24.
1017 Words
"I thought you would never wake up" she almost smiled at the sound of Arro's voice. Slumped in the chair in the corner he sat watching her. Gatlin was curled up like a small child despite the uncomfortable sleeping arrangement she actually slept like a log but that was probably something to do with the tea "you feeling okay?" he added once she didn't respond. Gatlin sighed rolling onto her back to stare at the plain white ceiling.
"I'm fine, Arro. Trying to forget some of that embarrassment last night" reliving the events of the night before she wanted to hideout. Seeing her all weak and pathetic it wasn't something she was proud of.
“Gatlin, it wasn’t your fault... Onyx he...” Arro sighed slumping forward the long strands of hair falling over his forehead.
“He had s*x with his girlfriend” Gatlin spoke through gritted teeth “it’s not taboo to say we are all adults but we are acting like babies about it.”
“It’s not taboo...I mean it is cause she isn’t his mate but” Arro rubbed his hands over his face the obvious lack of sleep weighing in on him “still..”
“Still what?” Gatlin scoffed “despite his confusion she’s the one he’s in love with at the end of the day she’s the one he’s claimed as his own. Not me, Arro this needs to be accepted” Gatlin shook her head still staring at the ceiling “as soon as I’m graduate the better.”
“You think that? You leave the pack and move then what?” Arro practically jumped to his feet. The heavy boots thudding against the floorboards as he came closer.
“Then I get on with my life go to school and study, live with my aunt like I always wanted and Onyx can continue doing whatever he’s doing” Gatlin shrugged and slipped her hands behind her head as Arro began to laugh but it was a humourless one dropping down beside her onto the bed.
“You think that don’t you?” He looked at her expectantly.
“Yeah” another shrug of her shoulders.
Arro leaned closer his face practically hovering over hers “I’m going to tell you something, Linz. This whole thing is naive and you moving away will change nothing. You will still feel him, his pain, his pleasure you will feel it all as he will yours. The connection isn’t like some wifi connection distancing from the connection you have won’t change anything at all—“
“I don’t want to be with him” Gatlin flatly replied.
“He is your mate and you may say that now, Linz but the pull is there and one day you will want him, you will love him” she shook her head furiously at his words before propping herself up on her elbows.
“No,” she said firmly.
“Yes, even now I can see it in your eyes talking about him. Apart of you, it may be small but a part of you wants to be with him and you can continue to deny it but it’s true. You can’t escape it, Linz no one does” he held a look of sympathy as he got to his feet walking to the doorway.
“Why are you saying all this?” Gatlin spoke her eyes wide like a child she was mature sure but at the end of the day, she was merely an eighteen year old yet to discover the world.
“Because I’m your friend and I care about you. I don’t want you to have the wool pulled over your eyes in all this” Arro gave a small smile worried he damaged their friendship with his blatant words but Gatlin smiled in return not holding any ill will towards the young Alpha to be. Arro opened the door but stepped back in surprise coming face to face with Onyx who held his hand raised ready to knock “my, my cousin you're asking for another ass-kicking aren’t you?”
“Can you leave so I can speak to Gatlin” Onyx spoke firmly his eyes drifting towards his estranged mate, however. Arro glanced to Gatlin also waiting for her confirmation in which she gave a subtle nod.
“Fine” Arro barged passed the warrior and out of the room. Onyx lingered awkwardly in the doorway before finally entering and closing the door, Gatlin, however, hadn’t bothered to even get off her bed.
“What do you want, Onyx?” She spoke bluntly.
“Quite a few male protectors you’ve got gathering around here” he commented eyes glancing to the doorway.
“Yes, they are called friends but I’m sure that’s not what you came to talk about so can you get on with it” Gatlin’s patience always seemed to grow thin with Onyx.
“I’m sorry... As soon as I got back Jaxon told... Well shouted at me about what happened” running his fingers over his cropped hair “I’m sorry, Gatlin if I knew...”
“If you knew you’d never have s*x again?” Gatlin laughed “get real Onyx she’s your chosen mate.”
“But if I knew it would affect you” his large silver eyes stared at her full of sorrow “I’m sorry, it’s why I gave you a pass for the day.”
“A pass?” Gatlin’s unkept eyebrows furrowed at his words.
“Yes it’s almost noon” he clarified and her face dropped to a frown.
“Are you kidding me?” Gatlin growled jumping from the bed she didn’t care about his presence as she frantically changed in front of him forcing Onyx to avert his gaze “though the thought was of good intention, Onyx I have little time to prepare to graduate and you’ve almost now set me back a day” she spoke sliding on a pair of tracksuit pants “a day I can’t get back. I need to be at the top of my game and I can’t risk losing a single day.”
“Gatlin, I didn’t mean—“
“I know” she sighed sitting onto the bed as she pulled on a pair of sneakers “I know you didn’t mean to. If you feel bad fine but don’t do nice things for me out of pity” Gatlin jumped to her feet once the shoes were secured “and please save the apologies” and with that, she walked out without even a second glance at her mate but all Arro’s words lingering right over her head.
- Writer
