His Chosen Mate (Complete- Standalone)

Chapter 22

I woke to knocks at the door, a bang that conveyed desperation. I actually woke up moments ago to the feeling that someone was watching me, I lazily turned around to check but my room was empty and I wasn’t ready to get out of bed. I’m not tired, not really but laying here not thinking was nice. I assume Troy is at the door, someone is pounding on it like they are the police but I left in unlocked and just assumed he’d walk in.

I think I’ve decided to be honest with him. Tell him I want to get to know him, I want to know my mate but I need answers. I need to understand this curse, I need to believe it was the curse that harmed me, not him and I need him to do this on my terms. Maybe he is already making compromises for me, but I need to be aware of it. I mean he did fly me back to my condo to pack. He is giving me space right now. As I swing the door open I am shocked to see Kingston. He has grey sweats on, clearly commando cause the bulge is the first thing that draws my eyes. He looks handsome even in sweats. A short sleeve black tee, his hair perfectly styled, his jaw sharp leads to his smirk, following my eyes up his body. I blush. Our eyes met and there is a twinkle in them. Yeah, yeah. I am looking at your d**k. The recognition plays between us.

“What are you doing here?” I ask as I stick my head out the door looking for the wolf who was standing guard when I came into the house.

“Saving you. Duh.” His smirk broke way to a full-blown smile, reaching to his eyes.

“Oh.” Is all I can manage as he lets himself in pushing past me. Then his eyes catch my neck, he draws my hair back as he growls.

“He claimed you.” Sh*t. I was really just accepting the idea of figuring out my mate bond, I wasn’t ready to deal with Kingston.

“Yeah.” I say dragging out the word, trying to look anywhere but at Kingston.

“Did he force himself on you? Did he hurt you?” Kingston was snarling.

“I… It’s complicated.” My voice broke as I struggled to get out what I wanted to say, to give him an excuse even though I didn’t owe him one, “I was kind of steamrolled by the bond. I... I just didn’t know. I wasn’t prepared for it, I guess.”

“I saw you had a head injury, did he hurt you, Ashleigh?” How had he known?

“I. Kingston, I don’t kno-”

“It’s a simple yes or no. Did he hurt you enough that you needed a CT scan? Did he force this mark on you?” His anger was rolling off him. His fists clenched at his side. Not that I had a ton of experience with Kingston, but I’ve never seen him upset or angry, this side of him was a little unnerving. His face was disgusted as he raised his hand to my throat, his fingers spread around the mark on my neck and I gasped as he closed his hand around my throat, tightly. His eyes looked colorless as his breath heat my cheek. His fingers dug into the sides of my neck, my breath hitched as my throat was crushing, gasping for breath. “Did he force his mark on you?” He spat in my face, his nose touching mine. I shook my head no. “Did you claim him?” I went to nod yes but I stopped myself and kind of just trembled as I pushed Kingston. But as my hands landed on his chest, he didn’t back up. He didn’t relent. I try to call his name but I can’t get a breath out. Black dots filled my vision and I began to panic, he was choking me. Hurting me. I used my leg, with all the force I could muster to knee Kingston in the groin. It was enough that he released my neck and I coughed, gasping for air. I pushed past him and ran into my room, hoping to shut the door behind me but he pushed through.

“You claimed him?” Kingston’s face was red, his shoulders hunched, growing in size. He looked feral, he looked like a beast.

“Please Kingston, you told me I was free to explore my mate bond. You want to choke me for it?” I had backed myself against the back wall.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I just- leaving you behind and then knowing you were hurt.” His face was warring emotions, one of pain, frustration, and rage, his eyes looking light blue now. “I was helpless to protect you. I felt horrible, I felt guilty and it has my wolf going nuts.” He tried to brush the back of his hand against my face but I flinched. My initial reaction towards Kingston, the worry, the fear that he was hiding something all returned, it crawled through my very existence like ivy climbed over stone.

“It’s ok. This is all very confusing. It’s a lot.” I acted scared and docile. I wanted him to see me this way. Maybe if he saw me as weak it would give me an opening to escape or retaliate something.

“I know. I am sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I just know how the mate bond is. How intense it makes things. It makes you feel like you can forgive atrocious acts and be a partner to a monster. Because the pull to be with them is so strong.” I imagine Kingston did know what that was like based on the story he shared with his own mate. I wonder if they had claimed each other, I wonder if our desire was increased because of it. Was what Kingston saying true… am I overlooking an obvious monster, forsaking my own standards because I was too blinded by the mate bond? He had hurt me and had a history of hurting other women, curse or not he had a reputation and while my aunt and cousin called him a good alpha, they clearly feared him, were their words planted out of trepidation.

“I honestly don’t know what to do, but I planned on talking with him. He isn’t treating me like a prisoner.” I offered.

“Ashleigh, he had guards keeping you inside, he had your implant removed, he made you quit your job. Are you here to pack or do you have the freedom to continue your life how you see fit? And you still haven’t told me how your head was injured.”

“How do you know that?”

“My job, ya know. Security technologies for medical networks. I put a ping on your file. I didn’t expect something to come in so quickly but I had hoped it would give me peace of mind if you went for a physical or something. If I knew you were safe. I know it's a bit stalkerish Ash, I do. When we separated it felt hopeless. It felt like you were doing it because you had no other choice. I’m here to give you another choice.”

“What choice is that?” I was slightly scared of him, he seemed so unhinged just moments ago but I could understand the reason in his words and I could rationalize that his wolf lost control. I was only half wolf and my temper often got the best of me.

He responded with a devilish smile and a simple, “Me.”