“Will you answer one thing for me?” I met his dark brown eyes and waited. “Do you want your mate?”
I kept eye contact with him for a beat before smiling sadly at him. “More than anything else in this world. But I could never be that selfish.” With that, I spun on my heel and left all three of them where they stood.
7
CHLOE
Everyone seemed to be walking on egg shells around me. No one tried to speak to me again after the lunch room scene. They would send guarded looks and uneasy smiles in my direction. I felt bad that they thought they needed to keep their distance. Ari, Colt, even Dane. They all thought I was angry. I wasn’t of course. At least not with them. Myself, on the other hand, I wasn’t the biggest fan of. They all deserved answers but the problem was that I didn’t know what to tell them. I knew they wouldn’t understand.
Thankfully, the rest of the day had been uneventful. No more run-ins with the she-devil and no more blunderous behavior. I had just finished up at my locker when Ari approached me. I made it a point to meet her eyes and smile. I hoped it was enough to show that I wasn’t upset with her.
“Hey, C.” She grabbed what she needed and slammed her locker closed. I turned my attention toward her and internally winced. She studied me pensively. I hated that I seemed unapproachable to her. I needed to fix this now. It was obvious she had something she wanted to say, but was unsure if she should or not.
“It’s fine, A.” I teased her. Things had gotten ridiculous and I wanted it to stop. “You can say whatever it is you have on your mind. I promise not to attack you.”
“Good to know.” A relieved smile illuminated her face. I playfully scoffed at her before I shut my own locker and shrugged on my coat.
“Connell and Falcon are waiting outside. They brought back our beloved car. Complete with new doohickeys and husiwhatsits.”
“Doohickeys and husiwhatsits?” I couldn’t contain the unladylike snort that escaped. “Your other half is a mechanic by trade and that’s all you could come up with?”
“Bite me,” jeered Aribelle before we both let out a much needed laugh. “Anyway, the boys want to go for a run. I know that you never want to go but I still wanted to ask you.”
My laughter had died out pretty quickly and a lump formed in my throat. I hadn’t seen the wolves run since the first time they invited us out to the clearing. I had been amazed by watching the majestic creatures run and play. It was soothing. I could use some soothing right now. She was right. I’ve always declined her invitation when they went on a run. An internal battle always raged whenever I thought of going. It felt different this time. The small glimpse I saw of my old self today? It was fighting to be released again. I wanted to go. I always did. But I knew it wasn’t a good idea to be so close to Falcon. My walls desperately wanted to crumble whenever he was near. Even so, things needed to change.
“Okay.” My response was barely audible and I wasn’t sure if Ari would hear it.
“Okay?” She was shocked and I couldn’t blame her. I was too.
“I’ll go,” I said with a little more determination. I couldn’t hide forever. I didn’t want to. It was time to open up. I just didn’t know how much.
“Good,” her tone was laced with approval. “It’s about damn time.”
I didn’t know what else to say. She was totally right. I shouldn’t have cut myself off from everyone – from Falcon – but it was the right thing to do. Wasn’t it the right thing to do?
“I’ll meet you out there. I’m just going to run to the bathroom.” I needed a moment to collect myself and couldn’t do it with Ari watching me. I understood her skepticism. Hell, I was leery to believe myself. There was no way of knowing how I would handle any of this.
“Alright. I’ll see you out there.” She grabbed her bag, hitched it up onto her shoulder, and turned for the exit. She took a couple steps before she called over her shoulder, “Don’t be too long or I’ll send the wolves to hunt you down.”
I stood frozen in place as I watched her disappear around the corner. After a moment, I swallowed some of my anxiety, grabbed my book bag, and headed toward the girls’ bathroom. I didn’t have much time. I knew Ari would make good on her promise of sending the boys after me. I pushed through the swinging door and checked to see if I was alone. As expected, the room was vacant. I made my way to the sink where I proceeded to splash some water on my flushed face. The cool liquid felt heavenly on my heated skin. Skin that was flushed from frustration and apprehension.
