Waiting For Her (The Alphas Young Mate)

Sixteen | Her Pain.

POV | AceWith my hands fisted in the sheets of my bed, I knew I f****d up. I didn't have to watch her run away to feel a piece of her snap inside, because I felt it too. As I came to my bearings I linked through to Kane and Col 

'Here. Now.' 

I knew I was being abrupt, but I also knew that I had woken them when I growled at my angel. Their wolves immediately reacted to mine when I screamed. But I needed them to get here quickly. Because right now, I'm fighting back the urge to follow after Aliah and claim her as mine. 

'Claim her... Mine.. Claim her' 

The words echoed in my mind, them dancing around pushing me dangerously close to the edge. But how, how would I even claim her now?

She was hurt, and it was because of me. 

I dug my claws into the sheets, hearing them tear as I tried to calm my breathing. Everything inside me was yearning for my mate. Everything in me wanted to go and make it right. But I shook the thoughts away, the memory of her body pinned beneath mine keeping me in place as I waited for my men. 

I wanted her. To claim, to love, to protect. The scent that had surrounded her moments ago had changed from that of the one I had smelt when we first met. Aliah was no longer pure. The lust that so many had spoken about before, I finally understood. The scent of your mates arousal, the one that drove every wolf crazy. I could finally smell it on her. 

"Ace..." I heard Col's voice. Him and Kane pushed themselves into my room. Col rushed to my side while Kane checked all possible entry points for any sign of an intruder. 

As Col closed the space between us he froze. The scent of Aliah and I filling his senses, to which his eyes went wide. With a shake of his head he covered his nose. Soon enough Kane stilled by the window he was checking as he sniffed the air, him too covering his nose as his eyes darted in my direction. 

The scent of Aliah's arousal mixed with my own made my fingers dig deeper into the surface beneath. The sacred musky sweetness nearly ripping me apart while my angel cried only a few walls away. 

"I was too tired..." I finally spoke. "I was too tired to control Xerxes... I almost claimed her" Kane and Col shared a look 

This wasn't the first time I had almost lost control. Last time was the reason we became as connected as we are now. So for them to look on at me with as much worry as they did was understandable. 

"Did you?..." Col began to ask, scanning both myself and the bed for any trace of her blood. 

"No" I growled to which he stepped back. Not wanting to disturb the place I had yet to tear my eyes away from. The place where I held her beneath me. 

Closing my eyes I tried to calm my heart as my mind flooded. The way her legs wrapped around my hips, how her body melted perfectly into mine. Each memory only makes my skin burn with need. The scent of her on the sheets below began to fill my senses as her soft whimpers beyond the walls filled my ears. 

Again, I growled. 

"Boss, are you alright?" Kane asked, stepping closer. His words cut through the haze that had filled my mind. I finally snapped my eyes away from the bed to meet their worried gazes. 

With a sigh I ran a hand down my face, finally saying what we all knew was coming "Holding back with Aliah at such a close distance is only going to make it harder"

"Almost as hard as you are now?" Kane laughed, nodding towards the straining bulge in my pants. 

"I'm serious" I growled back. 

I looked beyond Kane and Col at the door, pain filled my chest hearing Aliah's sniffles. They followed my gaze, knowing the urge I was fighting. 

Turning back, Kane gave me an apologetic look as he shrugged "Maybe letting it happen wouldn't be the worst thing?" 

I closed my eyes feeling the temptation swarm. Of course it had crossed my mind, more than once. As well as many others. Would she want it, would she be happy, strong enough? But if I did, there would be no going back. Aliah wouldn't be able to have a say, and I refused to take that decision away from her. 

"She's too young, I won't do that to her. We need to implement the plan as discussed" I stood as I spoke, finally getting my bearings before adding "Tomorrow" 

Kane and Col both nodded in agreement without another word before leaving. With Aliah's fourteenth birthday approaching we were losing time. Her wolf was getting stronger while she was getting weaker. I could feel it, and little by little I was losing my control. 

