Never Goodbye, A Werewolf Romance - (Book 1-The Mist Series)

~Chapter 7 - Drawn To You~

~Louise~

I inhaled sharply and caught that unmistakable scent of the ocean again, mingled with something… darker. A primal musk that made me tremble. Goosebumps shot up my arms, sending all the tiny hairs on end. My stomach clenched and made my insides bubble in protest. Memories travelled to earlier, replaying the argument like a movie in my head. My chest tightened.

No… why him…? Moon Goddess, help me now…! Straightening my shoulders, I turned on my heels to see the infamous jerk and Alpha-to-be Joseph Black standing too close behind me. Just great!

I had to fight the desperate urge to throw his offer back in his face, my pride getting the better of me, but he had already paid the cashier, and she took no time to slide it into the cash register. It’s too late now!

“Who’s stalking who?” I huffed, crossing my arms.

“I’m not stalking you,” he replied with a half-smile that made the corner of his eyes wrinkle. It would have been adorable if he hadn’t insulted me a few hours earlier and grated on the last of my nerves. “It’s a coincidence.” He shrugged a single shoulder, that air of arrogance hanging above him. “I was on an early lunch break… I saw you and thought we could talk.”

“Talk?” I said, scrunching my nose, my eyebrows tight. The undeniable urge to slap him possessed my hands, but I clamped down on the feeling. “Talk…? You want to talk? What, so you can insult me further?”

He almost winced at my accusation, his arrogance waning, the moonlight glow flickering in his eyes. “Talk… That’s all.” He held his arms up in defence and lowered his voice. His arm was healed, the skin taut over his large muscles, but the stitches remained across his forehead. Werewolf perks… “You have my word as an alpha. Will you please hear me out?”

“You’re not an alpha yet!” I chastised him.

“That may be so,” he shrugged, stepping closer. Something inside fluttered as he breached the gap between us. “But I come from alpha blood, which has to mean something.”

“What?” I snickered, taking a step back. “That you have the legal right to be a jerk?”

He laughed softly, one of the nicest, honest laughs I had heard from him. “Maybe it does…”

“Don’t forget your pretzel,” the bobblehead cashier called behind me.

“Oh, right,” I turned, thankful for the interruption, reached over the counter, and took it. The warm, salty scent was almost overpowering. “Sorry about that. Thank you.”

“It’s all good. Enjoy!” she grinned before turning around and focussing on the coffee machine.

I figured the girl had to be human because of her lack of care for Joseph’s presence. It was odd not to see her lust towards him, fighting the werewolf lure unless Joseph was mated, but he wore no bite mark. Most wolves went submissive in his presence, just like Mum and Raine had done. But he angered me, and his very presence irritated me. I refused to do the same.

With the pretzel in hand, I turned away from Joseph and hurried down the walkway in the opposite direction, hoping he would leave me alone. I didn’t need him lingering around me, reminding me I was unwell and that he could smell it. I could smell his strength, his health, and it was not what I needed. Please go away… Please don’t follow me!

“Do I get a thank you?” Joseph said as he followed beside me, matching my speed.

He was so close to me I had to double-take. Damn it! He’s quick! “Thank you… I guess” I exhaled an irritated breath and hoped it would defer him and I would be left alone.

Instead, he followed me with a strangely contorted grin, a mixture of disgust, joy, and a look I couldn’t discern, leaving no space between us.

“You’re welcome.” He added, but his almost rumbling tone didn’t match his expression.

Something was off, and it made the fluttering in my chest cease. I shuddered, suddenly chilled. He continued to walk beside me, his pace matched to mine, the space between us shrinking until I could feel the heat radiating from his body.

“So, I hear these pretzels are legendary…” He continued when I didn’t respond. “I should try one myself…”

“You should,” I added, holding the pretzel tighter. “Feel free to get one right now…” And leave me alone.

“I might just do that, but…” he trailed off, his gaze fixed on me.

His calloused hand brushed against mine, a fleeting touch that sent a shockwave through my system. I recoiled, but his fingers tightened around my wrist, his grip firm but not unkind, more like a supportive brace than a constricting grip.

