Chapter 38 - Denying the Alpha

I feel like the more Declan realises that I won’t be coming back, the more dangerous he’s going to be. It will be like the day I left all over again. I couldn’t beat Grayson on my own, and I felt it was okay to admit that. And that’s why I asked Kyle to come back.

I didn’t even hear the door open. It was so quiet, but the scent of my mate flooded the room, and I immediately felt better.

I didn’t want it to come to a fight, but at least if it did, Declan was alone, and he was in our territory. We couldn’t ask for better circumstances.

“We have so much history, and you're just giving up on it. You haven’t even known that man a week. What can he offer you that I can’t” he roars.

“He doesn’t scare. He doesn’t hurt me. He is kind, and he is caring.” I push back.

“Not hitting someone is a pretty low bar to set for yourself, Faith”, Declan growls. He is insulting himself more than he is me.

“And yet, you couldn’t even rise to it.”

Declan makes a step for me, but to my utter surprise, he stops in his tracks.

Kyle swiftly tucks me behind his back and out of harm's way. I curl my fingers as much as I can into his tight shirt. I was going to have to make him wear some relaxed t’s sometime.

“Not all history is good history.” I utter, but I know we all heard it.

“But your, my mate”, he refuses to give up. I wish he’d stop trying. It’s making this so much harder than it had to be.

“No. You were my mate. The bond is severed.” And he and I both knew it.

“We can repair it.”

I let go of Kyle's shirt, but I take his hand instead. I stepped out, and I faced Declan because I wanted him to hear exactly what I had to say next.

“Kyle is my second chance, and I’m taking it. Even if he weren’t, I still wouldn’t take you back. When I said I don’t need a man, I meant it. Do you know what wanting something and not needing it means? It means I’m not so desperate that I feel like I have to take the first thing that’s on offer just because it's better than ending up with nothing. Because it’s just something I want, I can take my time, take my chances. That’s what I did. I took a chance. I left you, and it paid off.” I glanced at Kyle with the flick of an eye. I hope he didn’t mind that I told Declan what we were. He had a deep scowl on his face, but it wasn’t directed at me. It was directed at Declan.

“I think you should leave” Kyle jaw ticks as he speaks. He must be really mad, his whole body was tense, and yet his grip on my hand remained loose.

“Your lying” Declan glared at our clasped hands. “It’s impossible. You don’t get a third chance.”

“I have an idea what you are talking about, but you need to get out now.

He shoves past us both as his hand grips the door one last time. He looks back at me.

“You are not marked yet. This isn’t over. I’ll be back for you.” he pulls the yanks the door open and storms out.

“Are you okay?” Kyle asks the moment we are alone. He was so gentle with me. I needed that right now.

I laid my face on his chest, and I hugged him as tight as I could. I needed the soothing effects of the bond right now. Kyle didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was hugging me back.

“Did you get your closure? I know it didn’t end well, but you were in her for a while. Did you at least get to talk, but it all went sour” his chest rumbles as he talks, and I find it soothing.

“Yes and no”, I mumble.

“Care to explain.” He placed a kiss on the top of my head. I think he needed me as much as I needed him last night.

“I feel better knowing it’s nothing that I did. I know it’s silly, but it was something I was blaming myself for. I can let that go now. Well, at least work towards letting it go. But I still feel like there wasn’t a good enough reason for it. Maybe I never will. I don’t know.” What I appreciate the most about Kyle is even tho I barely know him, I don’t feel like there is anything that I have to hide from him.

“Well, I’ll be here for you, I promise.” His arms tightened around me a little more. He made me feel so secure.

“I am sorry I ruined our date with my ex-mate drama.” I felt guilty because until Declan showed up, we had been having the most amazing time.

“Hey, don’t you dare. That wasn’t your fault. You can’t control him.” I don’t know how to respond to that, so I don’t. He will probably want to leave soon, it’s mate, and he will have a big day tomorrow. I am sure he would like a good nights sleep

“Would you like to spend the night with me?”

My jaw dropped. Did he just invite me to stay with him? That would be perfect, I think.

“Just sleeping?” I check. After the night I have had, I don’t think I am ready for anything more. I don’t want my first time to be rushed like that. But it would be nice to have his comfort.

“Yes, Faith, just sleeping”, he chuckled, but I didn’t feel like he was making fun of me. It felt affectionate more than anything.

“As long as your promise to be a good Alpha.” I’m giddy with excitement.

“Don’t call me that.” He grumbled. It was adorable.

“What, why?” It was his title.

“Let’s just say it will lead to things that aren’t sleeping, and I get the feeling you aren’t ready.” His hooded eyes stare down at me.

I wonder what he meant by that.

He means it turns him on. Sapphire rolled her eyes at me.

Oh wow, really. Mmmmm, that gives me a thought.

Yea really.

I’m going to use that to my advantage one day. Hopefully, that one day wouldn’t be so far away. I was falling for him fast. The only thing that was holding me back was his secret now.

“Okay, I got it. I won’t call you alpha, alpha,” I joke, but I stop when he groans. I loved the effect I had, but I don’t want to risk pushing his self control too far.

“Seriously, Faith. Let’s go. I’m tired.” He dropped his arms, and we were no longer hugging.

“Let’s go then.” I smiled up at him.

The quicker we got back to his room, the quicker I could get back to snuggling this gorgeous man.

AN: double update today because it was all one chapter originally, but it was just as big as the last one, and I’m trying to keep the chapters reasonable for coins later on :)