Page 92 of His Wild Mate

“My precious, why are you hiding from me? Don't you know I'm only here to rescue you? That idiot Emmett left you scared and all alone. I would never do such a thing. Unlock the door and let me see you at last.”

When I didn't respond a fist slammed into the door.

“Unlock the damn door, Paige,” he yelled.

My heart was racing and felt like it might explode from my chest.

“I'm sorry, my precious. I do not mean to scare you. I am only angry that we have stayed apart for so long and now you're here. I was not expecting it. This is the best day ever.”

I didn't move. I barely even breathed, but there was no way to mask the fear of my beating heart.

“Open the door, my precious.”

I froze.

“I know you're in there.”

Another moment passed as he stood outside the door whistling that haunting tune once more.

“Don't play games with me, Paige, because I never lose. I've only been toying with Emmett until now. But today is about me and you. I know he fancies himself in love with you, but no one can love you the way I do, Paige. No one can take care of you, protect you, and provide for you like I can.”

He paused and still I didn't move. If I did, he would hear and he'd come for me even if it meant knocking down the door.

I knew this level of obsession and there was no stopping him. I was going to have to kill him.

Stuck in this tight space there was still no way for me to shift and prepare for the inevitable battle to come.

I considered waiting him out as I calculated how much longer Emmett would be gone. But then they would fight. Challenges for a mate were common practice for our kind, but Emmett shouldn't have to fight my battles for me. And I couldn't stomach the thought of losing him. Because I loved him.

The thought hit me hard and tore through my chest. I loved Emmett. He was my mate in every way even if we hadn't been able to seal our bond. The thought of a world without him hurt me even worse than leaving him.

As these thoughts ran through my mind, I was only vaguely aware that the whistling had grown fainter. He had moved further down the hallway. Maybe he'd given up and thought he'd imagined things and I wasn't really here. But then a door opened and a few minutes later another.

A gleeful laugh erupted from him.

“Knock, knock.”

The knob on the bathroom door slowly turned. I'd forgotten that the bathroom was shared with the room next door and I hadn't thought to lock it too.

Slowly it turned and the door flew open.

“No!” He yelled out running to the open door that led outside. “No,” he said in an eerily calm voice. “You wouldn't run from me. We're drawn to each other, meant to be together. Your scent is so strong and fresh here.”

He sat on the bed and picked up a pillow. When he got a big whiff of it he growled in anger and threw it across the room. I knew it was the same one I'd sniffed just moments earlier. The pillow was coated in Emmett's scent.

“You let that beast defile you? You laid with him? How could you? I'm very disappointed in you, Paige.”

He took a deep breath and I wasn't sure if it was to calm his anger or absorb more of my scent.

I held my breath determined not to make a sound. My eyes scrunched shut as I desperately searched for something good to think about to calm myself.

Hot tubs.

Cooking.

Laughter.

Friends.

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