He pulled me to a stop. “I need to talk to you.”

“Well, I don’t need to talk to you!” I shot him a quick sideways glance, seeing that predatory void of blackness in his eyes that were partly human and partly wolf.

Sucking in a sharp breath, I ripped my hand away from him and hurried away. I was almost panting when I reached a set of outdoor wooden lunch tables outside the library building. Every muscle had become tense, and if I kept grinding my teeth, I’d have none left.

Deep breath… He’ll leave soon enough… I sucked a sharp breath of cool air, settling myself, then perched on the park bench. My hand trembled as I brought the pretzel to my lips. The salty crust was perfect, but the yeasty smell made my stomach heave again. I pushed it down. Battling nausea was becoming my new normal.

The air against my skin was fresh and crisp, a typical May autumn day—a sign winter was near, and the inevitable end of everything green. I caught a hint of pine in the breeze, and a small smile formed on my lips as I let it calm me. Or at least try to.

Without missing a beat, Joseph sat across from me. “You have a pretty smile,” Joseph said softly.

His comment caught me completely off guard, and I nearly dropped my pretzel. I turned to him. “Excuse me?”

He studied me, that predatory glance intensifying, turning animalistic. It was getting harder to ignore. Chills tingled down my spine, stopping deep inside my very core. This close, his scent was overpowering and made me want to retch.

“Do you mind?” I raised stiff eyebrows at him, my heart racing in my chest. “I told you I didn’t want to talk.”

“But I need to.” He replied. His gaze bore into my subconscious.

“Fine!” I rolled my eyes, tore a piece from the pretzel, and held it before my mouth. “If you want to talk, talk, or would you mind leaving?”

I slipped the piece into my mouth, and Joseph breathed out a pleading growl that rumbled low in his chest. He adjusted how he was sitting and then turned to look out over the yard. His breathing had quickened, but he didn’t leave. His broad shoulders had tensed, and before I could say anything, he pivoted back to meet my gaze.

“Sorry, it’s just…” he paused, now rubbing at the stitches above his eye. “I meant what I said earlier… you have this scent about you—”

“—Are you kidding me?” I coughed, choking on the piece of pretzel before finally swallowing it. I cleared my throat, the familiar burning in my chest a constant companion these days. “After everything… you have the nerve to repeat that?”

His eyes were void of colour, and the moonlight connection to the Moon Goddess was gone. “I don’t mean to—”

“To what…? Insult me! This is not a joke, Joseph.” I slammed my pretzel on the table, making him jump to his feet. His eyes returned to their dusty silver hue. Their raw, primal beauty made me pause momentarily before I narrowed my eyes on him again. “Your alpha wolf—”

“—Zodiac…” he added.

“Whoever!” I snapped. “He doesn’t intimidate me…” Lies. Zodiac, the imposing alpha-to-be, intimidated everyone.

“Intimidate?” Joseph blinked at me, looking genuinely wounded. “No, that’s not what I’m trying to do!” He moved, too fast, leaping over the table and standing face-to-face with me. “You honestly don’t feel it, do you?”

“Annoyed? Angry? Pissed off…?” I huffed, crossing my arms against the chill. “Yes, that I feel.”

“No!” He growled, the low rumble sending a wave of nausea through me. “The attraction?”

“Attraction…?” I gaped at him, wide-eyed, my veins burning. “To you…? After this?” This being the fact that he was leering at me like I was the worst thing he had smelt in his life!.

“Feel this…” Before I could even plan a thought, he leaned in and kissed the corner of my lips. His hands trembled as they found their way to my waist and pulled my body towards his. His warm lips moved across my jaw and paused, contorting into an unmissable grimace against my cheek.

No! A sharp pain surged through my abdomen, clawing at my insides. I tensed, placing my hand on his chest and pushing away from him. His hands fell away, as though burned. “You shouldn’t have done that!” I stumbled backward and landed on another bench. My heart raced, and my stomach churned as the pain intensified. Nausea washed over me, bitter and acrid. He could smell the cancer, and the scent disgusted him to his very core. I could see it in his eyes.

