“I guess I have some explaining to do.”
I squeezed my fingers together as I braced for impact. I wasn’t sure what he was going to say; the night we spent together had been special to me. I was afraid I was going to feel hurt again after he explained, then on the other hand I knew it was silly. It had been a one-night stand, a lot of people don’t even know the name of the person they slept with. Hell, some probably don’t even remember the other persons face.
However, even knowing this… I guess it meant something to me. Something more than it should have. I always assumed it didn’t matter to him but to hear it confirmed would be harder. I guess, deep down, I liked to pretend that I had been important... that what we had was different. I needed to pretend that I wasn’t the only one who thought it was special. I looked into his hazel eyes and was already inwardly wincing. I knew it was coming… I knew he was going to say it was how he hooked up with others. And I had no right to be upset about it because this… this was my issue… not his.
“Conrad is my beta but also my best friend. Being the alpha of the Chance pack, I had a lot of attention on me. There are a lot of people who want to get close to the alpha. However, no one cares to be close to the beta. Before I became the official alpha, I pretended to be Conrad and he posed himself as me. I wanted to have a sense of freedom before the weight of my pack rested on my shoulders. I wanted to see people for who they were instead of what they wanted from me. That night with you… it was me. I was just hiding behind another name but everything else that happened then… was real.”
I watched as his eyes burned a hole through me. This was not what I was expecting him to say. I began to chew on my lip as I listened to him sigh. He tilted his head to the side and looked up at the ceiling, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I didn’t make what happened between us a habit... I don’t want you to think—” He looked down at me and a soft smile reached his lips. “That was special for me. I felt like I was connected to you then and maybe I was. Maybe I was always meant to be your mate… and then you broke my heart.”
My mouth parted in shock. I broke his heart? I watched as a crooked grin reached his lips. “What do you mean by that?” I asked and listened to his quiet airy chuckle. I was still trying to wrap my head around him saying it had been special to him too. I didn’t understand it. Maybe if we had been mates from the beginning but I ended up Denny’s mate first. This didn’t make any sense.
“I woke up and you were gone. I fell asleep holding you and woke up to an empty bed. I looked all over for you but couldn’t find you anywhere. Packs had left the hotel and I didn’t know which pack you belonged to. Why did you leave like that?”
I bit my inner lip and looked up at him. Here I was thinking it didn’t mean anything to him, but I was the one who did the typical one night stand mad dash. I made him feel… used. “I just figured it was best not to make the situation awkward. I snuck out before you woke up to save both of us from an uncomfortable situation.”
“I wanted you… I thought maybe you didn’t want me.” His hazel eyes pinned against mine and it felt like he was looking into my soul. “It felt right being with you. I always looked for you after that. Anytime I went to visit a new pack… and now I finally found you. And as luck would have it, you are my mate... if you will have me.”
“I can’t feel the mate connection.” I whispered quietly and watched him nod his head. Why did I just say that? Idiot. He already knows I can’t feel the mate connection, and that makes it sound like I’m not interested. I am the product of someone who doesn’t know how to socialize. Ugh! Speak up you idiot!
“I understand. Do you think you could give me a chance anyways? How about dating me and getting to know me? Then you can decide if you want to join my pack… as my luna.”
He can’t be for real, right? He is being very considerate of me. Is this… really okay? Is it okay to trust him? I needed to leave the Sulfur pack anyways… but would I be safe with his pack?
“Uhm… the thing is I need to leave my pack tonight. Without getting into details right now…” I shook my head and looked down. I didn’t want to rehash everything, but this was not a safe place for me. “I don’t have my wolf right now and it isn’t safe for me here.” I watched as his eyes flickered dark and back to his hazel color. “I was invited to go and stay with the Diamond pack—”
“Come with me.” Sion interrupted me softly. “No pressure and no strings attached. Just come and stay with me. It doesn’t have to be with me with me.” He cleared his throat shyly and shrugged his shoulders while looking at me. It was really adorable how he suddenly looked bashful. I couldn’t help the small smile that reached my lips while I stared up at him. “I will keep you safe and we can get to know each other. Plus, it will help to be around your mate. It will help your wolf recover faster too. And— well to be completely honest I can’t imagine not taking you with me after I have finally found you.”
“You act like it was always your plan to take me as your mate.” I laughed slightly but then quickly stopped seeing his serious eyes. I swallowed and looked at him. There is no way right? Did I seriously disappear from someone who had wanted me? “Really?” I listened to him chuckle and watched his gorgeous smile spread across his lips.
“Just ask my officers. I always hoped we would meet again. I said if I meet her again and we are both unmated I am sweeping her off her feet and taking her as my luna.”
Sion took a step towards me and lowered his head down to mine. I could feel his breath hitting my forehead and my eyes closed briefly. I remembered our night together and how perfect everything was being with him. I had to admit I did feel as if I was connected to him then, but I thought that was just because of the intimacy of everything. I had run away from him and the truth was.. I was scared. I ran away from him so that I didn’t have to face the reality of feeling unwanted. If I would have just stayed… I never would have lost Sheena.
“Come back with me. I’ll give you your own room and we can wait for your wolf to resurface. If you change your mind, I’ll take you to the Diamond pack. And if your wolf never resurfaces maybe you will fall for me the old fashion way.”
