her trauma." Her eyes went back to his. "She's already had it rough as it is, don't make it worse for her." She rose up from her seat. "I'll visit in a week to check on things. Behave." She emphasized that last word before leaving him in silence. He let her words roll around in his head for awhile until his phone buzzed in his pocket. A message from Chelsea came up on the screen. Are they gone? The woman is staying here. For how long? Undetermined. I'll come back tonight to finish what we started. He felt his cock grow stiff slightly, but the arousal quickly vanished. He didn't find Chelsea attractive anymore. No. His phone continued to buzz, but then he blocked her number. Why do you care, beast? She is only human. But the wolf continued to whimper, yearning to be by her. The unfamiliar feeling made him uncomfortable as he backed away from her door and proceeded to his office. He needed a distraction, and if he couldn't have Chelsea do it, then he'll have to bury his face into his work for now. That night, after wrapping up the last of the documents needed for the annual festival, he gazed out at the garden displayed in his backyard. The sun had already set, the lights giving off a faint glow, casting shadows across the yard when a familiar shadow caught his eye. Adelaide walked along the path, a notebook in her hands. He stormed out into the courtyard, his nose to the air. Her scent carried his feet deeper into the garden where a large oak tree stood and a swing attached to it. She sat on the swing, the gentle breeze blowing her hair. Her eyes were on her notebook, a pen in hand. She hadn't noticed his arrival yet, but when he went to approach her, her eyes drifted up from her writing, meeting his. His wolf howled. He moved closer to her. Her eyes widened as she jumped to her feet, clutching her notebook to her chest and went to make a break for it until his hand latched onto her wrist. Sparks flared upon contact, his jeans tightening around his crotch. His breathing became shallow and his heart quickened. Mate. Adelaide His touch burned her, but in the most exquisite way imaginable. His roughness caressed her very soul, yearning for more. His crimson eyes burned into her, his powerful gaze making her legs weak and her sex soak her panties. The scent of fresh rain was stirring her hormones like crazy. She had been man handled before, but his hand loosened on her wrist, no longer holding her captive. This was the man that scared her earlier, towering over her like he was going to eat her. His hand turned her wrist over, her sleeve having rode up a bit, exposing the scars on her wrists. She tried to pull away, but his grip tightened again. "Let me go." She pleaded, grabbing his arm and tried to pull him off. What good was her strength against the Werewolf King? Her flight response was kicking in, but she couldn't run. "What are you?" He growled down at her. Her legs trembled, this time with fear. She tried to pull away, but he only tightened his hold on her. She felt her chest squeeze as she started to panic. "Stop please" She pleaded to him, tears threatening to expose themselves.