The Alpha

Chapter Fifteen

Josephine

I hear Theo's bedroom door shut and I cringe. He's upset, but so am I. And I have every right to be! I just saw him, my mate, snap someone's neck that I knew right in front of me because of me. Upset is the understatement of the year referring to what I am. I'm mortified and terrified and I've done my fair share of crying.

But my wolf is howling at me because my mate's in pain. Theo's in pain because I'm in pain, that makes my pain worse, and it's just some big cycle. I press my ear against the wall between this room and our room that he's occupying. I strain my ears and only hear some shuffling for a few seconds before silence. He must be going to bed.

My wolf whimpers at the thought of him sleeping alone and I frown, turning to look at my own bed. I've grown accustomed of sleeping next to Theo. He's just so warm.

I sigh as my wolf whines some more. I really don't want to do what I'm about to do but I don't think I have much of a choice here.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, I open my door and tip toe towards his. My fingers shake as I open his door slowly and step inside our room, the door closing silently behind me. I look at him laying there by himself for a second before I pad over to the bed and crawl under the covers. I don't touch him, knowing he's upset, but I lay there feeling immediately better. He's my mate. He makes me feel like a whole and not a half.

Within the silence, I feel his hands grip my waist before I'm pulled towards him. I smile in the darkness as he nuzzles his nose in my hair. There isn't a breath of air between us.

"You're so beautiful." He murmurs and I suck in a deep breath. "I don't deserve you even a little bit, but I've passed the point where I give a fuck because I'm selfish and horrible and want you all to myself."

I swallow hard and try not to break down and tell him he can mark me. My ears pick up on his desperation; his need to have me belong to him. He's the big, bad alpha and I'm the small, innocent girl yet we've been matched together for a reason. Maybe whoever matched us hasn't made a mistake after all?

"When that man touched you," he takes a deep breath, gaining his composure, "I completely lost it. You're unmarked and unmated. No one but my pack members would be able to know that you're mine. I can't admit I understand your reasoning behind not letting me mark you but please, baby, I need to. its killing me. You're mine and I want everyone to know it."

Well shit. What am I supposed to say to that? He kisses the back of my neck and I shiver. Oh boy. Not this again. I squirm a little because of his whole marking speech he just gave, but he holds me still. My eyes close tightly as he kisses my shoulder and skips my marking spot to kiss along my jaw.

"Beautiful." He whispers, and I let out a shaky breath. The things this man does to me. My toes curl when his lips finally land on the spot he's supposed to mark me.

"Theo." I warn, my voice sounding airy.

"Hmm?"

"You've gotta stop."

"Please." And I know he's asking to mark me. The big, bad Alpha Lupine is practically begging me here. Should I just let him? It's not like he's going to let me leave here let alone run off and find another male to mark me. What's the harm in letting him do it?

Everyone will know I belong to a monster.

But he's not a monster. Everyone thinks he is but no one knows Theo like I've learned to. Maybe it's just the mate link that's coming up with all of these crazy thoughts. I don't even know what to think when he kisses my skin like he's doing now. I need to clear my head to think properly.

I push away from him but he grips me tighter, almost seeming to be afraid to let me go. What is going on with him tonight?!

"Please?" He asks again, stopping his kissing assault on my skin to look me in the eyes. I still under his gaze. Oh shit. What do I say? I don't even know if what I'm thinking right now are my own thoughts or just the mate link thinking for me.

I swallow hard and open my mouth to answer him.