Catching myself in the mirror, I could see the toll everything had been taking on my appearance. I avoided my reflection – for the most part – so I was taken aback by the image that I saw in the reflection. I looked ill. My skin was pale. Paler than usual. Dark circles rimmed my dull eyes. They were once bright and full of life but now just seemed empty. I didn’t even recognize myself anymore.
I was letting Cyrus win. The fear I had for him was slowly killing me on the inside. I’ve allowed him to wear me down. But the worst part was that I had allowed him to keep me away from the best thing that could ever happen to me. My mind filled with the image of steel grey eyes and I knew that I needed to take back my life. Cyrus still had full control over my actions. Even when he wasn’t around, he was still influencing my every move. This has to stop. But how?
My eyes sparked with determination. A quality I had lost a long time ago. I didn’t want to give up my mate. I wanted to let him in. I knew that I couldn’t beat this all-encompassing fear on my own. Falcon may be the only one that could help. I had deprived myself over the ‘what ifs,’ deprived Falcon. All over the worry of what could happen, not what has happened. Falcon was strong. I knew he could protect himself. I just never wanted to be the reason he’d have to. I didn’t know what the right answer was anymore, but I knew I wouldn’t find it if I continued down the same road I had been traveling.
I don’t even want to consider how he must feel. And his wolf? Falcon knows I have my reasons for how I’ve been acting. He is a master at observation and I know that he has caught fragments of my thoughts. Whether he agreed or not was still up in the air but his wolf wouldn’t. The wolf doesn’t see things the same way. He must feel rejected. Every communication he has made with me has gone unanswered. I’ve kept my distance. I haven’t touched him. Touch is extremely important to a wolf and I have denied him completely. What have I been doing? He is mine and I have treated him like…No.
With a somewhat renewed sense of perseverance, I headed out toward the exit that led to the parking lot. The hallway was completely deserted by the time I exited the girls’ room and I hoped that the parking lot would be the same way. It was wishful thinking on my part. There were a few straggling students left chatting away at each other. One person in particular had caught my immediate attention. No, it wasn’t Falcon – though I knew exactly where he was. It was the unfortunate sight of someone else that stopped me in my tracks.
Stacy was standing next to Falcon like she belonged at his side. I couldn’t help thinking that they did look good together. He was tall, dark, and ruggedly handsome. She was every bit the Barbie I nicknamed her for. Tall, with straight blonde hair that fell perfectly. I admit, she was just as beautiful as she was vile. Seeing them side by side made my heart ache a little. Especially after all this time of pushing him away, maybe he would prefer someone else. Just as that thought manifested itself, a low growl vibrated through my mind instantly wiping it away. I focused my gaze upon the owner of that growl and couldn’t help but crack a smile. Falcon was so tense that the rigidity of his body was visible from where I stood on the other side of the lot. His body was angled away from Stacy’s and he was stone still.
She obviously had no knowledge of body language or social cues for that matter. I was too far away to actually hear what she was going on about but she was talking a mile a minute. I highly doubt any of the others were paying her any mind at all. One glance around the group confirmed my hunch. As I surveyed the others, I made
eye contact with both Ari and Dane. They both were trying their best to contain their laughter. Everyone seemed to enjoy Fal’s obvious annoyance.
“An mbeidh ar cheann de tú asal poill í a fháil diabhal as athrú?” Whatever he said had Connell smiling, Colton choking, Dane shaking with silent laughter and Conner laughing out loud. I made my way toward the group and came to a stop at Dane’s side. I faced Stacy as she began to gush over Falcon for speaking fluently in another language.
“Oh, wow! I had no idea you spoke a different language. What is it? What did you say because it sounded amazing?” She batted her eyelashes at him. Yes, she batted…her…eyelashes. Am I the only one that wants to punch her right now?
“You don’t want to know,” jested Conner once he was able to control his laughter. I hadn’t the foggiest idea what it was that Falcon said, but I was sure she wouldn’t find it ‘amazing’ if she were to find out.
