Free Dark Secrets by Jessica Burnett Page A

busying himself by cleaning up plates; avoiding looking directly at me.
    “Of course I will. Kai and I will go see the garden.” Lachlan uttered as he picked Kai up to leave the room.
    “Bye, bye Derek!” Kai says as he’s being carried away, waving all the way. I smile at him, that’s the first time he’s said Derek’s name.
    Damien storms off in a huff.
    “What was that about?” I ask again.
    “I’ll explain later… just not today. Come on, let’s get out of here.” He answers as he grabs hold of my hand and drags me out.
     
     
     
    Derek dragged me through town, barely pausing to explain the various landmarks and introduce me to people. He was in such a hurry that I tripped over my own feet about five times. He’d simply pick me back up and start pulling me away again. I had to fight the urge to just whop him upside the head. Anytime I asked what the hurry was about he simply ignored me.
    “Where are we?” I ask as we step out of the forest after a long trek through the woods. I’m staring out at a great field filled with large stones scattered about that look completely out of place. Each stone has been intricately carved into beautiful wolves, all different shapes and sizes. The most amazing of all was a giant statue of a wolf transforming into a man standing in the middle of it all. A large garden filled with flowers I’ve never seen before surrounded the statue and every stone.
    Derek smiled brightly at me. “We’re at my favorite place. No one else comes here. All that you see, I created. It took nearly three years to complete. The wolf in the middle represents my grandfather. I originally started building it for him, but he passed away before I could show it to him.”
    “Really?” I stare in wonder and awe.
    “Mm hm. What do you think?” He asked. His facial expression suggested he needed my approval.
    “It’s lovely; absolutely brilliant… and incredibly sweet.” I smiled as I said this.
    He smiled hugely at me. “Thank you, my lady. I’m glad you like it. Come on, there’s something in the middle I want you to see.” He grabbed my hand once again and tugged me along.
    We were standing in front of the huge statue looking down at the giant wolf’s feet. Derek leaned over and rose up one of its large toes. Beneath it was a ring.
    “What’s that for?” I ask quizzically. My heart is fluttering and I’m silently praying he’s not going to propose.
    Derek frowned down at me… sorrow in his eyes. “It’s the ring my grandfather gave me to give to my mate… The mate my father chose for me. He made me promise I would use this ring, my grandmother’s ring, when I proposed to her.”
    “Oh, I see. Do you dislike the person you are betrothed to?” I ask as I peer into his saddened eyes.
    “No. On the contrary, I love her. But, I don’t believe she feels the same way about me.”
    “Why would you think that?”
    “I haven’t been the nicest person to her. I was a jerk from the moment we met. I tried to make it better, and I may have, but I think she’s already in love with someone else.” He said sullenly.
    He slumped to the ground where he sat, twiddling the ring between his fingers. I gingerly sat down beside him and grabbed his hand.
    “She’d be a fool not to marry you. Or, at the very least, love you. I have to admit sometimes I don’t like you and you were quite the jerk to me. But, you’re an amazing person. I promise you that.”
    “You really think so?”
    “Sure I do.”
    He rose his eyebrows up at me and cocked a smile. “So, if it were you I was talking about… you’d say yes?”
    I laughed to give me time. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. I wasn’t sure why he was asking. I decided to lie to make him feel better.
    “Of course I would. I’d love to have you as a… mate? Ha. Is that what you called it?”
    We stared at each other in silence for a moment. The second the words were out of my mouth I regretted them. For, in that second, I