I knew I needed to be close to her, but at the risk of claiming her I kept my distance. After tonight I now could see it was hurting her, and now, I'd crushed her. I was done avoiding this, tomorrow the plan would be implemented. Aliah was to finally start her training, and we won't stop until her body is strong enough to embrace her wolf. 

As the morning rolled in I groaned from lack of sleep. Between the thunder and Aliah's soft whimpers I couldn't manage to drift off again. Instead I found myself pacing in my office going over the training schedule that was to be implemented. 

As the sun began to shine through the trees in the distance I threw the papers back on my desk. The light tapping of footsteps echoed in the hall as my angel made her way downstairs. I sighed before making my way out the office, her scent immediately hitting me as I did. 

Making my way down the stairs I felt my chest pull tight. Aliah's eyes met mine for a second before she turned away. The same feeling from last night washed over me, pain. Edith walked between us, placing food on the table before giving me a small nod. 

"Good Morning Alpha" She smiled.

"Morning Edith" I nodded back, taking the seat across from Aliah who still had her gaze focused out the window. Despite the pain that hung between us, I could still feel her heart racing from my presence. I knew she didn't understand what was happening to her, and it killed me even more knowing that at this point in time, I couldn't explain it.

"Aliah..." I breathed out, hoping she would look my way. Instead she continued to ignore me as she turned to the food "...We need to talk about last night"

"No, we don't" she spat, her eyes locking to the plate in front of her. 

I knew last night I hurt her. But right now, finally hearing her voice, I was reliving that moment. The moment I felt her heart break when I screamed at her to leave. The worst part, she has no idea why she's hurting. 

"Angel..." I tried to prod only for her to slam down the fork in her grasp.

"Don't call me that" She snapped.

I sighed watching her fill her plate as she tried to shut me out. Leaning forward on the table I reached over, wrapping my hand around hers that held onto a serving spoon. She froze at the contact, the warmth that we shared last night starting to burn in our touch. 

"Why were you in my room?" As if in a daze she shook her head before she rolled her eyes. 

"Sorry, didn't realise it was against the law" The sarcasm in her tone made me clench my jaw. 

"Aliah I almost..." 

"Almost what?" She spat, pulling her hand from mine, crossing her arms as her eyes finally looked at me. 

"I almost bit you Aliah!" I growled, unable to hold back. Her eyes went wide at my confession before she shook her head.

"But why..." her words spoken in a whisper as her eyes watered. I tried to reach out again, only for her to pull away. The rejection I felt in the action consumed me for a moment before I found my words. 

"Because I want to protect you. You said it yourself, you're weak. You're not strong enough for Amestris, and I refuse to let it destroy you" She glanced between my eyes as the tears began to fall. She was sad, but there was anger too. 

"What are you saying Ace?" I could tell as her lip quivered that there was so much more she wanted to ask, so much more she wanted me to say. But I found myself stuck, unable to give her the whole truth. The promise I had made to her father that day being the only thing I wanted to break right now. 

Instead, I was breaking her heart. 

Closing my eyes I stood from the table, grounding myself as I turned away "You start training today, Kane will meet you on the grounds" 

Before I could leave she stood, slamming her hands down on the table "That's all you have to say?"

Without looking back I held my head high "Finish your breakfast Aliah" 

That was the last time Aliah and I spoke. Since breakfast that day, she shut me out. At first I thought she was just upset, I thought with time it would get better. But after weeks passed she remained stubborn. And I didn't blame her for a second, only myself. 

She was hurting, she wanted answers. But I made the hard choice, I needed her to focus on getting stronger. Some days I would see her with her friends or watch her train. But the real reason I stayed and watched, was because despite seeing her smiles when she was with others, was the pain that filled me everyday. 

Although Aliah was getting physically stronger, she was getting weaker all the same. When she trained she was strong. But the moment she stopped I could feel the pain that coursed through her. 

Knowing she would only shut me out if I tried to get close, I settled for watching from a distance. Hoping my presence from afar would somehow help my Angel. But as Long as she was training and getting stronger in one way, I would give her all the time in the world to come back to me. 

I just wish I could take away her pain until she was ready.