Shifting Fates

Zion

Zion

I shouldn’t have kissed her. I shouldn’t have tried to prove a point to Silas that he could hurt just like she could. But him touching Lena without accepting Aspen’s rejection was an asshole move. He didn’t deserve her. He never did. Even their friendship had always rubbed me the wrong way. She was such a force, and Silas...well he was lower than dirt right now. I couldn’t even think of what Aspen’s father was going to think about the situation. He knew how close the two of them were, and for them to just now find out they were mates...I shook my head trying to clear the thoughts away.

Looking down, I let a soft smile cross my lips. She was beautiful. Inside and out. She deserved the world and everything in it. I’d always thought that. We didn’t have fated mates much anymore, I was okay with that. I had my eyes set on her since I became her father’s top warrior. I even talked to him about my feelings for his daughter and he was always supportive. I knew she didn’t quiet feel the same for me, but I would give her all the time she needed. After last night though, it was going to be really hard not to pull her close and kiss her whenever I wanted. She still had a fated mate.

She stirred in my arms and gave a content sigh before opening her eyes, blinking up at me. “Hi.” I said softly, pressing my lips to her forehead. I watched her eyes close slowly and then open again. I wanted to know what was going on in that pretty head of hers. I wanted to know if she felt last night was a mistake, even if it took the pain away.

“Hi.” Aspen moved to sit up fully, her eyes never leaving mine. “Last night was...” Her voice trailed off as her cheeks became rosy. I had to smirk, it was the cutest thing ever and I seriously hoped she wasn’t trying to get me to finish her sentence. Because for me, last night was the best night of my life. I wanted her more than I realized. I would fight for her.

“It was amazing. Z, why did you never tell me about your feelings for me?” She asked softly, placing her soft hand on my cheek.

I probably looked like an i***t. I hadn’t expected her to actually think it was amazing. Did she feel the same for me? “I knew how you felt about Silas. I kinda always figured I was in the brother-zone. I never wanted to make things weird between us.” I said softly, clasping my hand over hers and squeezing it slightly. I could see the tears brimming in her eyes and I reached out, pulling her close to my chest.

“Why couldn’t you be my fated? I brother-zoned you because I thought that’s what you wanted.” She sobbed softly. The poor girl was so broken, it crushed my heart. “You took my pain away...” Her voice trailed off as she took in a deep breath and pulled away slightly from me, enough to be inches from my face. “Do it again. Zion. Take my pain away again.” She whispered as if she was asking something forbidden. We weren’t forbidden. If she only knew how much her father wanted us to be together. I didn’t need her to ask twice. My lips crashed onto hers in a heated, needy kiss.

Aspen wrapped her arms around my neck and situated herself over my lap effortlessly. Her thighs squeezed the outside of mine and I wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her as close as possible as I deepened the kiss. My tongue was battling hers, she wasn’t giving up easily and I didn’t want her to. The battle that we were having just heated things between us.

She pulled back to catch her breath and I rest my forehead against hers. Our heavy breathing was the only thing I could hear, it was the only thing I was focused on. She bit her bottom lip and looked up at me with so much lust in her eyes I outwardly groaned. “Aspen, don’t look at me like that. I’m trying so hard to control my wolf already. “ I whispered closing my eyes. I wanted her, she knew that now. But now I knew she wanted me too.

“Don’t do this because of Silas.” I finally said as my common sense caught up to me. I didn’t want to be her back up, her rebound from losing someone she’s wanted all her life. The sharp intake of air that came from her had my eyes popping open and staring straight into hers. It was like I’d stabbed her with a knife, her reaction startled me.

“Z, I rejected him. I knew it couldn’t work with him.” She said softly, placing both her tiny hands on either side of my cheeks. “I’m not doing anything because of him.” She said before claiming my lips with hers again. I groaned into the kiss and wrapped my arms tightly around her and forced myself to pull away.

 “We need to get going. Your father expects us home soon.” I whispered hating the fact I was going to have to let her go. “You can ride with me, though on the way back.” I smirked, kissing her lips one last time before getting up. The horses weren’t going to ready themselves. I packed our blankets onto her horse, along with some of the supplies from mine. I threw my leg over the saddle and scooted back slightly before offering my hand to her grab and pulling her up in front of me. She snuggled into me and I couldn’t help but smile. She fit so perfectly, like she was meant to be. “Hold on tight.” I whispered in her ear before kissing her cheek and heading back to our castle.