Bound to the Alpha

15

I’m breathing heavily and letting out grunts as I fight him. The force slams me into the cupboards and I drop the plate in my hand. It shatters on the floor, but I don’t hear anything over the brutal roaring in my ears.

He sulks back down for a second, and I try to catch my breath, knowing that this is far from over.

“Are you okay?” It’s Chloe’s voice, but it seems far away. “Ethan?” Through the fog in my head it sounds like I’m underwater as she calls to me.

She looks shocked—almost frightened—as she comes into the kitchen and sees me.

And I don’t blame her. I must look like a monster.

The slick guy from dinner with the nice clothes and soft words is gone.

I’m leaning against the broken cupboard door, breathing like the devil’s in me, and covered in sweat. My shirt is shredded from where my bear almost got out as he stretched my muscles twice their size. My hair is a mess over my wild feral eyes and I’m not sure if my teeth have gone back in by the way her eyes flash with panic when she looks at my mouth.

You stupid f**k…

I’m not sure if I’m talking to myself or to my bear. My bear for being so goddamn stubborn and ruining it all, or myself for thinking this would ever work. What made you think that Chloe would ever want to be with a monster like you?

My shoulders hunch over in shame and I turn away from the goddess standing in front of me. I don’t deserve to look at her.

“I need a minute,” I grunt as I head for the sliding doors. The broken plate cracks under my feet as I hurry outside where I can get some cover from the dark night sky.

I don’t want her to see me like this. I liked how she was looking at me over dinner, with soft eyes full of interest and excitement. The look in her sweet blue eyes now… f**k, I ruined everything.

My bear snarls and starts pacing once again now that there’s a wall between us and our mate. He doesn’t like that I’m not with her. That possessive motherfucker doesn’t know or doesn’t care that he just ruined everything. He wants me to claim her over the broken plate on the kitchen floor.

Look what you did! She’ll never look at us the same way again!

He growls back at me, not caring what I have to say. He’s got a one-track mind and all that’s on it is claim, claim, claim in an endless f*****g loop.

My hands squeeze into fists and I throw my head back as he starts fighting me again. “Stop. It,” I hiss through gritted teeth as he slashes his way up, wrenching and tearing his way out.

I hope she’s not seeing this.

My body is violently jerking around as I struggle to keep the barbaric beast contained. He’s insane. I f*****g hate him for ruining this for me. For us.

I’m so pissed that if I could get him out of me and wrap my hands around his thick stubborn neck, I would. Then, I wouldn’t let go until his head was removed from his body and mounted over my fireplace.

My shoulders burn as they grow twice their size. Long fur sprouts out until I squeeze him back in and the long brown hairs retract back into my skin. “Arrghh,” I grunt as my eyes water and my teeth nearly shatter from my jaw clenching so hard. I grab two handfuls of my hair and squeeze as he fights me, snarling and gnashing his teeth as we lock horns like a couple of alphas in battle.

I crash into the railing on the balcony and that’s when I see her.

Chloe is outside, watching me in front of the open door. Her hands are rubbing together nervously as she watches the horrific scene in front of her.

My bear sees the worried look in her eyes and I guess he has a shred of decency left, because he sulks back down with a grunt and lets me handle it. Thanks, you asshole. Like I can ever talk my way out of this.

She looks at me for a long moment as I try to catch my breath.

“What’s wrong?” she finally asks in a tiny voice.

My heart sinks as I look at her, knowing my grizzly bear might have ruined everything. We could have had love. We could have had so much more.

She’ll want to leave now, but I won’t let her. There’s no way I’m letting my mate out of my sight. But it’s going to be different now. Instead of wanting to be here, I’ll be forcing her to stay and that’s no good when it comes to making a life together.

It’s too hard to even think about and I have to look away or my heart will literally break.

Chloe hurries over to me and touches my arm. I can feel the nervous tremors in her hand and it just makes everything worse. I should be her protector. The one who takes away her fear, not gives it to her.

“You can tell me,” she says in a soft voice that settles the rage in my grizzly. Now he’s calm. Now he’s a teddy bear. Well, it’s too f*****g late, I tell him.

She touches my cheek and my eyes start to water. “You can tell me anything,” she whispers.

I swallow hard as I look into those stunning blue eyes that have already changed my life. “It’s my bear… He wants you.”

She doesn’t turn away or run, and I love her more now than I ever have before.

“He’s been waiting so long and he doesn’t want to wait any longer.”

Her tiny hand slides down my arm all the way to my hand. She entwines her fingers with mine and I look down at the difference. Her hand is so small and delicate, mine is enormous and pure power.