XXVII. Perfect Guy

Raine's POV:

Leon chuckle, it was much briefer this time. He turned around and leaned against the sink. “I would assume you would be glad considering how fast you ran away.”

“Sorry about that-” I bit the tip of my tongue before it ran across my cheek. “I thought you were going to kidnap me and force me to be your mate.”

Leon tilts his head, “Did it look like I was going to do that?”

“Kinda. Yes.” I scratch my nose. “You did hold my wrist pretty tight, and your eyes went all black. I read stories.”

“Not appealing ones, I assume.”

I shook my head.

His cheekbones rise like he wants to smile, but didn’t. “Werewolf natural response.”

“Huh?”

“Our eyes turn black because our wolf wants to surface. We have to immediately gain skin contact with our mate because of the pull. Things like that are natural responses. It takes a few minutes to control them.”

“So, when you chased me for blocks?”

“Impulses.”

I nodded, but somehow I felt slightly disappointed. “Your dad mentions another girl?” I don’t know why I brought that up. I shouldn’t, considering how he avoided my question earlier.

“Yeah.”

“You like her?”

“Yeah.”

I place a hand on my chest, “Wow. That hurts like heartburn.”

He chuckles, “Worse for a werewolf.”

“Like a heart attack?” I joke.

His lips crack into what I assume as a smile, but it wasn’t it either. “Somewhat.”

“I’m sorry. That must suck.”

Then, there it was. More than chuckles but less than a laugh. Somehow, it all sounds pleasant in my ears. The mating bond is a weird, unnatural phenomenon.

He shrugs, “I assume this day was going to come.”

“Now what?”

Leon exhales, “I’ll figure it out. For now, stay in Crescent Moon’s territory and avoid running into my father.”

I nod, “My friend?”

“I’ll get her to you.”

I smile, “Thank you.”

I cannot believe my luck. I met the only werewolf who is calm and collected. RB and Selene want me to help him, so he doesn’t fall into the dark side? Do they even know what they’re talking about? He’s the coolest werewolf in the world.

He tilts his head, “Why are you laughing?”

I shook my head, “Nothing.” I bit my lower lip to hold back the swelling happiness.

Leon folded his arms, his muscle bulging beneath the shirt. “My turn to ask.”

“Ask what?”

“Why were you so keen on not being my mate?”

I scratch my neck, “Well, I have weird circumstances, and I rather not get connected to someone just in case I leave.”

His lip twerk slightly, but there were no emotions. “Just in case you leave? You’re not from this state?”

I’m not from this world. “I’m not from this country.”

“Your parents are abroad?”

“In a sense. Yes.”

“Where are they?”

“Far away.”

“You can tell me.”

“Why do you want to know?”

“After everything is over. I can take you home.”

Oh, God. How perfect can this guy be? I force out a smile, “No, thank you.”

“You sure?”

I nod, “Yeah.”

Leon shrugs, “Alright.” He made his way towards the door, “Rest, and I’ll have someone bring your friend here.” He opens the door, but halts halfway. “Oh-” He turns around. “Try to resist the urge to climb into a vent. I can’t always be there to catch you.”

I salute him. “Okie dokie Alpha.”

“And no need for the title. Just call me Leon.”

I nod, “Alright...Leon.”

Then, I saw it.

His cheeks were turning pink.

I smile, “You can call me Raine.”

Leon nods once, but he didn’t say anything.

When the door closes, I release a deep breath of relief and fall onto the bed. “Wow, that was unpleasantly easy.”

At that moment, I should’ve felt relieved, but I didn’t.

Somehow, immense disappointment engulfs inside of me.

I scratch my head and nod to myself. “This is for the best.” I exhale drastically before settling on the bed. I grab the remote and turn on the tv.

Around three episodes of a random show later, Helen burst through the door. She screams. I threw the remote down and screamed with her. She screams again. Then, I scream even louder.

When we finally finished screaming, we sat on the bed.

Helen grabs my hands, “Tell me everything.” Her eyes narrow, and she leans in closer to my bandaged neck.

I held her head and pushed her away. “He did not mark me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure?”

“No, Helen,” I said in a serious tone. “I’m not sure whether or not I got bitten by a werewolf on the neck. Let me go ask the werewolf that’s supposed to do that.”

Helen gave me a dull look. “I know it sounds like a stupid question.”

“At least you know,” I sang.

She smacks my arm, “But, I had to ask to make sure okay?” Helen leans in closer, “You’re mated to an Alpha!”

“So?”

“They’re the craziest kind of werewolf! Lycan is crazy too, but they’re manipulative crazy.”

“That’s a lot of crazy in one sentence.” I scratch my head. “I guess I luck out.”

“What do you mean?”

“I met one of the only few werewolves who don’t want their mate.”

Helen stared at me, and her face clearly expressed confusion. I waited until she caught up with the whole situation. Having a werewolf who doesn’t want their mate is rare. Having an Alpha wolf who doesn’t want their mate is even rarer. “Really?”

“Yeah. He told me he likes someone else.”

“And you believed him?”

I shrug, “Why shouldn’t I?”

“I mean, I’m no werewolf expert. But, there is no way a simple crush can defeat the mating bond. It’s like their thing.”

“Their thing?”

“Yeah. Mates are like a werewolf thing. If they can reject that, they have nothing.”

“Isn’t there a second chance in the mating world?”

Helen cocks her head, “Oh yeah. There is. Did he reject you?”

I shook my head, “No.”

“Let me get this clear. He doesn’t want you. He likes someone else. But, he didn’t reject you.”

I nod, “Yeah.”

“And they say females are complicated.”

I comb my hair with my fingers. It was sticky. I definitely need to take a shower. “He didn’t reject me because his father was going to kill me.”

Helen’s jaw dropped. I forgot to mention that part of the story. “What? His dad was going to what?” Her eyes cast towards my neck. What!”

“Yeah. Kind of put a knife against my neck earlier.”

Helen hops out of bed and rolls up her sleeve. “I’m going to kill him. I’m going to kill that bastard!” She made her way to the door.

“You can’t kill him.”

“Try me!”

“No. Seriously-” I turn my body. “You really can’t kill him. He will rip you piece by piece with his bare teeth.”

Helen exhales, “I don’t want to be ripped piece by piece by someone’s mouth.” She drags her legs back towards me and flop onto the bed. My body bounces slightly. “I should’ve learned more spells. If I did, then I would’ve had some sort of power to burn down this town.”

I smile, “Yeah. You should’ve worked harder.”

Her nose squishes and she moves it around like she smells something disgusting. “Now what?”

“You got your phone?”

She shook her head. “They confiscated it.”

“How long do you think it will be until someone notices we are gone?”

Helen exhales, “Dawn.”

“What?”

She turns to her side, “I ran out of supplements.”

“What supplements?”

“The ones that keep my dark side from surfacing.”