“You’ll tell me, won’t you?” She acted as if she never heard Conner and asked Falcon once again. It sounded like she put as much sensuality as she could into that one sentence. It had zero effect and she started to inch her way closer toward her prey. The problem was that her prey happened to be my mate. I had had enough for one day; hell, for one week. It was time to put an end to her bogus conquest. I stepped forward and positioned myself between Stacy and a very disgruntled beta wolf.
“Okay, someone needs a little lesson on boundaries.” I folded my arms across my chest and leveled her with an irritated look. I was way beyond tired of her and if she even attempted to lay her overpriced manicure on Fal again I was going to do some damage. “When someone is blatantly ignoring you, it usually means that they aren’t interested in listening to you. And if they are trying to keep space between you then it’s safe to say they don’t want to be touched.”
“What are you going on about? Why are you even here?” She scoffed and turned her nose up at me. “Run along now, the adults were talking.”
The blood in my veins started to steam. It was the first time in a long time that I felt any resemblance of passion. Granted it was the passion to punch someone, but passion was passion. I couldn’t contain my smile. I needed this push. On the inside I was ecstatic for the fire I felt but I’m sure the look I gave Stacy was maniacal. It felt good.
“How old are you, Stacy?” She squinted her brows at me. I’m sure she was confused by my question. To her it would be a pretty random thing to ask. I had my reasons though. She turned toward her two friends, that I never noticed before now, and rolled her eyes before directing her attention back to me.
“I’m eighteen, why?” A huge smile spread across my face at her answer. She probably assumed I was wanting to play the legal card where Falcon was concerned since it was common knowledge that he and Connell were both twenty-three.
“I just wanted a heads up to whether or not I would be going to jail after I kicked your ass.” Before she could even process what I had said, I lunged for her. A strong arm wrapped around my middle and caught me mid-step. I was then pulled back into a solid chest.
“Easy, mo mhuinín.” His scent instantly enveloped me and a sense of calm began to wash away some of the fire that was ready to consume me. I couldn’t help but lean into his embrace and take a deep breath.
“Thank you, Falcon. It’s really sweet of you to protect me from this psycho.” That statement granted her with a chorus of warning growls from the pack.
Normally a statement like that would be laughed off but that wasn’t the case this time. The thought of protecting anyone other than his mate angered Fal’s wolf. So much so, I felt his whole body tense and his skin start to vibrate as his control began to slip away. His edginess affected the rest of the pack because they too seemed to stiffen. I placed my hand on the arm he still had wrapped around my torso, knowing touch was the best way to go about calming the wolf within. I also did something I had yet to do. I opened our bond and used our link.
“Easy, wolf. I need you to keep it together.” Falcon immediately buried his face into my neck and took in my scent. He breathed deeply and his chest rumbled against my back causing a shiver to rush through my body. His other hand came to rest on my hip and he pulled me in tighter. As Stacy watched his every move, her smile turned into a scowl.
“Wait. Are you two a thing or something?” She gave a disbelieving look and I just stared at her. She took in the rest of our group before saying something unrecognizable. With one more hate filled glance toward me, she turned away and marched toward her car. Her minions stared in her direction before turning to Fal and I. After a beat, they looked back toward Stacy’s retreating form before leveling each other with a look. Finally, they made their decision and scurried after their queen bee.
I turned in Falcon’s arms and met his gaze. Those steel grey eyes bore straight into my soul. His gaze was searching and I allowed him the access I had always denied in the past.
“Are you good? You’re not going to turn into a furry rage monster for everyone to see, are you?” Turns out speaking like this felt extremely intimate. I have always been the type to go for humor in uncomfortable situations. Hench the mental word vomit. Not to mention I was just all around nervous. His growl filled my mind. Not helping at all!
“I’ve regained my control.” He tilted his head to the side in question. “What does this mean?”
“It means that we need to talk.” I gave him a sad smile. At least I needed to. I just prayed that he would listen. “It also means that I am unbelievably sorry.”
