Madeline’s POV
I felt soft fingers caress my cheek.
Shivers went up and down my spine. The fingers were warm and soft. I liked how they felt against my skin.
Who was that?
I frowned a little and turned my head the other way. I didn’t want to wake up.
Someone chuckled.
“Come on, Madeline,” someone said. “Dinner will be ready soon.”
I wasn’t hungry. I ate at the diner.
Someone caressed my cheek again. I furrowed my eyebrows.
“What were you reading?” the same voice asked and I felt the book being lifted off my chest.
I turned my head back and opened my eyes slowly.
Alpha Dimitri was sitting on my bed, looking through the book I was reading. He had a small smile on his face. He glanced at me and his smile widened.
“You like history?” he asked me excitedly.
I was staring at him with a confused expression on my face.
Why was he in my room?
“What are you doing here, Alpha?” I asked as I sat up.
I tried to smooth out my wrinkly clothes a little. I didn’t expect him in my room. Why was he even here?
“Your dad came to wake you up, but decided to let you sleep,” he explained. “I didn’t agree with his decision so I came here to wake you up. You need to eat.”
He looked back down at the book in his hand.
“I have another book about werewolf history if you would like to read it,” he said as he flipped through the pages.
I ignored him.
“I am not hungry,” I said, making him look back up at me. “Can I have my book back?”
That book meant everything to me. It was just a werewolf history textbook, but it was my favorite book. My mom gave it to me when I was a little girl. She used to read the history of the Three Kingdoms to me and it was one of my favorite memories of our time together.
“You have to eat, Maddie,” Alpha Dimitri said as he handed me my book back.
“I ate at the diner,” I said, pressing the book against my chest.
Alpha Dimitri looked at it and smiled.
“This book means a lot to you, doesn’t it?” he asked softly.
His soothing voice made my heart skip a beat.
“It does,” I said, giving him a small nod. “My mom gave it to me.”
I felt the tears in the corners of my eyes again. I thought that I wouldn’t be able to cry anymore, but I was wrong. Just thinking about my mom made me want to sob. I missed her so much.
I looked down at the book and gulped the lump in my throat.
“Oh, Maddie,” Alpha Dimitri mumbled as he pulled me into a hug. “I am so sorry that you lost your mom.”
I tensed up a little. Why was he hugging me?
I liked the feeling, though. I felt safe in his arms. His scent soothed me and his arms around me made my body relax a little.
“Do you have a favorite part?” Alpha Dimitri asked as he rubbed my back gently.
I furrowed my eyebrows and looked up at him.
“Of the book,” he explained, smiling at me.
I pulled back and he let me go. I looked down at the book and smiled.
“I do,” I mumbled. “I love the part about the Three Kingdoms.”
Alpha Dimitri caressed my cheek again. I looked up at him with a confused expression on my face. Why was he so nice to me? Was it because I lost my mom? I didn’t want his pity.
“You know that your great-great grandfather ruled one of those kingdoms?” Alpha Dimitri asked me.
I nodded, keeping my eyes on him.
That was probably the reason why my mom gave me the book and read me that story. My dad was a descendant of one of the Lycan Kings. She wanted me to have some sort of connection with him.
“You could be a Lycan too,” Alpha Dimitri said, giving me a small smile.
I frowned and looked down at the book.
I didn’t have anything against being a Lycan, but those genes were the reason that my father left my mom and me. Also, it was sure that it wasn’t possible. If my father didn’t become one, why would I?
“I doubt that,” I mumbled. “My father didn’t become one.”
I looked up at Alpha Dimitri. He still had a small smile on his face.
I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful he was. His dark eyes were staring into my soul, making my body tingle. I wanted to run my fingers through his short beard and feel his skin on my fingertips. His lips looked so soft and I wanted to know what they…
No.
What the hell was I thinking?!
He was older. He was an Alpha. He was a Lycan, for Goddess’s sake!
What the hell was wrong with me?!
I saw his jaw twitch. He looked at my lips and gulped.
I had to look away before another stupid thought came to me.
I looked away from him and took a deep breath. I wanted to stand up and go open a window. I needed fresh air.
“You know that some people still believe that the Three Kingdoms will rise again,” Alpha Dimitri said, making me look back at him.
I furrowed my eyebrows.
“The Three Kingdoms fell,” I said. “The Great War destroyed everything. The descendants of the Lycan kings impured their bloodlines. How could that be possible?”
Alpha Dimitri smiled at me. He took the book out of my hand and placed it on the nightstand next to my bed.
“Do you want to hear something that isn’t written in the textbooks?” he asked me, making my eyes widen.
I loved listening to stories about our history. I loved listening to stories about the Three Kingdoms. I loved listening to old legends.
He smiled, leaned on my headboard, and lifted his legs. He made himself comfortable and patted the spot next to him.
My eyes widened a little bit more and I bit my lower lip.
He wanted me to lay next to him?
That would be too weird and inappropriate. What if someone entered the room and saw us lying next to each other like that? He was an Alpha and he probably had a mate. What would she say?
“Come on, Maddie,” he chuckled. “You will love the story, I promise.”
My curiosity won and I laid next to him. I looked up at him and saw him smiling brightly.
“What do you know about the Great War, Maddie?” he asked as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
My pulse quickened. I knew everything about it, but it was hard to focus and answer his questions when all I could think about were his fingers that touched the back of my neck gently.
