Unwanted Mate

Chapter 8

Mia ran swiftly through the woods her feet quick and light, the rhythm of breaking branches in her wake. Her hurt and anger distracted her from the time. The further she got the more tension she felt in the center of her chest. Nothing compared to what rejection will feel like. She thought to herself. Mia crossed a small creek, pausing to catch her breath. But painful enough to make her stop.

Go back

For what? A rejection? Mia took a long gulp from her water bottle. Then returned to the creek running up the center of the water. Hold habits die hard. The best way to hide a scent was to cross water or travel through it.

Please

Her wolf whimpered. She'd been whining to return since Mia had climbed out the window. Mia sighed, there was nothing she could say to make it better. He didn't want them. She knew all good things came to an end.

Cass didn't stop to talk or wait, he was off. How far could she have got? She had only a single-hour head start. Cass paused periodically smelling the air, confirming what his heart was already telling him. He was in the right direction. She couldn't run forever. Cass slowed his pace to a jog, keeping his eyes open. How stupid could he have been? What he should have said was that every day away from her was a day too long. That he didn't care anymore who she was or wasn't because he knew she was everything he needed. Cass's mind wandered over all the should haves and could haves, beating himself up for messing up this whole day. Unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt, he cursed the damn dress clothes Meara pressured him to wear. Surely Chase was still getting a mouthful. The sun grew warm, and Cass relented tearing the shirt off, the breeze feeling cool on his bare back.

Mia stopped as night began to fall. The sun retreats taking its heat with it. Her limbs were weary from the pace she kept. Leaning against a boulder she sat her eyes feeling heavy. Her exhaustion stemmed more from the raging emotions than the physical journey. Her wolf was still silent save for small whimpers. They both felt the taut pull of the bond. Taking out a small portion of food Mia ate slowly chewing her bites twenty times each, an old trick to make her brain think she was eating more than she was. She sat still, her face tilted to the sky, letting the glow of the rising moon wash over her. Maybe because she was a creation of the moon goddess or maybe because she liked the silence, but Mia found peace in the night. The low stirring of another world waking, the gentle songs of crickets. Even the grass seemed to sway in a mournful chorus with the night wind, gently cooling the land.

Cass stopped when she came in sight, she sat so still he was sure she was asleep. The moonlight made her hair darker; her skin appear even more refined and pale. He couldn't help but note the look of pure bliss that etched itself upon her face. The gentle upturning of her lips. Cass stared at her mentally engraving the image into his mind. She looked like a goddess. His wolf begged him to go closer, he wanted her. All of her, not just an image.

Feeling eyes upon her Mia snapped her eyes open, twenty feet away he stood. He could have easily come closer she thought, but he didn't move he only watched her. Glued to her spot Mia's pulse quickened, a quick glance to either side, could she outrun him if she tried? Before Mia could make her next choice, the Alpha did something she never expected. Instead of approaching her, he sat right where he had stood, still 20 feet away. Why had he followed her? Hadn't he wanted her to leave? Mia stared, catching his eyes. She looked away first. The longer he sat, the more she grew used to his presence. If he had something to say he could say it, she thought.

Cass watched Mia as he sat, tired. Afraid to get closer as if she was a skittish horse. She stared back at him, too far away for him to tell if her stare was of defiance or not. He could feel the smallest drip of exhaustion make its way through the bond, their closeness strengthening the connection. His wolf growled, he wanted to go to her, pick her up and carry her home. Cass watched her till her eyes fluttered closed and her breath evened. He could hear her heart slow, and soon she was asleep. Ever so slowly, Cass approached her, slowly, gently kneeling. One arm slipped under her legs another circling around her back, the electric sparks firing at his touch. She didn't wake till he lifted her.