Rut
1309 Words
ESTELLE WINTERS
"You are awake"
The voice was low and calm but it had that familiar deepness I had grown accustomed to.
The surface beneath me was warm but it didn't help the rising chill that was crawling up my spine.
I was buried in the scent of wolf berries and dark chocolate — his unique scent.
Slowly, I turned my head towards the sound, feeling the numbing pain on my cheek.
My mate
Adriano
He stood in front of the tall french windows, thankfully, the faint moonlight streaming into the room through the windows engulfed him, making his face looks more ethereal, with his shoulder length hair, he looked like — the moon god
"Am i in heaven?" I mumbled in a dazed tone still not making sense of the scene before me.
The last thing I could remember was my father's belt falling u relentlessly on my body, so how come —
"My house"
He said in a deadpan tone, making me deflate.
"I found you in the passageway of your house, passed out and covered in blood and bruises—"
He paused, staring at me.
In the faint moonlight, I couldn't see his facial expression clearly.
I shifted nervously, clenching the thick warm quilt with my palms, my heart beating nervously.
Would he ask me where I got my wounds from?
"I brought you back because you are Elaire's sister, Do not overthink it" He said.
I lowered my head with a blush on my cheeks then I mustered up the courage.
"Can I stay here for this night?" .
He stared at me for some time "Sure"
I was surprised at his answer.
With surprise in my eyes, I watched him walk towards he bed, picking up a book.
"Scoot left" He said dryly, patting the book he was holding.
"Huh?" I blinked in confusion.
"I have only one bedroom here, so you either scoot or you sleep on the floor, choose one"
I hurriedly shifted to the side, piling the pillows between us like a makeshift wall.
He huffed in a low tone then lay down, opening his book without a word.
The silence between us stretched, except for the sound of him flipping pages.
Basking in the soothing scent of my mate, I slowly drifted to sleep.
......
"Good morning baby"
My eyes fluttered open dazedly.
No
I wasn't dreaming.
Here I was, curled upon a warm and fragrant chest which I recognized as my mate.
My nose pressed on the warm and bronze skin, sniffing him like he was my oxygen— well he literally is.
Then he— shoved me away.
It was so swift and sudden, so unexpected that my head banged loudly on the bedside cabinet, the sudden pain instantly clearing the sleep from me eyes.
"I'm sorry"
The words tumbled out of my mouth, a habit I had honed over the years.
Apologizing — even though I had done nothing wrong.
Adriano was standing now, fists clenched, his body trembling.
I could see the anger In those green eyes.
"What are you doing in my house, on my bed, in my arms?"
"You.... brought me here..." I stuttered weakly, rubbing the affected area on my head.
"I was unconscious, you said so yourself" I explained.
He looked away quickly, a strange glint In his eyes — was that guilt.
Then he said something I would never expect to hear from him.
"I am sorry"
.....
The kitchen smelled like eggs and berries.
Courtesy of what I was making — and my mate, though he was nowhere to be seen right now.
This was his home, meaning that his scent was everywhere.
I was engulfed in the scent of him, making me purr in satisfaction.
It clung onto me like a second skin, as if trying to claim me.
Even though he had rejected me and made it clear yesterday that he very much loved my half sister, I still couldn't help but cling onto the tiny hope that just maybe someday, he would actually accept me.
"What do you think you are doing?"
The knife I was using to slice onions slipped, cutting through my skin.
Pain laced through my body as warm blood welled up.
"Why the f**k are you so careless"
He hissed at me, magically conjuring out a first aid box and flipping through it.
This was my first time seeing him so flustered and it warmed my heart.
His sweet scent wrapped around me, teasing and domineering.
"You okay?" He asked.
I looked down at my finger, noticing the cute band-aid that he had out, a wry smile on my lips.
"Never better" I whispered, locking my chapped lips nervously.
His eyes darkened as he gazed obsessively at my lips.
"You—" His voice deepening, eyes flashing from green to gold.
It was brief but I was able to catch sight of it.
His wolf —
Adriano was fighting against his wolf.
"What are you doing to me" he whispered harshly, gripping my waist tightly as his lower body rubbed obsessively on mine.
The spot that he had touched around my waist tingled, heat pooling in my core.
I looked up into his wild, conflicting gaze.
"Your eyes are so beautiful"
And then he kissed my eyelids, his teeth nipped slightly at my nose and then in one full swoop, he captured my lips.
His kiss was fierce , possessive, domineering — like he wanted to swallow me whole.
He carried me up, placing me firmly on the kitchen island and his hand slipped into my shirt, rubbing on my skin.
His tongue claimed mine, and I gave in to him.
Melting into his touch — after all I was his.
Until —
"ADRIANO!"
We broke apart hurriedly.
Elaire stood at the door way of the apartment, her eyes wide as tears welled up In them.
Her body trembling as she swayed and then, she crumbled to the floor.
Adriano rushed towards her, pulling her into his arms like I never existed, then he turned to me , eyes thick with disgust.
"What sort of charm did you use on me?"
Ironic right?
It wasn't a charm.
It was just the matebond.
....
Three days went by.
And for once, I never caught a sight of him.
Was he avoiding me?, Punishing me? Or was he just busy with pack affairs.
Elaire spent two days in the pack hospital and my father had made sure I also spent two days recovering from the bruises he has given me.
I cradled my mother's picture, rocking myself as I bit my lips, fighting back the tears that wanted to roll down again .
I was tired of crying, my eyes ached non-stop
"Sister..."
The door of my room swing open and Elaire walked in like she owned the place
"can you help me bring something from Adriano's place, we are arguing.... And I can't face him"
I blinked at her "But it's late and raining, can't you wait till .."
"Are you deaf?, do what your sister said!" My stepmother barked from the doorway.
Fear propelled me out of the house and I didn't even ask what item I was supposed to bring.
Halfway there, I realized my foolishness, but I would rather embarrass myself in front of Adriano then receive another beating from my father.
I knocked softly at the large oak door, desperately praying he wasn't around, but fate had a way of doing things.
The door pulled open.
And Adriano stood there.
Bare chested, eyes golden and a musky scent of thick arousal in the air.
My eyes widened.
He was in —Rut?
Before I could react, his powerful arms locked around me as he pulled me into the house.
His voice deep and gutteral.
"Mate — I want mate!".
- Writer
