BETA's LOVER

Chapter- Seventeen

MACKENZIE

"Please come with me," Alistair asked, his hand outstretched.

Without thinking, I took his hand and stood up from the sofa, leaving the others behind in the room.

I let him hold my hand, needing the support tonight.

The night was quiet, eerily still, with no one in sight. The crisp, almost winter air brushed against my skin, carrying a cool breeze. I looked at Alistair, now dressed differently than before. My eyes traced the muscles of his back, taut and relaxed as he walked ahead of me. When I glanced lower, I saw his veins protruding from his arm, making me itch to touch them out of pure curiosity. I could also see a tattoo peeking through the thin fabric of his shirt.

My heart sped up as I remembered the moment on the dance floor when we almost kissed.

I wonder if his lips are as soft as they look.

Oh great, your nervous system's working perfectly, considering how turned on you're getting right now.

My mind mocked me. I pursed my lips and felt a blush creeping up my neck.

I can't let him know I am checking him out.

"Are you okay?"

I looked up, startled. My eyes widened—probably like a deer caught in headlights.

His gaze softened, and that familiar dimpled smile appeared on his face.

I cleared my throat, trying to sound calm. "I'm fine."

His eyes stayed on me, as if making sure I was really okay.

"Where are we going?" I asked, finally noticing our surroundings.

"To your favorite place." He gave my hand a gentle squeeze before pulling me along with him.

Yes, my hand was still in his.

Today, my body seemed to have a mind of its own, and I was powerless to stop it. My thoughts drifted back to the problem I had on my hands.

Alistair—a werewolf—and me, his mate.

A freaking soulmate!?

I took a deep breath, pulling my hand away from his and looking away to avoid his questioning eyes. We reached the lake, the spot I usually came to think. I sat down on the bench, crossed my arms over my chest, and stared ahead into the dark, empty space. For a while, neither of us said anything, both of us lost in our own thoughts.

"Mackenzie," he said softly, as if not wanting to startle me. I turned to find him sitting beside me on the bench, leaving a respectful amount of space between us. His hazel eyes studied my face with quiet intensity, his gaze warm and tender, like he was

memorizing me.

Was the moonlight always this bright, or was it just tonight? I could see him clearly against the darkness.

"I know this must be hard to process," he said, gesturing between us. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, but... it wasn't easy to explain my existence, or the world you've never even known exists. You've been handling this better than I expected, maybe because... maybe you somehow already knew about us."

He fidgeted, his feet moving restlessly, and I noticed the way his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. It was... distracting, in a way that made me wish I could look away, but I couldn't.

Focus! My mind shouted. What is wrong with you? I should probably touch myself tonight to get rid of these horny emotions.

I shook my head, blinking hard to clear my mind.

"How come I've never come across any man-wolf before? I come here alone all the time," I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"When Arthur found out that Cylon and I had found our mates—and that they were human—he ordered the pack to keep their distance. The wolves who patrol the area were always around you, at a safe distance, just in case. If anyone shifted near you, they had let us know immediately." He intertwined his fingers in his lap, his ankles crossed.

I let his words sink in, folding my arms tighter as I processed what he said.

"So what was your actual plan? When were you going to tell me about all this?" My voice was quiet but firm, the frustration of all the lies and secrets creeping into my tone.

"Mackenzie, I know we have kept things from you, but there was no other way. We thought it would be better to get close to you first, help you feel comfortable with us, and then we had slowly tell you. We had this party planned for you and Quinn, so that Cylon and I could reveal everything, but... things didn't go as planned." He reached for my hand, his eyes sincere. "You might not understand this bond yet, but to me, it feels like I've found my other half. Like I've been missing a piece of me, my whole life, and now that I've found it, I can finally breathe."

Goosebumps crept across my skin at the intensity of his words. As his hand dropped away, I instinctively brought mine up to cover my face, overwhelmed by the weight of everything. I felt him come closer, as if to comfort me, but I couldn't focus enough to accept it.

"Please, say something," his voice was soft but pleading. "Tell me what you're thinking." His soft pulled at my heart strings,

making me want to spill all my secrets to him.

Alistair... what have you done to me?

"This is impossible," I whispered, my voice shaky,"I never thought this would happen to me. I worked so hard to build my life in another city, and now... this? You being a werewolf... it's like.. like living in a whole new world."

I looked up at him then, locking eyes, and for a moment, I just watched him. I always used to read in romance novels how the female lead could see the depth of the male lead's feelings just in the way he looked at her. And now, here I was, feeling it for the first time. My heart raced in my chest, thudding harder than I could control.

I have never been looked at like this before.

"Give it time, Mackenzie. I will help you figure things out, every step of the way. We will work it out together."

"But what plan? Alistair, I have a life out there! How can you expect me to just leave all of that behind and stay here? And I don't even know you... or anything like that." I stuttered, trying to articulate my scattered thoughts.

"If you can't see it through my actions, then let me say it to you clearly today," he said, his voice growing serious.

I felt anxiety rising in me, and I could see he noticed. He reached over, gently taking my arms to steady me as he looked into my eyes.

"I like you, Mackenzie. Maybe more than that. You can deny it all you want, but we share a bond. And it's unbreakable. I know you feel something for me, even if you don't want to admit it. Sooner or later, I'll make you mine."

We stared at each other—blue eyes meeting darkened hazel—neither of us backing down.

"Who says I have feelings for you? Please dont assume--" Before, I could object, his lips touched mine, making me go silent.

