Part B: Chapter 24

I wanted to run away but my feet wouldn’t move as my eyes stayed glued on Aidan’s who was still walking towards me. His face didn’t give anything away and I was scared of what he was going to say. He hadn’t talked to me and didn’t even spend the night in the same room as me, how was I supposed to feel about that? I had been pissed and decided to come here and see Ivan, sue me for not wanting to spend all my time holed up in a room where I didn’t feel welcome.

“What do you want?” I found the courage to ask and took a step back. I was not ready to do whatever this was right now. All I wanted was to take a hot shower, eat something and read one of the books that Ivan had lent me the day I was kidnapped. “I’m giving you your space, so do me a favour and only talk to me when you won’t insult me or call me names because I’ve had enough of that to last me a lifetime.”

Aidan didn’t say anything as he continued until he was standing right in front of me. I could smell his intoxicating cologne and all I wanted was for him to hold me and feel safe in his arms but even I knew that was not going to happen.

“Most people respect their Alpha,” was all he said as he tucked his hands into his pockets, staring me down which made me very uncomfortable. “And for your information, I didn’t ask you to give me space, much less talk about the arsehole in my estate.”

The words were cold and I felt a pang of guilt which was immediately replaced with anger. What the hell was his problem? Did he even know what he wanted because from where I was standing, that didn’t seem like the case and I hated how he always made me confused so much that I missed Sean which made me feel guilty for even thinking of him at such a time.

“I don’t know what you want from me and frankly this is just ridiculous. If you have something to say to me, just say it and stop trying to make me feel bad for what I did and apologise for,” I snapped, not caring that he was the Alpha and I was at his mercy. “If all you are going to do is make me feel like crap then maybe I shouldn’t be here. Maybe we just don’t belong together.” It hurt saying those words out loud after what Carter had told me yesterday but deep down I knew it was the best option for everyone. “We can’t keep doing this to each other, you can’t keep doing this to me and expecting everything to be okay. I have feelings too you know.”

“Is that what you want? So you can go back to him?” he growled, making fear run through me, taking hold of my hand and tightening his hold on it. “Do you think I will let you go to him so the both of you can be happy, tell me, huh?”

I was really afraid and in pain from how hard he was doing onto my arm that I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes. “You’re hurting me,” I said through clenched lips, trying to stop myself from screaming out in pain.”

Aidan laughed but it was humourless, “I know you want to go back to that arsehole. tell me I’m not wrong Jemila. Tell me it’s all in my head and you weren’t making out with him when I budged in to rescue you because I unlike you was actually worried that something bad had happened to you not knowing you let him shove his tongue down your throat like a fucking slut.” he snarled, baring his teeth at me and getting right in my face.

I no longer wanted to be in his embrace. This was a side of him I had only seen with his family but if that was how he was then I should have known it was only time until he treated me the same. Tears trickled down my face as pain continued to shoot through my arm. “Please, let go of me. You’re hurting me Aidan.”

By now his eyes had turned black and I didn’t think I would be able to reach his human-self anymore. I didn’t want to die like this.

“You are mine, you and we weren’t meant for each other and to hell with everything. I will mark you and truly make you mine so that everyone knows who you belong to.” He pulled me closer to him and then used the hand that wasn’t holding me to tilt my head to one side, exposing my jaguar. I knew it was about to happen and I knew this was not how it was supposed to be, but I couldn’t do anything to stop it because I knew what came next.

Every time I thought things would change, something like this always ended up happening, leaving me feeling pathetic and sorry for myself. I remembered running for my life through the woods, bruised and all alone. Every time I tried to get in touch with someone, it was so painful as if someone had blocked a huge part of me, caged it so that it would never come out.

My eyes snapped back open and I was back to the training room where Aidan was still trying to do something that we would both regret. What the hell had just happened? I didn’t remember any of what I saw moments ago. Was that a glimpse from my past?

I struggled against Aidan’s hold but he was too strong. It didn’t matter how much I pleaded or begged or tried to free myself, I was back to being trapped again. If this was what Fate had in store for me then I didn’t want it. I didn’t want to be treated as anything less than a human who had feelings. This was all too much for me.

“Please Aidan, please don’t do this,” I was sobbing again, not sure why but I had to try and make him see reason. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. “You don’t want to do this because you won’t be able to live past it once you’ve done it. Please come back, I know you can hear me.”

But there was still nothing, he twisted my face so that I was looking at him and his back eyes stared into my soul.

“Mine,” he breathed and then his canines elongated as he twisted my neck again.

I closed my eyes, waiting for the impact to come but it never did. Everything sounded oddly quiet. I no longer felt the pressure from Aidan’s hand holding tightly onto mine. Slowly, I opened my eyes and what I saw had my blood freezing cold. Why? How? I had so many questions but I would get any answers.