Holly

A week passes in a blink of an eye. Since the full moon run, he has given me the space I asked for.

The only thing I’ve learned during this time is how utterly miserable I am without him and that I’ve made a terrible mistake by making him wait this long. But I can’t give in to my emotions just yet. Not when I’m trying to work through everything and get it together.

My wolf may be certain and won’t stop jabbering about it, but my mind doesn’t want to wrap around it.

As I head home from work at the tech shop, I realize that I need to talk to mom before I do anything. Her home isn’t far from the apartment complex and is in one of the nicer neighborhoods surrounding the city.

I walk there and right as I arrive; I realize that I must look like a mess. Honestly, it’s not like I should look like this after working on a computer all day and taking care of customer service.

When I knock, she answers the door and gives me an odd look, which I expect.

“Honey, what is wrong? Please tell me they are not abusing you at work.”

“It’s not that, mom. We need to talk.”

Once she shuts the door behind me, I head to my favorite chair in her living room. It’s a large, round one that I can just sink into and be swallowed. It’s also soft and has the best fabric. I remember her laughing when I was young, but now she knows something is wrong. I always came here to sit when I was in deep thought.

“Out with it, dear. You look horrible.”

“So, I went to see the matchmaker, thinking that was the best thing I could do since I’m still single at seventy years old. You know, it’s time. Well, our alpha is one of my matches and he’s been after me since. I have had a hard time because you and his dad were together all those years ago. I know you and dad weren’t fated, so you were able to move on after his passing, but I don’t know what else to think. How can I be with him? Our wolves can’t just suddenly bond after this long, right?”

“Honey, that was almost fifty years ago since we separated. Times have moved on since then and so have we. He is still a close friend. We are just better as friends. Mating was weird for us, but we thought we were doing things right. Fate had other plans.”

I look up at her and notice the deep lines on her forehead. She is distraught and I’m scaring her. “Well, I froze up, regardless. The man asked for four weeks and I gave it to him. Everything has gone off the rails and I don’t know what to do. My wolf is mad at me and hasn’t let me shift all week because I’m keeping her from him.”

She just shakes her head and plops down on the nearby couch. “Honey, his father and I were only mated for like five years and that was after you two reached eighteen. With the long lives we live, things are bound to cross at some point, but you two aren’t blood and you’re not family. Don’t let me and his father ruin what fate has deemed for you.”

“What if fate is wrong, and this isn’t a bond I’m feeling?”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Her brows knit together as she looks at me with another odd look. “Fate is fate. She does what she wants and you aren’t going to escape it.”

And just like that, I spill it all out for her. Details are shared and I tell her exactly what has scared me. She listens intently, and usually just nods. The main point and only thing she says is that Rex and I are not them. We are different people and more than likely won’t have the same issues as them.

Something suddenly makes a loud noise in the kitchen, causing me to jump. “Do you have a mouse or something?”

She looks off toward the hallway leading to the kitchen. “Something like that. Why don’t you go in there and see for yourself?”

I slowly climb out of the chair and head toward the kitchen. There are two voices whispering and the closer I get, the more I realize they are male. Then I turn the corner and run straight into Rex’s father.

“Kyler?” I look to the right and then find Rex. “What are you two here?”

Kyler laughs. “Well, I came to see your mother with Rex because he said he was depressed, but it looks like you are here, too.”

I realize then that they’ve heard everything I’ve said. “You know.”

Rex nods. “I heard all of it and understand more now than I did. It makes sense, even though I’ve told you it’s not going to be like that.”

Kyler excuses himself to the living room, leaving me just standing there and staring at Rex. What in the world am I supposed to do now?

My gaze drags over his long, lean body. He’s dressed in a simple black shirt with a pair of dark wash jeans that hug him just right. His dark hair is shaggy and hanging in his eyes, which makes him even more attractive, but it’s the look of sadness that gets me. It’s killing my wolf to see him like this. She longs to go hug him and tell him that I’m his and always have been, but I hold back.

He looks at my outfit and smirks. “How was work? It looks like you got into some stuff today. Here, I thought you only answered the phones and worked at the computer.”

I look down at the spot on my light green shirt and light colored jeans. “Well, sometimes I actually go back into the shop and help fix things. But it was good.”

Rex nods and crosses his arms over his chest. “We have a bond, Holly. I’m done running. Are you?”

For one moment, I consider his words, but I already know what I’ve chosen. “I think I’m done running, too.”

“So, are we done running from each other?”

I give him a simple nod. “Yes, I’m done.”

He pushes off the counter and closes the gap between us. Then he stops. It takes me a few seconds to realize he’s giving me the option to deny him. I can turn my back now and leave. He’ll probably let me. But if I reach out and hug him, then I have to face my fears head on and accept my fated match.

Part of me still wants to run and hide, but I know I can’t any longer. My wolf won’t allow it and she’s already pushing me to take that step toward him.

So, I do. And then wrap my arms around him. “I could run now.”

“Forget it. You are either mine or not mine. And since you hugged me, we have a new deal. You are mine Holly.”

I chuckle under my breath and squeeze him a little tighter. “Well, I guess we will never be apart then.”

A low growl rumbles in his chest. “You haven’t really been alone since we’ve been apart.”

“You have been spying on me, haven’t you?”

He laughs under his breath. “You are driving me crazy, but I hope you know that you are not leaving the house for a while other than to go to work.”

“It’s our bond, isn’t it? We won’t be able to be apart for long periods of time. So, when we are home, then we are only with each other and having the time of our lives.”

I nuzzle closer. “Did you climb the building again?”

He only grunts in response and then laughs. “Maybe once or twice to peer in through your window.”

“You are insane, but I think I like that about you.”

He leans down until his forehead brushes against mine. “You better get used to it because it is you and me from here on out.”