Page 17 of Wrong Turn, Right Bear
“No.” Theo raced over to me and grabbed my collar. “There must be something we can do. Talk to your leader or something. Can’t we reverse this mating thing or turn it off?”
“No.” I could have continued and told him I’d be fine. He’d live his life and be happy but that one word summed everything up.
“That’s so sad.” Tears streamed over his cheeks and he wiped them away with his shirt. I shivered at his high feathery touch and longed to put my hands on him. But if I did, I wouldn’t be able to stop. I’d kiss and fondle and murmur how much I loved him. It took all my strength to keep my hands at my sides.
“Do you want to leave now or wait until it’s light?”
I swear there was a yearning in his eyes because heseemed to be holding back something. I silently urged him to say what was in his heart.
“I’ll wait.”
“May I drive you to the airport?”
“Sure, why not.”
There was nothing left to say other than arrange a time to pick him up. But Theo had more questions.
“The young wolf. What was that about?”
“It was his first solo shift without his parents and he couldn’t control his beast. He wanted to say sorry in person but I’ll tell him I delivered his apology.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
There was an awkward silence and I couldn’t fill it with anything so I walked to the door and said I’d be out front at seven. But I didn’t leave. Instead, I lay on the carpet outside his room, listening to his breathing. He didn’t sleep but tossed and turned all night and got up hours before he had to.
We sat in silence on the drive to the airport. I inhaled his scent, committing it to memory.
“I’m sorry.” Theo’s pale face and trembling hands told a story but I kept my feelings trapped inside me with my bear who was rampaging saying he couldn’t leave.
“Those are empty words but even if I agreed to be your mate, you wouldn’t be happy with someone who didn’t return your feelings.”
“Be happy, Theo.” I waved, turned around and got in the car. I refused to go inside the terminal. No one liked goodbyes, especially when the one you loved was walking out of your life forever.
The tears flowed as I drove away and when I reached my place, I lay my head on the steering wheel and wept. Time wouldn’t ease my pain.
Opening the door, I stumbled out.
Take your fur. My beast ripped through my chest, his fury matching my grief and he tore through the woods, trampling seedlings, crushing fallen branches and hurling rocks into the air.
This is how it would be for us. We were missing our other half.
NINE
THEO
I couldn’t look back.
If I did, I’d fling myself into Ash’s arms and sob, telling him I wanted to be his mate. Not because I loved him. But he made my tummy flutter whenever he was near. And I’d get naked and spread my ass cheeks for his cock.
But that wasn’t love. It was another L word: lust. And people, humans, I guess, threw off their inhibitions on vacation. They said and did things they’d never do in their day to day existence.
And it wasn’t just me making a mistake and jumping in with both feet.
Ash wasn’t human. That was an earthquake and tsunami size difference between us.
Every step I took through theairport, at the gate, and walking onto the plane, I considered turning back and leaving my old life behind. Instead, I stayed the course and headed home but I cried the entire time.
I tried to hide my tears and sobs but the other passengers asked if I was okay. One buzzed the flight attendants. I told them I’d broken up with someone and they ahhed, sighed and nodded, patted my shoulder and said they understood.
