Independent She-wolf novel Chapter 19

Quietly, but also quickly, I went down the hall until I found Jace's room again. Trying to be quiet, I cracked open the door. He was fast asleep in his bed. Jace looked so peaceful right now.

He was sleeping on the right side of bed on his stomach. What I liked best was that he didn't snore. Usually a lot of guys did. Especially werewolves, or so I've heard. Not Jace. He was perfect as he hugged the pillow he was lying on.

I crept over to his side and crouched down so I was at eye level with him. I started to reach over to touch him, but I hesitated. Then I remembered my dream, well nightmare. My eyes went wide. "Jace," I whispered to him. No response.

Of course the one male werewolf that doesn't snore happens to be a heavy sleeper. Just my luck. Cautiously, I reached out to him and nudged him in the shoulder.

Jace's P.O.V.

When I felt something touch my shoulder, I went into wolf mode. My instincts grabbed whatever had touched me even before my other senses completely opened up. I opened my eyes and saw Dani. Her wrist was captured in my grasp and she whimpered. Shit! I was hurting her. Quickly, I let go.

"Oh God," I exclaimed. "Sorry. I didn't know it was you. What's wrong, Danielle?" Her face was etched with fear. Oh no, what had happened to her. Something was wrong with my baby. I wanted ti make it better and make the pain go away.

She groaned and sat on the edge of my bed. Was she hurt? I couldn't sense and injury from her. Also, I noticed the distance between us, and how she was keeping her distance from me. So, we were back to that game? "Will you please stop calling me that?" she asked with a speck of irritation and depression in her voice.

"What's wrong with me calling you by your name?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. After everything we'd gone through, she still couldn't open up to me. She still didn't love me. I didn't know what else to do.

"Calling me Dani?" she asked. "Nothing. Calling me by my full name? A lot. Jace I know how badly you are trying to win me over. I know that you love me and would give everything to keep me safe and happy. You are such a wonderful guy. The best I've ever met, in fact, but I... I just don't know. You calling my Danielle hurts me because you're hurting. I feel like such a bitch for doing that to you. And I know it's all my fault, too."

"I'll wait for you," I said. "I'll do anything for you, Dani." She relaxed when I called her by her nickname. It was funny how much a name could make people feel the way the did. "Now do you want to tell me why you came here, because that wasn't it."

After letting out a small sigh, she nodded. "I just had a bad dream that's all. And when I woke up in that room alone..." she trailed off.

"I understand," I told her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head and I was about to say something, but she stopped me. "But I do want to tell you why I am what I am."