24 Let’s Talk
AUD POV
Olivia sounds almost angry when I say I understood why she didn’t want me. Shouldn’t she be happy? I’m not going to make it awkward for everyone’s sake. Becca and I still need to have a real conversation, but I meant what i said I love her and, despite my anget, that won’t change. I don’t need Olivia to spare my feelings. I’m a grown man and I have a daughter that needs me. I don’t have the luxury of feeling sorry for myself because this beautiful woman doesn’t want me.
Besides, she deserves to have a wolf mate. I know Olivia is nothing like Candace, but it only makes sense that she would want a strong mate to have pups with. Even the thought of that makes it hard to breathe. I look back at the woman that is meant to be mine. I swear its irritation and anger flashing in her eyes before she stalks towards me. I brace myself for the rejection that is about to come. Shock overwhelms me as she grips my face in her hands and forces my head down until our lips touch.
The tingles that were faint pulses are so much stronger now. I feel the kiss in every cell of my body. Without a second thought, I wrap my arms around her, pulling her body flush with mine. When she moans into my mouth, I force myself to step back. Disappointment flashes in her eyes, making my chest ache. She moves to turn away from me, but I quickly stop her. “Olivia, as much I want nothing more than to continue to kiss your delicious lips. I think we need to talk.”
A pink tinge crosses her cheeks. “You’re right, we do,” she says. She crosses the room, taking a seat on the large leather couch sitting under the bay window. I sit across from her, trying to keep some physical distance between us. Her eyes glaze over, and I can tell she is talking to her wolf. “What is her name?” Embarrassment flashes in her eyes at being caught.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. Danica is my wolf. We are both a little nervous. Neither of us thought we would be here talking to you about being mates,” she says. “Olivia, if keeping it from me had nothing to do with me being human, then why?” She takes a deep breath and places her hands on her knees like she needs to steady herself for what she needs to say. “Do you know anything that happened before I came to stay in the pack five years ago” she asks.
“I know you didn’t know you were a wolf until you came here. I was quite shocked when Connor and Becca brought you to me after you passed out when they showed you their wolves. Outside of that, I know nothing of your past in the human town.” “You are right. Up until I turned seventeen, I knew nothing of werewolves existing, and I certainly didn’t know I was one. I thought I had the perfect family. My dad was my best friend,” she says, sadness rolling off her in waves.
I fight the urge to pull her into my arms. “I came home from school one day and everything about my life changed. There was my mother kissing a man that wasn’t my father. From there, everything fell apart. Evelyn and Connor left with Xavier. I refused to leave my father. I hated Evelyn and Connor at the time. They abandoned my father. Evelyn betrayed our family and Connor condoned it, or at least that’s how I felt. Then Evelyn and Xavier made me abandon my father by taking him to court for custody.”
“I didn’t know it at the time, but the judge was a wolf and gave custody to Evelyn because Xavier convinced her I was a threat to the werewolves until I shifted. I hated it here because all I wanted was to stay with my dad. Actually, that’s a lie. I wanted to go back in time and have my family back to the way it was before Evelyn found Xavier. Anyway, I wasn’t allowed to visit my father because Xavier wanted to make sure I was in
|||
O
<
1/3
I
the in sitwill fer à nomen we the adus career to rat off her in wees. You didn’t know has a wall. They will Lega i frem me one mykt i gaze n the hopital that my father had been brought in. He had Started drinking to drown out his path led Ace 1 aver got home to make sure he knew how important he
Was in me. How much he went alone. How much I loved farm. I begged him not to leave me that day in the kespast, but the doctors couldn’t save hims.” Tears streaming down her cheaks have me out of my chair and moving to sit next to her.
My need to comfort her wins out over any attempt at self preservation. Her pain is palpable, and I would do anything to take it away I wrap my arm around her, pulling her close to my side. She is quiet for a few minutes before she stands, moving to stand in front of the window. I immediately miss the feeling of her in
my arms. “After everything happened, I promised myself that I would never do what Evelyn did.”
