Fern's Perspective
A long sigh escaped my lips as I placed the second book I had finished reading on the soft quilt. The dinner party was still going on, and the buzz of voices kept drifting up from downstairs.
Like a fugitive, I had left the dinner early and retreated to my room, locking myself away.
And now, I realized, clearly, that I wanted more.
Yes, I missed Giovanni hopelessly. His intoxicating scent, the gentle touch of his hands...
God, I was being ridiculous. My face turned red, and I rolled my eyes at my internal dilemma.
"What do you think Vivian meant by what she said to you?" my wolf asked.
"I don't know."
I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling above me, wondering what to do next.
I could hear music coming from below; it seemed like the crowd was having a good time. Through my open window, I could hear the giggles and laughter of young women.
Was Giovanni being charmed by the other women? Would he smile at them? He probably wouldn't... but what if he did?
More importantly, the thought that other women, especially Vivian, could make him smile made me sad.
"What's wrong with you, Fern?" I scolded myself.
However, scolding myself didn't make me feel better. In fact, it made me... jealous, to the point where I barely recognized the feeling.
The sun had long since set, and I could see the full moon shining brightly above.
Tonight, they would shift and run in packs. It was something Giovanni and his pack always did at dinner parties. It showed the solidarity between them, and I was glad I had the chance to witness them take off in a blur of fur while their howls filled the night sky.
"I wish I was there..." I said softly to myself, wrapping the cashmere blanket tighter around me as I smiled up at the moon, thinking of Giovanni.
I couldn't help but sing softly, the sound rising from me. The feelings growing inside me scared me as I thought about everything that had happened between him and me.
At that moment, I wasn't upset by Vivian's words... just lonely without him.
Suddenly, a sound from the window caught my attention.
I slid off the bed and walked toward the open window. The room I was in was three stories high, but I was still startled by the sound.
I stared down, trying to see what was there, my long hair falling in waves around my shoulders as I peered into the darkness. What was that? Was someone watching?
Fear began to grip me as a small black cat darted from the space below me toward the corner of the building.
A soft laugh escaped my lips as I realized I had nothing to worry about. "Goddess, kitty, you scared me," I said. "Run away before the big bad wolf gets a whiff of you."
What was wrong with me? To be so timid as to be frightened by something as cute as a cat. Fern, you'd got to be braver than that!
However, as I turned back towards my room, the door burst open. What happened tonight?
My eyes widened as Giovanni's dark, lust-filled gaze swept over me, causing me to hold my breath. Why was he here?
"Giovanni," I greeted him, lowering my head.
Frozen in place, I watched as he closed the door behind him. I could hear my heart beating louder and louder. His footsteps were quick, and he swiftly closed the space between us. Then his lips were on my neck, and I moaned softly as the blanket fell to the floor.
The smell of whiskey on his breath told me he'd been drinking, but even so, I longed for this moment—for him to come to me and ravage me like only he could.
"Why did you leave the dinner party early, Little Tree?" Giovanni murmured as his lips moved from my neck to my ear, a note of dependency in his tone. "I missed you so much."
My body screamed frantically to get closer to him, but my mind kept flashing back to Vivian's face.
I pushed him away in silence, avoiding Giovanni's gaze.
I knew Giovanni was genuinely concerned about me, but the secrets hidden in my heart left me with no way to explain. I took a deep breath and tried to calm the turmoil within me.
"Are you okay? If there's anything wrong, you can tell me, and I'll be with you to fix it." Giovanni's gaze followed me so closely that I couldn't avoid it.
"I'm just a little tired and want to get some early rest," I said softly, my tone a bit perfunctory.
Giovanni stepped closer, his eyes growing more determined. "Come on, you know I don't believe that easily. What exactly happened? Why have you been hiding it from me?"
My heart tightened, and I didn't know how to answer. Just as I was hesitating, Giovanni brought up Vivian again.
"Is it because of Vivian? She's very dependent on me, but I hope you understand that. After all, she is my adopted sister," Giovanni's voice was gentle and sincere.
At the mention of Vivian, my irritation skyrocketed. I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the jealousy and resentment within me. I was once Giovanni's sister too, but now I was totally forgotten by him.
"Sister?" I finally relented, a hint of bitterness in my tone. "If you care about her that much..."
I waved a hand in Giovanni's direction. "I'm not the one to stop you. I don't want someone who has another on their mind anyway."