Well Beyond

The question lingers in the air, heavier than I anticipated. I take a deep breath, searching for an answer within myself. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of fear, uncertainty, and fleeting moments of hope. Who am I trying to find? The person I was before the attack? The woman who believed in loyalty and love within her pack? Or someone entirely new, shaped by everything that's happened?

"I'm trying to find someone who can survive on her own," I say finally, my voice steady. "Someone who doesn't need a pack to define her. Someone strong enough to face whatever comes next."

Jasper watches me intently, his gaze unwavering. 

"Did you have a career you wanted to do? Before your pack was destroyed," he clarified. "We have several programs here you can do." 

I smile, thinking for a second. "I was really into baking. I would cook these big extravagant meals every weekend with my family. I was always on dessert duty. I think I would have loved to do something with that." 

"That's not what I expected from you," he laughs softly. "We have a great culinary school here. I could get you in, no problem."

His words are sincere, and for the first time in a long while, I feel a glimmer of hope. I lean back into the couch, allowing myself to relax just a little. The room is cozy, a stark contrast to the opulence of the castle and his 'party'. The soft lighting casts a warm glow, creating an intimate atmosphere.

"That would be nice, thank you. I never had the chance to explore that before," I say. "As long as you promise there's no strings attach to it this time. And I'm not going to fucking you for it either." 

He laughs so hard that he grips his stomach. "I'm not into quid pro quo sex, even if it would be hot. I like the chase. Soon, you'll be begging me for me to f-" 

"That's never going to happen. You have a massive ego," I cut him off quickly, rolling my eyes. I slap my hand against his chest in a playful scold.

"Careful, baby. It's dangerous to attack a Lycan," he flirts, wiggling his eyebrows at me before growling a little.

"What's it like to be a Lycan?" I ask, my curiosity piqued. "Do you guys really live forever?"

He shrugs. "It's weird, I guess. We are immortal, though, yes."

"How old are you?" I ask eagerly, sitting up slightly. He folds his arms playfully.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he huffs out, a teasing smile on his lips. "A lady never tells you her age." 

I smirk, leaning forward. "Of course, I would. Come on, tell me."

"And why would I do that," he questions, cocking a brow at me. 

I press my chest together with my arms, drawing his attention to my cleavage. I tilt my head to the side, causing my hair to shift around me. He sucks in a breath as he stares unashamed. I've never met a man so brazen before, but I've also never met a King. I smirk at his reaction, figuring out just how to get what I want from him. 

"I like fucking men, actual men. Typically, that means older," I challenge, toying with him a little bit. "I always have." 

He growls lowly, his eyes locking onto mine. I shrug nonchalantly, pulling my gaze away from him to examine my fingernails.

"I guess that's not you. What are you? A whole 26? 27?" I ask, attempting to seem bored.

"You're very much a femme fatale, you know that, right?" he groans. "I'm one hundred and seven."

I blink, stunned. "That's... hot," I joke. "Why do you look so young then?"

"It would be a bummer to get old and wrinkly but have to live forever. Surely, we had to stop aging. Most of us stop around our mid to late twenties or early thirties. It's hard to know for sure when the aging stops," he sighs.