Mated At First Sight (ON HOLD)

Chapter Four

The grocery bags strain against my arms as I walk back to the dorm. Why Kristin wanted Goldfish and Oreos, I don't know, but I'm glad I'm able to enjoy the nice night as I walk.

The street lamps illuminate the sidewalk as I walk, and out of the corner of my eye, I see two figures turn onto the opposite side of the street. Both are presumably male, as their walk suggests. As they walk, the light shines against light brown hair on one of them, and dark brown on the other. Their heads are angled downward but the light glances off their faces.

My heart pounds, to further confirm who I was seeing, and my mouth pops open. How did they find me?

"Ashton?" My whisper seemed to travel all the way to them because Ashton and Josh both turn to look my way. I make direct eye contact with him, and as he takes a step towards me, I try to bolt. I hear him shout my name and a couple seconds later I'm being pulled into a chest.

"Evie." Ashton says almost breathlessly, as if he's in shock from seeing me. I freeze in his arms, surrounded by sudden warmth, before my brain kicks in and I start to struggle. The bags slip off my arms.

"Let go of me." I spit out, trying to keep the anger in front of the hurt. I twist and turn in his arms, trying to find a way out.

"I can't." He whispers as his head ducks down and rests against my neck.

I see Josh take a step forward. "Ashton, give her a moment-"

"Stay out of this, Josh." Even I could feel the command radiate from his voice.

"No. You need to stay out of my life. I thought I made it clear last time: we are done." I try to use the same command tone that he just used. It doesn't work and I struggle more.

Ashton closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, "I'm sorry," he whispers, "but I have to."

Panic flirts through me, "Have to what?" I see Josh tense and open his mouth as if to shout, but Ashton's command weighs him down.

Ashton puts his lips against my neck and starts kissing softly. Heat floods through me and chases away any panic, anger or hurt. I feel my body lean into his embrace and can't help but feel like I should never move from his arms.

"I'm sorry." Ashton whispers against my neck. Before I can say anything, I feel his teeth against my neck.

Ashton's teeth bite through the skin in my neck. My hands, that were resting against his arms, now clamp down on his forearms as pain races through me.

I cry out as the sting of his teeth biting down hard on my neck registers in my brain. His arms crush me harder to his chest as I try to get away from him and the pain. My mind flashes back to those horrid nights and I instantly start writhing, desperate to not feel that amount of burning pain ever again.

It dulls to a throbbing pressure and I feel his teeth retract. His tongue licks over the new bite, where I know there is blood. Ashton kisses it and a slight shiver goes through my frozen body. His arms loosen and his blue eyes bore into my frightened, green ones.

I'm speechless. Completely and utterly speechless. I can only stare at him with my mouth open and my eyes wide.

Ashton looks concerned, "Evie. Are you okay? Does it hurt?" I don't respond. "Please, talk to me."

A harsh breath leaves me. "You just," I trail off, not sure what to say other than state the obvious. Ashton cups my cheeks, his eyes trail over my frightened and shocked expression.

"Are you hurt?" He repeats. What a dumb question.

"You bit me!" I screech, yanking my face out of his hands and taking a big step back with my hands in front of me.

"Evie," An unfrozen Josh walks towards me, his hands raised so they're level with his shoulders. "Are you okay?"

I turn to glare at him, my hand moving to cover Ashton's bite. "He just bit me. He fucking bit me!" I turn to Ashton, "You fucking bit me!"

"Please," Josh says from behind me, "calm down. Stop yelling." I give a harsh, breathy laugh as I stare into Ashton's eyes.

"How dare you tell me to be calm," I say with a sardonic smile. Ashton's eyes seem to dim at my reaction as he glances as the now covered mark.

"Evie," this time it's Ashton who talks, "please-"

"Leave."

A look of despair crosses Ashton's face, but it's quickly replaced with hard determination. "No."

"No?" I scoff, my voice going high. "You don't have a choice, Ashton. Leave, now. I don't want you here."

"Evie, please-" I cut Josh off.

"You don't get to talk, Josh! You don't ever get to give me your stupid excuses ever again!" I feel my anger grow at Josh. "You lied to me so many times! You knew what I was going through and did nothing!"

"I didn't give him a choice, Evie." Ashton stops my attack on Josh. I focus on Ashton.

"I don't care. You did it to me. You have absolutely no right to come back into my life."

"I have every right. You are my mate-"

"No!" I  scream. "You have no right! You lost it! And you are never getting it back!" I suddenly remember what I put into my pocket before leaving.

"Always protect yourself," Kristen had said before I left, "especially at night."

I reach behind and pull out my Swiss Army Knife, flicking the blade open. Irrationality fills my mind and I point it directly at Ashton. His face grows concerned and shocked as I openly threaten him.

"Evie, do you even know how to use that?" Ashton asks calmly.

"Swing and stab." He takes a step closer to me. "Stay away!"

"Evie, please." Remorse fills his features, but Ashton stays where he is.

I look towards the dropped snacks, now closer to them than to me. Kristin will understand. "Just stay away from me." I start carefully walking backward until I trust I'm far enough away to turn around and run back to our dorm.