The formal dining room had been laid as though for a gathering, candles burning down the dark stone table and staff passing quietly through the serving door. Elena sat beside him, within reach. On her first night here, she was at his table. The wolf pressed warm beneath his ribs. *Mate. Mine. Closer.*
"Open your mouth."
He cut the meat on her plate and held out the fork. When she stopped him, took it from his hand, and fed herself, delight moved through him. She was here. She was eating. The meat was rare, as the house served it. Wrong for Elena. He would have hers done differently.
"Alpha Vance, are you going to let me go?"
"Call me Roman, not Alpha Vance. No. I will never let you go. You are staying here with me."
"Okay. Okay. Can I have my phone, please? My family will be worried."
"No. I do not want you staying in contact with humans."
The refusal had been settled before she asked.
"Those are my family. And I am human—"
"Hush."
He reached for the fork again. Elena held it away in a tight fist, tines pointed toward him, breathing hard and furious enough to jab him if he tried. He stopped, smiling. *She has fire. Ours.*
"Will you accept the bond and take my bite? Once we are bonded, you will feel what I feel and understand what you are to me, as I understand it. Will you?"
"No. I don't want it. I don't want any of this."
She stood shaking, terror plain in her face. Roman rose at once and took both her hands in his.
"All right. All right. I will not force the bond on you. It happens only if and when you are ready. I will wait for your yes."