“Why are you doing this?” I hissed between trembling teeth, my insides turning to jelly against the spreading ache. “You have no right! I’m not yours! I can’t be treated like this!”

“You are mine…” He proclaimed as he rushed over and helped me to my feet, screwing up his nose in disgust. “But the smell…”

Smell! My heart sank, drawing out the last dregs of anger in me. “Leave me alone!” I swatted him away as I staggered to my trembling feet. “Why are you messing with me…? You’re a monster…!”

He shook his head, his eyes swirling with deep silver liquid, battling the wolfish instinct to reject the sickness. “I would never…I could never… You’re my mate!”

“Mate!” Now I couldn’t catch my breath, my chest growing tight. “That’s impossible!” I panted, pressing a hand against my pounding heart. “You’re lying! No werewolf before the age of eighteen can tell who their mate is!” I shook, unable to stop myself. “And even if one mate was older, it still doesn’t come into effect until the younger of the two have reached eighteen…!”

“But you are…” He proclaimed, his voice hoarse, as he rushed over and helped me to my feet, screwing up his nose in undisguised disgust. “Louise, you’re my mate… I can feel it… Zodiac can feel it!”

“You’re lying!” I shouted back at him, making him wince. “It’s not possible… You can’t expect me to believe that!”

“Please, believe me!” He pleaded, trying to reach for me. He recoiled, screwing his face up.

The naked disgust etched on his face made me lose all control of my thoughts. “Lies…! You can’t even stand the scent of me!” Death. That’s what cancer smelled like to wolves… to him!

He reached for me but stopped and stepped back. “I think the Moon Goddess has given us an early start because of your sickness. Maybe that’s why you smell odd… Maybe…”

Now I saw red. A scolding heat rose in my neck. I was only given the most terrible news that morning, and now this! Was this a joke to him?

“How dare you!” I yelled at him, my heart racing so fast that it ached. I pressed both hands to my stomach as the pain spasmed. “My sickness is not a game! I have cancer!” The words ripped out of me. It was the first time I’d admitted it out loud to anyone but those close to me.

“Cancer…” He gaped, shaking his head, his face contorting between disgust, fear, and disbelief. “But that’s impossible… You’re a werewolf… I can feel it… Zodiac can feel it! We don’t get sick… We don’t get things like that!”

“Well, it’s true!” I shouted, my nails digging into the skin of my palms. “And I refuse to listen to your games any longer! I may be sick, but that doesn’t give you any right to treat me like this!”

“Louise,” Joseph reached for me, then again recoiled, the silver in his eyes flickering dangerously. “I’m not lying about this…”

Everything constricted around me; my breath caught. Trembling, I held my abdomen, turned, and ran, attempting to flee the impossible truth he forced upon me. I was his mate, and he was repulsed by me.

“Wait, Louise!” he called after me.

Ignoring him, I continued to run, letting my natural omega wolf speed take over. Once I was out of the school grounds and knew he hadn’t followed me, I mind-linked Mum.

“Mum, I want to go home, please?” I pleaded with her as anger gave way to tears. “I’m at the playground across from the school…”

“What happened, sweetheart?” She asked, her voice tight with worry.

“I feel sick. I can’t focus. Please pick me up.” I hadn’t exactly lied, but I couldn’t bring myself to mention the altercation with Alpha Joseph; that would only worsen matters.

“I’ll be there shortly. I’ll inform the school that you won’t be back today.”

“Thank you,” I replied as our link ended.

I caught my breath, and dropped to my knees at the base of a looming tree and cried, clutching my stomach with all the might I could muster. What did Joseph expect to achieve with a sick she-wolf like me? Mate? Was he playing mind games with me? Did he think I was an easy target?

I leaned against the rough bark and pulled my knees to my chest; the pressure offering the slightest relief from the twisting pain. I wiped tears from my eyes and calmed my breathing. The phantom feeling of Joseph’s lips lingered on the corner of my mouth, mocking me, making the tears fall harder. Why me? Why was this happening to me?