Protecting His Rejected Mate

Chapter Five

There was silence in the car.

Rose had nothing to tell him, not where to start after all that had happened. She wanted to talk about it, but Tyler’s face was fixed on the road.

She observed his body, one she had missed. She wanted to ask if he had grown taller, but the thought was covered by the talk of Grey, the rogue werewolf that was, for unknown reasons, hunting her.

Her head hurt from the previous night, and she had not been able to get a good night's sleep. Nobody knew about what had happened, and leaving the set could be the end of the job but it was worth it.

It was a little pain she had to endure, to see Tyler again, feel his touch again but the feeling was a little cold. They could both tell that some unresolved feelings were there but talking about it could bring up emotions that neither would rather leave unchecked.

Tyler was tense, she noticed. His shoulders weren’t relaxed as they should have been, his grip on the wheel was hard that she could hear it. He drove too fast, and he kept glancing at the rearview mirror as though there was someone following them.

Rose asked. “Are you okay?”

She did not mean to say that it felt like a reflex. It was as though she had reverted to her eighteen-year-old self, scrutinizing every part of him with her eyes.

“I’m fine,” he did not take his eyes off the road.

Their love story was like any other love story, with two people loving each other without the knowledge of the other person. They had met each other at a young age, in an orphanage owned by the Seism pack before they were transferred to the academy.

They lived and ate together, and eventually, they outgrew the place and decided to leave. It was a decision they made together, at an important time in their life but then, Rose met Ted.

Ted was a human, completely out of the picture when it came to the supernatural, and even though it was just a friendship, it did not look that way to Tyler whose jealousy would drive him to ruin his relationship with her.

The decision they made did not only decide their life but their journey. Tyler had decided to return to the pack and protect their kind whilst Rose chose to pursue her dreams, and that was what they did. Ties were cut off, but the feelings were stronger.

For years, she never stopped thinking about him and she was sure that he had not either. “What have you been up to?”

Tyler hesitated. “A little here and there. The mission takes you around.”

“Yeah, I guess. Look, I know you don’t want to talk about what happened but I do.”

He stared for just a brief second, and the sight of her ocean-blue eyes was enough to send a chill down her spine. “No, no, I do. I want to, Rose. Trust me, I just don’t think it’s the best time right now.”

There was a drop of rain on the car window, and the sight of the dark sky did not only suggest that the sun was going down soon, but that there was rain on the way to shower the Earth.

She felt the car move faster on the free road, devoid of cars with sand moving at the speed and direction of the wind. She turned her head, looking at him once again. It reminded her of the cold, rainy nights they had spent in their first apartment, sharing one blanket and feeling each other’s breath and body heat.

“I think you’re just trying to avoid the conversation,” said Rose with heavy eyes. “But I want to talk about it.”

“Is there anything to talk about?”

“It’s been years since we’ve seen each other, and we didn’t leave things exactly on good terms.”

“That was my fault, I know,” said Tyler tightening his grip on the wheel. “I’m sorry.”

“Well, I’m sorry for not fighting for us, for not trying to clear things up with you, but here’s an opportunity. I’m really happy that you showed up.

Tyler smirked. “So am I, Rose.”

It seemed like the car was driving forever. Time had started to stop and everything was spinning out of control as she tried to sort her thoughts, her feelings. The situation was not ideal but things were better than they would have been otherwise.

She rested her head on the car window, looking as they left the road into a forest. The rain splattered on the windshield, and before long, the rain had started falling heavily. It did not take long for them to reach their destination, a place Rose had no recollection of.

“We’re here,” he opened the door and stood out in the rain. “Rose?”

She stepped out of the car and took a glance at the abandoned house. They were both wet and cold but did not move much. It was as if they were waiting for each other to make a move, but with every breath came the steady breathing of their heart.

Simultaneously, their eyes met and with an awkward look, they moved slowly toward the house. Rose increased her pace, her hands behind her as she stepped in the puddles, splattering muddy water all around.

Her boots were getting soaked, and the air got colder as she climbed the steps to the front door. She tilted, almost kneeling over but maintained her balance, however, her movement was stopped abruptly by a hand, grabbing hers and pulling her closer. It felt electric, and surreal, as Tyler pressed his face into hers with his hands on her face, and her hands around his neck.

His body was warm, and so was his breath. He smelled like wine, even under the rain. His hair was soft, and so was his lips. She surrendered, leaning into the kiss with all of her body, and under the cold, tender rain, she kissed him back.