Micah

The absolute sorrow on her face feels like being stabbed in the chest. Almost as bad as when she rejected me. When I caught her scent this morning I was over the moon. I have always had a soft spot for the girl, maybe that’s why I treated her so terribly. I didn’t want anyone to know that the nerdy girl was special to me. The way my parents treated her just made it worse. They were obsessed with her, barely talked about anything else. I mean, I was impressed with her too. She’s not just smart, she can see things other people can’t. Like she can play a whole game of chess in her head, know every possible outcome from every possible move. It’s incredible. My parents knew that, and I always felt like a disappointment in comparison.

Then she grew up to be incredibly beautiful. Her long, silky brown hair, thick hips, trim waist, ample breasts, up to her cute button nose and just slightly large ears that give a hint of innocence to all those sinful curves. If I hadn’t been such an asshole, I’d probably be wrapped around those curves right now, worshipping her the way she deserved.

Just another layer of punishment for my terrible behavior.

If I could go back and apologize to her, I would. If I could back and treat her right, I would. She’s right, I’m going to look like a fucking douche in front of the pack. They are going to think I’m an idiot. Which, I mean, I am. She was right about everything she said about me in my dad’s office. No one had ever told it to me straight like that before. Sure it pissed me off, but it was refreshing. I need that in my life. Someone to push me, to make me a better person so I can be a better Alpha.

Shit, maybe she should run the pack. I have no doubts she’d do a better job than me.

It kills me that she can’t feel our bond, but I don’t blame her. She’d be putty in my hands, just like I am in hers. That’s not what she wants and not what she deserves. If she decides to give me a second chance, it should be based on her true feelings.

And if that moment comes, I’ll never take it for granted. That brief second in the forest when she said she would give me a chance felt like the clouds opening up and sunlight streaming on me after days in the rain. I had never been so happy. Then she ripped her hand away from me and rejected me. I couldn’t believe it. I never thought the girl had something so vindictive in her.

She was fucking savage.

And it was actually really hot, after the agonizing pain dissipated. I still feel it a little bit, like a constant ache, but I’ll take it. I’ll take whatever punishment she wants, as long as we get to be together at the end of it.

God, if the guys could hear me now, they’d think I’m fucking whipped. But none of them have experienced a mate bond before. That shit is way stronger than I anticipated. I can’t believe she was able to fight it so hard, I would have marked and mated her on the forest floor if she let me. Now I feel like a prick for saying that thing about having my mate marked and mated within an hour of meeting her.

That didn’t work out so well.

After she left, I could feel her torrent of emotions, but she seemed a little calmer, more in control of things than she was in that god forsaken meeting. When I told my dad, I didn’t expect him to call everyone in to have a freaking pow wow about our love life. I just wanted his advice. I’ve never seen my parents so embarrassed of me. Ashamed even. If I could have made the ground open up and swallow me whole, I would have. Her parents looked livid. I’ll have to let her dad take a few shots at me.

It's only fair.

But then it felt like wave after wave of pain was coursing through me and when I reached out to our bond, I seriously thought she was dying. I panicked and ran to her house, only to hear her sobbing in the shower. My wolf was whimpering in my mind, upset that we had done this to our mate. He was depressed already since she rejected us, he couldn’t reach out to her wolf. We didn’t even know how she felt about the whole thing, maybe she was on our side and could be an ally.

But none of that mattered when she opened the door and I saw her face. She was angry, that much I could tell, but her eyes were bloodshot from how hard she was crying. I had never seen anything like it. She was always so strong, never once cried at my taunts. At least not in front of me. I just wanted to wrap her in my arms and make the pain go away. I didn’t even care about the fact that she was only wearing a towel, that was the furthest thing from my mind. I just wanted to make her feel better, but she pulled away from me again.

“Really, Micah. I’m fine. You can leave.” She says again and even in her sad voice, my name sounds like music coming from her. I shake the thoughts away, my eyes trailing her comfy clothes and braided hair. What I wouldn’t give to have her smell like me.

“Can I just stay for a few minutes? You can lay down and I’ll sit on the floor and you can ignore me.” I plead, sounding like a lost puppy, but not even caring. She sighs heavily and grabs a book before slipping under her covers. I sit on the floor next to her bed and rest my head against it. She reaches out to run her fingers through my hair absent mindedly and I feel like a dog getting pats for being the goodest boy, but I ignore that and focus instead on the soothing sparks running through me. She may not feel the bond, but she knows how to use it. She knows the best way to get me to leave is to calm me down and her touch will do exactly that.

Seriously, girl is fucking savage.

“Are you just doing that so I’ll leave?” I ask and she giggles, basically confirming my suspicion.

“Partly, but I also don’t want you to be upset. You get reckless when your emotions are high.” My chest rumbles as my pathetic wolf purrs into her touch. I relax further and hear her melodic giggle again. I peel my eyes open to look up at her, her eyes never leaving her book.

“What are you laughing at?” I ask, unable to hide my grin.

“Micah Grey is sitting on my floor, letting me pet him. Never thought I’d see the day.” She says wistfully and all I can do is shrug.

“I’ll sit here every day, Sweetness. Every day until you ask me not to.” I say honestly. Her hand stops and she looks up from her book. Our eyes lock and I feel like I’m falling into nothingness. All I can do is stare at her. Eventually she breaks the stare and sighs before shutting her book and settling down into bed.

“Do you want me to leave?” I whisper to her.

“You can stay if it will make you feel better.” She says quietly and my face lights up. I kick off my shoes and stand to slip into bed with her. She huffs in indignation and pushes me away.

“Absolutely not! You can either sleep on my floor or the living room couch.” She says firmly and I pout at her.

“But the floor isn’t comfortable.” I whine and she scoffs in response.

“Then go home and sleep in your own bed.” She says and I sigh, knowing I will never change this stubborn woman’s mind.

“Fine. The floor is fine.” I say and she nods. I lay down, only for a pillow and blanket to land on top of me. I smile to myself and wrap it around me, the scent of my mate more than enough to push me into sleep. I sit up a little to peck her cheek and she huffs out an annoyed sound, but I just smile.

“Goodnight, Hannah.” I whisper and she rolls over to face away from me.

“Goodnight.”