Demands and A Kiss
1188 Words
Ares POV
"Sit down," Mom commanded, and I did. I could feel her anger rolling off her.
"You cheated on your mate," she said, and I hung my head in shame.
"Well, speak," Mom said.
"You know I don't want a mate," I told her, meeting her eyes. I wanted to look away, but I had to face what I had done.
"Well, as your father says — tough s**t. You were hoping you would all get separate mates, but the Moon Goddess paired you with someone who is probably powerful enough that she needs three strong Lycans to match her direct lineage," Mom said, holding my gaze.
"Just because the Moon Goddess paired us with her doesn't mean I will be forced to accept her," I said, getting annoyed. I could feel her heat aura spreading through the room, not that it affected me.
"Ever since you were a child, you have been stubborn and closed off. You don't let anyone get close to you. You shelter yourself away, believing it makes you stronger, but it doesn't. Your stubbornness has put distance between you and your brothers," she said, then took my face in her hands.
"You will end up alone and weak, my son. You have a sweet mate who I know loves you. Even though you won't admit it, you love her too. Pushing her away will weaken the bond all four of you have established. Is that what you want — to weaken yourself and your brothers?" she said.
I stayed quiet. I hadn't thought about that.
She let go of my face.
"Figure this out and apologize before it's too late to fix it," she said, and then she left, taking her words with her and leaving me alone with my thoughts and my guilt.
Arabella POV
This was the fifth day in a row I had woken up without my mates beside me. I rarely saw them during the day, as they were stuck in their office. When I went to sleep, they weren't there either. Sam said Kyle was doing the same. I could feel that something big was happening, but every time I asked, they deflected. It hurt my feelings, but I told myself whatever it was had to be important.
I was walking down the main hall when I found myself in the study — the same room where King Damon had assaulted me. My head started to spin as the memory filled in, and tears formed. I leaned against a table for support.
Then I caught a familiar scent, and I turned around to find Ares leaning against the wall, watching me.
"What do you want?" I asked, wiping my tears away.
His face held an emotion I couldn't quite place.
"I felt your distress and came to see if you were okay," he said.
He came to check on me. I almost called it bullshit.
"I'm fine, thanks. You can go back to whatever you were doing," I told him.
The memory of him hitting me in this very room was still fresh in my mind. Then suddenly he was in front of me, gripping my waist with both arms, breathing me in. I struggled a little, but if I was being honest, I was enjoying his touch. It was firm yet gentle, and I could hear Royal purring softly.
"You smell so good," he murmured, nuzzling his head into my neck, and I felt an inner battle start — trying not to give in while desperately wanting to.
I ended up breathing him in too. I leaned into his shoulder and slowly put my arms around his waist. The sudden tenderness from him was pushing me to my breaking point.
I turned and ran out through the back door. The sky was dark, and it was raining hard. I stopped and let the rain wash over me as my tears fell. It felt good on my skin. It matched my mood completely.
I turned back around, and Ares was right behind me.
"Don't run from me," he said, grabbing my arm.
I shrugged him off. I couldn't do this anymore.
I backed away from him, all of my emotions bubbling to the surface at once.
"You don't want me," I told him. "You have said it over and over — you don't want a mate, you don't want me. You called me a slut. You hit me. I hadn't done a single thing to you, and you hit me. You accepted the mate bond and then turned around and cheated on me. I would never have done that to you. You hurt me. Why did you hurt me?"
I shook my head before he could answer.
"Never mind. It doesn't matter. I'm just an omega to you. And right now your brothers are shutting me out too, so how about just forget all of you?" I said, tears rolling down my face.
His expression went unreadable again. The silence only made me angrier.
I decided I had enough and pushed past him, but he caught my arm as I walked by and pulled me into a kiss.
It caught me completely off guard, and because of the mate bond, I melted instantly. The kiss was urgent and consuming, and I found myself moaning into it as he wrapped his arms around my waist and I wrapped mine around his neck, running my fingers through his wet black hair. We fought for dominance as our tongues moved together. He picked me up, and I wrapped my legs around him. I felt a deep need rise in me — not just want, need. I needed him.
I started to feel a buzz building inside of me, fast and warm. He was kissing me through my tears, and it was so perfect — until he suddenly pulled back and looked around us.
He let me go, still scanning our surroundings.
My eyes left his face and widened as I looked around us. The rain had stopped. A perfect circle of water was flowing around us like a ring. Then it dropped all at once.
He looked back at me.
"I can't do this," he muttered, then shifted and ran into the forest.
I stood there stunned, not sure how to process what had just happened. He had kissed me. He had actually kissed me. I touched my lips, still swollen, and looked at the puddle of water surrounding us on the ground.
I had done that.
Royal, what just happened?
You unlocked the power yourself when you spoke your feelings to your mate. The emotion caused our power to flow out and mix with the rainwater, Royal explained.
Do I have my other abilities now too?
Not yet. They will come when you are ready.
I thought about shifting and going after Ares, but his words echoed back.
"I can't do this."
He didn't want to give me a chance. Give us a chance. That hurt more than I knew how to say.
I straightened myself up and headed back inside, unaware that someone was watching from the shadows.
- Writer
