Chapter 3
1207 Words
Ariana
The moment I finished reading my mother's note, I knew I was in trouble.
A whole week alone in the same house with Marco felt like punishment from the moon goddess herself.
I folded the paper, stuffed it back into its envelope, and shoved it into my dresser drawer as if hiding it would change anything.
I told myself I’d be smart. I’d keep my distance. I’d eat when he wasn't around, stay in my room as much as possible, and wait until my mother came back.
A week wasn't forever. I could do this.
The first couple of days went according to plan. I barely saw him. I heard his voice a few times downstairs, deep and commanding when he spoke to other pack members on the phone.
Once, I caught a glimpse of him walking through the garden from my window, his shirt clinging to him after what looked like a workout.
I shut the curtains immediately, my heart hammering.
It was childish, but I started living like a thief in the house. I made instant noodles at two in the morning, crept through the halls in silence, and carried snacks up to my room like a teenager hiding contraband.
It worked, until it didn't.
On the fourth night, hunger pushed me downstairs earlier than usual. I figured Marco would be in bed by then, and I wanted real food for once, instead of chips.
The packhouse was quiet as I padded barefoot into the kitchen. The overhead lights were off, but a faint glow spilled across the counter.
I stopped dead in my tracks.
Marco was there.
He sat at the kitchen table, shirtless, with only the laptop screen lighting his face.
His muscles caught the glow, every line of his chest and arms carved in shadow and light.
He looked like he belonged in that darkness, dangerous and too magnetic for me to turn away from.
My throat went dry. “Oh,, I didn't think anyone was in here”
His eyes flicked up, catching mine immediately. They were too sharp, too green, like they could see through every excuse I was about to make.
“Couldn't sleep?”
“I….yeah. just wanted a snack,” I stammered.
I opened the fridge, grabbing whatever came to hand, a carton of juice, an apple, something to look busy.
“I’ll get out of your way”
“Ariana” The way he said my name made me stop. It wasn't an order, but it left no room to ignore him. Slowly, I turned back towards him.
“Yes?”His gaze never wavered. “Why have you been avoiding me?”
My fingers tightened around the apple. “ I haven't…”
He raised an eyebrow, and I flushed. Lying to an alpha was pointless.
“Fine,” I admitted. “Because you know why.”
His jaw tightened. He shut the laptop and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Because of the bond?”
I nodded, unable to speak. Just hearing him saying it out loud made my chest feel heavier.
“I never wanted this either,” he said quietly. “I didn't ask for the moon goddess to tie me to you. Especially not like this.”
The hurt in his voice mirrored my own but it didn't make the pain any easier.
“It's wrong.” I whispered. “You're married to my mother. She's happy. She loves you..”
“And I care for her,” he interrupted. His eyes hardened. “Which is why this bond is a curse. It shouldn't exist. You shouldn't have to carry this weight.”
I swallowed, my chest tight. “So, what do we do?” I asked, his words making me feel unwanted. I
I ignored the sting in my eyes as his words brought back memories of how my ex and I had broken up. The fact that he didn't love me anymore broke me more than I wanted to admit.
He was silent for a long moment before finally saying. “I can reject you”
The air left my lungs. “Reject me?”
His gaze held mine, steady but heavy with regret.
“It will hurt. A lot, because I know you might have been so eager to find out who your mate is. But it might be the only way to protect your mother, and you.”
I felt the apple slip from my hand onto the counter. The thought of rejection was unbearable, but so was the bond of staying bound to him.
Slowly, I nodded. “If that's what you think it's best..”
He stood, and suddenly he was right in front of me. I tilted my head back to meet his gaze, his scent wrapping around me, warm and intoxicating.
“I'm sorry, Ariana,” he whispered.
Before I could answer, his voice thundered in my mind, carrying the weight of Alpha’s command. “I Marco, reject you Ariana, as my mate”
Pain exploded in my chest. I gasped, clutching at my stomach as the force of it knocked the breath out of me.
Tears blurred my vision. It felt like my soul was being ripped in two.
But then, nothing. The bond didn't snap.
Through the haze, I looked up at him. His face was pale, his jaw clenched as he gripped the back of the chair for support.
“It didn't work” I whispered hoarsely.
His eyes widened in shock. “Impossible”
I shook my head, trembling. “The bond, it's still there. I can feel it.”
The silence between us crackled like fire. He stepped closer, and though my body screamed at me to move, I couldn't.
His hand rose, brushing a strand of hair from my face. The touch was electric, pulling a shiver down my spine.
“Do you feel it too?” He asked softly, his breath warm against my skin.
“Yes,” I admitted. My voice, barely audible.
For a moment, the world narrowed to just us, the weight of his hand on my cheeks, the heat between us, the bond thrumming like a drum beat on my chest.
My lips parted, waiting, wanting. It felt so right even when I knew it in the back of my mind that it was wrong.
And then, he pulled away.
The sudden distance felt like a slap. He turned, raking a hand through his hair. “No. I can't do this. Not to her”
I stood frozen, breathless, my whole body trembling.
He snapped his laptop shut, grabbed it, and walked towards the door.
Before leaving, he paused, his voice rough. “Stay away from me Ariana. For both our sakes..”
The door clicked shut, leaving me alone in the dark kitchen.
I sank into a chair, burying my face in my hands. My body still ached from the failed rejection, and my heart thudded unevenly.
I would have let him kiss me. Oh my goodness, I wanted him to.
And that terrified me more than anything else because it proved what a horrible daughter I was and how I wasn't that much different from my father.
- Writer
