Mum nods. "So, as you remember, I'm a wolf. But your father is a demon, which makes you a demon-wolf. Most are either one or the other, but you..." She trails off. "When you were a child, you—"
I get distracted.
Xavier walks over to the bookshelf, pulling out a book. He smirks, his gaze flicking to me.
"I think Isabella is a bit distracted, Julie," he says smoothly.
I snap my attention back to my parents. Dad has a slight smirk on his face, while Mum sighs. "You haven't eaten, have you?"
"No," I huff. "That bastard took me to a diner and made us leave before I could eat my food."
Mum turns to Xavier. "Please make Shay something to eat."
Xavier grins. "Sure. What would you like, my love?"
I roll my eyes. "A bucket to throw up in because you're cringe."
Jack and Jessie burst into laughter.
Xavier, unfazed, steps closer, his confidence never wavering. He places his hands on either side of the chair, caging me in. His voice drops, teasing, playful. "Confident young girls are my favourite meal, Isabella."
I scoff. "Oh, please. You're all bark, no bite. I've heard the stories, read the books."
His smirk deepens as he leans in. "Have you watched the films?"
We lock eyes, the air between us shifting—until Dad clears his throat.
"Xavier. Go make her food."
Xavier exhales sharply and pushes himself away, storming out of the room.
I watch him go before turning back to my parents. "Is he always that flirty, or is he just mentally ill?"
"He's just... complicated, that's all," my mom says.
"Anyway, as we were saying," my dad interrupts, "when you were a child, you showed signs of being more than just a demon wolf."
I sigh, listening to them talk, but none of it sinks in. I just want to go back to my university life. This life... this isn't a life.
"This sounds like a death wish... and hell," I mutter.
Everyone looks at me, and my mom says, "This is your birthright, Shay."
I laugh bitterly, shaking my head. "Says who? Who makes that call?" I stare at her, "I'm 20 years old; I'm studying medicine at university. I don't want this life. I don't want a birthright. I don't want anything."
I can see the sadness in her eyes. I sigh again. "How many people know who I am?"
They exchange a glance, and my dad answers, "When demon wolves turn 20, their aura changes colour. Anyone who looks at you will know exactly who you are and what bloodline you come from."
I stand up, my frustration boiling over. "That can't happen. I want a normal life! If I wanted the supernatural life, I would've let Uncle Nicholas, or Mark, or even Thomas turn me when they offered."
Jack, seemingly oblivious to the tension, pipes up. "Can we go shopping now?"
"Yes, we can," I reply, relieved to change the subject. He jumps up and leaves. As we pass by a room, I catch a glimpse of Xavier feeding off a woman. He looks up, and his eyes flash... GREEN. I've never seen that before. I look away, heart pounding.
"Xavier, we're going shopping," my dad calls.
"Give me a few minutes to clean up," Xavier responds, and as he walks out, he grabs my hand and pulls me somewhere. We end up in his room.
"You saw my eyes. I heard your thoughts," he says softly, his voice low.
"Oh well," I reply, trying to sound indifferent.
He steps closer, gazing at me intensely. Gently, he places his hand at the back of my neck, pulling me towards him. He kisses me. I don't respond at first, and he pulls away.
"I'm so sorry, Isabella, I—"
Before he can finish, I grab him and pull him back to me. I stand on my tiptoes, using his broad shoulders for balance, and kiss him. This time, he kisses back.
As far as kisses go, this one isn't the worst. It's warm, comforting, filling the gaps I didn't even realize were there.
How can a kiss feel so warm when he's cold to the touch?
He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer, making me feel safe, secure. It's like the world around us freezes. The taste of blood on his tongue doesn't bother me in the slightest.
We pull apart when we hear a knock on the door. Xavier walks to it.
"Who is it?" he asks.
"Hurry up, everyone's getting bored," my dad replies.
"Yeah, whatever. I need to shower. Give me 15 minutes," Xavier mutters, and as he walks past me, I open my mouth to say something, but he cuts me off.
"You can leave now."
I stare at him, confused. "Did I do something wrong?"
He shakes his head. "No, just leave."
I storm out, frustrated.
I hear Xavier's voice behind me. "Why did I do that? Why did I kiss her? She's my best friend's daughter." I furrow my brows. How did I hear him?