Xanthee opened the door quietly. "Wolf?" she said hesitantly. She scooted into the room and out of Raven's way as she darted out the door, death glare evident on her face. Xan withdrew further into herself as she saw Wolf hunched over on the bed, facing away from her. She quietly shut the door behind her and locked it so they wouldn't be disturbed. "I'm really sorry…" she said, walking to his side and putting her hand on his back as she sat next to him on the bed.
He glanced up, wiping tears off his face. "I'm really sorry too, Xanthee," he proclaimed angrily. "I thought I could trust you, I thought you would marry me…does your promise mean nothing? Does he know that?" He shrugged off her hand, wanting more than anything to be left alone for a while to sulk in his own misery.
"I…I thought I'd never see you again, love. That's what I was told. I was abducted by two men, told I could never go back, what did you expect me to do? Now I'm obligated and I can't turn back no matter how much I want to. Don't you understand Wolfie?" Tears began to sting as she tried to get a glimpse of Wolf's face. She moved closer to him cautiously and wrapped her arms around him, trying in vain to cuddle him, make him forget his pain and remember her love for him.
Wolf stood up in a rage. "I can't believe you Xan! You go and get engaged to some other man after promising yourself, your body, your mind, your soul to me, and you expect me to be happy about this?" He raged at her, clenching and unclenching his couldn't remember actually ever being this upset with her before, and he felt almost suicidal. He had always prided himself on looking out for her happiness, sometimes sacrificing his own in order to ensure she was content. As he worried about his temper towards her, he became more confused. He hated making her upset, hated himself deeply for it. On one of his sweeps across the room he reached out and looked at his reflection in the mirror. Wolf forced himself to look at his own disgrace; his unkempt appearance, the evil flashing in his eyes, the dark grimness of his expression. Furious with himself, he struck out at his own reflection, rejoicing in the hot-cold pain that coursed through and around his hand in the form of red liquid silk. Insanity started to take him, and he began chuckling softly, turning back while staring intently at his hand. The blood lust was nearly overwhelming as it boiled with his rage. He looked up with a crooked smile as Xanthee, his beautiful Xanthee whom he could never have now, came rushing to his side in concern.
He'd never realized how badly he wanted her. She was so incredible in every way; the smell of her, the feel of her skin, the curves of her body. He licked his lips, eyeing her again in a new light. His smile widened and he grabbed both her wrists in his clean left hand as the concern on her face transformed into fear. She opened her mouth to scream and his bloody right hand flew to her mouth to stop her, making her taste his blood, the pain she'd caused him, daring her to cause more to flow. Her eyes were wide and she looked around wildly like terrified prey. He pushed her slowly to the bed and pushed her across it, laying on her heavily.
"Don't scream, my love," he slurred, "we both know I deserve this," he laughed again as she nodded in horror. He slowly lowered his hand and ripped the clothes off her body, smearing blood throughout. He moved her lovely golden hair aside, turning it a soft pinkish color, and licked his blood off her neck while struggling out of his own clothes. "I deserve you…you promised me Xan," he whimpered, feeling her body clamping up underneath him.
"Wolfie…Wolfie listen to me!" she whispered, coming out of her shock. "Don't do it like this love, this isn't how it should be and you know it. I love you, don't you remember? I'll always love you Wolf!" She gained strength as she saw his resolve begin to crumble. She looked up at him pleadingly and appealingly, hoping to bring him back to himself and see for herself the man she loved.
Wolf's lip trembled and he collapsed heavily on top of her. He saw the scarlet trails covering her body from the wounds which were beginning to scab already on his hand. He lay there like a young child, needing comfort that only love can bring, and sobbed into her bare soft breasts. He cringed as she began to stroke his hair, wishing she wouldn't touch him as though she loved him, vile animal that he was. He deserved to die for hurting the one he had vowed to forever protect.
Xanthee began to cry again, with sympathy this time. "Shhh…it's ok love, don't you cry. It's ok. I forgive you," she crooned, stroking his hair and face and encouraging him to look at her. "I still feel you should be my first, as you are and always will be the first in my heart. I love you more than life itself, Wolfie. I never meant to hurt you."
He sniffled and crawled up to rest his head against her shoulder, allowing her to cradle him in her arms. "I don't deserve you. I deserve to die for what I've become. I never deserved you Xan. I can't allow myself to take advantage of you, after how close I came."
"Then don't consider it that way love," she whispered to him. "I love you, and I want you to right your wrong. Turn your hate to love, show me what you feel in your heart." She frowned as he shook his head. "Wolfie, we deserve each other; for both our rights and our wrongs. I want you to be my first, I always have." She began to kiss him sensually on the neck to encourage him, hoping vainly to change his mind.
Gradually, he did change his mind. He showed her his deepest feelings devoutly, delicately, gently. He held onto his control, caring for her well-being before his own, and they both soon exhausted themselves, slumping down into the covers and sleeping curled against one another, limbs intertwined.