Book 1: Chapter 81

We stared at each other for a long time. The only noise passing between us was the sounds from the TV in the other room. My heart slowly started to drop into the pit of my stomach. As much as I wanted to give him an out and an understand of what he was actually getting into, I hated doing it. I wanted Charles. Goddess did I want this beautiful human.

He always had caught my eye. I never knew him before Marlene died so the man in front of me was always Charles. But even with all he went through, he was still kind and caring. He still did have a passion for his job, for saving people. With his hair swept over to one side it made me want to run my hands through his hair. When he wore his uniform unbuttoned it drove me off the wall. It was a crush and nothing more.

My mother always taught me to stay focused, save my emotions for my mate. That even if I screwed around, I should only fall in love with my mate. Because falling in love with someone other than my mate would only break both our hearts. She found Dad when they were eighteen and they still showed a level of love that I hoped one day I would have. They were my idols and even though we didn’t have much, we didn’t need much because we always had each other. It was a completely different world than from my mate.

“So you’re giving me an out?”

I swallowed, his voice low and angry. My hand started to shake but I turned and put the pool cue back up. My hands ran down the smooth cues and I didn’t turn around.

“So I’m giving you an out.” I confirmed, feeling Renji shrink even further in me, beyond upset with me but I knew he understood.

Charles growled and I spun around, surprised at the sound coming out of him. He was already within inches of me and slammed his hand next to my head onto the wall. My back hit the wall and pressed up against it. His eyes were narrow and I could feel the anger radiating off him in waves.

“You know, this whole time, you never once asked me what I wanted. You have been making assumptions about me and trying to make decisions for me.”

I swallowed and pressed my hands against the wall, trying to somehow stop myself from shaking. He already had a ridiculous effect on me as my mate. Add in that I was an Omega with him being angry and my body downright wanted to go on my knees, baring my neck to him.

“Wha…what…d…do…you…want?”

The words barely left my mouth. It was like trying to pull my own teeth out. My heart thrummed loudly and I was pretty sure I could feel my pulse in my toes. The only thing louder than my heart was my breathing. It was ragged and short but Charles had captured me in his eyes. I was forced to stare back, forced to take his anger.

“What was that? I didn’t quite hear you.”

Oh goddess, I slipped down the wall slightly. It was taking everything in me not to cry but I knew my eyes must be shiny because I was trying to breathe through it.

“What do you want?” It came out shakily but louder.

“What do you want…” He continued to stare at me, caging me between the wood of the pool cue holder and his arm. His other hand was holding onto the end of the wood of the frame of the holder. I swallowed hard. How the hell did he know what an order was? He was checking off all of the ‘how to dominate an Omega’ boxes.

“What do you want, Charles?” It came out more steady this time.

For a while, he didn’t say anything. I couldn’t read him at all. There was nothing to hear over my own heartbeat and he looked the picture of perfection other than the anger coming off of him. His left hand left the holder and I nearly yelped as his hand grabbed my waist. My shaking got worse as his grip tightened.

“Sam, I was given a second chance to have a love that would complete my soul. I don’t give a shit if it turned me into a goldfish. I don’t care if I have to set fire to my parents house or if every full moon I need to howl with the whole pack. Nothing matters more to me than you…than taking care of you. I want you to understand that you are so fucking perfect for me that I don’t know if I even needed the mate bond to know that. I want to hold you, take care of you, love you, and show you what it means to feel safe and protected. No matter what the fuck happens to me or to you.”

I started to cry. He was still angry, still holding me captive with his eyes but tears streamed down my face against my will.

“I will do whatever it takes to be with you. No one will stand in our way. I don’t know how you could feel you getting pregnant or me having pack responsibilities could be a turn off but I swear to you, I will do anything I need to as long as I get to hold you close. I don’t want to hear another fucking word out of that pretty little mouth of yours telling me I can have an out or that you aren’t good enough for me. If I hear it again, I will throw you over my fucking lap and punish you.”

My knees turned to jelly and I lost all strength, not even Renji could help but I didn’t fall. Charles’ hand alone on my waist held me up. His arm didn’t even shake or look like it was straining to hold up my weight.

“Do we have an understanding, Sam?”

I swallowed hard. “Y…yes…”

“Yes what, Sam?”

I felt black dots start to fill my vision. “Yes, Charles.”

He nodded and leaned back a little. His eyes softened and his anger seemed to dissipate. “I’m sorry I needed to do that, Sam, but I couldn’t stand it anymore.” His hand left the wall and he brushed the tears from my cheeks. “You’ve always been in my sights and actually being able to have this connection with you, I’ve never been so happy but it frustrates me when you try to get me to turn tail and run.”

Sniffling, I pressed my face into his hand. “I’m sorry too.”

Charles smiled and a look flashed across his face that I couldn’t place. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

I nodded and grabbed my two glasses while he grabbed all of his bottles. Walking over to the bar, I set the glassed down and the bartender eyed up.

“You boys okay?”

Smiling, I nodded shyly and Charles fist bumped the bartender. “Better now, actually. Thanks.”

Charles grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the bar. It took a second to blink. It was still bright outside and my eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the bar. It was starting to cool off, the sun going down but it was still bright as hell.

He whistled. “Silas let you borrow his truck?”

“Yeah, he threw me the keys when he told me you’d be here.”

“How long did it take you to decide to leave?”

I looked down at the ground. “Fifteen minutes.”

He chuckled. “Alright, hand me the keys.”

I didn’t even think twice, putting the keys in his hands. “Are you sure you should be driving?”

“Fortunately, unlike you, I have been drinking for half my life and a few beers can’t even effect me anymore. You’ve had two drinks though and I’m pretty sure I was holding you up completely there for a second.”

Blood rushed to my face and I turned away from him. Renji was snickering and I shoved him back.

“Do you trust me, Sam?”

I looked up at him. He was leaning over the truck bed. Again, his eyes held me captive and I swallowed.

“Yes, of course.”

Charles smiled. “Good.”

He took out his phone and he looked like he was texting someone. Slipping his hand between the cab and the bed of the truck, in a crack I wouldn’t have even realized was there, he must have hid the keys. Grabbing my wrist, he pulled me to his car and unlocked it. Motioning me to get in, I hopped in the passenger seat while he took the wheel. We pulled out and I watched as he drove through downtown. My hands were still shaking and I clasped them together. Suddenly, Charles’ hand interwove with mine.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you that bad.”

I shook my head. “Like I said, I’m sorry too. It was my fault you got so angry. I guess, when I step back, you were right. My head was wrapped up so much in thinking you wouldn’t want me, I didn’t think of the possibility that you could…” My sentence trailed off as I looked down at his hand, feeling my heart speed up.

“That I could love you?”

Looking at him, he was looking over at me ever so often. My heart jackhammered in my chest.

“Yes…that…”

A smile fell on his features and he nodded, looking back at the road.