Page 22 of Rebel for Claws
"Just be yourself," she said softly. "The real you, not the Alpha everyone expects you to be."
Alaric studied her face for a long moment, and she watched his internal struggle play out across his features. Finally, he nodded. "Okay. But only if you'll come with me. Let me give you a tour of the estate—show you some of my favorite spots."
Favorite spots.The phrase sent an unexpected thrill through her. She was about to see the private world of Alaric Silvercrest, the places where he dropped his guard. "Lead the way."
They left the intimacy of her suite behind, and Vivian followed him through corridors lined with rich mahogany and ancestral portraits. The mansion was impressive but not too ostentatious—built for comfort and function rather than display.
"This is my personal gym," Alaric said, pushing open heavy double doors to reveal a space that made Vivian's pulse quicken for entirely different reasons. State-of-the-art equipment filled the room, but what caught her attention was the weapons display along one wall. Swords, knives, and traditional shifter weapons gleamed under the recessed lighting.
"Feel free to train here anytime," he continued, his voice carrying that Alpha authority even in casual conversation. "Those blades are all functional, not decorative."
Vivian moved toward the weapons with the focused attention of a master assessing tools of her trade. "These are beautiful," she murmured, noting the perfect balance and deadly edges. "You use them?"
"Daily sword practice at dawn," Alaric admitted, and she caught the hint of self-consciousness in his tone. "Old habits from my father's training."
He practices sword forms every morning. There's something incredibly attractive about a man who maintains that level of discipline.Vivian ran her fingers along the edge of a particularly elegant blade, acutely aware of how Alaric's breathing seemed to catch as he watched her touch the weapon with expert familiarity.
"Let me show you the library next," he said, his voice slightly rougher than before. He guided her out of his personal gym and to the oak door at the end of the long corridor.
When Alaric opened the oak door, the library took Vivian's breath away. Floor-to-ceiling shelves stretched up two stories, filled with what had to be thousands of volumes. Comfortable reading chairs were positioned near tall windows, and the scent of leather and aged paper filled the space.
"This is where you come to relax?" she asked, running her hand along the spine of an ancient-looking book.
"When I have time, which isn't often," Alaric replied, moving to stand beside her. "I've been developing a particular interest in our territory's history. Especially..." He paused, seeming to choose his words carefully. "Ancient bloodlines and the original shapeshifter abilities. I want to try and understand it but there's not much literature around."
Of course he does.The mate bond seemed to pulse stronger as another piece of compatibility clicked into place.We're both drawn to the same mysteries and the same lost history.
"Come on," Alaric said, his hand brushing against her lower back as he guided her toward another door. "There's one more place I want to show you."
They climbed a narrow staircase that led to his private office, but Alaric didn't linger there. Instead, he opened French doors that led onto a stone balcony overlooking the estate grounds. The December air hit them immediately, crisp and clean, carrying the scent of pine and snow.
"It's beautiful," Vivian breathed, taking in the view. Moonlight painted the landscape in silver, and stars glittered overhead like scattered diamonds.
"I come out here to think," Alaric said, leaning against the stone railing beside her. "When the weight of leadership gets too heavy, or when I need to remember what I'm fighting to protect."
Vivian studied his profile in the moonlight, noting how the strong lines of his face softened when he thought no one was watching.This is the real Alaric. Not the Alpha, not the strategist, just... him.
"What do you see when you look out there?" she asked quietly.
"Possibility," he replied without hesitation. "A future where shifters don't have to hide who they truly are, and where hybrids and humans can live openly among us. Where children grow up free to choose their own mates and destinies." He turned to faceher, and his light grey eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight. "What about you? What do you see?"
"Home," Vivian said, the word surprising her with its honesty. "For the first time in my life, I think I see somewhere I could actually belong."
The air between them grew charged, thick with unspoken possibilities. Alaric stepped closer, his hand rising to cup her cheek with surprising gentleness. "Vivian..."
Her name on his lips sent heat spiraling through her body, and she found herself leaning into his touch despite every logical reason to maintain distance. The mate bond sang between them, urging her closer, demanding she close the space between them and claim what was hers.
Alaric leaned down, his breath warm against her lips, and Vivian's eyes fluttered closed in anticipation. But at the last second, rational thought crashed back into her consciousness.Too fast. Too much. I barely know him, mate bond or not.
She pulled back, her hand pressed against his chest to maintain distance. "I'm sorry, I just... I'm not ready for this yet."
Disappointment flashed across Alaric's features, but he stepped back immediately, respecting her boundaries without question. "Of course. I shouldn't have presumed."
"It's not that I don't want to," Vivian said quickly, then felt her cheeks burn at the admission. "I just need time to process everything. Several hours ago, I thought you were my enemy, and now..."
"Now you know I'm your fated mate," Alaric finished quietly, finally speaking the truth aloud. "I understand completely. We have time, Vivian. All the time you need."
The walk back to her guest suite felt charged with potential energy, neither of them speaking but both hyperaware of the other's presence. At her door, Alaric paused.