*promised that i would wait for my mate. I wouldn’t fall in love with someone and destroy them when my mate came along. I promised myself that I would reject them before I would let what happened to me happen
to my pup,’ she says. I feel like I can’t breathe when her words sink in. I was married to Candace and had a pup. I’m Evelyn in this story, but unlike Xavier, she sacrificed herself for Della. Not just for Della but for me.
She wanted me to be happy with my wife.
I feel like I can’t breathe. She walked away from me because I married Candace. I chose to believe her and
hurt the woman that was meant to be mine. The woman I was meant to love. My breathing becomes erratic
as I realize how much I’ve f**ked up both our lives. She should be Della’s mother. “Ace, slow your breathing down,” she says as she comes to sit next to me. I can’t get the panicked feeling under control. “Ace, I need you to focus on my voice. Focus on the feeling of my fingertips on your skin,” she says, as she trails her fingers over my forearm.
I do as she says and my breathing starts to slow. The tingles dance on my skin and the sound of her voice
washes over me. My heart rate slows, and I feel like I can breathe again. “I’m so sorry, Olivia. This was all my
fault. I should never have believed Candace. I was so desperate to have a mate, someone that would love me
the way the wolves around me described I hurt you, Della, and myself.” She grips my hand in hers, giving it a
squeeze.
“No, we both made choices. I was never angry at you, Ace. I was sad because I would never know what it was to have my mate, of course, but I knew I was doing the right thing. I couldn’t be the reason that your family fell apart. I would never have forgiven myself for doing the same thing to you and Della that Evelyn did to our
family,” she says.
Olivia POV
My chest aches watching Ace have a panic attack. Everything that happened is in the past. We need to figure out if we can find a way to move forward. “We can’t change the past Ace. Despite my rejection, I still feel the bond with you.” “Olivia, you said you rejected me, but a rejection can’t work unless I accept it. When did it happen,” he asks.
His words have my heart racing. Our bond isn’t broken. He had to accept it, but Becca never told me that. I look toward the ceiling, wondering what the hell my best friend was thinking by keeping that from me. I can’t think about that right now. We are here together and still bonded. “Olivia, when did you reject me,” he asks. “T he morning after my ceremony to join the pack.”
“You were in the fridge getting something to eat after working out. Your scent was overwhelming. I was torn
|||
O
L
2/3
the night before ontll i Teh you and Cand now my voice trans eft. Oh my goddess, you tan the pain
જેવી તેનો
off.
of betrog
because
ve you knew I was your mate. How can you even look at me knowing what I did; he says, tears forming
in the corner of his eyes
You did nothing wrong. You were manied and had no idea that we were mates. You didn’t intentionally betray me. As much as what happened in the past hat both of us, we need to figure out how we move forward! “Wh at do you mean? Do you still want to reject me,” he says. I hate the fear Thear in his voice. “No, Ace, I don’t want to reject you, but I also don’t want to be a substitute for the woman you really want. I realize that you don’t feel the bond the same way I do.” Before I can say another word, he pulls me onto his lap and slams his lips down on mine
The kiss is nothing like the first we shared. There is lust and heat but also something I’m too afraid to name because I’m afraid it’s what I want him to feel. Not what he is really feeling. He pulls back after we are both breathless, pressing his forehead to mine. “You are no substitute. You are mine. I feel the bond between us as
if it was a rope I could run through my fingers. I do not love or want Candace. In fact, I don’t believe it was ever love, but I can never regret Della,” he says.
“That’s good because I would have to kick your a** if you did. She is mine as much as you are mine.” “So does that mean you take back your rejection,” Ace asks, hope in his voice. “I, Olivia Crocker, take back my rejection of you, Ace Morris. I accept our goddess–given bond.” My heart starts to race as I feel the bond grow stronger. “I, Ace Morris, accept you, Olivia Crocker, as my mate,” Ace says. The bond completely snaps into place and, for the first time in five years, I feel whole.
28
Comments