There was a soft intimacy of his voice that pulled me into him. It was like his voice was wrapping its arms around me and comforting me. I knew the smartest thing for me to do was to go to the Diamond pack, that was the Alpha King’s pack, and he was the one who spared me to begin with. But logic never could convince the heart. And my heart wanted a family. I wanted to go with Sion. He was my chance to have a family, and this was something I desperately wanted. You can’t understand what it is like to not have anyone. I don’t have a family. I grew up with no one looking out for me. Was it so bad that I wanted this now? However, I also wasn’t a complete idiot. I wasn’t going to jump straight into Sion’s bed… at least not yet.
I had to leave the Sulfur pack, so why not leave with my potential mate? He was even offering to be with me if Sheena doesn’t resurface. Plus, he had a very valid point about my wolf. Wolves heal better near their mates especially mentally. There is a good chance Sheena will come back to me faster if I am with Sion.
However, there was also something else. A weird feeling inside of me that was pulling me towards him. It was as if something or someone was telling me to go with Sion. Maybe it was the mate pull and a part of me recognized it? I don’t know but being near Sion just felt… right. And what could it hurt anyways? I wasn’t agreeing to anything more than staying there for now. This would only be permanent if I agreed to it.
I stepped away from him so I could speak with a clearer mind. I felt like I was being absorbed into his presence when I was that close to him. “Okay… I’ll come back with you. BUT—” I quickly said stopping him from stepping towards me again. “I am not agreeing to anything. I will come on a trial basis. I need to take this one step at a time. It’s— it’s weird not having my wolf senses and I am still trying to adjust. I’ve had so many things thrown at me at once that I’ve lost my bearings. I just need a moment to breath and figure things out. Sooo…” I reached my hand out to him and he looked at it curiously. “This is where you shake my hand as we agree on the terms.”
I watched his lips curl into a crooked smile as he stepped into my hand. Effortlessly pushing my palm up against his chest. “I agree to your terms. Anything you want—” He said as he leaned his head down to mine. His nose was touching mine and his lips were just barely not touching me. “I won’t force you… but if you ever want to move to my room… or anything… just. Close. The. Gap.” His hot breath singed my lips as he held himself there. It was like he was serving himself up to me on a platter. And hey… I wasn’t a girl to miss meals when they were presented in front of me, so I partook of his lips.
I immediately knew I wasn’t the one partaking I was the one being partook. His lips moved against mine and his tongue dipped into my mouth. His arms wrapped around me holding me captive as my fingers gripped onto his shirt. A low pleasurable growl rippled from his chest as he greedily devoured my lips. It was as if I was something he had been craving for so long and was finally able to have. Dear gods, how was I going to stay out of this man’s bed. Where was my self-control? I did have the little devil voice inside of me saying ‘I am a grown ass woman and I have needs too. Then there was the annoying voice saying, ‘Bitch please after everything you have been through don’t overcomplicate things right now’.
Whatever. Right now, it was just a kiss… and I was enjoying it. I gently bit onto his lip and tugged it into my mouth as I gently sucked on it. His low growl was almost like a purr as he pressed himself into me.
The soft sound of a gentle knock was briefly heard at the door. Sion growled and his lips parted from mine. “What?!” He was breathing heavily as his dark eyes were staring back into mine.
“The second half of the alpha meeting is starting.” A voice at the door said.
Sion’s thumb brushed over my cheek, and he gently kissed my forehead. “I guess you have some packing to do…” A small smile rested on his lips. “Thank you for giving me a chance. You won’t regret it.” He then turned and walked towards the door opening it harshly.
“Conner! Logan! Stay with Clover and help her pack. If even one hair is out of place…”
“Yes, alpha!”
“Yes, alpha!”
I heard both voices sound out in unison. I then heard Denny’s voice ordering for Joey and Jude to stay with me as well. I could see Sion’s muscles tense up for a moment before he walked away and out of my sight. The next head that peeked inside the room was Sam, the beta of the Diamond pack.
“Is everything okay, Clover? What have you decided?” Sam seemed to be making sure that whatever I was doing was my decision and no one else’s.
“I am going to go to the Chance pack for now but if things don’t work out—”
“Then you are welcome to come to the Diamond pack.” Sam nodded his head and glanced behind him. “I have to get to the meeting now. If you ever need anything reach out to me. I will personally see to it that you are taken care of.”
I smiled in appreciation as I watched him swiftly walk out of sight. I stepped out of the doorway and was met by four men. Conrad, Logan, Joey and Jude. I decided I needed to explain what was going on.
“I haven’t decided on anything permanently. For now, I will be going to the Chance pack as a guest. That is all I have agreed to.” I glanced up at Jude and Joey and smiled. “I was leaving tonight anyways. Now I at least know where I am headed.”
No one said anything. They all just nodded their heads and quietly followed me up the stairs to my room. When I opened the door to my room my eyes opened in shock. There sitting on my bed was Andrea. I guess she was waiting for me. I suppose this talk needed to happen. I turned and looked back at the for men behind me as I grabbed my door.
“Girl chat.” I said with a smile and shut the door in their faces. I swiftly locked it and listened to them pounding on the door. These weren’t ordinary doors. It wouldn’t be easy to break down these doors. I turned around and watched as Andrea stood up from the bed. Her eyes looked red and puffy as she stepped towards me.
“I—I—I—”
I listened as Andrea’s voice quivered as she continued to walk towards me. I couldn’t tell how she was going to react. Okay… maybe locking the guys out wasn’t my brightest move. After all, she had her werewolf strength, and I didn’t. I watched as her hands balled into fists and she reached out towards me.