Mated to Her Alpha Instructor (Eileen and Regis) novel Chapter 74

2:41 pm pppp.

Mated to Her Alpha Instructor

Chapter 74

When I finally made it to the bathroom, I caught sight of myself in the mirror and froze. The mark on my neck was impossible to miss–two clear rows of teeth marks, slightly raised and faintly pink, surrounded by the ghost of bruising that hadn’t quite faded. I lifted trembling fingers to touch it, and a shiver of sensation ran through me, the bond responding to the contact with a pulse of warmth and belonging.

I’m his, I thought, staring at my reflection. Really, truly his.

The mark was beautiful in a primal way, a visible claim that said mine in a language older than words. But as I traced the outline, another thought crept in- I couldn’t give him the same. I had no wolf to answer his. I couldn’t mark him back, couldn’t let the world see that he was as much mine as I was his.

The inadequacy of it hit me like a physical blow. He’d given me everything, and I could give him nothing in return. No reciprocal bite to seal the bond, no way to make his scent carry traces of mine, no visible proof that he belonged to anyone.

“What are you thinking about so hard in there?”

I startled at Regis’s voice, suddenly aware he was standing in the doorway, watching me with those too–perceptive eyes. I tried to school my expression into something neutral, but the bond betrayed me–I could feel his concern spike as he sensed the turmoil underneath.

Before I could answer, he crossed the space between us and wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder so we were both reflected in the mirror. “Talk to me, Eileen.”

“I just… I swallowed hard, staring at our reflection–him so strong and perfect behind me, me small and marked and inadequate. “I can’t mark you back. I can’t leave my claim on you the way you did on me.”

His arms tightened fractionally. “Is that what’s bothering you?”

“How can it not?” My voice cracked despite my best efforts. “You’ve given me everything, and I can’t even give you a proper bond. I can’t-

“Stop. He turned me in his arms, tilting my face up so I had to meet his eyes. “You’ve already left your mark on me, Eileen. Right here. He took my hand and pressed it flat against his chest, over his heart. “Valdor and I only have one mate. Only you. We don’t need a bite mark to prove that to anyone.”

“But-

He pressed a kiss to my forehead. The bond between us doesn’t need teeth marks to be real. It already is real–the strongest, most complete bond I’ve ever

felt.

I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to so badly. But the doubt was so deeply ingrained, the voice that said I wasn’t good enough, wasn’t capable of being. anyone’s true equal.

He must have felt it through the bond, because his expression softened further. I know you’re scared. I know you’ve spent your whole life being told you’re not enough. But you need to start listening to me instead. His thumb brushed away a tear I hadn’t realized had fallen You’re more than enough, Eileen. You’re everything.

I buried my face in his chest, overwhelmed by the certainty in his voice, by the way the bond thrummed with truth and devotion. He held me until the tears stopped, one hand stroking my hair while the other stayed pressed to my back, grounding me.

“Now, he said eventually, pulling back just enough to look at me, I have something for you.”

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2:41 pm P PPP

Mated to Her Alpha Instructor