His face began to blur behind unshed tears as they filled my eyes. I didn’t want to break down in front of everyone so I blinked them back and tore my gaze from his. I turned my attention to my cousin and found her about ready to burst with excitement. Her smile was stretched as wide as it could possibly go and I wanted to roll my eyes at her giddiness. Instead, I shot her a pleading look. I knew she would be able to break the awkward silence that had fallen over the group. No one knew what to make of my actions and I couldn’t blame them. Understanding what I needed, she cleared her throat obnoxiously.
“Well, that was fun and exciting! Will you please tell me what you said earlier? It must have been good.” The question was pointed at Falcon who was completely focused on me. His arms were still wrapped tightly around my waist and my hands rested on his broad shoulders. I met his intense stare once again and knew that he wouldn’t be letting go anytime soon. That was fine by me. His touch both soothed me and gave me much needed strength.
“He asked one of us to find her ‘off’ switch.” Conner was quick to offer up an explanation. “Classic!”
We all started laughing again. I couldn’t help but crack up and smile widely at my mate. My happiness only grew when Falcon answered my smile with a grin of his own. I didn’t think it was possible for him to be better looking than he normally was. I was so wrong. He was next level handsome when he smiled.
“You need to do that more often, wolf.” I gave him a playful poke to the chest.
“Keep giving me a reason, mo mhuinín.” More than anything, I hoped that I would be able to. It would surely be a crime if I didn’t get to witness that look again.
8
FALCON
After the pups regained most of their composure Aribelle had everyone disperse. I was grateful. It was beyond time for my little Potential to face her demons. Past time for her to open up. It wouldn’t happen with an audience. Having to spill her secrets was going to be difficult for her. A necessary hardship to overcome. I wouldn’t bombard her with questions or pretend I understood the depth of her fear. She needed to make her choice. She could clam up or she could grant me the permission to witness all of her. I wanted to know everything – to take away the internal battle that has been raging within her – but I couldn’t until she allowed it. There would be no pity. I wouldn’t push, but I wasn’t going to give her the chance to close herself off again. She had finally acknowledged our bond and lifted the veil she had draped between us. There was no w
ay my wolf – or I – would allow her to drop it again.
It took all of the strength I had to peel myself away from her. Now that she was in my arms I wasn’t too keen on letting her go. I knew she needed some space for the conversation we were about to partake in. I leaned against the car with my arms laced and my ankles crossed. The high possibility that the side would crumble under my weight did not deter me as I listened to the doors of the Silverado close and the engine roar to life. My ears tracked the truck as it left the now deserted lot and turned toward the clearing. Although, my attention never wavered from the curly haired blonde before me.
She looked tired. Dark circles were visible underneath her large blue eyes. Eyes that shined a little brighter now than they had that morning. Eyes that were eager to meet my gaze instead of shying away. Her newfound boldness had me itching to hold her again. The memory of how she felt in my arms made my blood feel hotter than normal. My veins burned. I needed to shift.
My wolf was in desperate need for a run after that little stunt by the high school princess. He was beyond riled and ready to tear out of my skin but it would have to wait. How long depended on Chloe. My skin felt tight as she met my gaze and my signature lack of expression held strong. It wasn’t in me to reveal many emotions and thankfully that wasn’t what she needed. She needed me to wait – which I would – for as long as necessary. I would stand here forever if required.
Chloe Weever was strong though. She didn’t need forever. After only a few moments of maintaining eye contact her lids fell closed. She inhaled a deep breath in through her nose and held it for a beat before she released it through her distracting lips. A shutter seemed to work its way throughout her entire body at the exhale. It started at her shoulders, worked its way down her arms and into her hands as she tried to shake out some of the pent up tension that had stiffened her muscles. After one more gulp of air, her big blue eyes met my grey ones once again. A little bit of light had seeped into their troubled depths. Though the sight had a soothing effect on me, I didn’t react. I continued to wait for her next move.
Intended (The Potential Series Book 2) Page 4