Page 4 of The Alpha's Fated Bond

The words are a stab to the heart, but I don’t let myself flinch. My voice is calm as I reply, “Then, so be it. We will look for another way. But that doesn’t mean I won’t want you by my side anymore. Whether or not you can use your powers doesn’t matter to me. Don’t think for a second that I want you here with me because of what you are. To me, you are Sophia, my mate and the woman I love. I’ve already told you this.”

I see the flash of fear in her eyes, the doubt.

She swallows. “I keep expecting you to change your mind. I keep waiting for the inevitable.”

The inevitable being me looking for a way to use her, like everybody else.

“I know you are,” I say. “I wish I could prove to you that it’s not going to happen.”

When we left Oakrest Town, she was so happy, but within a matter of days, that happiness has faded away into a quiet, simmering fear.

Patience, I tell myself.You have to be patient with her. Some things have to be proven rather than spoken.

I decide not to continue this conversation as we reach the spring. Sophia is about to take off her clothes when she looks over her shoulder at me, flustered. “Can you turn around?”

She’s pulled my shirt down so that her shoulders are exposed, all that soft, supple skin.

“What?” I ask, dazed at the sight of her.

“Turn around, Alex!” she bursts out, her face a bright red.

I should do as she says, but I can’t resist the opportunity to tease her just a little.

“Why? I’ve already seen you naked.”

“Alex!” If she turns any redder, she’s going to start resembling a tomato.

“In fact,” I take a step toward her, “Maybe I should help you out of these clothes.”

“I will smack you so hard,” she threatens me, and I chuckle, coming to a stop.

“Well, I don’t think I want to get smacked around so soon in the relationship. Doesn’t set a good tone.”

“Why are you being so difficult?” The look on Sophia’s face makes me want to roar with laughter. She looks so adorable, all flustered and worked up. She cannot voice that she’s shy; she just wants to me understand her situation.

“Difficult?” I ask innocently. “Me?”

“Yes!” She glares at me. “Just turn around so I can take off my clothes.”

I match her tone. “I just want to help you!”

“Alex!” She lets out a whine now, looking immediately embarrassed.

Laughing, I turn around. “Fine, fine. I’ll behave this time.”

She mutters some nasty things about me to herself, conveniently forgetting how sharp my hearing is. My grin just grows broader at each creative curse word I hear her utter. The splash of water indicates that she’s in the stream now, and I hear her let out a sigh of relief. We don’t have much time, and she knows it. Within minutes, the splashing stops, and I hear her exit the water. It’s when I hear the rustle of the clothing that I turn around. “Alright, ready to g—”

My eyes widen at the sight of her naked, glistening body, waterdrops sliding down those deadly curves and crevices, her full breasts with those perky pink nipples pointing at me.

For a moment, I forget to breathe. She is stunning. Perfect hips, perfect breasts, that long gorgeous hair cascading over her shoulders. She looks like a nymph. My heart is beating wildly,my cock turning hard. She’s both beautiful and desirable. All I have to do is take her in my arms —

“That’s it!” Sophia growls. “You’re so dead!”

I don’t see the elbow coming my way till it makes contact with my stomach, and it’s only then that I realize I already covered most of the distance between us. I let out a groan, doubling over. Her blow didn’t really hurt, but it definitely knocked the wind out of me. She quickly puts on her clothes. “Pervert! I knew you were a perv the day I met you!”

“I’m your mate!” I protest. “You do know what that is, don’t you?”

“Shut up, Alex!”

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