His lips weren't moving against mine neither he removed them. He just stayed there placing his lips on mine, like a peck. I could feel my anger coming up, if he wanted to kiss, he should at least do it properly!

Pulling back, i scowled,"What are you--" With his hands, he pulled me closer to him and placed his lips back on mine and this time, he was properly kissing me.

Frozen, I didn't move my lips at first, then came his hand cupping my face, tilting my head and with his thumb he slightly opened my mouth and grabbed my lower lip with his teeth making me gasp in surprise. This action erupted a new sensation especially down between my legs.

Moving my lips against his lips and i just dived into the moment. Not caring about the consequences. I had never imagined it would feel like this—like a spark igniting in the pit of my stomach, spreading warmth to every corner of my body. His lips were soft against mine, tentative at first, as though we both were testing the waters. My heart raced in my chest, a steady drumbeat that drowned out everything else.

It was a strange, dizzying mix of newness and comfort. The slight pressure of his mouth, the soft glide of his lips against my lips, sent a fluttering rush through my chest, like the wings of a thousand butterflies. The air between us felt thick with something unspoken, but it was the way his breath caught, warm and quick, that made me feel alive in a way that I never had before.

With trembling hands,my fingertips brushed against his skin, the sensation so foreign, so immediate, that I couldn't quite keep my thoughts straight. We broke apart to catch our breath but I was not done yet, I needed to drown myself to get him out of my system. I took him by surprise this time and deepened the kiss, a slow pull that felt like the world was narrowing down to this single moment, and yet, it felt like it could last forever. In between kiss, he grabbed my hand placed it over my chest against my wildly beating heart as if proving a point and then he bring forward my hand, placing over his chest and i felt his heart beating racing. My body responded in ways that I hadn't expected. My heart thudded, and my breath, shallow and quick, seemed to echo his. I was both lost and found in the sensation, caught between wanting more and being overwhelmed by everything new and electric, the fire within my chest burning with much more intensity.

Pulling back, he placed his head against mine, I kept looking down and could feel his eyes burning into mine and his warm breath fanning my face. But I dared not make eye contact now, it would mean more deep and raw.

My hands which were placed over his forearms, withdrawing them back, we both put some space between us.

"I hope this somehow clears up the doubts or confusion you have about your feelings for me," Alistair said, his voice soft but serious.

I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest and facing ahead, into the darkness. "Do you go around kissing others to prove a point?"

"That's not what I mean, and you know it," he chuckled, but then his expression turned more serious as he exhaled slowly. I glanced at him—his head lowered, brows furrowed in deep thought. I could feel my frustration building.

How could he expect me to just trust him because of this bond I couldn't even feel? Yes, I found him attractive, but jumping into a relationship so quickly? I couldn't do that. Not like this.

"Don't think of me any differently," he said, his voice gentle yet pleading. "I'm still the same guy who likes hanging out with you. Just give me a chance to show you how much I care and—"

"Alistair, please don't," I interrupted, my voice tight with emotion. "It's too much for me. I—I can't do this. I'm not fit for this...mate role."

I pushed my hair behind my ears, my lips dry from the tension. I felt trapped, suffocated by this whole situation.

"How can you say you are not fit to be my mate when you haven't even let me in?" His voice was tinged with confusion, a

bewildered look crossing his face. "You haven't even given yourself a chance to consider me."

"I think I have given you enough space in my life," I said, my voice trembling with frustration. "You have already kissed me... and I let you." Gulping down the thick emotions.

I stood, unable to sit still any longer, the emotions too overwhelming. I needed to get away from him, to clear my head. I had let him in far too much already. His skeptical eyes burned into me, waiting for an explanation. It was like he was trying to read the problem on my face.

"I need to go," I said, my voice firm. I turned, leaving no room for argument.

"Sure." His voice was soft, almost too tired to argue. He ran a hand through his hair, glancing up at me with a mixture of concern and weariness. He gave me a half-smile and nodded toward the direction of the house. "Let me escort you back to your room."

He took the lead, walking ahead of me, guiding me carefully through the dark path, warning me of branches and ditches in our way. As we emerged from the woods, the house came into view. Alistair stepped aside, glancing back at me. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and I gave him a small nod before walking past him and straight into the house. He didn't call out after me, but I could feel his gaze on my back until I closed the door behind me.

Taking a deep breath, I climbed the stairs, the only sound in the otherwise silent house being the squeak of my shoes against the floor. I opened the door to the guest room and found Quinn sitting on my bed, as though she had been waiting for me.

"Hey," she greeted me softly, patting the space beside her.

Closing the door behind me, I walked over and sat down next to her, grateful for the comfort of her presence.

"Are you okay?" Her hazel eyes studied my face, concerned, as she took in my tired, worn expression.

"I'm fine," I muttered, leaning back against the wall and stretching my back. "Just... tired. Today has been... exceptional."

"It definitely was a strange day," she agreed, nodding thoughtfully.

I turned to look at her, my gaze softening. "Are you holding up okay?"

I almost forgot how shy she could be, how timid in moments like these. I placed my hand on her knee, giving it a gentle squeeze, and tilted my head to study her. She smiled at me, her fingers patting mine in return. She nodded, her own exhaustion evident in the way her shoulders slumped.

We both had a lot to think about, about the men who wanted us, and the feelings that stirred within us. But we were too tired to dive into it now, so we decided to leave those conversations for tomorrow. We needed rest.

With a promise to talk about it in the morning and come up with a plan, we both settled in for the night, each of us drifting into sleep with the weight of the day's events heavy on our minds.

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