Page 84 of Alpha Theo

“Brooke,” I breathe, taking a step toward her.

She holds up her hand again and I stop in my tracks, staring at her pleadingly.

“I’m so fucking sorry, just give me a chance to make it up to you…”

I can’t believe I’m groveling like this. It’s so unlike me- but then again, I’ve never been in this position, never cared about someone like I do Brooke. The mate bond only intensifies the feelings that were already so strong, has my damn emotions in overdrive.

Brooke parts her lips to speak, her voice quiet, steady. “Why should I, Theo?”

The question catches me off guard.

“You can have any girl you want, right?” she asks softly. “So whyme? Why should I give you a chance?”

This feels like a test.

I draw a deep breath, wringing my hands in front of me. Try to find the right words to explain aside from the obvious about the mate bond.

“Because things are different with you…” I sigh, raking a hand through my hair. “Brooke, you’re the only girl I’ve ever… respected.”

Brooke looks down at the pavement, shuffling her feet.

“This is just a lot,” she says quietly. “I need some time to wrap my mind around everything. If you truly respect me, you’ll give me that.”

Her eyes meet mine again and I feel like my chest is tearing open. I’m not sure I can bear her walking away again tonight- though she hasn’t officially rejected me as her mate, not yet. If I give her time, then maybe I’ve still got a shot, a chance to turn things around.

“Okay,” I breathe.

She presses her lips together, nodding. “Okay.”

Fuck, the pull of the mate bond is so strong. It’s compelling me to go to her, wrap my arms around her, hold her. But… Ican’t.

Brooke turns around and reaches out for the doorknob. She steps back into the packhouse and closes the door behind her.

I just stand there for a few minutes, staring at the door, wishing she’d change her mind. Wishing she’d rush outside, fall into my arms, and let me kiss her like I mean it.

I don’t know how much time she needs, but I’ll give it to her if I have to. Even if the wait is excruciating. Even if time’s the one thing we don’t have.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Brooke

“How can I go back there?” I mumble, staring blankly at the floor. “I don’t think I can do it…”

“Stop,” Fallon barks, tossing a pair of leggings at me. I look up right as they’re about to hit me in the face, snatching them out of the air.

“You’re way stronger than you give yourself credit for. You’ve got this.”

Fallon’s pump-ups usually work, but not even she can drown out my nagging doubts this morning. I appreciate that she’s trying to be supportive, but she has no idea what I’m going through- her experience with the mate bond was frickin’ perfect, a total dream! I’m still reeling from my own.

I shimmy the sleep shorts that Fallon let me borrow down my hips, kicking them away.

“I don’t want anyone to know, not until I figure out what I’m gonna do,” I grumble, shaking out the leggings and pulling them on. I hold my hands in front of me and Fallon tosses me a t-shirt. I shed the one I slept in, pulling the new one on to replace it.

“Hey, I’m not gonna say anything,” she breathes. “But you can’t hide from this forever, Brooke. You’ve gotta face it, face him. See if you guys can figure things out.”

“Yeah,” I sigh. “I know.”

It’s funny, I feel like I just had this conversation with Fallon last full moon, only our roles were reversed- I encouraged her to face Gray and the full moon. It certainly worked out for her much better than this one has for me.

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